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!!

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.

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...

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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!