DIY Nursing tank

If you're a nursing mom, I'm sure you've tried those nursing tanks with the built in bra & hooks that detach to nurse. I found that those don't work very well for me because I'm bigger busted than around in my waist (after a few weeks postpartum) so the tanks are baggy on me and look silly under most shirts. SO I did a little research and found a great solution!  I saw the idea on Pinterest (from this blog I believe) but figured out how to do it myself. (Not that it was hard!).

Here's my step by step:

What you need:

Thread
Needle
Scissors
Spaghetti strap tank-tight fitting (without a built in bra). I think the one size camis work great!
Pins

First put your tank on its front & cut the straps off at the back where they're attached to the body (you could also probably use a seam ripper & detach but I didn't see the point in taking the extra time for that!)

Turn your tank around front facing you & measure about 1.5-2" up the straps from the body of the cami. Make this into a loop & pin. (DON'T CUT YET!!!)

Carefully try the tank on over your most used nursing bra & see if the loops will fit thru your bra clasp. I did mine about 1.5" long because I prefer it not to slide down so that if I need a little cleavage coverage with a shirt I'm wearing, this could assist.

Adjust as needed then cut strap & sew. (I'm sure you could also sew than cut if you wanted to be extra sure your length was correct.)

Done!  Took about 5-10 mins huh? Your next one will take even less time!  Now go cuddle that baby & Happy nursing!!

Washing Cloth Diapers

Washing cloth diapers can be a little intimidating but there are so many different ways to do it that you'll soon figure out what works best for you.

Here's my routine for my LG Wave Force WT5101H top loading HE Washer:

(I just copy and pasted from my sign posted by my washer for those that may be helping me with laundry once baby comes so let me know if you have any questions)

RINSE

1.    Put in all diapers & wet bags (check diaper bag)
*Make sure nothing with desitin, a&d, resinol, etc on it goes in*

2.    Take inserts out of diaper & fasten velcro tabs to laundry tabs on backside of diaper

3.    Add 1 T. of Country Save detergent in tray with a small amount of Rockin Green's Funk Rock

4.    Hit Special button (under screen) until on Rinse & Spin

5.    Start (Play button on right) (takes about 25 minutes)

WASH

1.    When that's done, add Country Save (to line on blue scoop in box) to tray

2.    Turn washer dial to Heavy Duty

3.    Push Wash/Rinse button to Hot/Cold

4.    Push Extra Rinse button TWICE

5.    Start (takes about 1 ½ hours- don’t let them sit in washer overnight!)

 There are many different ways you can wash your diapers but these specific cycles & times I've found to work best for me.  Basically I do a prewash in cold water - just rinse and spin and then a HOT wash with 2 extra rinses (3 rinses total).  

You do want to be sure to include a prewash, hot wash and most often at least 1 extra rinse.  If you have an HE washer, your wash routine tends to vary and get a little trickier since it uses less water and doesn't have the agitator in it.  I however haven't had any issues since I started this wash routine.  Some people say to add a soaked towel in with your diapers to trick your washer into adding more water - I haven't found the need to do this as long as you use either the Heavy Duty or Bulky/Bedding cycle.

DETERGENT

You don't want to use just any detergent when washing your cloth diapers.  As you can see above, I chose to use Country Save detergent - this is basically because it's so cheap that I can use it on all my clothes and not have the confusion or necessity of buying different kinds of soap for different needs.  I bought mine on Amazon a year ago and I got 4, 10 lb boxes (160 HE loads) and still have not run out.  As I said, I use it on ALL our clothes and still have 1 box that's not even open yet so I spent about $60 on all our detergent for the past year and still used cloth diaper safe detergent on our diapers.  (Pretty good deal I think!  I find this site to be an excellent reference on what detergents to use/not use.  Also if you look around it, there's tons of other helpful information there too!  

I started out using Rockin' Green Classic Rock and really liked it until I switched to the HE washer - then it didn't work well.  We also moved at the time though and got really hard water, so I'm sure that was part of the problem.  However, it's much more expensive than Country Save so I'm glad I switched anyway!  I've heard of lots of people using Charlie's Soap, Ecos, and the make your own detergent as well with good results.

Here's a make your own detergent that was shared on my cloth diaper group on Facebook: (I haven't used it so can't give you any helpful hints - sorry!)

Powder detergent

1/3 bar Fels Naptha 

½ cup washing soda

½ cup borax powder

I  cut my bar into slices then ran through the blender or food  processor then when it looks smaller than rice I dumped it into a bowl and added the washing soda  and borax and mixed till it was combined really well.

Use 2 tablespoons per full load!

Liquid detergent

1/3 bar Fels Naptha 

½ cup washing soda

½ cup borax powder 

~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan.  Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts.  Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved.  Remove from heat.  Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket.   Now add your soap mixture and stir.  Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir.  Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel.  You use ½ cup per load.

I hope that at least gives you a little overview of what to expect when it comes to washing. I tried to hit the basics but also give you a few tips along the way for those that might be trying to troubleshoot so hopefully it helps you out. If not, post a comment and I'll see if I be of any assistance!

OTHER TIPS 

You will want to wash about every other day - to cut down on number of diapers you need to buy and also to cut down on smelliness and chance of ammonia issues occuring.

The recommendation is to wash no more than 24 pieces in one load - but I usually wash about 16 pockets (plus 16-25 inserts) in each load and have not had problems - again I'm sure this depends on your washer.

ALSO - BE SURE TO FOLLOW YOUR DIAPER'S MANUFACTURER'S DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO WASH YOUR SPECIFIC TYPE/BRAND OF DIAPERS. THIS IS WHAT I GENERALLY USE ON MY DIAPERS BUT YOU MAY WANT TO ALTER THE ROUTINE SO THAT IT WORKS PROPERLY FOR YOU. IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW YOUR MANUFACTURER'S DIRECTIONS, THE WARRANTY COULD BE VOID SO BE SURE TO CHECK THAT OUT PLEASE - THIS IS BY NO MEANS A REPLACEMENT ROUTINE.

My Personal Cloth Diaper Stash & Reviews

Many of my expectant friends have expressed an interest in cloth diapers and want to know what I use....So here it is!

My go-to diapers:

Mostly my stash consists of BumGenius 4.0 one size pockets. These were recommended to me by my good friend, and I've been pretty happy with them.  They are a little bulkier than the sized diapers because obviously they're one sized so there's a little extra fabric in there when it's snapped down on smaller babies. However I like the one size because it's way easier on your budget - you buy 25 or so of them and your stash is complete. You don't have to buy 25 more when it's time to size up, and then size up again...  You can choose either hook & loop closure (Velcro) or snaps. I have both & love the convenience of the hook and loop but some of M's diapers are showing wear at 16 months, and I am in the process of replacing some of the laundry tabs. Also she's figured out how to take off these dipes and still can't take off the snaps - so if I had to do it over, I guess I'd probably get mostly snaps.  (Although the velcro is easier on grandparents and others that might assist in diaper changes once in awhile)

M's diaper drawer - this is all BumGenius 4.0s or Rumparooz
(RaR's are the bright yellow and purple on the middle left) 

Another of my favorites right now are Grovia's hybrid diaper which is a shell (or cover) with a snap-in insert.  I like these because they are definitely trimmer than the pockets but probably not quite as absorbent. There are different inserts you can get for these - organic cotton or hemp & I have both; however, I definitely prefer the organic cotton. For some reason, the hemp ones seem to be the ones that cause leaks if there ever are any.  These also have the choice of hook and loop or snap closure. I only purchased the snaps because of my issues with the BumGenius (BG), so I can't tell you how the Velcro holds up, but I've heard it's very good!  Also Grovia's have the option of using disposable inserts for those times when you need the added convenience or have to battle diaper rash.  The disposable insert is not as absorbent as a disposable diaper which seems like they can suck in anything, but it's nice knowing that it's made of renewable resources and doesn't have the nasty chemicals of regular disposables...  I use these sometimes when M has a bad diaper rash and I want to use a non-safe cloth diaper cream like Desitin or A&D to treat it.

We also have a few Rumparooz one size pocket diapers that are in regular rotation.  I like these a lot and love the double gusset however they are a little bulkier, so I mostly use them at home instead of haul them around in the diaper bag.  (Note: They are not really that much bigger, but I like to take advantage of every little space in my diaper bag :) )  Also they seem to have a lower rise so I had to size up on the snaps sooner than on the BumGenius however she still fits into them fine at 17 months and 24 pounds so we'll see if she outgrows these sooner or not...I'm not sure why the fit is different!

Other diapers I've tried:

Fuzzibunz one size pocket - I really like the trimness of this diaper - it is less bulky between the legs which is nice however we've had a hard time sizing it right and seem to get leaks.  These not only have a resizable front like the BG's but you can also resize the elastic around the legs and in the back.  I really want to like these but just haven't gotten the hang of it I guess.

GoGreen Diaper - These are also a one size pocket diaper - they have different colored snaps on the front to help get both sides snapped the same.  Inside - the pocket is open in the front and back and they also have double gussets which helps to reduce leaks.  I find them a bit bulky however and don't really care for them.  I'd sell it but my husband likes using it so I just go ahead and use it to - no big complaints really.

Baby Beehind bamboo fitted - M is a very heavy wetter, so I had to try a few different things to get a system that works for me.  I bought one of these and put a wool cover over it as that was a system that was suggested to me by many people.  I thought it worked pretty well, but M seemed to begin waking up during the night needing changing, so I don't think it's quite absorbent enough for her.  Love the diaper though - think she just outwets it!

The Sleepy Sheep wool cover (over Baby Beehind fitted for overnight).  This took me a long time to try as the wool intimidated me for some reason but it was really easy to care for actually and did work pretty well.  I didn't fall in love with it like many seem to but maybe it's just because my daughter is such a heavy wetter.  This brand is from a WAHM in my town so I don't know if other brands would work better or the same but this is what we went with - no longer use it though.

Flip hybrid system: both Organic and Stay Dry inserts.  I bought these to try as well as many people raved about them.  We tried the organic insert for overnight which worked for awhile when she was around 9 months old probably.  It however is SUPER bulky and I felt bad having her wear it all night.  The Stay Dry inserts are not as absorbent as I'd like them to be and usually only get used when we are running low on diapers.  They are very trim however so if you're willing to change more often, they're a great option; however, I definitely prefer the Grovia hybrid system over this one.

All the diapers we own including the cute little newborn diapers we haven't gotten to try yet! :-)

So that is what I've tried and my reviews.  Obviously all of this is just my personal opinion so feel free to take it as you wish.  I do think I'd like to buy a few of the Fuzzibunz sized diapers for this new little one to take along in diaper bags, for pictures, etc where a trimmer diaper would be nice to have but I haven't done this yet.  Also I am going to cloth diaper this baby sooner than I did M.  With M, I started at around 6 weeks when she fit into the BG 4.0s so this time I'm going to start with GMD prefolds and Thirsties covers and probably begin either as soon as we get home or get into the swing of things.  I'll let you know how that goes once I have the experience.  :)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know if you have any questions for me.  I can let you know what I've tried or what I've heard others doing or hopefully at least send you to a good resource.  I love to hear what others think of their cloth diaper experiences and am happy to help newbies get started as I love cloth diapering!

I am going to do another post on my wash routine and how I've converted mostly away from the microfiber inserts that come with most one size diapers and why.

Cloth Diaper Safe Diaper Rash Creams

There is always a question as to what diaper rash creams are safe with cloth diapers so here is a great link I found that all cd'ers should have on hand.  It's from Pinstripes and Polkadots which is a great online cloth diaper resource!

I use CJ's BUTTer and have had pretty good success.  I think it's best used for preventing rash rather than curing it once your little one (lo) gets a bad rash but of course it's better than nothing!  I also use coconut oil which works really well - you can usually find this in the organic section of your grocery store.

I think I might buy some of this to try too - Angel Baby Bottom Balm - sounds pretty good!

And don't forget - even if you don't use cloth diapers, you could still use these creams as they are a more natural product to put on your little one's tushy.  =)

Why can't you use any old diaper cream with cloth diapers?  Diaper creams like Desitin or A+D will cause repelling issues with your diapers because of the ingredients in them.  They are made to create a thick barrier on baby's bottom which then transfers to your diapers and causes repelling.  If this happens, you have to 'strip' your diapers which isn't the most fun process in the world...although not terrible if it does!  My mom actually just got some Resinol on one of my diapers and it's currently soaking in hot water and blue dawn to 'strip' it out.

If you feel that you do need to use a cream like A+D or Desitin, you can use a liner in your diaper so that the cream doesn't get on your diaper.  Just be sure that you wash the liner separate from your diapers and don't throw it in the wet bag with them either because the cream could transfer during washing.  Also be sure not to wash cloth wipes that you use to wipe the cream off with your diapers either.

Double Strollers

I've been researching double strollers lately - still haven't made up my mind yet - and there are sooo many options out there!  I know a few of my friends are looking for these too, so I thought I'd put on here what I've found and you can see how your needs compare to mine and which one will work best for you!  My daughter will be 18 months when new baby arrives so we need something that will accommodate both of them very well.

Needs:
2 reclining seats - I'm sure both of my lo's will be wanting to take naps at some point.  They don't have to completely recline but at least some sort of recline
Compatible with Chicco 30 carseat - already have this carseat from baby #1 so going to reuse & being due in October it could be pretty chilly here in Nebraska so I will probably leave baby in the carseat if I'm out and about
Tandem style - fits through doorways better, I'm just use to it because it's what my brother & sister-in-law had, the side-by-side feels uncomfortable & awkward to push to me
Cup holders/child tray - Need a place to put lo's snacks
Adjustable parent handlebars - my husband and I are both tall so we need to be able to put the bars up so it's comfortable for us but it would also be nice for the shorter grandma's to be able to push it comfortably too

Nice to have:
Parent tray with cup holders
Bigger basket underneath
Lightweight
Not super long - I don't want to be pushing around a bus

Here's a few I've been debating about and how they stack up.  

Chicco Cortina Together Double Stroller  $300 at Babies R Us

Needs:

2 reclining seats - full recline in rear

Compatible with Chicco 30 carseat - yes

Tandem style - yes

Cup holders/child tray - cup holders in front only or arm bar

Adjustable parent handlebars - yes

Nice to have:

Parent tray with cup holders: Yes

Bigger basket underneath: yes but hard to access with backseat reclined or infant seat clicked in

Lightweight: 34 lbs

Not super long: 47.25" x 23.5" x 45.5"

Other to consider:

Seat weight limits: up to 40 lbs each seat

Double leg rests:  yes-adjustable

NOTES: Might have to remove front canopy to fit in smaller vehicles.  I tried this in the store and it seemed really long but that was compared to the Graco Ready to Grow stroller which is smaller (rear seat always faces backwards in that stroller)  I love my Chicco Cortina single stroller - it rolls much better than any Graco I've ever used and I'm sad to give it up, so I'm hoping to love this one but, at the beginning of my research, it seems long...

__________________________________________________________

Graco Quattro Tour Duo  $230 at Babies R Us

Needs:

2 reclining seats - Yes, rear fully reclines

Compatible with Chicco 30 carseat - NO

Tandem style - yes

Cup holders/child tray - Yes both seats

Adjustable parent handlebars - I don't believe so - says multiple hand positions...

Nice to have:

Parent tray with cup holders: Yes

Bigger basket underneath: Yes 

Lightweight: 46.4 lbs

Not super long: 40 x 22.3 x 44

Other to consider:

Seat weight limits: front: 50 lbs, rear: 40 lbs

Double leg rests:  yes

NOTES: Says 20% smaller when folded as compared to Graco DuoGlider Stroller.  Listed as Best Tandem Style Double Stroller on consumersearch.com.

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Baby Trend Sit N Stand Double  $190 at Babies R Us

Needs:

2 reclining seats - Yes, rear seat removes to become sit n stand for older child

Compatible with Chicco 30 carseat - NO

Tandem style - yes

Cup holders/child tray - Yes both seats

Adjustable parent handlebars - NO

Nice to have:

Parent tray with cup holders: Yes

Bigger basket underneath: Yes 

Lightweight: 32.5 lbs

Not super long: 43.0 " H x 21.5 " W x 49.0 " D, collapsed: 43.5 " H x 17.0 " D

Other to consider:

Seat weight limits: front: 40 lbs, jumpseat: 2 1/2 to 40 lbs

Double leg rests:  yes

NOTES: Foot activated brake.  I like that this has the sit n stand feature for later on when your toddler wants to get out and about and be more independent.  

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Jeep Traveler Tandem  $210 at Babies R Us

Needs:

2 reclining seats - Yes - front can't recline with infant seat in back

Compatible with Chicco 30 carseat - Yes

Tandem style - yes

Cup holders/child tray - Yes both seats

Adjustable parent handlebars - Yes - 3 height positions

Nice to have:

Parent tray with cup holders: Just 1 cupholder - no tray

Bigger basket underneath: Yes 

Lightweight: 43.6 lbs

Not super long: 34.5 x 20.2 x 13.2

Other to consider:

Seat weight limits: both up to 40 lbs

Double leg rests:  yes - not adjustable

NOTES: Bright color is only color option.

Hopefully that helps you a little on what you might want to consider.  Here is a link to the Consumer Reports stroller buying guide for tips on what to look for when purchasing.  

Let me know what stroller you like or if you have a recommendation for me on one that isn't listed!  I'm still looking because nothing has fit the bill perfectly yet...  :)


I went to Babies R Us the other day and saw the Chicco and Sit-N-Stand in the store.


I thought the Chicco was a little bulkier than the Sit-N-Stand but it was probably a smoother ride for walks and such but the Sit-N-Stand seemed to maneuver a little better in the store (mostly since it was a little smaller I think)  


Here you can see how they compare side by side:

Sit-N-Stand on left, Chicco on right

Chicco on left, Sit-N-Stand on right

Chicco side

Shows bars in front of seats.  As you can see the front has 2 cups & the back only has a bar.  Apparently the child in the back doesn't get hungry or thirsty?!?!  BUT I know there are attachments you can buy that could probably solve the no snack tray issue - just not sure exactly what!

Selecting a crib on a budget

Crib purchasing is one of those things that I'm picky about and make sure that I follow the recommendations on not buying used or a crib that is recalled (drop side cribs).  So I've been doing lots of research to see what the best one would be to buy without spending thousands of dollars and this is what I've concluded.

I have a book called Baby Bargains - mine's a few years old (2009) so not quite up to date - but it has some great information on what to look for, the history of different companies and it compiles parent's tested and true opinions on different brands of items.  Cribs is one of these.  One thing that surprised me - the brand Delta - which is a low priced crib sold at many stores - got a review of an F.  They said they used to recommend them as a good crib for grandma's house but with the history and number of recalls they've had, they no longer even recommend them for that use.  Needless to say - I scratched that brand right away.  BUT I know parents that have Delta cribs and they've worked out perfectly fine for them...  Also note that I believe Consumer Reports might recommend a few cribs from this brand, but I couldn't get their list so am not sure about that...(see below)

This book also recommended Graco cribs as the best budget crib - specifically the Lauren & Sarah models.  They gave LaJobi - the maker of Graco an A- rating.  They said they had a few negatives on Graco such as mis-matched screw holes but chalked it up to the start-up and think it's improved in recent years.

Also I of course consulted Consumer Reports to see what they had to say.  I don't have a membership so I couldn't get their recommendations on actual cribs, but I did get a list of the safety features to look for:

• Basic is best-The safest cribs have simple lines and no scrollwork or finials.
• If possible, avoid buying or accepting a used crib. Older models might not meet current safety standards or might be in disrepair. 
• Pair the mattress and crib you plan to buy to make sure they're a good fit.  If you can place more than two fingers between the mattress and the crib frame, the fit isn't snug enough.
• The slats in a crib or bassinet should be no farther apart than 2 3/8 inches.
• Never use an antique or used crib or bassinet
• Don't use crib bumpers-Your child can't hurt himself if he comes in contact with the railing, but he can suffocate in bumpers if he nestles his face up against it.
• Don't use a sleep positioner or wedge
• Inspect hotel cribs-  try to find out the make and model number before your arrival, so you can check whether it has been recalled.

I've done some of this research here in the last few days as we're looking for Baby #2's crib but of course I consulted the book that I had when we selected M's items & this is what we purchased for her:

Graco Lauren Crib

We have a Graco for her and have loved it so far, so we're thinking we're going to stick with that for Baby #2 too.  BUT of course we want a dresser and a chest of drawers to go with it, and do they ever come as a set?!?!  Yes-if you buy at $400-500+ for each piece.  Well I knew that I could get a set that would look just as nice together and spend less, but I'd just have to do a little research to find it.  For M's room this is what I got:

Sauders dressers in white : I got this dresser (not mirror), the chest of drawers and the matching nightstand.

We have loved it!  No they aren't anything fancy but the crib converts to a toddler bed (and full size later if you want to convert it) and she can use the dressers forever.  I am not one that wants to waste my money on a little 3 shelf changing table that has no use once your baby's are out of diapers.  I stuck M's changing pad on top of this long dresser, had room for my supplies beside it and she can get years of use out of it.  

However - the dressers have a million pieces to assemble!  It's not hard by any means - I did it myself as my then-5-month-old was playing beside me - but it did take me a long time and a lot of work.  The crib was easy to assemble however - I also did that and it only took me maybe 20-30 minutes while also being distracted by baby.  The dressers are good heavy pieces though and I really do think they'll last even though they're so cheap ( I got them on sale too of course!  How do you think I can afford to be a stay-at-home mom?  By being thrifty!!!)  :)  

So now I'm on to the search for Baby #2's crib.  I'm tempted to just get the same set as we did for M in the oak color but I think I'd rather at least have a different style crib...and I'm not sure I'm so keen and assembling those dressers again...  

Baby Must Haves

I thought I'd make a list of some of things I deem necessary for new babies.  Obviously these aren't ACTUAL necessities but things that I thought made my life a lot easier or were just so darn cute I had to have em! :)  They're in no specific order and I'm not including such things as crib, diapers and basics but more just things you might not have been told about from others that are nice to have!

(Note: This is not all inclusive of my cloth diapering must haves - I'll list those in a later post!)

1.

Breastflow bottles - GREAT for switching from breast to bottle.  They help avoid confusion because they are similar to the breast in that they have to suck harder to get through the double nipple and it is a wide nipple as well.

2.

Sophie the Giraffe teether - I always thought people were crazy saying you had to have this (as it costs $25 regular price) but M genuinely loves hers!  Its a soft, natural rubber that must feel great on their aching gums during teething.  I must warn you though - if you have older children - this toy can get awful annoying if they get their hands on it because they can squeeze it a LOT harder than babies and that squeak can sure get loud!  :)

3.

Nursing Cover - I like my Bebe Au Lai but there are tons of other brands out there as well.  Very handy to just slip over your head when you're in public to give a little bit more privacy (and make others around you more comfortable as well...)  This one has a built in wire at the front so you can still see what you're doing as you fumble around a bit on your first few outings.

4.

Milk storage organizer - GREAT for storing your breast milk for future use.  I always used mine with Lansinoh storage bags and it was so great to thaw them out quickly by running them under warm water.  Even if you stay at home like I do, you still want to have a supply filled up because mom's need time away from their babies too!  These are great for dad to use when you're out running errands or the sitter when you actually get a 'date night!'

5.

Side snapping onesies with mittens - I LOVED these for the first few weeks.  Easy diaper changes and the built in mittens help so that your little one doesn't scratch their sweet little face!  M lived in the Gerber onesies along with some Babylegs because she was an April baby and it was a little cool out... 

6.

Swaddling blankets - I LOVE the Aden + Anais blankets.  They have different weights you can get for different times of the year as well as organic and bamboo I believe.  Swaddling was a life saver for us.  Another thing to check out that goes with swaddling is the...

7.

The Happiest Baby on the Block - tells great tips about how to keep your baby happy.  Swaddling is one of the 5 S's that you learn about.  Swaddling, Shushing, Sucking, Swinging, Side/Stomach position.  We watched the dvd (I know I know - the easy way out!) but it had some great tips!  

8.

Grocery cart/high chair cover - I always made fun of the people that used these before I was a parent but we got one from a friend and it was a lifesaver!  It made me feel so much more comfortable putting my daughter in those disgusting, germy carts and public high chairs!  I have one similar to this where you can attach your own toys to help keep them entertained.  This is especially helpful right when your child begins to sit up on their own until maybe about a year.  We don't really use our anymore because I feel more comfortable knowing that she's not going to be gnawing on the handle, etc.

9. 

Sleep Sheep - this is an item that I didn't hear about before I had my first but I will definitely be getting it soon for my 2nd.  All I've heard is great raves about this.  I also like this one that is on the go because you can attach it to the carseat or use it at home on the crib too.  My daughter is not a good sleeper away from home so maybe if she had gotten used to this, she would be more comfortable on trips.

10.

Hand & Face wipes - I like to use these rather than their diaper wipes to wipe her face and hands before and after eating.  I also like to use these to wipe the tables down when we go out to eat because her food always ends up on the table no matter how much you try not to.

11. 

Sippy cup strap - help keep your baby's bottles and sippys from hitting the floor.  You can attach them to strollers, high chairs, etc.  I like the ones that have the velcro to go around the cup so that it's adjustable but they're also the only kind I tried.  I also found this tutorial on Pinterest that I'm going to try to tackle in the future to make a couple more.  

Well that's all I can think of for now.  Obviously the last 2 are for a little older of a child than a newborn but I wanted to add them on there.  

Also, when I asked my husband what he liked best for new babies - he said he really liked the sleep gowns. 

 

Sleep Gowns - They were definitely very helpful for night-time diaper changes.  No messing with snaps or zippers.  Just be sure to put some socks on those little tootsies!  :)

Please comment your own helpful tip for must-have baby items that I forgot!  I'm always looking for excuses to buy new things.  :)

Teething Necklace

Have you heard of Baltic Amber teething necklaces?!?

I hadn't until I saw my cousin's daughter walking around with a necklace and asked her about it.  So what did I do when my daughter was about 4 months old and drooling/starting to teethe? Bought her a necklace of course!  So what are they?  They are baby necklaces made of baltic amber beads that are individually knotted on so as not to cause a choking hazard if it were to break.  Baltic amber is a natural analgesic which is thought to numb the area to alleviate teething pain and reduce inflammation.  (They also make bracelets for adults for arthritis, etc)

I feel as if it's worked very well.  The first two teeth that came through, I didn't even know she was teething except for the red bottom that she got along with it!  I had heard HORROR stories of those children that had such hard times teething and was amazed at how well she acted.  I'm not willing to take it off however to see how well it's working but if she's not complaining...neither am I!

I know you can buy them online but I bought mine at a local natural family store.  Here's a link to one to check out (I know nothing about this site- just googled and linked to it)  I was told that the cloudy light yellow ones are the strongest...after I had purchased my daughters multi-colored stone one because I thought it was prettiest of course!

I should note however that my daughter is currently teething and having a hard time of it...BUT I think 3 teeth are coming in at once so I don't think much is going to cure that pain... :(  Like I said though, I'm not willing to take it off to see if her crankiness gets any worse!

UPDATE:  My sister informed me that she spoke with the people at the local boutique I bought mine at - CircleMe - and they said that the light, raw or cloudy stones are the strongest.  Also - if you're worried about them looking 'too girly' for your baby boy, check out the raw ones.  They look pretty studly on those handsome little boys!  :) 

Cloth Diapering 101: What you need to know before you begin

I'm going to start by giving you a very general overview of what cloth diapering is like these days.  I'm sure most people imagine big white cloths and pins sticking into baby's legs and that is definitely not what modern cloth is about!

I think the most popular style of modern cloth diapers is the one size pocket diaper.  This means that, generally, it will fit babies from 8-35 lbs or so.

Aren't they cute?!?!

The pocket means that there is a slit in the back of the diaper where you can add or remove inserts depending on the absorbency you need for your specific child.  The majority of my fluff stash are BumGenius 4.0s (shown above) by Cotton Babies.  You can get them in velcro (known as aplix in the diapering world) or snaps.  Aplix is easier for sizing around the waist but also easier for a toddler to figure out how to take off - As I've recently learned with my just-turned 1 year old!

Styles
Now there are other styles of cloth as well - prefolds & covers would be the closest to what you were originally picturing in your mind and they are definitely the most budget friendly choice.

All In Ones (AIOs) - are the most like disposables in that the absorbent part of the diaper is built in to them.  No stuffing or unstuffing just wash, dry and put back on baby's bum.  Downfall is that you cannot add absorbency if you discover you need it (as I probably would with my heavy wetter)

Hybrids or All In Twos - are where you have a cover and an absorbent layer to go inside.  Sometimes the layer snaps in and sometimes it lays in the cover.  Examples of this would be the Flip Diaper or the Grovia.

These are the basic types of diapers.  I know I didn't cover all of them but these are what you will hear about most of the time.  Now back to the basics of cloth diapering....

Washing
This is probably the most daunting thing for first time cloth diaperers...but it doesn't have to be!  It really isn't that involved!  For starters, when baby's start our and are exclusively breast fed (EBF) you don't have to do anything to the poo diapers before putting them into your washing machine.  Once your baby starts solids, you will probably want to get the poo off the diapers before storing for wash day.  You can either do this the old fashioned way by swishing them in the toilet and flushing, a diaper sprayer (YAY!) or you can use either disposable or reusable diaper liners.  You'll want to wash about every 2 days - you can sometimes stretch it to 3 if you have to but I definitely recommend every 2.  Now you'll want to store your dirty diapers in a wet bag - they have a variety of kinds - either a zippered bag or one you can put as a liner in a trash can and then you can just throw the wet bag in the washer with the dirty diapers.  You'll want to do a cold prewash to rinse out all the excess poo (EBF poo is water soluble that's why you don't have to wash it off before putting into the washer) and then follow your specific diapers recommendations, but usually a warm or hot water wash with detergent followed by an extra rinse.  Sometimes your wash routine will have to very from this - it just depends on the type of machine you have, if you have soft or hard water, etc but this is a good starting point.  Then you throw your inserts into the dryer if you want and you will want to line dry your covers.  Wa-La - no harder than doing the rest of the laundry at your house right?!?

Traveling with Cloth
One of the other prevalent questions about cloth I've heard is "How do you take cloth out in public with you?"  This was intimidating for me as a newbie too but after I tried it the first time I was wondering 'what was I so worried about?!?'  So when you go out and about you'll want to take your diapers along with a small wet bag - I use something similar to this Planet Wise.  I think I have the medium size.  So when you change your diaper, it's just like at home, take out the new cloth diaper, put the dirty one in the wet bag and then put the wet bag back in your diaper bag.  This is also a handy reason to use cloth wipes because how often do you just wipe baby's bottom, stick the dirty wipe in the diaper and roll it up? (at least typically with disposables)  So if you also use cloth wipes you can do the same with your cloth diaper and throw it in the wash at home with your dipes!  (I have to admit though that I haven't gotten to doing this when traveling yet but I'm not sure why...I have found way too many washed disposable wipes in my dryer and had to pick out the little fibers that were left - you'd think that would be inspiration enough to get me to change huh?!  This is my goal in the near future...)

Why Cloth Diaper?
It's better for your baby.  It's better for the environment.  It's better on your wallet.  Do you need more reasons?!?  Studies have shown that it can take up to 500 years for ONE disposable diaper to decompose in the landfill...how crazy is that?  That means that if you use disposables on  your child, that that diaper will still be there when their great-great grandchildren's children are walking this earth!  Also studies have shown that cloth diapering can save you an average of $1000-2000 for ONE child.  So if you reuse the same cloth diapers for your second, third, fourth, etc child then that savings would multiply awful fast!  I obviously haven't done any of these studies first hand but I have found some pretty legitimate sites online (that I'll try to post) that have and it sure made me feel good for cloth diapering...not that I haven't also had to use a disposable or two once in awhile...

Well I think I've told you the basics of cloth diapering and hopefully you found it somewhat interesting.  Please post questions as comments and I will try to answer them as quickly as possible.  I always have people asking me about cloth diapering, so I'm glad I finally have a place I can refer them to instead of retyping my advice/info every time.  :)  Feel free to refer your friends, family or strangers who have asked you about cd'ing to this site as well.

Also want to note that I did not receive any compensation from the linked sites - I merely frequent those sites so I used them as reference points.  Also be sure to follow your cloth diaper manufacturer recommendations on proper usage and washing instructions.