Cloth Diaper Fun & Giveaway

Cloth diapers are making a comeback…but these aren’t your mama’s cloth diapers.  They’re easy to use, adorable, and they save you LOTS of money.  Here’s the scoop.

This "modern" cloth diapering business has exploded into a HUGE industry in the last 5-7 years…and it can be quite overwhelming to dive into.  But, the best way to begin is to JUST BEGIN! You can spend weeks and weeks researching if this pocket diaper is truly better than that fitted diaper…but in the end, it really comes down to your preferences and your baby’s body type. Each diaper will fit differently. If you just jump in and start, it's much easier to determine what will work for you.

Instead of re-writing all of the information that is already out there regarding the logistics of cloth diapering, I'm going to send you to my friend Sarah. She is the cloth diapering guru. :)

Why Use Cloth Diapers? How to Cloth Diaper Is Cloth Really Cheaper?

Now that you've read all of the basics and know the terminology...I'll tell you my personal experience with cloth diapers. Before Bella was born, I bought pretty much one of every type of diaper so that I could see what I liked best. I found that for the newborn stage, I LOVED the Kissaluv Size 0 fitted diapers with a plastic or wool cover (we used Proraps). As she grew out of the Kissaluvs, we transitioned into pocket diapers. I also had a handful of hemp fitted dipes for nighttime diapering and I LOVED the Aristocrat Soaker. Awesome.

When it came to diapering Bella, I was pretty fanatical. It was at least a year and a half before a disposable even touched her skin :) I took them on airplanes across the country and everywhere else. While I certainly think it can be done (never using disposables)...I don't want anyone to think that is the only way to do it. :) This time around we're a little more laid back. We used cloth and elimination communication with Lucy until we went on the road in July, and then used mostly disposables while traveling. Now that we have a larger RV with a washer and dryer, I'm starting up with cloth again. I am hoping to get going with elimination communication again as well...I LOVED being able to "read" her that way, and it will cut back on how many diapers I have to wash!

I'm super excited to receive my order of pocket diapers from Sarah...I need a diaper that dries quickly (our washer/dryer in the RV is a combo unit and dries slowly) and a pocket diaper stuffed with a microfiber towel fits the bill perfectly. I will continue to use disposables when we are flying home and when we are out and about. When we are "en route", we don't always have water and electric hookups...which means to do laundry, I need to run the generator (loud!). When we settle in one place for a little while, it's much easier to do cloth because we have full hookups.

My personal diapering system looks like this:

• 18 Pocket diapers with microfiber inserts (I get the inserts at Costco)
• Cloth wipes
• Wet Bag (one big one for the diaper pail and a small one for the diaper bag)
• Large stainless steel step can (for dirty dipes)

And that's it! Pretty simple. I don't use any sort of special wipe solution...I just run the cloth wipes under warm water. If I am out and about, I might use a spray bottle with a simple solution of apricot oil, Dr. Bronner's and water...or just put some wet cloth wipes in a baggie. Or you could try Sarah's wipe solution here.

As far as number of diapers, you CAN get by with just 12. In the newborn stage, that would last 1 day. I like to have at least 12-18 on hand so that I can go a little longer between washing.

When it comes to washing the diapers...it's just as easy. I think this is the part that scares people away...but it's really no different than doing another load of regular laundry. I just grab the wet bag out of the step can when it's full and dump it all in the wash on hot water with natural detergent. If you want to avoid staining in the early poop stages, you can do a cold soak first or "sun" the diapers to get rid of staining.

For more information than you could ever possibly take into your brain in one sitting, check out the Mothering.com diaper forums here. Just be warned...you may feel VERY overwhelmed after reading there. I use it as a tool, but I don't spend too much time there because it's information overload! :)

Once you get into cloth diapering, you might also consider starting "family cloth" or cloth toilet paper. I blogged about it several years ago. We don't do family cloth while we're on the road, but I LOVE it when we're in a sticks & bricks house.

Bottom line...cloth diapering is fun and easy. Yes, it might cost more up front..but you can use them with multiple children, it's better for the earth, and for their little bums. If you've ever been curious about cloth diapers, now is a great time to check it out! If you're still intimidated, you can always do cloth just at nighttime to try it.

And now for the fun part! The Giveaway!

Sarah, owner of Wallypop, is a friend of mine "in real life" :) and Lisa, owner of Full Circle Baby is one of my online friends. Both ladies have generously donated some cloth diapering goodies from their stores for me to giveaway. Be sure to visit both of their stores to see a variety of cool natural living stuff!

Here is the giveaway stash:

• 3 tie-dyed premium sized prefold diapers (see photo above...great for a burp cloth or dipes!)
• One dozen cloth wipes
• One medium fleece cover
• 2 Kissaluvs (size 0) or BumGenius Organic (winner's choice!)
• Baby's Bottom Butter Cream

If you are local in the San Antonio, Austin, or New Braunfels, TX area and you want to check cloth diapers out in person...you can go straight to Lisa. Same with Sarah for those of you Des Moines area locals. Sarah also has adorable custom t-shirt fitted dipes and other fun stuff at her Etsy store, Boulevard Designs.  And she conducts cloth diapering classes...contact her for more info.

To enter yourself in the diaper giveaway...answer one of the following questions:

• If you are cloth diapering already or have in the past, what is your favorite brand or type of diaper?
• If you aren't using cloth yet...tell me your favorite fall food (I know, not diaper related...but I like to eat!)

I will choose a winner at random October 30 at 12:00 MST. Have a great weekend!

The Homebirth of Lucia Mae

Nothing could have fully prepared me for the emotions that washed me as we welcomed a new little person into our family just four months ago. Before she was born, I tried to imagine what it would be like…but that amazing moment when she took her first breath and was finally HERE..that's when I truly grasped how my life has been forever changed.

On the morning of May 29, I woke up at 5am with a few contractions. I laid there for about 2 hours, timing them and wondering. Around 7, I decided that this was it and we started to make the preparations for birth. Matt filled the tub, I got my “birthing clothes” on and we called Rebecca, our midwife. She said to call her back when the contractions were coming closer together. Bella hopped into the tub with me for a little scuba diving practice and we had some really special “last moments” together as just us.

Around 10:30 a.m., we called Rebecca back and things were starting to progress. I had been walking around the house, chatting with my mom and dad (who arrived from Iowa 2 nights before), walking out to the ally and back again. I would stop to have a contraction, and then keep going on with what I was doing. But by 11am, I felt like I needed to be more focused on each contraction, so I went in the bedroom and sat on the birthing ball.

The ball was my best friend. My contractions were low and in my hips/back. It felt great for me to bounce and put my hands on my hips during each one and press down hard while I vocalized. However, when anyone else tried to take over the task of pressing on my hips, it HURT SO BAD. So, after swatting both Matt and Rebecca away from me, I went at it in solitude.

I could feel myself slowly slipping into a laborland…a blissful state where the only thing that mattered was seeing my baby. The contractions continued to intensify. Rebecca and her assistant, Katie would come in to check the heart tones, but they never checked dialation per my request and all I can remember Rebecca saying was “you’re doing great…keep doing it”. They would occasionally offer me some Recharge to sip on (oh my word…I love the grape flavor!) and a cool wash cloth for my forehead. Most of the time, I was completely unaware of who was in the room and even fell asleep between contractions toward the end. I would wake myself up when I heard snoring…and then I would laugh. ☺

I had spent the last couple of days prior creating my perfect birth musical playlist. At some point in labor, I demanded that it be turned OFF because it was annoying me. So much for my baby entering into the world with the voice of Jason Mraz crooning in the background.

One thing I remember from all of my prenatal appointments with Rebecca was that we should have have "no expectations" of the birth experience. She reminded me to just go with the flow and listen to my body...and this is one of the many reasons why I love her so much.

From the moment we met Rebecca, we knew that she would be a perfect fit for our family. She is kind, compassionate, intuitive, and she truly respects the birth process. She is incredibly knowledgeable in so many areas...we felt confident that we could bring any question to her and she would have the answer. She empowered ME to trust my body and let birth unfold in the way it's supposed to. The best part...we didn't just gain a midwife in this process, we gained a friend for life.

I chose to focus on the word “open” during my labor…I never said the entire word out loud, but I would say “oooooooohhhhhhhhhh” in a low and loud voice whenever a contraction would come on. It was the best pain medication EVER. As soon as I stopped vocalizing, the pressure would get stronger.

Feeling Lucy move down through the birth canal was the craziest feeling…with every contraction, I could feel her get a little closer to emerging. I never “decided” to push…my body just did it on it’s own and when I felt myself wanting to bear down, I just went with it. There came a time when I knew I must be in transition because my internal voice was saying “Wow…when is this going to be over? It hurts.” And as soon as I thought that to myself, I was glad because I knew it was close!

At this point, I sensed a shift in Rebecca…and she asked Matt if he wanted to catch his baby. That question quickly snapped me out of la-la land and I was ON IT. Let’s DO THIS! I reached down and felt Lucy’s head emerging. My waters still had not broken.

On the next contraction, I felt her crowning and remember my voice getting higher…I looked at Rebecca and she reminded me to stop pushing and make the “puh puh puh” sound with my mouth to slow down the crowning and avoid tearing. And then…she was born. Her head “popped” out along with the water sac, and I felt and immediate sense of relief. I reached down and felt her head and on the next contraction the rest of her body slipped out, into her Daddy’s hands and she was placed on my chest. 2:59 p.m…a miracle is born.

There are no words to describe that moment. She was here. She was perfect. I counted her fingers and toes and grinned from ear to ear. Bella was in charge of announcing if it was a boy or a girl…but the cord was blocking the view and made it look like her was a boy. When we finally realized it was a girl, I was in SHOCK! I was sure it was a boy the entire pregnancy. I had random old women in Costco coming up to me to tell me I was having a boy. Along with every other person in my life. We had an entire dresser full of little boy clothes with not one pink onesie in sight. And yet, her SHE was. A sweet little girl. A sister for my Bella. Oh what joy filled my heart.

We announced that her name would be Lucia Mae…Lucy for short. The rest of the afternoon was a blur of snuggling, calling, smiling, crying, loving…I nearly drove my mom crazy because I wanted to be the one to tell my four siblings the news. I was waiting until things calmed down a bit before I called...but she could hardly contain her excitement. ☺

The night before I went into labor, I had a dream. In the dream, I walked through an open door and my Grandma was standing in front of me with her arms outstretched. She was vibrant, healthy and smiling. She embraced me. As we held each other, she whispered, “It’s ok…it’s time”. I stepped back from her and then she was gone.

This dream came just one day after her funeral back in Iowa. A funeral that I could not attend…being that I was about to give birth. It was devastating for me to miss saying goodbye to her…and yet I felt her presence with me so strongly those last couple of days before Lucy was born. She was still there with me. And even as we said goodbye to Baba…we welcomed a NEW life into the world. The incredible circle of life and death.

It was such a blessing to have my mom and dad at her birth…they were able to be at Bella’s birth as well. They drove straight to Bozeman from Iowa after the funeral and I can only imagine the emotions and stress that they were going through….and yet they drove 16 hours to be with us. I will always treasure the memories I have of my mom and Bella as they watched Lucy join this world…and of my dad as he patiently waited in the living room as his first born child became a mother once again.

It has been quite a transition to add a second child into our family after 5 years of just one…and yet it’s the most wonderful thing that we’ve done thus far. The depth of our relationships with each other have changed and grown, and watching Bella with Lucy brings me to tears.

Lucy is now 4 ½ months old and is changing every day. She laughs out loud and her sister’s funny faces. She chews on everything she can get her hands on. It seems her legs have a new roll on them every time I change her diaper. She loves being in the Moby and the excitement that overtakes her every time she realizes she is about to nurse is just too wonderful.

We can’t imagine life without her…and can’t wait to see her little personality emerge. God is good.

Photography by myself and Alicia Caine
Midwifery Care by Rebecca Egbert...who now supports mamas with Little Mother's Helper
Songs: The Story by Brandi Carlile & Lullaby by the Dixie Chicks

The Update

The Big News from Sara Janssen on Vimeo.

Let me just say...you guys are crazy! I don't know how many emails I have gotten lately begging for the details of our new adventure. You've been trying to guess....

"Is it a boat tour?"

"Is it a plane tour?"

"Is it a bicycle tour?"

"Are you going overseas?"

Nope. None of the above. We are just doing what we love...and that is going ON THE ROAD again (you gotta love Willie). After Lucy was born, we knew right away that we wanted to get back out there on the open road. Living life. Seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Learning. Growing.

We've different now. The road has changed us. Our priorities are different and we've realized that our traveling life just wasn't over yet. When we bought the Minnie Winnie, we truly thought that we would just be using it for weekend getaways and for traveling to see family. But, as soon as we got back out there, it just felt like us. It was good. We missed it.

However, the Winnie was a bit small for full-time livin'. So, we sold the Winnie and went back to a motorhome. This time, it's a 2000 Alpine Coach (40 foot). The same exact one as our last RV, but 2 years newer and 4 feet longer. Just enough extra length for Matt to build bunk beds for the girls. We'll be remodeling it back in Bozeman while we gather our belongings and sell/give away the rest.

Right now, we're still in Des Moines...and will soon be heading to various locations in Nebraska, Colorado, and then back to Bozeman. We'll be back for a few weeks and then will head west to Eugene, OR to convert the RV to veggie oil at Green Eye. After that, our plan is loose, but we're thinking California through January. Then Arizona and Texas throughout the winter, the east coast in the spring, and then back to the Midwest in the summer. We will most likely be offering a "buffet" of services as we travel through different cities.

• Photography
• RV or home remodeling
• Raw food consultation / speaking
• Veggie oil conversion services

We won't be doing any public demos, etc. like we did the first time around...and we will hopefully be traveling at a slower pace!

You may be a bit confused because you know we love Bozeman so much and have a cute little house with great neighbors and great friends, etc. etc. And that is all true. This wasn't an easy decision by any means. There is great comfort in stability and living life in one spot. We went back and forth. But after much prayer, finally decided to take a step of faith and as soon as we did that...all of the pieces started falling into place perfectly. We just kept praying, and God kept answering. It's been a fun ride...it's quite an adventure when God is at the wheel!

What we have realized is that we need to live our life NOW. We don't want to wait until we are retired to travel again. This past year has changed our perspective greatly...we lost my grandma and we nearly lost my brother in his accident. Family is super important to us and by having a home on wheels, we are able to see them more often. We are extremely blessed with jobs that enable us to travel...but that could all change tomorrow if one of us got hurt or sick. We can ALWAYS settle down...but we might not always be able to travel. Life is short!

I think this quote sums it up perfectly:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

So...once again we are sailing away from our "safe harbor"... with the goal of experiencing new things, meeting new people, and encouraging others to take that little step toward their own dream...whatever it may be!

And yes, I will be writing a blog about our new journey...it will take a little while to get it up and running so bear with me during this time of transition. I know this blog has been a bit quiet lately except for RV announcements...but now you know why :) I have a really GREAT giveaway and a blog about yoga coming soon. Have a fabulous weekend!