Juppy Product Review!

I promise we're getting back to babywearing in a hot second, but I wanted to talk about another baby item first - the Juppy Baby Walker Momentum.

Honestly I didn't know anything about it until I was sent one to review.  It's sort of like the jump-up part to the Johnny Jump-Ups that we all used to dangle from door frames in as kids.  Then it has straps that come up so that instead of hanging from a door frame, Mama can be the baby-walking monkey.

I tried it with Ira but he's really not good enough at walking yet for it to work.  He loves to stand and put weight on his feet and will even try to take a few steps, but he's not quite the age that this would be most useful.

We went on a baby play date yesterday though, and I decided to bring it with me so that my sweet, adorable little girlfriend BRB could try it.  Let me tell y'all, if anybody needs a baby walking device, it's BRB's mama.  My baby is lazy.  My baby enjoys laying in a big pile and seeing how long it will take for his cheeks to grow another centimeter.  My baby needed a snack and (another) nap after 10 minutes of baby play date time yesterday.  BRB?  She has so much energy!  She is the smartest little thing and she wants to see everything, do everything, and look at everything.  She isn't quite walking yet though, even though she's super close and really wants to, so I thought she was the perfect Juppy model.

We put her in that thing and she loved it! She walked all over the place in it.  The funny part was that she has a jumper/exersaucer that bounces and holds her in a similar way, so she wanted to bounce in the Juppy.  She'd look back like, "Come on, lady, bounce me!  Bounce, I said!"

I think it's going to be a big hit though, and sure beats leaning over and walking behind her with your back breaking.  My mom swears she has to go to the chiropractor 25 years later because she spent months hunched over, chasing behind me while I held onto two of her fingers.

Also, sorry about the blurry pictures.  Jessica takes gorgeous pictures of BRB.  These look like I was trying to take pictures of a hummingbird.  Thanks to my product tester - love that little girl to pieces!

If you have a hummingbird baby who wants you to walk her all around the house while you're bent over, check out a Juppy - they're a super neat idea!


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Baby Wearing, Parte Uno - Why Do It?

I promised a baby wearing post, because it's something I do every day, and something I dearly love!  The issue is, I have a baby wearing problem.  I don't have just one carrier.  I have a lot.  Like I think I have more carriers than pants that fit me at the moment.  Do they have baby wearers anonymous?

Hi, my name is Meredith, and I am addicted to baby carriers.  I have just about every kind you can imagine that holds your baby close.  No "crotch danglers" or those infernal metal framed thing that look like you're going on an adventure up Mt. Everest on a yak with your baby.  But I'll get back to that.

So, why wear your baby in the first place?  When I wear Ira in Wal-Mart, people look at me as if I might actually be growing a baby outside of my body.  Or like I may have been invaded by some alien life form.  What I see are people with their babies in their car seats.  I see poor mamas lugging those 30 pound car seats with their arms stuck out at a right angle from their body.  I don't know how y'all do that!  I've had to do that to get Ira from Point A to Point B in the car seat and it makes me feel like I need to go to the chiropractor immediately.  Not to mention, unless the car is moving, he is NOT going to be happy in that thing for more than about 3 minutes.

Or even worse, I see those car seats perched on top of Wal-Mart shopping carts while mama browses.  I think maybe people just don't realize how dangerous that is.  You can damage the clip on your car seat so that it doesn't work properly in your car and it will be ejected from its base if you get into an accident.  Scary.  Also, carts aren't designed to hold the top heavy weight of car seats.  The whole cart can tip over or your car seat can be knocked off the cart, injuring or killing your baby.  I know, people do it every day and it doesn't happen, but what if we could avoid it EVER happening?  And have happier babies?  And mamas with backs that don't hurt?

Also, there is nothing better for getting things done around the house than wearing your baby.  Ira loves to snuggle with me while we hang out diapers, pick up random baby items that are constantly strewn everywhere, or just walk the weenie dogs. A lot of times he'll look around and take everything in, but he'll usually fall asleep and take a nap for as long as I'll wear him.

And if you think having a baby means you're chained to the house, you haven't worn your baby! Ira has been out to restaurants, friends' houses, and shopping more times than I can count since he was teeny tiny. As long as I put him in a carrier, he's good to go.  Also, depending on the kind of carrier you're using, you can nurse in it!  That's a win for everybody.

Have I convinced you yet?  Wondering what kind of devices you need to be a ballin' baby-wearer?  Well, I mentioned I have a problem.  I have (and love) a Moby, a k'tan, several ring slings, a mei tai, and a water wrap carrier.  I use them all on different occasions depending on my mood, Ira's mood, and what we're going to be doing.

You could be happy with any or all of the above...I'll get to the pros and cons of each in a few more posts!  So with that long list of baby carriers, are there any I wouldn't recommend?  Yes indeed, there are a few.

The first offenders are the so-called "crotch danglers" I mentioned, the most popular being the Baby Bjorn and the Snuggli.  They're awfully popular, but they aren't really good for you or your baby.

(Thanks to crunchyway.blogspot.com for the photo - I love the comparison!  And hate the crotch dangler!)

I feel like this is a popular dad carry, so you can be like what's-his-face from The Hangover, but come on dads, y'all can do better!

I know, he looks awesome.  But maybe just try the glasses and beard with a comfy carrier.

Why am I not into crotch danglers?  Well, you can see the picture, right?  You want me to put all kind of pressure on your junk like that?  But seriously, it isn't good for your baby's hips and spine.  You want to wear your baby in way similar to how you would hold him and in a natural position for him.  You ever seen many babies stick their legs out like that?

The only other kind I'm not into are the big metal-frame carriers because I really and truly can't think of a situation where that would be practical.  Even if I were a big hiker/camper (which I'm clearly not), I can't imagine wearing Ira in such a big, heavy apparatus. 

For the love of Pete, why do you need that much structure to carry your kid?  I really think I could just as easily put the car seat on my back with bungee straps.  I feel tired looking at this guy.  

But if you have the right carrier, it's magical.  Besides making your back hurt a lot less, it makes your baby cry a lot less.  Babies who are worn for 3 hours a day cry and fuss 43% less than those who aren't worn.  It also makes your baby smarter.  Because you're wearing your baby at adult conversation level, he hears more speech and is more involved in what you're doing.  (Fact check me here.) Still not convinced?  There's my personal favorite - less germy-pawed strangers reaching into your carrier to touch your baby.  Something about wearing a baby makes him more yours, less public property.  

Okay, I'll step off my soapbox now.  But I'm working on more posts about each carrier I have, how to use them, and what the benefits of each of them are!  I hope you'll think about wearing your baby if you have one (or are going to have one soon!)

On Being a (for-the-moment) Stay at Home Mama

I'm afraid I have given y'all the wrong idea.  I read somewhere once that we compare our "everyday" to everybody else's "highlight reel" on the internet.  Those folks (whoever they are) are probably right.

For right now, I'm staying at home with this sweet little love who is happily working on his pacifier and batting at his toys on the playmat.  That kid loves his pacifier and his jingly toys, I tell you what.

I think there are moms who stay at home who have it all together.  I think there are people who manage to make pinterest recipes, clean and declutter the house, label everything in their cabinets, shop, and wear jewelry that matches their outfits even when they don't have anywhere to go.

Me?  I'm sitting here in a Myrtle Manor Trailer Park t-shirt, greasy hair on top of my head, glasses on my face, PB's raccoon boxer shorts on my butt, and it's 11:30am.  Things I have accomplished this morning: pumping some extra milk so my mom can keep Ira later this afternoon while I go to an appointment, starting a load of very dirty diapers in the washing machine, and feeding the little guy.  That's it.

There's stuff from our lake trip this past weekend all over my house, unmade beds, dirty clothes, a floor that needs vacuuming and mopping, bathrooms that need cleaning, a refrigerator that needs to be cleaned out, and breakfast dishes in the sink.  Oh wait, but those must be from before the lake trip because having breakfast is not on the list of things I have accomplished.  Did I mention it's 11:35?

I read blogs from mamas who stay at home who seem to achieve a lot more.  They seem happy too.  But you know what?  I'm ok with the fact that the house needs cleaning.  I'm ok with the fact that there are chores to do.  Maybe when Ira tires of his playmat, I'll put him in a carrier and we'll cruise around doing some half hearted housework.  But I'm sitting here talking to a little person who has a lot to say (even if I don't understand it) and watching his little legs kick at his toys and his little eyes light up at that playmat.

I have always known that if I was going to have kids, I was going to have to have a work schedule that allowed me to be with them.  I don't mean being a full time stay at home mama, because that's clearly not my strong suit like it is for some.  I think I need to work at least a little so that my contribution can be something different - extra money for Christmas, the Disney World trip I'm already dreaming about when he's 4 or so, and the ability to send him to swim lessons or baseball trips or whatever he wants to do.

My goal for this summer of staying at home?  Spending as much time as possible talking to my little buddy, showing him the world, making him giggle, taking him to fun places like the lake or the beach or just outside for a walk, and soaking it all up.  I don't care if there are dirty underpants hanging from the ceiling - I'll always have the memories from Ira's first summer.

Happy 3 Months, Ira B!

Three Month Stats:
Height: I would *guess* 25 inches, but baby measuring is not my strong suit, and the three month milestone doesn't come with a pediatrician visit, where those highly trained professionals do the baby measuring!
Weight: By my best estimates, you weigh about 14.5 pounds (according to our bathroom scales)
Clothing Size: I really wish the baby clothes industry could work on standardizing clothes sizes!  I can shoehorn you into 6 month pajamas, but you really need 9 months.  Most of your clothes are 6 months, some 9 months.  You even wear 12 months in regular Gerber onesies!  0-3 months is totally out of the question in anything.

Three Month Milestones, Highlights, and General Happenings:

Around the beginning of May, you found your hands!  You're not so good at just sticking the thumb in there, but you're pretty darn good at sticking the whole fist in there and gnawing on it.

You still love to smile at Nana and stick your tongue out at her.  I'm afraid this is how you think we greet people.  You'll probably still be doing it when I take you to kindergarten and I'll probably have to tell your teacher it's a cultural and/or religious practice.

Speaking of discovering hands, I think we can mark down May 12 as the day you figured out you can do something with your hands besides put them in your mouth.  You were reaching out for the monkey Mimi bought you from the hospital gift shop when you were born.  You love soft things and now you also rub the minky part of your blanket and have to have something soft on your head (like your blanket) to fall asleep.  

This month, you have become the iPad master.  I have the Fisher Price Giggle Gang app and you work on that iPad like you're punching a time clock.  When you hit the screen, these little giggle monsters appear and music plays.  You can't get enough!  You also like to watch the Fisher Price black and white cartoon animals on the iPad.

We've been taking stroller walks with you sitting up more and you love looking around and surveying the neighborhood.  

We went on your first beach trip on May 15.  We went to Nana and Pa-Pa's beach condo, and we did a little poolside chillin'.  The pool was FREEZING, or otherwise I would have had you in there the whole time.  We took a little dip with you in the water wrap, which you didn't mind, but I was personally freezing my tail off, so that was short lived.  You spent most of the pool time asleep in your sun tent, hanging out in your pirate pants.  

Mimi got you Sophie the Giraffe while we were at the beach...and y'all, let me be the first tell you that I did NOT understand why in the heck anybody would buy a $25 squeaky toy giraffe.  I mean, you can buy similar dog toys at Wal-Mart for $2.  (Speaking of which, Peggy keeps trying to get Sophie into her clutches because it's her mission in life to shut up anything that makes that squeaking noise).  Ira LOVES Sophie though!  Something about wrapping those big paws around Sophie's neck and gnawing on her head is just immensely satisfying.

We went on your first boat ride the day before your three month birthday!  (This wasn't what you wore on the boat, I'm not such a terrible parent that I had my baby on a boat sans life jacket.)  You loved it - you slept for awhile due to the hypnotizing boat noises and rocking, but when you woke up you were looking all around and enjoying yourself.  

Oh, and you're really good at standing up like you are in this picture!  Really, you're happiest when one of us is standing you up and you can support your weight on your own.  You just do the Elvis hip gyrations though because you can't balance yourself yet.

We still have days where you get up every three or four hours at night.  Those nights, you usually don't go to bed til midnight either.  But other nights?  You go to sleep at 9 or 10 and I don't hear anything else out of you until I basically wake you up myself at 6 or 6:30.  Those nights are pretty amazing.  You still sleep in your Rock 'n' Play, mainly because it's just so easy to cart it around, put you to sleep in the living room if we're still up, etc.  You still stick right with us when you sleep - I don't think you're big enough to sleep all by your lonesome in your crib yet.  Maybe when you're 6.

You're not asking me to nurse fifty eleven times a day anymore - you usually have 5 or 6 more consolidated meals during the day now, which is nice.  Sometimes that's still my go-to if you're upset though, because it means we can just hang out for 5 minutes and you'll be happy again - I don't have to really troubleshoot the problem.  

The only real problem that we have is your poor sensitive tummy.  I have cut dairy in hopes that you'll start doing better, because right now we are having highly abnormal poops and lots of tummy pain.  I screw up and eat it without meaning to and then we pay for it for days and I feel like a dog (like yesterday, after I had wings that I know probably had butter involved, and that I spilled ranch dressing on).  I hope and pray that you're going to grow out of this.  I mean, obviously Mama misses cheese and ice cream, but more importantly, I don't want you to be Captain Food Allergy forever.  Nobody likes that kid.  They say babies usually do grow out of it by 6 months...here's hoping!

Your favorite things are STILL baths:

You still like the Moby, the k'tan, the ring sling, and now the mei tai.  I still wear you a lot, though you're less likely to just go to sleep in the carrier if we're out as of the last two weeks or so.  If we're out eating, you're not likely to even tolerate facing me in the carrier because you need to be nosy and see everybody and everything, so you sit on one of our laps while we eat.  You love watching people eat and you're fascinated by watching us put food in our moths.

We still love those little sweet cheeks to the moon and back!  Love you, sweet buddy...happy 3 months!

Why boobs are awesome.

Since I wrote about cloth diapers, I feel like I would be remiss to leave out another of my hippie obsessions - breast feeding.  At least around here, I feel like it's something we don't talk about a lot.  Or if we do, we have to say it in a whisper, you know, in the same tone and volume you might say, "rectum," or "hemorrhoids."  I don't really know why that is, but it's sad.  I truly don't think I've ever seen anyone nursing in public except for one lady in Babies R Us, and is that really nursing in public?  I feel like that's more akin to bringing your dog to Petsmart - it's expected there.

When I was little, my mom was a lactation consultant, so I saw a lot of breast feeding.  Boobs to the left, boobs to the right, and you're the only kid in town....wait, those aren't the lyrics to that Jimmy Buffet song....but anywho.  Bottom line, I didn't know what else you did with a baby.  I was the only kid in my house, so I didn't have little brothers and sisters to watch, but I did see more breast feeding than the average kid.  I also had a tendency to walk around Walmart with my baby doll plastered to my bare chest because again, that's all I'd ever seen a baby do.  Babies also take bottles?  Wha?

I knew from the beginning that breast feeding was something I was going to do or die.  In fact, that's what inspired my hell-bent, worry-your-face-off obsession with trying to have a natural birth.  Besides feeling unholy amounts of pain and shaking and the psychological despair of being told you're only three centimeters, the other thing on my mind when I asked for the epidural was breast feeding.  When you start doing research about how to have a good breast feeding relationship, one of the first things you see is natural birth.  If you get an epidural, your baby will be sleepy from medication at best.  At worst, you'll have a c-section and then you'll never ever make milk and you'll start supplementing with formula and then the world will explode into 36 million tiny pieces.  Okay, maybe I made that last part up.  But that's what I felt would happen.

When they told me my baby was here, it was 2 in the morning and I was dog tired and just about delirious from being so exhausted, but I remember thinking I had to get that baby up on my chest.  And I did, and with a little help because a) I had no idea what I was doing and b) I was so tired I felt like I was made of cooked spaghetti noodles - we had our first little nursing session.

Honestly, I had it pretty easy during those first few days.  We had an appropriate number of wet and dirty diapers, I seemed to be making something, and Ira would nurse for about 10 or 15 minutes at a time, usually.  I was so grateful to have it easy those first few days, because I know that doesn't happen for a lot of people.  The word "formula" was never mentioned to me, but I know at some hospitals, your nurse is pushing you to give your baby formula so you can sleep, or at worst, telling you that you "have" to give your baby formula because you're basically starving him because he isn't getting enough to eat.  I can't imagine hearing that, and I'm so glad I didn't have to.

When we got home, things were still easy by pretty much anybody's standards.  Sure, I was a little sore, because nobody's used to having a little piranha attached to you for hours a day.  But for the most part, we were golden.  He was gaining weight, he seemed pretty happy, we were good to go.  But then when he was two weeks old, I went to bed feeling like I just couldn't get warm and feeling pretty achey.  I decided to take my temperature when I woke up feeling that way in the middle of the night.  Of course, I had a fever, and it turned out that I had endometritis.  

Y'all, that ain't no game show.  It hurts to lay the baby on your belly, your fever is so high it makes you feel like you have the diphtheria or something, and the last thing you want to do is sit up and nurse your baby.  Fast forward to 24 hours later, and I had a rock-hard, bright red and painful lump on my left side.  Helloooooo mastitis.  Insult, meet injury.  I don't know why though, it never occurred to me that I couldn't feed my baby.  Maybe it's some sort of evolutionary drive or something, but I felt like the world would end if somebody bought formula for him.  Honestly even giving him a pumped bottle at that age was out of the question because I was afraid pumping wouldn't be enough stimulation for my supply, or that he'd get the dreaded nipple confusion.  So we pushed on and we both survived that bump in the road.

And now, I can't imagine not nursing.  First, let me say that breast feeding is the lazy mama's dream.  Baby crying in the middle of the night?  Haul him into bed, lay down while feeding him, go back to sleep.  If I had to get up and heat up formula, I'd be totally awake and I'd never go back to sleep.  Then, you have to wash bottles.  You know what I hate?  Washing bottles.  What a pain in the butt.  If that has to be part of your daily life, I am sorry, friend, because that is terrible slave work.  And then, there's my favorite benefit.  Need to get away from somebody?  Pretend to be shy and go nurse.  Sometimes, you just need a break from 10,000 visitors or family dinner or whatever else.  "Sorry guys, baby's hungry."  Another benefit is that I can't forget my boobs.  I have forgotten everything else.  A pacifier, a blanket, another outfit, diapers, wipes, a sun hat, socks, you name it.  But at least I won't have a hungry baby who is loudly expressing his opinions!

For that last part to work, you sort of have to be ok with nursing out in the world.  Because again, that whole pumping and bottle washing?  That's for people who are much less lazy than me.  

The best way to do it?  Wear your baby.  My ring sling that Mom made works best.  Drop him down a little further, and bam, happy baby.

I'll have to talk about baby wearing more soon.  But that's my favorite part of baby wearing!

And also, just snuggling with a baby and having him look up at you and grin, or stroke you with his little fingers while he eats, or snuggle next to you at night is just amazing.  There's nothing I'd trade for that.  Sometimes when we nurse I just try to memorize every second because I know he won't be a baby long.

I just hate that so few people get to experience exclusively breast feeding their baby.  I hate that so many women are told that they don't make enough, that their body is broken, that they're starving their baby.  The solution is always to give your baby something else or something more, and that just perpetuates the issue - because if your baby is getting milk elsewhere, that's all the less milk you'll make for him.  I also hate that so many negative things are said about nursing. 

"He'll sleep more if you give him formula."  He'd sleep more if  I gave him Jack Daniels too, but you don't see me busting out the liquor. 

"You'll stop all that once he gets a few teeth!" Um, they basically stick their tongues out over their teeth (or where their teeth would be) to nurse.  They don't chew on you like corn on the cob.  Or if they do, you're doing something wrong.

"You should just give him bottles sometimes so you can sleep more/go out/do other things." But then I have to make bottles.  And then I have to pack bottles.  Wash bottles.  Go out and buy more things with which to feed my kid, none of which are as good what I already have.  That's also free.  Plus, who said I want to go out and do other things?  I like having my little monkey come along.  I think he's pretty cute.

"Nobody else ever gets to feed the baby!"  And nobody else got to carry the baby before he was born, nobody else got to birth the baby...it's sort of part of doing the whole "mom" thing.  You're not really designed to have somebody else feed the baby.

So if you're struggling with breast feeding, keep your chin up.  There are hard parts, but I promise it's so worth it.  I wouldn't trade it for anything, and it might just be my favorite part of baby wrangling.  

Happy Two Months, Ira!

Two month stats:

Weight: 12 pounds, 9 ounces (75th percentile)

Height: 24 1/4 inches (95th percentile)

Clothing Size: You wear pretty much all 6 month clothes - some 3 month outfits barely work if they're shorts, but if they have long pants or sleeves, forget it!

Two Month Milestones & Highlights

March 31 - Your first Easter! We took you to church for the first time at Central in your Easter bunny john johns from Neta's. You behaved really well (i.e., you slept the whole time) through the whole service.  Though of course you waited for a really quiet moment to poop the loudest poop in the history of poops. The lady sitting next to us looked over at me like she thought you might have exploded.

We had lunch at our house with Mimi, Poppa, Nana, and Pa-Pa (and you did a lot more sleeping).

April 4 - The first time you did something other than sleep through a shopping trip! Daddy, Mimi, and I took you to Walmart and you loved it! You looked around at all the fun colors (and people) for about 20 minutes.

April 9 - It was Daddy's 26th birthday, so we went out to dinner at Longhorn as just a little family.  You slept the whole time and were (thankfully) super sweet in your ring sling, even though it seemed like we got the side eye a lot for bringing a baby to Longhorn.

(Also, all of your hair on top has fallen out and you look like a little professor!)

April 10 - We put you in your Bumbo seat for the first time!  You seem a little confused by it but you like it.

April 12 - We went to the lake while Daddy worked all weekend...and I am calling this the beginning of The Smiling Era!  We had maybe one or two teeny weeny smiles from you before but at this point, I think you have smiled every day.

April 23 - I decided you were too big for the newborn carry in the Moby anymore, so we moved to carrying with your legs out.  I think we're both more comfortable than we were with me stuffing you in there like a sausage, but it makes me sad that you're getting so big so fast!

You've started sticking your tongue out at us when we stick ours at you and you think this is hilarious!  I love it too and can often be seen stupidly sticking my tongue out in your general direction. 

You still sleep about one good 4 hour stretch between midnight and 4am and otherwise, you're up about every 2 hours.  You're still sleeping in the Rock 'n' Play because I tried putting you in the Pack 'n' Play but it was a superfail because all you do is spit up in that thing.  All. Night. Long.  And then you wake up cold and wet and pitiful and it just doesn't work out.  I plan on keeping you in the Rock 'n' Play until your tail is just too big for it!!

You still get a bath in your plastic bath seat in the big kitchen sink every night, which you love.  There is never any fussing in the bath!  

We try to go out and do something every day, whether it's Target, Walmart, the grocery store, or out to eat.  I wear you in the ring sling and you either look around if there are fun sights to see occasionally, or you (more likely) take a nice long snooze in the sling while we're out.

I still love you more every time I look at those big cheeks!  I never knew a little person with little fat rolls could make me feel like my heart would explode!

Why your baby needs a fluffy butt!

I just finished some cloth diaper laundry, which got me thinking that it's about time to do a cloth diaper post.  I really do wish someone had given me a nickel for every horrified look or remark of, "Oh you just wait and see," when I told them I was going to cloth diaper.  Some people (people who didn't have kids, but even more likely, people who did) would say, "Yeah, that'll last about two days."

But I am about the most hard headed person you will meet, so even if it involved going down to the creek and beating them on a rock at sunup every morning, I was determined to do it.  Cloth diapering and breast feeding were two issues I just refused to budge on - I'd do it or die.

And both of them....have turned out to be SO much easier than I ever dreamed.  Breast feeding is a post for another day, but cloth diapering is equally easy and fantastic.

First of all, Ira tends to have somewhat sensitive skin, so I hate to imagine what his poor little butt would look like in plastic pants with all the chemicals and whatnot in them.  There is nothing better than feeling a fuzzy fleece diaper lining and knowing that that's what your baby has on his little hiney.  We used disposables in the hospital, and I do not miss them a bit for that reason!

Back in the days where he was going through 15 diapers a day, we did have a little teeeeeeny tiny bit of redness, but it was easy to clear up with California Baby diaper cream and Earth Mama Angel Baby cream.  And just think - if you were pooping 15 times a day, I'm pretty sure your butt would be a little red too.

Well sure, I can sell you on the fact that fleecy hineys are much more comfortable and cute than plastic butts.  But most people think cloth diapers involve pinning dishcloths on your baby in an origami fashion.  That is SO not the case!  We use pocket diapers, and if you can use a disposable, you can use a pocket diaper.  You stick the diaper under the baby and snap it on...ta-da!

The sticking point for most people though, even if you're still with me to this point, is the washing of the diapers.  Everyone says, "Oh, you must use a service, right?"  Well no, because a) a diaper service gives you those dish rags that you put on your baby with the origami folds and b) because then I'd be spending probably more money than I would on disposables.

Here's how we do it.  All pocket diapers have microfleece inserts that basically look like a big, cloth maxi pad.  They're nice because they absorb everything and keep any liquids inside the diaper.  We pull those out (just so they get nice and clean), and toss that and the outer shell of the diaper into a metal trash can with a waterproof, washable liner.  When we're ready to wash, we shake the whole thing into the washer, add some Rockin' Green detergent, and press play.  That's it. No spraying, scraping, or beating on a rock in the creek.  Close the lid on the trash can and you'll never know it's there.  Your house will not smell, your baby's room will not smell, your neighbors will not call the EPA to report a sewage leak.  Promise.

At this point, you're wrinkling your nose and saying, But you're putting POOP in your WASHER.  Let me get real with you for a minute, y'all.  I think most people who haven't had a baby, or haven't had a teeny tiny baby in awhile, forget what baby poop is like.  We picture putting our own poop, or our dog's poop, or something in between, in our washer.  Yes, that would be horrible and nasty and just plain wouldn't work.  But really, if your baby doesn't eat solids, pretty much all of it is going to be liquid and it's going right into that microfiber insert.  If there's anything left on top, it's really thin and liquid-like too.  Not to mention, your baby's poop is just digested milk - it really doesn't smell.  We might hear him poop, but that's the only way we know...you could be holding him in your lap and not smell it.  And let me assure you, with some hot water and a heavy duty wash, you will not have poop in your washer for long.  I have been washing diapers almost every single day for 5 weeks and some change, and I have yet to see poop in there, pull anything out that smells or looks like poop, or have any issues at all.  If you're willing to wash your own sweaty underpants in your washer, I promise your baby's diapers are not that much worse, and they probably smell better.

We either line dry the diapers because it takes out any stains, and because it makes me feel like a pioneer woman, or we toss them in the dryer on low for an hour. And there you have it - fluffy, clean diapers, ready for your baby's butt.

Our favorite diapers when he was a teeny tiny newborn baby were Charlie Bananas, because you can adjust the leg elastics and they fit him almost immediately for that reason.  I still like those, but my only complaint is that the pocket opening is in the front, so it tends to be wetter up there when you have to pull out the insert.  I find myself reaching for our Just Simply Baby diapers a lot, because they fit really well and I like how the snaps are configured.

Oh, and I almost forgot - we use cloth wipes too!  My mom got some printed flannel and made us some super cute ones.  I keep a spray bottle with a few squirts of Diaper Lotion Potion mixed with a lot of water on the changing table.  I usually just squirt his butt directly with it, or maybe wet the wipe a tad if I need to.  It gets tossed right in the can with the dirty diapers, just like you would with a disposable setup.  I love them because you truly can use just one of them and the job is done.

We even use cloth when we're out, because it's honestly easier than swapping over to disposables to go out for a few hours.  I just keep a smaller wet bag in my diaper bag, a few cloth dipes, and I pull the insert and toss it and the diaper in my wet bag if we're out.  Then I shake it into my diaper pail at home and wash the wet bag right along with the diaper laundry.  I do use disposable wipes if we're out (though I don't love them), because it's easier than carrying a spray bottle that could potentially leak.

So next time you see cloth diapers on zulily (which is where most of ours came from), get yourself a few and try them out.  I promise, this doesn't just work for me because I'm supermom - I am the most disorganized person you've ever met.  Laundry is perhaps my most hated chore, but mainly because I hate folding and putting away clothes.  Diaper laundry is my favorite because it's all diapers, they all get tossed in my changing table, and it's so satisfying to have a whole load of clean, cute diapers.  Even PB, who is really not a crunchy hippie like me at all, will get out a diaper and give you a whole demo if you come over because he likes them so much more than disposables.  Even my mom, who was the world's biggest skeptic, especially when it came to the laundry part, will tell you it's no big deal...she's even joined in on my diaper-buying addiction.

Even if you just use them part of the time, or decide to try them, you're saving money and you're keeping yucky plastic diapers out of landfills.  Even if you have an older baby, it isn't too late!  They adjust so well that they'll fit Ira until he's potty trained (assuming that happens before, say, third grade).  I plan to reuse my diapers if we ever have more babies, so they may even pay for themselves another time over.  They're well worth the money and they're some of my favorite baby items!