Baby Shower Gifts

This being my second child I didnt feel the need to have another baby shower. We had two when we had Boo Boo and we received pretty much everything we would need. There were only a couple things I wanted to splurge on for our second child, a nice changing table/ dresser, wipes warmer, and lots of cloth diapers & wipes.

When I was pregnant with Boo Boo our first child I found an excellent book "Baby Bargains" by Denise Fields and Ari Brown. This was an awesome guide to all that is baby stuff. In the book they review all products in every category you can think of from baby bedding to pacifiers. This is how I narrowed down the list of stuff I wanted to register for. I highly recommend the current version of that book, to anyone who is a first time mom/ dad and is looking for a place to start.

You learn alot about what works and what doesn't with your first kid and you can only hope you can remember those things when your second comes around. But one thing I didnt expect was all the new products that have came out since Boo Boo was born 3 years ago.

I have compiled a list of products that I have found essential with a new baby. So if you looking for a gift for a mommy to be I recommend the following:

Bubba Swaddled in his Aden & Anais blanket

1. My Brest Friend: I didnt have this nursing pillow when I had Boo Boo, I just used either a ton of pillows or my knockoff boppy that really didnt help much for support while breastfeeding. My SIL showed me this when she had her second child, at first I thought it looked uncomfortable, but I liked how it had a pocket to store little nursing things in. She raved about it especially for newborns because it had great back support and made getting a proper latch easier. So after Bub was born I ordered one and I have had it for a week and it is amazing!!!
2. Lansinoh Latch Assist: This is a little device you use before nursing to help get a better latch. Im not going to go into many details about this, but from the beginning Bub has been a rockstar at nursing on my left side, the right side however we struggled with for 2 weeks. I used the nipple shield with Boo Boo which I had a love/ hate relationship with, it was nice but easily lost and I became dependent on it and I didnt want to do that again. So after struggling with the right side I looked online for some other options and I found this. It is also a lifesaver I dont have to worry about trying to get him to latch on for 10-15 mins anymore! Lansinoh also sells my favorite breastmilk storage bags and lanolin cream, which are also essential to any nursing momma.
3. Aden & Anais Swaddling Blankets: These are the softest, nicest, swaddling blankets ever! They are big 47" x 47" and come in alot of cute prints. Either they werent available or I must have thought they were too expensive or something when I had Boo Boo because I didnt register for them and I didnt get any. They can be expensive if you dont buy them on sale, but they are worth the price!! I have 6 now.
4. Prince Lionheart Warmies Wipe Warmer: It is a luxury to have a wipe warmer, seriously! If I was a baby I would be so happy to have my butt wiped with nice warm wipes.. LOL I didnt get one of these before because I thought it would be a PITA if we were out of the house and the baby was used to having warm wipes and etc. This time around I realized who cares, its a 3 second job and I wanted to use cloth wipes and this warmer was for both disposable and cloth. So far it is awesome and works great! Keeps the wipes warm and moist and you just need to refresh the soaker pad in the bottom every week or when you run out of wipes..
5. CJs Butter: This is a cloth diaper safe, butt cream to prevent/ heal diaper rash. It comes in a ton of amazing scents or unscented. I actually won this on facebook from Kissed by the Moon, and I choose Blueberry Crumble scent, it seriously is so yummy smelling. haha I love putting it on my babies butt just so when I open his dirty diaper it doesnt smell like anything but blueberries.. LOL Bub has yet to get a rash but alot of moms rave about this product working great.
6. Medela Double Electric Pump: I love my pump, it also is a lifesaver when it comes to breastfeeding. It helps boost your supply and decrease engorgment. I can pump for 10 minutes and have a bottle ready to go if we are planning on being in the car for a long stretch of time. It will also come in handy when he gets older and isnt nursing at night I can pump before bed and/ or during the night to keep my supply up. I like having the option to pump one or two at a time. Medela makes excellent quality pumps and are backed by a warranty. This is actually my second pump they sent me an new one when my old one wasnt sounding right.
7. Booby Tubes: are filled with all-natural flax seed. Use warm or cold, to soothe after nursing or ease engorgement/ unclog millk ducts. I got them because in the beginning Bub had jaundice and was only nursing every 4 hours and I was getting plugged ducts and it was painful. These are great, you just pop them in the microwave for 40 seconds and then put on inside your bra for 5 mins before nursing or pumping.
8. Baby Comfy Nose Sucker: this is another item that just hit the market this year. I thought it was gross at first, but after hearing from others it works great and the kids arent as fussy about getting their noses sucked as with an aspirator. I had to get one and see. I have used it twice and it works better in my opinion because they arent fussing, and you can control the suction speed.
9. Cotton Nursing Pads: I decided to buy some washable nursing pads this time around, I didnt like how itchy the disposables were. I found these on amazon and they are so nice!! I recommend buying 2 of the 6 packs because one is only a 3 day supply.. I also recommend Bamboobies nursing pads, they are kinda pricy but work great, I havent had a leak yet!
10. Nursing Tank Tops: I have several different kinds of nursing bras and tank tops, but I find that the tanks are the easiest to wear and provide enough support. Target sells a good one: Gilligan & OMalley® Womens Side Sling..., I also have one from Old Navy, and Walmart. If you are going to exclusively pump this one is perfect.

This is obviously a very biased post about nursing products but its what I have found that works and is the best.

I was in no way asked to promote any of these products by any of the companies listed, I developed this list on my own and it is solely my top favorite items for a new mom.

I will do another Baby Shower post in a couple months on products for an older baby, like the bumbo chair and sophie teether.

Thanks for reading!

Welcome Bubba!

On Sunday April 15th 2012, we welcomed to the world our second little guy, we nicknamed Bubba.

At my last appointment that was at 38 weeks I was measuring between 3.5 - 4cm dialated so we knew he was on his way soon and I wasnt going to make it to my due date. I had another ultrasound to check the babies fluid levels and approximate size. He was measuring 40 week 4 days big and had enough fluids but they said if I dont go into labor naturally before my next appt. they were going to schedule a induction. So knowing that I was prepared to go at anytime. Of course the next couple days I didnt feel any contractions. Saturday we spent the day chilling at home cleaning the house and rearranging furniture.
That evening we put together a puzzle on the floor, and I was having a hard time finding a comfortable position and thinking back on it now was having alot more pressure down there, but wasnt having any braxton hicks or any real contractions at all. Around 10:30pm after everyone went to bed I started having strong braxton hicks. Around 12am I was still up on the computer lol when I had a real strong contraction that actually hurt more than just tightning and cramping in my back that I was having before.. So I decided I was going to go lay down and see if that would help.
About 10 mins later my water broke and the contractions started. We called our people we asked to help watch Boo Boo while we went to the hospital and found someone to come over and stay the night so boo boo could continue to sleep.  This worked out perfect for us because I was nervous to wake him up and leave him somewhere.. Special thanks to boo boos favorite babysitter for saving the night.. lol

We left for the hospital around 1:15am my contractions were about 6 mins apart. We made it to the hospital at 2:00am and got checked in with triage. We got the last bed in triage and they said the girl next to us just got the last labor and delivery room. EEk! At this point we werent to worried because I was still at 4cm when we got there and 80% effaced. So I potentially could be in labor for several more hours before needing a room.. Well they got me all hooked up to the machine to track my contractions and the babies heartbeat. As soon as they got it regulated every time I would have a contraction, his heartrate would dip from 130s to 90s, so the nurse had me roll to my left side to see if that would help. The next set of contractions his heartrate was still dipping, so they rolled me to my other side and put oxygen mask on me and started my IV. This seemed to work for 2 contractions but then it was still dipping low 90s, and each contraction was getting longer and stronger. Finally they checked me again and I had progressed from a 5cm to a 7cm in an hour and so the nurse went to call my dr to see what she wanted to do about the whole situation. My dr was at home and said she would be on her way, and they needed to find me a room. The nurse came in and said "I cant tell you this but if you are feeling pressure we need to get you to a room, are you feeling pressure down there?" I of course said no lol I didnt catch her drift the first time.. lol. Then the next contraction came and she asked me again and I said yes lots! They magically found me a room and started prepping it for delivery.

Once in the labor and delivery room I asked for my epidural. The nurses said it was too late for that and that the anesthesiologist wouldnt make it in time because there were others in line in front of me. I tried bargaining with them for a while before I accepted that this was going to have to happen without one. EEK! I was already having extremely painful contractions I couldnt imagine it getting worse. LOL.

They checked me again and I was at a 9cm and feeling the urge to push (which by the way is the most uncomfortable feeling in the world especially when everyone is telling you to fight it and breathe through it and try to relax) haha.. The stand-in doctor was in the room now and had an extremely worried look on his face (thanks thats reassuring) and I heard my dr was about 10 mins away. Luckily she made in in 3 contractions and as soon as she entered the room I started pushing and 4 pushes later Bubba made his grand entrance at 4:49am! Apparently he had the cord wrapped around his shoulder and head so everytime I had a contraction it was pinching off the cord.

 It was such a relief when I heard him start screaming and I could tell he was going to be ok. Right away I noticed he looked so much like Boo Boo did when he was born. They took him to the table next to me and started cleaning him up and checking his vitals. He scored a 8/9, which is great.

He checked out fine and is a healthy baby boy. We waited to call and text our friends and family till it was morning because we didnt want anyone to wait up all night waiting to hear if we had the baby and he not come till night.. lol but that wasnt our story this time. Everyone was super surprised he came so fast and early in the morning but they were happy to hear he made it out ok.

My mom was already flying in that day and so we had to arrange for someone to pick her up from the airport and bring her to our house. That was alot to ask considering it was about 250 miles total she had to put on her truck round trip that day. Special thanks to her for doing that for us!!

My mom brought Boo Boo down to meet his new brother and he was very excited! Earlier that day I had recieved flowers and a balloon from my inlaws and Boo Boo was excited to meet his brother but the balloon was far more interesting.. LOL

We got out of the hospital the next day and it was 81 degrees out and sunny. I over dressed Bub in blue and grey sports ball fleece jammies and a cotton hat and mittens.. LOL but to be fair when I packed my hospital bag it was snowing and 34 degrees.. I had no clue in a week the weather would be so dramatically different!

            This was April 14th 2012 the day before bubba was born

We had just got hit by a huge snow storm 2 days before Bub decided to come, and I was very worried I would go into labor and not be able to get to the hospital that is 45 mins away because the highway was closed. Fortunately Saturday afternoon the temps were high enough that the snow was melting and the roads were clearing up. 

Our New Family!

Boo Boo & Bubba

Bubba 8lbs 7oz, 21inches

April 15th 2012 @ 4:49am

Why Cloth Diapers?

How I got into using Cloth Diapers..

When I was pregnant with Boo Boo, I never once thought about using cloth diapers, that was 3 years ago and I thought people who used cloth diapers were still doing the whole, prefolds, diaper cover and rubber pants thing. Like what our mothers & grandmothers had to do.

Well in August of 2010 I was at a playdate with some of my local Moms Like Me friends and their babies and two of them had their kids in "modern cloth diapers" and they of course were showing them off to all of us! I cant remember for sure what kind they were wearing but I was so impressed by how cute they were! But I still wasnt sold on the idea of cleaning them myself. I again thought of dunking diapers in the toilet and that grossed me out! Even though at this point I was a pro at cleaning poo from clothes and bedding (Boo Boo was a blowout baby from the beginning) So why would cleaning it from diapers be any different?

Well I continued to follow my friends on their cloth diapering expirence and kept the idea on the back burner.. In October of 2010 after Boo Boo had a horrible rash for a couple days that butt cream just wasnt getting rid of, I needed to do something quick, everytime I put a disposable on him he screamed! I had heard a new diaper store that just opened in my town and I thought I would just go and browse and see what they had available. I think I did ask my cloth diapering moms what they suggested beforehand and kept that in mind. When I got to the store I was a little overwhelmed, I had no idea there were that many kinds and styles of cloth diapers! (prefold & covers, all in ones, all in twos, pocket diapers, fitteds, one size, hybrids) I knew I wasnt interested in prefolds and covers, although they have come along way from the kind our parents used. The whole system seemed too much for me, I wanted something as easy to put on as a disposable. I was instantly attracted to SoftBums for that reason. I had no idea the shell could be used multiple times a day if just wet, I just knew I liked how it fit on the teddy bear they had available to try out diapers, haha. I bought one shell and 2 pods and one super pod. I thought it was alot of money up front but I was desperate for something this soft against my babies butt and All Things Diapers did have a return policy if the diaper didnt work out for us I could bring it back for something else.. I fell in love with the system and cloth diapering for that matter once I realized it wasn't any more work than disposables, and the extra laundry I didnt mind doing for him to wear such cute comfy diapers! Oh and his rash went away within the next day!

So why use cloth diapers vs disposables?

• For us we like the idea that they are a good investment. If you know my hubs than you will understand that one, he is a money man. If you take care of your cloth diapers and treat them well when you are done using them you can sell them. Thats right, and if your lucky and they are in really good shape you can get up to 40% of what you spent on them back! If your really lucky and the print is now retired and hard to find, people will buy them for the same price as new. Although if you dont take care of them and you dont use them enough to get your monies worth out of them, and you can find anyone to buy them.. then you lose. But when you buy a disposable and use it once you lose as well.

Lets look at logistics: a disposable diaper will cost you $.18-.43cents each, depending on sales and what size you are buying, (average is .22cents) times that by how many you use a day (4-8 average) times that by 365, thats $482 a year you just put on your kid, he pooped on and then you threw in the garbage. Now most kids wear diapers for 3 years, so thats $1,445 total spent on disposable diapers from birth to potty, thats not including disposable wipes! Now lets look at cloth diapers, average cost for one diaper is $18 a diaper + $5 for soakers, you would need about 6-8 to cloth diaper full time washing everyday, 12 if washing every other day & 24 soakers. So we wash every other so thats $336 for the 12 diapers & 24 soakers, add $20 for wet bags, $30 for cloth wipes, and $13 for detergent every 6 mos. Thats $444 for diapers from birth to potty. It would be less if you bought all your diapers used, but if your going to be using them for 3 years you might want to invest in them new so that they are in better condition when you are done with them. So you have a better shot at selling them. You could expect a return of $250 from your diaper stash. Guess what else is super nice about cloth diapers? You can use them on multiple kids, so that makes your money go even further!!

• Some people like the enviromental factor of cloth diapers, and in the business we are in (renewable energy) you would think that would be a big part for us too.. but like many people in this world, if you cant see the waste and harmful effects its hard to care about what you are throwing away. I know that it may take 500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose but I dont see dumps piled high with diapers all over the place. If they are burning the waste and that is going into the atmosphere and destroying the earth that way, I can see how that is bad but I never hear news stories or articles about it.. So like I said, I understand and agree its hard to care about it when you cant see the damage that is being done.. Thats not to say I dont care, but it's just not my #1 reason we use cloth diapers, thats all.
• I do however care about chemicals on my babies skin, and if you have ever opened a clean disposable diaper and smell it, it smells like alot of chemicals! If you ever take off a soaked diaper after being worn for a couple hours it has increased in size 3x, have you ever wondered what chemicals can make that possible? and they are being soaked into your babies skin..?? That is kinda scary! I like that cloth diapers you dont have to worry about that, its cotton, just like your clothes. What we are supposed to have on our skin. not paper and chemicals.. right?
• Last reason, a baby a year old and older is for some odd reason very interested in taking off their diaper. It doesnt matter if its clean or dirty, they like to take it off.. Well cloth diapers can come in snaps or velcro closure and that is when the snaps come in handy, they are much more difficult for them to take off and that saves you a morning of having to clean their bed!

That said, I have spent alot of time with trial and error. Not every diaper works for everyone, and some diapers work better for babies at different stages.. I have tried several different brands and kinds of cloth diapers and I still go back to Softbums AI2 diapers. They are the only cloth diaper on the market that is a true one size diaper, with their slide2size (drawstring) leg elastic adjustment system you can customize the size of the diaper each diaper change or as they grow.. from birth to potty training. SoftBums also being an (all in two diaper system) you can just change out the soaker pod if wet and keep the same shell and use it 3 times a day, before washing. Once the new little one is here I will be taking lots of pictures of the way this system works for us.

If you are looking into using cloth diapers or just want some more factual information about them. Here are a few resources I have found useful!!

• SoftBums Reusable Diaper Booklet
• Real Diaper Association- Cloth Diaper Facts
• Cloth Diaper Calculator
• Cloth Diapering Info- Articles by Padded Tush Stats
• Video from Kelly Wels Author of "Changing Diapers"
• Intro to Cloth Diapering by Tara at Padded Tush Stats