Here we go again! My favorite topic, boobs. You would think I was a 13 year old boy.
8 months in, still going strong. I can't believe that all my fat boy is getting is breastmilk. He weighs well over 21 lbs and hasn't consistently eaten solids yet. Everyday I try something new, a bite of green beans, a taste of chicken. Now he will gladly open his mouth to try, but usually only take a few bites before he squeezes his lips together and turns away. It's nice to not worry about whether or not he is getting a balanced meal everyday, my boobs are providing everything he needs. So we take it slow, one tiny bite at a time, until he catches on.
Until then we will keep on nursing. He is down to 5 nursing sessions in a 24 hour period, sometimes 4 or sometimes 6, depending on how the day goes. I still hate pumping at work, but whatever the boy needs I'll do. I know that soon we will be done breastfeeding. Once he gets the hang of solids we will cut back on nursing during the day, but I plan on night nursing as much as he wants. The comfort and bonding time that we both get from it is too important to just stop.
Babies need breastmilk for at least 1 year. I'll keep you guys updated on what that one year milestone looks like, feels like, as it is rapidly approaching. As always, I think I have a grand plan, but I'm sure it will change.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Thursday, January 3, 2013
2012: our year in review
The year that you have your first child is a memorable one. One minute you feel like you don't know anything, and the next you feel like you are smarter than you have ever been. It is intense. There isn't much else I remember about 2012. We had four full months of this year sans Will, and I hardly remember them. I do remember I ate a lot of doughnuts. Mmmm doughnuts.
I also remember the waiting.
We waited.
And waited.
Eventually we made the decision to go and retrieve our stubborn little boy. 9 days past my due date and he wasn't budging. No contractions. Nothing.
May 1st, 2012. 11:36am. The first time I heard my sweet boy cry. He was perfect.
After William was born it was a whirlwind of emotion. Your body is full of hormones and chemicals that make you deliriously happy while the sleep deprivation makes you irritable and uncertain. The battle that ensues in your brain makes the first few months a blur. Even now as I think back I have a hard time remembering exactly how I felt. I go back and read some of my earlier blogs about how hard it was and all I can do is smile. I don't remember it being that bad, but apparently it was extremely hard. Everything we do now is so routine and comfortable. Was I really that lost in the beginning?
My most vivid memories were of breastfeeding. I do remember how challenging it was, however, now I can't imagine anything else. The bond that I have with my son is unbelievable. I would go through the hard times again and again to have what I have now. Those moments when it is just me and him, snuggled up together. It's really amazing
When I went back to work it was a struggle to find a balance. Brent and I began our new roles as parents. Life moved on with no thought as to how we might feel about it. Before I knew it I was back to my 40 hour work week and Brent was a stay at home dad trying to balance baby and training. He took over so many household chores for me because I was too exhausted after work to cook or clean. I would get home at 6, spend an hour getting ready for work the next day, then spend an hour nursing Will and putting him down for the night. There just wasn't time. Meanwhile, Brent was cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the boy all day. The change was harder than I thought. Even though I knew that my plate was full with baby, breastfeeding, and work, I felt useless not being more of a help around the house. It was hard to let go and relax. It took months for us to really find our groove. We were each having our own little identity crisis. How did we survive it? We supported each other. We were patient with each other. We talked to each other. William made us want to be better people and it turns out all of that change isn't going to happen over night.
Now here we are, 2013. William is growing and changing everyday. You never know what you are going to wake up to. This week he started clapping. Something so simple, yet every time he does it I can't help but laugh and clap with him. Brent has been reminding me to live in the moment when it comes to William. Don't think about when he can walk, talk, or what he will enjoy as a child. Take things day by day and enjoy every minute.
A quick message to William:
You are 8 months old this month. I absolutely can't believe it. Your favorite things are clapping, standing, and getting into things that you aren't supposed to get into. After a month or so of trying to crawl you finally nailed it this week. Now sitting you down in one spot and leaving the room for a second is not an option, even if you are surrounded by toys you will by pass them all to crawl over and pick up a sock or try to pull over the space heater or chew on an electrical cord. We are really in for it when you start walking.
Another favorite thing of yours is me, your momma. Apparently it is an evolutionary thing. When babies realize they can crawl, walk, become mobile it is their instinct to become more clingy to mom. This way they wouldn't wander off and get eaten by a lion or some other predator. Obviously there is nothing that is going to eat you around here, but I love the fact that you adore me right now. I know soon you will become an independent little man and these moments are fleeting.
I love you buddy. Everyday is new and exciting. Thanks for making 2012 the best year yet.
I also remember the waiting.
We waited.
And waited.
Eventually we made the decision to go and retrieve our stubborn little boy. 9 days past my due date and he wasn't budging. No contractions. Nothing.
May 1st, 2012. 11:36am. The first time I heard my sweet boy cry. He was perfect.
After William was born it was a whirlwind of emotion. Your body is full of hormones and chemicals that make you deliriously happy while the sleep deprivation makes you irritable and uncertain. The battle that ensues in your brain makes the first few months a blur. Even now as I think back I have a hard time remembering exactly how I felt. I go back and read some of my earlier blogs about how hard it was and all I can do is smile. I don't remember it being that bad, but apparently it was extremely hard. Everything we do now is so routine and comfortable. Was I really that lost in the beginning?
My most vivid memories were of breastfeeding. I do remember how challenging it was, however, now I can't imagine anything else. The bond that I have with my son is unbelievable. I would go through the hard times again and again to have what I have now. Those moments when it is just me and him, snuggled up together. It's really amazing
When I went back to work it was a struggle to find a balance. Brent and I began our new roles as parents. Life moved on with no thought as to how we might feel about it. Before I knew it I was back to my 40 hour work week and Brent was a stay at home dad trying to balance baby and training. He took over so many household chores for me because I was too exhausted after work to cook or clean. I would get home at 6, spend an hour getting ready for work the next day, then spend an hour nursing Will and putting him down for the night. There just wasn't time. Meanwhile, Brent was cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the boy all day. The change was harder than I thought. Even though I knew that my plate was full with baby, breastfeeding, and work, I felt useless not being more of a help around the house. It was hard to let go and relax. It took months for us to really find our groove. We were each having our own little identity crisis. How did we survive it? We supported each other. We were patient with each other. We talked to each other. William made us want to be better people and it turns out all of that change isn't going to happen over night.
Now here we are, 2013. William is growing and changing everyday. You never know what you are going to wake up to. This week he started clapping. Something so simple, yet every time he does it I can't help but laugh and clap with him. Brent has been reminding me to live in the moment when it comes to William. Don't think about when he can walk, talk, or what he will enjoy as a child. Take things day by day and enjoy every minute.
A quick message to William:
You are 8 months old this month. I absolutely can't believe it. Your favorite things are clapping, standing, and getting into things that you aren't supposed to get into. After a month or so of trying to crawl you finally nailed it this week. Now sitting you down in one spot and leaving the room for a second is not an option, even if you are surrounded by toys you will by pass them all to crawl over and pick up a sock or try to pull over the space heater or chew on an electrical cord. We are really in for it when you start walking.
Another favorite thing of yours is me, your momma. Apparently it is an evolutionary thing. When babies realize they can crawl, walk, become mobile it is their instinct to become more clingy to mom. This way they wouldn't wander off and get eaten by a lion or some other predator. Obviously there is nothing that is going to eat you around here, but I love the fact that you adore me right now. I know soon you will become an independent little man and these moments are fleeting.
I love you buddy. Everyday is new and exciting. Thanks for making 2012 the best year yet.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Beautiful After Baby
To all of my soon to be mom friends and all other moms out there...
Not sure if you all have read my blog post about my post Partum body, but I wanted to give a sort of update. I think it's important for us ladies to be reminded that we need to be happy about our bodies after baby.
With that being said, 7 months after baby, I have never felt sexier or more confident about my body. I know that we usually hear the opposite, and there are such negative connotations when it comes to women and their looks after child birth. I'm not sure what happened, but I feel like a grown ass women now. It wasn't my age or my degree or any of my other life accomplishments, it was my son that made me feel like me. I used to freak when I was pregnant that I would never look the same. It's a natural response. However, I can honestly say that there is something magical about being a mother that will make you feel like you can take on anything, love handles and all. Sure, my stomach isn't as tight as it used to be, but I feel beautiful, and you should too. Be healthy, eat right (which means eating the occasional blizzard I think...), and take care of yourself.
Motherhood, parenthood, all of it rocks. If anyone tells you otherwise then they are doing it wrong. I'm not saying it isn't hard, but difficult is different then bad. Remember that and you will be fine.
Hugs and kisses to my hot mommas.
Not sure if you all have read my blog post about my post Partum body, but I wanted to give a sort of update. I think it's important for us ladies to be reminded that we need to be happy about our bodies after baby.
With that being said, 7 months after baby, I have never felt sexier or more confident about my body. I know that we usually hear the opposite, and there are such negative connotations when it comes to women and their looks after child birth. I'm not sure what happened, but I feel like a grown ass women now. It wasn't my age or my degree or any of my other life accomplishments, it was my son that made me feel like me. I used to freak when I was pregnant that I would never look the same. It's a natural response. However, I can honestly say that there is something magical about being a mother that will make you feel like you can take on anything, love handles and all. Sure, my stomach isn't as tight as it used to be, but I feel beautiful, and you should too. Be healthy, eat right (which means eating the occasional blizzard I think...), and take care of yourself.
Motherhood, parenthood, all of it rocks. If anyone tells you otherwise then they are doing it wrong. I'm not saying it isn't hard, but difficult is different then bad. Remember that and you will be fine.
Hugs and kisses to my hot mommas.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Cloth Diaper Reviews: The good, the rash, and the bulky!
Cloth diapers. Most people hear those two words and cringe. Whether they have kids or not, it's always the same reaction. Cloth diapers? Gross. Good luck. You don't want to do that. I had a friend who used cloth diapers and they all died. DIED!
Because of these reactions I vetoed cloth diapers from the start. I was so concerned with getting breastfeeding right that I couldn't have one more thing to figure out. Thankfully our family stocked us up on disposable diapers, enough to last us a little past the 5 month mark. As our supply dwindled I began to do the math on disposable diaper cost. Damn. It's expensive. Not to mention the giant diaper logs that came out of our diaper genie were now sitting in a landfill somewhere NOT decomposing. Just sitting. Thus, the research began.
The first few blogs that I found were so overwhelming that it would typically end with me closing the laptop and rubbing my temples. So much information and SO many diapers to choose from. I couldn't even comprehend where to begin. Then I found this:
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2012/04/24/cloth-diaper-review-whats-the-best-cloth-diaper-for-you/
This woman reviewed 25 styles of diapers and did this amazing comprehensive breakdown on each one, including videos for each on how to put them on, take them off, re-size them, and much more. She even devised a scoring system for each and showed how they worked for her "chunky" baby (sound familiar) and her 3 year old. If it wasn't for this blog I would still be lost in cloth diaper hell.
I read and re-read this blog for weeks, narrowed it down to 6 of my favorites, then watched and re-watched the videos on those 6, and narrowed it down to four. The winners were:
Motherease all in one
Sprout Change
Tuck and Go
Go Green Champ
I ordered a few from each brand and let the cloth diaper games begin.
What I got to start out:
Wet bag- that same blog that I read had reviews on wet bags. Wet bags are actually dry, but are waterproof on the inside so that you can throw soiled diapers into them, then dump the diapers into the wash and throw the wet bag in as well. This saves you from having to wash out a dirty pail. I got the Bumkin wet bag for on the go use because it has a nifty strap that allows you to snap it to the outside strap of your diaper bag and a zipper to keep dirty diapers in. For home use I got the fuzzibuns hanging zippered diaper pail bag. It is much larger than the Bumkin bag and has elastic around the top so that you can line a hamper with it. It also has two loops on the outside so you can just hang it from your changing table or hamper.
Drying rack- these are cheap and very helpful! I keep this next to the changing table and not only hang inserts and covers to dry on it I also store all of my cloth diapers on this. That way they are all hung up and it's easy to see what I have clean, rather than them being cluttered together in a basket or drawer. It will be great to use in the summer when I can hang my inserts and covers outside to dry. I have also found that some of my inserts are still a little damp after a full cycle in the dryer so they will need to be hung up anyway to allow them to dry fully.
REVIEWS:
Before I start, these reviews aren't NEARLY as in depth as the blog I posted earlier. So if you want more info on each of these diapers, including video, please check out her site.
Motherease All In One: $17.95
Brent calls these the "Oops I Crapped My Pants" diaper.
These diapers are great for night time use or if you are just hanging around the house with a naked baby. I don't use them when we go out mostly because they are HUGE and don't fit under clothes well. For the most part they are easy to put on, with multiple snaps for multiple sizes. I will say that it is hard to line up the right snaps for the right size when you are in a dark nursery at 3 in the morning. However, I think it will get easier the more I use it. With no inserts or stuffing it makes it very easy to grab and snap on in the middle of the night.
Night 1: Put on at 7:00pm, Will woke up to nurse at 3:30am and there was no leaking. I put on a new one and when Will had woken up at 8:00am it had leaked pretty badly. I think it was an error on my end though, I had only washed them once and they say that you should wash multiple times to reach maximum absorbency. Also, I don't think I got it tight enough because of the aforementioned confusing snaps.
Night 2: the first diaper went on at 7:30 and lasted until 2 with no leaks, 2nd one went on at 2 and lasted until 6:30 with no leaks. I'm impressed.
I also used this diaper while we were just hanging around the house. Once again, it is too big to fit under clothing well, but it did great with just a t-shirt on. Will seemed comfy and there were no leaks the entire time he had it on (about 3 hours total with a nap).
Final Thoughts: This diaper is my favorite for hanging around the house. With no insert it is easy to throw on and he is comfy while he plays. I wouldn't use this one out and about just because it is so bulky.
Sprout Change: $16.95 for cover, $4.75 for inserts (Note that cover can be used multiple times before washing)
These diapers are cute AND easy. I was leery of them because the insert doesn't snap in or go in a pocket and I was worried about how well they would stay in place. It was the cover in the end that won me over. So far it is the easiest to take on and off and the fabric is wonderful. Waterproof, fits well around the belly and legs, reversible, and I can use the cover 3-4 times before washing it.
Day 1: Once again, this isn't as accurate as it should be because I am impatient and only washed the inserts once before using. The first time I put it on it lasted 2 1/2 hours with no leaks. The second time I changed it after 2 hours with no leaks, and the third time it leaked after only an hour. Interested to see how long they last with multiple washes.
Day two: I love this diaper! It is so simple and Will can go hours with no leaks. I typically change him every 2-3 hours because I worry about diaper rash. With these inserts I have been hand washing them with dreft detergent because pee doesn't bother me at all. I get peed on all the time at work so this is no biggie for me to grab and wash quickly, then throw in the dryer. I'm not sure what hand washing does for long term cleanliness, so we will see if they start to smell funny. I don't think it will be a problem since they are still being washed in the washer every other day no matter what.
Final Thoughts: I think I am certain enough to say that this one is my favorite. When used with the inserts that came with it I can go 2-3 hours without changing him with no leaks. I also LOVE that is is so thin and fits easily in clothing.
Tuck and Go: $15.00 a cover and $25.00 for 3 inserts
These diapers are pretty cool. Brent likes them a lot, but so far they aren't my favorite. They have a special insert that "tucks" into the diaper to help hold it in place. They are easy to put together, and easy to put on since they have Velcro instead of snaps.
I like the inserts, I like the colors they come in, but I am not a fan of the Velcro. If it isn't on just right then the Velcro rubs his tummy and causes a red spot. Brent tends to have less trouble then I do with them. I also feel like the insert isn't the most absorbent and I have had many leaks with it. Brent says he has not had too many leaks, and I think this is the only diaper that we do not agree on.
Final Thought: I was ready to write this one off the first time he had a rash on his tummy. However, I am willing to give them another try since Brent is so fond of them. The blog lady was also pretty fond of them, so I will keep using them and see if they end up working for me.
Go Green Champ 3.0: $15.95
Cute, cute, cute! My big draw to this diaper was the way it looked. It is a pocket diaper, meaning you stuff the insert into a pocket. I like this brand because the insert snaps in to place, and instead of having to pull the insert out before washing you can just throw the whole diaper in the wash and it self agitates itself out. Super cool.
I have had this diaper leak quite a bit, but I still really like the way it fits. It is easy to put on and take off. Based on the review from the super blogger all of these diapers did better the more they were washed and dried. I'm wondering if these will leak less the more we use them. This diaper also has a TON of snaps for sizing on them, so it may be a matter of us not putting it on him quite right.
Final Thoughts: I really want this diaper to work because I feel like it fits so well and I do like the inserts. I have also had a few poo-splosions in these that have not leaked, which is always a plus.
To make a long story short....
So which one so we like the best? I think my favorite so far is the Sprout Change. It really does not get easier to put on, I love that there aren't a million snaps on the outside and that adjusting the size is easy. I also love that it is slim fitting which makes putting clothes over it a sinch. And I swear this thing RARELY leaks. The only time I have had it leak was the first day I used it and when I used a tuck and go insert with the cover instead of the one that came with it. I also love that I can reuse the waterproof cover without washing it. If it gets pee on it I rinse it off in the sink and throw it in the dryer or hang dry and I can reuse it. So simple. Brent's front runner is the tuck and go. He had a bad leak with the sprout change a few days ago so he wants to give them a few days before we declare a winner.
Overall our experience has been great. I think it's easy to keep up with the laundry and I HATE doing laundry. If we can do it, anyone can! I typically do a load once a day or once every other day. I admit that I use disposable night time diapers at night. The Motherease did really well, but I hate the thought of having to get up more times than I have to for a leaky diaper. I'm a chicken. A sleepy, sleepy chicken.
I really wish that we had used cloth diapers all along. We still have disposables on stand by for babysitters and just in case we blow through our stash. Once we pick a favorite we plan on buying a few more, but even with only 13 we can last 2 days easy.
Hope this was somewhat helpful! Check out the blog I posted earlier if you need more info on the diapers I talked about here. Good luck!
Because of these reactions I vetoed cloth diapers from the start. I was so concerned with getting breastfeeding right that I couldn't have one more thing to figure out. Thankfully our family stocked us up on disposable diapers, enough to last us a little past the 5 month mark. As our supply dwindled I began to do the math on disposable diaper cost. Damn. It's expensive. Not to mention the giant diaper logs that came out of our diaper genie were now sitting in a landfill somewhere NOT decomposing. Just sitting. Thus, the research began.
The first few blogs that I found were so overwhelming that it would typically end with me closing the laptop and rubbing my temples. So much information and SO many diapers to choose from. I couldn't even comprehend where to begin. Then I found this:
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2012/04/24/cloth-diaper-review-whats-the-best-cloth-diaper-for-you/
This woman reviewed 25 styles of diapers and did this amazing comprehensive breakdown on each one, including videos for each on how to put them on, take them off, re-size them, and much more. She even devised a scoring system for each and showed how they worked for her "chunky" baby (sound familiar) and her 3 year old. If it wasn't for this blog I would still be lost in cloth diaper hell.
I read and re-read this blog for weeks, narrowed it down to 6 of my favorites, then watched and re-watched the videos on those 6, and narrowed it down to four. The winners were:
Motherease all in one
Sprout Change
Tuck and Go
Go Green Champ
I ordered a few from each brand and let the cloth diaper games begin.
What I got to start out:
Wet bag- that same blog that I read had reviews on wet bags. Wet bags are actually dry, but are waterproof on the inside so that you can throw soiled diapers into them, then dump the diapers into the wash and throw the wet bag in as well. This saves you from having to wash out a dirty pail. I got the Bumkin wet bag for on the go use because it has a nifty strap that allows you to snap it to the outside strap of your diaper bag and a zipper to keep dirty diapers in. For home use I got the fuzzibuns hanging zippered diaper pail bag. It is much larger than the Bumkin bag and has elastic around the top so that you can line a hamper with it. It also has two loops on the outside so you can just hang it from your changing table or hamper.
Drying rack- these are cheap and very helpful! I keep this next to the changing table and not only hang inserts and covers to dry on it I also store all of my cloth diapers on this. That way they are all hung up and it's easy to see what I have clean, rather than them being cluttered together in a basket or drawer. It will be great to use in the summer when I can hang my inserts and covers outside to dry. I have also found that some of my inserts are still a little damp after a full cycle in the dryer so they will need to be hung up anyway to allow them to dry fully.
REVIEWS:
Before I start, these reviews aren't NEARLY as in depth as the blog I posted earlier. So if you want more info on each of these diapers, including video, please check out her site.
Motherease All In One: $17.95
Brent calls these the "Oops I Crapped My Pants" diaper.
These diapers are great for night time use or if you are just hanging around the house with a naked baby. I don't use them when we go out mostly because they are HUGE and don't fit under clothes well. For the most part they are easy to put on, with multiple snaps for multiple sizes. I will say that it is hard to line up the right snaps for the right size when you are in a dark nursery at 3 in the morning. However, I think it will get easier the more I use it. With no inserts or stuffing it makes it very easy to grab and snap on in the middle of the night.
Night 1: Put on at 7:00pm, Will woke up to nurse at 3:30am and there was no leaking. I put on a new one and when Will had woken up at 8:00am it had leaked pretty badly. I think it was an error on my end though, I had only washed them once and they say that you should wash multiple times to reach maximum absorbency. Also, I don't think I got it tight enough because of the aforementioned confusing snaps.
Night 2: the first diaper went on at 7:30 and lasted until 2 with no leaks, 2nd one went on at 2 and lasted until 6:30 with no leaks. I'm impressed.
I also used this diaper while we were just hanging around the house. Once again, it is too big to fit under clothing well, but it did great with just a t-shirt on. Will seemed comfy and there were no leaks the entire time he had it on (about 3 hours total with a nap).
Final Thoughts: This diaper is my favorite for hanging around the house. With no insert it is easy to throw on and he is comfy while he plays. I wouldn't use this one out and about just because it is so bulky.
Sprout Change: $16.95 for cover, $4.75 for inserts (Note that cover can be used multiple times before washing)
These diapers are cute AND easy. I was leery of them because the insert doesn't snap in or go in a pocket and I was worried about how well they would stay in place. It was the cover in the end that won me over. So far it is the easiest to take on and off and the fabric is wonderful. Waterproof, fits well around the belly and legs, reversible, and I can use the cover 3-4 times before washing it.
Day 1: Once again, this isn't as accurate as it should be because I am impatient and only washed the inserts once before using. The first time I put it on it lasted 2 1/2 hours with no leaks. The second time I changed it after 2 hours with no leaks, and the third time it leaked after only an hour. Interested to see how long they last with multiple washes.
Day two: I love this diaper! It is so simple and Will can go hours with no leaks. I typically change him every 2-3 hours because I worry about diaper rash. With these inserts I have been hand washing them with dreft detergent because pee doesn't bother me at all. I get peed on all the time at work so this is no biggie for me to grab and wash quickly, then throw in the dryer. I'm not sure what hand washing does for long term cleanliness, so we will see if they start to smell funny. I don't think it will be a problem since they are still being washed in the washer every other day no matter what.
Final Thoughts: I think I am certain enough to say that this one is my favorite. When used with the inserts that came with it I can go 2-3 hours without changing him with no leaks. I also LOVE that is is so thin and fits easily in clothing.
Tuck and Go: $15.00 a cover and $25.00 for 3 inserts
These diapers are pretty cool. Brent likes them a lot, but so far they aren't my favorite. They have a special insert that "tucks" into the diaper to help hold it in place. They are easy to put together, and easy to put on since they have Velcro instead of snaps.
I like the inserts, I like the colors they come in, but I am not a fan of the Velcro. If it isn't on just right then the Velcro rubs his tummy and causes a red spot. Brent tends to have less trouble then I do with them. I also feel like the insert isn't the most absorbent and I have had many leaks with it. Brent says he has not had too many leaks, and I think this is the only diaper that we do not agree on.
Final Thought: I was ready to write this one off the first time he had a rash on his tummy. However, I am willing to give them another try since Brent is so fond of them. The blog lady was also pretty fond of them, so I will keep using them and see if they end up working for me.
Go Green Champ 3.0: $15.95
Cute, cute, cute! My big draw to this diaper was the way it looked. It is a pocket diaper, meaning you stuff the insert into a pocket. I like this brand because the insert snaps in to place, and instead of having to pull the insert out before washing you can just throw the whole diaper in the wash and it self agitates itself out. Super cool.
I have had this diaper leak quite a bit, but I still really like the way it fits. It is easy to put on and take off. Based on the review from the super blogger all of these diapers did better the more they were washed and dried. I'm wondering if these will leak less the more we use them. This diaper also has a TON of snaps for sizing on them, so it may be a matter of us not putting it on him quite right.
Final Thoughts: I really want this diaper to work because I feel like it fits so well and I do like the inserts. I have also had a few poo-splosions in these that have not leaked, which is always a plus.
To make a long story short....
So which one so we like the best? I think my favorite so far is the Sprout Change. It really does not get easier to put on, I love that there aren't a million snaps on the outside and that adjusting the size is easy. I also love that it is slim fitting which makes putting clothes over it a sinch. And I swear this thing RARELY leaks. The only time I have had it leak was the first day I used it and when I used a tuck and go insert with the cover instead of the one that came with it. I also love that I can reuse the waterproof cover without washing it. If it gets pee on it I rinse it off in the sink and throw it in the dryer or hang dry and I can reuse it. So simple. Brent's front runner is the tuck and go. He had a bad leak with the sprout change a few days ago so he wants to give them a few days before we declare a winner.
Overall our experience has been great. I think it's easy to keep up with the laundry and I HATE doing laundry. If we can do it, anyone can! I typically do a load once a day or once every other day. I admit that I use disposable night time diapers at night. The Motherease did really well, but I hate the thought of having to get up more times than I have to for a leaky diaper. I'm a chicken. A sleepy, sleepy chicken.
I really wish that we had used cloth diapers all along. We still have disposables on stand by for babysitters and just in case we blow through our stash. Once we pick a favorite we plan on buying a few more, but even with only 13 we can last 2 days easy.
Hope this was somewhat helpful! Check out the blog I posted earlier if you need more info on the diapers I talked about here. Good luck!
Friday, November 2, 2012
A note to my son: 6 Months
Dear William,
It's crazy to think that you are 6 months old. This time last year you couldn't even tell I was pregnant, and now I can't imagine life without you.
You now have a personality and I'm glad to say that you are a fun baby. You are always smiling and laughing and you are so inquisitive. If there is something you can grab then you grab it and ultimately it ends up in your mouth. Many a time I've had to dig paper out of your mouth because you've snagged an envelope or magazine without me noticing. It makes everything a little more interesting and everyday I realize the second you can walk we are in big trouble.
Which brings me to my next topic. Laying on your back and just hanging out was so two months ago. You aren't happy unless you are rolling around or sitting up. I'm sure you will be crawling soon, your dad swears that you crawled a little the other day but I've yet to see it so I think he's crazy. We have to be really careful if you are on the couch or bed because you will roll right off. Good thing babies are bouncy....
You've also started to snuggle with us when we hold you. You bury your head in our necks and grab us with both hands. The overwhelming happiness that I get when you do this is indescribable. You especially love it if your dad and I hug and kiss you at the same time. It sends you into fits of giggles and squeals. I could listen to your laugh all day.
Halloween was a few days ago. You were a lumberjack. It was awesome.
6 months has truly flown by. I feel as though your dad and I have changed for the better now that you are around. In these short 6 months we have grown from "new parents" into a mother and a father. Having a baby is hard work. Just the other day your dad sent me a text chronicling what is now known as "poo-ocalypse", where you somehow pooped up your back and onto your arms while standing in your exersaucer. You've done it one time to me as well, and I must say it was quite the harrowing experience. But even covered in poop you are still pretty cute.
We love you so much. I'm so excited to see what the next 6 months brings.
Love,
Mom
It's crazy to think that you are 6 months old. This time last year you couldn't even tell I was pregnant, and now I can't imagine life without you.
You now have a personality and I'm glad to say that you are a fun baby. You are always smiling and laughing and you are so inquisitive. If there is something you can grab then you grab it and ultimately it ends up in your mouth. Many a time I've had to dig paper out of your mouth because you've snagged an envelope or magazine without me noticing. It makes everything a little more interesting and everyday I realize the second you can walk we are in big trouble.
Which brings me to my next topic. Laying on your back and just hanging out was so two months ago. You aren't happy unless you are rolling around or sitting up. I'm sure you will be crawling soon, your dad swears that you crawled a little the other day but I've yet to see it so I think he's crazy. We have to be really careful if you are on the couch or bed because you will roll right off. Good thing babies are bouncy....
You've also started to snuggle with us when we hold you. You bury your head in our necks and grab us with both hands. The overwhelming happiness that I get when you do this is indescribable. You especially love it if your dad and I hug and kiss you at the same time. It sends you into fits of giggles and squeals. I could listen to your laugh all day.
Halloween was a few days ago. You were a lumberjack. It was awesome.
6 months has truly flown by. I feel as though your dad and I have changed for the better now that you are around. In these short 6 months we have grown from "new parents" into a mother and a father. Having a baby is hard work. Just the other day your dad sent me a text chronicling what is now known as "poo-ocalypse", where you somehow pooped up your back and onto your arms while standing in your exersaucer. You've done it one time to me as well, and I must say it was quite the harrowing experience. But even covered in poop you are still pretty cute.
We love you so much. I'm so excited to see what the next 6 months brings.
Love,
Mom
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Anniversary Post: 6 years of Marriage
If you haven't already noticed, I love my husband. A lot. So if other people talking about their love for one another grosses you out then look away, it's about to get real icky in here.
Today we celebrate 6 years of marriage, and in 2 months 8 years of being together. When we first met we were head over heals for each other. We both fell hard and were telling our friends that we were going to marry each other with no doubt in our minds. None.
2 years after we met we were tying the knot, and every year after that has been one of growth and love and tests. I know that most people looked at us when we first met and made bets about when the honeymoon phase would wear off. Not because they were being mean, but mostly because we were that obnoxiously in love. Something that good never lasts, at least not typically. Yet here we are with years behind us and still going strong. There were those who said "wait until you live together for "x" number of years." So we did, and have, and it's been great. Then those who said wait until you get married, everything changes. Then we did, and we are, and I still get excited to talk to Brent everyday. Then there were those who said just wait until the honeymoon is over. We waited, it came, and went, and here we are 6 years in and still we are filling our days with 'I love you' and kisses. And of course, the big one, just wait until you have kids. The kid is here, it's no walk in the park, but our marriage has never been stronger. And actually, we take lots of walks in the park....
I don't care if we are annoying or if people read this post and barf on their computer. Our relationship works because we want it to work. There have been times when we could have had 'blow out' fights but we respect each other too much to let that happen. Our relationship, while easier than most, is still something we work at every single day. We want it to work so it does. That's our big secret. We apologize to each other when we do something wrong. We talk things out when there is an issue (or Brent talks until I have no choice but to talk back). We are there for each other, no matter what.
Brent Weedman, I love you. I love that you are constantly introducing me to new things like music and food and life experiences. You push me to be a better person and to grow. I am so thankful for the respect you have for me and the love you have for your son. Thank you for letting me be my weird self and here is to many more year to come.
Today we celebrate 6 years of marriage, and in 2 months 8 years of being together. When we first met we were head over heals for each other. We both fell hard and were telling our friends that we were going to marry each other with no doubt in our minds. None.
2 years after we met we were tying the knot, and every year after that has been one of growth and love and tests. I know that most people looked at us when we first met and made bets about when the honeymoon phase would wear off. Not because they were being mean, but mostly because we were that obnoxiously in love. Something that good never lasts, at least not typically. Yet here we are with years behind us and still going strong. There were those who said "wait until you live together for "x" number of years." So we did, and have, and it's been great. Then those who said wait until you get married, everything changes. Then we did, and we are, and I still get excited to talk to Brent everyday. Then there were those who said just wait until the honeymoon is over. We waited, it came, and went, and here we are 6 years in and still we are filling our days with 'I love you' and kisses. And of course, the big one, just wait until you have kids. The kid is here, it's no walk in the park, but our marriage has never been stronger. And actually, we take lots of walks in the park....
I don't care if we are annoying or if people read this post and barf on their computer. Our relationship works because we want it to work. There have been times when we could have had 'blow out' fights but we respect each other too much to let that happen. Our relationship, while easier than most, is still something we work at every single day. We want it to work so it does. That's our big secret. We apologize to each other when we do something wrong. We talk things out when there is an issue (or Brent talks until I have no choice but to talk back). We are there for each other, no matter what.
Brent Weedman, I love you. I love that you are constantly introducing me to new things like music and food and life experiences. You push me to be a better person and to grow. I am so thankful for the respect you have for me and the love you have for your son. Thank you for letting me be my weird self and here is to many more year to come.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Natural birthing experience: Guest post!
Not much going on around here, besides William being adorable and awesome. I thought it would be a good time to share my first guest post! Once again, I want my blog to be as helpful as possible to soon to be moms. I have already shared my birthing story so here is another from a friend of mine. This story is beautiful and well written. It is the complete opposite of my own experience and I am so thankful that my friend, Megan, shared it with me and so graciously allowed me to post it for all of you. Enjoy.
Birth Story
This is not the first time I have written out the story of how my daughter came to be in my arms from being in my womb. Every time I write it its a little different. Certain things stand out more than other times. While in labor, you are partially in a haze. Certain things around the edges disappear, while other things are brought into sharper focus. And I found that I had a degree of control over this. I could move things around. Like Debbie Downer nurse. She was sharply in focus at first, but I moved her to blurry land. But we'll get to her later...
I should take this moment to remind you: when giving birth, you see and talk about body parts that are normally covered up. It's also pretty messy. So if you're going to react with "OMG she just said PLACENTA. I think that's a cuss word in Italian." Just. Stop. Reading.
Saturday morning, I wake up and go pee for the 157th time in the past 5 hours. Lo and behold, plop goes my mucus plug. I rush back to the bedroom and grab my Birthing the Bradley Way book and flip to the First Signs of Labor Chapter: "do not get excited if you're mucus plug drops as this is the most uncertain sign of labor beginning." Yeah, too late, I'm excited. But I push that away into the "undelt with emotions" box (I don't handle disappointment well) and decide to go about my day as normal....that is after I rush around like a crazed woman cleaning every inch of the house *just in case* I go into labor today. I know I will be distracted by a mess. I realize this makes me slightly neurotic but I'm ok with that. I tell Justin of aforementioned mucuspluglossage and tell him he needs to stay close today. He has a habit of "going to the record store" and not returning for 8 hours because a train drove by that he decided would be superbly romantic to follow to the next little town. I'm chasing rabbits here: back to labor.
Around lunch time I start to get these curious sensations. They feel a little like menstrual cramps, or constipation...which is a very real option, pooping is hard when you're 9 months pregnant. No, um...pun intended. I read in my book again what a contraction is supposed to feel like, and these sensations don't seem like contractions. I'm only feeling vague discomfort below my belly in my pelvic area. Like CRAMPS. How many times did people tell me "It's not like period cramps". This is a falsehood. So like every good First Time Bradley student, I go through the eat, sleep, walk routine. These ambiguously vague not-contrationy like sensations continue all afternoon. They form a regular rhythm. They increase in intensity. They are still not painful, but enough to make me take notice. "It says my belly is supposed to get hard, I can't feel my belly getting hard!" So I make Justin sit behind me and place his hands on my stomach. I give him a play by play of the rising and falling of these vague and starting to get a little annoying lower abdominal something-or-others. He can't feel my belly getting hard or soft either. Ok fine, its not labor...maybe its braxton hicks? Who knows. All I know is first time pregnant people have lots of: "starting & stopping, nope just kidding" labor deals and I just cannot be bothered to get all worked up if this is going to be nothing. It's still 9 days till my due date and first timers aren't early, they are late. So I continue to putter around trying to ignore the party going on in my lower abdomen. Its unseasonally warm for February. Justin and I spend alot of time outside, and have what I didn't know at the time was to be our last tender moments just the two of us. It was a lovely day. But these pesky weirdo crampy things are getting more intense. I need a distraction. I send Justin out to retrieve Nanny McPhee 2. A good British children's movie always does the trick. While he is gone I start tracking these I-am-now-in-denial-are-contractions. 10 mins apart, 7 mins apart, 6 mins apart. After 2 Redboxes and a Blockbuster, Justin returns with said kids flick. 10 minutes into it we have to turn it off. I am starting to have to concentrate. The movie feels overwhelming. I need darkness and quiet. Then I suddenly remember Laura, my doula made me a lavendar rice bag. Even if I'm not in labor, that sure would feel good on my belly right now. So Justin calls her.
Laura walks in to find me on all fours, bent over the arm of our couch. She cocks her head to the side and sagely states "I'm pretty sure you're having a baby today." It is now 9pm. Ok, I'm convinced. I am in labor. I am having a baby. I am super pumped. It is now officially game time in my brain. Cups of tea are made. (for my super awesome birth team of Faithful Husband and Awesome Doula Friend) buckets and towels are brought near. Pen and paper are retrieved for tracking progress. We are still camped out in the living room. I am able to have conversation and sit up between contractions, but I have to focus and relax my body during them. I try different positions and Laura tries different counter pressures but because the contractions are still bumping and griding UNDER my belly, I find that being on all fours and letting my giant baby carrying tum tum hang freely is what feels best. Unfortunately my arms are already getting tired from holding myself up. Time passes, more quickly than I expected. It is now about 11pm. I get in and out of the bathtub, more tea is made, the lavender rice bag from heaven is continually heated up and stretched over my aching lower belly. Then the puking starts. What? I am NOT in transition. Not even close. Oh, I get to puke off and on the whole time I'm laboring? Swell. I *love* puking. Strangely enough, vomiting is somehow a relief from contraction pressure. It causes those tight muscles to spread upward as I heave. Momentary relief, followed immediately by an even more intense contraction. I'm starting to feel tired. But just as if they read my thoughts, Justin and Laura tell me what a good job I'm doing. How awesome and productive my contractions are. How strong I am. How exciting that we get to meet baby sha soon. A mighty roadblock is erected on my mental path toward doubtfulness. More time passes. More baths and showers, more cups of tea, more puking. I really want to poop. The house remains dark, quiet and peaceful. Justin stays glued to my side, whispering sweetly in my ear how proud he is, holding my hand when needed, giving me space when needed. I am tired. I feel like I could actually sleep. I lay down in bed and fall into a quasi-nap. Briefly losing consciousnesses between contractions. Laura continues to track as she listens to my faint groanings from the living room. As I lay I ponder the journey to the hospital. It is starting to feel insurmountable, moving is so painstakingly difficult. Riding in the car seems like torture. I know that I am not nearing the pushing stage, but I feel its time to go. It is 4am. It is a great effort to get dressed. Had it not been February I probably would have begged to stay naked. Yeah, I was a naked laborer. It baffles me how you could even distinguish whether or not you are dressed while laboring, it is so insignificant. Clothing is definitely in blurry land.
The car ride is not so very torturous thanks to an excellent husband chauffeur. However, I lose track of relaxing and become very stiff on that car ride, which is uncomfortable. I am wheeled up to L & D and we pull up to the registration desk. "MY NAME IS MEGAN SHAFFER, I AM IN ACTIVE LABOR AND I AM PREREGISTERED!" I proudly announced. Desk lady is nonplussed. Apparently there is more paperwork to fill out. This is an outrage. I am ready to get settled, I am ready to get this baby out, how the HELL do you expect me to fill out damn papers?! Oh...my husband can do it while I go to triage? Oh, ok. I have now reached the part of labor I have been most dreading. The hep lock. Really? I know, I know- I'm about to push a human out of my vagina and I'm FREAKING OUT about a needle in my hand. YES!!! Fortunately my triage nurse is kindhearted, my age and also pregnant. She does not look at me like I have a third head when I start to sob about the hep lock and hysterically beg her not to put it in. She has to. I knew it. I turn my head as my juicy veins spray like a Quentin Tarantino movie. Justin almost passes out. A vampire would have had a hey day in there. And then it is over. I now have the horribly distracting thing in my hand. should have had a home birth... My vitals and baby's vitals are checked. We are awesome. Internal exam (bleck HORRIBLE) reveals I am 5 cent and 100% effaced. I forget my station. I never really remember what that is anyway. Sorry Dr. Bradley. I am a little surprised to only be at 5 cent, but I know that doesn't mean anything. Dilation is an unpredictable road. I'm super pumped about my effacement. We fiiiiiiiiinally get to the room. My nurse is wonderful. She is super excited I'm laboring naturally. Brings me a birthing ball, tells me to roam around freely and essentially leaves me alone to work. She offers me a Popsicle. I consider this a moment. I know that a hospital popsicle is toxic waste, but something cold and wet and sweet sounds nice so I accept. It was the best high fructose corn syrup red dye number 5 artificially flavored popsicle I've ever tasted. I feel refreshed, and settled. I think its time to poop. I've wanted to for hours, but pooping brings us to my second biggest labor fear: hemorrhoids. Ok people- I realize my labor fears are kinda silly but when you have that much stage fright about pooping, you have a lot saved up in there and I wanted to be cleared out at this point. Long story short, there is success. Moving on...
Horribly, there is a shift change. In walks Debbie Downer nurse. Friendly Nurse tries to hang around to meet the baby, but I still have just a few hours to go. Debbie Downer nurse is very uncomfortable with the fact that I am going natural and am not constantly hooked up to the fetal heart monitor. I am vaguely aware of her awkwardness but I choose not to receive it. Which is funny to me. I am a people pleaser and am very affected by how everyone feels around me and yet I could care less if Debbie Downer nurse existed or knew who I was or if she was pleased or not. I take a delirious moment to thank God for his grace. Being hooked and unhooked to the monitor is really taxing. I actually enjoy hearing baby's heartbeat and hearing Laura tell me how baller and huge and productive my contractions are but I am having to completely focus on not tensing up through my contractions which are now only giving me a few moments rest in between. Having to move back and forth from monitor chair to wherever else I was in the room is too much at this point. So I end up planted in a hospital armchair for the remainder of my labor. I realize this is not really a great position but I'm too effing tired and contractions are too strong to keep moving. This is one of those "next time I'll do differently moments. While sitting in this chair, my water breaks. It doesn't hurt, and its not as much water as I thought. I am now 8 cent. I feel so thankful that my bag of waters stayed so strong this whole time. I know I am nearly there, that my labor will now speed on to the finish. And boy does it. If I thought I couldn't move before, I am now paralyzed to this horrible chair because my contractions are non-stop wave upon wave. Close to no relief between. Maybe 10 seconds. I am beyond exhausted. I start to feel really weak, and the thought "I don't know if I can do this" finally enters my mind. I am scared to say this out loud because then it would seem more real. Justin and Laura are on either side of me, holding my hands whispering praise. My mom is there too, sitting quietly across the room. She got there at some point...who knows when. Hi mom! My head is falling back in between my now epic contractions. Its hard to stay awake yet I certainly could not sleep right now. But I want to so badly. Just a nap. The pain is intense but not unbearable.The hardest part is its so energy consuming. Is there something I could take that would allow me a 45 min power nap? I do NOT want an epidural, I know its not an option but maybe there's some lesser drug that would just take the edge off? Maybe Laura has some magical herb in her pocket? Hey everyone, Meg is in transition! Meg is completely unaware that she is in transition! Which is also a sign she is in transition! I can't take it anymore, I look imploringly to Justin and Laura and voice my concerns. They are prepared for this. They do not offer drugs, but offer sympathy, encouragement and resolve. This is far more valuable. They also notice that I strategically wait to voice these concerns till after Nurse Annoying has left the room. I also strategically do not look at my mom when I beg for drugs. I know it will be all over then. She will not be able to resist my pitiful and weepy demeanor and I will not be able to resist her motherly care. So I just look at Laura and Justin and shoot their pep talk into my veins and get over the hump. I am impatient. I want to be DONE. I want to meet my baby. Another horrible internal from Nurse Annoying (also referred to as Debbie Downer Nurse. Same lady) who is NOT gentle. I should have had more resolve to say no to internals- another "next time" realization. 9 cent. I decide to do some practice pushes. I am really uncertain of what it means to push. What it will feel like. (Its basically like pooping, expect you're pooping a baby out your vagina. weird, I know) So I'm essentially just grunting and flexing my upper ab muscles but I am doing nothing of the sort close to pushing. Negative Nancy Nurse freaks out and tells me to stop. I decidedly ignore her. Finally, after what seems like an eternity it is announced that we have arrived at 10 cent and I can begin the process of poppin' this kid out!
This gives me new resolve. And I'm happy to finally DO something besides sit in a chair and breathe through contractions. I will say this: as much as I desired a midwife and unfortunately that didn't work out for me this time, my obgyn was awesome. She was completely supportive of me working with my body. She never told me when to push, only helpful tips on how to push effectively, and LOTS of encouragement. She even put Nurse Annoying in her place a couple times. heheh. Laura and Justin are still on either side of me, holding my hands. I could not do this without them. I look into their faces for the first time in what seems like years and I see pride. I look at my husband positively beaming at me, tears running down his cheek. I can do this. I'm going to have this babe in my arms soon. Pushing feels productive. And painful. Some people are blessed with glorious hormonal numbness of the vag during pushing, I was sadly not possessed with this gift. I could feel that ring of fire. And frankly I didn't care. The doctor tells me how impressed she is with my babe's strong and courageous heart beat.
"We see hair! Lots of hair" *so* glad all that heartburn had a purpose.
"Just a few more pushes!"
And finally, after what seems like years, and yet minutes, I have a child on my belly, rather than in. This babe is so warm, and more sturdy than I imagined. Perfection. But we STILL don't know the gender! I have to ask- it's a girl. A daughter! I laugh because no one, not a soul, thought I was having a girl. A grand surprise indeed. All agony is forgotton, but I am tapped out. All the capillaries in my face are busted. I probably have vomit in my hair. I need someone to invent a new word for exhausted to describe the state of my body. But I feel euphoric. I feel I could dance. No, not really. I feel I could not move, but my heart was dancing. I love her. I love her. Its a love I've never experienced before. It's a love beyond description. My heart feels cramped in my cheast, like it needs to spill over and be shared. My sweet daughter, can I share my heart with you? I long to give you some of this love, for you to know it. They say she's not breathing as well as they want, and I need to be stitched up but I am at peace. That beautiful God given peaces that goes beyond understanding.I know she is fine. Justin whips his shirt off to give her skin to skin while my battle worn jay jay is repaired. She immediately starts to root on daddy. Smart girl. My Ireland Ruth. I think of my dad and how proud he would be of her. How proud he would be of me. I have a moment of sadness, but nothing can stop this moment from being absolute bliss. I feel empowered. I just did that. I don't particularly want to do it again soon, but man, I actually did it! I feel at home, at ease. I am a mother. It's like my calling has been realized. I never thought about it before, but this is what I want to do the rest of my life. Which is good, since children are a permanent fixture.
Ireland Ruth Shaffer: 8 pounds even, 19 inches long. Born at 10:20am February 20th after a full 23 1/2 hours of labor. Welcome home little one, welcome home.
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