Cloth Diapering

Why in the World I Cloth Diaper

September 13, 2011 by Diana 4 Comments

I hope by this point in my blog you all know I’m addicted to cloth diapers. Like, in a very unhealthy, very fluffy way. So I’m guest blogging today over at NAMAmmaSTE where my girlfriend Erika blogs. We’ve been friends since we were 6. And she still likes me – so that says something. It’s a post on why I started cloth diapering, how I did it with a newborn, what diapers I fell in love with.

When I got pregnant, cloth diapering was the furthest thing from my mind. I couldn’t imagine anything more horrifying than having poop waiting to be washed.

At about 20 weeks pregnant, my Dr. needed someone to watch her kids during the week. She mentioned that she cloth diapered, and I vaguely remembered that my mom had used them with my little brother. I thought of big, chunky pins being pushed through layers of cloth, pulling it towards you so you didn’t stab the poor kid, and ended up stabbing yourself instead. I was not thrilled but figured a few weeks of doing that wouldn’t kill me.

Soaking through Nighttime Diapers

August 27, 2011 by Diana 28 Comments

Every morning for the past few weeks, Bella wakes up soaked in pee. Her sheets, her clothes, all her blankets and animals. It’s often so much she has to have a bath so it won’t cause her skin to sting.

Before I go to bed I check her and she’s usually fine. She does take a water bottle to bed and I know this is part of the reason, but if she doesn’t have it she wakes up crying in the night of thirst and drinks a lot of water at that point anyway.

This is ruining her mattress, which sits in pee for hours each night. It creates an extra 2-3 loads of laundry a week. She’s unhappy when she wakes up.

No matter what I put her in; wool, AIO, pockets, or prefolds, and no matter how much I stuff it, she leaks.

Besides not giving her any water, I’d love ideas of what we can do to help this. Is there a certain diaper that parents of heavy wetters swear by? A way to layer soakers and things to make it more absorbent? Her diapers work perfectly during the day, it’s just at night they’re not able to hold it all.

Also I’d love recommendations of what we could put on her bed to help keep both her and the mattress drier if this continues.

Thanks everyone. <3

Filed Under: Babies, Cloth Diapering ·

That old feeling

July 5, 2011 by Diana 32 Comments

We’re all moved into our new house. And it’s lovely. It needs some work, but nothing we can’t handle, and remind me never, ever to complain about my husband not helping enough around the house. This 3 day weekend Sam spent all his free time steam cleaning the carpet for hours, on the roof checking the air, outside working for Bella to have some lawn, and helping put all the furniture and back together and in place.

This morning I got that feeling I haven’t had much of since we sold our home last July. I was walking on the cool tile, getting ready for the day as Bella slept in our room. It’s hot enough that the most comfortable thing is to wear a dress or skirt everyday (which aside from the daily leg shaving, I am growing to love). The washing machine was going, the cloth diapers were ready to use again (how I’ve missed them), the fans were on to ward off the upcoming heat, the recycling bin was out again (yes. I missed it) and I was making breakfast. I looked around at our clean, white, pretty home and I was content.

And I had that overwhelming feeling of happiness for what life has handed me. I was thankful to be at home. To be *in* a home. To have the time to cook new recipes and clean till it shines. To wash cloth diapers, start a garden, knit slippers and be a housewife. To have farmers markets, Gymboree, an awesome base, and a zoo close by. To have a backyard for Bella to play in. To sit on my porch at night and listen to the children in our neighborhood play and laugh. To curl up to my husband at night again.

To have a Super Target, Olive Garden, and The Children’s Place within a mile of me.

Had to throw some shallow in there.

It’s been a hard few weeks. And it wasn’t the easiest to move in here. Everything that could have gone wrong did. But it’s been worth it. Because if that time in the hotel and the first couple days here hadn’t sucked so much (and they really, truly did – from the movers showing up 3 hours late to 2 cats running away to the air conditioning breaking to the smell of cat pee that took days to get rid of) I wouldn’t appreciate this as much. I wouldn’t see that El Paso offers some of the same things as Denver, or walk through my home and see the good instead of picking it apart.

Is life perfect? No. But quite honestly, it’s better than I could have imagined in the past few months of turmoil. I’m beginning to love it here.

And? Vlog of the house coming soon. Here’s a peek:

Filed Under: Cloth Diapering, Cooking, Home, Moving, Parenting, Sam, Thankful · Tagged With: Motherhood

I’m not a better mother than you.

January 2, 2011 by Diana 36 Comments

There is an uncomfortableness I often feel when people ask about the way we live and choose to raise Bella. From no TV (cable/satellite) to natural food, from baby led weaning to cloth diapers. Our decisions have often been the butt of jokes or incredulous stares.

And we’re pretty moderate when it comes to natural parenting. ‘Cause I heart Clorox Wipes. Sam loves bleach. Gerber snacks saved our sanity on the last two trips out of town. And the toilet wand with the throw away scrubbies? That thing and I are like this ::crosses fingers:: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog Hop, Blogging, Breastfeeding, Cloth Diapering · Tagged With: Life Misconceptions, Why I do what I do

How to start a cloth diapering business

November 28, 2010 by Diana 18 Comments

I’m in the middle of helping 4 different moms and moms-to-be in learning how to cloth diaper and which to buy. I’m also buying and testing out different brands to tell you guys about. I’m dishing out my opinions on baby wearers, and the best bras for breastfeeding – from early on to a year in. (Yep, we’re still doing it here.)

It’s no secret I love cloth diapering. I love to buy them, prep them, wash them, fold them, store them neatly in Bella’s drawers. I also love to baby wear. I have a Moby, Ergo, Bjorn, sling – and my arms. And while breastfeeding wasn’t the easiest or most fun for me, I am an advocate for it because I know the benefits, but I understand how very painful and frustrating it can be.

So the other day, Sam mentioned I should think about starting some kind of online business that had to do with cloth diapering, baby wearing, nursing, etc. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogging, Breastfeeding, Cloth Diapering, Working · Tagged With: Fun with Egocentric-ness, Why I do what I do, Wishful Thinking

Priorities

September 6, 2010 by Diana 8 Comments

I’m all about giving Bella the best we can afford in life. From organic food, homemade meals, natural toys, and safe lotions. Cloth diapering, Maclaren strollers and HABA toys.

So imagine my surprise when the other night it hit me – so what?

Because in worrying about all of the “right” things, Sam and I have forgotten the most important. The thing we should be spending more money on than anything else.

Us. Our family.

We have neglected our marriage. The one thing that every child wants growing up is a stable, loving family with parents who are happy and love each other. Right? I mean, how many of you growing up thought, “It sucks my parents fight all the time but at least I know tomorrow I get to wear organic clothes to school.” :/

So while those things are still important to me, and always will be, my priorities are all wrong. My focus needs to be on my marriage and our parenting. Yes, being healthy is wonderful, caring about the environment is great, but that comes after a stable marriage for us. It’s been easier to work on being more eco-friendly since everything around us was falling apart.

I’m still going to do all those things, but I’m taking the focus off them in my life a little more, and start spending the money on us as a family and a couple. My daily and long term goals are to provide Bella with parents who love each other and give her a safe, happy place to grow up. That is what I should be working on, stressing over, fighting for.

Good memories of your childhood and becoming a self confident adult, because you were secure in your parents love for you, are more important than BPA free bath toys any day.