A FREE Double Breast-pump and My New Facebook Page

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

You, my readers, have given me so much support!  So much so that I am going to the next level and I am thanking you for it. I set up a Facebook Page and if you LIKE it by December 20th, I will enter you to win a FREE brand new double breast-pump: The First Years Breastflow Memory Pump valued at $179.99.

Do you just want to support me and don't need a pump? No problem. You can pass on the pump or have it shipped anywhere: a friend, a relative or a women's shelter.

I had the opportunity to try this pump and it turned the head of every woman in the pumping room. The entire ensemble is incredibly light weight which was great for lugging around all day at the conference that I was at. The handle allowed for me to easily pump one handed. It's battery is rechargeable and was able to hold enough charge for me to go all day without plugging in although I had the light-weight plug in my bag just in case. It makes a great travel pump.

The First Years® Breastflow® Memory Pump is designed to make breastfeeding more comfortable and efficient. It features an easy-to-use digital touch screen that automatically tracks and stores data for up to 10 sessions, automatically recording important information including the date and time, suction and speed. For a complete profile, mom can enter milk volume for each session. Plus, the unique handle allows double pumpingwith one hand. Breastflow Memory Pump comes with a custom designed tote bag, plus a cooler bag with removable ice pack, two 5oz. Breastflow bottles with storage lids, 2 sizes of Flexi-fit™ breast shields and a rechargeable battery pack for ultimate portability. MSRP: $179.99, in Target stores nationwide


Win it by liking my Facebook Page.

Yes I am cloth diapering this baby!

My method: a prefold diaper in a cover.
image: www.omahababystore.com

The main reason why I love cloth diapering is that I love knowing that my baby's diapers are not going to sit in the landfill! The way that I wash diapers once a week is ABSOLUTELY more environmentally sound than disposable diapers. Of course it is also nice to know that my little one's skin does not have the carcinogenic bleaches and chemicals rubbing against her sensitive genitals. Both of my kids were out of daytime diapers at 18 months and I attribute this to them "feeling" wet in their cotton cloth diapers (and some reading that I had done about early potty training).

Act I: The Diaper Service

When my first baby was born in our little NYC apartment (no washer/dryer), we used a diaper service for the first 6 months. It seemed nice because we didn't have to deal with the laundry or the up front investment of diapers. The diaper service only used the prefold style of diapers pictured above. Once a week I would put a plastic bag of dirty diapers outside my apartment door and the service would replace it with a plastic bag of clean diapers. Here is what I learned from the diaper service:

• It is okay for dirty diapers to sit a week in a plastic bag (websites everywhere tell you to wash them every 2-3 days).
• The heavy duty "prefolds" that the diaper service use are easy if you pre-fold them in the shape that you need.
• The covers are very easy to hand wash (since I didn't have a washer) or throw in the cold wash weekly.
• I loved 100% cotton was against my baby's skin. Other types of modern cloth diapers (like the "all in ones" and "inserts" are synthetic fleece).
• The diaper service was using bleach and I did not want that up against my baby.
• $20 per week is way too much money to pay for diapers. This is what I was paying so I entered Act II below.

Act II: G-Diapers

Friends had told me about "G-Diapers" that appeared to be like the prefolds that the diaper service was using except that instead of having to collect and wash the prefolded fabric, you would use and flush a pad that fit in the diaper cover. I had heard from experienced moms and read about how they work best once the child starts solid foods and has solid waste so we waited until the 6 month mark. This system was ingenious for us because our building had industrial toilets that could handle the load and it made diapering really easy. It also cost half the price of the diaper service and I didn't have to remember to put diapers out on a certain day. Then we went away for 2 weeks and used disposables and got a diaper rash that just would not easily go away. I was using un-natural creams with all sorts of chemicals that I did not want to be using. I realized that the best thing for my baby would be to have that nice 100% cotton of cloth diapering against her skin so we moved on to Act III below and ditched the diaper creams.

Act III: Cloth Diapering at the Laundromat

Since I loved the 100% cotton prefolds (instead of the synthetic modern fleece diapers), I stocked up a supply of prefolds and was shocked at how inexpensive they are! I quickly learned that you MUST buy the more expensive heavy duty laundry service quality prefolds. I used basic covers like the Prowraps and Thirsties. I let my diapers build up for a week in a plastic like at the diaper service then I took them to the laundromat (in the stroller with my other laundry while baby-wearing my baby). The machines were so big and hot that I never did any special rinses. Just a hot wash with half the detergent worked perfect and I never had to strip my diapers (like I do now that I have hard water in the suburbs; and I now have to do those rinse cycles!).

Why am I Cloth Diapering with Prefolds and Covers for a 3rd Time?

I love prefold diapers and I think that they are highly underrated in the modern cloth diapering world. The modern "all in one" and "insert" diapers are made of synthetic fabrics, take a long time to air dry, are expensive (about $18 each) and can only be used once per washing thus making it financially impossible to have a week's supply. Since you cannot have a huge supply, you are doing laundry every 2-3 days (which is what is recommended anyways). I have other things to do in life and want to do my diapers just once a week so prefolds are great for me. I reuse the covers until they are dirty then toss them in my regular cold wash laundry (although I hand washed them in the city to make my 3-4 covers last all week). After doing laundry, I fold the prefolds in thirds so they are ready to insert in a cover at diapering time. It is then just like putting panties and a pad on the baby; no diaper pins or clips are used in my house! When we have a babysitter, I put the prefold already in the diaper and they change the diaper just like a disposable. It is very easy! Everyone thinks that my diapers must smell. Breastfed only diapers do not smell. When babies start solids, the urine and bowels do start to smell but you flush the bowel down the drain and a good diaper pail will keep the odors out.

Edited to add:
There are details on how to wash and fold prefold diapers now on my blog! They are still my favorite!

Must have baby registry items

Stokke High Chair

As promised in my Useless Baby Registry Items and Useful But Not Necessary Baby Registry Items posts, here is my list of what you must have on your baby registry or in your home. To be truly green would be to make your own items or to have used items. If you cannot find them used or homemade, only buy it if you are sure that you will get very good use out of it for a long time.

1. Baby carrier. Babies are used to being next to your body for nine months. They are calmed by the sounds and smells of your body. When a baby is born, it is widely known that babies do best skin to skin with their mom which is where they are used to being. It only makes sense that when you are out for a walk (or trying to cook dinner), your baby will be most comfortable up against your body. I have often seen screaming newborns being walked or driven around the block in a stroller/carseat to get the child to sleep with the white noise and movement. This seems so silly since the baby just wants to be against a warm human. My husband LOVES wearing our babies (and still our 2 and 4.5 year old!) because it helps him bond a deeper relationship with the baby. I think that he likes the reactions of the people who verbally ooh and ah at the sight of a proud daddy being so loving with his child. Sorry for my tangent!  Anyways, I love the Moby Wrap for newborns and mid-sized babies because it keeps my body in alignment and keeps the baby in healthy alignment. Those mainstream Baby Bijorns are horrible for the baby's hip alignment and get uncomfortable as soon as the baby puts on decent weight.  I also own the Ergo Carrier which I have used from around 5 months until well... my daughter is 4.5 and still loves having a ride on the back when she gets tired of hiking. I never felt right with the Ergo's infant insert so I skipped that.
2. Receiving Blankets. I did not put these on my registry because I did not know that I needed them but it seemed that everyone else knew that I needed them and I received so many that I had to return/exchange some.  Anyways, I used them for a lot of things. I would get a lot of use out of a single blanket by giving it a different purpose each day until it hit the laundry basket: swaddling, burp cloth, under messy diaper changes. They are great to throw in your on the go bag, to have a clean place to change the baby or to tuck over the crib mattress to absorb sleepy drool. Just don't go crazy and collect too many!
3. Cotton Sleep Sacks. Thankfully an experienced mom bought me one of these. They are the greatest way to cover a baby while they sleep.  I love them! You only need 1-2.
4. Plain Cotton Onesies and Sleep-n-Play Outfits. Onesies are great for a baby to lounge in during the summer or to layer underclothes in the winter. The sleep-n-play outfits are the most comfortable thing for babies to wear whether they are awake or asleep. Those other fancy clothes are just irritating and hard to get on and off a newborn.
5. Tummy-time Playmate. It is nice to have a special blanket or a pre-bought playmate that you can use for the baby to play on. I had a mainstream one that I loved because it created a lot of entertainment while my newborn was on tummy time and it folded flat and fit behind the couch when we were not using it. It had toys hanging that we were able to use for several months after my babies were mobile.
6. Boppy Pillow.  The Boppy Pillow is a hard pillow in a special shape to support the baby while your are breastfeeding.  This pillow makes it so much easier to focus on getting a good latch. While pregnant, I use this super firm pillow between my legs when I sleep. I suggest that you buy it new with two covers because babies spit up sometimes and I have seen some gross ones!  If you find one used in good condition then go for it!
7. Incidentials: shampoo, cream, comb, brush. I love California Baby Tea Tree Shampoo, and Weleda Calendula Diaper cream (although I barely use it since I cloth diaper), a soft baby brush and a little comb. I never bought those baby finger nail clippers because another mom warned me that the best way to cut little nails is to tear, bite or file them. She was right! When they get older, our family cutters work perfect.
8. Laundry Detergent and Dryer Balls. Keep the detergent, dye free and fragrance free. Stay away from chemicals because they could irritate the baby's skin plus they damage our environment and our own health. There are many brands out there including: Seventh Generation, Ecos, Biokleen, and Meyers.
9. Wool Nursing Pads. Most women have leakage for months following their milk coming in and find that they need nursing pads between their breasts and bra to soak the leakage up. I was not a fan of the disposable ones (unless going out in a fancy outfit) because they are like maxi-pads and are filled with chemicals that I did not want against by nipples. I used cotton pads for my first baby and found that sometimes I leaked through them. For my second I bought one pair of wool nursing pads and was in love. They are mostly self cleaning so I only washed them once a week. I liked that they were larger so they were not apparent though my cloths and I never felt wet or cold from the milk. I will reuse these again for the #3.
10. Cloth diapers, diaper pail, cloth wipes. If you are interested in cloth diapering, just do it!  All of my kids have been cloth diapered except while traveling and we have loved it. I will do a special post on cloth diapering but I found that good quality prefolds with a good quality cover to be the easiest and cheapest. Since they are so cheap, I have a huge supply so I only wash them once a week. For baby #2 I made some super easy cloth wipes out of cotton flannel and used a spray bottle with water and a drop of castile soap. Add a good diaper pail to your registry either way because you want to keep smells out of your room.
11. Non-toxic Mattress, Crib, sheets, Wool Mattress Pad. These are only useful if you are not going to be co-sleeping. You can certainly buy these used but if you are like me and going for baby #3, you will be glad that you bought high quality new items.  We LOVE wool mattress pads so much that we have them also on our bed and our daughter's twin bed. They regulate temperature, are naturally absorbent and self cleaning!
12. Gender Neutral Car Seat. We had one on our registry for baby #1 even though we were carless in the city. It was helpful when we rented a car or to put the baby in when I wanted to shower since we didn't own a bouncer or swing. If you want to be on the lowest level of consumerism, buy a "convertible" car seat that holds a child from newborn until preschool.  Your primary carseat should be bought new so you know that it has not been in an accident and that the plastic has not become brittle as it aged.
13. Gender Neutral Stroller. Of course if you are going to have more than one child you don't want a gender specific stroller, but I just don't like them in general, sorry. I am glad that we bought our stroller new because it gets a lot of use. We bought it with gift cards and by returning items that we did not need. Everyone has a different need when it comes to strollers. City dwellers go straight for the Maclaren stroller because it is sturdy and folds with one hand to quickly get on buses. Suburban moms often have a garage stroller (aka SUV stroller) that would be large folded up but that they don't fold up but just use around town. These moms keep flimsy umbrella strollers in their car trunk for outings. In the city I just had a Maclaren and now it is my trunk stroller in suburbia. I have a Phil & Teds double stroller (bought used) that is my garage stroller that I use daily to and from preschool, library and parks. My neighborhood has old bumpy sidewalks that this stroller glides over and is extremely easy to push. I love both strollers because they are metal and sturdy. I know people who have bought those strollers with plastic trays and handles. Guess what? Plastic breaks easily! I would not buy a super expensive ($1000) single stroller if you plan to have multiple kids close together because you would hate to have to buy an expensive double stroller so soon (My Phil and Teds converts from single to double!).  Just like breast pumps, cheap strollers are cheap for a reason.  Buy quality and it will treat you well. You can find really good strollers used but you have to look hard because most people who have a great stroller do not want to part with it until it is in shreds when their kid is 6 years old. If you don't walk much then don't bother with a good stroller :)
14. High Chair / Booster. You can completely buy these used but I found most of the used ones had food caked into cracks and knowing that I was going to have multiple kids, I wanted mine new. I knew before I was pregnant that I wanted the Stokke High Chair so it was the first thing that we added to the registry (my husband also fell in love at first sight since this is the only high chair anyone in his home country seems to have). It was the first thing that someone bought off our registry! It slides into our table like a regular chair so the kids feel like part of the family and it does not take up extra space at the table. The chair adjusts as the child grows and can even support adults.  Their ergonomics are always perfect. DO NOT BUY A CLOTH COVERED HIGH CHAIR. Kids get food everywhere and the idea of having a cloth and seams to clean is just gross. I have never seen one that looks good. If you are short on space or funds, a booster seat on top of a regular chair works great and is easy to clean!
15. Bumkins Super Bibs. Those cute cotton bibs are only good for drooling babies. As soon as they eat food those bibs get stained and you can only use them for one feeding. The Bumkins Super Bibs are a vinyl that can be easily wiped after each snack or meal. Then you instantly have a clean bib to reuse. One set of three seems to last through one child from 6 months to 3 years so you can get something gender themed if you please. I have tried endless other plastic and cloth bibs but have not been happy with any of them except for these bibs. They are just the best!

Useful but not necessary baby registry items

Medela Pump-n-Style Breast Pump

As promised in my Useless Baby Registry Items post, this post contains items that you can easily get for free on your local mom boards or www.freecycle.org. You can also find them at yard sales or through other moms for cheap. These are things that are useful if you have the space but they are not at all needed to buy new (or to own). You can see what life is like without them then buy them if you feel that they would be useful. I did not put stroller on this list but it is certainly something that you don't need for a long time if you plan on baby wearing. Both of my kids were about one year when I really put them in (or bought) the stroller.

1. Bouncer, swing, exersaucer. These things are used for a short period and take up a lot of space. If you really want one, borrow one from a friend so you can return it when you are done if you are short on space. A bucket carseat can easily be used to put the baby for a few minutes or in the bathroom for a shower.
2. Changing pad. These create a mattress to change the baby on. I have one and like it but really a towel is just as useful. I know many people who just put a towel on their bed or couch.
3. Pack-n-play portable crib. We travel a good bit but never bothered to get one of these until we went on a trip where we would be sleeping in many different (and often dirty) hotels and cabins. Family was always able to find someone to borrow one from. 
4. A really good breast pump. Use nothing (you can use your hands like women have done for thousands of years!) or pay for something good (like Medela). Cheap pumps are cheap for a reason and do not work well. Most pumps say that you should not share them with other moms but you can as long as the mom did not have an infection. Each brand is different so you have some research to do. I often see really good pumps sold for cheap in mom groups. If you are planning on going back to work full time you should really look into the Medela Pump N Style and consider just adding it to your registry if you cannot find it used from someone who you trust.
5. Towels and washcloths. I was given special baby sized ones as gifts but could have easily lived without them.
6. Bathtub for the sink. This was super useful when bathing a newborn especially mine that had the slanted base for the baby to lay on. My first child was in it for almost 2 years because she loved it so much (although we had to put it inside the big tub)!
7. Mobile. Again these are only on the crib for a short period because they become a danger. Of course it is great to find a cute one that matches the room but there are plenty of moms out there who have them just sitting around in storage. My favorite mobiles are the Waldorf inspired ones that you can make yourself using a branch and felt ornaments or cutouts. I have been making one with simple felt stars for baby #3 (cost = free, look = $150).
8. Co-sleeper and bassinet. If you are gun-ho about co-sleeping, skip the co-sleeper and take apart your bed! A mattress on the floor is easy and cheap. Babies only fit in a bassinet for a short period so if you think that you want one for an area of your home or right next to your bed, borrow it from a friend. 
9. Swaddle me wrap. These are special blankets that make it easy to swaddle the baby. Babies are only swaddled for a short period and it is really easy to swaddle using a receiving blanket. Watch some You Tube videos and you will be all set.

My next post will be your must-have baby registry items so keep reading!

Useless baby registry items

image: 123rf.com
Moodboard

As I plan for the arrival of my third baby, I need to buy some crib sheets, and a pacifier (to stuff in her mouth while asleep, on airplanes, or during screaming fits in the car).  This short list is because I own everything that I need (including mama milk and cloth diapers).  

My heart breaks when I see first time moms (or subsequent moms) engulfed in the consumerism of useless baby items. I know firsthand what is useful because my first two babies were born into a small one bedrooms NYC apartment with no storage. We simply did not have the space for "things" that we could only use for a short time so we took the opinion of "let's live without it and see if need it". After having the second child, we moved into a house and had endless storage so our baby supplies have increased greatly (thanks mostly to donations and yard sales) but we still only have what we really need.

The most important thing is not to be afraid to return things that you don't like, want or need. Stores like BabiesRUs took back all sorts of gifts that I received in exchange for store credit. I think that I returned around 15 extra cloth bibs and 10 extra receiving blankets. It is not that I was ungrateful or unappreciative of the generosity, but I really had to be practical. I exchanged gifts that I didn't need for items that I needed. I knew that the gift giver would be happy to know that I had something that I really needed.

Useless:

1. Gender specific "stuff".  If you plan to have only one child and then get your tubes tied: do whatever you want. If you don't then think about what you want to buy or make again if your next child is the opposite sex. Is it really worth buying a new car seat, stroller, or activity mat: NO! I am also a fan of neutral crib bedding because they use things like bumpers for a short period. 
2. Bottle warmer. Breastmilk is fine at room temperature for several hours. My husband had a good routine of just leaving a container of milk at room temperature and the babies adapted to it instantly. This makes bottle feeding on the go easier. He spent afternoons with the baby all around the city thanks to not needing to warm the milk!
3. Bottle drying rack. Do you really need something else on your kitchen counter? Most likely you already own a drying rack.
4. Bottle sterilizer. Another counter top item that does the same thing as a $1 bottle brush. Most bottle cleaning directions say that they should be sterilized once before first use then just washed with soap and water. They take 1 minute to clean by hand with one of those bottle brushes.
5. Baby wipes warmer. Why get your baby used to having warm wipes? Then what would you do when you are out and about?
6. Bumbo seat. This seat allows a baby to sit upright before they are old enough to sit. Why do they need to sit before they are ready?
7. Crib toys. These things clip on to the crib and make music and give the baby something to look at. When they are newborn these are a suffocation risk. When they are older it is just a distraction that can create a "sleep crutch" of noise or a distraction to going to sleep.
8. Stuffed animals. These collect dust, absorb spit-up and clutter a room. Return or give away most of the ones that you get. Keep 1-2 that you love as a special "lovey" for your child.
9. Burp cloths. You will have enough cloths to use. I use yesterday's swaddle blanket as a burp cloth for today before it goes to the laundry basket.
10. Baby food makers. Been there, tried these, and didn't like them. My cuisinart mini-chopper and blender were able to do more than these things. I just chopped or blended what we were eating for dinner and had instant baby food. Best of all I used what I had and was not stuck with "stuff" when the baby moved on to larger chunks of food.
11. Diaper bag. Yes, you need a bag to put stuff in but 99% of diaper bags sold are just ugly and oversized. They encourage moms to bring too much stuff with them. Most kids are good to go with a few basics in their cute purse. My husband prefers a backpack when he has the kids solo.  Breastfeeders are at a huge advantage that they don't have to bring much.
12. Hanging diaper holders. People buy these as part of themed decorations for a room. I find them unattractive and rather useless. I rather like to repurpose a cute basket or a drawer filled with diapers. The drawer is my preference so it doesn't look messy.
13. Special laundry basket for the baby. We have always kept our babies in our room for up to their first 2.5 years so it never made sense to need a laundry basket in a separate room.  The clothes are so small that I like keeping a basket in my room so I can easily see when it is full of family clothes. Having multiple places to check and transfer clothes from one pile to another seems like extra work to me! We wash all cloths in a dye/perfume/chemical free and ecological laundry soap (please don't use Dreft or another mainstream baby laundry detergent that is filled with chemicals and skin irritants!) so there is no need to wash the baby's cloths separately.

Posts will follow that include things to buy used and things that must be on a first time mom's baby registry.