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Baby Wearing and Carrying: Do It!

April 10, 2011

Nothing can conjure up the feeling of still living in the womb like carrying a baby close to you in a baby carrier. Many different carriers are out there, but you really just need two, one for ages birth through 15 pounds, and one for 15 pounds through can’t-carry-any-longer. See this post on Natural Mommas for more info on her baby carrying/wearing experience. 1) Baby wrap. We used the Moby Wrap.  Although it’s lengthy and takes a few times to figure out exactly how to wrap it, your infant will feel so incredibly safe and tucked in, like a little kangaroo. A product made by a friend of a friend that is similar, but easier to use is Rockin’ Wraps. I love giving business to people I know, so check out her products! Basically, in my experience, a wrap that actually wraps around your body without room for slippage, wigglage, or gappage, is best. These wraps keep your infant’s spine supported, close to you, and secure. 2) Baby carrier. One brand that I swear by: Ergo. These baby carriers are incredible. They are ergonomically correct, never pinching or stressing those baby joints, and made of breathable but durable fabric. Although we had the infant insert, J was born in the dead heat of summer and I think he would have melted had we carried him in it. Once he reached three & a half months, he was the right size to snap in. It washes easily, folds up easily, and…

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Why Go with Cloth Diapers?

April 4, 2011

 Emily Rumsey Photography We use cotton prefolds for SuperBoy and SweetPea (photo’d above in their cloth) during the day and a special rigamarole combo at night. We also use the local cloth diaper service: Do Good Diapers. They’re family-owned, fabulous, and affordable. Everyone has their own diaper feelings, but here are a few things to consider about the pro-cloth arguments: 1) Price. Others have done my work for me: Cost of Cloth Diapers. 2) Quality. I cannot tell you the difference in our children’s skin using cotton versus disposable. On our trip to Italy almost two years ago now, we used the Seventh Generation Disposables. Yes, they were fine, and what we needed to use. But SuperBoy had diaper rash, general irritation, and just a speckled looking bum. We were anxious to get home for our diapers (odd, but true!). This has been the case anytime we’ve had to use disposables. Cotton breathes and is not filled with chemicals that “wick” away the moisture. What you see is what you get. Skin aside, cloth absorbs better than disposable so you don’t end up with puddles piddling out the sides of the paper & plastic, nor do you have blowouts the same. I’ve been changing diapers for over two years now and I have had about 3 actual “blow OUTS” in terms of the cloth actually not containing all the poo. That’s it. Compare that with the sheer makeup of a disposable diaper–it simply cannot stretch and absorb and contain the way cloth can.…

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Cloth Diapers at Night

April 4, 2011

Yes, we have discovered a vast and powerful secret: you can successfully use cloth diapering for long nights, sans changes! SuperBoy sleeps 10-12 hours (unless teething) and has since 10 weeks (his choice, nothing magical on my part). We do not change his diaper in the middle of the night, nor does he have a rash in the AM, nor does he awaken from a wet diaper. Same for SweetPea. We started her with the night diaper around 10 weeks, and even though she does awaken still to nurse a little at night, we don’t have to change her diaper. It’s WONDERFUL! 1) Magical combo. TWO gcloth inserts + One bumgenuis 4 one size cotton with snaps.   The gCloth comes in a package of 6. We purchased three of the bumgenius. Therefore, we have three “night diapers.” 2) Assemblage. Yes, you insert the two cloths with the hemp side down stacked on top of one another into the pocket of the diaper cover. Presto. The brilliance of the one-size bumgenius is that you simply adjust the snaps to be smallest for when your little one is small and use the “small” size gCloths. Then when your little one is not so small, you adjust the snaps and use the “medium/large” gCloths. SuperBou has used this since he was about 10 weeks old and we still have the same bumgeniuses. They’re in great shape. 3) Cleaning. a) Remove the inserts and drop them into the wash, and toss the diaper in.…

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When We Went to Italy with a 3 Month Old . . .

April 2, 2011

or when my sister got married in Tuscany when J was three months old. Truly, it was breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and profoundly spiritual. The downside was traveling with a three month old to remote Tuscany. Many friends proffered suggestions upon my call for advice and here’s the distilled version of traveling with an infant overseas: 1) KEEP THE INFANT PAPER TICKET THE AIRLINE ISSUES. Infant international tickets are not stored electronically. We learned that the hard, horrific, and expensive way on our voyage home. Enough said on that score. 2) Meds. We brought Hyland’s teething tablets, ear meds (for cabin pressure), baby Tylenol, nasal saline drops, and any other medication you can conceive of. J never had a single medical episode but at least we were prepared. 3) Breastfeeding for cabin pressure. Nurse on takeoff, landing, and any time panic strikes (you or the baby). 4) Scout extra room. Ask the nicest looking flight attendant for a bassinet, or to be moved to an aisle where there’s an extra seat. 5) Diapers. Changing diapers in the tiny bathroom (which lacked a changing table!) was next to impossible. We simply changed J on our laps, or on the extra seat we had. 6) Hands free. We used our Ergo and no stroller/car seat. It worked swimmingly as we were with 5 or 6 other adults. I did take a domestic trip alone with J and brought the stroller. If you are traveling alone with a stroller system, be prepared for TSA not to…

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Infant Eczema: the Scourge of Winter

April 2, 2011

J had awful red spots of eczema on his cheeks this past winter (facial cheeks). To the point where a stranger asked if he had a birth mark. Terrible thing to ask a harried new mother. We explored all solutions, natural, unnatural, and in between. We plagued the pediatrician and the pediatric dermatologist. The New York Times had an interesting article about it, here. J’s appears to be due to my hay fever allergy. It surfaces mostly on his cheeks, but sometimes between his fingers and on his thighs, knees, and forearms. The latter three have never been bad, more like extra rough skin. Check with your doctor to see if he or she has particular recommendations. Here is how we approached the problem: 1) Lotions. a) Aveeno Infant Lotion: Nope. Nothing. b) Cetaphil Infant Lotion: Nope. Nothing. c) Aquafor: Nope. Nothing. d) A&D / other petroleum jelly based lotions: Nope. Sticky. Irritative. Yucko. e) California Baby, Calendula Cream: FINALLY! Something that worked. Target sells the 4 ounce tubs. Excellent. It seemed to act as an anti-inflammatory and moisturizing agent simultaneously. But after four weeks, the red patches on his cheeks returned. We still use it on an ongoing basis for deep moisturizing. f) Four Elements, Look, No Xema: Wonderful moisturizer. Worked for a month. Used all of it up. Recommended by the pharmacists at the Coop. g) Butt Naked baby, 911 Rescue Cream: Thicker than the calendula, works really well on his body but not as well on his face. Ineffective at taking…

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