Adventures in Mommyhood- week 10

So I officially quit my job, I don’t miss it, I feel relieved and haven’t cried since.    Shammy is thrilled.  The clock is ticking though to get a part time job to avoid falling behind on bills.  I also need to partially restart Bandora’s Lair so that I can once again do readings, healing sessions and Reiki classes, etc.

Meanwhile I decided to post the diapers that we don’t use anymore at www.myuseddiapers.com it’s a low traffic site but easier to navigate and understand than the popular Diaper Swappers which usually overwhelms me.

Shammy is rapidly outgrowing his cosleeper (aka bassinet), I’m not ready for him to move and hope that we can squeeze some more time out of it.  He’s got a tendency to sleep diagonally on it, something that he inherited from me.

My husband complains that I take way too many pictures of him sleeping, I just find it so cute, I actually hold back and don’t take as many pictures as I would like for fear of waking him with the flash.

Some people have asked me to review my experience with cloth diapers and wonder how could I possibly stand to touch the poo.  Very simple, I’ve never had to touch the poo with a cloth diaper, I cannot say the same when Shammy has had blowouts with disposables.  ::knock on wood:: I’ve never had a blowout with cloth diapers.

As for the different types of diapers that I’ve tried, Shammy hates and I mean HATES prefolds.  He tolerated them when he was a few days old but that was the end of that.  Laying the prefold in the cover wasn’t as effective as using a snappi, the snappi is an awesome invention.  I have been selling the unused prefolds online and keeping the used ones to use in the changing table.

As far as covers for the prefolds, I got several WAHMS that were very cute but not very effective.  The Bummis cover got the job done but I would not feel confident with it overnight.  The best one hands down is the Thirsties Duo Wrap, the double leg gussetts was just what Shammy’s  skinny legs needed.

I also tried some hybrid systems, gDiapers is a really cool concept but I have found that it isn’t idiot proof, I have to be very careful putting it on or else it’s major leak town.  I like that I can use a prefold as an insert but Shammy doesn’t approve of that.

The other hybrid that I like is the Flip, this one is way better, the cover is great, the insert is great, but I feel that the cover is not great to hold the insert in place when putting it on (once on it stays in place nicely) so I haven’t used it for night because I’m afraid to put it on wrong in my barely awake state and end up with a flooded baby.  It has worked well during the day though.

Then we move on to the Bumgenius, the 3.0 and earlier versions don’t fit Shammy’s skinny thighs well.  The 4.0 on the other hand is just awesome, it fits him well and contains even his most spectacular excretions to date.  I find that the snaps version is better as the velcro shows wear and tear after just a few washes.   So since it isn’t broken I ain’t fixing it and I’m trying to refrain from experimenting with other brands and sticking to what works.  The only downside is that Bumgenius doesn’t come in tie dye.

I’m currently trying to  gradually build my Bumgenius stash, right now I have enough to diaper a full day every other day or for half a day on a daily basis.  The biggest challenge is that the inserts take a full day to line dry since the dryer has not been installed due to an incompatible electrical outlet that hasn’t been changed.  Hoping to soon be able to have 24 diapers that will allow me to stop using disposables and cloth diaper full time.

On the postpartum recovery front, at almost 10 weeks since Shammy was born my hemoglobin levels have recovered enough that I’m almost not anemic anymore, yay for that!

When it comes to nursing pillows  I have both the “Boppy” and  “My Brest Friend” pillows, I like them both.  The boppy is comfy but still requires support, I love it to prop Shammy up to play and read to him and he tolerates it for tummy time.  The Brest Friend pillow is excellent for almost hands free nursing, no need to support with my arms so I can caress baby more and it is easier to read while nursing, but it is only convenient if put on before picking baby up.

On amusing news…. I only wear nursing pads when going out because I have few cloth ones and I find the disposable ones suffocating, I don’t care if I leak around the house.  Lately I’ve woken up in the middle of the night in a puddle of milk because I was having dreams of Shammy and my boobs thought that it was real.

In more news… the CPSC is pissing me off by trying to eliminate all baby carriers by using bullying tactics and with no scientific evidence to back up their claim, that really makes me grrr.

Some creative mamas have come up with some nifty ideas for halloween costumes for babies in slings, I’m not particularly crafty but this one is simple enough that I could potentially pull it off.

A few weeks ago I read an article about an Australian doctor that wants formula to be  sold by prescription.  This really got my attention, I know that this is a very controversial subject especially in light of the whole “freedom to do what you think is best for your child”  but bear with me as I fantasize about this…

The reason that this appeals to me is the fact that by this method mothers have to make an educated decision instead of just what marketing, family, friends or media portrays as the norm.

This would help solve a lot of the “breastfeeding didn’t work for me” excuses because they have to get help for that problem before being able to get the formula.  A one time prescription would be needed and only those mothers for whom breastfeeding truly isn’t an option such as being HIV positive or mothers than insist in formula can get it.  For those that make it a personal choice they would have a counseling session with their doctor and sign a consent form agreeing that they understand that the formula they will be getting is substandard nutrition for their baby when compared to breast milk.

Even if it was only implemented for WIC recipients as a condition for the government to pay for that baby’s formula it would have a large impact on informed decision and increasing breastfeeding rates.

I know that the above greatly differs from my usual viewpoints and is a radical approach, I agree, that is why I’m just thinking out loud and not proposing it as public policy.