I was fortunate to get several hand-me-downs when I was pregnant of baby gear from my mom's neighbor. I have been lucky to try out two of the most popular nursing pillows via these hand-me-downs: the boppy and the my brest friend pillow.
What I tried:
1. The Boppy
Hands-down, this is my favorite. I like that it is able to be used for multiple purposes. It is not only a super comfortable nursing pillow, you can also use it as a prop for your baby depending on their age. I have used it on many occasions to lay my baby down, sit him up, or try to get him comfortable with tummy time. I also like that it is not super bulky but manages to keep him (and me) supported while breastfeeding.
2. My Brest Friend
This pillow is very firm. While it has functioned great as a back-up when the Boppy is in the wash, it is not my go-to for a nursing pillow. It is too firm and has no give to it. That being said, sometimes that is a bonus when you are cluster-feeding a newborn because you can strap it to your waist and you can get up if you have to while breastfeeding.
Friday, April 12, 2019
Cloth Diapers
My parents did cloth-diapers when I was growing up and had a weekly diaper service that picked up the dirty diapers. I happen to live in an area where diaper services are still a thing. I did not have an issue cleaning them ourselves but my husband was against cleaning them in our own washing machine.
I think that some cloth-diapering families wash the whole diaper/insert after one use and end up buying 30-40 diaper wraps. We used the prefolds that came with our diaper service and only changed the outer wrap when it was super wet, our baby had a blow-out, or it was a new day. The amount of cloth diapers you need depends on how you intend to use them.
What I tried:
1. Mama Koala One-Size Reusable Pocket Cloth Diapers
These were the ones we tried and used regularly. I only tried one other brand of cloth-diapers but these were winners. They were reasonably priced, had fun designs, and were easy to use. They also are one-size which was great as baby grows. The only down-side of one-size pocket diapers (no matter the brand!) is that they don't fit well on newborns. But, once the newborn is about 10 lbs., you should not have an issue using the one-size wraps. (The diaper service we used let us rent newborn wraps until our son could fit in these).
2. Alvababy One-Size Reusable Cloth Diapers
These were the only other brand we tried. The price of them is also reasonable and they have plain wraps or fun designs. I felt like the snaps to adjust the size of them were a little less user-friendly so, after trying them, I decided I preferred Mama Koala!
***Full disclosure - we decided to stop cloth-diapering a few weeks ago. I made a compromise with my husband for the diaper service when we initially brought home our baby. However, not every caregiver that watched our son was interested in using the cloth diapers. Weighing the cost of the diaper service with the fact that our son was in cloth only half of the time, we could not afford it as an added expense.***
I think that some cloth-diapering families wash the whole diaper/insert after one use and end up buying 30-40 diaper wraps. We used the prefolds that came with our diaper service and only changed the outer wrap when it was super wet, our baby had a blow-out, or it was a new day. The amount of cloth diapers you need depends on how you intend to use them.
What I tried:
1. Mama Koala One-Size Reusable Pocket Cloth Diapers
These were the ones we tried and used regularly. I only tried one other brand of cloth-diapers but these were winners. They were reasonably priced, had fun designs, and were easy to use. They also are one-size which was great as baby grows. The only down-side of one-size pocket diapers (no matter the brand!) is that they don't fit well on newborns. But, once the newborn is about 10 lbs., you should not have an issue using the one-size wraps. (The diaper service we used let us rent newborn wraps until our son could fit in these).
2. Alvababy One-Size Reusable Cloth Diapers
These were the only other brand we tried. The price of them is also reasonable and they have plain wraps or fun designs. I felt like the snaps to adjust the size of them were a little less user-friendly so, after trying them, I decided I preferred Mama Koala!
***Full disclosure - we decided to stop cloth-diapering a few weeks ago. I made a compromise with my husband for the diaper service when we initially brought home our baby. However, not every caregiver that watched our son was interested in using the cloth diapers. Weighing the cost of the diaper service with the fact that our son was in cloth only half of the time, we could not afford it as an added expense.***
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Teething Toys
This is so subjective to the individual baby, what teeth they are working on, and what their level of pain is. I went with a few different teething toys that had high level of reviews on Amazon and were not crazy expensive.
Resources Used:
Amazon
My (and my husband's) parents
What I have tried (so far):
1. Baby Elefun
This actually had a perfect rating on Amazon which is rare. It has a variety of different nubbins for baby's gums and you can stick it in the freezer if necessary. What I liked is that it is in a doughnut shape, giving baby hands an easy grip. It is also perfect for the baby links to attach to if you have a baby that enjoys throwing things. This, so far, has been our favorite teething toy other than frozen washcloths.
2. Comotomo Silicone Baby Teether
This is our second favorite teething toy. It also has a ring loop so you can attach it to baby's stroller and not have to worry about it getting lost when baby inevitably throws it. It is slightly smaller but similarly shaped to our fingers, as well, which is a plus especially since my kid has preferred chewing on our fingers while teething.
3. Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys
These have not been that great. They're clunky so they're difficult for little hands to hold. That being said, the gel does freeze and feels good on little gums.
4. Very Hungry Caterpillar Gel Soother
I stumbled across this at a Home Goods and it was a lucky find. It also has the gel inside but is much smaller and easier for our little guy to hold which is a huge plus. Downside is one of our dogs (still a bit of a puppy himself) also thought it was a great chew toy. I haven't purchased a replacement yet, on Amazon, because it's way more expensive online than the price I originally purchased it for.
5. Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder
I will come back to this one when I post about introductions to solids, but this works as a teething toy too. You can put cold or frozen fruit in it (bananas have been a hit using this). It soothes their gums AND they are trying solids - win-win!
Resources Used:
Amazon
My (and my husband's) parents
What I have tried (so far):
1. Baby Elefun
This actually had a perfect rating on Amazon which is rare. It has a variety of different nubbins for baby's gums and you can stick it in the freezer if necessary. What I liked is that it is in a doughnut shape, giving baby hands an easy grip. It is also perfect for the baby links to attach to if you have a baby that enjoys throwing things. This, so far, has been our favorite teething toy other than frozen washcloths.
2. Comotomo Silicone Baby Teether
This is our second favorite teething toy. It also has a ring loop so you can attach it to baby's stroller and not have to worry about it getting lost when baby inevitably throws it. It is slightly smaller but similarly shaped to our fingers, as well, which is a plus especially since my kid has preferred chewing on our fingers while teething.
3. Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys
These have not been that great. They're clunky so they're difficult for little hands to hold. That being said, the gel does freeze and feels good on little gums.
4. Very Hungry Caterpillar Gel Soother
I stumbled across this at a Home Goods and it was a lucky find. It also has the gel inside but is much smaller and easier for our little guy to hold which is a huge plus. Downside is one of our dogs (still a bit of a puppy himself) also thought it was a great chew toy. I haven't purchased a replacement yet, on Amazon, because it's way more expensive online than the price I originally purchased it for.
5. Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder
I will come back to this one when I post about introductions to solids, but this works as a teething toy too. You can put cold or frozen fruit in it (bananas have been a hit using this). It soothes their gums AND they are trying solids - win-win!
Monday, April 8, 2019
Book Review: Spiritual Midwifery
This one is wholly for entertainment value but I loved it!
Book Title: "Spiritual Midwifery"
Author: Ina May Gaskin
Rating: 4/5
Ina May Gaskin is a legend in the world of midwives. Before midwifery came back into fashion (there was that pesky period where doctors took over and midwives were banned), Ina May kind of stumbled into midwifery and became a house-hold name as an expert in the field.
"Spiritual Midwifery" was her detailed stories about how she became a midwife as well as a variety of other births she was present for. It is powerful and was a great book to read while I was pregnant. It was all about how women can and do have natural births and how they are rock stars.
Keep in mind that it was written originally in the 1970's and most of the stories are wonderfully hippie and entertaining!
Book Title: "Spiritual Midwifery"
Author: Ina May Gaskin
Rating: 4/5
Ina May Gaskin is a legend in the world of midwives. Before midwifery came back into fashion (there was that pesky period where doctors took over and midwives were banned), Ina May kind of stumbled into midwifery and became a house-hold name as an expert in the field.
"Spiritual Midwifery" was her detailed stories about how she became a midwife as well as a variety of other births she was present for. It is powerful and was a great book to read while I was pregnant. It was all about how women can and do have natural births and how they are rock stars.
Keep in mind that it was written originally in the 1970's and most of the stories are wonderfully hippie and entertaining!
Book Review: The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep
Book Title: "The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep"
Author: Harvey Karp
Rating: 3.5/5
While breast-feeding my little guy I have discovered that I can read books as long as they are able to be read one-handed (aka, ebooks!). My library happened to have ebook copies of "The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep" by Harvey Karp.
I stumbled across it when my little one was about a month old. We had been managing fine but I wanted any tips on how to help with soothe him. Dr. Karp outlines the 5 S's of swaddling, shushing, swaying, side-holding, and sucking. And, yes, that was recited from memory but, believe me, you will find yourself memorizing them with a newborn quickly as well.
I could not give a full 4 or even 5 stars, no matter how helpful, because it did take a bit of slogging through to get to the point. The 5 S's are definitely life-savers with a newborn at home. But no one with a newborn wants to read an encyclopedia to get to the point of things. None of us have time for that!
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