Sling it, kid & hair for the garden

Sunday, Keagan fractured his arm (it's basically a hairline crack).  He needed a sling, and not one single store in our area had them in kid-size. After hitting up a series of stores with no luck, Keagan and I returned home with a mission.  We were going to make one ourselves!  Why didn't I think of that in the first place?

We used some camouflage fabric from a hand-me-down shirt to create this cute mini-sling.  The soft, worn t-shirt material makes it comfortable and breathable.  Perfect fit for this little boy!

Of course, having a "bum arm" hasn't slowed him down any.  He's still on the go!

Speaking of my little Keagan, as you can see, he got a major haircut! While I miss his wispy locks, I love his short hair.  (I'm a little torn- I really loved his long hair! He looks so grown up now, which is cute, but... eep! What happened to my baby?)

A while back, we learned that human hair is great for keeping certain bugs from nibbling at your garden! So, after his haircut, he got to sprinkle the trimmings throughout our plant beds!  Talk about making the most of what you've got!

Sewing Fleece Diaper Covers

Evangeline has outgrown her size one Thirsties Duo diapers.  I'd say they're pretty much my favorite because they are adjustable and blow-out resistant because of their double gussets.  They come in two sizes.  The size ones fit her comfortably from newborn to six months.  She could still fit in them at seven months (and now, at eight months), but I have to keep the inserts slim, which means less absorbency. Even though I try to take her out of diapers to the relieve herself, this doesn't always happen, especially during naps.  And, the tighter the fit, the less room to hold poo when there's a massive, um... release.

Here's the thing, folks. If you are having troubles with blow outs (whether in cloth or disposables), it may be because the diaper is too fitted against the heiny.  There needs to be a little wiggle room there, some space, really.  If the insert or the disposable is pressed tightly against the bum, there will be no where else for the poo to go... other than out the gussets.  Just a tip for those having these issues. If you keep having diaper blowouts, it's time to go up a size in diapers.

Anyway, so I decided it was time to make some new covers for Evie.  I really like Thirsties Duo Wraps, so I did purchase one in size two (which also adjusts and will last the rest of her diapering days), but I also knew that I could make my buck stretch further if I made my own.  I really like fleece diapers.  They're more breathable than PUL (which is what Thirsties and most diaper covers are made of), and they're easy to care for.  You can wash them with the rest of your wash, if you need to.  No special care.  So, if a little poo gets on them, I can toss them in with the rest of my wash, regardless of whether I'm using free and clear detergent.

They're easy to make and significantly cheaper than purchasing covers from a shop, especially if you happen to have an old fleece blanket laying around!  Let me give you the breakdown.  One yard of fabric will give you two diaper covers.  Each diaper cover is made of two layers of fleece (extra protection!).  If you purchase the fabric full price, then you are paying about $4.50 per diaper.  I never buy it full-price.  When they are on sale, each diaper comes out to $2.75.  If I buy fleece off the clearance remnant section (50% off), it costs me $2.25 per diaper.  Add in the cost of elastic (.25 per diaper, typically), and that's a pretty cheap, handmade diaper.  If I use a 10% off total coupon, well.. I can get it even a bit more cheaper.  (I shop at Joann, btw. They have great sales in store and online.)  Plain fleece is cheaper, but not by much.  If I use plain fleece, I like to use some pretty fabric to dress it up, which usually ups the cost a bit, unless that fabric is repurposed or from my scrap bin.  This diaper below probably cost me about $4.00 to make.  When I saw this delicious quilting fabric, I had to have it.  It's just too adorable!  I was a cupcake fan long before cupcakes were the "in" thing, and, believe it or not, one of my favorite colors is brown.  (I know some people think brown is a ugly color, but I love it.)

Evangeline looks so adorable in it- chunky legs and all.  She's just so sweet, I want to nibble her up!  It's been a while since I've had a chunky baby to snuggle since Keagan was super tiny.  I mean, her legs are way chunkier than his were.  He had little stick-legs.  Her body is chunkier than his was at a year!  (And I love it! I just love all those soft squishy rolls!)

 



Fleece is super comfortable. I recommend buying anti-pill fleece because it stays looking nicer for longer.  But, hey, if you have an old fleece blanket laying around, use it.  I don't have a snap press, so I just use a Snappi or pins.  I'm thinking about making a fleece cover that ties in the front.  I'll have to ponder a pattern for that one. I have an idea in mind!  There are also patterns out there for pull-up fleece covers, so you don't have to worry about snaps, Snappis, or pins.

I don't have my own pattern posted- but you can find free patterns all over the internet. A fitted diaper pattern will work just fine as a fleece cover pattern, although you may want to make your cover just a bit larger (maybe just 1/2 an inch larger all the way around).

Diapering preferences

I'm often asked which cloth diaper system and product I like the most.  There certainly are many to choose from, and, for the beginner, the choices can seem overwhelming.

We started cloth diapering because we wanted to save money.  This means my diapering system needs to be one that gets the most bang for my buck. However, I don't think I'd really stick with it if it were not for the cuteness aspect, so I do "splurge" a bit to get colors and prints I like.

With Keagan, we used one-size pocket diapers, and while I was grateful for them, I found them to be a bit of a hassle.  Later, I changed to Bummis Super Brite covers with inserts instead of using pocket diapers. I bought Keagan two covers, which will lasted us a whole day since they are wipeable and can be used over and over, unless there has been a bit of a blowout, then thrown into the wash at the end of the day. 

I had been given microfiber inserts and had bought a few more of my own, but I disliked how they held the stench and seemed to require extra attention because of this issue (more rinses, stripping, etc.).  I ended up switching to natural fibers.  Bamboo became my favorite insert. They are very absorbent and soft- much softer than cotton, actually.

I decided to use the same system with Evangeline- covers and inserts. I fell in love with Thirsties Duo Wraps. They come in two adjustable sizes. At eight months, Evangeline is now nearly out of her size ones, so I am beginning to build my size two stash which should last her until she is out of diapers.  I like that TDWs come in two sizes because the size ones will comfortably fit a newborn, where as most one-size diapers are too big and bulky on a newborn.

I purchased my first TDW size two yesterday, and she is able to wear it on the lowest snap, so I know it should accommodate her until she is diaper-free as she has plenty of room to grow.

I personally prefer the Aplix version (think Velcro) over the snaps, because the aplix not only allows me to put the diaper on quicker (my fingers fumble with snaps), but seems to make a snugger fit around her waist.

We do still use disposables, and, as I've mentioned before, we also use the method of Elimination Communication. We have found that a combination of the three work best for us.

I think pocket diapers work best for night time, especially if you have to wake up to nurse and change your baby in those wee hours. Pre-stuffing pocket diapers for this occasion makes it less of a hassle since you'll likely be quite groggy at that hour. I don't know about you, but I don't like having to fiddle with a cover and insert when all I really want to do is snuggle back under those covers!

That is the upside to pockets- if we prestuff them once they been washed and dried, they make diaper changes just as easy as disposables.  I like Bumgenius Aplix pocket diapers. A friend of mine gave me some hand-me-down BG pockets, and I love them! I also like Blueberry's pockets.... and they have some adorable prints!

I used folded up birds eye flats as inserts when Evie was a newborn. (Similar to prefolds, but with more options, since they are not "prefolded".) These are perfect for newborns. Don't be afraid to buy inserts in newborn sizes- you can always use them as a "booster insert" as your child gets older and requires me absorbency.   As I previous mentioned, I prefer bamboo inserts. That is what we mainly use now. My bamboo stash is small though, so when I run out, I use birds eye flats or prefolds.

The first taste

Our gardens aren't producing much yet, but some of our tomato plants have finally brought forth the fruit of our labor! If you've never had a homegrown tomato.... you're really missing out!

Our hanging strawberry plant is having a tough time. Every single berry that buds ends up drying out.  Our weather has been quite strange- very hot and dry... and suddenly a cold blast (with no rain).  Our city water seems to damage our plants as well. It's all been an educational lesson, though.

We have two (out of about ten) squash plants that survived (so far). Something kept munching on them until I finally sprinkled hair clippings and baby powder around.  There were three, but I tried to transplant one and.... yeah... I killed it.

I'm just thankful God was gracious enough to at least allow us a taste of our produce. It's just so amazing to be able to pluck something from my own yard and eat it. I often wonder what it would have been like in Eden.  What will it be like when Christ comes to reign in the new earth?  Am I the only one who ponders food in this manner?

EC Question and Successes!

Anyway, real quick on the Elimination Communication Subject.  I want to address a question:

So with EC, when does she start doing it on her own without you having to put her on the potty? It just seems like you'd be doing this soooo much for up to a year or two.

I think most people have some preconceived notions when it comes to EC.  First of all, most people probably imagine that we're running her to the potty a zillion times a day, or that we're sitting by the potty for long amounts of time trying to get her to go.  I suppose that may be what happens for many when they are first starting out, but it's certainly not like that for us.

Take this morning for example: Keagan woke up and needed me to change his diaper. I took it off, cleaned him, then sent him to the bathroom.  While he was in the bathroom, I set Evangeline on her potty (right outside the bathroom in my bedroom).  Keagan quickly pottied, and I put fresh pants on him.  When he was finished, I removed Evie from her potty and put a fresh diaper on her. 

Taking your child to the potty really isn't that big of a hassle. I mean, okay, it is when you're in the middle of cooking dinner or in a deep discussion with a friend who stopped in for a short visit, but, in the grand scheme of things, it's really not the pain-in-the-rear that it often sounds like.  I used to think the same thing, though.

Once you get used to their "routine", it's really not a big deal. I know Evangeline is going to need to potty three times in the morning- once after her first feeding, again about fifteen minutes later, and again around thirty minutes later.  She always needs to go more frequently in the morning.  She will play for a couple hours, then be ready for a nap, so I'll feed her, take her to the potty, and then she'll snooze.  Every time she wakes up, she'll want to nurse and then potty.

One thing I realized is that a lot of the time when she is fussy and I believe I have met all her needs, she really is fussing because she needs to go to the bathroom.  Previously, I believed it was because she was still hungry or she was just being figgity.  I read someone else's EC story online, and she mentioned this... so I began taking Evangeline to the potty when she was fussing and wiggling around.  Sure enough!

It's interesting, because I had almost made this connection beforehand, but fallen a bit short. When she was fussy and I knew she wasn't hungry and she didn't want to lay down and go to sleep, I would check her diaper.  If she had fussed for a while, it would be wet, but in the beginning, it would normally be dry.  So, she would fuss because she needed to go to the bathroom (and Momma wasn't getting the hint!), and then she'd fuss because she didn't want to sit in a soiled diaper!  I had caught on to her fussiness about not wanting to sit in a wet diaper, but it had not clicked that the fussing had started because she needed to go and did not want to go in her diaper.

Smart kid. Dull mom.

The way I figure is, I'm already in the habit of frequently changing her diaper. It's not really more of a hassle to take her to the potty.  When we had just started out, she would sit on the potty for a maximum of 5 minutes, but now it usually takes less than a minute- at most, two- for her to go.  It really did not take us long to get into a nice little routine, and she will usually go when I set her on the potty, even if she only needs to go just a little bit.

Thing is, I know many of us are kind of lazy about changing diapers. We are used to disposables which tell us they are more absorbent and hold more- and so this causes us to leave our babies in a soiled diaper longer.  It may be more difficult for someone using disposables to switch to the EC mindset because you likely aren't used to changing the diaper as often.  Cloth diapers usually need to be changed more often, unless you have loaded it up for overnight.  But, in order to keep a cloth diapered heiny trim and dry, you'll need to change it more often, which causes you to pay more attention to when your baby is wet.  Then you get more of a feel for how much they go... and often when they go.

Here's another way to think about it.  I am saving about 6 diapers a day. Six diapers. That's 42 diapers a week. For disposables (the store brand), that's about $15 saved.  Double that for brands like Huggies.  In cloth-speak, that's a lot of laundry I don't have to do (and it's money saved on water, energy, and detergent)!

It's most definitely worth it to me.

And, since we're also potty-training Keagan, I can use Evangeline as his "timer" as well.  If he goes to the potty almost every time she goes to the potty, he'll be dry all day.  So, while she sits on her little potty, he sits on the big potty- and hey, two birds, one stone.

Currently, Evangeline uses one diaper at night- this normally gets her through the whole night.  This absolutely amazes me!  She wakes up in the middle of the night- dry- and wants to nurse. I nurse her, she falls asleep in my arms. If she fusses, I'll get up and put her on the potty.  Normally, when we wake up in the morning, her diaper is wet, but it is not soaked as it used to be.  I'll nurse her, put her on the potty, and she'll fill that sucker up.  (I have tried putting her on the potty before she nurses, but she won't have it. She demands nursing first!) She soils about three diapers a day (including the one at night), sometimes four if we're out and about. For a baby, this is pretty significant (in my opinion).  Keagan soils 3-4 diapers a day as a toddler... without using the potty.

I'm really not sure when Evangeline will be able to take herself. I mean, she'd have to be able to walk- right?  I suppose, once she is able to walk, she may be able to toddle over to her little puppy potty and plant her little booty on it.  The goal isn't really to potty train her though.  I guess you could say it is a by-product of using this method.  The goal is simply to provide for her need. She doesn't want to sit in a soiled diaper, and she's made it clear she doesn't usually even want to pee in the diaper.

I realize EC is not for everyone, but it really works with our family, so I'm going with it.  Obviously, we still use a diapers, and a combination of these things is what works for us.

Today, Evangeline went for the first time while we were out running errands. I held her over the public potty and she tinkled- A LOT! I noticed she was fussing and arching her back. Her diaper was dry, so we hurried to the potty, and boy, did she have to go!

I was so proud of her! I'm sure Evangeline is thinking, "Yay! I'm sure glad my mom is finally getting this all figured out!"   What can I say, I finally decided to listen to what my Granny has been telling me! She used this method on my father!

Eliminaton Communication: Theoretically...

I loved this theoretical parallel, definitely makes me think....

What if your mother was in a nursing home, and she called and told you about a policy change at the home.  The nursing home decided that due to a staff shortage, all the residents who can not go to the bathroom without assistance must wear Depends.  They will be changed on a two hour schedule.  Your mother complains that she sometimes goes to the bathroom a few minutes after her Depends has been changed but must sit in it for the next two hours because the staff refuses to give her a clean one, even if she requests it.  Wouldn't you be appalled at that treatment?  Why?  Because human beings should not have to sit in their own waste.  Now isn't your baby as much of a human being as your mother?

[Source]

Part 1: What is Elimination Communication (EC)?

Is it a form of potty training?

I suppose, for some, it is- but I believe babies are already fairly potty trained when born. It's the parents that need the training!  EC is simply responding to your baby's need to pee or poo, just as you would when your baby is hungry and needs to nurse.

Just as a baby communicates her hunger to her parents, a baby also has ways of communicating her need to eliminate.  If you already have a baby, you've probably already seen some of these signals, like baby grunting or bearing down while holding her breath when she's trying to poo.

How will I know my baby needs to go?

You likely already know baby's signals for when she needs a diaper change, right?  When Evangeline soils her cloth diaper, she fusses and wiggles- and if I ignore these signals or misinterpret them, she'll continue getting louder and louder until I get the message.  (We do not use a "stay-dry" layer- the layer which wicks moisture away from the skin.)  So, you see, you've already learned how to read baby's cues when she needs her diaper changed, so you can definitely learn how to decipher her signals when she needs to go to the potty!

You may have also figured out that your baby has a routine. You may have noticed he poos at a certain time each day or needs to be changed after every nap.

Most babies need to relieve their bladders soon after they awaken and shortly after nursing.  I already had an idea of Evangeline's elimination routine, so this helped when we began. 

Some people begin EC at birth, but many start at other points during the baby's first year or so.  When I was pregnant with Evangeline, I considered doing it but promptly forgot about it once she was born!

DiaperFreeBaby.org has wonderful tips on how to tell if your baby needs to go.  I love that they point out that intuition can be a great indicator as well, because sometimes I just "know" she needs to go, and I have no other explanation for it.  Click here to read about signals and cues.

There are loads of tips available on the internet, and the EC section on the Mothering.com forums are a great place to get feedback and advice.