Soggy Diaper Day

Every once in a while there comes a day when you just can't get a moment to change a diaper. This morning was like that for me.

Lily woke up around 6:45 and I changed her into a new bumGenius and put her jammies back on. A few moments later my 11 year old came up to me and pulled up his shirt, revealing a lovely speckled rash. Hmm... that is a trip to the doctor for sure. I already was keeping my six year old home, she needed a chance to sleep in because she had been up coughing much of the night.

I took some of the remaining kids to their respective schools and returned home in time to grab a slice of banana bread while I waited on hold for the doctor's office. When I finally got through, they gave me an appointment for both sickies, but I had to be there in 15 minutes. Only enough time to brush my teeth and grab kids and go. I should have changed Lily's diaper then, but it had only been a little over an hour at this point. Hindsight is 20/20.

I didn't bring my diaper bag, just my purse. My diaper bag was under a box (don't ask why) and with my hands full and running out the door... aren't those famous last words?

So we wait in the doctors office. And wait. And I realize I am going to regret not having my diaper bag with me.

Normally I would have stashed a diaper, a wet bag, and some wipes in my car, But as luck would have it, I cleaned out my car yesterday and removed everything so that my son could vacuum it out.

My 11 year old is diagnosed with strep and the 6 year old is treated for her asthma, and then the 6 year old realizes that this is a Very Special Day at school and she should not miss it. (She missed the last Very Special Day like this.) However she is still in her jammies, not in a school uniform. So I call my mother in law, who goes to my house and gets her uniform and meets me at the school. We get her set up and dressed just in time for her event.

I drop off prescriptions, only adding about 5 minutes to the total morning and head for home and a clean diaper, finally.

Let me tell you, that bumGenius weighted about 4 pounds, but it did not leak.

bumGenius Wins Gold and Silver in Mother & Baby Awards

The Mother & Baby Awards are organized by Mother & Baby, a large European parenting magazine. We've known for several months that several bumGenius products were being considered for the Mother & Baby Awards. The Reusable Diaper category is rather hotly contested in Europe so we've been awaiting the results with some nervous anticipation!

We were honored to hear today that the bumGenius All-In-One was awarded Best Reusable Nappy. In a category where a gold, silver and bronze award are given, the bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper took second place with a Silver medal!

Below is the press release as written by Mother & Baby.

Winners of the 2008 Mother & Baby Awards announced
By Helen Kaye
14 November 2008 10:49

The winners of the Mother & Baby awards were announced last night at a glitzy black-tie ceremony at the Park Lane Hilton Hotel in London.

Leading baby manufacturers and brands congregated for the biggest event in the industry’s calendar, organised by the Number 1 parenting magazine – Mother & Baby.

All products at the independent awards were tested and rated by mums before their feedback decided which brands won the Gold, Silver and Highly Commended Awards.

Gold Winners included Mamas and Papas Luna Mix for the Best Pushchair, McCann Erickson’s Graco Contempo for the Best High Chair and Bumgenius All in One Nappy won the best Reusable Nappies.

Other award winners included Asda who scooped the prestigious Retailer of the Year Award and the Brother Max 3 in 1 Thermometer which won Most Innovative Product.

Mommy Cereal

One of my sons cannot eat foods that contain any form of corn, so we buy our cereal at Trader Joe's on our way home from church every other weekend. The cheaper cereals sold there are made without corn syrup and tend to be priced the same as the cheap box cereals sold in our local grocery stores.

Last weekend we ran out of cereal. I am six months pregnant with our third child and, for some reason, I really wanted cereal. The grocery stores close by don't sell cereal that is safe for Andrew. Trader Joes is a 30 minute drive from our house and it wasn't Sunday! So, out of pregnant desperation, I got creative. My ten minutes of creative desperation was apparently creative genius to my little boys. They gobbled this cereal right up. Recipe below...

Mommy Cereal
3/4 cup strawberry jam
1/4 cup honey
1 pound of cheap oatmeal
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup cashews

Preheat the oven to 350F. Melt the jam and honey in a small pan. Stir well. Measure the oatmeal into a boul and pour the syrup mixture over the oatmeal. Stir with a rubber spatula until the oatmeal is damp. Spread in a large cookie sheet and toast in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Watch carefully - my batch was done at 12 minutes. Let the mixture cool then mix in the raisins and cashews. Store in a glass jar or a plastic bag. I wasn't sure if the jelly needed to be refrigerated so I stored the cereal in the refrigerator to be safe.

Then the business brain in my head convinced me that I needed to sit down and do some quick math... it doesn't make sense to do this very often unless it is also cheaper than buying cereal from Trader Joes. I was really surprised. The ingredients came from the tiny grocery section in our Walmart (oatmeal, raisins, cashews) and Costco (honey). All together, the whole batch of cereal actually cost me less than $2.00!

I'm already mulling over other variations on this... adding peanut butter and chocolate is sounding really yummy for the next try!

Poo: To Spray or Not To Spray

***Update***
The wee wiggler finally filled her diaper this morning! I tried out the diaper spraying bottle idea with much enthusiasm!

I'm not so sure how I feel about it. It wasn't a raging success, that's for sure. I really couldn't get it to squirt with enough pressure to do a good job of cleaning off the mess. There was alot of brownish splatter left all over the toilet, yuck. I sure don't want to have to scrub the toilet every time I change a dirty diaper.

So, I'll hang in there and try my idea a few more times...but it might be a good idea if you leave a comment and share your bum Genius Diaper Sprayer success stories, cuz I think that's the direction this momma is headed. Does it leave a "brown splatter" all over the toilet??? That's what I'd like to know:)


***Original Post***
We have had one or more babies in cloth diapers since June of 2003. There has not been a time since then that the cloth diapers were put away. Wow, that's alot of washing. And that's alot of figuring out what to do with, you know...poo.

I have tried it all, dunking, liners, flushable liners, scraping, swishing, more scraping and more swishing.

The only thing I haven't tried is a diaper sprayer. All my cloth diapering friends rave about them. They get great reviews, 5 stars out of 5. Apparently, they're the greatest thing since sliced bread!

So, why, why on earth haven't I tried one?

The answer is this: I have 5 children...one of them is two years old and he LOVES to play with water guns. Installing a water gun (aka "diaper sprayer") in my bathroom would be great for cleaning off messy diapers, but it could potentially wreak havoc on my sanity (and my dry house)!


The reason for my post is this: I may have brainstormed an alternative to the diaper sprayer. I was cleaning out closets and I found a squirt bottle. I was going to throw it in the garbage (I like to pitch anything that could offer the possibility of any kind of indoor water shoot out--I know I'm a party pooper) until I realized it could be used like a diaper sprayer. The beauty part is that I can keep my diaper spraying bottle up on the top shelf of the medicine cabinet, where it is not plainly visible and tempting for my two year old potty trainee.

This idea is just that at this point...an idea. For the wee wiggler has yet to dirty a diaper for me today. I'll be sure to post a follow-up "review" of the diaper spraying bottle idea as soon as opportunity has lent me a few chances to test my theory. There are rare moments in a parenting career that one is impatient for the next stinky bum:)

Saving money for Christmas with cloth diapers

Over the last year, we've seen our family's expenses rising. Milk is nearly $4 a gallon. Cheese is crazy expensive. Even my farmer's market has raised prices on fruits and vegetables. And we don't even have to talk about gas prices, right?

So, let's talk about how much we can spend on diapers. A newborn can go through as many as 12 diapers per day... if you do the math on the cost of disposable diapers at Amazon.com, it works out to around .17 - .25 per diaper or as much as $3 per day or $90 per month. In theory, that $90 per month could buy groceries or put gas in my car!

At least for the moment (we have a little surprise on the way in February), our family is beyond the newborn stage. Our youngest son, Oscar, is three now and potty training. We have him in regular underwear during the day (my theory is that wet pants are a better potty-training method) and he wears bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diapers at night (with two inserts). I just did the math and realized that I am saving so much money! If I buy Pull-Ups at Amazon.com, I'll be spending $18.99 for 40 diapers. That is .47 each! At the rate we're changing pants around here, I'd be spending as much as $40 - $60 a month.

$35 is enough to get Andrew (my first grader) a Super Soaker Water Gun for Christmas. By using reusable potty training products for one month, I've already been able to buy my son one cool new toy to put under the tree this year!

Oscar found one of these Balancing Monkey in the Cotton Babies warehouse a few weeks ago and was sure that he wanted it, right then please mom. He doesn't know it yet, but he'll reap the reward of mom's cheapness too when he finds his monkeys under the Christmas tree!

The very idea that the world economy is going to mess up Christmas this year has me tingling to the bottom of my toes with ideas for helping our family save money. I might be a cheap mom, but I'm not a Scrooge! My kids (and yours too) should be able to have a good Christmas this year.

So as we go through the next couple of weeks, watch for more posts from me along these lines. This is a big issue for many families right now and, as parents, we can help other families be better prepared for the holiday season. If you have ideas too, share in the comments!

Cloth Diapers and International Travel

Last month my 8 month old daughter, Marguerite and I traveled to Europe and Africa together. Ordinarily we use cloth diapers for financial and environmental reasons and I had a hard time deciding whether to use cloth diapers or disposable during our travels. I went back and forth for weeks before our trip. There were so many things to consider...it just wasn't and easy decision for me.

I wanted to use cloth because my daughter was exclusively breastfed at the time, which meant that her stools were watery and she was almost guaranteed to have a "blow out" if she had a bowel movement in a disposable diaper--yuck. The bumGenius! cloth diapers that we use are SO good at keeping poop from escaping and I was really nervous about traveling without the security of our bG's:) I seriously had nightmares where visions of poop explosions in airports danced in my head. Let's face it, there just isn't time to deal with changing baby's diaper and clothes and mom's clothes when rushing from one plane to another.

BUT, we do not own 10 days worth of cloth diapers and I was doubtful about finding access to laundry facilities during our trip. So you can see my dilemma here. How does one use cloth diapers when traveling if there is no way to wash the diapers?

I did finally come up with a solution. I used a combination of cloth and disposables. I put a disposable on Marguerite with an unstuffed bumGenius! One-Size cloth diaper over the top like a cover. The disposables saved me from the diaper laundry dilemma and the bG! saved us from the dreaded "blow out".

I know you're wondering if putting the bG! over the top of the disposable really did any good:) Well, after the first couple of near blowouts (poop made it's way out of the disposable diaper but was stopped by the bG! on top) I started keeping tally. In the end, the bumGenius! proved to be a Super Hero... saving mom and baby from poo-poo doom on *10* separate occasions!

Disposable Diapers are Hot

We are in the process of moving from one house to another and the situation has been difficult at best and brain-frying at worst. In the midst of all this I have had Lily is disposable diapers after not using any disposables all Summer. It should make for one less thing to worry about, right?

I had forgotten how hot they are! Every time I take one off of Lily it is stuck to her lower back with sweat. Even in the night and when she is in the air conditioning the whole time she wears it, she is still all hot and sweaty.

Then I remembered that time right after having a baby. My midwife gave me some of those Chux pads to lay on so I wouldn't wreck my sheets. Ugh. Those were really hot too! I was so glad to get rid of those and just lay on a towel instead. Plastic and paper just do not make for comfortable skin!

So for her own coolness and comfort, I have her back in her comfy, cozy cloth diapers. If we can time it right, the diapers shouldn't have to wait longer than usual to be washed during our move. And if they do, well then that is just life.

How Often?

How often do you need to change your baby's cloth diaper?

Well isn't that the question of the century? I think the best answer you can get it just depends.
It depends on baby's age, on how, what and how often they are eating. I depends on how they are sleeping and the condition of their skin.

You can see that the answer to this question is one that every family has to work out for themselves. If your baby is soaking through his clothes, change him more often. If your baby isn't even wet yet, wait a while. That doesn't happen often but it does happen, I promise!

I would love to give you some times as guides but they are sure to not fit half the babies out there and someone is certain to say I am not changing my baby often enough and someone else will say, "Oh forget it, I am not going to do it that often!" No matter what you do, someone will find a way to disapprove. But I heard once that in Victorian times babies were changed every three DAYS or so. Please do change your baby's diaper more often than THAT.

Babies under 3 months old will wet their diapers very frequently. Very Frequently. They will probably still need diaper changes before or after at least one nighttime feeding. Oh, what a delight when the nighttime diaper changes stop!

Babies tend to wet more frequently in the mornings and less often in the afternoon. (So say those who practice Elimination Communication.) Some will even have predictable wetting times, like after nursing, after being removed from the sling, or upon waking up. Changing your baby at those times can help you to maximize the dry diaper time.

So watch your baby and the two of you will work out the right times for changing.

The Wrestling Match

About the time baby learns how to flip from back to front, the trouble begins. Babies like to practice their skill and when do you want them on their backs more than during a diaper change? Overnight diaper changes go from being a pleasant time to talk and play to an all-out battle with a wet cat or a fish out of water.

When they learn how to crawl it gets even worse. Now, not only can they turn over, but they have the potential to actually escape as well. Fun times!

This is about the time my diaper changes move off the changing table and onto the floor. Those little buggers are just too good at getting away!

Here are a couple of tips for keeping diaper changes smooth and happy times:

1. Have your diapers ready - have your bumGenius already stuffed or your prefold already in the cover. It just means that baby doesn't have to lie still and wait while you prepared your supplies. It also avoids having the baby escape while you are doing this. Have any wipes or washcloths or diaper cream at the ready as well. (Why do I always forget this one myself?)

2. Try creative diaper changing positions - If baby just has pee, maybe a standing diaper change will work. I know people who can do it but I am not good at that one. I personally use the "Leg as a Seatbelt" position a lot at this age. Sit on the floor and lay baby in front of you with his head to one side. Instead of his feet being towards you, his side will be nearest your body. Put one of your legs across his upper body and lightly pin him down. Another little trick is to keep their feet held up high and over their body, as if they were playing with their feet. It is harder for them to roll like this and this comes in handy when a floor change is not possible.

3. Special diaper changing toys - Keep something that baby can play with only during diaper changes. If you are using a changing table, hanging a mirror over it is fascinating to the baby! Even letting them play with a diaper or a tube of ointment sometimes works, of course you are right there supervising this because you are changing the diaper. (Do NOT give a baby a bottle of liquid medicine to play with, even if it has a child proof cap. They can actually suck the liquid around the seal of the cap. Go ahead, ask me how I know this.) But the be all and end all of diaper changing toys is (Drum roll, please!) masking tape. No, do NOT tape your baby down with it! Tear off about a foot and hand it to baby. Watch to make sure he isn't sticking it in his mouth, but let him play with it and wad it up and before he knows it his diaper change is DONE.

I am not a Bag Lady!

I don't even like purses. In high school I would find the smallest one that would still hold the bare minimum of things I needed to carry around. It was basically just a wallet with straps. So you can understand how I hate carrying a diaper bag.

I am picky about my diapers bags. If I have to carry around a ball and chain, then it should do its job and make my job easier. But I have never, until now, found a bag that truly does that.

For Christmas this past year my mom got me the Skip Hop Duo and I fell pretty instantly in love. This is a bag that had to be designed by a mom. It has the absolute right amount of pockets for a bag hater like me.

This one has a nice large main pocket for baby things that has elastic pockets inside it to organize diapers. The inside is so well organized that I can reach into it without looking and find just what I need. Because when you are changing a diaper on a precarious public restroom changing table, you can't really dig with both hands.

There are two zipper pockets along the top edge of the bag. One is big enough for my stuff, and I use one to hold a change of pants for my potty training child. You see, I refuse to carry a purse AND a diaper bag. So any diaper bag has to have a pocket big enough for me to carry my purse items in: wallet, lip gloss, some paper and a pen, and of course my cell phone.

There is a water bottle/sippy holder on one side and a cell phone pocket on the other, and two pockets along the front of the bag that I use for quick access items like keys and my planner. There is a big flat pocket across the back for the changing pad - no trying to shove that down inside the main bag. The main pocket and front two pockets are closed by strong magnets, which means my arms aren't getting scratched up by velcro and it is silent to open and close.

A lovely surprise for me was the introduction to stroller clips; specially designed clips on either side of the bag that allow you to attach the bag to your stroller without having to take off the main strap. That means no digging around in the under-stroller basket to drag out the one item you need. It is all right there at your fingertips!

After spending a few months with this bag I had the opportunity to carry a certain high end diaper bag and realized that I may have been spoiled for life, I hated the other bag. The Skip Hop reads my mind. It works with what I have in it and makes it all easy to access. (Have you ever had one of those big bottomless bags that you stop even using anything in it because stuff is too hard to find? This is NOT one of those.)

I really hate to gush over a mere diaper bag like this. But this bag is so far above anything that I have ever used, I just can't help myself.

Diaper Houdini

There comes a moment in most babies' lives when they realize they have a special power: the power to remove their own diapers.

Fear shoots up and down a parent's spine to consider the possibilities that exist now.

The look of realization on a child's face when they realize they can strip down on their own is priceless. This is suddenly a huge step towards their independence. They get to decide if their clothes stay on or not. Lily will brush up against the velcro of her diaper and realize that it has been left uncovered and suddenly her face lights up! She yanks the first one open and the diaper falls to the floor and she starts to run - she knows that I am headed towards her to put it back. The chase is on, full of giggles and ripply, chubby baby bum.

Keeping the diaper covered is a great way to end the streaking. A one piece outfit is a big help. But sometimes even that is not enough to stop a little Houdini. Putting pants over the top can help, but there are some determined little escape artists who need Extra Help. Good old fashioned safety pins can do the trick. A safety pin at the crotch of the onesie is usually enough to keep things tight. But some kids need their pants pinned to their shirts in the back too. I knew one little girl who was an expert at removing her clothes - she needed a pin between every snap of her jammies that snapped down the front. But thankfully, not many kids are that skilled.

One Step at a Time

Watching a child learn how to walk is fascinating. I recently had the privilege one more time as Lily moved from all fours to running on two legs.

Babies do best learning to walk barefoot. It allows them to use their toes to balance. Often new walkers who are first put in shoes will have a hard time for a few hours as they learn to use their feet differently. Shoes like Robeez allow a baby to have some (very cute) foot protection while still giving them full freedom to use their toes and flex their feet as they should. Gone are the days when doctors recommended still baby boots as first walking shoes!

As my children have learned to walk they have followed about the same progression of skills:
1. Pulling up, some crawl first, some don't.
2. Pulling up and letting go without knowing it. The baby pulls up, and holds on to a toy and doesn't realize that they aren't holding on. When baby realizes he is standing he quickly sits down again.
3. Letting go on purpose to hold on to a toy or something else.
4. Cruising - baby realizes that he can get to a toy on the couch by scooting sideways along it.
5. Step-lunge-fall. These are the first real steps alone! Sometimes it is more like a dive with baby kind of catching himself with a foot as he begins to fall. After practicing this a couple days though, baby begins to learn that moving a foot ahead will help him to get where he is going and suddenly there is a lot less of the lunge-fall part.
6. Slow, tentative steps. Arms in the air for balance, baby really knows that he is doing what everyone else is doing and is excited to practice it.
7. Now baby is a biped! You notice that less and less time is spent crawling or creeping and more time is now spent upright. Then one day, baby stands up in the middle of the floor and crawling is left behind.

Now you have a toddler.

A Toy Question

I received this email from a reader a few days ago, with a question about some of the wooden toys for babies on the CottonBabies website:

Dear Jenni,

I've been reading the Cloth Diapers blog and enjoying it a lot--thanks! I really love my bumGenius diapers, and I am interested in some of the wooden toys you recommended on the blog that are sold on the Cotton Babies site. My only concern is that some of them appear to have very small pieces, either wooden balls or bells. Without seeing the toys in person, I was concerned about a possible choking hazard if my small daughter were to chew on them or tug on them. Do you have any insight into this? (I'm particularly interested in the Flori, Pixie's World, Piro, and Triola.)

Thanks for any thoughts you have if you have the time to respond!

And thanks for the blog--I always enjoy it!

Best,

Tara

Thank you Tara, for the email and the compliments (as well as for your permission to use this here!)

I have the Flori and the Triola of the ones you listed. My biggest worry about these before seeing them was the bells. I worried that the metal might be sharp and a little baby tongue could get pinched in there. So I tried it out to see if I could do it. It sounds crazy but I tried to get my tongue caught in one of those little bells and I couldn't do it!

After getting your email, I took a second look at one of the other ones, the Pipapo (which seems to be my daughter's favorite). Because it is held together with elastic like some of the others, I think I will keep it out of the heat, but I could not even access the knot that connects the elastic to itself. It is secured inside one of the beads.

So yes, they do have some small parts, but I think as long as you watch the condition of the elastic (none of mine seem to be having any problem) there is not much chance of the baby getting the small parts off. I couldn't do it with just my hands and mouth! I have another toy with similar elastic and as the toy wore out, the elastic never broke or seemed to become weaker, it just stretched out and the toy got loose.

Elimination Communication

In hanging around with moms who tend towards natural ideas, I had heard whispers about EC, but I quickly wrote it off as something that was a little over the edge for me.

Elimination Communication is sometimes called Infant Potty Training, but it really is a little more and a little less than that. The name Elimination Communication sums up exactly what it is about, communication with our very young children about their elimination needs. Think about it, your child found ways very early on to communicate with you about other needs like being tired or hungry. Their elimination is really no different.

Babies are born with the instinct to not want to lay in their own waste, just like other mammals. By being kept in diapers, we train them to tune out that instinct.

I stumbled into EC this time around kind of accidentally. My 3 year old was potty training, so I had a few potty chairs littered around my house. One morning a few weeks ago when Lily woke up I was changing her diaper right next to one of the potties and I wondered if I might be able to get her to poop on the potty since she usually goes within minutes of waking up. I put her on the potty chair (the one we have is small enough for very young babies) and she peed almost right away. Throughout the next few days I caught several more, usually when she was waking up. I figured it was time to read up on this a little bit to make sure I wasn't just confusing her.

I read most of the info at Diaperfreebaby.org and checked out Diaper Free Baby from my library. I was very relieved to learn that Elimination Communication is not an all or nothing proposition. The goal is not to have your baby out of diapers before all of your friends' babies. The goal is to help your child stay in touch with their body's signals. For some families it will be simple to focus on this intently and really have a diaper free baby. For others (like mine) catching a pee or poop every now and then is a great start.

We had a string of days where Lily barely wet a diaper at all. I was able to catch most of her pees and poops. At nine months old, she is already learning the sign language for "potty" and uses it every now and then. There was even a whole week where I caught ALL of her poops in the potty. The last few days however have been busy and we have spent a lot of time on the go and at others' houses, and we have only caught after morning wake-ups and after naps.

As with all child development, there is a little of two steps forward, one step back. I have no intention of trying to get her out of diapers especially early, but in using EC part time like we are it has been much easier to keep her dry most of the time.

Lunchtime! Part 2

An easy, healthy meal/snack idea for little ones.

Frozen mixed vegetables.

Served while frozen. Really!

Even the child whose nose often turns up at veggies will like them now because they don't taste like veggies, they just taste like ice.

Lily hates peas. She is the only one of my kids who doesn't like them. But she will happily sit in her high chair and eat frozen peas.

To round out and make a meal with some protein and carbs, you can add in some cheese or some browned ground meat of your choice. Rice or some favorite crackers round out the meal.

And a great teething aid: frozen asparagus!

Something Stinks in Here

We all have those days, those loads, those diapers...

Those days - weeks really, when too many days squeeze in before you get the diapers washed again. Those loads - that sit too long before they get dried. Those diapers - that explode with a knock-you-on-you-butt ammonia smell the minute urine hits them.

The stinkies have hit again.

But today I am not going to detail all kinds of stinky remedies. I am only going to give you the easiest one.

Two steps:
1. Follow your usual washing routine, but add in 1/4 cup of bleach.
2. Add a lot of extra rinsing. A LOT.

Every now and then I run my diapers through 3 or 4 wash loads in a row with no detergent. It does wonders for preventing build up and keeps things fresh.

Lunchtime! Part 1

Toddler Lunch of the Week:
Black beans
Mozzarella Cheese
All Bran Crackers (or other family favorite)

Once baby has tried out several kinds of foods and is getting to the "Me Do It!" stage, meals can get messier, but they can also be more fun.

In an effort to sneak in a little more protein for Lily I have been putting some beans on her high chair tray while we eat lunch. At the start of the week dumped out and rinsed a can of organic black beans and put them in an easy to reach container. Lunch could hardly be easier!

Her favorite menu right now is some sliced up (tiny pieces) of string cheese, about 20 black beans, and some bran crackers. It keeps her busy long enough for me to eat a sandwich in peace.

Remember that even if baby doesn't get all excited about a food item, he may just need a few more exposures to it to decide it is worth eating.

10 Reasons I love bumGenius One Size Cloth Diapers

1. They are easy. This is about as easy as cloth diapering can get. It is like using disposables only you never have to run to the store or worry about running out. You are just a load of laundry away from having all the diapers you need. They can be put on even a squirmy baby in a flash..

2. They are cute. bumGenius diapers make little baby bums all rounded and smooth and pastel.

3. They fit under all baby clothes. It seems today that most baby clothes are made with the expectation of slim, trim disposable diapers. Bulky diapers can make some baby clothing styles difficult to use. Baby jeans need little baby behinds, just because of how they are usually shaped. Little baby skorts too, seem to fit better with trimmer diapers. Sure you can skip these styles if you need to. But I don't have to plan my baby's wardrobe around how big her behind is when she has on a bumGenius.

4. They are modern. These are not your grandma's diapers. These bumGenius are high tech with their super absorbent inserts and liner that keeps baby dry. These are the diapers that change people's minds about what it means to cloth diaper. So don't be afraid to let them show a bit!

5. They can roll up after use. There are times when I forget a wet bag or can't reach if for some reason. The way these diapers can roll up into their own tight little package after use is really handy.

6. That little flap that covers the insert is great for catching that up-the-back-power-squirt of poo that little ones can produce. If you have ever changed a diaper where there was more poo on the outside than there was on the inside, you know exactly what I mean.

7. They fit easily into a diaper bag and are a great all purpose travel solution. They are compact and make changing a diaper on the go a breeze.

8. They were designed by a mom. I feel a sense of pride and camaraderie using something that was made by a mom who was struggling in the trenches just like I do every day. She dealt with the same issues and successes on a daily basis.

9. Those stretchy tabs are fabulous! I can get a good tight fit that never droops. I hate plumber butt on babies. Well, I'm not a fan of it on anyone.

10. They are backed by CottonBabies, who are willing to troubleshoot and help with any problem your diapering system presents. Worried or having a problem with your diapers? Give them a call. They are very responsive.

10 Reasons I Love Prefolds

1. They are cheap. At $2 or less per diaper (depending on size and thickness) this is easily the cheapest way to cloth diaper. You can get enough diapers to get you through your baby's entire diapering period for less than $100.

2. They are soft. After they quilt up in the first few washes, they are soft and fluffy and comfortable. I know I would be willing to wear them around my sensitive parts if I needed to, so I feel good about my baby wearing them. The Chinese prefolds are very soft, but the Indian prefolds are even softer!

3. It is easy to care for prefolds. Prefolds are the most forgiving diapers to wash. You can do just about anything to them and they still work great. I still recommend following the basic washing instructions and using dye free, scent free detergent, but these diapers release odors easily and seldom develop any absorbency problems. (At least I have never seen it happen.)

4. They make for fast diaper changes. Fold in thirds, plop in a cover and fasten up. Done.

5. They are versatile. You can use them with virtually any type of cover, you can snappi or pin them, you can try different folds for them, you can use them to stuff pocket diapers, and you can use them with no cover at all if you choose.

6. You can use them for other stuff. I use mine as changing pads, burp rags, nose wipes, bottom wipes. I throw one in the carseat to keep the buckles from getting too hot, mop up spills on the go, let the baby chew on them (clean ones!). And those are only a few of the uses that I could think of that relate to baby care, there are many, many more ways they come in handy.

7. They come in different sizes, but are still cheap enough to afford the different sizes. Most normal babies I have come across will only need the infant size and the premium size. Infant gets my kids up through at least 6 months old, if you have a chubby baby you will probably get to 4 months with those. Premium gets my kids up through potty training.

8. They are absorbent. They hold a ton of baby waste and they absorb it fast. Fast absorption means less leaks. I have read recently that some people have super-wetters and need something even more absorbent. Hemp Babies Bigger Weeds fit all of these descriptions about prefolds except for the use of snappis and the price. The hemp is a little more expensive.

9. They are easy to double. I seldom have to double a prefold, but sometimes it is worth it. I trifold one and lay it inside another one, then snappi that one on. My baby could wear one of those for DAYS and not wet out of it. Not that I leave them on that long. Sometimes I might double them up if I want the baby to have some cover-free time. This allows plenty of air to get to their little bum, but doesn't leave me mopping up mess after mess.

10. They dry fast. They wash easy and dry fast, either in the dryer or on the line, these are the first diapers dry in my loads.

And I thought of a couple more:

11. They last forever. I have diapers that have gone through 5 and 6 kids (being passed around through friends) and are still in nearly as good shape as when they started. Sure, some get retired when they get threadbare, but most are still going strong.

12. They are old fashioned. Here is the diaper nerd in me speaking, they are tried and true and have worked for generations. I feel a bit of a connection to my grandmothers and what they did when I use them.

Cotton Babies Grand Opening Celebration

GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION
PARTY ON THE COUCHES

Join us this Saturday, May 31st
10am - 6pm

Our retail store has opened in a new location

across the street from St. Anthony’s Hospital

with tons of great new product lines.

*************************************************

SALES, DRAWINGS AND DOOR PRIZES ALL DAY LONG!!!

The first 50 paying customers get a free pair of BabyLegs.

Thousands of dollars worth of giveaways all day long.

Doors open at 10am, the first drawing is at 10:30am!

We'll continue giving product away every 30 minutes until 6pm!

Where are we?

The store is located at 9916 Kennerly Road, St. Louis, MO 63128.

The store phone number is 314-849-6400.

http://www.cottonbabies.com/index.php?cPath=99

Directions:
Take 270 South to Tesson Ferry Road.
Turn West onto Tesson Ferry Road.
Look for Walgreens - turn left at Kennerly Road.
You'll see Cotton Babies almost immediately. Turn right into the shopping center.

Google Map Link

What's so great about wool?

There are all kinds of diaper covers out there to keep baby's clothes dry and the diaper mess contained. Some are very inexpensive and some are not. For those just getting started, you might wonder why someone would choose to pay over $40 for one diaper cover that needs some special care. There actually is a very good reason.

Because it is wool.

There are many reasons for choosing wool. It is a natural fiber, renewable, breathable, and while the care of wool diaper covers is a little pickier than most other covers, the times it needs care and attention are few and far between.

My favorite reason for the wool, is that no other fabric breathes like it and still contains the mess.

The best cure for a diaper rash is air. Letting baby go diaperless will allow irritated skin to heal faster than anything, but with a busy life and an even busier baby, that is a sure recipe for mess around my house. Putting baby in a diaper with no cover is an option, but again that can be hard if you are on the go or if it is cold out. Putting a wool cover over a cotton diaper is very nearly as good as leaving baby diaperless or at least coverless. Diaper creams have their place in curing rashes, but much of the time air works very well. Allowing baby's bottom some time each day with this breathable cover keeps the skin healthier.

Sleep Troubleshooting part 2

This is part 3 in my series on baby sleep. (Part 1, Part 2) Here are some more ideas for troubleshooting your baby's sleep.

Short Naps: Those 15-20 minute naps are killers! Just when you think you FINALLY get a break the baby is up before you have fully formed a thought about how relieved you are. This takes a little work on your part but it can help to stretch out naptimes. Put your baby down for a nap as usual, but don't go anywhere. Sit nearby where you can hear when baby starts to stir. (This is where a good book comes in handy!) When you hear baby just begin to wake up go and do what you need to do to settle baby down again. You can pat his back, just put your hand on him, caress his head, lay down and snuggle up, breastfeed or offer a bottle. Do whatever it takes to keep your baby from fully getting to alertness. For me it worked best to lay down next to the baby and offer the breast. Once baby is back to sleep you can sneak off again, but still don't go too far. You may find that baby goes through this pattern a few times for each nap and while the naps are labor intensive for you right now, they should be lasting longer. Once your baby gets used to having these longer stretches of sleep, the nap-waking should back down a bit and may even stop. I never thought it would work, but it got my non-sleeping child to eventually take 2.5 hour naps on a regular basis.

The Non-Sleeper: Yawn. I am sorry if you have one of these. The child with the boundless energy that never seems to get tired. It is helpful to read a book that has some good solid sleep research in it like Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (although I personally disagree with the cry-it-out method that he teaches, his information is solid.) A child who is a non-sleeper may need some extra help getting to sleep. And you may have to get especially good at picking up on the first cue that they are tired because their second wind comes on fast and hard.

Teething: The advent of teething is the death knoll of many a good night's sleep. The baby who previously slept well almost all the time can suddenly become the one who wakes every half hour all. night. long. Teethers can help for calming the little one down while you prepare them for sleep. Gumomile Oil is a natural painkiller for baby's mouth. And Tylenol is always a favorite for an unhappy teething baby.

Developmental Stages - rolling, crawling, walking: Learning a new skill seems to set baby's brain on fire. They just cannot stop practicing it. Did you ever have to study for an exam in school and you just couldn't stop thinking about it long enough to sleep? That appears to be how it works for a little baby just learning a new skill. Neither their mind nor their body can stop from practicing the new skill over and over. For example, you may find your new crawler trying to crawl in his sleep and waking himself up. Your new walker may be pulling up over and over. I think these times just have to pass. After a few rough nights things seem to settle back down a bit and baby gets too tired to practice his skill while sleeping.

One-Year Sleep Deprivation: My big confession about baby sleep is that I am always much more sleep deprived when the baby hits one year old than I am during the first several months. I think it is mostly the developmental stages that are coming so fast at that age and how fast they are growing and learning, but my babies are always at their worst when it comes to sleep at this age. There is not a whole lot to do about this, sometimes you just have to realize that your own brain power may be a little diminished for a while until you can catch up on your sleep.

Becoming Verbal: Once baby starts to really become verbal, the fun returns to sleepy time. Suddenly lovely bedtime books take on new meaning. The moon become their magical companion and seems to be loved by every one year old. Your child can understand what you say better and can grasp some element of what is happening. This is a developmental stage and may set your child back a bit, but communication with your child can be more open and rewarding. You can tell your child, "Mommy needs to go feed the dog" (or some other very short chore) and leave the room. Just be sure to come back very quickly. Building the trust that your child has in what you say will allow you to leave the room for longer and longer periods.

Dreamland and Monsters: As baby gets older and more verbal, they will be more likely to have vivid dreams and imaginative thoughts that can leave them frightened at night. A snuggle toy can be comforting. Using a deodorizing spray or other nicely scented spray and give a few shots around the room to make the environment relaxing. I give an extra couple of squirts on their pillow. The deep breathing as they sniff it helps to relax them very much.

There will always be bumps along the road to good sleep for your child, but if you have a good framework in place they will keep returning to that until the next bump hits. As hard as it is on those rough nights, try to remember that these times will someday be only a memory, and a relatively sweet one at that.

Sleep Troubleshooting

In my last post I wrote about setting up good sleep habits. But while setting up good habits gives you a general framework of good sleep, there are always still problems to be had. Here are the basics of a few:

Days and Nights Mixed Up: A lot of babies start out their life like this. When you are newly postpartum and exhausted it can be hard to handle. Keeping the baby in bright rooms during the day and dark rooms at night help baby's circadian rhythm to get sorted out better. Time itself is the only other cure.

Startling/Fussy Baby: Some babies seem to scare themselves with their own limbs. After being bound up tightly in the nice warm womb, all of the space outside of mommy seems to leave them a little out of sorts. Swaddling a baby like this can do wonders. Make sure you have a couple of nice big swaddling blankets on hand to wrap baby up tight. These Soothing Blankets are 44x44 inches and come with a DVD showing you how to use them. An organic cotton thermal blanket is nice and stretchy and stays put even if baby is wiggly. I felt like I was being mean keeping my baby wrapped up all the time, but it truly helped her to be able to handle both sleeping and learning about her world. I remember one day we had just gotten home from being out, Lily was about 4 months old at the time. She fussed and cried and didn't need to sleep and didn't want to nurse. I finally wrapped her up and she was content. Swaddled up she still needed to be carried, but she was happy to survey her surroundings instead of flailing and crying.

Making a Bedtime Routine: Having a short series of things you do to settle your baby helps to cue them in that a transition is going on and helps prepare them to sleep. I try to keep our routine so that it can be done in under 15 minutes, but I can also take my time and let it stretch to an hour or more. Right now we do a bath, some lotion and quiet talking, a new diaper and clothes. We really like the California Baby products because they are phthalate free and the lavender scent is so calming.

The Early Riser: Whatever you do, DON'T try to keep baby up late to get him to sleep in later. It really just creates a more tired, cranky baby. Sleep begets sleep. If baby is getting enough sleep, then you might be able to move the waking time slowly, 10-15 minutes at t a time by moving the bedtimes up. If you think there is any chance that baby is not getting enough sleep, first try working on more nap times. If baby is a little older, make sure the room is nice and dark still in the morning and put some toys in if there is no other way to get a few moments of your own sleep.

No Longer Through The Night: People always tell you when their child first started sleeping through the night but they notoriously never tell you when they STOP sleeping through the night. When your baby is in a stage of sleeping through the night, enjoy it. It will be interrupted by another pattern before you know it.

More troubleshooting next time!

Sleep, Sweet Sleep

Almost the first thing out of anyone's mouth when they start asking questions about someone's baby is, "Are they sleeping through the night?" or "Is he a good sleeper?" No matter what the actual answer is, I usually just say yes and move on, I don't really want to give everyone the play-by-play of how things are going with regards to our nighttime routines and how they may or may not be working right now.

There are some people I know who have fabulous sleepers. Their children seem to sleep well from the day of birth and are easy to soothe. Then there are those who have anti-sleep babies who suffer from mind numbing sleep deprivation almost until their kids are grown. I believe that part of it is nature and part of it is nurture; so in a sense you get what you get with regards to sleep, but you can influence it and make the best of it too.

The first thing to do is to read up a little on baby sleep. It is very different than adult sleep and they need it much more often. My favorite resources are, in no particular order: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, The No Cry Sleep Solution, and The Happiest Baby on the Block. I certainly don't agree with everything in those, but the information to be gained on the sleep habits of babies is so helpful.

One of the easiest ways to lead your baby towards good sleep is to put them to sleep when they are tired. It seems pretty obvious but it is harder than it sounds. When babies are very little (under two months) their awake time may only be a little over an hour at a time, and sometimes even less than that. As you start to figure out your baby's pattern, you try to stick to it. If you know that your baby pretty generally gets tired after being awake for 90 minutes, then you notice the clock when baby wakes up and as you draw close to that 90 minute mark, you help to guide your baby towards sleep - however you choose to do that. As baby gets older that awake time will slowly stretch until you have 2 naps a day, usually around a year old. If you keep your baby as close to their natural nap times and awake times as you can, you will find that (most of the time) they learn that being tired means that it is time to go to sleep.

Waiting until your child falls asleep from exhaustion leads to little ones who are overtired. It is unavoidable sometimes, but it is not something you want on a regular basis. Overtired babies have a hard time going to sleep. As Dr Weisbluth says in Healthy Sleep Habits, "Sleep begets sleep." Children who get enough sleep and don't get overtired have an easier time going to sleep and often sleep more than those who are overtired. It sounds a little counterintuitive but I have seen it in action and it works. Think about it, have you ever been so tired that you just couldn't sleep? Or when you did fall asleep, you didn't sleep well?

Find your baby's rhythm and use that as your guide for when to put them to sleep. It is as easy and as hard as that to guide your child into the best sleep habits.

In my next post I will talk about sleep disturbances and other trouble shooting.

Yo-yo Baby

You might have noticed that I have not been around to post much lately.

I place the entire blame on my now- eight month old who is going through a few new developmental stages that make using a computer fairly difficult. And even now she is trying her best to climb all over my laptop.

A couple of weeks ago she hit what we call around here the Yo-yo Stage. She had mastered crawling and sitting and was enjoying playing with toys much more. She was a much happier baby now that she could choose what to do and where to go, so you would think that it would be easier now to get something done. But you would be wrong.

I have heard it out of the mouths of many mothers: "My baby is perfectly happy playing and is completely ignoring me, so I try to go and do something and he freaks out."

This is the Yo-yo Stage. The independence of mobility combines with the start of separation anxiety. Baby will seem to be perfectly content playing on the floor, oblivious that you are around, but if you try and go do something baby lets you know that you are expected to stay right where you were.

Try this experiment. Sit on the floor while your baby plays with toys. After baby is happily playing, move about three feet further away but stay on the floor. Baby will probably come over to you for a moment or two, then go back to the toys, then come back to you and then back to the toys. He may alternate every few moments. This is where we get the yo-yo idea. Back and forth, back and forth, as he gets older he may wander farther and stay away a little longer, gradually building his independence from you and security that you will still be around when he needs reassurance.

That is all well and good for baby's development, but I still have other work to get done. There are dishes to wash, laundry to do, and I am sure you can name a dozen other things you need to get done on top of that. So how is a parent or caregiver supposed to get through this stage when baby is alternately ignoring and desperate for mommy?

A couple of things make this time easier for me. First, I place a small batch of toys in places I need to work through the house. There is a little pile in the laundry room, a little pile in my bedroom, and a little pile in the kitchen and I move the baby with me where ever I go. Second, I break out every carrier I own and make heavy use of them.

I use my baby carriers a lot when baby is tiny, but then they are mostly used for outings for a few months. All of the sudden though, they are invaluable again. I have always been a ring sling devotee. I love my Maya Wrap and it will probably always be my favorite because it is so fast and easy to get on and off. I can do it one handed while holding a baby, which makes it great for use on the run. The Moby Wrap is wonderful for new babies, but even now it is great for needing to carry her when she really needs a nap. She is snuggled in so close that she just conks right out even now at 8 months. But the one that is coming in really handy right now is my Mei Tai. (There are several options for this kind of carrier - Ellaroo Mei Tai and Maya Tie are just a few) This one holds Lily a little more securely on my front than a ring sling, but is nearly as easy to put on, although I do have to put the baby down to get it started. There are also more structured carriers that use clips instead of ties but are similar in make-up to the Mei Tai style. These include the Beco and the Ergo carrier. These and the Mei Tai can also be used as a back carrier, which I am also loving right now. I would never get to do anything but sit on the floor if it weren't for having a couple different baby carriers right now!

Kissaluvs Size Comparison

Picking a kind of diaper can be a little befuddling, and once you do that you have to figure out which size to buy. Unless you buy one size diapers like bumGenius, but then you still need to experiment with the right settings.

Well I am here to clear up a little confusion on that! Lily is a mildly chubby 15-16ish pounds right now. I tried on all the sizes of Kissaluvs, and was pleasantly surprised at how flexible the sizing options really are. I haven't used the size zero on her in a couple of months, but low and behold, she fit in them fine. They were very trim on her now and probably couldn't be used for overnight anymore, but they still fit her well. The size 1 kissaluvs, which are the ones she wears most, fit her just right and are a good deal thicker than the size zero. She has been in those since her belly button was well healed. My older son wore these from two months old until he was almost two years old. The size 2 are a bit bulky on her but are great for overnight and will fit her for a good, long time. I do need to size up the cover when I put her in one of those.

You can also see a picture of a newborn and a toddler in their Kissaluvs Diapers on the CottonBabies page.

A note about diaper sizes: Sometimes it seem like chubby babies are outgrowing all their diapers around 8-11 months. You may start to worry that you will need to buy a much bigger size soon. But most of the time babies will slim down around the belly and legs quite a bit once they start to walk and even those diapers that were well outgrown will suddenly fit again.

Laundry in a Minute

I deal with a mind boggling amount of laundry each week. Having nine people in the house will do that to a family, especially when those nine people include a spitty baby, a daddy who gets really dirty in his work, a three year old who loves to play in the sand, and a little princess who loves to wear multiple outfits each day. Adding in the multiple washes suggested for cloth diapers can make me feel like I am getting backed up even further. Here are some ways that I stay on top of things, maybe they can help you too.

1. Sort clothes. I have two hampers (light and dark) in the laundry room and the kids can sort their clothes as they bring them downstairs, and so can I. Grabbing a load of laundry to throw in is easier that way. All family clothes and towels except my husband's work clothes go in here. No special baby laundry, it all goes in the same place.

2. Throw sheets directly in the washer. They don't get sorted. Sheets always seem to back up my system more than anything, so I don't strip any beds unless the washer is already empty.

3. Start wash as soon as I am done with my morning shower. That way I feel like I am getting something done even if the rest of my day is unproductive.

4. Don't start any (normal laundry) loads after 3pm. This gives me time to make sure everything gets dry and gives me a fighting chance at getting to fold it. I usually fold a couple loads at a time while either indulging in a little television or a book on CD.

5. Now we get to how the cloth diaper washes fit in. The CottonBabies recommendation for washing cloth diapers is to do a cold wash, a hot wash, and then a second rinse. I like to start the diapers about dinnertime in the cold wash, start the hot wash before I go to bed. Then when I get up I do that final rinse when I would normally start laundry.

So maybe that has made things seem a little complicated. Let me break it down for you. Pick a time when you are not doing laundry and, well, do laundry - the diapers. It will take you less than five minutes to get them started, and less than two minutes to start them again. Starting that last rinse is just a couple minutes too. Time yourself sometime and see how long it actually takes you, you will be surprised!

And after drying I no longer fold my diapers. I toss the covers in a drawer, stuff the pocket diapers and all the rest of them go in a big hamper.

Your washing machine is like your willing servant. You only have to take a moment to give it some instructions (load it) and send it to work (start it) and then you get to go do something else. That is multi-tasking at its finest!

Creating a Yes Environment

We've all heard it. The child yelling "No!" at the top of their lungs. It often seems like that is the first word that children learn to use on a regular basis. I hear it in restaurants, in stores, in church, and at the park. Children love to use that word to separate themselves as individuals.

But it doesn't have to be something you hear day in and day out in your own home, from your own child. By creating a Yes Environment in your home you really can minimize the amount of obstinate No's that you hear.

So what do I mean by a Yes Environment? I mean making your home (because that is the easiest place to start) a place where your child doesn't hear the word No very often. There are two steps to this.

1. You have to make your home a safe, baby and toddler friendly atmosphere. No, you don't have to live in a place that looks like a playpen, but you can minimize the obstacles that make living with your toddler on a day to day basis more work. This is called Baby proofing. How far you have to go with baby proofing depends entirely on your child. Some children seem to never have any interest in what is under the bathroom cabinets and some will be able to scale multiple obstacles, stack boxes into stairs and pick any lock you put in front of them just so they can see what is exactly in the middle of a jumbo roll of toilet paper. I have had a little of each extreme. But those little Search-and-Destroy types are truly exhausting. No matter what baby proofing aids you use you still have to be hyper vigilant about where they are every second. To create your Yes Environment, you want to remove as many reason for saying no as you can, but don't even try to remove all of them. The child does still need to learn that there are just some things that you need to leave alone.

Safety is a important issue and Baby Proofing tools can make it a lot easier to handle. But never trust any gadget or device to keep your child safe from dangerous household chemicals.

Allow your child a few things to "get into" that are not strictly toys. Leave one kitchen cupboard with safe (if a bit messy) kitchen stuff like tupperware and cookie cutters. Hairbrushes are a fun thing for them to explore in the bathroom (and are a good deal more sanitary than the toilet brush!) While you fold laundry allow them to dismantle a nice stack of towels or a basket of socks.

2. Examine the language you use with your child. Save the word No for times that there is no alternative. Redirect your child whenever possible. And when it is not possible to redirect, try other phrases that still mean no.

An example of redirection: You stop by a friend's house for a quick chat and your toddler spots a lovely statue on her coffee table. As you see your toddler heading in that direction with That Gleam in his eye, you get the urge to say No. Instead you say, "Isn't that pretty? Mommy will help you touch it." or "Let's see if we can blow some dust off of this!" (while holding your hands behind your back). Allow a moment or two and then turn the child's attention elsewhere. You have respected your child's interest, but not allowed them to get themselves (or you) into trouble. If you child keeps going back to the statue, you may have to walk them through the process a few more times before either they get tired of it or they need to have the situation altered by either removing them or the item from the room.

Another example: You are at a store and your child sees something they will simply die without. They whine, they plead - in that way only a non-verbal toddler can plead, they just have to have it! "Not this time." is a good one. "I like that too!" "Let's tell daddy about this." or just flat our distraction by showing your child other things or acting silly can work. Or you might just wind up finishing your shopping with a very angry child. "We're not going to get this today." is a simple and direct negative answer that just doesn't include the word No.

There are as many ways to deal with these situations as there are parents. Our goal is to raise our children to be good people who understand that the world will not hand them their every wish on a platter. Sometimes they need a plain old No and sometimes they need a negative answer served up with a healthy helping of compassion.

By watching the words you use and keeping things positive but still firm in their meaning, you can guide your child to a vocabulary that has relatively few No's in it at all.

Now if I could get them to not use the word "MINE!" I would be all set.

Baby Food Comparison

I wish I could give you scratch and sniff internet for this post because the difference would just blow you away! This is a little experiment you may just have to try at home to really get the full effect.

I purchased a jar of baby food peas and a bag of frozen peas. When I got home I microwaved a bowl of the frozen peas and then whirled it in the blender for a moment or two. Then I put the two kinds of peas side by side so you could see the difference.

Oh how I wish you could smell it too! The frozen peas smell so sweet and fresh and the baby food ones... well I can guess why so many kids hate their veggies if this is their experience with them. The jarred peas hardly smell like food at all.

The textures are pretty different as well, as you can clearly see. The jarred food has an almost gritty feel to it and the frozen ones are just what you would expect from some peas. There are still little pea-casings in the frozen peas, and you may find those in your child's diaper later on. But they are certainly nothing to worry about.

This experiment works with other veggies as well; carrots, squash, green beans, potatoes, you name it. Give it a whirl (in the blender) and see what you think!

The new retail store is open!!

We opened on Saturday at 12:30pm. YAY!!

The new address is 9916 Kennerly Plaza. You'll find us next to Walgreens across the street from St. Anthony's Hospital on Tesson Ferry Road.

Directions:
Take I-270 to Tesson Ferry Road.
Turn West.
Look for Walgreens on your Left.
That stoplight is Kennerly.
Turn left on Kennerly.
You'll see Cotton Babies on your left.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

What if my diapers are repelling? Use Dawn...

One wise mom's advice for stripping diapers that are repelling is:

A quick scrub with DAWN (or other grease cutting dish detergent) – it works like a charm!

On a clean, dry diaper, apply a little bit of dawn to the inside, add water, work into a lather by hand (one diaper at a time), rinse and then launder.

Be sure that you are using a reduced amount of detergent as detergents leave residue (the more you use, the more residue you can expect) and the problem will likely return. Avoid scented detergents as these are specifically designed to leave residues. The thought that the more detergent you use the cleaner your diapers will be, is not the case. Also be sure to do a second rinse after the wash cycle to rid as much detergent as possible.

Some “for baby” detergents can also be problematic as plant oils tend not to rinse out as well.

Cotton Babies Retail Store is moving!!

We've been working hard on getting the build-out finished for the new retail store (located at 9916 Kennerly Plaza in St. Louis, MO). The new sign is up and we should have the final permits tomorrow! We packed up the old store today and have temporarily closed at the old location until we can get everything moved in at the new address. I will send an email out to the St. Louis list as soon as I have information about the opening date. As long as everything goes smoothly, it will be very soon.

New Products!

When the new store opens, we'll be debuting many new product lines (some are new to St. Louis) so you'll want to be sure to visit our new location for the scoop. You're going to find new strollers, new carseats, new clothes and lots of fun new products from brands you know and a few you don't!

We're giving away a carseat!

The coming months will be full of events designed to support local parents. Our first event is scheduled for May 3rd when Britax will be sending a trained carseat technician to the store on May 3rd to do car seat demonstrations. At 1pm, we'll be doing a group demonstration in our teaching area. After the demonstration at 1pm, we'll give away a Britax Boulevard to someone who was there for the entire demonstration.

Food Fun: A Photo Essay

Zucchini is getting cheap around here, summer must be right around the corner! I bought a bunch the other day and made some very yummy zucchini bread. I had some extra zucchini when I was done mixing so I figured I would just pop it into my Fresh Baby Tray and make good use of it.


When I have been making veggies for the family it has been easy to pop a little of the leftovers into the blender and put them in the tray as well. I have just made sure to cook the vegetables without butter or salt, but those can always be added at the table if you miss them. For my zucchini, I just packed the shredded zucchini down in the tray without any other preparation. By doing this a little at a time, I have not really spent any extra time on freezing baby food. Well, I have to rinse out the blender, but that is only like a minute.

Once they are good and frozen I just pop them out and put them into labeled bags and rinse the tray out so my tray is always ready to catch more leftovers. I use one tray for food and one for breastmilk.

To get the zucchini baby-ready I popped it into a little bowl and microwaved it for 30 seconds, then mashed it a little with a fork.


Then the real fun began! Lily was not too fond of the zucchini, or maybe the texture. But they say that a baby may need to try something up to 15 times before they like it. Since it is such a mild vegetable, I think we will keep trying. This has been her general reaction to most foods, so I am really not too surprised that she was reticent.


In order to give her a chance to really understand what she was getting, I spooned some of it directly into her hand so she could squish it and smell it and put it in her own mouth. Watching babies have new experiences is an amazing privilege of parents and caregivers!


She played with it for a few minutes before it was time for nap. I think we will try it again later on today, maybe it will keep her busy while I try to eat dinner! (Her bib with a pocket kept her nice and clean.)

Other ideas for making your own baby foods:

• Corn, peas, green beans, carrots... pretty much any vegetable that you would eat yourself. We gave Lily a broccoli stalk to chew on while we ate dinner the other day and it kept her busy. She got enough of it to produce evidence in her diaper, even if it didn't look like she ingested any!
• chopped up fruit
• chicken or beef, VERY finely chopped
• cooked beans, whether canned or cooked from died
• leftover breakfast oatmeal

Some combo ideas:

• Beans and rice: I combine some canned beans with a little leftover rice, swirl in the blender (it gets blended less and less as baby grows and gets more teeth) and pop into your freezer trays.
• Chicken and noodles
• sweet potatoes and chicken (this one is a big favorite with my kids!)
• Apples and additive free breakfast sausage

Really the list is endless! Think about what you feed your family already. Start your baby on individual parts of that, about one every 4-5 days. They don't have to have a lot of it for you to be able to tell if it disagrees with them. A lick, a chew, a spit, and their body has been exposed to the new substance. Before you know it they have sampled most of what you are eating yourself. Don't be opposed to letting them experience the food with all their senses and their hair. The whole world is new to them!

Smells like... Nothin'

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to get your diapers really clean.

Ah, but what does this really mean? It means having nothing left on the diaper but the fabric itself. This is the reason that you want a detergent without brighteners, scents, dyes or fabric softeners. All of these things are meant to leave a little trace on your fabrics. It's all well and good to have some optical brighteners and scents cling to your t-shirt. But when it clings to the fabric of a cloth diaper and then you add in urine on top of that, there are going to be problems. You should be able to stick your face right into a clean diaper from the dryer or line and smell nothing. If you still smell something, you need to rinse some more.

Cleaning your cloth diapers means that you need to get all traces of pee, poop, sweat, dirt, and detergent out of the fabric before you are done. If any of that stuff is left on the diaper you will find yourself with smell problems and possibly rash problems as well. bumGenius Odor Remover is a new way to help break down the stinkies before you even wash.

Since everyone has different skin, water, and washing machines, no one recommendation is perfect for all. It may take a little trial and error to figure out the right detergent and number of rinses for your hardness of water, sensitivity of skin, washing machine, and kind of diaper before you find the right combination for your family. You may still need to use a little bleach every now and then to help strip out the stubborn stuff but you certainly won't need it with every wash. There are also other ways to strip your diapers (remove detergent or rash cream build up) like Dawn dish soap.

Taking a clean load of diapers out of the dryer is one of the small joys in life for me. But maybe I am just really weird.

For more detailed information see Cloth Diapering - Just the Basics.

Trick for Neutralizing Ammonia Odor

I recently read one Moms advice on killing the ammonia odor in her cloth diapers. She says that Lime juice naturally kills bacteria and neutralizes ph, so she puts a tablespoon of it in the final rinse when she washes her cloth diapers.

Give this tip a try and respond letting me know if it works for you!

Me and My Lamby

Lambies are the best. For my last four kids I have used one and it has been so handy. That fuzzy little rug can do just about anything.

We have had our lamby for over ten years now and it still looks pristine. It has been through 4 kids - well it is on its fourth kid and there is not a stain to be found on it. It is still lofty and cuddly and perfect as ever.

Some uses for your Lamby Lambskin:

• Before baby is born, sleep on it yourself. It is wonderfully cushy on those sore hips and it will absorb some of your scent, which makes it comforting for baby after birth.
• Lay baby on top of it. It keeps baby warm when it is cold and cool when it is warm.
  
• Use it as extra cushioning in the stroller.
• Place baby on the Lamby when she needs a little bare bottom time. It will help to keep her warm and will protect surfaces under it.
• Watch baby discover the texture of the wool, they love to run their fingers over the slightly bumpy surface and try to grab the tufts.
• Use it as a home away from home while traveling. The familiar scent and feel will help baby to sleep better in an unfamiliar situation.

Just this afternoon, Lily was rolling around on hers and pulling up the edges and rubbing her own cheeks with them. She would giggle and snuggle it each time and then do it all again. It was truly a precious baby moment.

Care of the lambskin is much easier than I anticipated and is much the same as caring for wool diaper covers. Because wool is naturally dirt resistant, I only wash it right before a new baby and if it gets actually soiled with spit up or other body fluids. And with spit up, it can be wiped off pretty easily, so it doesn't get washed until it has been doused more than a few times. Follow the directions on the wool wash you choose (Not Woolite!) to soak it then hang to dry. Eucalan or LANA 20% lanolin soap both work well.