Blood Suckers

We live beside a huge empty lot filled with luscious tall green grass with a big puddle that looks like a little river. It's great because its like we have a big garden (a garden we really can't play in but still). Its refreshing and the air breezes freely inside our living room because there are no houses blocking. It's a treat to hang out in the living room with Rain especially in the afternoon when the breeze is cooler and stronger. Perfect setting for a baby to nap.

But of course, like almost everything in life, this has its drawback. And that happens to be mosquitoes. Fat stubborn irritating mosquitoes that come alive at the break of dusk like vampires. It can really be bothersome especially when you have a baby at home.



I try my best to keep her bite-free. But let's face it. It's hard. Because you can't always have your eyes glued on your baby 24/7. Especially for a work-from-home mom like me with no household help. Even with the aircon on, some of them still roam around the room. There have been 2 or 3 mornings when I woke up to see a mosquito bite on her leg. And it's irritating because Rain's skin is so white, so it's really obvious when she has a bite (I'm a poet I don't know it)

I tried that socket thing of Baygon. That small white device plug where you insert a blue little mat and plug it in an electrics socket. It doesn't seem to have any effect. There's of course the usual katol (mosquito coil). I always buy the lavender one so the smell isn't as harsh. But looks like its also not as harsh to mosquitoes. And plus its not really so pleasant when the whole house smells like smoke. And I have been wanting to try that DIY mosquito catcher I've been seeing over the internet made from only a used plastic Coke bottle, black trash bag, yeast, and sugar. It supposedly really works. Unfortunately I'm still on the hunt for yeast. I can't find anything in the supermarket. Not really sure where else to buy. Maybe a baking shop? Anyway I don't also really have time to look but when I do, those mosquitoes won't know what him 'em.

So at the moment, if I can't successfully keep them out of my house, I would just have to rely on baby mosquito repellents for Rain. Bite me all you want. But Rain is untouchable. Sorry.

Rain sporting her funky pink floral Parakito 

I had the privilege to try Parakito and thought it was great. I say "privileged" because I find it expensive but Rain received this for her 1st birthday from her Tita Krystal. (Thanks Tita Krystal!) The smell is strong but not harsh. It actually smells really good if you ask me. And the fun thing about it is they have all sorts of sporty-looking bands wherein you can insert the Parakito tablet then wear it on your baby's ankle or wrist. Rain has the pink band with flower designs on it. So girly! i love it! They also have the key chain type so you can just hook it around your toddler's belt or baby rocker, walker, car seat, stroller, what have yous. The only down side to it is a pack of tablet refills (includes only 2 tablets) is around 549 php. One tablet is good for 15 days. Needless to say I find it very expensive. Too bad because I really like it. So I just save Rain's Parakito for special occasions. Until now I still have one tablet unopened and I'm saving that for our family trip to the zoo this weekend with her cousins. Anyway, with that price, it's not something I can let Rain use everyday. I need something cheaper but effective as well.


Thankfully my cousin Awi introduced me to Mommy Patch. It's an all natural anti-mosquito stick. And from the looks and the smell of it, you can be sure it doesn't contain anything that is harsh for the baby.


Don't mistake this for a lip gloss. This is their mosquito repellent stick (195 Php) It has a mild citronella scent that is not too harsh on the nose. And when you apply it on the skin, it's not sticky or oily at all which is what I look for in these things. It kind of fades right away after applying on the skin but the smell is still there. Rain never had any allergic reactions to it, thankfully! I just draw lines with it on Rain's arms and legs. Sometimes even a few strokes on the sides of her puurttty face. And I especially love the strings attached to it so you can easily hook it in the diaper bag or kikay kit. I like hanging it on my jewelry tree, a gift from my friend Melay, so it's easy to find. (Thanks Melay!)

The Lavender Rescue stick, on the other hand,
(also 195 Php) is for when that stubborn goal-driven mosquito's mission is unfortunately accomplished. When it successfully gets a sip of your baby's blood. This is applied to bites or even scrapes. The beauty of this all-natural product is it supposedly helps avoid dark skin spots when the bite or scrape heals. I regret not using this earlier. Rain has one or two dark spots on her legs from mosquito bites from before. (Bumping my head on the table). But I'm sure it will go away in time. If you want to know more about Mommy Patch products you can visit  http://organics101.multiply.com/

Now that I've got these sticks to protect Rain with, my next project is killing those trespassing blood-suckers when they enter the house. I really still feel the need to make that DIY mosquito catcher. I will not go down without a fight! Once I find yeast they're all going down!

Baby Rain likes playing with her Mommy Patch sticks.
Mommy Rina on stand by in case she feels like biting them.

NOTE: Always best to consult your baby's pedia first!