Mama Lea

Something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue.

No, they do it not just during weddings but also on other special occasions.

When eight-week-old Nicole Beverly, first-born of Lea Salonga and Robert Chien, was baptized last Sunday, July 9, at the St. James Church in Ayala Alabang, she wore the same baptismal dress (including the headdress and bonnet) that Lea and brother Gerard did when they themselves were baptized. You know, something old, something borrowed... Good thing Lea’s mom, Ligaya Salonga, has a sentimental streak in her and keeps such memorable things in her treasure chest.

But during the reception held at Lea and Robert’s home in Acropolis, Quezon City, Nicole wore new dresses specially bought for the event by her mom and Uncle Gerard.

Unlike other showbiz baptisms where the number of ninongs and ninangs fill up the whole altar, in Nicole’s case there were only five, namely Lea’s brother Gerard, Narciso Chan (Sony BMG marketing and sales director), Gina de Venecia, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Steffi Inocentes (Lea’s friend).

Lea delivered Nicole last May 16 at the Asian Hospital – "I was the only normal delivery in that hospital that day," recalled Lea. "Three were by Caesarian section."

Since then, Lea has been breastfeeding Nicole and she intends to do it for as long as she can. "At least six months exclusive," said Lea. "And once food is introduced, at least one year, ideally."

Weighing 6.10 lbs. at birth, Nicole has radically changed her parents’ lifestyle with her arrival.

"Rob and I alternate in taking care of Nicole," said Lea. "We kind of do it relye-relyebo, doing it in shifts. The whole day I’m home while Rob is at work. Basta at four in the morning, it’s Rob who changes the diapers. At night, I try to get a little rest and he’s the one who gets up and goes right back to sleep. And then I nurse her. I have a lot of milk, so I sometimes feed her through the feeding bottle."

Once a week, Lola Ligaya drops by and that’s when Mama Lea goes out with friends and goes shopping.

"Being alone with the baby the whole day can get to you, so I go out once a week."

No, unlike most moms Lea didn’t experience post-partum depression.

"But there’s an adjustment period to this overwhelming sense of responsibility. You know, oh my God, I have a baby! But it wasn’t so much about getting depressed. You see, I had very realistic expectations about motherhood. I ingrained it in my head that, okay, I wouldn’t be able to go out and my friends would just have to visit me at home. So while I was pregnant, I really made lakwatsa so that when the baby came, I wouldn’t be looking for it so much."

She gained 20 pounds during her pregnancy and lost 15 of them two weeks after she delivered Nicole. She has since lost the rest of it.

Like all (especially new) parents, Lea and Rob take pictures of Nicole all the time.

"She’s growing so fast," said Lea. "Nicole is well-behaved, hindi iyakin."

When she was born, Nicole looked largely like Rob. But as she grows older, she’s starting to look more and more like Lea.

Back to her old shape, Lea is ready to return to work, with a corporate show scheduled next month and to "concertizing" maybe end of the year yet.

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