Saturday, February 19, 2011

Oh! The Diapers We Tried! Pt. 1

Disposables
meh.  Pay for something that I'm going to throw away almost immediately. And by the way, the poop really is supposed to go in the toilet, especially the real poop after baby starts eating solids.

Like most all in ones, took too long in the dryer, and I got tired of washing the entire diaper when I knew only the cloth needed it.  A cute diaper though.  I hear of TotsBots making an all-in-one diaper that has an easy-stuff insert and that dries easily.  As I'm staying away from man-made fibers though I've yet to try one.

Neato diaper, flush and done or compostable (very cool). Cute stuff and innovative design with a "wipe-clean" snap in liner covered with cloth-like outer(g-pant).  The g-pants' velcro didn't wear well. Definitely more expensive than bulk disposables.  Can be used with a g-cloth insert instead of the biodegradable/flushable insert.

Fuzzi Bunz I used mostly with Miss Monkey. However, the exclusivity of the wash was annoying. Meaning: they recommend not to wash the polyfleece pockets with any natural fibers (hemp or cotton, etc.) because it causes the fleece to pill and not to wash the polyester microfiber inserts with naturals as it supposedly has adverse effect for absorbency. Either way, it was a nuisance to find a washcloth accidentally mixed in, and have fiber strings from static sticking to the inserts and the diapers.
Furthermore, when Miss Monkey learned nighttime pottying, she would argue with me in the mornings about whether her diaper was dry or not. She insisted it was still dry 'cause she couldn't feel it was wet---a drawback of the "stay dry insert".  Baby E has always had a specific "I'm uncomfortable with my bottom!" cry, and now that she's on the move she'll pester me until I check and change her.

---continued with Part 2---

Oh! The Diapers We Tried! Pt. 2

Bum Genius pocket
I enjoyed the Bum Genius pockets, though again, those polyfiber inserts that I don't care for.  Might get a couple more, sans insert, for The Man, these diapers work all right with prefolds as stuffin'.

The Gerber prefolds sold at Target, the problem with them is they're "stuffed" with poly fill (gauze) instead of extra cotton layers, so they're less absorbent than they could be.  They work fine for newborns 'cause there isn't much to absorb, but past point of newborn I only recommend them as a doubler if at all.  These did get softer and softer with every wash.  The Bumkins wrap, a wipe clean material, worked well for it's simplistic design, there are nice tabs to protect the velcro with every wash, the small size didn't fit over Baby E's chubster thighs.  Once we came close to a total blowout with the mediums I knew it was time to upsize.

I was unimpressed with their netting lining the wrap, not a wipe-clean surface like other wraps, so ended up washing them more often than I wanted, and their aplix did not react well when accidentally dried. I did however like their disposable insert, and when sitters are here, or Gary's feeling challenged by diapering they're still available for use.  Supposedly these inserts are flushable, also.

Babykicks Bumboo w/ hemp insert
I dislike the snap-over design. I tried some and when Baby E pooped it was a total mess with the flaps flopping around every.single.time. Their bamboo cotton mix lining has a terrible pill-ing problem, also. Didn't care for the hemp insert, too long to dry and seemed to smell funky too soon, nice leg gussets though.  I just used that dipe (minus insert) as a swim diaper today.

Unbleached various prefolds with Sweet Pea/Blueberry/Thirsties Duo wraps
A flannel liner for poo removal/disposal, and a newborn prefold as a doubler at night.  For versatility and economy pre-folds can.not.be.beat.  Consider the methods of folding alone to accomodate different babies, consider the possibility of using pre-folds as inserts if necessary, consider that prefolds range ~$1.50-$2.75 each, add a $10 wrap that can be reused often...it's the best.  Once my hands learned the pattern of "fold-snappi-wrap" it's quick, also.  With cotton dipes, I can rinse them a couple times and add whatever else needs to be washed without a second thought.  All my wraps are "wipe-clean" surface.  The Sweet Pea has a stretch to it, and nice deep gussets. The Blueberry coverall, my favorite nighttime wrap, never has issues covering the pre-fold, nice gussets, as well.  The Thirsties Duo I was disappointed with what they profess as a size 1 to fit up to 18# baby, did not fit Baby E, had to switch to size 2 immediately.

I have yet to try wool, though I appreciate the sustainability of it, the exclusivity of laundry looms with the idea of lanolizing, etc.  I dream of a gusseted pocket diaper made with PUL that is reclaimed plastic, a sweet natural fiber flannel/fleece next to the bum, that has it's own contoured cotton insert or will accommodate good prefold.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

She sits, she eats, she crawls, she has hair

It it truly amazing how different these two little persons are already.  Same gender, same parents, different people.  Amaze-me.

Baby E started crawling 3 weeks ago.  She has more hair than F ever did at this point, she's definitely an "eater".  She'll put anything that'll fit into her mouth.  She's noisy.  Commenting, talking, YELLing, squealing, humming while she eats, humming while she goes back to sleep, making the insistent "AAAHH!" and looking intently to her person of interest, the babble is almost continuous.  The humming is a key for me to know when she's crawling about she's got something in her mouth.

And now, pulling up to standing on everyone and anything with in arms reach.  These are the moments when connections are made daily, we can watch the connections.  I can see her thinking something over, judging a distance, learning how to make her body do what she wants, considering her options with direction and reward.  For a day or so all she did was crawl from room to room, thoroughly enjoying that simple power.  I can see the pure pride of conquering a new skill. Too too fun!

Attack of the Migrating Super Poo

She hadn't gone in a day or so, and it happens when I least expect it.  Thinking it was just any ole' diaper change, maybe a bit bigger than normal I was totally unprepared for what I unwrapped.  At least I had presence of mind to start the process in the bathroom.

Pulled off baby's pants to discover poop smeared down her leg.
Um, okay.  Guess I'll revamp my approach.
Un-snap the turtle neck of her shirt, peek down her back, and see more mess squished up and out of the diaper.
Hmm, well lets see how bad the damage really is.

Upon unsnapping the diaper wrap I.am.amazed.  SO MUCH POOP.  I had already handed Baby E something to keep her little hands busy whilst I attempted to mitigated the mess, I know that poop washes off it's still unnerving to find poop-icing wisp here and there as I'm trying to keep little one still long enough to frame a counter attack, all the while the main goal is to keep the poop away from her mouth
Meanwhile she is happy as a clam and only fusses when I make negative "AaaGH!" noises 'cause I didn't move the decimated diaper out of arm's reach fast enough and her chubby paw now smeared with sticky poop.

Okay, measuring my options now. The bathroom floor is littered with poopie pants, poopie towel, uber-poopie diaper splayed open, poopie baby shirt, and a barely manageable squirming poo-smeared 9 month old.  Keeping a wary eye on that poo smeared hand, I step over everything to the tub and start the water---wait! remove the sticky tub-mat, I don't want to clean every suction cup individually after this fiasco.  

Water running?  check.
Water temp okay? check.
Poo-Baby okay?  check.
Wait! poopie-water pooling in shallow end!
SIT baby at other end.
Baby slippy-slides on her bottom leaving a poopie trail, back to the pooling water.
Move baby again to opposite end.
Slippy-slidey baby flips over and crawlslips back to running water to play!
Aagh! Move baby again, re-check water temp....START SHOWER! yeah, that's it, I'll start the shower!
No shower curtain hanging up, but that isn't stopping me now.
She is still a happy baby even as I'm holding her up to the shower spraying off as much poop as possible.

Eventually back in the running-water bath, I finish cleaning out the chubby creases, give her a good wash n' rinse with a cup, and then holler for Miss Monkey to assist with clean towel retrieval, who is very prompt and helpful, and summarily entertained by the whole escapade.  She whooped with laughter as did I alternately with exclamations about the shear amount of poo to suddenly come from such a little body.

Started to think, what kind of diaper would have contained this?  The answer is none, this was utter diaper overload.  The Poo That Will Not Be Contained pays a visit to every Momma, then she can share her Legendary Poop story for years to come. 
So, I'm off to finish rinsing out the leftovers and get some much needed laundry started.  

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

I was awake at 3ish this morning so excited for Groundhog Day!  "I kid! I'm a kidder." 
Lay there considering I might head to the gym to get the long workout in I need to, but I really prefer to wait until 4 to get up.  Of course, I dozed off, Baby E awake at 5, nursing then she's back down...then it's too late to attempt early morning workout 'cause The Man leaves earlier than he used to, besides, it's a long one today.

And yesterday, began with such great intentions I was on track to hit the gym and then we head out for the rest of our busy-busy Tuesday.
Little girl gave me so much flack about what she needs to wear in this frigid weather we are delayed such that it's time for baby's morning nap...
and when the baby wakes we head to monkey's gymnastics class...
I figure, well, consequence is that she won't get to story time today as I need to put E down for nap reasonable time and hit the gym late shift at 4, it's a "short" workout so I'd be able to make it home to get dinner in order and baby in bed on time...
but then E doesn't wake again until after 4, by that time dinner's pressing as is baby's feeding/play/bed time...
I'm left wondering if I should goto gym at 7:30p, and I already know I wouldn't get to sleep until >>12a if I do that, which in turn would throw off today.

 I relent and do yoga.  And I will start my day with yoga today, keep my Self centered, things always so more smoothly when I'm up before the offspring.

I'm beginning to think maybe it'd be better to start "real" training when baby drops the morning nap, but that's is months away, and I want to race this summer.
Be a Super Mom - Cloth Diaper with FuzziBunz diapers at Nurtured Family
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