SposoEasy AIO Diaper

So, you've decided that you want to try out cloth diapers, but you don't want to deal with the multiple steps of using cloth diapers with covers.  You want something that is just as easy as a disposable diaper.  The SposoEasy All-In-One (AIO) diaper may be just the diaper for you. 

SposoEasy's AIO has an exterior that is waterproof and an interior that is 100% cotton - which means that Baby stays dry and so does his/her clothes.  This AIO comes in either snaps or Velcro and sells in sizes X-Small to Large (4 - 50 pounds), making it easy to find a size that fits your baby.  The best part of this AIO is that, unlike pocket diapers, there is nothing to stuff prior to diapering Baby.  Also, it has a flap sewn in to the diaper that adds absorbency without bulk.  This flap also allows the diaper to wash - and dry - more easily.

The one downside that I found with the SposoEasy AIO is the area around the legs.  This area, when not properly fitted to Baby, allows for leakage.  I am a person who prefers leg gussets for extra leakage protection.  This diaper falls short in this area, but still does a good job containing most things in comparison to your regular disposable diapers.

As with all AIOs, the reason that I don't particularly choose to diaper with this style is that it will cost more.  Each of these diapers range from $18.95 - $20.95.  You will need a greater amount of AIOs if you choose this diapering option since the entire diaper must be washed prior to reusing.  Depending on the age of the child, this could be anywhere from 6 to 15 diapers per day (and possibly even more), putting a grand total of possibly $400 per diaper size (assuming you wash diapers once a day) and then potentially spending up to $2000 for the entire duration of diapering.  For me, I prefer to save this cost through the reuse of diaper covers.

However, SposoEasy does make a good diaper that saves money in comparison to disposable diapers.  If you are interested in an easy AIO, then check out SposoEasy!

I'm a Mommy...Really?

A lot of people will tell you that the first time you glance into that bundle of joy's little eyes, you'll be hooked.  And, for many people this may be true.  For me; however, this "bundle of joy" that was handed to me felt more like an alien.  It took me a lot longer than the first glance to realize that this was my child and that I was, in fact, a mother.

Now, I don't want you to think that I despised my baby or didn't want to be a mother.  It was quite the opposite.  I had been hoping and praying for a baby for a long time.  And, upon learning the news of my pregnancy, I was elated!  But, throughout my pregnancy, it never truly hit me what it would feel like to be a mother.  And, it took several weeks after the birth of Baby to actually feel like I was a mother. 

When Baby was born, she didn't look like me, she didn't seem to recognize me or my voice, and I didn't have an instant connection with her.  After several days, my husband and I finally found one thing of hers that was from me: her earlobes.  "Really?!" I thought.  That's all she got from me.  She was the spitting image of my father-in-law, but it took months before other characteristics from me began to develop.  I would get upset and feel hurt inside whenever anyone would tell me that she looked exactly like my husband or my husband's family - after all, she came out of me and I was the one that went through all the pain! 

But, as I've grown into being a mommy, I recognize that I still have the best and greatest connection to my baby.  No one else has the connection that I have.  After birth, we spent hours doing skin to skin contact which I think helped to seal our bond.  Through nursing, this bond has strengthened and, today, there are often many times when I am the only one who can calm Baby.  This makes me feel proud and like I have a purpose after all (despite just being an incubator for nine months!).

So, for those of you who don't automatically feel connected to your baby - or those of you who didn't - know that you're not alone.  Transferring emotions, habits, and attitudes from being a sole person to having another soul to care for is not easy.  It takes time, patience, and a lot of prayer, but eventually it does happen.  Be sure to tell others what you're feeling, talk to other moms, and remember that we have the greatest job of all!

If it took time for you to feel like a mom, I'd encourage you to leave a note and let others know they're not alone.  We're all in this together!

Pampers Swaddler Diapers

You're probably wondering why I would write a review about a disposable diaper considering that I am such a huge fan of cloth diapers.  Well, the fact that I'm writing a review about these should also tell you that these disposables really had to impress me in order to get any type of nod.

The Pampers Swaddler diapers are a wonderful relief for nighttime sleep in my house.  With the Newborn and Size One diapers, not only could I immediately tell if the diaper is wet without having to change the diaper and wake up my sleeping baby (they have a yellow line down the center that turns green when wet), but they have a different absorbent layer that really keeps the wetness away from my baby's skin - allowing her to get a longer night's sleep (and Mommy to maintain her sanity).

We've tried the Pamper's Baby Dry diapers too, but I am generally not impressed with these.  They are smaller in size and we've had more blowouts with them. 

So, if you are going to use nighttime disposable diapers, I recommend the Pampers Swaddlers.  Even as my baby grows in diaper sizes, I have yet to be disappointed for nighttime sleep.

What Mother Won't Tell You...Take 2!

So, the first "episode" of "What Mother Won't Tell You" got such a huge response that I decided to write some more.  This seems to be such a huge area that we don't talk about, so let's get it ALL out in the open!  For those friends who requested it, here you go!  Since the warning was already included on the first part, I'll just add a gentle reminder...tread lightly!

Let's get straight into details.  During the last post I included my "New Momma" gift: overnight pads (without wings), Medela nursing pads, Medela nipple cream, cheap underwear, and a bottle of KY.  Now, here are the specific details for the reason behind these items:

1.  Overnight pads (without wings) and cheap underwear:  When I first went into labor and went to the hospital, even though I had taken all the preparatory courses, I still had very little idea of what to expect.  So, when I saw the gigantic "get everything", looks-like-a-puppy-potty-training pad on the bed, I was a little confused.  My water had already broken, and I hadn't even had the baby yet.  What was this supposed to get?  Well, to say it nicely, labor and delivery is not a clean thing.  It is messy.  Both before, during, and after delivery will involve fluids that you didn't know you had in you.  It will also involve amounts of fluids that you didn't know your body could hold.  Hence, there was also a bucket that "caught" everything as Baby was delivered.  Unfortunately, I can't explain everything about this because I refused the mirror that was offered during delivery...hey, I want to have another child some day!

After delivery, one might assume that your body has expunged all (or at least most) of the pregnancy-related items within you.  Ah, but you would be wrong!  I was dumbfounded when the labor & delivery nurse told me to put on the disposable, one-size-fits-all, mesh underwear with the inserted pads that basically formed a diaper.  Then, six weeks later, when my body was still ridding itself of fluids, I actually called my OB to ask if this was common.  I was sure that I had somehow been afflicted with a major pregnancy-induced catastrophe that would require hours upon hours of doctor visits, specialists, and eventually a medical journal write-up detailing the rare instance of my affliction.  However, none of this was to happen as my OB informed me that all was perfectly normal. 

Now, to explain the "without wings" requirement: delivery causes quite a shock to the lower half of a woman's body.  I was shocked to learn that it would be hours before I was able to go to the bathroom (and we're just talking #1) and then days before I could do the other (even with stool softeners).  The swelling that occurs after birth is one that takes weeks to go down.  My doctor prescribed an anti-inflammatory for me and, when that was finished, I used an over-the-counter medicine, but there is still irritation when anything touches certain inflamed areas.  Therefore, I highly encourage anyone who asks to purchase the pads without wings so as to reduce the rubbing on inflamed areas.  Whether or not you have an episiotomy, you will have swelling...it just happens.

2. Medela nursing pads & nipple cream:  For all women, regardless of whether or not you decide to breastfeed, you will experience a wonderful (sarcastic comment input here) experience known as breast engorgement.  Basically, a few days after the birth of Baby and just before your milk comes in, your breasts will grow to a ridiculous size and will harden as if they are made of concrete.  If you decide to breastfeed, your baby (who may still be learning how to latch on) will have such difficulty latching onto your concrete breasts that he/she may cause damage to said breasts (my baby took a chunk out of one of mine - who said no teeth wouldn't hurt?).  There are several products that you can buy to help reduce nipple and breast pain during this time, but my recommendation is to use a lot of warm washcloths and/or steam showers.  Not only does this help with the pain, but it also helps with the milk let-down which then turns those concrete breasts into something slightly less painful.  You can also pump prior to Baby nursing in order to allow him/her to more easily latch on.

Well, if you're worried about the breast engorgement, don't be.  It only lasts a couple of days.  Then, your milk comes in and the real fun actually begins!  Now, as a temporary tangent, my baby had A LOT of difficulty nursing.  So, some of the things I experienced will not be experienced by every mother.  As with every pregnancy, all stories and experiences are different.  After my milk came in, I experienced milk let-down practically all day.  Not only was my baby having difficulty nursing - hence not sucking all of that milk out of my breasts - but she was also crying a lot (she was hungry!) which caused me to have milk let-down nearly all day, every day.  Here is the reason for a quality nursing pad!  Being the ever frugal family, my husband and I decided to try the cloth nursing pads.  They didn't work for the simple reason that they became soaked within a matter of minutes.  Without any layer to contain the milk, it quickly soaked through to my nursing bra and then my shirt.  I tried several different nursing pads and then came to the Medela pads.  While they are a bit more expensive, I now use nothing else.  The Medela pads are comfortable, they don't look like you've stuffed your bra, and they contain the milk.  Granted, for about the first eight weeks, I had to change out the pads 3-4 times per day, but they worked!  As I have continued nursing, I still used nursing pads, but thankfully don't have to change them as many times a day.

The other experience with nursing is going to be nipple pain.  I had tried to prepare for this.  Prior to delivery, my doctor had told me to use a washcloth to scrub my nipples and begin to "harden" them so that they'd be ready for nursing.  I'm not sure if this worked or not because, after I began nursing, the pain was so severe that I ended up going to four different lactation specialists and two different doctors to try to determine what was wrong.  My nipples were cracked, bleeding, and - as previously mentioned - damaged.  There were times that I nursed and screamed.  But, I continued because this is what I wanted to do.  While nipple creams do not alleviate pain, they do help to reduce symptoms that can cause pain.  I tried a couple of different nipple creams, all of which said that I could safely nurse Baby without having to remove the cream.  The first few creams that I tried were more like Vasoline.  They were sticky, left a film which then transferred to Baby during nursing, and was difficult to clean from the nipple shields when I pumped.  Medela's nipple cream is one that goes on more like lotion.  It doesn't leave a film, and it made me feel more comfortable using it while nursing.  I also felt like it helped reduce the cracking and bleeding.  I used it religiously!

3. KY (or any other brand of lubricant):  Let's face it...if you've had a baby, then you've had sex and will eventually decide to have it again!  Now, remember all that I wrote above about swelling?  Well, you add sex to the mix and it's friction crazy.  Therefore, without getting into too many "specific" details for those friends and family who are reading this blog (and without losing my dignity and giving TMI), lubricant (and lots of it) will be needed.  If you are breastfeeding, you may need it longer.  Don't feel ashamed about it, it happens to us all!

So, for those of you who wanted more information as to why we need these products, I hope this blog entry has satisfied your curiosities!  lf you made it this far, I applaud you!  And, for those of you who this blog entry may scare, remember, being a mother is the BEST job you could ever ask for.  With each passing day, life gets better, pains go away, you get more sleep and more smiles.  Plus, do you really think that men could go through all of this and survive?  We are women, hear us ROAR!!!

gDiapers

With all of the talk about gDiapers, I recently decided I would check them out for myself.  After all, if there's a way to make cloth diapering easier without all of the mess of the actual cloth diaper, I'll try it.

Well, while I can see the benefit of using gDiapers (ease of use, limited laundering needed, stylish colors, and overall quality construction of the cover), I must admit that this is far from actually doing cloth diapers.  To begin with, the actual diaper portion of the gDiaper is a disposable insert.  The packaging states that the inserts are flushable; however, I can hardly imagine anyone actually being able to flush something this large down anything less than a commercial-grade toilet.  I, for one, was not willing to test this statement with my low-flow toilets.  Thus, I was stuck with the option of disposing of these diapers in the traditional method...straight into the trash, thus eliminating the actual purpose for using gDiapers (keep reading for one other option of composting the liners).  The only portion of the gDiaper which is cloth is the exterior liner (with an interior plastic liner).

gDiapers also says that you can use regular cloth diapers as inserts in their diapering system.  You would simply tri-fold the diaper and insert into the plastic liner.  Well, the plastic insert is not a very large area, thus making it virtually impossible to insert any form of folded cloth diaper into this area while still allowing ample room for Baby to do what he/she needs to do without an overflow situation.  Also, with the way that this liner stretches as you put it onto Baby, it does not cover the entire area needed in order to prevent leakage in babies that are scooting, crawling, walking, or moving in any way.  During my trial, the #2 diaper did not withstand the movement of my baby.

Now, the gDiaper isn't a horrible diaper.  It does makes some effort to reduce diapering waste.  The inserts that you can buy for these do not contain plastic, thus making them more biodegradable.  The packaging even describes how you can put these into your compost.  This may be OK while your child is still being breastfed; however, once started on solid foods (specifically meats), this is not something I would want included into my compost pile due to the difficulty of animal products composting - not to mention the smell and added pest attraction that animal products bring to a compost pile.  But, even in disposing through traditional methods, I would imagine that - due to the lack of plastic - the diaper would compost more quickly than your traditional disposable.

Overall, if you are serious about getting into cloth diapering, I wouldn't give gDiapers a second glance.  Their inability to contain leaks when using a cloth insert, as well as the additional cost to purchasing their biodegradable inserts, does not make this diaper a cost-effective and environmentally-sound diapering option.  However, they would be something to consider if you want to dabble in cloth diapering or are afraid to try traditional cloth diapers while traveling.  With the disposable inserts, you would have significantly less bulk to carry around in your car or on a public transport system.  Overall, they do offer an easy to use - and launder - option to cloth diapering, but just realize that they're not actually cloth diapers.

What Mother Won't Tell You...

**As a special note, this blog entry talks about some detail into things that happen with a woman's body after pregnancy.  It is not for the faint-hearted.  Proceed with caution!

How many of us who have gone through labor and delivery came out of it thinking: "Oh yeah, that's EXACTLY like all of my friends said it would be!"  Well, I wasn't one of those people.  I was the person who came out of my labor and delivery saying, "REALLY?!  This is what my mother went through?  No wonder she didn't tell me!"  Then, after the first six weeks of Baby being home, I knew exactly why my mother never told me everything that would happen...she was afraid she wouldn't become a grandmother!

Now, don't get me wrong.  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE being a mother, and I'd never ask for anything - or anyone - else.  However, let's face it, labor, delivery, and those first few weeks are not like the movies or TV shows.  Labor lasts a lot longer (for those of us lucky people); delivery involves a lot more sweat and other things that aren't pretty; and those first few weeks are indescribable (albeit, wonderful when you look back at them a few months later).

After talking to a lot of other new moms, I realized just how much we didn't know about the entire process of becoming a mom.  Yes, yes, yes...we all were taught the birds and the bees, but who really knew about the six-week menstrual cycle you'd have after Baby arrived; breast engorgement; nipple pain; the pain of episiotomies, lacerations, and abrasions - not to mention the pain sex for the first time after Baby can bring?  It seems as though these topics are either taboo or items that everyone must figure out on their own.

While other people are busy getting all of those "New Baby" gifts, I've decided to begin a new gift giving tradition.  This gift contains overnight pads without wings (for those times when nothing smaller will do and the wings would just irritate certain areas), nursing pads (after many different trials, my favorite brand being Medela), Medela nipple cream (because it's more like a lotion than Vasoline), and Motrin IB (for those pains that stick around even after you've finished the doctor's pain prescription).  I also recommend to my friends that they purchase some cheap underwear that they won't mind having to throw away.  I've thought of tossing in a bottle of K-Y, but even that's a little too personal for me!

So, for all of you other moms out there...what were the items that you couldn't live without (for you) after Baby was born?  Or, what items would you recommend to other Moms-to-be?

The Art of Nursing in Public

Breastfeeding is definitely an art.  Don't let anyone tell you that there's only one way to do it...that's simply not true.  And, the same goes with nursing in public.  I am blessed to live in an area of the country where breastfeeding is a proud symbol of being a mother.  Retailers, restaurants, and even public parks are all areas where I can safely go to nurse my baby without concern that someone will come tell me I can't be there.  Granted, I'm not one to flaunt my nursing.  I purchased my Hooter Hider and I try my best to conceal myself...although I must admit that my modesty went out the window after the problems I had breastfeeding during those first few weeks (if you haven't seen that post, please be sure to read it).

Nursing in public isn't easy.  It takes coordination (which I don't have), skills (which I'm still developing), and patience (which I lose more of every year).  It also takes a lot of putting your own fears and embarrassment aside for the knowledge that you're nurturing your child...in other words, you need to realize that, at some point, you will probably flash somebody, but at the same time, you shouldn't care because you're doing what needs to be done.

I am one of those lucky moms whose child flat out refused a bottle for the first four months of her life.  We tried different nipples, bottles, syringes, cup-feeding, and other techniques, but nothing worked.  Baby just simply preferred nursing to anything else.  Thus, I was faced with two options: 1. I could either spend the majority of my days at home just waiting for Baby to eat and then rushing around to do my errands, or 2. I could actually enjoy my days out and about knowing that I just needed to find a quiet place to sit for about 15-30 minutes every 2-1/2 to 3 hours.  I chose option number 2.

The art of nursing in public takes time to master.  At first, my child didn't like the nursing cover.  She hated having anything over her head and would refuse to latch on.  Thus, I spent the majority of my nursing time in the backseat of the car where I felt I was in a more private location.  However, as time progressed, Baby slowly began to get used to the cover and even began to realize that, when the cover comes out, it's time to eat! 

The second big aspect to mastering the art of nursing in public is that you have to make a conscious decision about what you're going to wear each and every day.  Dresses may be a thing of the past for a while unless you can easily slip an arm out the sleeve or it has a deep V neckline that can easily slip open.  You may not be able to wear those tighter camisoles under other tops or sweaters unless you find some that are nursing camisoles (if you find cute ones, let me know!).  And, you have to be sure that you wear a nursing bra (which, if you're nursing, you won't forget this one!).  Finding a wardrobe that works with nursing in public is easy, but may take a little more thought than before.

If you're nervous about nursing in public, then maybe start with nursing in your home around your girlfriends - most of them won't care!  You may then progress to a location in which you're already comfortable (mine was the local coffee shop where you can find me many a morning).  From there, you may decide to nurse in restaurants when you're sitting at a booth.  As you and Baby begin to master this art, you'll find that your options are endless and you both will appreciate the freedom that comes in being able to travel virtually anywhere without fear of nursing in public.

Momma Needs a Night Out!

Everyone needs a night out once in a while.  Whether it's a night on the town or just dinner and a movie, getting away can be a great stress reliever.  However, when a baby's involved, it can also be a stress maker.

The first time I left my child at home with a sitter, I was both excited and terrified.  I had been planning for this event since even before my daughter arrived.  I had a charity gala to attend six weeks after my daughter's due date.  Tickets had been purchased.  I had my formal dress.  I made sure my husband would be available.  Everything was set.  Then...my daughter arrived in this world and I wasn't sure I'd be able to leave her.

Leaving a child for the first time can be excruciating.  Not knowing how they're going to respond, if they'll eat, if they'll sleep, if it will mess up their schedule, etc. etc. etc.  These are all things that go through your mind (or at least mine).  When preparing for my night out, I knew that I had good babysitters.  They were close friends, but I still worried.  What if something happened?

Looking back on this time, I've learned that worrying just comes with the territory.  Somewhere either before, during, or after the birth of your child - as a mother - you will begin to worry.  The degree to which we all worry will be different, but it's there.  Don't let this worry keep you away from enjoying a night out...hopefully with your hubby or some other girlfriends.

A night out is a great way to remember that you're still human.  Too many times, we spend night after night, day after day, doing things for our new baby and insisting that he/she is too dependent on us - so we just can't get away.  However, those little ones can be quite resilient!  I was SHOCKED to find that my baby could survive three hours away from me (or maybe it was me who could survive without Baby!).  That special night away helped me to feel like an adult and appreciate my time with Baby even more.


So, to all you women who think you can't go out on the town, here's some homework...find some girlfriends, or get that special man cleaned up, plan a dinner, movie, or just drinks out on the town.  You'll find that it's easier to relax than you think. However, if you're still unsure, ease into it...invite those girlfriends over for dinner and a movie at your place!  Whatever you do, make sure you do it for you!  YOU DESERVE IT!

Bummis Whisper Pant Nylon Pull-On

Since I began my diaper cover reviews with my highest praise, I thought the obvious next review is the cover that receives my lowest praise: the Bummis Whisper Pant Nylon Pull-On.

Now, if you're looking for a diaper cover with the greatest cost efficiency, then this is the cover for you.  At $6/cover, you can't beat the cost.  And, if your mother used cloth diapers, she'll probably tell you that this type of cover isn't so bad.  This is the diaper cover that everyone first thinks of when they think of cloth diapering.  It's the all nylon, completely pull-on, if-your-baby-poops-you're-going-to-regret-it diaper cover.

Bummis makes some great covers, so please don't let this review stop you from looking at their other products, but you may think twice about purchasing this pant nylon pull-on.

Just to show you how little this diaper does...my extremely frugal husband decided to purchase one of these in our first order because of the low cost factor.  His thought was, if it's cheap, I might as well try it out.  Well, after trying it out once, he was absolutely convinced that the cost of this diaper cover doesn't validate using it.  If ANYTHING leaks through the cloth diaper, it will get all over your baby, and you'll be bathing Baby on-the-go.  Not my idea of a fun-filled day out and about.

So, needless to say, this diaper cover receives my lowest rating.  I don't think you can get much worse than this!

Thirsties - V2

It's not often that I find a baby product for which I am truly thrilled about.  But, Thirsties V2 diaper covers are amazing!  This is my go-to diaper cover for all of those outfits I want Baby to wear all day.  Now, granted, a diaper cover doesn't always guarantee that an outfit will make it through the day, but I'd rather be wiping off spit-up than trying to bathe my baby on-the-go.

The thing that I love best about Thirsties diaper covers is the fact that they incorporate so many different aspects that make a great diaper cover.  They are not only made in the USA, but they are made of material that doesn't allow a wet diaper to feel wet, even outside the cover (as some organic cotton covers will do).

After considering the leak-resistant materials used, I then look at the construction of the diapers.  The diapers allow for growth - meaning that, even when my child is in those in-between stages and I have to go to the larger Cloth-eez diaper, I can still fit the entire diaper within the confines of the Thirsties diaper cover.  Too often, the weight range on diapers does not include room for the extra folds needed when Baby is growing and changing diaper sizes.  But, the Thirsties' size chart allows for these extra folds, thus making the sizing more accurate.

The Thirsties diapers also have leg gussets (a definite MUST HAVE).  My kicking, squirmy worm can move all around and, even when she has a poopy diaper, it doesn't escape onto her outfit.  The leg gussets allow for an extra safeguard around the legs that many other diaper cover brands do not offer.

Now, in this blog, I am specifically looking at the V2 diaper cover.  It's not a one-size-fits-all cover.  Instead, you must purchase the sizes as baby grows, but I don't mind this at the $11.25/cover cost on Green Mountain Diapers' website.  I prefer buying my covers with the different sizes so that I know the covers will fit and don't have to worry about snapping and unsnapping covers in order to fit the different diapers I am continually trying under them.  I also believe that the sized covers are better to reuse for future babies because the snaps and Velcro do not wear out too much and can easily be reused with future children.

The last aspect to Thirsties V2 diaper covers that I like are the color options.  Now, my husband is a man who could care less about color coordinating an outfit, but I am the complete opposite.  I don't want my daughter to have a bright orange diaper cover on under a white onesie (You should see her 3-month pictures for which Daddy dressed her!).  I want the diaper cover to blend into the outfit.  Thus, the 11 color options are a wonderful option when selecting the covers you want.  I've had other friends who buy different colors in order to coordinate with the size of the cover, but I'll stick to coordinating with the outfits!

So, thus begins my first genuine diaper review.  Thirsties truly offers a genuine, leak-proof diaper cover with the greatest opportunity to begin to teach your child about fashion go's and fashion no's in color coordination.  The Thirsties V2 diaper cover receives my highest praise!