Baby

When I had my first baby, my only connection to cloth diapers (commonly referred to as “Fluff” in the cloth diaper world) was pictures of myself in Gerber prefolds (the ones you buy in a pack at Wal-Mart and usually use as burp cloths) and plastic pants. The thought of diaper pins and a squirmy baby is a little frightening to me. Little did I know how far cloth diapers have come! You can still get prefolds and covers, if that’s what you prefer (and some do). However, you can also get “All in One” diapers which are essentially the cloth equivalent to disposables. I have settled on pocket diapers (a waterproof outer shell which uses an absorbent insert) because they are trimmer, but dry faster than AIOs (All in Ones)…

Have you ever looked at the ingredients in your baby’s food or even tasted it? Many parents say it tastes disgusting and includes extra ingredients. Making your own baby food isn’t as hard as it sounds. For the most part, you just purchase the ingredients and puree them. Another bonus, you can make extra servings and freeze the left overs. Similar to meal prep days for your work lunches, you can have baby food prep days…

I just returned from a trip to my mom’s house in North Carolina. It’s always nice to visit other than the fact that my baby doesn’t sleep well when we travel (does any baby, really???). This trip was slightly complicated by another issue too, though. I use cloth diapers at home, but I don’t expect my mom to give up her washing machine to poo filled diapers. Not to mention, disconnecting my diaper sprayer at home sounded no more appealing than sticking my hand down and rinsing a cloth diaper in her toilet (UGH!)…

So, here’s my dos and don’ts for cloth diaper care to make sure you “get it right!” I quit the first time I tried to cloth diaper because of leakage. Thankfully, a friend had supplied the majority of my stash, so I didn’t waste loads of money. But, it was disappointing to say the least. I don’t want to see that happen to anyone.

I am pretty sure I have owned almost every baby wearing device (Baby wearing is strapping your baby into a carrier on your body rather than carrying them in your arms. It leaves your hands free while still keeping your baby close and secure.) out there from an old-fashioned Snugli, to a trendy Baby Bjorn, to a homemade sling. There are so many out there that it’s overwhelming and confusing, so I decided I am going to try to review the ones I have used and give my honest opinions based on fit, ease of use and, the most important aspect, how much my baby liked it…

I tend to be lighthearted, but breastfeeding is a passion that I REALLY struggled with and feel that there is very little real life, practical advice out there. I wanted to offer that to others who may be preparing to have a little one, are currently struggling with breastfeeding or have in the past and plan to have more babies in the future…

Natural childbirth is one thing I can say should be researched to death! No two labor and deliveries are the same, so researching coping mechanisms, ways to maintain energy during labor and more are essential. I read everything I could get my hands on.

I really think that my successful experience with natural childbirth paved the way for many changes in my life that lead to a more natural way of living. I brought my baby into the world in the most natural way possible – both of us free from any medical interventions that would affect his start in the world. I owed it to him to keep his life as free from “interventions” as possible.

I am pretty certain that other cultures (and the cave men too) probably give their babies “real” food to explore with. I suspect that, somewhere along the line, someone thought it would be faster and more efficient (and safer) to puree food for a baby and I can see why it caught on. No one really likes to see her/his baby gag on anything. And, big chunks of food in a mouth that has no teeth is intimidating and scary to many parents. Purees make sense for babies, right? A growing movement called “Baby-Led Weaning” is touting that purees are NOT the way to go and that letting your baby explore food (being smart and safe about it) is a better way to transition your baby from a liquid to a solid food diet. This may be the oldest new method of weaning from breastfeeding for your baby.

Most pediatricians will recommend you feed your baby only breast milk for the first six months (if you are breastfeeding. For Formula feeders, it is four months) and then start the weaning process with a slow introduction of solids for practice. By one year, solid intake should be enough to sustain baby and most will give you the go ahead to introduce cow’s milk instead of breast milk, if you wish…