I love being a mom to two beautiful girls. They are my pride and joy. Another perk about having…read moregirls is that I get to dress them up with beautiful clothes. I have my own life-sized dolls. I'm lucky that my girls get a lot of pre-loved clothes from their cousins and other people love giving them dresses as gifts so I rarely buy them clothes (except sleep wear). When I do (for special occasions), I like buying their dresses from Peppermint. The quality of clothing from Peppermint is great; the dresses are usually made of light fabric so it's comfy to wear (especially for kids), and I love the girly, frilly designs. The clothes are trendy, but still young and age-appropriate so that the kids look like girls and not midgets wearing mini dresses. The prices of the clothes are also reasonable and more affordable than other clothing brands for kids. Most of the pre-loved clothes my daughter got from one of her cousins are from Peppermint. Her cousin is three years older than her, but the clothes still look new. I can say that Peppermint clothes are made to last too.

When it comes to my niece and nephew, I err on the safe side. Even if there are many brands…read morespecializing in children's goods, I usually patronize the ones that my mom bought us when we were young. One brand that our family has trusted for a long time now is Enfant. I can attest to the quality of their products because some of their clothes that my mom bought me when I was a kid are still usable up to this day. I like going to the Enfant store because everything I need to buy for my niece and nephew can be found there. Aside from kids' apparels, they also sell baby bottles, toiletries, bags, and baby-friendly furniture. I like their baby clothes because they are made of 100% cotton and are hypoallergenic. I wish, though, that they sell clothes that are more in tune with the modern times, so to speak. Another good reason to buy from this store is the price of their products. I was able to buy a sturdy stroller for my niece for less than PHP 4,000.00. Now, I think that's a bargain.

When you become a godmother, it's time for you to look for places to buy baby clothes and baby…read moreaccessories. You can't just rely on the sales that happen seldom. You will have to come to reality by accepting the fact that anything for the baby is expensive! Whenever my friends and I give gifts to a new mother / friend, we try to pass by Enfant to check out their merchandise. First we ask our mother / friend what she needs for the baby and being the practical friends, we split the cost of something big. Like for example before when my boss gave birth, we bought her a crib in Enfant. Since we were 15 people, the price of the crib divided amongst us wasn't so bad. I think it's the best way to help the mother / friend. You give something that she really needs, which lessens her costs. This is really a mommy's heaven!

What I love about Gingersnaps is that they really cater to the Filipino audience. The clothes they…read morehave -- particularly the shirts are made with thinner cotton material which is perfect for the weather in the Philippines. Some would argue that because of the thin material, it looks a bit cheap. But having a baby and owning a baby clothing line myself, I totally understand where they are coming from. Of course, I've had my fair share of shopping for US brands, but I always end up using the stuff I buy from Gingersnaps more simply because my daughter is more comfortable in them. Don't worry, even with the thinner material, the clothes are very well made and they can stand several washings. I also love the retro designs that they have and that they have a very extensive line for boys as well.

I discovered Gingersnaps when I was 6 months pregnant and my belly finally appeared like a big…read morepregnancy belly. Seriously, I felt like I popped from one week to another. It grew very fast and I got desperate, because I couldn't wear my old clothes anymore. I would need a new wardrobe, but where to find maternity clothes in Manila? I had just arrived here! My first stop was Landmark, where I've bought some dresses, but I still wanted something trendier, fresh and modern. A local friend, who was also pregnant, suggested Gingersnaps and there I found some nice clothes! Actually, maternity wear isn't their main focus, but you still can find interesting dresses to use when your belly is about to pop. If you go there, however, be prepared to the irresistible magnetism of children's wear. This is their main focus. And the clothes are very cute!

One of the first things you'll notice as a new mom is that newborn babies grow up incredibly fast…read more So you'll have to buy new clothes for your kid much more frequently than you do for yourself (by the way, you'll also notice that parents usually don't have any free time to spend shopping, so get used to your good old pajama as you'll spend a lot of time wearing it). The second level of Greenbelt 5 is the perfect place if you're looking for children's clothing, since it concentrates many nice stores like Mothercare, Gingersnaps and Osh Kosh. My favourite, however, is Cotton On Kids. Clothes there are so soft (cotton! yay!) and the prints are funky and cute at the same time. I just love their sleepsuits, specially because they offer many different options with side zippers or side buttons, what ease the dressing a lot. I get happy every time my baby wears Cotton On clothes. It's like "ooooh, you are so cute!", photo shoot #1; "owwwh, you look like a rock star with this one!", photo shoot #2 and I take a thousand pictures and don't know which one to instagram. Besides being soooo adorable, I can feel my baby gets really comfortable with the clothes, and that's what matters.

I love Cotton On so when I found out they had a store just for kids' clothes, I was excited to…read morecheck it out. Cotton On Kids has the cutest selection of clothing ranging from infant wear to bigger kids' clothes. Their clothing are up-to-date, but not over-the-top that makes your child look like a shrunken adult. Their clothes are made of nice material, not too thin not too thick, making them very comfortable for kids. They have shirts, pants, shorts, dresses, swimwear and sleepwear. They also have really nice accessories for both boys and girls. Of course, the girls get the nicer things like tutus, wands, headbands and clips, while boys get sunglasses and hats. I'm so excited for my little one to come out so I can buy him/her some clothes from here!

Oh no. I am not a mom and I have no plans to be one in the near future. But I do have tons of…read morelittle nieces and nephews. And some will still be coming into this crazy world this year. I have a knack of spoiling them and buying cute little things for them to wear and use for school or around the house. What caught my attention was the onesies (is that what you call them?). They were in the shape of animals and they were so cute! The material was also good. It wasn't that tough and it wasn't that thin. They also had pajamas or clothes to wear at home with cartoon characters printed on them. I especially liked the Minnie Mouse outfit they had. The next time a new baby comes into the family, I am coming back here and buying those onesies. I wish they had some for adults.

I had to get a gift for a niece a few weeks back and while I was wandering around Century City Mall…read moreI found this cute little store called Chibimomo! I entered because I saw a cute giraffe stuffed toy at the door and I couldn't resist! It turns out it was a kids store, exactly what I was looking for! They had a lot of clothes from brands I didn't know, so it's great for those who want their little ones to stand out. They also had a good selection of children's toys and decor. I ended up buying really adorable swimwear for my niece and couldn't help but grab one for her sister as well. Nothing cuter than matching siblings! Their prices are a little high but still not too bad. If you've got a toddler you're dying to spoil Chibimomo might have just what you're looking for!

Chibi Momo has everything I want my future child to be wearing: Girly baby doll dresses for the…read moreprincesses and adorable separates for the princes. I bet if we were still young'ns, my mom would've loved to go shopping here. While there are items in the store sourced in the US and Europe, what I love most about this place are there capsule collections featuring local designers. As someone who works in fashion, I was so over the moon just thinking about my (future) little one dressed up in Maureen Disini and Rosanna Ocampo! I mean, how fabulous is that right? Some moms may find it too frivolous and rather expensive especially for children's clothing, but I just think you're paying for premium goods. Far from the mass produced and brightly colored things you can easily buy in every other mall, everything at Chibi Momo feels well thought out and well curated. It could be that I work in a fashion magazine but I'd be happy to recommend a bit of fashion into any little girl or even a little boy's life in that matter! After all, you're never too young to learn about good taste.

If I could win a prize for being a loyal customer of some store here in the Philippines, this store…read morewould certainly be Mothercare. I lost track of how many times I've been there since I moved to Manila being 5-6 months pregnant. When I was feeling about to pop with the big tummy, all I wanted was a time saver store where I could find everything I needed - for me and for the baby! The convenience is the main reason why I like Mothercare. There you can find children's clothes, strollers, cribs, changing tables, baby bouncers and rockers, maternity clothes, bottles, pacifiers, teddy bears, bath tubes, nursing pads, post-partum belly wraps and so on. I've bought many clothes for my baby there. My maternity nightdress is also from Mothercare and I love using it to breastfeed. Here I share some useful tips: TIP 1- For some products, the price is almost the same than in similar stores. Other items can have prohibitive prices! So COMPARE prices. The set with bed seets, bumpers and pillow, for example, is very expensive. Almost the same price than the moses, what doesn't make sense to me. TIP 2 - They sell some Medela products, which are quite difficult to find here in Manila. Instead of going to Medela House, in Quezon City, you can buy breast pumps, bottles and so on at Mothercare : ) I love this facility! And I love Medela. TIP 3 - They sell Mustela products too, so you don't have to look for a kiosk in the mall. TIP 4 - They sell Belly Bandit post-partum wraps. TIP 5 - Don't throw your purchase receipts away. When you reach 30k you can apply for their loyalty card and enjoy some discounts and promos.

If you're a mom or a mom-to-be, you must visit Mothercare. It's like every mother's rite of…read morepassage. You'll find all the basic things you need from birth to toddler years. Whether you're looking for a portable bath tub, a moses basket, a high chair or a complete set of bedding for your new crib, they literally have everything. They have great mommy products as well -- from comfortable maternity clothes to belly bandits, cocoa butter to prevent stretch marks or nursing bras to fit that ever-growing new body. For first-time mommies, I suggest you get the frogsuit sets as these are super effective for getting newborns to sleep in their first few days outside the womb. Even if they are a bit expensive, these are super worth it because of the quality of the clothes. Here's a tip: make sure you shop there during Christmas season and Halloween, they have cute costume frogsuits and onesies -- you can get reindeer designs or make your kids into little elves -- really adorable!

Shopping for a baby is not easy at all, especially when it's not your baby, but Baby and Company…read moremakes the task easier. Since they are a specialized store for babies, everything you need or want is there. I like how they carry several (not a lot, but just enough) brands to choose from ranging from mid to high-end. They've got bottles, clothes, strollers, diapers, bath tubs, cribs and other baby essentials, as well as toys and accessories. I've also canvassed around for baby things for my own child and they have quite a good selection. The best part is that they carry the regular SM prices, without having to go through the hustle and bustle of SM malls. They also have a baby registry and offer gift cards, making it a great place for baby shower/baptism/birthday registries. :) I know where I'll be shopping in the next coming months!

What I love about Baby and Company is that it has both the expensive, hard-to-find brands and the…read moremore affordable ones all in one store. From bottles to creams to toys, I have a fair amount of options in one store. It's not the most complete but it's got well-curated stock that mothers will appreciate. So, whether I'm shopping for my daughter and looking for best quality item on the shelf or shopping for another kid who won't notice whether I got them a Fisher Price or Lamaze gift, I can find it there. I also don't mind that I can use my SM Advantage card in a store in Powerplant Mall. LOL I always feel like I one-upped Powerplant or something when I do that!