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…

Meet Amy. Mother of four boys and the wife of a minister in Georgia. Read, blog post by blog post, how she has learned, changed and grown during the many trials and tribulations of learning to raise a family of her own. Through smiles, tears and lots of laughter, she has learned that the path to successful child rearing is often the one that comes instinctively. And often the things derived from Mother Earth truly are best. The world is full of medical “miracles” but over time and lots of experience, this mom has discovered that raising a natural baby creates the most wonderful bonds and lessons for her children…

In February of 2003, I became a mom. My birth experience wasn’t what I expected. Then again, I didn’t really have huge expectations. However, I felt to my core that THIS was not how it was supposed to go…

Read the story of welcoming a New Baby into the family. From start to finish what it’s like to give birth and the feelings that go along with bringing a new baby into the world.

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…

A personal story of what it’s like to have labor contractions and what to do when you think you are having them. Read a first-person point of view.