Originally, using cloth diapers was a matter of money. Everybody is on a tight budget theses days. When I was pregnant, Hubby thought we could save a few bucks with cloth. (Yes, my husband wanted to use cloth before I did.) Then we crunched the numbers.
We are assuming a box of diapers lasts about a week, and a box of diapers costs about $20. (I'm a coupon girl, and I can usually score some really good deals, but I've never been able to get a box of diapers cheaper than $15.) Also assuming a child will potty train at age 2. There are 52 weeks in a year (104 in two years). Thus:
104 weeks X $15 = $1560 to diaper a child from birth to potty training. *2 years is an average. Most will take longer and keep in mind that you won't be able to get $15 diapers every time, so this number should be higher.*At $20/box, it will cost more than $2000!
Compare that to cloth, using pocket diapers (which are more expensive than PFs, but are the most common choice) at $25 each (most are not that expensive). A two day supply is about 20-25 diapers. 25 diapers X $25= $625 Keep in mind that most pockets are one size, so once you have your stash, you're set.
You could save over $1000 by the time the child is potty trained. If you have more than one child, you've already made the initial investment, so every cloth diaper you use on child #2 is pure savings. That's a savings of $3000 or more with two children! Even with detergent and electricity factored in, that's a huge savings. We use a quilt rack to air dry the diapers, so we don't use the dryer.
Even with the "extras" we've acquired along the way, we've spent less than $500 for everything (including 6 boxes of sposies). We have 1 more size to go with pre-folds and we plan on using cloth training pants, so we'll probably end up spending about $600 total.
While money is our main reason for using cloth diapers, it's not the only one. I've heard stories about "emergency" trips to the store for diapers. We never have that issue. We wash on a schedual, but if we do run low, we can always pop a load in the washer and in less than an hour we have a full stash again.
Another motivation for using cloth is the concern over the chemicals in disposables. The same absorbent materials in diapers used to be in tampons, but were removed because of the connection to TSS. Now, I know that the method of contact is different, but there's something to be said for keeping a toxic material that close to a baby's genitals. Have you every smelled the diaper area at Target? It reeks of chemicals and I'm not comfortable with putting that on my baby's skin 24/7.
The most common reason to use cloth diapers is the environmental impact, but to be honest, even if cloth diapers were just as bad as sposies for the environment (And that argument has been made) I would still use cloth. Eco-friendliness or "going green" is at the very bottom of my list, even below cuteness. (Cloth diapered butts are SO cute!)
I'll admit that we're not cloth purists. My mother in law watches Babyzilla 4 days a week while I'm in class and he wears sposies there. When we visit my mom, she buys a box of diapers, so we don't have to worry about packing them. Every family has to develop their own system that works for them. Many daycares don't use cloth, but baby wears cloth at home. I know a family that uses cloth on the weekends and overnight. In our cloth adventure, we've been all over the spectrum too. It's not something you're locked into. That's why I'm a huge fan of the Change 3 Things Challenge. The idea is that you commit to changing at least 3 dcloth diapers a day. It won't save you thousands of dollars, maybe just a couple hundred, but it's a good place to start. Many people find themselves changing more than that. I'll give you fair warning though: Cloth diapers are highly addictive! :)
Friday, May 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Cloth Diapers
I've had quite a few of my friends ask for information on cloth diapers. I dedicate this post to them. I am not claiming to be an expert on the subject, but here is some of what I've learned on my cloth diapering journey.
First of all, there are lots of acronyms and abbreviations with cloth diapers. Learn them or you'll be lost.
CD: cloth diaper
PF: pre-fold
CPF: Chinese pre-fold (made from Chinese cotton. more durable than Indian cotton, but not as soft)
IPF: Indian pre-fold (made from Indian cotton. softer than Chinese prefolds, but probably won't last through multiple children)
DSQ: diaper service quality (refers to the quality of a pre-fold. You definitely want them DSQ.)
AIO: all- in - one
Sposies: disposable diapers
OS: One size
OC: organic cotton
PUL: Polyurethane Laminate- a waterproof material used to
make covers, and the outside of many pocket diapers & AIO's
Types/ Styles of CDs
Flats: Rarely used anymore. These are the old fashioned ones your grandma probably used.
Pros: Cheapest diapers. Can be folded for a tailored fit to your baby.
Cons: They need to be folded and pinned. None of the convenience of disposables. Also require covers. Hard to use with a Snappi. (What's a Snappi? Don't worry. I'll get to that later.)
Prefolds:
Like flats but already folded (hence the name) with an absorbent middle. When you see numbers such as 4x8x4, that refers to the layers. 4x8x4 would mean 4 layers on each side, and 8 in the middle. *Note: You don't want the thin Gerber ones from Target/ Babies R Us. They're useless as diapers.*
Pros: Cheap. Relatively easy to use. Work with a Snappi. Come in many different materials. Dry quickly. Can be doubled for heavy wetter/ nighttime. PFs have 1000 or more uses: burp cloths, dust rags, changing pad, make-shift bib, absorb spills, etc.
Cons: Not as similar to sposies as other styles. Require cover, so diapering is a 2 step process. Need to buy multiple sizes.
Pockets:
Very common type of CD. Pockets have a waterproof outer layer, and an inner layer which wicks away moisture. These two layers are stitched together leaving an opening in the end where you stuff inserts. The inserts absorb the mess. You remove the insert when it's time to wash.
Pros: Design is similar to disposables (great for people not used to changing cloth diapers, like a babysitter). If you have a heavy wetter, you can add more inserts. One step process. (No cover needed.) Dry quickly. Most are one sized, meaning baby can wear the same diaper from birth to potty training.
Cons: After each wash, you have to stuff the diaper again. Can be more expensive than PFs.
AIOs: A waterproof layer on the outside, with an absorbent layer sewn right in (hence the name, all in ones). Often includes a "stay dry" layer closest to baby's skin such as microfleece or suedecloth.
Pros: Closest to disposables. Easy to use. Most are one size.
Cons: Most expensive. Slowest drying. Can't customize.
What we do:
Our main motivation for using cloth was the money factor so we use PFs with covers most of the time. Babyzilla is a "super soaker," so we use a hemp doubler with the PF at night. They're easy to use, once you get the hang of it. My mom found some pocket diapers at a consignment store for about $3 each. They're normally $20 or more each. We use them for running errands because they're easier to use on a small bathroom counter. (It never fails that we're somewhere without a changing station. Thanks Murphy!) We have 4 pockets and they're a bit of a pain to stuff. I couldn't imagine doing it for 20 of them. With PFs you just stack them by the changing table. We use a small bin to hold the covers and doublers. Personally, I don't understand the popularity of AIOs. Pockets are just as easy to use, but take less time to dry and you can customize the absorbency. Eh... to each their own, right?
Other things to consider:
Diaper pail/ pail liner: You need a place to put the dirty diapers. We use a trash can with a lid that flips up. People used to use a "wet pail" with water and vinegar. This is unnecessary and can actually make the smell and bacteria growth worse. A pail liner is great. It keeps the ...uh.. mess from getting all over the pail. You just pick it up like you would a garbage bag and dump the dirty diapers in the wash. The liner goes in with it. I recommend having 2. One to wash and one to use. (Our liners were about $15 each)
A CD friendly butt cream: Cloth diapers have fewer issues with diaper rash, but sometimes it happens. Desitin and Butt Paste will do serious damage your diapers. Grovia makes a stick that you put on kind of like deodorant. It smells really good. It's a bit pricey, but one stick will last as long as your kid's in diapers. Ecological Babies sells CD friendly diaper rash treatments. (No, I don't receive anything if you buy from Ecological Babies. It's a great company and I'm happy to support them.)
Diaper sprayer: Nonessential, but you'll want this when your kid starts solids or if you formula feed. Breast milk poop is water soluble, so you don't have to clean it before you pop it in the wash. Formula poo and solid food poo need to be washed out first. (If you want to get technical, you're supposed to do that with sposies anyway.) With a diaper sprayer, you spray the poop into the toilet and flush it away. Diaper sprayers are good for hosing down high chairs, too. (Sprayer was $30. I asked for it as an anniversary present. Wow, I'm a cloth diaper nerd.)
Wet bag: The one we have has a dry area for clean diapers and a wet area for dirties. Not a must have (you could use a plastic grocery bag instead), but definitely nice to have. (Ours was $17 and worth every penny.)
Fasteners: If you use flats or PFs, you'll need a way to fasten the cloth before you put the cover on. You could use the old fashioned diaper pins ($1 for 5 at Burlington Coat Factory) or you can use a Snappi. Snappis are AWESOME! They work kind of like the old ACE bandages. The ends have little teeth that hook into the diaper and hold it. No worry about sticking you or the baby during night time changes and no storing them in soap to keep the ends sharp. (Snappis are about $4 each and should be replaced every 6 months. We keep 3 on hand.)
Doublers: Doublers are great if you use prefolds and your kid is a heavy wetter. They're the prefold equivalent to adding more inserts into a pocket diaper. Ours are hemp (very absorbent) and cost $5 each. We have 4.
Cloth wipes: You're already doing the load of laundry, so why not? More savings, less mystery ingredients on your baby's bum. I confess, we're not using cloth wipes yet. It's the next step though. I'm sick of sorting the wipes from the diaper. I like to roll it all up and toss it in the pail (or garbage, if I'm using a sposie). I've found some great recipes for homemade wipe solution, but good old water works just fine, so I've been told. (Price will vary by what you use.)
I know it's a lot of information and CDs can seem overwhelming. I promise that it's not as bad as it seems! If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.
First of all, there are lots of acronyms and abbreviations with cloth diapers. Learn them or you'll be lost.
CD: cloth diaper
PF: pre-fold
CPF: Chinese pre-fold (made from Chinese cotton. more durable than Indian cotton, but not as soft)
IPF: Indian pre-fold (made from Indian cotton. softer than Chinese prefolds, but probably won't last through multiple children)
DSQ: diaper service quality (refers to the quality of a pre-fold. You definitely want them DSQ.)
AIO: all- in - one
Sposies: disposable diapers
OS: One size
OC: organic cotton
PUL: Polyurethane Laminate- a waterproof material used to
make covers, and the outside of many pocket diapers & AIO's
Types/ Styles of CDs
Flats: Rarely used anymore. These are the old fashioned ones your grandma probably used.
Pros: Cheapest diapers. Can be folded for a tailored fit to your baby.
Cons: They need to be folded and pinned. None of the convenience of disposables. Also require covers. Hard to use with a Snappi. (What's a Snappi? Don't worry. I'll get to that later.)
Prefolds:
Like flats but already folded (hence the name) with an absorbent middle. When you see numbers such as 4x8x4, that refers to the layers. 4x8x4 would mean 4 layers on each side, and 8 in the middle. *Note: You don't want the thin Gerber ones from Target/ Babies R Us. They're useless as diapers.*
Pros: Cheap. Relatively easy to use. Work with a Snappi. Come in many different materials. Dry quickly. Can be doubled for heavy wetter/ nighttime. PFs have 1000 or more uses: burp cloths, dust rags, changing pad, make-shift bib, absorb spills, etc.
Cons: Not as similar to sposies as other styles. Require cover, so diapering is a 2 step process. Need to buy multiple sizes.
Pockets:
 |
| Knicker Nappies pocket diaper. Great brand! |
Pros: Design is similar to disposables (great for people not used to changing cloth diapers, like a babysitter). If you have a heavy wetter, you can add more inserts. One step process. (No cover needed.) Dry quickly. Most are one sized, meaning baby can wear the same diaper from birth to potty training.
Cons: After each wash, you have to stuff the diaper again. Can be more expensive than PFs.
AIOs: A waterproof layer on the outside, with an absorbent layer sewn right in (hence the name, all in ones). Often includes a "stay dry" layer closest to baby's skin such as microfleece or suedecloth.
Pros: Closest to disposables. Easy to use. Most are one size.
Cons: Most expensive. Slowest drying. Can't customize.
What we do:
Our main motivation for using cloth was the money factor so we use PFs with covers most of the time. Babyzilla is a "super soaker," so we use a hemp doubler with the PF at night. They're easy to use, once you get the hang of it. My mom found some pocket diapers at a consignment store for about $3 each. They're normally $20 or more each. We use them for running errands because they're easier to use on a small bathroom counter. (It never fails that we're somewhere without a changing station. Thanks Murphy!) We have 4 pockets and they're a bit of a pain to stuff. I couldn't imagine doing it for 20 of them. With PFs you just stack them by the changing table. We use a small bin to hold the covers and doublers. Personally, I don't understand the popularity of AIOs. Pockets are just as easy to use, but take less time to dry and you can customize the absorbency. Eh... to each their own, right?
Other things to consider:
Diaper pail/ pail liner: You need a place to put the dirty diapers. We use a trash can with a lid that flips up. People used to use a "wet pail" with water and vinegar. This is unnecessary and can actually make the smell and bacteria growth worse. A pail liner is great. It keeps the ...uh.. mess from getting all over the pail. You just pick it up like you would a garbage bag and dump the dirty diapers in the wash. The liner goes in with it. I recommend having 2. One to wash and one to use. (Our liners were about $15 each)
A CD friendly butt cream: Cloth diapers have fewer issues with diaper rash, but sometimes it happens. Desitin and Butt Paste will do serious damage your diapers. Grovia makes a stick that you put on kind of like deodorant. It smells really good. It's a bit pricey, but one stick will last as long as your kid's in diapers. Ecological Babies sells CD friendly diaper rash treatments. (No, I don't receive anything if you buy from Ecological Babies. It's a great company and I'm happy to support them.)
Diaper sprayer: Nonessential, but you'll want this when your kid starts solids or if you formula feed. Breast milk poop is water soluble, so you don't have to clean it before you pop it in the wash. Formula poo and solid food poo need to be washed out first. (If you want to get technical, you're supposed to do that with sposies anyway.) With a diaper sprayer, you spray the poop into the toilet and flush it away. Diaper sprayers are good for hosing down high chairs, too. (Sprayer was $30. I asked for it as an anniversary present. Wow, I'm a cloth diaper nerd.)
Wet bag: The one we have has a dry area for clean diapers and a wet area for dirties. Not a must have (you could use a plastic grocery bag instead), but definitely nice to have. (Ours was $17 and worth every penny.)
Fasteners: If you use flats or PFs, you'll need a way to fasten the cloth before you put the cover on. You could use the old fashioned diaper pins ($1 for 5 at Burlington Coat Factory) or you can use a Snappi. Snappis are AWESOME! They work kind of like the old ACE bandages. The ends have little teeth that hook into the diaper and hold it. No worry about sticking you or the baby during night time changes and no storing them in soap to keep the ends sharp. (Snappis are about $4 each and should be replaced every 6 months. We keep 3 on hand.)
Doublers: Doublers are great if you use prefolds and your kid is a heavy wetter. They're the prefold equivalent to adding more inserts into a pocket diaper. Ours are hemp (very absorbent) and cost $5 each. We have 4.
Cloth wipes: You're already doing the load of laundry, so why not? More savings, less mystery ingredients on your baby's bum. I confess, we're not using cloth wipes yet. It's the next step though. I'm sick of sorting the wipes from the diaper. I like to roll it all up and toss it in the pail (or garbage, if I'm using a sposie). I've found some great recipes for homemade wipe solution, but good old water works just fine, so I've been told. (Price will vary by what you use.)
I know it's a lot of information and CDs can seem overwhelming. I promise that it's not as bad as it seems! If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.
Solids
So Babyzilla went for his 4 month appointment a couple weeks ago. He's HUGE! (Duh, that's why I call him Babyzilla, right?) No, but for realz. He's in the 110th percentile for length and 90th percentile for weight, but he's not fat. Seriously.
He's a happy, secure, healthy kid. Just huge. Our pediatrician asked about his feeding schedule and how breastfeeding was going. Well, our kiddo eats about 42-45 oz of formula a day plus whatever he sucks out with nursing. Her jaw hit the floor.
Pediatrician: He sits up well when he's supported?
Hubby and I: Yup.
Her: He shows interest in what you're eating?
Us: Yup. He chews right along with us.
Her: Oh yeah. Time for solids.
Now in my head a billion bells are going off. Aren't you supposed to wait until 6 months or more? The pediatrician explains that with a normal baby, if I were breastfeeding, I'd be right, but this kid is not normal. Our kid eats at a rate about 2 months ahead of his actual age and has doen so since he was born.
On his 4 month birthday (the day after the appointment) we started him on brown rice cereal. He loved eating! Nothing but smiles. The pediatrician had mentioned that he might push the first bit out with his toung, but that was not an issue for us.
On a side note: Have you ever read the ingredients in rice cereal?!? It's crazy what gets put in there. I'm not all about organic, but this is one of the exceptions. Earth's Best doesn't have half the garbage that Gerber has. Definately worth the extra $.75 a box, in my opinion.
Anyway, we've since started him on stage 1 squash puree (also Earth's Best). Holy moley! The kid LOVES squash. Last night he grabbed the bowl from me and tried to dive in. Good thing the Mama has super reflexes. The thing that really sold me that Babyzilla is ready for solids? The kid will take hold of my/Hubby's hand and bring the spoon to his mouth. Such a smarty pants! Right now he's getting a full jar of squash and a serving of cereal if he's still hugry. He takes down a 4 oz bottle after his bath and he's ready for bed.
He's been a bit gassy since starting solids. Nothing crazy. He's always been a bit of a frat boy in that regard. Everybody said that we'd stop using cloth diapers when we hit solids because the poo changes. So far, we haven't had any issues. Maybe it's because Hubby bought me a diaper sprayer for our anniversary (my request). That thing is awesome!
The next new food is going to be peas. That starts tonight. Unfortunately, I'll be at school. :(
All of the stage 1 purees are from Earth's Best. I have issues with the Gerber Company. Everything from the way they market formula to adding high fructose corn syrup to baby food. It just doesn't sit well with me. Besides, my favorite store, Earth Fare sells Earth's Best for relatively cheap. Combine the already low price with the 10% discount we get for buying a full case (12 jars) and coupons I get from the Earth's Best website and they're actually CHEAPER than Gerber. And I don't feel like I've compromised my values.
We bought 2 variety cases; one veggies, the other fruit. Those give us 6 varieties plus we bought some loose jars in 2 more fruits.
Babyzilla's meal plan looks something like this for the next month or so:
4 days of peas and rice cereal
4 days of apples and cereal
4 days of carrots and rice cereal
4 days of bananas and rice cereal
4 days of sweet potatoes and rice cereal
4 days of prunes and rice cereal
4 days of pears and rice cereal
Hubby wants to switch to an oatmeal or barley cereal some time in there, and we'll add in more meals with solids. Any tips/ suggestions/ experiences from people that have been there, done that with solids are welcomed!
He's a happy, secure, healthy kid. Just huge. Our pediatrician asked about his feeding schedule and how breastfeeding was going. Well, our kiddo eats about 42-45 oz of formula a day plus whatever he sucks out with nursing. Her jaw hit the floor.
Pediatrician: He sits up well when he's supported?
Hubby and I: Yup.
Her: He shows interest in what you're eating?
Us: Yup. He chews right along with us.
Her: Oh yeah. Time for solids.
Now in my head a billion bells are going off. Aren't you supposed to wait until 6 months or more? The pediatrician explains that with a normal baby, if I were breastfeeding, I'd be right, but this kid is not normal. Our kid eats at a rate about 2 months ahead of his actual age and has doen so since he was born.
On his 4 month birthday (the day after the appointment) we started him on brown rice cereal. He loved eating! Nothing but smiles. The pediatrician had mentioned that he might push the first bit out with his toung, but that was not an issue for us.
On a side note: Have you ever read the ingredients in rice cereal?!? It's crazy what gets put in there. I'm not all about organic, but this is one of the exceptions. Earth's Best doesn't have half the garbage that Gerber has. Definately worth the extra $.75 a box, in my opinion.
Anyway, we've since started him on stage 1 squash puree (also Earth's Best). Holy moley! The kid LOVES squash. Last night he grabbed the bowl from me and tried to dive in. Good thing the Mama has super reflexes. The thing that really sold me that Babyzilla is ready for solids? The kid will take hold of my/Hubby's hand and bring the spoon to his mouth. Such a smarty pants! Right now he's getting a full jar of squash and a serving of cereal if he's still hugry. He takes down a 4 oz bottle after his bath and he's ready for bed.
He's been a bit gassy since starting solids. Nothing crazy. He's always been a bit of a frat boy in that regard. Everybody said that we'd stop using cloth diapers when we hit solids because the poo changes. So far, we haven't had any issues. Maybe it's because Hubby bought me a diaper sprayer for our anniversary (my request). That thing is awesome!
The next new food is going to be peas. That starts tonight. Unfortunately, I'll be at school. :(
All of the stage 1 purees are from Earth's Best. I have issues with the Gerber Company. Everything from the way they market formula to adding high fructose corn syrup to baby food. It just doesn't sit well with me. Besides, my favorite store, Earth Fare sells Earth's Best for relatively cheap. Combine the already low price with the 10% discount we get for buying a full case (12 jars) and coupons I get from the Earth's Best website and they're actually CHEAPER than Gerber. And I don't feel like I've compromised my values.
We bought 2 variety cases; one veggies, the other fruit. Those give us 6 varieties plus we bought some loose jars in 2 more fruits.
Babyzilla's meal plan looks something like this for the next month or so:
4 days of peas and rice cereal
4 days of apples and cereal
4 days of carrots and rice cereal
4 days of bananas and rice cereal
4 days of sweet potatoes and rice cereal
4 days of prunes and rice cereal
4 days of pears and rice cereal
Hubby wants to switch to an oatmeal or barley cereal some time in there, and we'll add in more meals with solids. Any tips/ suggestions/ experiences from people that have been there, done that with solids are welcomed!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Our Parenting Style
Our parenting style comes from a mix of research and what seems to us like good old common sense. I've learned that almost everything in life is on a spectrum and labels don't address that, but if you must label our parenting, I guess you could call it attachment parenting, but I've never read Dr. Sears' book. *shrug*
A brief overview of what believe in doing:
~ Co-sleeping: Not the same thing as bed sharing. We didn't feel comfortable with bed sharing, so we got an ArmsReach Co-sleeper- a bassinet type of thing that attached to the side of the bed- so Babyzilla could be close to us at night for feeding, diapering, general reassurance that Mommy and Daddy are here and everything is okay.
~Breastfeeding: I'm a lactivist. I am all about exclusive breastfeeding. From a health perspective, it's MUCH better for baby and mom. It's also nice for lazy people, like me. No mixing or pouring or waiting for a bottle to heat up. Whip out a boob and you're ready to go. That said, my son is mostly formula fed. I have huge supply issues. (I believe my c-section had a huge part in it) I've tried it all; fenugreek, pumping constantly, oatmeal, Ovaltine, wireless bras. No dice. But that doesn't mean that I think formula's great all of a sudden. I know I'm giving my son something inferior, and it breaks my heart every time I give him a bottle.
~Night Parenting: We don't believe in sleep training/ cry-it-out methods. It's not only unnecessary and unhealthy, but can be down right cruel. We also don't believe in making a baby sleep longer by using rice cereal or other remedies. Babies have needs at night and it is a parent's job to tend to them.
~Gentle discipline: We aren't going to spank our children to teach them right from wrong. We believe it's unnecessary and largely ineffective in the long run.
~ Natural healing methods: We don't believe in running to a doctor for every little thing. Cold washcloths and clove oil work great for teething (rather than Orajel). Breastmilk can clean out a stuffy nose and cure an ear infection without antibiotics. Luckily, we haven't had to test out the breastmilk in the ear yet.
~Cloth diapering: I think this was the start of our slippery slope down into the crunchy canyon. I wish I could tell you that we do it all for the Earth and in the interest of being "green" but that would be a lie. I hate fads with a passion, the "green movement" included. Don't get me wrong, I think God gave humans stewardship over the Earth and we are responsible for taking care of it, but the fad-ness aspect drives me nuts. But that's for a future post. The bottom line is that cloth diapers save us lots of money. They also happen to be cute and healthier for babies.
What's your parenting style?
A brief overview of what believe in doing:
~ Co-sleeping: Not the same thing as bed sharing. We didn't feel comfortable with bed sharing, so we got an ArmsReach Co-sleeper- a bassinet type of thing that attached to the side of the bed- so Babyzilla could be close to us at night for feeding, diapering, general reassurance that Mommy and Daddy are here and everything is okay.
~Breastfeeding: I'm a lactivist. I am all about exclusive breastfeeding. From a health perspective, it's MUCH better for baby and mom. It's also nice for lazy people, like me. No mixing or pouring or waiting for a bottle to heat up. Whip out a boob and you're ready to go. That said, my son is mostly formula fed. I have huge supply issues. (I believe my c-section had a huge part in it) I've tried it all; fenugreek, pumping constantly, oatmeal, Ovaltine, wireless bras. No dice. But that doesn't mean that I think formula's great all of a sudden. I know I'm giving my son something inferior, and it breaks my heart every time I give him a bottle.
~Babywearing: A Moby Wrap is my weapon of choice. The idea behind babywearing is that Mom or Dad (or whomever, really) uses a sling/ wrap/ carying device to hold baby on the person's chest. It's convenient because it makes you hands-free, so you can eat a sandwich or fold laundry. No fighting a stroller and there are health benefits galore! In the interest of full disclosure, we do own a stroller and use it occasionally, but most of the time we're all about the Moby or a sling.
 |
| Me wearing Babyzilla in a Moby Wrap. (I don't know how to rotate pictures on here. Sorry) |
~Gentle discipline: We aren't going to spank our children to teach them right from wrong. We believe it's unnecessary and largely ineffective in the long run.
~ Natural healing methods: We don't believe in running to a doctor for every little thing. Cold washcloths and clove oil work great for teething (rather than Orajel). Breastmilk can clean out a stuffy nose and cure an ear infection without antibiotics. Luckily, we haven't had to test out the breastmilk in the ear yet.
~Cloth diapering: I think this was the start of our slippery slope down into the crunchy canyon. I wish I could tell you that we do it all for the Earth and in the interest of being "green" but that would be a lie. I hate fads with a passion, the "green movement" included. Don't get me wrong, I think God gave humans stewardship over the Earth and we are responsible for taking care of it, but the fad-ness aspect drives me nuts. But that's for a future post. The bottom line is that cloth diapers save us lots of money. They also happen to be cute and healthier for babies.
What's your parenting style?
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Birth Story
Spoiler Alert : I gave birth to a healthy baby boy via c-section.
Let me start by saying that nothing went according to plan. NOTHING. That doesn't mean I love my son any less. My feelings about my birth and my feelings about my son are not the same thing. I can be thrilled beyond all description that my son is here and healthy and still think it sucks that he came into this world that way. I don't expect most people to get that. I guess you have to have lived it.
Anyway, my plan was this:
From 16 weeks on, I measured 2-3 weeks ahead of date.
December 14, 2010. Parking lot after registration. First contractions. Very mild.
December 15 2010- January 9, 2010 Have contractions every day. Trying everything imaginable (except castor oil) to get labor going. Small success with "labor induction cookies" in late December. Contractions lasted for about 4 hours then went away.
Monday, January 10, 2011
I wake up with contractions about 5 minutes apart. At 9 a.m.We go to the hospital because that's what you do at 5 minutes apart. We get hooked up to the monitor. Baby's doing well. Contractions aren't very strong. The nurse "can't find" my cervix. She proceeds to shove her fingers up me like a sock puppet. IT HURT! Even though she "can't find" my cervix, she declares me 2 cm and tells us to walk for two hours. We walk and walk. We call my mom and let her know what's going on. We walk some more. Nurse checks again. She "can't find it" but I'm "still 2 cm." We get sent home. I'm ticked and sore. I contract all day. I try to sleep.
11 p.m. We're at my mother-in-law's. Contractions have been coming on stronger but nothing crazy. 2 minutes apart. She advises we go to the hospital. Hubby and I drive around for a bit to kill time. We get to the hospital around 11:45. We get hooked up to the monitor again. Baby's fine. I get checked again. 2 cm. We get told to walk for 2 hours and then they'll check again.
1:30 a.m. We're walking and walking. Out of nowhere, my contractions stop dead. Not slow down. Stop. From every two minutes to nothing. I tell the nurse what happened. My next OB appointment is 12 hours later, so we get sent home. Best night's sleep I'd had in weeks.
Tuesday January 11, 2010
We go to my OB. We get an ultrasound. The estimated size of baby is 9 pounds 11 oz. At this point my OB is "legally required to offer a c-section." She does so reluctantly. Ummm... knife? My baby? No thanks. However, baby is getting bigger everyday (I'm eating over 3000 calories a day and not gaining weight) and needs to come out sooner than later. We schedule an induction for 7:00 a.m. the next day. My mom comes up that night.
Wednesday January 12,2010 7:05 a.m.
We're late for our induction appointment! ARG! Well, as it turns out, that's okay because every pregnant woman in our city went into labor the night before and every bed was full. (They'd called earlier, but we couldn't hear the phone ring in our room and my mom didn't pick it up because she didn't want to "invade our privacy" by answering our phone. ) They tell us to go home and they'll call us when we can come back. We wait all day. I'm stresses beyond stressed. This is NOT how my labor is supposed to be, dang it! I'm the first one to snap. (I blame the hormones.) Then Hubby kind of looses it. Mom breaks about 4 hours later as we're sitting around the table playing cards and stress eating everything in the house. We all start laughing for no reason, and it didn't stop. I swear, if you walked in at that moment, you'd swear we were drunk.
5:30 p.m. We get a call from the hospital. Induction isn't going to happen that day. We reschedule for the next morning. We watch The Sword in the Stone to pass time. More stress eating.
Thursday January 13, 2011
My mom wakes me up to tell me the hospital called. No reason to come in. Another rush of pregnant ladies came in overnight. More waiting. I cry. I just know something bad is going to happen! No. No. No. We're going to get me to go into labor. More attempts. No go.
5:00 p.m. Dave went somewhere with his mother and of course, we get a phone call from the hospital. Come on in! Typical, right? Good thing he wasn't far away.
5:15 p.m. We're admitted. I change into the hospital gown. I immediately begin to itch. Guess who's got sensitive skin and having an allergic reaction? (Hint: ME!) I change back into the undershirt I was wearing. The doctor comes in and explains what's going to happen. I'll be stuck on every beeping machine they have. In my head I hear all the reasons you're supposed to avoid that stuff. But I'm being induced and it comes with the territory. (Maybe induction wasn't such a good idea? But, of course, I never said that out loud.) The most awesome nurse says to me, "You wanted to do this naturally, didn't you?"
"How'd you know?"
"Because you look like you're about to cry."
"This just isn't how it was supposed to be."
"I know the feeling. But you're here now and I promise I'll do everything I can to make this as close to what you wanted. Dare I ask your preferences on pain management?" We giggled.
"Don't offer it to me unless I threaten your life." :)
5:45-ish Pitocin is started. They tell me to try to get some rest. My MIL goes home and my husband and mom lay down on the cot and bed-chair thing. I stare off at the wall and cry a little.
5:55 I feel a cold, wet spray. It tastes salty. I scream for my mom. I'd managed to pull my IV out of my hand. It's dark. My mom feels it, but doesn't notice the cold. She thinks I'm bleeding out. (It's actually kind of funny in retrospect.) We call a nurse. She has to re-stick me. She tries my left hand. Nope. Tries my left wrist. (OUCH!) No good. She tries my right wrist. (Again, OUCH!) We got it! It's taped in good. We're sent back to bed.
6:00-ish Hello contractions! It hurts but nothing crazy. I wanted out of that bed, though. I call my mom over to help me with the IV line. I get on the ball and breathe. My mom rubs my back.
The next few hours are blurs of increasing pain, me demanding my mom put hot packs on my lower back and trips from the birthing ball to the toilet. (I peed 6 or 7 times that night.) The "breathing techniques" we learned in childbirth education class did squat. My mom taught me Lamaze breathing while I was IN LABOR. About midnight the contractions got INTENSE, one right after the other. I thought I was going to die. The line that shows the strength of the contractions on the monitor was peeking out at the very top. At one point, I turned to my mom and asked why the h-e-double toothpicks I hadn't just had the stupid c-section. Her response was exactly what I needed. "Don't think about that. You need to focus on the now. Not the past or the future. Just worry about right now, and right now, you're doing awesome."
Around 3 a.m. I realized that my contractions weren't doing anything. I could tell that the baby wasn't lower. I had to shake that thought out of my head. I didn't have time. I had breathing to do. All I can do is pray and visualize my cervix opening and breathe.
5:30 a.m. I make a deal with my cervix. If it will just dilate to 6 cm, I can handle the rest naturally. If it can only dilate to 3 or 4 cm, I'll wuss out and get the epidural. "You can do it," my mind tells my cervix." You can open another centimeter before you get checked at 7."
7:30 a.m. (Friday) I get checked. Still 2 cm, and I'm less effaced than 12 hours prior. I'm broken. I'd break down and cry but I'm too busy breathing through contractions. "Cut me," I think. One centimeter! My cervix couldn't open one centimeter?! Seriously?! The doctor says that they could break my water and see if that will help. Maybe put an internal monitor in and see what's going on. "What's the point," I think. "I've failed. Just cut me." I tell him, "No, it's time." The nurse stops the Pitocin. I want everybody out except my husband. I cry. We pray together.
The nurse and our moms come back in. The Pitocin stops. I contract for another half hour or so. I sign the forms. There's a woman ahead of us in the OR, so we wait. I get a shower and get prepped for surgery. I put on the happy face. Yay, my baby's being born. It's a facade. I'm devastated... inside.
11:15 a.m. I walk to the OR. The scrub nurses are prepping everything. I get the epidural and go numb, physically and emotionally. As I lay on the table, I look around and begin to see everything in terms of "That shouldn't be that way." The bright lights should be dimmed; the beeping machines should be soft music and encouraging words; the body, numb from the chest down, should be up and moving to facilitate labor and instead of lying on my back, I should be up, squatting or on my hands and knees pushing my child out. It's all wrong!
11:49 a.m. My son is born via c-section. He poops on the doctor and pees on the nurse. They show him to me over the curtain. He weighs in at 10 pounds 6 oz. and 21 inches long. I'm given some drug and I fall asleep while they stitch me up. I see my son in recovery, but I'm really drugged up and don't remember much of the next 3 days. I found out later that Hubby was with him in the nursery for an hour because he had breathing trouble.
Maybe a c-section is how Babyzilla needed to come into this world. Maybe he wouldn't have been able to handle a vaginal birth. Maybe he would have been fine if we'd waited for labor to start on its own again. Maybe I have nobody to blame but myself. I don't have the answers to that, but I do know that having that c-section changed me forever.
Let me start by saying that nothing went according to plan. NOTHING. That doesn't mean I love my son any less. My feelings about my birth and my feelings about my son are not the same thing. I can be thrilled beyond all description that my son is here and healthy and still think it sucks that he came into this world that way. I don't expect most people to get that. I guess you have to have lived it.
Anyway, my plan was this:
- Go to the best OB in town with the lowest c/s rate in the area. (Check)
- Be informed about my options and rights when it comes to interventions. (Check)
- Have a flexible birth plan based on having as few interventions as necessary. (Check)
- Prepare mentally, physically, and emotionally for a natural vaginal birth. (Childbirth education, various relaxation methods learned from the Internet... Check)
- Create a birth environment with minimal stress. (Low lights, few people, soft music)
- Have OB and hubby on board with said plan. (Check)
From 16 weeks on, I measured 2-3 weeks ahead of date.
December 14, 2010. Parking lot after registration. First contractions. Very mild.
December 15 2010- January 9, 2010 Have contractions every day. Trying everything imaginable (except castor oil) to get labor going. Small success with "labor induction cookies" in late December. Contractions lasted for about 4 hours then went away.
Monday, January 10, 2011
I wake up with contractions about 5 minutes apart. At 9 a.m.We go to the hospital because that's what you do at 5 minutes apart. We get hooked up to the monitor. Baby's doing well. Contractions aren't very strong. The nurse "can't find" my cervix. She proceeds to shove her fingers up me like a sock puppet. IT HURT! Even though she "can't find" my cervix, she declares me 2 cm and tells us to walk for two hours. We walk and walk. We call my mom and let her know what's going on. We walk some more. Nurse checks again. She "can't find it" but I'm "still 2 cm." We get sent home. I'm ticked and sore. I contract all day. I try to sleep.
11 p.m. We're at my mother-in-law's. Contractions have been coming on stronger but nothing crazy. 2 minutes apart. She advises we go to the hospital. Hubby and I drive around for a bit to kill time. We get to the hospital around 11:45. We get hooked up to the monitor again. Baby's fine. I get checked again. 2 cm. We get told to walk for 2 hours and then they'll check again.
1:30 a.m. We're walking and walking. Out of nowhere, my contractions stop dead. Not slow down. Stop. From every two minutes to nothing. I tell the nurse what happened. My next OB appointment is 12 hours later, so we get sent home. Best night's sleep I'd had in weeks.
Tuesday January 11, 2010
We go to my OB. We get an ultrasound. The estimated size of baby is 9 pounds 11 oz. At this point my OB is "legally required to offer a c-section." She does so reluctantly. Ummm... knife? My baby? No thanks. However, baby is getting bigger everyday (I'm eating over 3000 calories a day and not gaining weight) and needs to come out sooner than later. We schedule an induction for 7:00 a.m. the next day. My mom comes up that night.
Wednesday January 12,2010 7:05 a.m.
We're late for our induction appointment! ARG! Well, as it turns out, that's okay because every pregnant woman in our city went into labor the night before and every bed was full. (They'd called earlier, but we couldn't hear the phone ring in our room and my mom didn't pick it up because she didn't want to "invade our privacy" by answering our phone. ) They tell us to go home and they'll call us when we can come back. We wait all day. I'm stresses beyond stressed. This is NOT how my labor is supposed to be, dang it! I'm the first one to snap. (I blame the hormones.) Then Hubby kind of looses it. Mom breaks about 4 hours later as we're sitting around the table playing cards and stress eating everything in the house. We all start laughing for no reason, and it didn't stop. I swear, if you walked in at that moment, you'd swear we were drunk.
5:30 p.m. We get a call from the hospital. Induction isn't going to happen that day. We reschedule for the next morning. We watch The Sword in the Stone to pass time. More stress eating.
Thursday January 13, 2011
My mom wakes me up to tell me the hospital called. No reason to come in. Another rush of pregnant ladies came in overnight. More waiting. I cry. I just know something bad is going to happen! No. No. No. We're going to get me to go into labor. More attempts. No go.
5:00 p.m. Dave went somewhere with his mother and of course, we get a phone call from the hospital. Come on in! Typical, right? Good thing he wasn't far away.
5:15 p.m. We're admitted. I change into the hospital gown. I immediately begin to itch. Guess who's got sensitive skin and having an allergic reaction? (Hint: ME!) I change back into the undershirt I was wearing. The doctor comes in and explains what's going to happen. I'll be stuck on every beeping machine they have. In my head I hear all the reasons you're supposed to avoid that stuff. But I'm being induced and it comes with the territory. (Maybe induction wasn't such a good idea? But, of course, I never said that out loud.) The most awesome nurse says to me, "You wanted to do this naturally, didn't you?"
"How'd you know?"
"Because you look like you're about to cry."
"This just isn't how it was supposed to be."
"I know the feeling. But you're here now and I promise I'll do everything I can to make this as close to what you wanted. Dare I ask your preferences on pain management?" We giggled.
"Don't offer it to me unless I threaten your life." :)
5:45-ish Pitocin is started. They tell me to try to get some rest. My MIL goes home and my husband and mom lay down on the cot and bed-chair thing. I stare off at the wall and cry a little.
5:55 I feel a cold, wet spray. It tastes salty. I scream for my mom. I'd managed to pull my IV out of my hand. It's dark. My mom feels it, but doesn't notice the cold. She thinks I'm bleeding out. (It's actually kind of funny in retrospect.) We call a nurse. She has to re-stick me. She tries my left hand. Nope. Tries my left wrist. (OUCH!) No good. She tries my right wrist. (Again, OUCH!) We got it! It's taped in good. We're sent back to bed.
6:00-ish Hello contractions! It hurts but nothing crazy. I wanted out of that bed, though. I call my mom over to help me with the IV line. I get on the ball and breathe. My mom rubs my back.
The next few hours are blurs of increasing pain, me demanding my mom put hot packs on my lower back and trips from the birthing ball to the toilet. (I peed 6 or 7 times that night.) The "breathing techniques" we learned in childbirth education class did squat. My mom taught me Lamaze breathing while I was IN LABOR. About midnight the contractions got INTENSE, one right after the other. I thought I was going to die. The line that shows the strength of the contractions on the monitor was peeking out at the very top. At one point, I turned to my mom and asked why the h-e-double toothpicks I hadn't just had the stupid c-section. Her response was exactly what I needed. "Don't think about that. You need to focus on the now. Not the past or the future. Just worry about right now, and right now, you're doing awesome."
Around 3 a.m. I realized that my contractions weren't doing anything. I could tell that the baby wasn't lower. I had to shake that thought out of my head. I didn't have time. I had breathing to do. All I can do is pray and visualize my cervix opening and breathe.
5:30 a.m. I make a deal with my cervix. If it will just dilate to 6 cm, I can handle the rest naturally. If it can only dilate to 3 or 4 cm, I'll wuss out and get the epidural. "You can do it," my mind tells my cervix." You can open another centimeter before you get checked at 7."
7:30 a.m. (Friday) I get checked. Still 2 cm, and I'm less effaced than 12 hours prior. I'm broken. I'd break down and cry but I'm too busy breathing through contractions. "Cut me," I think. One centimeter! My cervix couldn't open one centimeter?! Seriously?! The doctor says that they could break my water and see if that will help. Maybe put an internal monitor in and see what's going on. "What's the point," I think. "I've failed. Just cut me." I tell him, "No, it's time." The nurse stops the Pitocin. I want everybody out except my husband. I cry. We pray together.
The nurse and our moms come back in. The Pitocin stops. I contract for another half hour or so. I sign the forms. There's a woman ahead of us in the OR, so we wait. I get a shower and get prepped for surgery. I put on the happy face. Yay, my baby's being born. It's a facade. I'm devastated... inside.
11:15 a.m. I walk to the OR. The scrub nurses are prepping everything. I get the epidural and go numb, physically and emotionally. As I lay on the table, I look around and begin to see everything in terms of "That shouldn't be that way." The bright lights should be dimmed; the beeping machines should be soft music and encouraging words; the body, numb from the chest down, should be up and moving to facilitate labor and instead of lying on my back, I should be up, squatting or on my hands and knees pushing my child out. It's all wrong!
11:49 a.m. My son is born via c-section. He poops on the doctor and pees on the nurse. They show him to me over the curtain. He weighs in at 10 pounds 6 oz. and 21 inches long. I'm given some drug and I fall asleep while they stitch me up. I see my son in recovery, but I'm really drugged up and don't remember much of the next 3 days. I found out later that Hubby was with him in the nursery for an hour because he had breathing trouble.
Maybe a c-section is how Babyzilla needed to come into this world. Maybe he wouldn't have been able to handle a vaginal birth. Maybe he would have been fine if we'd waited for labor to start on its own again. Maybe I have nobody to blame but myself. I don't have the answers to that, but I do know that having that c-section changed me forever.
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