Nursing and Cloth Diapers

   For the record this post is mostly a promo for nursing moms and cloth diapering. If you aren't interested in reading about diapers and my nursing experience then I wouldn't bother reading it.

   Well, I had mentioned a few posts ago that we were going to cloth diaper when Libby came. We used disposal premi diapers for the first week until her cord fell off, and ever since that cord was gone we've been enjoying the wonderful world of yellow stained, smelly shrimp, cloth diapering. Yes shrimp. Her poo smells like shrimp right now. Not sure how normal that is, but hey she's healthy!

I think she's working on one right now . . .

   Cloth diapering has been much easier than I anticipated, and I was expecting it to be relatively easy too. Some friends of ours have been cloth diapering for over a year with their son, so I had already learned how to do it. I guess I was expecting it to be a pain to have to be the one responsible for washing them. At this point her poop is still bright yellow mustard squirts so it's incredibly easy. Remove diaper insert (and cover if nasty), drop in diaper pail (lined with an odor blocking washable liner from Planet Wise), insert new diaper, close. Washing is just as easy. Drop in washer, cold rinse, add detergent, hot wash, hang covers, dry inserts and wipes. Oh yes! We are also using flannel wipes. I bought several dozen just before we had her. They are fantastic. Her little tush did not appreciate disposable wet wipes. We used them only a few short days before her butt got sore and we switched to our reusable system. I fill a spray bottle with mostly water, a squirt of baby wash, and some olive oil, then we spray down the wipe with this lovely mix and voila! The wipes get thrown into the diaper pail and washed the same way the diapers do. Super easy!

                                              She loves to get changed in front of a mirror. :)

A few product comments:
   LOVE the pail liner and wet bag for traveling that we purchased from Planet Wise, and I highly recommend them!
   Of the diapers we use: Flip insert is not wide enough to contain the mustard squirts so we switch covers more frequently when using those inserts. The prefold inserts from Econobum are great! The Econobum snap cover and Flip snap covers are also fantastic. The Flip velcro newborn covers . . . perfect size, but the velcro is really annoying in the wash. It gets stuck to the cover itself and also to the Flip inserts.

Just kidding, she needed to burp. Speaking of burping . . .

   Nursing has been going sooo well! I had read a blog that had me scared out of mind expecting nursing to be excruciatingly painful for several weeks. Well, I am glad to say that was not my experience! The first several days were a little sore while we got into a rhythm, but I stopped using Lansinoh cream a few days after being home. The worst part in regards to pain was when my milk came in. Engorgement is not fun, but it only lasted a day or so. It was very uncomfortable at night. In fact, I don't think I slept that night because of the pain. Unfortunately I didn't have a pump at the time, but I was able to expel some of the milk by hand. Huge relief!
   Libby has had a great latch since the first time she nursed. I am one blessed momma! Positioning was not always easy when we first started. At first I had to do different positions for each side. I did a cradle hold for my left side and a football hold for my right. The Boppy pillow was great for the first week while we were getting comfortable, but to be honest I don't use it for nursing anymore. I'm so small, so it honestly doesn't fit my body that well. I found myself needing to adjust all the time or prop the sides of it up with rolled up pants. It was more work than the nursing itself. Now I nurse with ease and rarely use anything for support except for a comfortable seat. My favorite position is lying down. While we were at the beach I was nursing while editing photos, so I think we're doing well.

Food coma (at the beach)

   I would say it took me 2 weeks to get to a point where things were really comfortable for us. 2 weeks . . . definitely worth all the amazing benefits of nursing. I look forward to it, especially when I'm really full and uncomfortable. My plan is to nurse until 12 months (solids at 6), but I can see myself wanting to nurse longer. The bonding time is wonderful. :)
   Thanks to my sister-in-law, who gave me an electric pump, I am able to get a break when I need one. Libby took to a bottle so well, AND!! . . . wait for it . . . she takes her bottle cold. I gave her the first one that way and she had no problem guzzling it down! We gave her a bottle towards the end of her first week home. Other people definitely enjoy being able to feed her, especially her papa! This month I am working on increasing my supply and working on stocking the fridge and freezer!

more product comments:
Lansinoh nursing pads are my favorite, because they are larger than other brands and they actually stay put. Cloth nursing pads . . . not so much. Rather than absorbing completely before leaking they just get wet in one spot and leak right through. No fun. Maybe I need to try a different brand? Medela electric pump . . . fantastic! Love it! Not sure I find the tiny white flap piece necessary, but whatever. Storage containers with attached lids, thank you. Dr. Brown bottles, why so many pieces? But the baby does love you. Dr. Brown pacifiers . . . Winston's (one of our cats) favorite. Libby doesn't use pacis often, but she has been able to take different brands without an issue when she does use one.

Well I'm off to eat something! . . . I honestly thought it was 1ish, which is ridiculous because we didn't wake up from our afternoon nap until 1:30. Hello 5 o'clock . . .