DIAPER ROUNDUP

Now that Cora is potty trained and we've sold the last of her diaper stash, I thought I'd write ONE LAST POST about cloth diapering. This is simply a summary of which diaper brands and styles we loved and which ones we disliked (and why). No two babies are created equally though, so some brands work better for chunky thighs, skinny legs, Buddha bellies, heavy wetters, etc. These are the ones that worked best for us. If you're planning to cloth diaper, you'll likely have to go through your own trial and error to see what works for you and your family, but hopefully this list can help get you started! And no, you don't need all-in-ones AND pockets AND hybrids AND fitteds AND prefolds AND covers. You can mix it up, or stick with all the same. Whatever makes you happy.

Our FAVORITE cloth diapers by style:

All-in-Ones: bumGenius Elemental and bumGenius Freetime
(There's a reason bumGenius is becoming a household name - their diapers are truly excellent!)

Other all-in-ones we tried included the bumGenius One-Size (which we found to hold "stink" - these were discontinued a while back) and a few WAHM (work at home mom) diapers (which we thought were awesome at home, but too bulky to leave the house in with kids fully dressed).

Pockets: bumGenius 4.0 and Rumparooz G2

Rumparooz runs a little smaller than the bumGenius one-size, but the inner gussets are amazing at catching messes. The inside lining is softer than bumGenius too, BUT, they stained easier...

Doopsy was another good and INEXPENSIVE brand (just stay away from their SD version with the Super Doopsy insert because it was a pain to stuff, and stick with the R version - also note that this brand runs smaller than  bumGenius as well), Blueberry was pretty good too (super cute prints, but their back flap was wide and open, so the insert would slip around), Thirsties Duo Diaper stained REALLY easily and had annoying inserts that came out the front or back (making for a bulky/awkward fit), and FuzziBunz were just hit-or-miss (we only owned the sized diapers, not the one-size, and we had no problem with ours, but heard that the one-size diapers had issues with delaminating and leakage).

Hybrids: FLIP
(This is another branch off CottonBabies, the makers of bumGenius)

We used the Organic and Stay-Dry inserts and loved them both, and their disposable inserts were the cheapest (while still working well) on the market.

We also used gDiaper (covers and inserts were great, but FLIPs were cheaper, and gDiapers only came in velcro - we've always preferred snaps, except for newborns), GroVia (they were called GroBaby back when we tried them and we disliked the mesh lining and thought they were too bulky overall), and Best Bottoms (the inside was a very thick PUL fabric that felt sticky against the skin, and they didn't fit James well at all).

Fitteds: WAHM diapers hold the market here! 
(check ETSY and HyenaCart)

My favorites had inserts made with velour as the top layer. We liked them with snaps and without (using Snappi's to secure the wings). Most WAHM shops make all-in-ones as well as fitteds, and while we loved the WAHM all-in-ones at home, they were generally too bulky or risked compression leaking when worn out of the house. Besides, they were too cute to cover up with clothes anyway, so we usually just used our prettiest diapers at home.We loved Sassy Britches, Bebe Britches, Nifty Nappy, Primm-N-Proper Baby, Bagshot Row Bamboo, Doodle Dype, and Dolce Baby.

We actually never had issues with any WAHM diapers not working as expected (WAHMs tend to take a lot of pride in their work, so their products are generally really well made), so the only WAHM diapers I'd advise you to stay away from are those with poor customer reviews (usually due to shipping time or other admin-type issues, not with the diapers themselves) or ridiculously high prices - they aren't worth it. After all, even with super cute fabric, it's STILL just a diaper, and it's STILL going to get poop in it. In fact, there are (at least) two WAHM brands that have turned into companies: Goodmama (seriously, these are considered collectibles - and who the heck pays upwards of $100 for a USED diaper?! I've seen them sell on the swap for that much and more...) and Sustainable Babyish (great diapers, but we eventually no longer liked the inserts because they crinkled in the wash, which annoyed us for folding/stuffing, and sometimes left indentations on the kiddos legs). We also had issues with ZunyBaby (the Elmo diaper) because it was really oversized, but I suspect if we'd known that and ordered down, we'd have been fine.

Prefolds: Green Mountain Diapers

If you ask around on any diaper forum "Who makes the best prefolds?", you're going to hear about Green Mountain Diapers. We went with the organic and they were SO SOFT and super absorbent. I never even considered trying a different brand, although some of our FLIPs were purchased with organic inserts, which looked and folded like a prefold, and we liked them a lot too (they stained easier than the GMD prefolds though).

Soakers: again, WAHM is the way to go 
(also from ETSY and HyenaCart)

Soakers are a cheap-yet-adorable diaper cover made of double-layered polar fleece (or wool, which tends to be very expensive and addictive) to keep fitted diapers or prefolds/flats from leaking. They also come in "longies" (AKA pants) or "shorties" (shorts) or "skirties" (yup, you guessed it - skirts) or even capris. These are generally used overnight, or during the day if you're not leaving the house (because you can get compression leaks, and they can be really bulky all layered up with a diaper AND a thick cover). They can be SO CUTE!

Newborns: prefolds and fitteds with covers

Our recommendation for those wanting to cloth diaper a newborn (for the first few months) is to keep it simple and cheap. Get yourself 18 prefolds (from GMD!) for daytime use, 4-6 fitteds for overnight (we liked the Thirties Fab Fitted XS and Kissaluvs size 0 best), and 4-6 covers (we liked the Thirsties Duo Wrap size 1 best, with velcro, to get the tightest fit on bitty babies).

We didn't have any luck with the newborn-sized All-in-Ones that we tried (the Rumparooz Lil' Joey's leaked BADLY), and you don't NEED them, but if you want a few for easier trips out of the house or for photo ops, then bumGenius now makes a newborn AIO that we hear is awesome.

Swim Diapers: ImseVimse and iPlay

Swim diapers are better if they DON'T have any layer of absorbent fabric inside, because who wants a lap full of pool water (and probably urine) when they pick up baby? Just stick with a swim diaper that has 2-3 layers of NON-ABSORBENT fabric with tight elastic leg casings to keep poop well contained (should an accident occur). And personally, we prefer the ones with snaps down one side (both ImseVimse and iPlay make versions with snaps) because if you DO have to deal with an accident, it's a lot easier to do if you can unsnap one side of the diaper.

18-MONTH CHECK-UP

Cora finally had her 18-month wellness exam today, and there isn't much to report. She's hitting all her milestones on or ahead of target. She screamed like a banshee the ENTIRE time the doctor was touching her (after the doc had JUST discussed with me that we should let her cry at night, proving even to old school Doc Smith that Cora is not a force to be reckoned with!) Then she yelled again when she got her Hep-A vaccine. And while she was weighed and measured. Her face was SO red by the time we left... Her diaper rash is finally healing (we hope for good!), hence the plastic diaper. Yup, she has a crunchy butt. We used them in Cali when my order of FLIP disposable inserts got lost in shipment, and we've decided to keep up with them for a while longer, until her rash is 100% healed and we no longer need to use creams on her. (Yes, they're a brand with fewer chemicals and whatnot, Seventh Generation. It's the best we could do.) In a side note, I also ordered new (different scent) cloth diaper laundry detergent, since we're worried the "Sweet Clementine" was bothering her ULTRA sensitive skin (since that is one thing we can point to as changing around the time that the rash first appeared), and threw out all of our BumGenius Elementals. And I didn't shed a tear. It sucks to lose that money we invested, but they had become so worn out (holes along the edges, an unfortunate result of using organic fabric - natural fibers don't hold up as well as the manmade ones do) that we couldn't have resold them anyway. And we'll still have saved over $1500 by using cloth instead of disposables over the past 2 years, so we're happy. Plus, we're getting close enough to potty training Cora that I'm starting to thin her stash (selling off her fitted diapers), so we'll just use her pocket diapers (she has PLENTY) until she's trained. Oh, and finally, in surprising news, Cora's weight (23.2 lbs), height (32.25"), and head circumference (46 cm) are ALL up, with her head circumference increasing to the 50th percentile to join her weight and height. She still seems tiny to us, but I guess Baby Doll is catching up with her peers!

NOTE: when measuring her at home against her new growth chart, she is not even close to 32.25", so we're pretty sure the nurse measured her wrong. She was right at 31" for us...

6 LITTLE PUMPKINS

James got the cutest Halloween book from his Grambot, two years ago, for his first Halloween. And while he wasn't super interested in it in past years, he simply can't get enough this year. Over the last week, I'm pretty sure we've read "Five Little Pumpkins" at LEAST 10-15 times per day, and he's quickly memorizing it (though not as quickly as I memorized the cute little rhyme - it's catchy).

And here is our 6th pumpkin, in her new Sassy Britches (Thanks Auntie Margie!)

CLOTH DIAPERED CUTIE

DOLL-SIZED TANTRUMS? NOPE.

She may still be our little Baby Doll, but Cora's tantrums are anything but little. Holy COW this girl knows how to turn up the drama. So, what does a tantrum by Cora look like? Here she is, mid throw-down:First she arches her back and throws her head WAY back, all while scrunching up her face and screaming. Then she literally face-plants on whatever she is sitting on, throwing herself forward with lightening speed, and whines and cries for as long as she feels offended (she can easily carry on for 5-10 minutes, even after being picked up to be consoled - once she's mad, she's MAD). It's not so bad when it's the carpet. Or the bed. Or the couch. But the other day she did it on the linoleum at daycare and came home with a bump and a bruise on her forehead. Nice. REAL nice Sissy.

I don't recall how long these types of tantrums lasted with James, but I'm hoping it won't be too much longer with Cora. Cross my fingers? Please? The LITTLEST little nothing can set her off too. And it's scary when she does it in your arms, because you have to act fast and hold on TIGHT to keep her from throwing herself out onto the floor.

On a brighter note, I splurged on an unnecessary item the other day. Cora got a new diaper! Probably her last new diaper ever. I blame Erin completely, since she sent me a code for 25% off and told me they (Blueberry/Swaddlebees) had a cute owl diaper for sale. How could I say no to an OWL diaper? Especially during the summer when it's so hot that Cora spends most of her time at home hanging out in just her diaper. Cute diapers are a must.

BIGGER ROOM, BIGGER STASH

Not only has Cora recently moved up to a bigger and better room, but her diaper stash has grown as well! No, I didn't buy more diapers (not for Cora, anyway - but we HAVE had 4 baby showers to attend recently, all for parents planning to cloth diaper!), but with James being potty trained, Cora has assimilated his diapers into her stash (well, the ones we haven't sold, anyway). I must say, it is REALLY nice not having diapers and wipes and whatnot in my living room anymore (the only convenient place when we had one kid's bedroom downstairs and the other upstairs). Cora's stash is now neatly organized in her ROOM under her CHANGING TABLE (I know, shocker right?), and this mama is very happy with the outcome! (That bucket on top of the changing pad actually lives in her closet, since it holds the daycare diapers - the BumGenius Elementals)Here are the Elementals, snuggled together in the bucket. All 24 of them.And here are her at-home diapers. All of them. Except the 14 FLIP covers (poor gal has been fighting a tricky diaper rash along with her fever, so she's been using the FLIP covers and disposable inserts all week). The left basket holds the 6 FLIP Organic inserts, the 6 gCloth inserts, the 3 BumGenius stay-dry doublers, the 4 HempBabies hemp doublers, and the 6 BumGenius microfleece liners. The center basket holds the fitted diapers (top-to-bottom on the left: 2 Sustainable Babyish, 1 Sassy Britches, 2 Nifty Nappy, 1 Primm-N-Proper Baby, and 1 Bagshot Row Bamboo), the fleece soakers (3 BeFelt, and the 1 I made), and the FLIP covers (when they're clean - right now there's just 1 up in the top right corner). Then, the right basket holds the pocket diapers (minus 1 BumGenius 4.0 that was dirty). There are 3 Doopsy, 3 Rumparooz, and 3 BumGenius. A lovely little rainbow.

And here's my little cutie with her cloth booty:

A YEAR IN CLOTH

Before we start potty training this weekend, I wanted to get one last photo of my babies in diapers together. Because, hopefully, come Monday night, we will have only ONE baby in cloth. We will still be parents of "2 kids two and under", but no longer parents of "2 in diapers"! After I took the photo and saved it to my hard drive, I realized that I have taken "diaper duo" pictures every couple of months since Cora was born. So I decided to post them all again, in order. These photos are so sweet, and my babies look so CUTE in their cloth. I just might have a hard time giving them up! Good thing we get to keep using all the pink ones for another 10 months or so...

JULY

SEPTEMBER

JANUARY

MARCH

MAY

WOOKIE

I bought this diaper for Eli, in honor of his space-themed big boy room with Star Wars bedding. But cloth was a no-go for D&T, so it ended up back in our possession. Of course, since we're planning to potty train James at the end of the month, I couldn't justify using it (I'd hate to put wear-and-tear on an awesome Doodle Dype that I could re-sell for full price if unworn). So off it sold on the Cloth Diaper Swap (within 5 minutes of my posting it - high demand much?). But not before I snapped a few photos of James modeling it after bathtime (with one of our extra inserts stuffed inside to protect the diaper in case James couldn't keep things under control for 2 minutes, so don't mind the added bulk).

Definitely one of the coolest diapers to pass through our household!

P.S. Did you know that today is Star Wars Day? "May the 4th be with you."

"WHERE ARE THAT CHILD'S PANTS?!"

Grandpa (or "Pi-Paw", as James sometimes calls him now) and Grambot are back in town! I grabbed the kiddos from daycare immediately following naptime (and fresh diaper changes) and headed to the airport to collect them. We fed Cora, ran a couple very quick errands, and headed to an early dinner. In that time frame, James drank 2 cups of juice/water. And since I hadn't packed an extra pair of pants (because our cloth diapers never leak), I got to be that mom, the one with a pantless almost 2-year-old, strolling around in the cool evening breeze. Sorry buddy.

Oh, and for the record, Dick's Sporting Goods does not carry toddler-sized pants.

WHILE DADDY STUDIES...

...the kids join me for dinner (Sloppy Cups!), take a bath together, hang out in their diapers (these are Doopsy pocket diapers, which we use for overnight), and have a dance party in the living room

"Brother, what interesting feet you have"

Then class is over. And they get to play with Daddy. Who encourages dog-piling on the baby...

THE STASH: UPDATED

Our diaper stash is ever-evolving. We have sold the newborn diapers (long ago), added a couple more AIOs for daycare, added more fitteds and pocket diapers for overnight, added some cute AI2s (with all but one being made by Margie), added some stay-dry doublers and liners (to keep skin dry overnight) and hemp doublers (for extra absorbancy), and sold another set of diapers that wasn't really working for us (the Best Bottoms system - we just couldn't get a good fit, no matter how badly we loved those Gators colors).

This is everything, minus 4 Bumgenius Organic AIOs (now called "Elementals") that were being worn or dirty, and the Elmo pocket diaper:

That makes 56 diapers total, not counting covers (FLIP or fleece) or accessories (doublers and liners), but counting the 6 organic FLIP and 6 gCloth inserts.

Each kiddo has their own box of AIO/AI2 diapers that we use during the day (I'm sure you can guess whose is whose).

The big box in the center is our overnight assortment (pocket diapers, fitteds, and all the covers). And the divided box on the right holds all the inserts and liners and doublers (FLIP up front, gCloth in the middle, and all the doublers and liners at the back - the hemp are the yellowish ones at the far back).

ELMO BUTT

He's had this for a while, but the thing is HUGE (the WAHM's weight estimate is way off, in my opinion) and he's just now starting to fit in it.

(This is a pocket diaper made by ZunyBaby)

(And yes, he is doing yoga is the last 2 photos. Upward dog and downward dog. I really need to get video because the first time Jay taught him upward dog, Jay groaned - being out of practice and whatnot, and now every single time James does it, he groans. Careful what you say/do around your 23-month-old... EVERYTHING sticks!)

SIBLING SWEETNESS

It's been a while since we've attempted a sibling photo, and since both kiddos were in a good mood after baths tonight, we gave it a shot. Luckily, Cora stayed happy and James was very sweet with her. When I laid them down together, he kept looking at her and telling her "Hi" and "Night-Night", then patting her head. So cute!

For anyone who is curious, the kiddos are wearing Rumparooz one-size pocket diapers, double-stuffed for overnight absorbancy (hence their fluffy bottoms). These are new, purchased to offset the fact that we are now cloth diapering FULL TIME! That's right, daycare let us use our cloth diapers all last week as a trial, and since everyone loved them (or at least liked them, and everyone liked them more than the hybrids because they are easier and faster to use), we now get to use our cloth 24/7! We are so excited, and really proud of our daycare (the first daycare in Vicksburg to allow cloth)! Now we don't have to buy disposable inserts anymore, which means our overall savings from using cloth diapers will go up AND we won't have to deal with stinky diaper inserts sitting in the trash can. Hooray! Of course, now that our beloved BG Organic AIO's are getting used all day, every day, they needed a good stripping this weekend. Right now, we're "rockin' a soak" overnight with our Rockin' Green detergent, and we'll be using some "Funk Rock" ammonia booster tomorrow morning to eliminate any ammonia buildup, then probably throwing in a couple extra rinses (one with vinegar) to completely clear them of stink. Every once in a while there is some maintenance to using cloth (if you want them to last a long time and look nice and smell like roses, or "Smashing Watermelons" in our case).

Oh, and if anyone is wondering why we didn't just purchase a couple more of the BG 4.0 pocket diapers we love so much, I don't know. I guess I just wanted to try something different. And the yellow was on sale (perhaps the color is being discontinued?), so that's always a bonus. They are extremely soft on the inside (microfleece), and people rave about the inner gussets. I think they run a bit smaller than the BG's though, so hopefully they'll last us through potty training...

DOLCE BABIES

We've had this Dolce Baby diaper for quite a while (purchased used, but you'd never know it to look at it). It's a fitted, so we use it at night with a fleece soaker. Lots of absorbancy + lots of breathability = a happy booty in the morning. Jay HATED this diaper with a passion until Margie added snaps for us last week (the material did not lend well to using a Snappi for closure, like our other fitteds do). Now he loves it, hippie-dippie tie-dye and all.

And James finally fits into the XL Befelt fleece soaker. After all that play time, James decided he was ready to read with Mama. And Jay couldn't resist taking a photo, since the camera was handy and I had both my babies in my lap. Then I gave Cora some snuggles and sent her up to bed with Jay for bottle time. He gets to feed her so rarely (as in, MAYBE a handful of time in the past 7 months) that I've decided to pump in the evenings now and then so we can switch things up. He learned that Cora really can hold her bottle and feed herself (we've been told she does it at daycare, but we'd never witnessed it ourselves). Little Miss Independent. After they headed upstairs, James and I played with his star turtle for a bit, then hit the couch for snuggles and sleep.

WHY WE'RE SEMI-CRUNCHY

We’ve had some questions lately (and in the past, especially when James was suffering through balanitis) from friends and family about some of the choices we’ve made for our kids, concerning the more controversial baby topics. So to answer those questions, I thought I’d write a nice long post to lay it all out there, for anyone who is interested, as well as for James and Cora to read someday if they ever wonder why we made the decisions that we did. If this post raises more questions, please feel free to ask for clarifications, though we don’t intend for this to start any debates. Jay and I are finding that some of the choices we have made are outside the “norm”, especially here in the deep south. We fully respect the decisions that other parents we know have made (or will make), and we hope that you will respect ours. Also, we are not looking to convert anyone (well, maybe to cloth diapering!), so please don’t feel like this is directed toward anyone. It’s just us. For all topics, our reasons for the choices we’ve made are listed in their order of importance to us.

So, without further ado…


Why did we switch to cloth/hybrid diapers a year and a half ago?

1. Cloth diapers are better for the environment. Each year, approximately 27.5 billion disposable diapers end up in US landfills. Yes, I meant to say billion. And that’s only our country… It’s estimated that disposable diapers take 500 years to decompose, but nobody really knows yet, since the first ones ever made are still sitting in landfills. Less than half a percent of the people who use disposable diapers actually dump solid waste into the toilet (and yes, Jay and I were guilty of not dumping solids, before we switched to cloth), so all that funk is also sitting in our landfills. The production and cleaning of cloth diapers uses almost 2.5 times less water than it takes to manufacture disposable diapers. I have estimated that by the time our 2 kids are potty trained, we will have saved 14,560 diapers from hitting landfills (that’s an average of 8 diapers per day for each kid for 2.5 years). That number makes us feel good. Really good.

2. You can save a ton of money by using cloth diapers. This was a big reason we initially made the switch from disposables to cloth (though not the main reason). And even though I am now somewhat of an addict, and have spent more money than we ever planned to spend on cloth diapers and tried lots of different brands, we are still saving a lot of money. I have estimated that with our 2 kids in cloth diapers for 2.5 years each (a reasonable estimate, since James started at 5-months-old and Cora will likely potty train younger than him), even with using our cloth-hybrid diapers for daycare (and having to purchase the disposable inserts, which do not contain plastics and thus decompose in an estimated 90 days, as opposed to the 500+ years it takes for disposables), we will still save about $1800 overall. And that includes me factoring in the cost of detergent, and the slightly increased water and electric bills, to wash the diapers. Also, that estimate of savings is if we don’t sell a single diaper that is currently left in our stash (we've sold quite a few already, including newborn diapers and brands/styles that we didn't love) when we are done with them. If we end up selling them all, at even 50% of the original cost, we stand to recoup another $500. That would increase our overall diaper savings to $2300. That money is going to look very nice in our kids’ college funds.

3. Disposable diapers contain harmful chemicals. The big, name brand companies sure don’t want you to know about it, but it’s true. For example, dioxins (highly carcinogenic byproducts from the bleaching process), sodium polycarbonate (a chemical removed from feminine products due to toxic shock syndrome concerns, and which is known to cause severe skin irritations, allergic reactions, fever, vomiting, and staph infections in babies), TBT (a non-degradable polluting chemical that causes hormonal disruptions in humans and animals, and which may cause sterility), VOCs (which can cause eye, nose, and throat irritations, headaches, damage to the liver, kidneys, and CNS, and cancer), and other chemicals such as dyes, fragrances, and plastics. If the cloth diaper companies (and mom-based businesses) had the means and ability to advertise the way that the disposable diaper companies do, we might see a greater percentage of Americans using cloth diapers.

4. Finally, there is evidence that disposable diapers cause increased scrotal temperatures in baby boys, which can lead to sterility. We’d rather not risk that. Besides, how would you like to sit around in paper and plastic pants all day, every day? And night? The waterproof covers used with cloth diapers (and hybrids) are breathable (whether PUL, fleece or wool). In addition to the lack of chemicals present in cloth diapers (and the lack of chemicals in disposable inserts used in hybrids), the increased air flow reduces the number and severity of diaper rashes a baby gets. From our own experience, we can tell you that James and Cora combined have had less than a handful of diaper rashes, and in each instance, antibiotics were a major contributing factor.


Why did we choose not to circumcise James?

1. There is no medical reason to do so. The only real reason is cultural/religious. Circumcision is simply a cosmetic procedure. It provides no increase in disease protection. STD study results are conflicted, with some showing increased STD’s for circumcised men and vice versa, because there are so many variables involved, and UTI statistics are also skewed due to confounding factors, such as premature retraction (UTI’s only occur in <1.0% of boys anyway). There is no need for circumcision later in life. Americans just aren’t familiar enough with proper intact care yet to protect elderly men, but that is quickly changing (not to mention, antibiotics can clear almost all infections, so late-life circumcisions are rarely "needed"). And circumcision does not decrease the risk of penile cancer (which is extremely rare anyway – male breast cancer is more common).

2. Circumcision is a risky procedure, and one that causes pain (yes, newborns feel pain). Risks include bleeding, damage to other areas of the penis, the removal of too much skin, meatal stenosis, and infection, to name a few. Watching videos of the procedure being done on newborns, while I was still pregnant with James and we were still researching our options, literally brought us to tears. The circumcision procedure begins with strapping the infant spread-eagled to a plastic board. Pain medications are more routine these days than they were in the past, but they are not always given, and even when given, not always allowed enough time to take effect. First, the foreskin is pinched and crushed as a clamp is attached. An instrument is then inserted between the foreskin and glans, tearing them apart. Another clamp is then used to crush the foreskin lengthwise, at which point it is cut. Finally, the circumcision instrument is inserted to protect the glans during the amputation of the foreskin. We weren’t willing to subject our newborn baby boy to that. He is perfect the way God made him.

3. The foreskin is there for a reason. It protects the glans (and has other functions I won’t record here, but feel free to look them up). 100,000+ years of evolution have not seen fit to do away with the foreskin, so neither would we.

4. There is evidence that circumcision is deterimental to the breastfeeding relationship.

5. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend circumcision.

6. Circumcision is only common in America. And not nearly as common as it used to be, or as common as many people are still led to believe (you can find the statistics for your specific area online). While circumcision was a routine procedure 30 years ago, the ratio is closer to 50:50 nationwide these days. That means that the fear of “locker room teasing” is pretty much unfounded. Besides, boys are far more likely to tease each other for far less “private” reasons. And we could care less that James doesn’t look like his Daddy. Times have changed. Medical research is an ongoing entity, and it is important to keep up with the current literature.

7. As we were sadly reminded (via James’ incident with balanitis, caused by premature retraction of the foreskin), there is no extra cleaning involved for intact boys. In fact, there is less cleaning involved, especially in the beginning, because there is no healing wound to care for.

8. Should James decide that he wants to be circumcised some day, for cosmetic reasons (though the cosmetic difference between circumcised and intact is not a full-time thing, if you get what I mean), the decision will be his to make. Yes, it would hurt. But at least as an adult he could get proper anesthesia. Better later, of his own choosing, than during the most fragile time of his entire life. Just because he wouldn’t have remembered it happening as a newborn, wouldn’t have made it hurt any less. Honestly, we feel that circumcision is a human rights issue, and newborns are humans too.


Why will we be keeping our kids’ carseats rear-facing past the 1 year and 22 pounds law?

1. Children are 5 times more likely to suffer a fatal injury when facing forward. This is simple science, not speculation. Babies and toddlers and young children have a proportionally large head. In fact, if it were possible, even us adults would be safer facing the rear (you’ve all seen how flight attendants travel).

2. It doesn’t matter if the kids’ feet/legs touch the back of the seat. They can fold them up or splay them out. We feel that safety is more important than comfort, though if you watch them, you’ll see that most little ones tend to draw their legs up anyway, kneeling or sitting “Indian style”. Besides, a broken leg is a lot easier to fix than a broken neck.

3. At almost 2-years-old, James doesn’t know any different, but if he were to start getting fussy about facing backwards, we still wouldn’t switch him. We’d rather deal with fussiness than constantly worry about his safety. We are pretty extreme when it comes to car safety. Not only do we keep our kids rear-facing, but we do not talk on the phone or text while driving. As the driver, we are responsible for the safety of everyone in our car, as well as all those driving around us, and we take that responsibility very seriously.

4. Despite the law (which is likely to change in light of new research), the AAP currently recommends keeping your child rear-facing until they reach the weight and height limits of their carseat, or at least until they reach 2-years of age.


Why do we follow an alternate vaccination schedule?

1. Basically, if a problem were to arise from a vaccination, we’d like to be able to pinpoint that vaccination for future reference, since most vaccinations require multiple doses.

2. Shots hurt, and nobody likes needles. We want to limit the amount of pain our babies experience during any one doctor visit. Both during the visit, and throughout the rest of the day (or week), should side effects occur (such as fever). Splitting the vaccines means that our babies have more doctor visits, but they are covered just the same by our insurance (no co-pays).


Why did I breastfeed my babies exclusively for their first 6 months (and up to 1-year for James while introducing solid foods, aiming to do the same, or perhaps even longer, for Cora)?

1. Breastmilk is called “white gold” for a reason. It is, simply put, the very best food for babies. Even the formula cans say so, right on the label. (Believe me, I know. I saw it when we switched James over to formula for 2 bottles/day starting at 10-months).

2. There are benefits for both mom and baby. Breastmilk is chock-full of immunoglobulin. Stomach viruses, lower respiratory illnesses, ear infections, and meningitis occur less often in breastfed babies and are less severe when they do happen. Because breastmilk is specifically tailored to your baby, your body responds to viruses and bacteria that are in your body and makes immunoglobulin specific to those pathogens, creating specialized protection for your baby. And that immune system boost can last well beyond the breastfeeding year(s). Studies have shown that breastfeeding can reduce a child's risk of developing certain childhood cancers and may also help children avoid a host of diseases that strike later in life, such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as allergies and obesity. Breastfed babies also have a lower risk of SIDS, one of the scariest things we worried about as new parents. As for mom, the longer you breastfeed, the more you are protected against breast and ovarian cancer.

3. Breastmilk is free and formula is expensive!

4. There is evidence (based on IQ scores and other intelligence tests) that prolonged and exclusive breastfeeding significantly improves cognitive development, with childhood test scores of breastfed infants being higher the longer they had been nursed.

5. Breastfeeding releases the "happy" hormone oxytocin, which promotes nurturing and relaxation. This can reduce stress levels and risk of postpartum depression. Oxytocin also causes uterine contractions, which helps the mother's postpartum body to heal faster.

6. Breastfeeding moms are "allowed" 500 extra calories per day in order to produce enough calorie-rich milk for their babies. Personally, I choose to use my extra calories on ice cream.


Why do we wear our babies?

1. Babywearing is extremely convenient. We don’t have to carry a heavy carseat or push a bulky stroller. We just strap Cora (and/or James) to our belly or back and off we go, hands-free to grocery shop, chase the toddler around, finish household chores, and a zillion other things that are difficult to do one-handed.

2. Babies enjoy the comfort of being close to their parents. Studies have shown that the more babies are held, the less they cry. Crying is exhausting. For them, and for us. And some studies suggest that extended crying may cause long-term damage as the baby’s developing brain is continually flooded with stress hormones. Babies who don’t spend their energy crying are instead calmly observing and actively learning about their environment. When they’re not sleeping, of course.

3. We do not believe that young babies can be spoiled (even though we tease the grandparents about it).

4. Babywearing promotes physical development. Babies who are “attached” to their parents (or other caregivers) are in tune with the rhythm of their breathing, the sound of their heartbeat, and the movements they make - walking, bending, and reaching. This stimulation helps them to regulate their own physical responses, and exercises their vestibular system, which controls balance.

5. Keeping your baby at eye level allows you to kiss them and talk to them. To keep them entertained. To reassure them. To show them things they would miss if they were strapped into a carseat or stroller and lugged around at knee level.

6. Babies who are worn are safe and secure. Instead of worrying about your toddler running loose in crowded or dangerous places, putting them on your belly or back ensures you always know right where they are.

7. It’s good exercise! Especially with 29 lb toddlers…


Why do we co-sleep with our babies on occasion?

1. We’ll be honest – for convenience. It’s far less exhausting to nurse a newborn back to sleep while laying down (and dozing off) than to sit up in the glider all night long. And in our experience, babies go back to sleep much faster (and stay asleep longer) when they are comforted by the touch and warmth of their parents. When our babies are sick or teething, they are extra needy and clingy, and they usually don’t sleep well by themselves.

2. We aren’t worried about squishing our babies. We are very careful about removing pillows and blankets when we cosleep. And we lock the cats up at night (much to their chagrin).

3. We’re not worried about “forming bad habits” because we don’t do it all the time. It’s common on weekend mornings, so we can get an extra hour of sleep, and it is allowed when the kids don’t feel good. Otherwise they sleep in their own beds, and we’ve never had a problem with them switching back and forth. Well, except for Cora, following our winter vacations, when she slept with us every night out of necessity. That did form a bad habit (though it was more related to nursing/suckling than sleeping).


OK, that was really long. Even so, I’d like to end with this quote, to remind everyone that we do truly respect the many hard choices that we have to make as parents, and we wish you all the best in your personal decisions:

“The more people have studied different methods of bringing up children the more they have come to the conclusion that what good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is usually best after all. Furthermore, all parents do their best job when they have a natural, easy confidence in themselves. Better to make a few mistakes from being natural than to do everything letter-perfect out of a feeling of worry.”
— The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, Benjamin Spock, 1946

NIFTY NAPPY

The other night when Cora had me up in the wee hours of the morning, stressed and unable to sleep while Jay rocked her and calmed her (the night before we tried cry-it-out) after hours of unsuccessfully getting her to sleep without being attached to me, I entered a drawing on Facebook for a free cloth diaper from a shop that is going out of business due to the new CPSIA ruling. And I won! Cora's new Nifty Nappy is adorable, and so is she. Even in the wee hours of the morning. And even when I'm stressed.

HURRICANE JAMES

When our house gets messy, I just blame it on the weather...

Don't worry, he didn't do it ALL in one day. Though he could have. Believe me. We just got busy with family visiting, Christmas presents, and travel. It was not so lovely coming home to this on Wednesday.

Therefore, we spent a good portion of the day cleaning house today. As you can see, one of the biggest jobs was collecting and organizing toys. The most obnoxious ones ended up out in the sunroom. The ones with a zillion pieces are now in James' room (hidden in drawers for special occasions). It feels good to be able to safely walk through the living room again. And the bookshelf has never been more organized...(There are THREE diaper caddy's in this photo... one for James, one for Cora, and one just for overnight diapers. Plus a container each of cloth wipes and disposable wipes. It takes a lot to diaper two munchkins!)

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS...

...when it's a diaper laundry day and all the boy diapers are in the wash!

(Doesn't he look like one of those girls who wears shorty-shorts and UGG boots? Hilarious!)

SASSY OWLS

Margie's redesigned diapers are AWESOME! Such a great fit, and cute to boot!!

BEFELT

We got "fluffy mail" the other day! I had joined a co-op (discount group order) on BabyCenter quite a while ago to get some absolutely adorable, semi-custom fleece soakers from BeFelt, and they finally arrived. They're even cuter in person! These will be used at night, along with overnight-rated fitted diapers, so that James and Cora's bums can breathe (fleece allows greater air flow than PUL covers). If our initial testing goes well, we just might have to get a few more...

Seriously, could you have passed up these designs? SO cute!

Unfortunately, only James will be able to test these out right now, since Cora's is WAY too big on her. Bummer too, because I had ordered her "refresh" in a medium. The "c'mon pokey" is for both of them, size large. And "toofy the monster" is an XL for James. I had heard they run small, so I ordered up. And I wanted an array of sizes for the kids to grow into. Hmmm. Hopefully they'll "snug up" in the wash and Cora can wear hers soon!