Tips for New Moms

Words of Wisdom from Real Mothers at La Leche League Meetings

From The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, 8^th edition

·      Newborns don’t look like magazine babies.

·      A dirty house builds extra immunities.

·      Wait long enough and it will change, and the questions and answers will be different.

·      Sometimes the books are just wrong.

·      A dog is an excellent floor cleaner.

·      The ideal adult-to-baby ratio is about three to one in the first week.

·      When people offer help, say yes.

·      Listen to your baby.  Respect him and his intuition. He will tell you what he needs.

·      You can only do what you can do.

·      Step outside when you can, throw your shoulders back, take a deep breath, and look up for at least a few seconds.

·      It’s important to see other babies, so you know what’s normal.

·      Join a playgroup. It’s not for the child, it’s for the mother.

Is This Thing On?

An Exploration Into Snap vs. Velcro™ Closure Systems

As I began writing this, I realized that I must preface it with truth. I am NOT a veteran cloth diapering mom. As a matter of fact, I am quite the novice when it comes to cloth diapering and the many options associated with this aspect of green parenting. Over the past few days I have slowly begun transitioning my son from disposables to the ever-so-comfy pocket diaper. While I am not sure where we will land in the cloth diapering world, one thing is for sure -- if we decide to go with a traditional CD, my recent experience dictates snaps are NOT my friend! Of course, it’s up to you to decide what’s best for you and your baby.

While it may seem like something pretty silly to debate, this subject remains ever-present in women’s restrooms, locker rooms and support groups the world over. Well, maybe not locker rooms. Okay, so maybe not the world over either but this is definitely an issue that many cloth-diapering mamas seem to face. Apparently, it’s not uncommon to find yourself knee-deep in covers, liners and poo before you ever realize you prefer one over the other. 

Over and over again, in our classes and in sidewalk conversations, the consistent consensus seems to be whether one should choose a Velcro™ or snap closure system.

Which one reigns supreme?

Let’s compare, shall we? 

VELCRO™ Pros
    •    Provides an adjustable fit that you can customize to suit baby’s changing size
    •    Easy to use

VELCRO™ Cons
    •    Can be noisy and disturb baby especially in the newborn stages
    •    As baby gets older, may become easier for her to unfasten
    •    May wear out over time and need to be replaced

SNAP Pros
    •    More durable than Velcro™ in many cases and may last longer
    •    Will not attach to other diapers in the laundry
    •    Baby is less likely to detach snap

SNAP Cons
    •    Not as adjustable as Velcro™
    •    Harder to replace Velcro™ than snaps

Ultimately, the choice is yours. It all comes down to making a decision that best fits your wallet, lifestyle and baby. Happy snappin’! (Or ripping Velcro on and off, if you do so choose!)

~ Kennesha Buycks

Diaper Repairs by Naughty Nappies™

Sway Davis, founder and mommy behind her burgeoning business, Naughty Nappies™will now be offering diaper repair services to Baby aWEARness customers. If you have any cloth diapers in need of new velcro tabs or even snap closures, contact the store and we can help you make arrangements to get them as good as new again.

Cloth Diapering 24/7

Baby A's Holli Shiro, cloth-diapering wonder mom, offers some great tips on how to make your cloth diapers work harder at night so you and your baby can get more sleep. 

Problem:  Your baby is completely saturating their diaper at night.
    1.    Change the “stuffing” in your pocket diaper. You can add a second microfiber insert (most pocket diapers come with two), stuff it with a hemp doubler in addition to your microfiber insert or try a cotton prefold inside the pocket instead of microfiber.   If your baby is a tummy sleeper, put the folded part of your insert in the front.
    2.    Try a fitted diaper with wool cover.  If adding doublers or changing the stuffing in your pocket diaper isn’t helping, try a cotton/hemp or bamboo fitted diaper paired with a wool cover.  Wool covers can absorb 30% of their weight in liquid while still remaining breathable and waterproof.  For parents of heavy wetters, this system is the ultimate nighttime solution. 

Problem:  Your baby’s diaper isn’t saturated, but it’s leaking in the front, back or sides.
    1.     Adjust the rise of your pocket diaper or diaper cover.   Try setting your pocket diaper to the next size up to give more coverage and to close the gap between the inside of the diaper and your baby’s clothes.  
    2.    Make sure you have a good snug fit around your baby’s legs.  Sometimes you may not have a great fit if you’ve been stuffing more material in the diaper for absorbency or if your leg elastic is stretched out.  If you can’t get a snug fit with a pocket or AIO diaper, try switching to a prefold with Snappi (so it goes around your baby’s legs) or fitted diaper with a gusseted PUL cover or stretchy wool cover.

Problem:  You’re using a natural fiber diaper at night, but you want the wicking properties of a microfiber pocket diaper.
    1.    Add a fleece liner.  A fleece liner will help whisk moisture from your baby’s skin  while allowing liquids to pass through, helping your baby stay comfortable at night. (HS)

The Tao of Poo

The Truth About Poo and Cloth Diapers by Ashley Sidell

What is your first thought when someone says “cloth diapers?” Many think that there is no way they want to rinse poo off a cloth diaper. Or what about stains and the smell? There is a lot to know when it comes to poo and cloth diapering. The truth is, it isn’t as bad as you think!

First, let’s discuss the various types of poo there are. And, all poo is related to what they eat.

Meconium
Meconium is the thick, black, tar-like substance babies pass as their first stool. It will stain anything it touches. Most likely, your baby will pass this substance before their little bottom even touches a diaper, but if not, you can use a biodegradable liner to protect your diapers which you simply flush away when finished. Also, prefolds are an inexpensive option.

Breast Milk
Next, we have breast milk poo. We know this as a very “liquidy” substance that many parents mistakenly think is the hardest to clean. In fact, it is the easiest! Breast milk  poo is water-soluble and will easily rinse off of diapers. Many moms don’t even rinse this type of poo off the diaper before tossing it into the pail. They simply do a pre-rinse cycle on their washing machine prior to running the diapers through a normal washing cycle. 

Formula, Cereal, and Solid Foods
For formula-fed babies, the poo will be a little more green and thicker in texture. Also, when you introduce cereal and other solids to their diet, you will find that baby’s poo will be thicker and clumpier. This type of poo doesn’t have to be so terrible to clean. There are a few ways to tackle this: flushable liners, toilet-paper-scraper method, a thrifty spatula, and for the ultimate cleaning tool: a diaper sprayer! Flushable liners are easy to use and can be quite handy when out and about. Some mommies just take a little toilet paper, shake off what they can and scrape off the rest and toss whatever is left into the diaper pail, letting the washing machine do the rest. I have found that even using a cheap kitchen spatula (specifically designated for this duty) can do a great job at scraping poo without the worries of actually touching it! 

Now comes the fun part! My favorite tool is the diaper sprayer! It is an awesome piece of equipment that even dads can appreciate! It hooks to your toilet tank and has an adjustable pressure valve (so you don’t spray poo bits all over yourself and the walls!) All you have to do is spray the poo off and flush it away. It is also great for cleaning various household items and potty training seats.

There you have it, you now know how to tackle the poos.

There is no more dunking and soaking to remove poo bits from cloth diapers. It’s quite easy and before you know it, you will be cleaning diapers without even thinking about it.

Now, how do we get dad to embrace cloth diapers too? More on that next time! (AS)

Ashley is part of our Baby aWEARness Ohana, who works on community outreach and education about cloth diapering and natural parenting to our local military families. Her passion for natural parenting is an inspiration to all of us. Thanks for enlightening us with your knowledge and experiences!