Cloth diaper

Cloth Diapers

There are so many questions that take forever to find via Internet on cloth diapers... So many kinds it makes my head spin. So many myths too!! Being the crude mother I am, let me get to the dirty details of myths...

1. You have to touch poop.  Um... First off your kid pretty much does that in your belly for nine months but for all intensive issues lets say you are immune to that. I am wondering how many of you have never pooped and gotten it on your hand when wiping. No one? Well I have. It wipes off. You CAN wash your hands. You can also use a sprayer. It costs around 15 for a sprayer.

2. It is expensive. I paid 180 for all my dipes.... So... Math shall we? 180 (26 diapers) + wipes (used receiving blankets) free+ dipe solution (once a year) 20 + bamboo inserts (25) = 225. (No sprayer, poop does not scare me) so a year is 225Luvs (252ct) 25 + wipes  4=  29 this  is a month worth so a year is 348Now 348-225=125 saved. Is your kid potty trained at a year? No? So....348  + 348 = 696 for two years. I am not spending anything on cloth... SoIn two years I saved 473. That is based on eight dipes a year and NO diaper rashes... 482 with one tube of the good stuff.

3. It is a pain. Is the part where you cannot open your trash can from the smell of poop attractive? Yes? Well, I would not know. You enjoy chlorine chemical burns? The screams of pain with diaper changes? Or what about the chemicals your child absorbs? You ok with that too? I have a high risk kid anyway, so none of that is good for me but do what you must.

 So, more myths shall we?

First of all you CAN buy used diapers cheap (the good ones) and ones to get you by new cheap (not so good).Used diapers can be found on Craigslist, several fb groups and cotton babies.com (the ones I have personally used), in general a used diaper should be five or less and a new, the same. New can and should be purchased via fb co-ops because they get the best price.There are SO many kinds of diapers All in ones (aio), flip system (flip), pockets (ones you stuff) and prefolds. Prefolds are the cheapest. Flip is next, then pocket and aio are pretty expensive. If you flip or pocket you need to know about the insert types (hemp, bamboo, charcoal, microfiber). Hemp and bamboo and charcoal all are big absorbers. Micro fibers are the panty liners of the diaper world. Great for newborns but as a child grows another insert will be needed. I personally stuff... I love my pockets. I dabbled in all in ones but they stunk big time (thanks Tracy for helping me out!!)

I now own or have messed with the following:

Sun baby
Bum genius
Kawaii
Sweet baby bottom
Blueberry
Happy hiney
Lotus bumz

Each diaper has great pros or cons except blueberry. For the cost it sucked. I would never pay 16 bucks for a diaper that lasts only one kid. Keep it.Sun baby is now on its third kid and given that, the fact that you can get them for fiveish a dipe, good job. My sun babies are now delaminating but useable. Sweet baby bottoms have held up as well as sun baby but have a lot more stretch for the larger baby. Lotus bumz are ok at best. For five to ten bucks they are worth one kid BUT I doubt they will last beyond my one kid.Kawaii are my fav besides bum genius. My overnights have not leaked, not once, unfortunately I waaaaay overpaid because no one told me about co ops. Bum geniusthe all in ones SUCKED but absorbed super well. The pockets absorb well but these are the dipes I have had the least amount of time.

Washing cycle
Rinse off poop or pee
Rinse cycle in washer
Wash cycle
Rinse cycle
Dry dipes by air.

 Stink? White vinegar in the wash :) You can use homemade detergent, ALL free and clear (tide is too pricey for me) and invest in some white vinegar and blue dawn in case you get the stinks or start to repel. You can also pick up coconut oil to put on your baby if any redness occurs. 

That is the quick and easy of it all... 

04.27.12 A Very Good Day!

Today Amelya got her chest tube pulled and forced air removed after a good xray and blood gas! It appears miss is on the way to heal! I stayed a good bit of the day getting errands done and reading and being creepy and staring at her. I am so proud of her, now we have to work on feedings. Speaking of which, I started reglan... Gotta make Boobie juice! It has a side effect of depression, but if I can handle this, reglan doesn't have poop on me! I wish I could use the tea too, but it is a big no on cardiac babies :( Well, short and sweet that ends the day. I can't wait to bring her home (and I'm way nervous). 

Looking at the upside.... Desperate to do so.

Yesterday was better than today for me and great for Amelya and I wouldn't have it any other way.... Amelya is now getting regular feeds (yey) but I'm still struggling with milk and I can't do ANY tea or fenu stuff with her being a heart baby (boo) but I'm pumping every 2 to 3 except at night, I wait for 5. Amelya's chest looks like holy cow better but she is insistant on laying on her right side unless medicated and turned on her left. She cries on her left but we gotta get air flow! At least she is getting 15 minutes on that side. She sleeps like her daddy too, one eye open, hand in the air and grunting. Daddy had to leave for work today which sent Mommy into a tirade if tears because we haven't been seperated since we met. Only God can (if you believe in God or fate or whatnot) put two people togeather like this. Seriously I never thought I would have these moments in my life and now, here it is (up and down as it is).

Side note/ ADD moment: My grandparents saw Amelya for the first time today and my father this past weekend. She is so loved! :)

Thank you all for everything once again, my words cannot express how much everything anyone has done or said.

04/26/12 Fustration

Yesterday I was planning to post for 4/25 until stuff kinda went to poo. I woke up to a room change from staff only to find out later we didn't need to move and at that point I wasn't re-moving... Then we went to see my beautiful girl later than usual. I was told she was doing well and after a couple steroid doses he could plan on extubation (breathing tube removal) by the pm. I could and would not be present for that- I can handle most stuff but extubation? Nope. At 4:30 she was extubated- we didn't get to see her for another hour related to an OR case. (Yey for another fixed baby!) I wasn't real happy with that because I am scared of extubation and that right lung- I realize it looks better but the fragility of it all (uncertainty and unknown change is NOT easy for me) puts me on edge. Forward to 11:30 pm (yes, I am the nurse who is a pain for a patient and now it is my child its like walking on a wire) and Amelya is doing very well off the ventilator and on forced humidified air... She looks good but now we have more post op hurdles which looks like another week (minimally) of care in the pcicu (which is fine) but I hope she meets them! My little fighter. I need to take some notes, I want to bond so badly and hold her but her war wound looks so painful that I actually turned down giving her a bath. I feel horrible. I also think I overstimulated her yesterday when she got hiccups after I went on a touching rampage. I wish I could do the right thing, it is just this is not my area and I'm fustrated as a Mommy and a nurse-  it is just that I love her so much. I love her, my husband and the way things are looking, I need to go back to good ol trusting and having faith but it is hard!

On another note, some friends of ours (mutual powerlifters Ambre Tarpley and her Mom (ok, mom doesn't powerlift) and Laura Phelps Sweatt) sent 2 outfits for Miss Priss and some antibacterial goodies (yes, I'm that mom that will make you wash your hands and you cannot of smoked or presently be smoking around her. Thank you all! Made a fustrating day better. :) 

Questions... (04/25/2012)

I really haven't posted as of late because Michael has at schultzestrength.blogspot.com - since I blogged however Amelya has had her surgery with Coarctation of the Aorta and is ventilated and attempting to come off the ventilator. Yesterday was a little touch and go for her as her right lobe has more fluid than it should (opacity) and she failed her first cpap test to come off the ventilator. She has to have two successful cpap trials to come off. This is so fustrating to see her on a ventilator and I can't help but feel like I can't do crap to help her. I don't know their ventilator so I can't suction and she hurts with the spot her incision is... I wanna scream... So instead I ask questions. A ton about what numbers to watch, when to give meds based upon no physical or verbal signs (and blood pressures being based off a newly fixed heart) for pain. I wish I could hold her.... I wanna hold her and make it all better... Instead I have to tell myself she won't remember any of this.

04/20 - 04/21 Update

I haven't updated in the past two days related to Amelya being somewhat stable and spending a lot of time trying to be a Mommy (diaper changes and touch and of course pumping). Amelya is chunking up somewhat but I know its because they all screw up her feeds (yes, I caught it AGAIN)... I just keep looking over their shoulders in case it is something else. I really like Jody, Erin and Marissa thus far, great nurses. Tonight Denise and Brent came down with our things (whew!) And some friends Erin and Mandy (bless them both) got us extra needed things (Erin and Jason got us a bear that plays for 20 minutes and baby einstien cd and Mandy some tea to help with milk and a big tj maxx bag for carrying supplies back and forth from the hospital). I found out today the baby across the hall from us in the greenville nicu went home today.... I am glad my prayers for him might of worked towards his recovery, now if we can keep working on praying for other babies (I am bad about being too general). I am so thankful everyday for all my friends and family and most of all MY family. I never thought I would have any of this much less all the support.

I guess that ends the ramble :)

Finally...

Michael pulled me out of bed about 1700 after laughing and watching cable tv (a luxury we don't afford because the gym is more entertaining) for a bit. We apparently came at the right time. Dr. Bradley had us sign consents for surgery, this after hearing 2 babies were sent back to nnicu. I am very excited and nervous. We are only getting the coarctation fixed, but it is a start. I think we are following the right steps and Michael and myself are becoming more faithful and open about God and us, which I have never had before.... We are not turning into bible thumpers/pushers, just (for me) being more reliant (I think that's the word I'm looking for).

Well, no big changes for Amelya, the move to lasix (water pill) has helped with her infiltrated (cloudy, wet) lungs and I'm happy, for now... I hope they clear pretty well until surgical time.

That is pretty much it, Denise and Brent come this weekend... Hopefully I can make it over the bridge...