Changing Diapers {#clothdiaperaccessories}

I was thrilled when I found out Changing Diapers: The Hip Mom's Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering, written by Kelly Wels, agreed to be a sponsor for the Accessorize our stash in August giveaway.

Kelly Wels is a leading cloth diaper expert.  She has three children.  Kelly was the founder and owner of Kelly's Closet and Diaper Shops, but in 2010, she decided turn her business over to someone else and pursue cloth diaper advocacy full time.

Changing Diapers is a quick easy read.  The first chapter is on "Why Choose Cloth Diapers?"  My favorite is "Reason #2: You Can Save Big Bucks."  She then goes on to write cloth diaper talk, getting started with cloth diapers, diapering stages, cloth diaper accessories, fixing common cloth diaper problems, and washing cloth diapers.

What I liked about the book: I loved how concise it is.  Kelly explains everything clearly, but doesn't ramble on in her explanations.  I also like how everything is together.  When I was pregnant, I relied on many different websites to explain many of the things in this book, especially the different cloth diapers.  I enjoyed the illustrations, especially folding flat diapers.  I recommend any parent that is thinking about cloth diapering and wants an easy overview of cloth diapers to read this book.

Buy | Facebook: Changing Diapers Book | Twitter: Changing Diapers

Facebook: Kelly Wels | Twitter: Kelly Wels

Have you read this book?

I was sent the Changing Diapers: The Hip Mom's Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering to review.  

All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way.

Tandem Nursing {#BFBlogHop}

This week's Breastfeeding Blog Hop Topic is Tandem nursing/Nursing multiples.

Tandem nursing is a toddler continues to be breastfed after another baby is born-two children breastfed at the same time.  Do I have personal experience with this?  No, I don't.  I do have friends that continued to nurse throughout their pregnancy and after giving birth decided to nurse both their toddler and their baby.

The American Academy of Family Physicians state that:

There is no evidence that extended breastfeeding is harmful to mother or child. Breastfeeding during a subsequent pregnancy is not unusual. If the pregnancy is normal and the mother is healthy, breastfeeding during pregnancy is the woman's personal decision. If the child is younger than two years, the child is at increased risk of illness if weaned. Breastfeeding the nursing child after delivery of the next child (tandem nursing) may help provide a smooth transition psychologically for the older child.

If you do decide to tandem nurse, nurse your baby first, especially a newborn, then nurse your toddler.  By doing this, you are making sure your newborn gets everything he needs before your toddler.

Ultimately the decision to tandem nurse is up to you to decide if you go this route.

Do you have experience tandem nursing? 

Linking up at this week's #BFBlogHop at Sisters 'N Cloth.

Snappi {#clothaccessories}

While I was pregnant, I looked into cloth diapers, but was not wanting to use prefolds or flat diapers because I was afraid of using pins and poking a baby.  Then I discovered Snappi® Diaper Fastener made by Snappi Baby.

Snappis can be used on flat diapers, prefolds, contour diapers, and snapless fitteds.  There are no pins with Snappi®; it reliably holds diapers together.  Snappis come in two sizes:

Size 1: Baby
Single Pack - $3.95 each
Double Pack - $5.75 each
Triple Pack - $7.55 each
Size 2: Toddler.  This one gives an additional 4 inch stretch at the waist.
Single Pack - $4.55 each
Double Pack - $7.15 each

How to use Snappi®:

Image taken from here.

My thoughts: I have been using Snappis on my daughter for 18+ months.  When I discovered Snappi®, I knew I was going to use prefolds because the idea of using pins scared me.  Snappi® easily grabs the cloth diaper, and I'm able to get a snug fitting diaper on my daughter.  I originally used Size 1 Snappis on Charis, but when she started getting chunkier, I used Size 2.  Now, that she's walking and has lost a lot of her baby weight, I'm back to using Size 1.  I definitely recommend trying out Snappis to any cloth diaper parent.

Snappis are the cloth diaper accessory that "pulls it all together."

Store locator | Facebook | Twitter

I was sent a Snappi for the purpose of this review. 

All opinions are my own, and 

I was not compensated in any way.

Mastitis {#BFBlogHop}

I remember it like it was yesterday.  2:30 AM August 25, 2010.  I had just finished nursing my daughter.  The whole time I was having chills and could not seem to be getting myself warm.  I took my temperature it was 99.9 degrees, never mind that I had been drinking ice water a few moments before.  I decided to wait 20 minutes to take it again.  This time it was 102+ degrees.  I felt horrible, like a truck had hit me.  My body was achy, I had chills and a fever, and my left breast was painful.  I decided to call the doctor on call shortly after 3:00 AM.  I told him my symptoms, and he thought it was mastitis and told me to schedule an appointment first thing in the morning.  My husband took me to the doctor that morning and I was given a prescription for antibiotics.

Mastitis is a breast infection that can be caused by a plugged duct or broken skin on the nipple.  Symptoms include {but are not limited to}:

• Breast pain
• Fever/Chills
• Achy, flu-like symptoms
• Tender, red, warm breast
• Red streaks on breast

If you have these symptoms and are breastfeeding, call your health care provider.  

Treatment includes:

• Rest, rest, rest, and even more rest.  If you need help, don't be afraid to ask a friend.  One of the blessings about my husband not having a job after giving birth, is he was able to be home and help me during this time.  The ladies at church also made meals for us the first few weeks after Charis was born.
• Drink fluids.  I tried to drink a glass every time I sat down to nurse Charis.
• Moist heat applied to your breast and nurse shortly after applying the heat.  I warmed a wash cloth and put it on my breast.  Charis would nurse 3-5 minutes after I put the wash cloth on.
• Continue to breastfeed.  If you stop breastfeeding, you are at increased risk for complications, such as an abscess, which would need to be surgically drained.
• Antibiotics.  Take as prescribed for the whole duration.

Have you had mastitis?  Or any other complications while breastfeeding?

Let Love Nourish

The Let Love Nourish giveaway runs from August 24-31.  When I first started breastfeeding my daughter, I quickly learned that I needed something to sooth my nipples and wear pads since I leaked a lot the first 8+ weeks.  I will be giving away Motherlove nipple cream and a pair of regular Bamboobies nursing pads.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Accessorize Our Stash in August

Welcome to the Accessorize our stash in August Event, hosted by So Easy Being Green and According to Jenny.  My giveaway includes a Fuzzibunz Elite diaper, CJ's  Orininal BUTTer® Pink Sugar, a Snappi, and three cloth wipes.  Enter in the Rafflecopter form below.  FYI: My reviews will be posted on Saturday, so come back then for more entry options. Each blogger has a great Prize for you, so be sure to hop around to them all and Accessorize your Cloth Diaper Stash!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Links I Like {Saturday Stumbles}

Green Eggs and Ham
This mother writes about making green eggs using red cabbage?!?!?  Who knew?  I'll try this with Charis some day, D.V.

Flufftastic Summer Celebration Giveaway

It's finally here.  The Flufftastic Summer Celebration giveaway hosted by Mama on a Green Mission or Eco Baby Mama Drama. The Grand Prize is sponsored by Lotus Bumz, Rinse Hopper, 7 A.M. Enfant, BabyLegs, Wooly Rounds and Mama on a Green Mission and is valued at over $400.  This grand prize package is a great start for anyone or a great addition to the cloth diapering addict’s stash!

Enter here to win {After you enter here, enter the grand prize at Mama on a Green Mission and click through the linky below to see what other bloggers are giving away.} :

• BabyLegs grab bag.
• Project Pomona Jeans.
• Blueberry Cow Print Trainer {Size medium}
• Fuzzibunz OS Diaper Talk: Does this diaper make my butt look big? {Watermelon}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ENTER TO WIN THE GRAND PRIZE at Mama on a Green Mission.

Project Pomona {Flufftastic Summer Celebration}

Image taken from here.

The next sponsor for the Flufftastic Summer Celebration giveaway is Project Pomona.  When I first started cloth diapering my daughter, it was so hard to find a pair of jeans that actually fit over her diapers.  My daughter could wear stretchy knit material, but not jeans.

Enter Project Pomona.  Project Pomona has three sizes:

• Size 1: 3 months-9 months
• Size 2: 9 months-18 months
• Size 3: 18 months-2 T

I was sent a Size 3 to review.  My daughter is currently in size 2 T clothes.  She's 36 inches tall and has a 12 inch inseam.  Upon receiving the jeans, I noticed the material was 98% cotton/2% stretch.  I was glad for this because it meant they could fit my daughter a longer time.  You can also get jeans with 100% medium weight cotton and 100% light weight cotton.

The second thing I noticed was the waist.  Instead of having a center snap and zipper, the front panel folds down.  There's a snap on the left and right, and four snaps on both sides that allow you to extend the waist or tighten it.

The last thing I noticed was the leg cuff.  If your child is shorter, you can fold up the cuff to show an accent.  I was scent the Harvest Burst jeans.  As I mentioned before, my daughter's inseam is 12 inches, so the jeans looked more like capri jeans when folded up, which work perfectly for summer.  

My daughter wore these jeans over the following diapers: Itti Bitti Tutto, Fuzzibunz perfect size medium, Prefold with Thirsites duo wrap, and a flat diaper pad folded inside a Flip cover.  I did not have any issues with fit and recommend these jeans for other cloth diapered babies or toddlers.  Charis wearing the jeans to the left.

Shop | Facebook | Pinterest

Have you tried Project Pomona?  What's your favorite style?

I was sent a pair of Project Pomona jeans for the purpose of this review.
All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way.

Babylegs {Flufftastic Summer Celebration Sponsor}

BabyLegs® is a wonderful cloth diaper accessory.  The company was started in

April of 2005, a young mom was confronted with a diaper rash that just wouldn't quit.

What I love about BabyLegs®:

1. They make diaper changes easer because you don't have to take off pants to change a diaper.
2. In the summer, I try to have a pair of BabyLegs in my diaper bag because some stores keep the air conditioning so low, my daughter tells me, "Cold."  This happened the other day when we were in IKEA.
3. They also help protect my daughter's knees when she learned to crawl and walk.  
4. They are a cute fashion accessory.
5. They have a lot of good sales and have specials every Friday on specific styles, see their Facebook page for Facebook Friday!

My daughter at IKEA.
I put the legwarmers on her because
she told me, "cold."

BabyLegs protecting her knees
while she's playing on the ground.

Shop | Facebook | Twitter

Have you tried BabyLegs?  What's your favorite style?

I was sent a grab bag of BabyLegs® for the purpose of this review. 

All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated in any way.

Movie I Like {Summer #BlogChallenge}

Chariots of Fire.

Love this movie.  The music. The story.  It's about Eric Liddell who ran for in the 1924 Olympics for the Brittish Empire.  He refused to run on the Sabbath Day and had to withdraw from the 100 meter race, his best event.  He ended up running the 400 meters and got the gold medal.

One of my favorite quotes from the movie is when Eric's sister Alice was telling Eric her reservations about him running, and he replied,  

I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure. 

Too often as Christians, we place missionaries and pastors on higher pedestals and make it seem like their calling is higher than a ditch digger.  The important thing is: are we bringing glorifying God in everything we say and do?  By God's grace, Eric glorified God by refusing to run on the Christian Sabbath.

Breastfeeding Work Laws {#BFBlogHop}

Many mothers choose to go back to work part time or full time after the birth of their baby, due to financial reasons and/or personal reasons, including me.  I worked PRN for 21 months after Charis was born.  Since I breastfed her, I needed to take a pump with me.  My workplace offered a pumping room down on the Labor and Delivery unit and had hospital grade pumps.  They allowed nursing mothers to use those pumps, but the employee had to provide the tubing and accessories to use the pumps.

Because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, employers are to provide

... (A) a reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk; and (B) a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.  (2) An employer shall not be required to compensate an employee receiving reasonable break time under paragraph (1) for any work time spent for such purpose. {Found here.}

But if an employer has less than 50 employees, the employer may be except from this law if it poses an "undue hardship" to his {or her} business.

To be honest, I worked on the seventh floor and the labor and delivery unit was on the fourth floor.  There were times I still pumped in the bathroom because it took 10+ minutes alone getting from one place to another and being a nurse it was often very HARD to get away-from the doctors, other nurse, health care team-so I could pump.  Even with the hospital grade pumps, I still brought my own pump because I wanted the freedom to pump on the floor I worked on instead of going to another floor.

Did you go back to work after the birth of your child?

If so, was the pumping room easy for you to get to?

Linking up at Sisters 'N Cloth Breastfeeding Blog Hop.

Bucket List {Summer #BlogChallenge}

I am 28 1/2 years.  My birthday is on January 8, 1984.  Today's prompt is Create a Bucket list with a minimum of 10 things.  So, I decided to come up with a 30 before 30.  If I calculated correctly, I have 518 days.

1. Create a sourdough starter
2. Sew a quilt
3. Knit a sweater
4. Run a 5K
5. Bake sourdough bread
6. Open an Etsy store
7. Finish my BSN {Graduated May 18, 2013}
8. Donate my hair
9. Go camping with Drew and Charis
10. Take Charis to the zoo
11. Get a new DSLR camera
12. Read One Thousand Gifts
13. Write and mail 52 personal snail mail letters
14. Go to Georgetown Cupcake and get a cupcake
15. Make kefir
16. Make a handmade gift for everyone in my family {husband, parents, siblings and spouses, in-laws, SIL and her husband, and nephew-12 gifts altogether}
17. Visit Canada
18. Go to the Holocaust Museum
19. Take a spinning class
20. Get a pedicure
21. Go pick fruit and/or vegetables with Charis at a farm {Picked apples at Larriland October 14, 2013}
22. Learn at least 50 new Spanish words
23. Read the Harry Potter series
24. Go to see a Nationals game
25. Write a haiku
26. Play hide and go seek
27. Have a family photograph taken
28. Read through the Bible
29. Make homemade ice cream
30. Buy and drink raw milk routinely.  So annoyed at Maryland that this can't happen currently.

What's on your bucket list?

Skills I Wish I Had {Summer #BlogChallenge}

HTML knowledge.  I'd love to change a few things with my blog {how it looks}, but have NO clue where to start.  Instead all I see is this...

?

Crochet.  Yes, I can knit and sometimes sew, but when it comes to crocheting it feels like I have seven thumbs and am only able to use my left hand.  Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but I tried and was not able to.  Granted, it was my 70+ year old neighbor who kept taking the yarn and hook away from me, maybe it would be a different story if I had someone more patient.  I'd love to be able to purchase this pattern below-not that I need another tea cozy.

Picture from here.
Purchase pattern here.

Favorite Authors Growing Up {Summer #BlogChallenge}

Growing up I remember my siblings and I piling on top of our mum and having her read to us.  All of our books were well loved.  She would read differently for each character and try to put on their accent or dialect.  A few of my favorite authors from my childhood are my favorite not just for their stories, but also for the memories I have when I read them.

Some of these authors include:

1. Eric Carle: He wrote The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  The only thing I don't like about this book is my who life I mistakenly thought butterflies come from cocoons.  My husband informed me this information is incorrect.  Moths come from cocoons, and butterflies come from chrysalis.  So, when I read this book to Charis I say, "He built a small house, called a..." chrysalis.  Despite this error, I still love this book-the bright pictures and the holes that are in the pages.
2. C.S. Lewis: My mum loved reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to us as children, and I've already read it to Charis once.  I also enjoy C.S. Lewis because he was from Belfast, Northern Ireland, the same country my mum grew up in.  Every time my mum goes over to visit Grandad, she brings back Turkish Delight for her us.
3. Dr. Seuss: I enjoy the rhyming in all of Dr. Seuss's books.  As children we were told to at least try our food before declaring we did not like it and were pointed to Green Eggs and Ham.
4. Louisa May Alcott: This is the only author listed that neither of my parents read to us, but I'm including her because I read Little Women when I was 11 year old.  At that age, I would stay up until 1AM reading books and my parents often had to pop their head in to say, "Turn off the light and go to sleep."
5. Lucy Maud Montgomery: I have read all of the Anne books at least once, but have read Anne of Green Gables numerous times.  I like Anne because of her imagination, spunkiness, and read hair. I have also seen Megan Fallows in Anne of Green Gables at least 20 times.  I definitely recommend reading the first four books before watching Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea.  When Drew and I eventually go on a honeymoon, we plan on going to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

Who are your favorite authors from childhood?

Who are your favorite authors today?

What Helps Me Get Through Meltdowns {Summer #BlogChallenge}

One of the many blessings
God has given me.

With my daughter, it depends on the type of meltdown, and so far, it has usually been because she is so tired and doesn't know what to do.  If that's the case, I carry her to her crib, kiss her, and put her in and she falls asleep within a minute.  A few other things I do are :

• Pray: I can't do this on my own.  I fail everyday as a parent.   
• Sing Psalms: Charis LOVES music, singing, and dancing.  I usually sing Psalm 113A, "He the barren woman takes, And a joyful mother makes; In her home she finds reward. Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!  Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!" {Taken from The Book of Psalms for Worship.} This helps me remember to be thankful for the blessing that Charis is and that I should be praising God instead of grumbling about her lack of self control.  I also remind myself that I have friends who are not able to have children.
• Practice patience: This is the hardest one.  If she throws a fit, I often feel like I'm losing my patience, which is not good.  When that happens, I tell her, "Mummy was wrong" and then ask her forgiveness and ask for a kiss which she usually gives.  Being a mother has shown me my sin more and my need for Christ more.  "Love is patient and kind..." {1 Corinthians 13:4a}

What do you do when your toddler has meltdowns?

One Feature I Would Have to Have in My Dream Home {Summer #BlogChallenge}

A knitting {crafting} room.  As I mentioned yesterday, I enjoy knitting.  But, I also enjoy and am trying to improve my sewing skills.  The biggest thing I don't like about sewing is having to pull out the sewing machine from the corner, set it up, and put it back.  I'd love to have a permanent place to keep the sewing machine, check out The Pioneer Woman's blog post: The Girls' Room, especially the bullet point "A place to knit."  Yes, that's pretty much how I'd like the sewing machine set up; my yarn would be arranged differently.

What's one feature you'd love to have in your home?

Tips for Successful Breastfeeding {#BFBlogHop}

World Breastfeeding Week started yesterday and runs through the 7th.  In the US, breastfeeding rates are still lower than what they should be {though they have slowly risen} see the CDC's Breastfeeding Report Card-United States, 2012.

What are some things you can do to help increase breastfeeding in the United States?

• If you're pregnant, write a birth plan and specify you want to hold the baby immediately after he's born and try breastfeeding within the first hour.  Prepare freezer meals before giving birth.  Look to see if there is a breastfeeding friendly hospital near you and go there.
• If you're a father, be supportive of the decision to breastfeed.  Offer to get water and food each time your wife sits down to nurse.
• If you're currently breastfeeding an infant, feed on demand.  Wear your baby.  Eat and drink-don't starve yourself.  Get sleep.  Cosleep.  Do not second guess about whether you will be successful or not; don't say "if."
• If you have a friend who recently had a baby, offer to make and bring a meal for your friend and her family.  Offer to clean and watch her children.  Call before coming over.

This list is not exhaustive, but will hopefully help you think of a few things.

What tips helped you?

Link up at Sisters 'N Cloth.

Mini Shawl {Yarn Along}

I am still knitting the Mini Shawl I blogged about last week.  I should have finished it, but I preferred sleeping on the way home from the conference and my parents don't have air conditioning and I did not want to knit.  I only have four more rows to knit!!  I plan on giving it to Charis as a birthday gift.  She LOVES folding her knit blankets around her shoulder as if they are shawls, so I figure she'd like it.  I will need to block it when I'm finished knitting.

If you want to see the completed skirtie I made for Charis, go here.

Last week on the way home from the conference I read The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert written by Rosaria Butterfield.  I highly recommend it {and not just because she's my friend}.  One thing I loved about her book is that she didn't dwell on her past; she wrote mostly about the struggles she has had since becoming a Christian.

Are our testimonies honoring to the whole landscape of the Christian journey? Not if they only speak of the "how-shocking-was-my-sin-before-I-met-the-Lord" story. (As thought the sin I commit today is less shocking!). Not if they only share the safe feelings, rehearsed responses, and good "decisions" for which we give ourselves unearned credit. (ix-x)

I appreciated her writing this paragraph because often as Christians, we focus too much on how horrible non Christians are instead of putting to death our sin.  We forget that we still sin daily and are in need of God's forgiveness and His help.

What are your reading and knitting/crocheting this week?

Join me over at Ginny's Yarn Along.

Share a Handmade Gift to Give Someone {Summer #BlogChallenge}

I love knitting and often give handmade knit baby gifts.  The biggest reason for this is I like giving parents something that may end up being passed to their children's children.

I completed the Skirtie I knit for my daughter in June, but realized I never posted a photo of the project.  It fits her, but have yet to take a picture of her wearing it.  Hopefully that will come, once the weather cools down.

Other gifts I've given are:

• Owl Cable Hat
• Owl Cable Longies
• Baby Booties
• Hat
• Sleeping Bag, Newborn Hat, and Caterpillar

What gifts have you made to give to friends or family?