I've had enough friends ask me about cloth diapers that I thought it'd be fun to write a little post about it! Cloth diapering sounds simple at first, until you look into it. And then, if you're like me, you freak the heck out because there are so many acronyms, and so many options, and so many brands. So I've tried to break it down into categories that make sense in my mind. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me in real life! I love talking about diapers.
Okay first, some disclaimers:
1. I'm one year into this adventure, and still learning. I'm sure my techniques and preferences will continue to change over time. I can say that cloth diapering a 14 month old feels manageable and, dare I say, fun right now! But if you see any egregious errors here, please let me know. I'm still learning, too!
2. Cloth diapering is in no way a moral imperative. People can get mighty opinionated about the million and one different ways their neighbor chooses to parent differently than them, but I'm learning to let it all roll off my back (and I'm trying to not let my excitement or personal preference come across sounding like "shoulds" or "have-tos"). For us, cloth diapering started as a way to save money. After finding out that our preferences leaned toward more expensive, quicker-to-change diapers, I'd say we broke even the first year when you compare the cost of disposables to the cost of cloth. But I'm looking forward to the savings this second year and beyond! Also? No. poop. blowouts when you use cloth. I'm not even kidding. The only out-the-legs, up-the-back blowouts we've had have been in disposables!
Basics
So everything cloth that you put on your baby's bum is going to consist of two parts: an absorbent part on the inside, and a water-resistant cover on the outside. Some diapers employ these two parts separately so you can mix and match and reuse and your leisure. Others come with everything sewn together and ready to go (see Types of Diapers below for more details).
Fabrics
The absorbent part of the diaper can consist of natural fibers (cotton, bamboo, hemp) or synthetic fibers (microfiber). People tend to develop pretty strong opinions here. Microfiber tends to be less expensive, but more bulky. My personal preference tends to lean toward natural fibers. They clean easier in my front-loading washer with hard water, and they're more trim yet more absorbent. Also, note that microfiber shouldn't be placed directly against baby's skin. It can cause irritation and dry their skin out quickly.
Most diaper covers consist of PUL (polyurethane laminate) or TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane). Wool covers are gaining popularity as well, and people who use them love them. I haven't ventured into that world yet!
Types of Diapers
When I initially looked into cloth diapers, I think all of these options and acronyms scared me the most. What I wish I'd known then was that I had a LOCAL DIAPER STORE that provides TRIAL PACKAGES. Nothing compared to being able to see and handle different styles of diapers, and when I did finally splurge on it, the trial package was invaluable for an indecisive person like myself. Ross and I agreed pretty quickly which diapers in the trial package were our favorites, and I was more than happy to return the ones we were less than in love with. Just remember, there's no right or wrong answer here. You can absolutely mix and match, and you'll likely find that you prefer one type of diaper for play, one type for naps, one type for nighttime, etc. There's no wrong answer; just personal preference.
1. Prefolds- These are the white, rectangular, old-school cloth diapers, and definitely the cheapest option out there. They are worn with a cover over them. You can change as many prefolds as you need to throughout the day and just alternate between two covers, letting the covers take turns drying out between diaper changes. You can Google all sorts of traditional or fancy folds, fasten these diapers (or not) with a Snappi or old fashioned diaper pins, and put a cover over it all. I did prefolds for a month or two, and didn't mind them at first. They're a little bulkier than other options, especially on a tiny baby. But once Noah wasn't a tiny baby, he rolled around too much during diaper changes for me to want to mess with these. Plenty of people actually just fold prefolds into thirds, lay them in a liner, and snap the cover over it, but that always got messy for me in the event of a poppy diaper.
2. Pockets- Just what it sounds like. The waterproof liner is sewn together with fabric on the inside in such a way that creates a pocket in which you place the absorbent materials, or inserts. Different brands have different iterations of inserts, but they all basically work the same way: stuff the material in the pocket, put it on the kid, and you're good to go. Many people are obsessed with pocket diapers because they like the variability: you can put extra layers in for naps, at night, etc. The pocket material is often very soft and has a stay-dry element against baby's skin. However, we've personally had issues with leakage with pockets... Noah will somehow pee on the one corner of fabric that isn't stuffed with the pad, the liquid eventually soaks through the water-resistant lining, and we end up with wet clothes. Again, I know plenty of people who swear by pockets, so don't let me sway you away! I will admit that they're easier to clean poop off of, but not to the extent that it makes me want to stuff pockets all day long.
3. Fitteds- These are diapers made out of prefold material, but cut and sewn in a way that provides elastic around the legs and waist. They provide more "square footage" of absorbent material than any other style, and require a cover of some sort. They're often soft and deliciously fluffy on the bum. Fairly bulky, but that's because they're purely absorbent material and great for nighttime.
4. All-in-Twos (AI2)/Hybrids- A two-part system consisting of a water-resistant outer shell and a detachable insert. The inserts usually snap in (ex: GroVia shells and soakers), or can be tucked in (ex: BumGenius Flip system)
5. All-in-ones (AIOs)- These diapers are the most user-friendly since the absorbent material is sown to the cover. You don't have to fold or stuff anything-- just put it on and go!
Variables
1. Sizing
It seems like more and more diapers offer a "one-size fits most" option, with rise snaps allowing the diaper to grow with most kiddos between 12-35 lbs.
Sized diapers usually come in newborn, 1, 2, and 3 based on weight.
2. Snaps versus hook-and-loop
Hook-and-loop is just the generic name
for Velcro-type tabs. Some diaper brands offer a choice between snap or
hook-and-loop closures, and again, this comes down to personal
preference. Velcro is more user-friendly, faster to change, and feels
more familiar to disposable diaper users. But you do have to remember to
fold the tabs down over themselves when you take the dirty diaper off, lest you snag something in the
wash. And not all hook-and-loop diapers are created equal. Some brands
are much more durable than others. Many people feel that snaps are just
stronger, and last longer. But again, personal preference. Both can
be replaced fairly easily by someone who knows what they're doing, if
the closure malfunctions but the diaper still has a lot of life left.
3. Doublers/soakers/boosters/inserts/etc
Usually you need more than a few layers of cloth to really soak up urine after the newborn days, so many fitted or all-in-one diapers come with doublers or soakers. These are essentially just extra layers of fabric, and they can be sewn, stuffed, snapped, or laid into the diaper, depending on the brand. For a long time, all the variability in these weird flaps and snaps really threw me off. Just keep in mind, they all essentially do the same thing, and it comes down to personal preference in the end.
4. Liners
Totally optional for the poop that isn't "ploppable." We used disposable liners for a while, but then switched to stay-dry fleece liners. The poop tends to rinse off of the liners easier than it does from the natural fibers we've used, so it's nice to have some on hand. Some babies also really really hate wet diapers, and the fleece liner can help keep them feeling dry. I believe there are also silk stay-dry liners out there? We haven't really used them, though.
Accessories
Diaper sprayer: I resisted this for a LONG time, but the Spraypal holder and the Aquaus sprayer became my friends when we started dealing with legitimate toddler poo after Noah turned 1.
Diaper pail: We use a Simple Human trash can with a footpedal and a lid that closes securely. I've never once been knocked over by the fumes like you get with a Diaper Genie, and Noah's bedroom NEVER smells like dirty diapers, unless he has an active one on his bottom after nap time.
Diaper pail liners: I have zero complaints about our Planet Wise pail liners. When it's laundry time, I pull the whole thing out of the pail, and turn the bag + its contents inside out into the washing machine. I doubt there's anything magical about this brand in particular, though.
Wet Bags: still haven't found one I'm totally in love with. I'd love to hear what you use! This is where you put wet/dirty cloth diapers when you change them while out and about, at daycare, etc. I've also heard they make great pool bags for wet swim clothes when kids get older. I have my eye on a fancy Logan & Lenora bag for the next kid. So far, it seems like you get what you pay for with wet bags and I've used and discarded 3 of them now.
Wool Balls: 2-3 of these in the dryer helps move everything around and promote air flow a little better. If the load of diapers was especially stinky, I will occasionally add a drop of essential oil to the wool balls to freshen things up, although the diapers shouldn't really smell anything but clean out of the washer.
Cloth Wipes: I never could go there, but plenty of people do!
Diaper Ointment: General rule of thumb is that if the rash persists beyond 1-2 diaper changes, it's worth consulting your pediatrician. If the rash clears up in disposables, but comes back in cloth, it's worth revisiting your wash routine, as well. There may be leftover detergent irritating baby's skin, or your diapers may not be getting clean enough. When it comes to general irritation from a wet diaper that stayed on too long, or from a food that was irritating to Noah's GI tract and bum, I love Grandma El's diaper ointment. It really works!
Wash routine
For those who are afraid of putting poop in your washing machine, rest assured that solid waste is disposed of in the toilet or trash, not the machine. I spray the poop into the toilet, wring out the water, and throw the diaper in the diaper pail. Like I mentioned above, blowouts happen in disposable diapers, so you're going to either be putting poop-stained diapers in the washer, or poop-stained clothes. Let's not pretend that poop doesn't come with the territory one way or another!
Fluff Love University's website has a ton of washing info for hard water, soft water, washer types, etc. Individual diaper brands will also often work with you to find the best wash routine for their materials.
I was diapers every second or third day. I have a front-loading HE washing machine and very hard water. I have, at different times, tried adding Calgon, Borax, or Lulu's Glamour Wash for Hard Water to my pre-wash or main wash (the most effective was 1.5 Tbs of Lulu's in the pre-wash, and another 1 Tbs in the main wash with 1 line of Tide, but when I ran out of Lulu's I realized I didn't really notice THAT much of a difference). I've tried multiple detergents, liquid and powder, scented and unscented, and here's where I was when we potty-trained at 27 months:
I only use Tide Original powder now, and when I throw the diapers in the wash, I fill the Tide scoop to line 1 with detergent, and set it on top of the washer.
1.) Cold rinse
2.) Warm water Quick Wash with maybe 1/4 of the detergent I pre-measured. I just dump a bit of it into the detergent dispenser of our machine. If it's a really stinky load, I will use a little less than 1/4 cup of Bac Out in the main barrel of wash, as well.
3.) Hot water Heavy cycle with the rest of the Tide powder in the scooper
4.) Cool rinse cycle
5.) Dry for 40 minutes on Low heat with 2 wool dryer balls, and then hang on a drying rack to finish drying. Alternately, you can dry them in sun, as needed, if you have poop stains.
Once every month or two, I throw all the clean diapers into the washer and wash them with just GroVia Mighty Bubbles to get rid of inevitable detergent and hard-water residue.
UPDATE May 2016: As we approach Noah's second birthday, our stash is comprised of 4 nighttime diapers with 4 covers, 4 nap diapers, and 17 daytime diapers (we also have 2 sets of smaller nighttime diapers in storage). Here's what we're using:
Overnight... Sloomb Sustainablebabyish Overnight Bamboo Fitteds with Blueberry Capri or Coverall covers. Noah weighs 32+ pounds and we haven't had an overnight leak with this combo.
Daytime... Smartbottoms AIOs are our go-to daily diapers and they fit Noah perfectly, but we're starting to push the size limit on them. They're still in great condition and they age well. I'll definitely get more if/when we have another kiddo and need to replace things from our current stash.
Daytime... GroVia AI2 covers with stay-dry snap-in inserts. We've had a few of these for a while, and I was always ambivalent about them. But the more we use them, the more I LOVE them. If/when we have another baby, I will be buying a few more of these for sure. They just fit so well.
Daytime... BumGenius Elementals-- where do I begin?! These were the diapers I wanted to love the most. Their design is such that they just seem to wash cleaner than anything else. (Meaning I can't imagine poop particles hiding in places I can't see). But they just don't seem to be made out of high-quality material. The PUL wears out very easily, and the elastics are getting noticeably looser, much sooner than any of our other diapers. Of course, this happens when Noah finally fits into them well. They were so wide and bulky in the beginning, and now that they fit they seem to be wearing out. With the next baby, I'll probably tuck these away and only get them out again after the first 18 months or so.
Naps... I'm in love with the combo of a Blueberry Simplex stuffed with a Funky Fluff hemp boosters. The booster's shape makes it easy to stuff, and it's thin but ABSORBANT. We've actually used this combo as a nighttime diaper in a pinch, and so far it has held everything in!
Swim... Honestly, you can probably use any brand you like. You just need something that fits well, to hold any solid waste in. We used an iPlay diper from Target last year, I've used Grovia covers plenty of times, and I've heard Honest Company has some cute swim diapers, too. We ended up buying an AppleCheeks swim diaper this summer, though, because I love the way they fit even though I don't love that their only dry-land diaper is a pocket diaper.
UPDATE September 2016:
Oh Crap! Potty Training is the best parenting book ever. How are we at the potty training stage already?! It took 4 days for Noah to pee and poop in the toilet consistently at home with a bare bottoms, and about 3-4 weeks for him to truly get the hang of it while wearing clothes (commando) and running errands. He still wears diapers for naps, nighttime, and at Parent's Day Out once a week. Still figuring out how to use cloth in this stage, which means going back and forth between cloth and disposables.
Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Monday, April 27, 2015
Our Bigger Baby Favorites
Try as we might to avoid the trappings of material clutter in our tiny house, it's a little inevitable with a little one. Here are the things we've found ourselves reaching for the most lately:
-Bumkins bibs. We actually got these in a Citrus Lane box that we ordered randomly, and they're our favorite bibs by far. Easy to wipe clean, easy to wash in the washer, and they have a pocket to catch slippery things that inevitably succumb to gravity during mealtime.
-Beaba silicone mold for homemade baby food. I do want to make note of our favorite baby food "recipes" eventually, but these molds have made homemade baby food a pretty simple process.
-That being said, man, pouches of food are the easiest thing ever, and Noah loves them! I feel like they don't keep him full as long as more solid food does, but they're super convenient on-the-go. I'll go ahead and say I'm a snob and I want him to be eating mostly organic food this first year. Gluten and dairy free, too, since we tried introducing both recently and it didn't go well. There are multiple good brands out there, but Earth's Best seems to have a better price point than some of the others.
-HappyBaby snacks. Noah loves their gluten free puffs!
-Snow and Arrow recycled wool slippers. They stay ON and they have traction on the bottom, which was nice for cold winter toes and a mobile baby.
-Love to Dream sleepsack it fits a little more snugly than some other brands, which I like.
-Hannah Anderson Pilot Cap to keep Noah from pulling his hearing aids out.
-Boon Frog Pod to store bath toys. I like that it drains well. We love these Boon bath toys as well. Noah loves to chew on them, and I love that they don't absorb water so they're less likely to grow funky stuff from bathwater.
-Joovy Dood sippy cups. They have a slower flow than the other sippys we've tried.
-Our stroller! It was an amazing baby shower gift, and I'm so excited to use it more as the weather warms up.
-KangarooCare nursing necklace. There are a lot of these out there, but this was by far the classiest looking one I found. Around 8 months, Noah started getting suuuper distracted while nursing, and this helps hold his attention!
-The Leapfrog Learn and Groove table. A friend generously gave this to us, and I thought I'd hate it. But man, Noah loves it. It was the perfect height when he was learning to pull up, and for a while it was the first toy he visited every morning!
-And we can't forget Captain Calamari, Noah's car toy!
(Speaking of the car, Noah's just about too tall for his Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Carseat. We've been happy with it, and we are sad to be graduating to the next step :-/)
-Bumkins bibs. We actually got these in a Citrus Lane box that we ordered randomly, and they're our favorite bibs by far. Easy to wipe clean, easy to wash in the washer, and they have a pocket to catch slippery things that inevitably succumb to gravity during mealtime.
-Beaba silicone mold for homemade baby food. I do want to make note of our favorite baby food "recipes" eventually, but these molds have made homemade baby food a pretty simple process.
-That being said, man, pouches of food are the easiest thing ever, and Noah loves them! I feel like they don't keep him full as long as more solid food does, but they're super convenient on-the-go. I'll go ahead and say I'm a snob and I want him to be eating mostly organic food this first year. Gluten and dairy free, too, since we tried introducing both recently and it didn't go well. There are multiple good brands out there, but Earth's Best seems to have a better price point than some of the others.
-HappyBaby snacks. Noah loves their gluten free puffs!
-Snow and Arrow recycled wool slippers. They stay ON and they have traction on the bottom, which was nice for cold winter toes and a mobile baby.
-Love to Dream sleepsack it fits a little more snugly than some other brands, which I like.
-Hannah Anderson Pilot Cap to keep Noah from pulling his hearing aids out.
-Boon Frog Pod to store bath toys. I like that it drains well. We love these Boon bath toys as well. Noah loves to chew on them, and I love that they don't absorb water so they're less likely to grow funky stuff from bathwater.
-Joovy Dood sippy cups. They have a slower flow than the other sippys we've tried.
-Our stroller! It was an amazing baby shower gift, and I'm so excited to use it more as the weather warms up.
-KangarooCare nursing necklace. There are a lot of these out there, but this was by far the classiest looking one I found. Around 8 months, Noah started getting suuuper distracted while nursing, and this helps hold his attention!
-The Leapfrog Learn and Groove table. A friend generously gave this to us, and I thought I'd hate it. But man, Noah loves it. It was the perfect height when he was learning to pull up, and for a while it was the first toy he visited every morning!
-And we can't forget Captain Calamari, Noah's car toy!
(Speaking of the car, Noah's just about too tall for his Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Carseat. We've been happy with it, and we are sad to be graduating to the next step :-/)
Monday, January 19, 2015
A Day of Life with a 7 Month Old
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about resting while I had the chance. I don't regret a second of it! Life has been full speed ahead since Christmas. I had hospital orientation the first week of January, then we all got influenza, and this past weekend I worked all weekend orienting to my new unit.
In the meantime, Noah has NOT been napping. Honestly, it's so small in the scheme of things, but I can't help but feel like I'm letting him down when he doesn't sleep well. In the 7.5 months that Noah has been here, I'd say we've had a total of 1.5 months of textbook naps (at this point that means two naps a day, for a total of 2-4 hours of daytime sleep).
Last week, I spent entire days struggling to get one 45 minute nap in (thankfully we had a bit of a thaw and Noah did get a good stroller nap!). This kid needs sleep, but he has SUCH a hard time shutting down! He's always GO GO GO TALK TALK TALK WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE. I LOVE it overall, but I wish I knew how to get him to turn it off. He needs rest, and I feel like it's up to me to coax him into it, but I cannot figure him out! I read all the books. I've tried all the tricks. Honestly, I think self-soothing is a developmental milestone that he hasn't reached because he's too busy with anything and everything else.
That being said, here's a fairly typical day for us since we're all still recovering from Influenza A: clear the schedule and get the kid to sleep at all costs!
0110: Noah wakes up. I get him and see that he threw up the avocado he ate for dinner. I change his sleep sack and feed him while Ross changes his sheets. Poor buddy!
0140: Ross puts Noah back in his crib and we all go back to sleep.
0430: Noah is up. I feed him.
0450: Ross takes a very wiggly baby back to his crib again. He doesn't fuss, but he also does NOT fall back asleep.
0530: Noah starts crying, so I feed him again thinking maybe it'll make him drowsy. Note to self: it never does!
0550: I put Noah back in his crib, where he proceeds to babble, whine, and practice balancing on all fours.
0630: He's obviously not falling back asleep. Ross gets him out of his room.
0700: I turn on the solar lamp in the kitchen to wake us all up and feed Noah some big kid food for breakfast-- strawberry applesauce with oatmeal. Yum!
0730: Play play play. This kid is on the move! He can scoot backwards, roll everywhere, and army crawl. Be still my heart :-)
0800: I dress and swaddle Noah, and then feed him. He's slowing down, so I'm hoping he will fall asleep after eating. Lay him in his crib "drowsy but awake" like all the books and well-meaning friends say to. He proceeds to whine, wiggle, and fuss for 45 minutes.
0900: I take him out of his crib and we play some more.
1000: Try to get him to nap again. Come up with some convoluted combination of rocking, feeding, listening to Gregorian chants, and putting a vibrating disc from the Rock 'n' Play on Noah's back. Whatever the magic is, it produces heavy eyelids which I haven't seen in ages! He also lets me give him the pacifier, which he rejects 99.5% of the time.
1020: Noah falls asleep in my arms (this NEVER happens). I hold him for 20 more minutes until he stops wiggling, and my arm goes numb.
1045: Successful transfer to the crib!
1100: I eat lunch. I'm famished! Also move laundry and do PT exercises.
1200: Marvel that Noah is still asleep. Watch an episode of the Mindy Project.
1245: Holy crap. If I'd know this was going to be a legit nap, I would've started on my to-do list right away! Feel like it's too late now. Move laundry again. Eat a bowl of cereal. Pick up the book I'm reading.
1315: Noah is up. I feed him.
1430: Give Noah some pureed green beans. He's happy to be eating solids after stopping for a week when he was so sick!
1445: Nurse him again in hopes of another nap.
1520: Rock him again. He just takes a 15 minute catnap in my arms this time.
1600: Play inside, and then outside for a bit. Noah isn't so sure about the wind and the bright sun!
1710: Baby bath, aka water aerobics. Took this picture in the 0.5 seconds it felt safe to not have my hands on this wild monkey, lest he submerge himself!
1730: Nurse
1800: Rock a very overtired baby until Ross comes home and takes over.
1900: Baby is asleep! I eat dinner, shower, and pump.
2020: Ross and I are in bed, exhausted. We watch an episode of Downton Abbey before going to bed.
2100: Lights out!
2240: Noah is awake. Feed him. We all go back to sleep until 0230 when it starts all over again...
In the meantime, Noah has NOT been napping. Honestly, it's so small in the scheme of things, but I can't help but feel like I'm letting him down when he doesn't sleep well. In the 7.5 months that Noah has been here, I'd say we've had a total of 1.5 months of textbook naps (at this point that means two naps a day, for a total of 2-4 hours of daytime sleep).
Last week, I spent entire days struggling to get one 45 minute nap in (thankfully we had a bit of a thaw and Noah did get a good stroller nap!). This kid needs sleep, but he has SUCH a hard time shutting down! He's always GO GO GO TALK TALK TALK WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE. I LOVE it overall, but I wish I knew how to get him to turn it off. He needs rest, and I feel like it's up to me to coax him into it, but I cannot figure him out! I read all the books. I've tried all the tricks. Honestly, I think self-soothing is a developmental milestone that he hasn't reached because he's too busy with anything and everything else.
That being said, here's a fairly typical day for us since we're all still recovering from Influenza A: clear the schedule and get the kid to sleep at all costs!
0110: Noah wakes up. I get him and see that he threw up the avocado he ate for dinner. I change his sleep sack and feed him while Ross changes his sheets. Poor buddy!
0140: Ross puts Noah back in his crib and we all go back to sleep.
0430: Noah is up. I feed him.
0450: Ross takes a very wiggly baby back to his crib again. He doesn't fuss, but he also does NOT fall back asleep.
0530: Noah starts crying, so I feed him again thinking maybe it'll make him drowsy. Note to self: it never does!
0550: I put Noah back in his crib, where he proceeds to babble, whine, and practice balancing on all fours.
0630: He's obviously not falling back asleep. Ross gets him out of his room.
0700: I turn on the solar lamp in the kitchen to wake us all up and feed Noah some big kid food for breakfast-- strawberry applesauce with oatmeal. Yum!
0730: Play play play. This kid is on the move! He can scoot backwards, roll everywhere, and army crawl. Be still my heart :-)
0800: I dress and swaddle Noah, and then feed him. He's slowing down, so I'm hoping he will fall asleep after eating. Lay him in his crib "drowsy but awake" like all the books and well-meaning friends say to. He proceeds to whine, wiggle, and fuss for 45 minutes.
0900: I take him out of his crib and we play some more.
1000: Try to get him to nap again. Come up with some convoluted combination of rocking, feeding, listening to Gregorian chants, and putting a vibrating disc from the Rock 'n' Play on Noah's back. Whatever the magic is, it produces heavy eyelids which I haven't seen in ages! He also lets me give him the pacifier, which he rejects 99.5% of the time.
1020: Noah falls asleep in my arms (this NEVER happens). I hold him for 20 more minutes until he stops wiggling, and my arm goes numb.
1045: Successful transfer to the crib!
1100: I eat lunch. I'm famished! Also move laundry and do PT exercises.
1200: Marvel that Noah is still asleep. Watch an episode of the Mindy Project.
1245: Holy crap. If I'd know this was going to be a legit nap, I would've started on my to-do list right away! Feel like it's too late now. Move laundry again. Eat a bowl of cereal. Pick up the book I'm reading.
1315: Noah is up. I feed him.
1430: Give Noah some pureed green beans. He's happy to be eating solids after stopping for a week when he was so sick!
1445: Nurse him again in hopes of another nap.
1520: Rock him again. He just takes a 15 minute catnap in my arms this time.
1600: Play inside, and then outside for a bit. Noah isn't so sure about the wind and the bright sun!
1710: Baby bath, aka water aerobics. Took this picture in the 0.5 seconds it felt safe to not have my hands on this wild monkey, lest he submerge himself!
1730: Nurse
1800: Rock a very overtired baby until Ross comes home and takes over.
1900: Baby is asleep! I eat dinner, shower, and pump.
2020: Ross and I are in bed, exhausted. We watch an episode of Downton Abbey before going to bed.
2100: Lights out!
2240: Noah is awake. Feed him. We all go back to sleep until 0230 when it starts all over again...
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
A Weary World Rejoices
Advent has begun again, and it has wonderfully, beautifully, coincided with a brief period of rest in my soul. Rest that has been much-desired, but ever-elusive for the past year.
The first 3-4 months after Noah was born, I was in constant physical pain, exacerbated by the constant anxiety I had about my baby. About everything in general, but sleep in particular. It seemed like my days revolved around hour-long feeding sessions and a brief period of "play," after which I would spend 45+ minutes getting him to sleep, only to get a 25 minute nap out of him. Seriously, for the month of November, you could set a clock by those catnaps. It was just long enough to go to the bathroom, change into real clothes (sometimes) and eat a meal. I was so discouraged. In so much pain. I felt like the worst mom ever. I was so drawn to the need to seek God in His Word, but too tired to do so.
We've also had this background of financial strain that was causing me to blame myself for not continuing to earn a full-time income. For the past 2 years, we've intentionally lived on Ross' salary plus about 20% of my income, in preparation for this very season. We paid off our debts. We bought a reasonable house. (Well, reasonable mortgage-wise. Don't get me started on renovations again.) We thought we were prepared since we've lived on this income for a while, but suddenly it's different. It's different knowing we can't draw from the savings account here and there. And we just did not anticipate hefty out-of-network physical therapy bills. Circumcisions. Hearing aids. I mean, we anticipated some of those things, but we didn't realize that we'd end up paying so much more than just our insurance deductible.
I just physically couldn't find it in me to work more night shifts when I'm already getting so little sleep, so I looked around and found an opportunity to take an 8-week day shift travel nursing assignment in an Omaha NICU. Perfect, right?! It would've been 8 really exhausting weeks, working full-time in Omaha and still fulfilling my PRN obligations here. But I would've had free childcare there, and I would've made in 8 weeks what it will currently take me 8 months to earn as a PRN nurse. It would've been a huge financial blessing. But after thinking and praying (and spending a night in Omaha where I was up EVERY HOUR with Noah) I said no. And WOW. We've been so blessed by that NO. The first good career decision I've made in a really long time!
Because after a few weeks of some sort of developmental and physical growth spurt, this week has been a breath of fresh air. KNOCK ON WOOD we are back to just one nighttime feeding around 3am (instead of 10pm and 1am and 4am and 5:30am...). And-- drumroll please-- we have a NAPPER** at long last! Seriously. 6 months in the making.
I'm more aware than ever of the cyclical nature of having a baby. Weeks of crazy growth and weeks of rest. I'm learning that maybe God's calling me into the same rhythm. Instead of just surviving those crazy weeks, I want to be able to dig in. Be present.
I've written myself a note above Noah's changing table: You chose to be here, so BE HERE. When those crazy weeks circle around again, I want to be ready. And that means while this kid is taking two naps a day, before he outgrows the swing, you better believe I'm resting when he's resting. I'm actually doing daily devotionals. I'm reading for fun. Sometimes I'm even napping! I'm still doing small chores, and when Ross comes home I catch up on laundry and make dinner and whatnot, but seriously. When Noah is resting, I'm going to rest, and I don't even feel bad about it. It's so, so needed. I had no idea having just one child would be this hard, so I'm stocking up. Stocking up, so that when it's time to dig in again, I won't feel so depleted. Because I love this baby with my whole heart. And I want to be present to cherish his baby-hood while it lasts!
**The last few weeks, instead of eat/play/sleep, we've settled into an eat/play/eat/sleep routine. We also started putting him in a swing for naps (to lull him back to sleep when he wakes up at the 25 minute mark). He's fallen into a fairly predictable 1+ hour morning nap around 8 or 9am, and an afternoon nap that still varies considerably. I don't know if the schedule change helped, or if the swing helped, or if he finally just reached a developmental ability to nap, but I cannot even express how WONDERFUL baby naps are! Poor guy was so overtired. And so was I!
The first 3-4 months after Noah was born, I was in constant physical pain, exacerbated by the constant anxiety I had about my baby. About everything in general, but sleep in particular. It seemed like my days revolved around hour-long feeding sessions and a brief period of "play," after which I would spend 45+ minutes getting him to sleep, only to get a 25 minute nap out of him. Seriously, for the month of November, you could set a clock by those catnaps. It was just long enough to go to the bathroom, change into real clothes (sometimes) and eat a meal. I was so discouraged. In so much pain. I felt like the worst mom ever. I was so drawn to the need to seek God in His Word, but too tired to do so.
We've also had this background of financial strain that was causing me to blame myself for not continuing to earn a full-time income. For the past 2 years, we've intentionally lived on Ross' salary plus about 20% of my income, in preparation for this very season. We paid off our debts. We bought a reasonable house. (Well, reasonable mortgage-wise. Don't get me started on renovations again.) We thought we were prepared since we've lived on this income for a while, but suddenly it's different. It's different knowing we can't draw from the savings account here and there. And we just did not anticipate hefty out-of-network physical therapy bills. Circumcisions. Hearing aids. I mean, we anticipated some of those things, but we didn't realize that we'd end up paying so much more than just our insurance deductible.
I just physically couldn't find it in me to work more night shifts when I'm already getting so little sleep, so I looked around and found an opportunity to take an 8-week day shift travel nursing assignment in an Omaha NICU. Perfect, right?! It would've been 8 really exhausting weeks, working full-time in Omaha and still fulfilling my PRN obligations here. But I would've had free childcare there, and I would've made in 8 weeks what it will currently take me 8 months to earn as a PRN nurse. It would've been a huge financial blessing. But after thinking and praying (and spending a night in Omaha where I was up EVERY HOUR with Noah) I said no. And WOW. We've been so blessed by that NO. The first good career decision I've made in a really long time!
Because after a few weeks of some sort of developmental and physical growth spurt, this week has been a breath of fresh air. KNOCK ON WOOD we are back to just one nighttime feeding around 3am (instead of 10pm and 1am and 4am and 5:30am...). And-- drumroll please-- we have a NAPPER** at long last! Seriously. 6 months in the making.
I'm more aware than ever of the cyclical nature of having a baby. Weeks of crazy growth and weeks of rest. I'm learning that maybe God's calling me into the same rhythm. Instead of just surviving those crazy weeks, I want to be able to dig in. Be present.
I've written myself a note above Noah's changing table: You chose to be here, so BE HERE. When those crazy weeks circle around again, I want to be ready. And that means while this kid is taking two naps a day, before he outgrows the swing, you better believe I'm resting when he's resting. I'm actually doing daily devotionals. I'm reading for fun. Sometimes I'm even napping! I'm still doing small chores, and when Ross comes home I catch up on laundry and make dinner and whatnot, but seriously. When Noah is resting, I'm going to rest, and I don't even feel bad about it. It's so, so needed. I had no idea having just one child would be this hard, so I'm stocking up. Stocking up, so that when it's time to dig in again, I won't feel so depleted. Because I love this baby with my whole heart. And I want to be present to cherish his baby-hood while it lasts!
Oh holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
**The last few weeks, instead of eat/play/sleep, we've settled into an eat/play/eat/sleep routine. We also started putting him in a swing for naps (to lull him back to sleep when he wakes up at the 25 minute mark). He's fallen into a fairly predictable 1+ hour morning nap around 8 or 9am, and an afternoon nap that still varies considerably. I don't know if the schedule change helped, or if the swing helped, or if he finally just reached a developmental ability to nap, but I cannot even express how WONDERFUL baby naps are! Poor guy was so overtired. And so was I!
Friday, October 17, 2014
A Day of Life with a 4 Month Old
Yesterday, Noah learned to roll from back to front! He's done it once or twice before on accident, but yesterday it really clicked. As he kept repeating his new trick, I realized my days with an immobile baby are limited! I wanted to do a post like this ages ago, but honestly pre-Zantac all of my energy went into trying to get Noah to stop crying and sleep.
That's not to say that every day is rainbows and butterflies now, but honestly the majority of our day is quite happy. This little guy is a joy to be around. Earlier this week, I was at the park with a friend who hadn't seen me since the Day Before Zantac. (AKA Noah cried all day, I cried all day, I finally had to lay him in the crib and walk away for an hour because I couldn't handle it, and he cried the whole time.) My friend said my whole countenance is different now, and I agree. I'm a much more patient mom now that my baby and my lower back aren't screaming at me all day long. Thank God for modern medicine!
Anyway, here's a much lower-stress day in our lives now. I'm so thankful that I get to spend most of the week at home with him. He's the cutest boss!
[Note: Just because I note multiple "events" an hour, don't think I'm trying to make myself sound busier than I am. Chill days like this are an absolute delight and they allow both of us to settle into a rhythm and find a good "normal" for us. I can think of 1,000 scenarios that are more hectic than this one, which is why I'm so thankful for today!]
0110: Noah is awake. Ross brings him to the bedroom and I feed him.
0145: Noah is done eating. The past week or two, he has been good about falling right back to sleep after his middle of the night feeding. But tonight, it's clear that isn't going to be the case. He's not fussy, but he's most definitely awake. Ross finally goes to the nursery to rock him while I eat a Larabar and chug some water.
0210: Noah is asleep. Ross and I aren't far behind.
0501: (seriously, this kid's internal clock for the 5 o'clock hour is astounding) Noah is awake again. Ross brings him to the bedroom and I give him his Zantac and feed him.
0530: Ross gets ready to go for a run with a neighbor. Noah is still eating.
0600: Noah's done eating, but he's WIDE awake.
0630: More often than not, he goes back to sleep by 6:30 or 7 and sleeps until 8:30, but that's not happening. He's all riled up and happy-shouting and smiling and babbling.
0700: I give up trying to quiet him down, and get up and change his diaper. Ross leaves for work and I put Noah down on his playmat while I get dressed and make oatmeal for myself.
0705: We almost never leave the house when it's dark, but I realize I'm out of coffee and I have a Groupon for my favorite coffee shop 20 minutes away. I bundle Noah up and head out to get caffeine for me, but also in hopes that Noah will fall asleep in the car.
0745: Noah puts up a valiant fight and stays wide-eyed until we turn onto our street on the way home! I miraculously transfer him into the house in his carseat and he stays asleep. I put the carseat on the floor of our bedroom because the trashmen are super loud from his bedroom on Friday mornings.
0800: I slip back into bed, hoping to catch a short nap.
0830: Noah is awake and he wakes me up from my 15 minute catnap, too.
0840: Feed Noah.
0915: Change his diaper (which was dangerously close to a blowout) and get him dressed.
0930: I put Noah on his playmat in the kitchen while I start this post and eat my gluten-free brownie from the coffee shop. I also take my vitamin and probiotic to balance it out :-)
0945: I watch him play while I pump. He's practicing rolling the other way! I wonder what makes their little brain decide to just do these things one day seemingly out of the blue.
1000: I waited a little too long for naptime, and Noah starts to fuss. We hightail it to the nursery where I put him in his sleepsuit and start rocking.
1015: He put up a decent fight, but sleep won in the end. And this fussing is NOTHING compared to months 2-4 when he would scream for about 45 minutes before finally taking a 20 minute nap. Poor guy!
1030: I drink about 1/3 of my coconut milk cafe au lait from this morning after debating taking a nap as well, and deciding I will try to take one this afternoon instead.
1040: I do a quick 18 minute Piyo workout.
1100: Pretty much right on cue, Noah wakes up. I rush to the nursery to rock him back to sleep before he gets too riled up. He's definitely still tired and I really try to get him to take at least one nap a day that's more than an hour long, even though he almost always wakes up 45 minutes after laying down. He falls asleep quickly, but I rock him for a few more minutes until I feel like it's safe to put him back down.
1115: I quietly warm up some leftover fajita filling to eat alongside corn chips, carrot sticks, and guacamole for lunch.
1140: Do my deep breathing and a few Physical Therapy exercises while I scroll through Instagram and wait for Noah to wake up again. I love and hate that our house is so tiny, you can't do anything remotely noisy during naptime.
1207: Baby's awake!
1210-1240: Feed and burp Noah.
1250: Clean diaper and playtime! I set Noah down on his playmat to kick around and I talk to him while I unload the dishwasher and quickly make a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip bars.
1315: Hearing aid time! I make sure he's upright so he doesn't get feedback ringing in his ears, and we sing songs, read a book, and play patty cake. The minute he becomes disinterested, I take them out. The goal is to only have positive associations with his hearing aids!
1335: Move toward nap.
1355: He's asleep!
1400: I eat a pumpkin bar and applesauce for a snack.
1425: I lay down in hopes of a nap.
1430: Baby wakes up instead, and this time he won't be rocked back to sleep. Should've taken advantage of the morning nap!
1440: Spend 40 minutes feeding a fussy, overtired, squirmy baby and wonder if he's actually eating anything or just wiggling. Then he spits up in my hair and I figure he must've eaten something.
1520: Eat another pumpkin bar + some salt and pepper potato chips (darn you for buying these, Ross!) Play with Noah on the floor for a while.
1545: Change diaper. Go on a 1 hour walk. Noah probably sleeps for 40 minutes of it. He's so tired today.
1700: Put pork loin in the oven for dinner.
1715: Wait for Dad and greet him with a smile when he comes home!
1740: Noah gets a 20 minute bath. He splashes and shouts much less than usual. So tired today!
1800: Give Noah his Zantac and feed him for hopefully the last time today. [We've been putting him down after this feeding and doing a "dream feed" around 9:30-10pm for a week or two, but the last few days we'd wake him out of a good sleep to eat and he was so fussy, barely ate anything, and took an hour to settle back down. So last night we just let him sleep and he slept until 1am. He used to eat at 10pm and then again at 2-3am and 5-6am, so we essentially dropped a feeding in the hopes of all of us getting a tad more sleep*. We kept pushing him, hoping he'd give us that long stretch from like 10pm-5am like adults sleep. Alas, he has not taken that opportunity. So if he's going to get his long stretch earlier in the night, I guess we need to, too :-/ ]
1830: Ross rocks Noah to sleep while I finish up with dinner and take a shower.
1900: I eat dinner with Ross. Nothing fancy: pork and roasted sweet potatoes.
1945: Do physical therapy exercises, talk with Ross, go over our budget.
2030: Pump.
2115: Grownups in bed, lights out!
I cannot believe I just wrote our entire day out in such mundane detail. Today was actually a fairly indulgent day, to boot, since we didn't have any errands to run or appointments to be at or night shift to prepare for. It feels silly to document this, but I already wonder what the heck my days look liked at 2 months (I do know this: a very tired blur).
I know it'll be fun to look back at our happy days at 4 months. And when I'm tempted to feed like all we do is eat, play, and sleep (well, some of us sleep more than others haha) I remember: "It's never mundane to them. Not to their brains which measures your mundane as safety, as meeting their needs, helping their brain literally explode in connections. Relish the "mundane" because to them it's the essence of life and the building block of a future." And really, these tiny, everyday moments are what I'm going to want to remember most about this blur of new baby-hood and new parent-hood.
One of my friends recently posted a picture of her smiling baby on Facebook and basically said, "I didn't get anything done today because this guy started smiling!" One of her friends responded, "Getting nothing done? You just helped create hundreds of new brain connections, decreased his cortisol levels so his brain develops in a calm environment, and helped him begin to trust that God loves him unconditionally because he's seen that in his mama's eyes. In fact, come to think of it, you deserve a nap!" I love that. And I love this job. And I love my sweet little family.
*Edited to add: Noah slept from 1900 to 0400 that night!!!! That's the longest he's EVER slept. I woke up about every 90 minutes to look at him on the video monitor, but almost always fell right back asleep after I saw him breathing, which means I got about 6 hours of more-or-less uninterrupted sleep. Yay! I think he's coming off of a major growth spurt and more tired than normal. (I always know it's a growth spurt because I am ravenous and super thirsty. And craving chocolate cake. Seriously.)
That's not to say that every day is rainbows and butterflies now, but honestly the majority of our day is quite happy. This little guy is a joy to be around. Earlier this week, I was at the park with a friend who hadn't seen me since the Day Before Zantac. (AKA Noah cried all day, I cried all day, I finally had to lay him in the crib and walk away for an hour because I couldn't handle it, and he cried the whole time.) My friend said my whole countenance is different now, and I agree. I'm a much more patient mom now that my baby and my lower back aren't screaming at me all day long. Thank God for modern medicine!
Anyway, here's a much lower-stress day in our lives now. I'm so thankful that I get to spend most of the week at home with him. He's the cutest boss!
[Note: Just because I note multiple "events" an hour, don't think I'm trying to make myself sound busier than I am. Chill days like this are an absolute delight and they allow both of us to settle into a rhythm and find a good "normal" for us. I can think of 1,000 scenarios that are more hectic than this one, which is why I'm so thankful for today!]
0110: Noah is awake. Ross brings him to the bedroom and I feed him.
0145: Noah is done eating. The past week or two, he has been good about falling right back to sleep after his middle of the night feeding. But tonight, it's clear that isn't going to be the case. He's not fussy, but he's most definitely awake. Ross finally goes to the nursery to rock him while I eat a Larabar and chug some water.
0210: Noah is asleep. Ross and I aren't far behind.
0501: (seriously, this kid's internal clock for the 5 o'clock hour is astounding) Noah is awake again. Ross brings him to the bedroom and I give him his Zantac and feed him.
0530: Ross gets ready to go for a run with a neighbor. Noah is still eating.
0600: Noah's done eating, but he's WIDE awake.
0630: More often than not, he goes back to sleep by 6:30 or 7 and sleeps until 8:30, but that's not happening. He's all riled up and happy-shouting and smiling and babbling.
0700: I give up trying to quiet him down, and get up and change his diaper. Ross leaves for work and I put Noah down on his playmat while I get dressed and make oatmeal for myself.
0705: We almost never leave the house when it's dark, but I realize I'm out of coffee and I have a Groupon for my favorite coffee shop 20 minutes away. I bundle Noah up and head out to get caffeine for me, but also in hopes that Noah will fall asleep in the car.
0745: Noah puts up a valiant fight and stays wide-eyed until we turn onto our street on the way home! I miraculously transfer him into the house in his carseat and he stays asleep. I put the carseat on the floor of our bedroom because the trashmen are super loud from his bedroom on Friday mornings.
0800: I slip back into bed, hoping to catch a short nap.
0830: Noah is awake and he wakes me up from my 15 minute catnap, too.
0840: Feed Noah.
0915: Change his diaper (which was dangerously close to a blowout) and get him dressed.
0930: I put Noah on his playmat in the kitchen while I start this post and eat my gluten-free brownie from the coffee shop. I also take my vitamin and probiotic to balance it out :-)
0945: I watch him play while I pump. He's practicing rolling the other way! I wonder what makes their little brain decide to just do these things one day seemingly out of the blue.
1000: I waited a little too long for naptime, and Noah starts to fuss. We hightail it to the nursery where I put him in his sleepsuit and start rocking.
1015: He put up a decent fight, but sleep won in the end. And this fussing is NOTHING compared to months 2-4 when he would scream for about 45 minutes before finally taking a 20 minute nap. Poor guy!
1030: I drink about 1/3 of my coconut milk cafe au lait from this morning after debating taking a nap as well, and deciding I will try to take one this afternoon instead.
1040: I do a quick 18 minute Piyo workout.
1100: Pretty much right on cue, Noah wakes up. I rush to the nursery to rock him back to sleep before he gets too riled up. He's definitely still tired and I really try to get him to take at least one nap a day that's more than an hour long, even though he almost always wakes up 45 minutes after laying down. He falls asleep quickly, but I rock him for a few more minutes until I feel like it's safe to put him back down.
1115: I quietly warm up some leftover fajita filling to eat alongside corn chips, carrot sticks, and guacamole for lunch.
1140: Do my deep breathing and a few Physical Therapy exercises while I scroll through Instagram and wait for Noah to wake up again. I love and hate that our house is so tiny, you can't do anything remotely noisy during naptime.
1207: Baby's awake!
1210-1240: Feed and burp Noah.
1250: Clean diaper and playtime! I set Noah down on his playmat to kick around and I talk to him while I unload the dishwasher and quickly make a batch of pumpkin chocolate chip bars.
1315: Hearing aid time! I make sure he's upright so he doesn't get feedback ringing in his ears, and we sing songs, read a book, and play patty cake. The minute he becomes disinterested, I take them out. The goal is to only have positive associations with his hearing aids!
1335: Move toward nap.
1355: He's asleep!
1400: I eat a pumpkin bar and applesauce for a snack.
1425: I lay down in hopes of a nap.
1430: Baby wakes up instead, and this time he won't be rocked back to sleep. Should've taken advantage of the morning nap!
1440: Spend 40 minutes feeding a fussy, overtired, squirmy baby and wonder if he's actually eating anything or just wiggling. Then he spits up in my hair and I figure he must've eaten something.
1520: Eat another pumpkin bar + some salt and pepper potato chips (darn you for buying these, Ross!) Play with Noah on the floor for a while.
1545: Change diaper. Go on a 1 hour walk. Noah probably sleeps for 40 minutes of it. He's so tired today.
1700: Put pork loin in the oven for dinner.
1715: Wait for Dad and greet him with a smile when he comes home!
1740: Noah gets a 20 minute bath. He splashes and shouts much less than usual. So tired today!
1800: Give Noah his Zantac and feed him for hopefully the last time today. [We've been putting him down after this feeding and doing a "dream feed" around 9:30-10pm for a week or two, but the last few days we'd wake him out of a good sleep to eat and he was so fussy, barely ate anything, and took an hour to settle back down. So last night we just let him sleep and he slept until 1am. He used to eat at 10pm and then again at 2-3am and 5-6am, so we essentially dropped a feeding in the hopes of all of us getting a tad more sleep*. We kept pushing him, hoping he'd give us that long stretch from like 10pm-5am like adults sleep. Alas, he has not taken that opportunity. So if he's going to get his long stretch earlier in the night, I guess we need to, too :-/ ]
1830: Ross rocks Noah to sleep while I finish up with dinner and take a shower.
1900: I eat dinner with Ross. Nothing fancy: pork and roasted sweet potatoes.
1945: Do physical therapy exercises, talk with Ross, go over our budget.
2030: Pump.
2115: Grownups in bed, lights out!
I cannot believe I just wrote our entire day out in such mundane detail. Today was actually a fairly indulgent day, to boot, since we didn't have any errands to run or appointments to be at or night shift to prepare for. It feels silly to document this, but I already wonder what the heck my days look liked at 2 months (I do know this: a very tired blur).
I know it'll be fun to look back at our happy days at 4 months. And when I'm tempted to feed like all we do is eat, play, and sleep (well, some of us sleep more than others haha) I remember: "It's never mundane to them. Not to their brains which measures your mundane as safety, as meeting their needs, helping their brain literally explode in connections. Relish the "mundane" because to them it's the essence of life and the building block of a future." And really, these tiny, everyday moments are what I'm going to want to remember most about this blur of new baby-hood and new parent-hood.
One of my friends recently posted a picture of her smiling baby on Facebook and basically said, "I didn't get anything done today because this guy started smiling!" One of her friends responded, "Getting nothing done? You just helped create hundreds of new brain connections, decreased his cortisol levels so his brain develops in a calm environment, and helped him begin to trust that God loves him unconditionally because he's seen that in his mama's eyes. In fact, come to think of it, you deserve a nap!" I love that. And I love this job. And I love my sweet little family.
*Edited to add: Noah slept from 1900 to 0400 that night!!!! That's the longest he's EVER slept. I woke up about every 90 minutes to look at him on the video monitor, but almost always fell right back asleep after I saw him breathing, which means I got about 6 hours of more-or-less uninterrupted sleep. Yay! I think he's coming off of a major growth spurt and more tired than normal. (I always know it's a growth spurt because I am ravenous and super thirsty. And craving chocolate cake. Seriously.)
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