Wednesday, April 30, 2008

I miss her.

Birdie was awake early this morning. It was too early to get up for the day, but too late for me to nurse/rock her back to sleep. She was too awake to put herself to sleep and I don't go back to sleep easily at that time of the morning. So I brought her into bed with us like I used to and nursed her there. She drifted off and I went to lalaland. Sometimes I miss co-sleeping. We're all doing much better now that Birdie has settled into her crib, but I still miss her little baby head right next to me and the feeling of her soft, squishy body next to mine.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Cloth Q & A, take 1

Here are the answers to some of Liv's questions:

Do the ones that you are using have a disposable insert or is the diaper all in one? I have both kinds. They both have their pros and cons- I think I get a better fit with the all in ones (AIO) because they're sized. They're the simplest to use. They take longer to dry. The stuffable insert ones (they're not disposable) dry quicker after washing and you can adjust the absorbency to fit the need of your baby. The ones I have don't snap in though, and since DD sleeps on her tummy they get bunched up and she gets a wet belly. I haven't played around with them much though, so there's probably a way to solve this and I just don't know about it. The benefit of these is that they should last longer because you can move the snaps and change the sizing as your baby grows. I hear they're a bit big on a newborn though.

Also, have you had a diaper change while on an outing? Not yet because we haven't been at this cloth thing that long, and right now I try not to be out too very long at a time. Just the personality of my kid - she doesn't nap well out right now and she still can't be up more than two hours without being cranky.

What's your routine for that? That said, I always have an extra diaper and a plan because you never know! You can buy a small "wet bag" that zips up (it's got a waterproof PUL outer so there's no leaking) and keep it in your diaper bag with a clean diaper. The routine is the same as with a disposable. You change the baby as usual, you just put the soiled one in the wet bag and bring it home.

And if she poops while out, how do you get rid of the poop? For breastfed babies, the poop is water soluble, so you don't have to do anything special to the diaper. I like to rinse at home just because it helps with stains, but you don't have to. If we were out, I'd probably put the diaper in the bag and wait till we got home to deal with it just because it seems like it would be easier. Not sure though. You'd want to flush solid poop, but we're not there yet so I have no experience with that. Some people are intimidated by cloth while out or overnight and they choose to use disposables then. As soon as I had enough though, I just went for it.

I mean, is she strapped to the changing table, do you hold her and do it? I've never strapped the baby to the table at home or out in public. Just easier for me that way, even when she's squirmy. Once you have the clean diaper in hand, it's really no different than putting on a disposable. If you use the kind with inserts, you'd pre-stuff it (as soon as it's dry, so it's ready to go!) so there's only one step in putting it on.

Do you need extra hands? Who doesn't? LOL. Really, it's not so hard. Promise.

Also, how many diapers would you suggest getting? There are a few factors to consider here.
1) how often do you plan to wash? If you wash daily, you'd obviously need fewer than going 2-3 days between washes. I know some people go a week, but personally, I think it's icky. And you may get more staining that way.
2) what type of diaper are you using, and how do you plan to dry them? AIOs take the longest to dry, prefolds and flats (which I haven't talked about at all - they're the type you pin together and then cover) take the shortest. Fitteds and stuffable pockets would be in the middle. Drying in the dryer is quickest, but can break down certain types of diapers. Line drying is good care-wise and the sun is an excellent natural stain remover (can you tell I hate the idea of staining? =) but it does take longer and you can't always be outside (though I can and do hang dry inside too.) Dry time is important because the longer they need to dry, the longer they're not available for use.

For example: I've been washing every night. I have enough diapers to last one full day, but not much more. So if my diapers take a day to dry in the sun, I don't have enough to begin diapering the second day. Or if I wash in the evening, I need to have enough to last through two nights (I have night diapers and day diapers,) because something will be on her when I'm doing the wash and won't be clean until the following night. I have discovered that I need more than 24 hours worth of diapers in order to have her in cloth full-time.

For a newborn you need more, just because you change more frequently and there are tons of those tiny poops! Another option would be to use flushable liners that might keep from needing to change the whole thing for a tiny mess, but I haven't used those so I couldn't say.

I'm not sure yet what the perfect number is because I'm too new at this and I'm not exactly in a groove yet, just trying things out still. So far I think two days worth would be good for me if I continue to use AIOs, wash daily, and hang dry.

I only ask because I am seriously considering this option. I figured that it would save us a lot of money and they really are cute. If you can find a brick and mortar store nearby and feel some for yourself, that's your best bet. I'll write more about the different types later too. As far as cheaper... well, not if you get addicted to cute diapers! The upside is that unlike disposables, cloth diapers have a resale value so you can recoup some of your costs if you buy something you don't like, is outgrown, doesn't fit well, or you just go overboard buying cuteness =)

Please let me know if you have other questions or you want me to post about something. I'm still finding my way myself, but I'm having a lot of fun learning!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

you know you totally wanna be me

For lunch today I'm having top ramen.
And I'm just about to add the flavor packet.

Friday, April 18, 2008

baby got back

I like big butts...

and now my baby Birdie is in cloth diapers! I never ever thought I'd try this, but here we are. Birdie has had some diaper-area issues that I'm not going to detail, and it's possible that she's sensitive to the chemicals in disposables.

I never knew how much I didn't know about cloth diapers. The major thing I think is that like a lot of people, I had an image of burp rags and safety pins and ugly plastic pants. OMG, there are some amazingly cute, functional, and easy-to-use diapers out there!

These are some of what we're trying.




This is an "all-in-one" (AIO) diaper that needs no extra cover or stuffing. It goes on just like a disposable. Easy, simple. I've heard them referred to as a "gateway diaper" and that you get addicted to cloth. I never would have believed it, but after just a couple weeks of research I can see how that can happen.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Some bad, some wonderful, but I'm a teary-eyed mommy because my baby is growing up!

Damn. It's been a week.

Birdie got her first cold. Rivers of snot abound. Like any good baby, she loathes the evil snot-sucking device her mother insists on using periodically. Also, I have the cold too. Fun times.

We finally moved Birdie to her crib full-time (she was there just for naps, and in her PnP bassinet in our room at night.) I moved her PnP out of our room yesterday. I managed to do it without crying, but it aches a little. I should be happy to have my nightstand back out of the closet and I don't have to sleep with the baby monitor under my pillow now, but it was like I said goodbye to my little baby.

Here are some of the reasons we moved her to her own room:
1. She hit the 15lb. weight limit in the bassinet. I don't think it was going to crash to the floor or anything, but it probably felt less sturdy for her to sleep on since...
2. She began to move around in her sleep. A lot. She'd roll over (and not know how to get back and wake up screaming) and wiggle into the corners and it just didn't seem comfy. I put her to sleep on her stomach (*gasp*) and she can now move from her stomach to back or side and just today she went back to stomach.
3. We have used and will continue to use some CIO methods with Birdie and me being in the room only works her up more (you wanna talk about why because you're considering it yourself and need help or want to reason through it with someone who has effing been there -or- you think I've damaged my baby forever and want to call me a bad mom, please feel free to do it via email.)
3. She began chattering at 4am. Absolutely adorable, but...

Birdie said her first word yesterday! Unintentional, yes, but clear as a bell. She was looking at us and making her baby noises (ba-la-wuh-de-la...) and then "Hi!" P and I looked at each other, "Did you hear that?" "Yeah, she said 'Hi', didn't she?" Interestingly, "Hi" was also my first word. I think my mom cried when I called her.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

helpful hint

Don't ever say that your baby is doing well, better, or decent at something.
Ever.
I'm just saying.

Friday, April 04, 2008

past, present

Did I say before that when I was in the hospital having Birdie our basement flooded? I'm too lazy to go look back. Anyway, our sump pump decided to work only intermittently, and we ended up with like four inches of water in the basement (or so I was told, I never saw it.)

There was no saving a bunch of stuff. All our luggage was wrecked, our fake christmas tree grew rust on some branches, and a bunch of boxes got moldy. In those boxes were mostly paperback books and some children's books (not a huge loss, though I regret moving them so many times now that I've just thrown them out!) But there were two boxes that bum me out. One had t-shirts from high school in it. They were from all the shows I was in and all the festivals I attended (drama geek here.) The other box had my yearbooks in it. I know I can probably get replacement yearbooks, but I can't replace the inscriptions.

There's a part of me that doesn't mind too much. Most of high school was miserable for me. I had problems and my friends turned on me when I needed them most (though, to be fair, I had big problems, not regular teen issues, and it would be a lot for them to deal with.) Still, there were pockets of fun and goodness that I'm disappointed to have to rely on my memory alone for. My memory is both great and sucktastic.

***

I wonder sometimes if I'm stunted in the adult friend-making department or if we're all this way. I find myself craving mommy friends (well, friends in general, but the baby opens up a new realm of possibilities for me) and I'm trying. I'm really trying. I try to strike up conversations when I can (do you like your stroller? that's a great hat! how old is your baby?) but so far I haven't really gotten anywhere with this technique. Oh well. Eventually. Maybe.

If you're the woman from B&N with the chubby seven-month-old with great eyes, I liked meeting you, even if it was just for a few minutes. Thanks for sitting by me, it totally made me feel like less of a loser!

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Recovery (sometimes TMI)

I think I recovered well from the surgical part of having Birdie. I was eager to get up and about asap, since I heard that it would make a difference. I moved around when I could, and I stayed on top of my pain meds, and I was ready to go home quickly. Yeah, it hurt to laugh or cry or cough, but I expected that and it really wasn't too bad. I had Birdie on Thursday evening and was released on Sunday morning.

My doctor was surprised that I wanted to go already (I guess people stay longer?) but was fine with sending me home. The only problem was that I had the feeling that "they" wouldn't let me go home unless I was off pain meds, so I stopped taking anything but motrin (no one told me I couldn't leave on meds, I think it was just hormonal paranoia.) I wish I had gone home with a little something more, but it was still manageable. I've seen a lot made of the benefits of stool softeners, and I was prepared for problems. I took one when offered, but it gave me severe diarrhea. That was one of my very least favorite parts of all.

I vacillated a lot between "just fine" and "emotional wreck" for the first few weeks. I got mad at my mom the first night she was there because she was "being too high maintenance" even though it wasn't a big deal. I cried and had a meltdown when the nurse came to take Birdie away "so I could sleep" and I wouldn't let her go. It was awful for me because I felt like I had no control. I finally let her go for three hours. I made it my mission to stay awake as much as humanly possible from then on out because I couldn't stand the thought of them taking my baby away. I was exhausted by the time I was released from the hospital.

My incision was a little oozy at the end of the first week.
I had stitches, not staples, and I healed up just fine.
My bleeding was heavyish for the first two days, but pretty light afterward, though it was very light for several weeks.

I would stare at my baby and cry because I knew that she would never be that small ever again. I still tear up about this. It's going too quickly. Obviously I want her to grow up healthy and strong, but I also want to freeze time. I've loved each stage (except teething. teething can bite me. ha.) and my little girl keeps getting bigger and bigger. I don't know if I'll ever have another baby and it makes me sad that there are so many things that are over already.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

people are freaks.

Someone STOLE our recycling bin today.

I saw it happen, but was not able to get outside in time. Not that I could have chased the car down, but...

What the fuck?