Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Trying Out the GroVia Today
We're finally getting to try our free GroVia diaper out today after 5-6 prep washes. So far, so good. The first thing I noticed was how easily this diaper went on. It has a super soft H&L waist - no scratching! I also noticed that since the whole waist piece is soft aplix rather than a sewn on strip, it looks nicer than some other systems which use aplix. It is extremely trim fitting for a one size diaper, even trimmer than my favorite Best Bottom diapers. After a couple of uses, I will write a full review and add it to my Adventures in Cloth Diapering page.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
More Diaper Related Winning!
I just won a bag of Rockin' Green Detergent from Chubby Cheeks Thinks! I began using this detergent about a week and a half ago and after rockin' an overnight soak, it took care of the detergent buildup causing a terrible ammonia smell as soon as the dipes got wet. I had been reading how much people loved RnG so I was willing to try it. After using it just that one time and having the smell in the dipes completely eliminated, I have switched my station to Rockin' Green! I'm super excited that I didn't have to buy the next bag.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Breastfeeding Giveaway Pack
I just found this giveaway for breastfeeding moms! It's a My Brestfriend pillow, an inflatable travel feeding pillow, fenugreek (as a post-surgery mom I NEED that), a nursing stool, and a nursing cover. Its the ULTIMATE BF kit! I love the idea of the travel nursing pillow; I was just talking to someone the other day about inflatable pillows. If I had that, I could keep it in my diaper bag all the time. I've registered to win cloth diapers but THIS is the giveaway I REALLY want to win!
First Consignment Purchase
I've never shopped in a consignment store before now, but I must say, I'll be a frequent shopper at Bellys Babies and Beyond. We're taking a trip to the mountains this fall and Baby Bee needed some warm clothes in her current size since all of the warmer clothes we were given are 6-9 months and up. I was able to find exactly what she needed for a great deal.
I purchased:
5 long-sleeved onesies
3 hooded sweaters
3 pairs of pants
2 hats (one was still in the package)
1 pair of jeans
1 pair of overalls
all for $34.11! Most of the items were in the $2.00 range and one of the hats was only $0.50! The store was very clean and the owners are very particular about what items they accept to sell. I will definitely use my frequent shopper points card.
I purchased:
5 long-sleeved onesies
3 hooded sweaters
3 pairs of pants
2 hats (one was still in the package)
1 pair of jeans
1 pair of overalls
all for $34.11! Most of the items were in the $2.00 range and one of the hats was only $0.50! The store was very clean and the owners are very particular about what items they accept to sell. I will definitely use my frequent shopper points card.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Pop-Up Cloth Wipes Video
While I don't store my wipes this way, this video shows how to fold cloth wipes in order to reuse a pop-up disposable wipes container. I thought it was helpful.
Fabulous Formula Find
I got a super hot deal on formula today! Publix had Enfamil Lipil on their discontinued shelf. This was the first Lipil that we were using as breastfeeding supplementation and then had trouble finding it, not realizing that it had been discontinued. Anyway, Publix marked what they had as 2 for $25.5
9 (25 oz can) and 2 for $13.39 (13 oz can). They only had one of the 25 oz cans but 4 of the smaller cans. On top of the special price, I had $21 in Enfamil checks. I got all of this formula for $18.58 and since we only have to use a couple of ounces at a time, it should keep us from having to buy more formula for quite awhile!
9 (25 oz can) and 2 for $13.39 (13 oz can). They only had one of the 25 oz cans but 4 of the smaller cans. On top of the special price, I had $21 in Enfamil checks. I got all of this formula for $18.58 and since we only have to use a couple of ounces at a time, it should keep us from having to buy more formula for quite awhile!
I Won!!
I just won a GroVia AI2 diaper from Nicki's Diapers! I'm excited about adding to our stash. Looks like I have a new review to write soon!
Cloth Wipes and Dipes at Home and On the Go
At Home
I thought I would share our changing station setup and organization. Most CD families use cloth wipes as well to save money and to be environmentally responsible. Even when I'm out for the day, I use cloth wipes and just throw them in the wet bag with the soiled diaper.
In the middle are my Imagine flannel wipes from Nicki's Diapers. They are very soft and gentle and fold in half to fit in travel wipe cases perfectly. I actually ordered two sets, one for Baby Bee and one for me to wash my face. When they arrived, they were so cute that I changed my mind because I didn't want them to get mascara stains all over them, so I still use my stash of white (and inexpensive) terry washcloths since they can be bleached if needed.
On the right are Kissas Awesome Knit Terry Wipes from Kissaluvs. I generally use these thick wipes on her poopy bottom; they do a great job grabbing all of the mess. They also fold in half to fit in wipe cases but since they're thicker, not as many fit.
As far as wetting the cloths, I keep a squirt bottle hanging on the edge of the station with water and some Johnson & Johnsons Baby Wash in it. Just a couple of squirts onto the cloth seems to be enough.
I organize the changing table drawers as follows:
In the first drawer is everything for our Best Bottom system which is our primary system. The inserts are the two stacks on the left and the doublers are in the middle. The fleece liners that I use from time to time are in the small pink basket. Just like the cloth wipes, as I reload the drawer, the clean inserts go on the bottom of the stack. I keep the covers snapped up on the smallest snap so that they take up the least room in the drawer.
The second drawer has all the Kissaluvs, doublers and covers. The gDiapers are also in this drawer. When Baby Bee outgrows the small size gs, they will be put away and not replaced with mediums. We just don't use them enough to make it worth buying the next size. On the right are the Rumparooz OS pockets and 6r soakers and the Marvel OS AIO from Kissaluvs.
On The Go
For cloth diapering on the go, I pack one of my small wetbags from Planet Wise for dirty diapers and wipes. Kissaluvs Fleece Fitted diapers have become my on the go diapers because they're very absorbent and do an excellent job at containing even runny messes. I put a fresh one on Baby Bee just before we leave the house and pack one for each hour I anticipate we'll be gone, plus one extra diaper.
At my shower, I received some very thin and small washcloths (not sure of the manufacturer) and they are the perfect size for the wipe case. They're so thin that I can fold them in squares and fit two stacks of four wipes in the case. The wipes we use at home will fit but this way, I can get more in the case and I can keep it packed all the time and reload it when doing laundry without worrying about forgetting to fill it with wipes. For wetting the wipes, I keep a 4 oz. bottle of Kissaluvs Lotion Potion Spray in the bag all the time. It's the perfect size for the bag and I don't have to worry about accidentally leaving it at home.
For long weekends and trips, I found biodegradable wipes from Walgreens that work well. They have a pleasant fragrance and don't seem to cause any problems with Baby Bee's skin. The GroVia Biodegradable Soaker Pads work great in the Best Bottom covers. The pads have sticky tabs on the back to hold them in place on the inside of the cover and they're gusseted so they do a good job containing messes. Plus, they break down in 50-150 days instead of 500 years so I feel that I'm still being environmentally responsible while not having to pack tons of supplies for cloth diapering.
I thought I would share our changing station setup and organization. Most CD families use cloth wipes as well to save money and to be environmentally responsible. Even when I'm out for the day, I use cloth wipes and just throw them in the wet bag with the soiled diaper.
The top compartment of the changing table has just enough room for two canvas bins. One has burp rags and bibs. This one has all of my cloth wipes. As I do laundry, I always put the clean wipes at the bottom of the stack so as to help with rotation and equal use to prevent wear and tear.
The rolled wipes on the left are Reusable Warmies from Prince Lionheart. I registered for them with the intent of using the warmer, but I never did. They're very soft but also fall apart very easily so when these are gone (and I've already had three fall apart on me in as many months), they won't be replaced.
In the middle are my Imagine flannel wipes from Nicki's Diapers. They are very soft and gentle and fold in half to fit in travel wipe cases perfectly. I actually ordered two sets, one for Baby Bee and one for me to wash my face. When they arrived, they were so cute that I changed my mind because I didn't want them to get mascara stains all over them, so I still use my stash of white (and inexpensive) terry washcloths since they can be bleached if needed.
On the right are Kissas Awesome Knit Terry Wipes from Kissaluvs. I generally use these thick wipes on her poopy bottom; they do a great job grabbing all of the mess. They also fold in half to fit in wipe cases but since they're thicker, not as many fit.
As far as wetting the cloths, I keep a squirt bottle hanging on the edge of the station with water and some Johnson & Johnsons Baby Wash in it. Just a couple of squirts onto the cloth seems to be enough.
I organize the changing table drawers as follows:
In the first drawer is everything for our Best Bottom system which is our primary system. The inserts are the two stacks on the left and the doublers are in the middle. The fleece liners that I use from time to time are in the small pink basket. Just like the cloth wipes, as I reload the drawer, the clean inserts go on the bottom of the stack. I keep the covers snapped up on the smallest snap so that they take up the least room in the drawer.
The second drawer has all the Kissaluvs, doublers and covers. The gDiapers are also in this drawer. When Baby Bee outgrows the small size gs, they will be put away and not replaced with mediums. We just don't use them enough to make it worth buying the next size. On the right are the Rumparooz OS pockets and 6r soakers and the Marvel OS AIO from Kissaluvs.
On The GoFor cloth diapering on the go, I pack one of my small wetbags from Planet Wise for dirty diapers and wipes. Kissaluvs Fleece Fitted diapers have become my on the go diapers because they're very absorbent and do an excellent job at containing even runny messes. I put a fresh one on Baby Bee just before we leave the house and pack one for each hour I anticipate we'll be gone, plus one extra diaper.
At my shower, I received some very thin and small washcloths (not sure of the manufacturer) and they are the perfect size for the wipe case. They're so thin that I can fold them in squares and fit two stacks of four wipes in the case. The wipes we use at home will fit but this way, I can get more in the case and I can keep it packed all the time and reload it when doing laundry without worrying about forgetting to fill it with wipes. For wetting the wipes, I keep a 4 oz. bottle of Kissaluvs Lotion Potion Spray in the bag all the time. It's the perfect size for the bag and I don't have to worry about accidentally leaving it at home.
For long weekends and trips, I found biodegradable wipes from Walgreens that work well. They have a pleasant fragrance and don't seem to cause any problems with Baby Bee's skin. The GroVia Biodegradable Soaker Pads work great in the Best Bottom covers. The pads have sticky tabs on the back to hold them in place on the inside of the cover and they're gusseted so they do a good job containing messes. Plus, they break down in 50-150 days instead of 500 years so I feel that I'm still being environmentally responsible while not having to pack tons of supplies for cloth diapering.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
A Day in the Middle
I mentioned over on Live, Laugh, Love, Lactate that I'm in the middle.
Right now, it's not a good place to be.
It's been one of those days. Actually, it's been a few of those days.
Discouraging.
I work so hard to get my supply up and after several weeks on the galactagouges, I'm still not seeing an increase in my supply. I'm taking about 20 capsules of herbs 3x a day and no visible results yet?!?
Exhausting.
I just get so tired of the routine sometimes. It takes me much longer to complete a feeding session than it does for most BF moms and FF moms. I nurse for 20 minutes and then feed her supplemented BM and formula and then pump. By the time I'm done, it's at least 45 minutes. Then I have to clean bottles and pump parts and before I know it, her internal timer goes off and we do it all over again. Ugh.
Frustrating.
Sometimes I get so frustrated because I think to myself, "I'm already cleaning bottles so I might as well be a full-time FF mom, right?" and "Where's the 'saving' benefit of BF when I still have to lug around bottles and formula when we're out and about, not to mention the pump if we're gone for the day?" And, as a BFAR mom, BF is not more economical than FF right now because I'm still buying formula (though not nearly as much as a full-time supply) and tons of galactagoues to try to keep my supply.
And then I remember.....
it's not about me.
Rewarding.
It's about my beautiful daughter. And if that's the routine I have to have in order to give her even just a few drops for a strong immune system, then it's worth it. I try to focus on the positives. Every little drop of gold is good for her. We have lots of skin-to-skin time together. I feel like we have a "secret" that no one else can be a part of since I'm the only one who can feed her. Heck, BF forces me to keep up my water intake so there's another positive. Not to mention, I have lost all of my pregnancy weight and then some since I'm spending so much time nursing her instead of snacking.
No, the middle isn't always a great place to be, but right now, it is.
Right now, it's not a good place to be.
It's been one of those days. Actually, it's been a few of those days.
Discouraging.
I work so hard to get my supply up and after several weeks on the galactagouges, I'm still not seeing an increase in my supply. I'm taking about 20 capsules of herbs 3x a day and no visible results yet?!?
Exhausting.
I just get so tired of the routine sometimes. It takes me much longer to complete a feeding session than it does for most BF moms and FF moms. I nurse for 20 minutes and then feed her supplemented BM and formula and then pump. By the time I'm done, it's at least 45 minutes. Then I have to clean bottles and pump parts and before I know it, her internal timer goes off and we do it all over again. Ugh.
Frustrating.
Sometimes I get so frustrated because I think to myself, "I'm already cleaning bottles so I might as well be a full-time FF mom, right?" and "Where's the 'saving' benefit of BF when I still have to lug around bottles and formula when we're out and about, not to mention the pump if we're gone for the day?" And, as a BFAR mom, BF is not more economical than FF right now because I'm still buying formula (though not nearly as much as a full-time supply) and tons of galactagoues to try to keep my supply.
And then I remember.....
it's not about me.
Rewarding.
It's about my beautiful daughter. And if that's the routine I have to have in order to give her even just a few drops for a strong immune system, then it's worth it. I try to focus on the positives. Every little drop of gold is good for her. We have lots of skin-to-skin time together. I feel like we have a "secret" that no one else can be a part of since I'm the only one who can feed her. Heck, BF forces me to keep up my water intake so there's another positive. Not to mention, I have lost all of my pregnancy weight and then some since I'm spending so much time nursing her instead of snacking.
No, the middle isn't always a great place to be, but right now, it is.
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