Labor Day Review

Happy Labor Day weekend, fellow Americans!  In the spirit of the holiday in which we celebrate hard work, I am writing this review of cloth wipes made by my friend & fellow Mama, Amy.  These wipes will soon be for sale in her Etsy shop, so keep a keen eye out!

I wrote about our experience with cloth diapering already, & I had indicated that, in lieu of special cloth wipes, we had opted to use cheap baby washcloths.  We have 24 assorted colorful washcloth wipes folded up in "pop-up" style in our Oxo wipes case on the changing table.  We liked how one side of the washcloth was smooth, & the other slightly scrubby, but still gentle on baby skin.  We also liked that it was a cheap option that was easy to replace should something happen, like loss or damage or some other unforeseen & rather unlikely scenario.  We used one cloth for pee diapers, & 2-4 cloths for poo diapers, depending on how intense the situation was.  But we had plenty of cloths on hand, so it didn't matter to us.

Then Amy sent Rue a gift of cloth wipes!  We loved the stamps on the packing envelope.  It was like a quilt's patchwork of cute art.  Then we smiled over the sweet little ribbon tying our new wipes together.  Amy also included a really sweet note.



I put the wipes (already stripped & treated with Rockin' Green detergent by Amy) on top of our usual wipes container, essentially making it impossible to miss the new wipes if you auto-piloted to the old ones.  These wipes are made of two layers of soft, absorbent flannel, with a serged edge.



They were obviously super-cute.  Amy had made the "Rue exclusive" camera print for us, but included some of her seconds for me to try & review.  These were in three different patterns, & some were not perfectly symmetrical, but they lose no function!




The camera print wipes that were made for Rue are perfectly symmetrical, as would be the wipes bought in her shop.  We were surprised at how durable & strong these wipes are!  A massive poo, which used to require up to 4 wipes, was cleared up with a single wipe.  Rue seems to like how they feel on her bum; super soft fabric probably is a nice sensation after sticky poo!  haha



They are just the right thickness; just thick enough to be strong & keep messes on one side, & thin enough to fit in my Munchkin travel wipes case.  This case is intended for store-bought disposable wipes, but can hold 4 of these cloth wipes.  Considering the case is only 1" thick & the wipes have to be doubled over, that isn't too bad.  We are hardly ever out longer than one or two diaper changes, anyway!

Of course, the beauty of cloth wipes is that they can just be tossed into the diaper bag, as they will not dampen or stain everything.  They can easily be popped in with the diapers without being in a case.  No worries.  I just tried the case out to give you a better idea of scale.

These wipes earned the highest rating available in my house: Ted likes them.  A lot.  He admits that, if I were not so persistent, he would have given up on CDing long long ago, so when we find something about the routine that he likes, it's like striking gold!  So, Amy's wipes get the Daddy Seal of Approval!

Happy Labor Day to one & all!  Keep working hard out there.  As for me, I am working on organizing some mini-sessions for the first two weekends of October for Halloween & autumn portraits... so if you are local, keep your calendars open those Saturdays!  There will be 9 slots per day, first come, first serve!  Details to follow.

Our Cloth Diaper Journey

When we found out we were pregnant, we began looking into parenting options.  I knew I wanted to be present in our baby's life, as well as sustainable & thrifty.  We decided early on that one thing we really wanted to emphasize was that we would spend time, more than money, on our children.



Diapering is a necessity of the early years of childhood.  Infants obviously aren't walking themselves to the bathroom.  We did a little research & I was disgusted by conventional disposables pretty quickly.  They use A LOT of energy to make them, they take years & years to biodegrade after being tossed (diapers I wore are still breaking down & have a long way to go!), & the chemicals used to make them so absorbent can wreak havoc on tiny tushies.  More sustainable disposable options (like Honest diapers) were a real long-term investment... they cost more & yet you still throw them out.  For me, there was only one logical answer: cloth.



We began our cloth journey when Rue was about 1.5 weeks old.  At this point, I was recovered enough to put in the effort (childbirth is no picnic!), & Ted was still in need of a little convincing that this option was hygienic & not completely disgusting for us- especially poo diapers.  We started with a pre-loved stash of small gDiapers I had bought online from a friend of my SILs. It was important to me to purchase pre-loved diapers- after all, we were trying to reduce the amount of waste in the world!  These were close enough to the design & function of disposables, & the inserts were the only part that required special CD detergent.  It made it easier for my husband to acclimate as we made the change from disposable to cloth.  We really adored these for the first month, but then our little chub outgrew them.  These would actually be the best option for someone who wants to save some cash but not go 100% cloth, as they have disposable, biodegradable FLUSHABLE inserts one can use in lieu of the cloth inserts.  And again, the rest of the diaper parts can go in with your regular laundry- no special detergent required!  They are also sold at Babies-R-Us, so no specialty baby boutique trip is needed, either.

In the beginning, most of our pocket diapers were a bit too baggy on Rue, so we also frequently used prefolds with Snappis to secure them, under a Thirsties or Swaddlebees cover (the kinds we have are no longer made).  We still have these prefolds & covers on hand, in case we have a situation in which we run out of pocket diapers!



Here is where we learned the #1 cloth diaper lesson: not all diaper brands & styles will work for your baby.  Furthermore, some diapers that DO work for your baby now may not ALWAYS work for your baby!  My cousin had gifted us her stash so we had a few off-brand options to work with.  We were also gifted several other types of diapers so we could find what worked best for us.

We graduated from the gDiapers to Monkey Snuggles in size small fitted diapers & one-size with rise snaps (again, no longer available).  These worked for a while longer, but some of the snaps were faulty on ours & we decided to try some no-name diapers that are similar to FuzziBunz in the cut, but also have (more secure) rise snaps, sans hip snaps.  We had a couple Bummis diapers that were gifts.  We loved the patterns & super light-weight, silky exterior fabric (not the PUL our other diapers all use).  However, our little one always managed to pee through that fabric!  We used extra doublers for the pocket & AIO (all in one) versions, & still she would literally soak through the outer layer.  Our travel wet bag is the same fabric, though, & it is completely durable, with nary a leak.  Maybe it's a force thing.  I am really not sure & still quite baffled.



What works best for us are FuzziBunz one-size Elite diapers (the wider style without the minky inserts, although we have a few with the minky insert that we also love for daytime use).  The wider ones can be used at night for Rue as long as we use the OS insert PLUS the newborn insert as a doubler, & I usually pop in a super-thin bamboo rayon soaker behind those to add just a bit more absorbency, since our little is a heavy wetter.  I totally let her fall asleep in a daytime-stuffed diaper last night & woke up in a tiny lake of urine.  Ick.  Even the best fitting diaper is no match to a night's worth of pee without proper stuffing.

We are also partial to Charlie Banana OS diapers (which- bonus- are found at our local Target stores!).  We love the disposable inserts for on-the-go use, as it allows us to carry less bulky diapers & keeps our smaller wet bag a bit more empty after a long day out.  The CB diapers are our favorite nighttime option!  They have a generous cut & wide pocket that accommodates the OS, newborn, & bamboo inserts beautifully, while still staying fairly trim on her bum.  The CBs have an envelope opening which is also nice.



I really would like to get a few BumGenius OS diapers as well.  We love the FBs & CBs because they feature adjustable elastic in the legs to adjust the rise rather than snaps, so our little waterworks doesn't leak nearly as much in those, even when she wears one for a long nap in daytime mode (one insert).  However, she is chubbing up really nicely, & I hear great things about the BGs for chubby legged babes!  Additionally, once you get into cloth diapering- CDing- the colors & patterns can suck you in.  And I am a sucker for the hues of the BGs!  haha  Must.  Collect.  All.  The.  Diapers.



Other accessories we cannot live without: our diaper sprayer, PlanetWise wet bags in our Target pail (works just as well as a CD specific pail- but cost $30 at our store!), Ruby Moon laundry detergent & pail sprinkles, Baby Bits wipe solution in a dollar store spray bottle, cheap baby washcloths with serged edges as wipes (I recently received handmade wipes from a friend that I will start using & will write about soon!), & a clothes rack, line, & clothespins.  We also use Diaper Lotion Potion Spray & Burt's Bees talc-free powder.  In fact, all the Burt's Bees baby products have been wonderful for Rue!



There are a million blogs dedicated to CDing, & a million tutorials online.  I just wanted to share a bit we have learned along the way.  Cloth diaper laundry day is every other day in our house, & I usually tackle it while Rue takes her morning nap.  I think it is one of my favorite chores to accomplish!  I feel so calm with the routine: rinse, wash with detergent, rinse, take outside to line dry.  I love the last bit.  The cats & their stray friends usually come around to help me & be fed (okay, really, to be fed), I enjoy a bit of fresh air & a nice breeze, & I get to notice new things about our backyard.  For example, the fig tree is heavy with ripe fruit waiting to be picked, & is surrounded by sticky over-ripened fruit rotting on the ground, feeding the ants & other insects, but also adding nutrients to the soil, making way for wildflowers & lush grasses.  Something about laundry drying on a line takes me back to my childhood summers in Michigan with my grandparents on their farm, or in New York with my other grandparents on the lake.  It's timeless & easy & simple, & I hope one day, Rue will see line-drying linens & remember the comfortable fluffy bottom of her early years.




Do you CD?  What are your must-haves?

Middle of the Night Memories

It's 4 AM.  I woke around 3 AM, after falling asleep around 1 AM, with a very uncomfortable little Rue fussing at me.

We've been dealing with the dreaded first fever, & I am running on an average 2-4 hours of sleep a night.  Sometimes, I have to think back to when I was carrying this little bundle & looking so forward to mamahood.  I have to think back before the fatigue, the breast-milk stained everything, the painful physical changes, the actual labor, the anxiety.  I have to remember the calm before the storm.

Our friend Heather gave me some beautiful images to help me remember the excitement.  The hope.  The anticipation.










Despite the sleeplessness, the stress, the moments of "will she ever stop crying?!?!"... it's all worth it!  I know I was born to be Rue's mama.  I have always wanted her, & I will always want her.

And now?  Here is hoping I get a little more sleep tonight!

Life With Rue- A Month After Birth

I cannot believe that tomorrow our baby will be seven weeks old.  SEVEN WEEKS!  How did we get here already?  My mind is a whirlwind of activity.  I cannot quite process the last seven weeks, & I am realizing with a heavy heart that my maternity leave is drawing to an end, & I still have been unable to secure a daycare for Rue.  There are a lot of things to figure out logistically.  This is another one of those things you don't really consider during pregnancy.  Unless you are lucky enough to already be a stay-at-home, or have planned to become one, daycare spots are almost as competitive as colleges & nearly as costly.  The time between delivery & returning to work is not nearly enough to feel like your child is off to a good start, let alone to get all your ducks in a row for childcare in the first place.

But I digress.

The past month & a half (almost 2 months!) flew by.  I feel like just yesterday I was caressing my swollen belly, wondering if I would have a son or a daughter, imagining the moment they snuggled to my breast, when I would whisper their name into the whorl of their ear.  And then that happened with Rue, & somehow we are already several days, weeks, & pounds later.

Some of the highlights of the last few weeks have been the Big Latch On, our visit to Children's Hospital for our hip sonogram (normal!) followed by a little fun at the National Harbor, bath & shower time with Mama, meeting new faces as friends & family visit us, & leisurely sleepy days in between.











Then we had our belated one month photo taken with our elephant friend for scale.  I couldn't pick which one I liked best, so I picked a few.  Rue surprised me & sat up from her boppy!  I keep forgetting how strong our baby is.  She wants to sit up on her own, & she came out of the womb able to hold up her head & look around.  She amazes me!






There are a few more photos over on my Flickr account, as well.  I also keep an ongoing phone photo & memo diary via VSCO's app website.  I love it, & welcome you to view that page as well!  It's a bit like my iPhonography Journal, but specific to mamahood.

I can't believe my little squish will be 2 months old in a week!  Where has the time gone?!?!

The Newborn Session Saga

Everyone in my house is asleep, & I have the opportunity to present to you... block blogging!  In which I try to make up for all the silence with several posts in a string.  Binge blogging.  Block blogging.  Blogapalooza.  You get the idea.

Let's discuss Rue's newborn session.

I put a lot of pressure on myself to use my baby as a model to have the longest newborn session ever.  I envisioned myself taking every day of the first few weeks working on an idea, getting a hundred amazing images.

I had no idea what postpartum was like, & nobody really explained it to me.  Even if they had, I don't think I would have grasped the concept.

The first week, Rue & I stayed in bed all day.  We nursed in bed, watched Netflix, & slept.  A lot.  We only ventured off the bed to change diapers &, in my case, use the bathroom & occasionally shower.

The second week, we still made the bed our "home base", but we also migrated to the couch to sun a little.  Rue had her first appointment, & shuffling from the car to the doctor's office was a very painful experience for me.

The third week was our first week alone together, as Bear returned to work. I was terrified, but she basically slept the whole week, making it the easiest week ever.  This was the week we also switched to exclusively cloth diapering.  We started with our gDiapers, which she fit for approximately 2.5 more weeks, & then out-chubbed.

The fourth week, I realized I had yet to take a single photograph with a camera that wasn't also a part of my phone (except one day when I tested my new Lensbaby on Rue in her swing & felt none of those came out very well!).  I was horribly, horribly depressed about this realization!  I beat myself up that whole week, still somehow unable to bring myself to pick up the camera.  That Friday, before the Saturday that Rue would officially be a month old, I tried to capture some of her newborn adorableness on film (er... memory card).

It was not the wonderful session I imagined.  These things are so much easier when you are not also the Mama!  Mamas booking sessions... keep hiring a photographer to capture those moments... DIYing it is just stressful, even if you are paid to capture other people's memories!

Basically, we got a handful of okay shots, & a few hundred awful ones.  I haven't figured out the Lensbaby yet, which helped in my disaster shoot, & Rue had outgrown the "I will sleep through anything & look peaceful in a photo" phase, having entered the "I am alert & particular about what position I am in... which is none of the poses you want me to be in... WAHHH!" stage.  She is still in this latter phase.

Anyway, here are the earliest images of our Rue...

The Swing Lens Test "Session" (aka the Stare & Sneeze):






The Attempted Official Newborn Session (aka Disaster Strikes):







So, a few turned out okay.  Cute, even, in a peek-a-Rue sort of way.  And then I introduce a soft basket which she refused to be folded into all snug & instead makes these timeless faces...






Exhausted, Rue gives Mama the ONE image she can actually cherish & say one day, "This is a beautiful photo of my baby when she was a newborn!"



Mischief managed.

Ruby Dawn: The Beginning

It happened!  On June 22, 6 days after her due date, our baby GIRL was born!  I am just going to type up what I wrote for Rue in her "1000 First Days" book here.  But first, a photo collage of the last month or so of iPhone photos to reward you all for putting up with the silence of my blog!



And now, the story.

"I thought I was going to have you early, but I was wrong!  Labor technically began 3 days before you were finally born.  Contractions were 15 minutes apart on average from Wednesday until Saturday, June 22, at 11am.  Suddenly, contractions were a mere 2 minutes apart!  Your Daddy had gone to town to run some errands & wouldn't be home for another 15 minutes or more!  I called my mom, who came straight over.  By the time she arrived, I was panicking.  I was in a too-small tee shirt & PJ shorts, clutching a food warmer to my abdomen & crying!  Your grandma calmed me down & you Daddy arrived home.  Soon, we were in the car, headed to the hospital (an hour drive!).  Daddy drove with me in the passenger seat & Grandma behind me.  During a contraction, they both held my hands while Grandma timed them on my labor app on the iPhone.

When we arrived at the hospital, they hooked me up to a fetal monitor to see how you were doing.  As usual, you hated being monitored, & my birth plan was changed from occasional monitoring to full-time monitoring, so they could try to keep tabs on you.  I was put on an IV drip for dehydration, too, but I was also allowed to drink water throughout labor.  I labored about 8 hours unmedicated, until I was 90%+ effaced & 9cm dilated.  Then your vitals went off-line for a long time.

I got an emergency epidural in case we needed to go into surgery for a cesarian.  I kept telling your Daddy how scared I was, how I wanted so badly to birth you free of drugs!  But he reminded me how I could be brave for you.  Despite my phobia of needles, the epidural was safely in place after 2 bouts of very intense contractions (I had to stay perfectly still!).  The drugs were on the lowest setting, but I still was able to fall asleep.

Soon, it was time to push.  I pushed & pushed & couldn't really feel if you were moving down.  A nurse set up a mirror so I could see.  When you crowned- so much hair!- I had to keep you there for a while, stretching me out.  I thought about how they broke my waters & nothing but blood came out.  I was worried that my body was no longer safe for you.  Your head stretched me wide & it hurt- I wanted you out!  Another set of pushes & I saw your face!  It was scrunched & red & it looked like it was in the wrong place, but I didn't have a lot of time to think about it because with one last push you slid into this world.  Your cord had been wrapped around your neck, but the doctor slid it over your head in the moment before you tumbled out of me.  I reached down & grasped you under your arms & pulled you to my chest, feeling your legs side out of my body.

Your Daddy & I cried as you cried & I told you your name, 'Ruby Dawn.'  We marveled at you until your cord stopped pulsing & your placenta was born.  I began to breastfeed you as your Daddy cut your cord.

You were your own person for the first time."









Our labor day was SO busy for the hospital- we were only one laboring couple in the filled up ward... more laboring women had to be set up in other areas of the hospital until one of us birthed our baby & vacated a birthing suite!  Another woman was experiencing the same complications we were, but she was not as severe a case... it was expected that we would need a cesarian or at the very least, foreceps-assisted birth.  Our midwife assisted the lower-risk mother, while we met the OB for the first time.  She was as wonderful as our midwife, & committed to giving us a birth experience as close as possible to what we envisioned.  She sang hilarious songs to Rue as I labored & kept telling the best jokes... it was like being in a comedy club, which really helped me to relax & stave off the panic that I would need surgery.  In the end, I birthed my baby vaginally under my own steam, no assistance needed!

I have never been so tired, so exhilarated, so scared, so sure, & so happy in my life.  Birth is a process, an indoctrination into mamahood.  It isn't easy, the recovery is long & arduous, & the actual event is harrowing & amazing all at once... & it is all worth it.

I am a mama!