• Beans
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Caffeine
• Cauliflower
• Citrus/acidic fruits- oranges, cherries, grapefruit, lemons, pineapples, kiwi, strawberries
• Chocolate
• Corn and Corn Syrup
  
• Cucumbers
• Dairy products
• Eggs
• Hot peppers, Green Peppers, Red Peppers, Orange Peppers, Yellow Peppers
  
• Iron supplements
• Medicines
• Onions
• Peanuts
• Shellfish
• Soy and tofu
• Spicy food
• Tomato
• Wheat
• Garlic, Pepper, Red Pepper, Cinnamon, Chili, Curry
  
• Fish
• Food additives

Only mothers of babies with family histories of serious food allergies should maintain a list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding.

Contrary to common belief, food allergies are fairly uncommon and according to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, less than 5% of the population has a true food allergy.

Over 90% of food allergies are caused by 9 foods; cow-milk products, soy, shellfish, wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, egg whites, citrus fruits, and food additives.

Most people who think they have a food allergy actually have a food intolerance.

Some studies support that a young breastfed baby can become sensitized to allergens in breastmilk. Babies born to allergic parents have a greater chance of becoming allergic to the same foods. If your baby is sensitive to something in your diet, there will probably be other symptoms in addition to fussiness, such as excessive spitting up or vomiting, colic, rash or persistent congestion. If you are able to calm your fussy baby with more frequent nursing it is probably not food-related.

Breastfeeding is a great way to prevent or decrease allergy symptoms. Breast milk fights allergies by coating the insides of the intestines which makes it difficult for foreign substances to leak into the gut. Breastfed babies are only exposed to what the mother eats and secretes in her milk.

WOW and PRAISE GOD are words that come to my mind when I think of the last 48 hours! O.k…. I am anxious to tell all the details, so here goes!

12:15am- I was sound asleep and turned to change positions in bed. I felt a little “damp” “down south” and felt the sheets and noticed they were wet. Did I pee my pants? Am I hot enough to produce that much sweat? DID MY WATER BREAK??? So I got out of bed and turned on the bedroom light to look at the sheets. Sure enough there was a 6 inch diameter spot of moisture on the sheets. I went to the bathroom to pee and thought for sure that if my water was in the process of “breaking” that it would gush out when I squatted to urinate. Nothing came out. None the less, we decided that since I have Strep B (a harmless bacteria (to me) in my cervix that could harm the baby), that I should go to the hospital and have them check me to see whether or not my amniotic water was leaking.

12:45am- I arrived at the hospital and was checked in and put in a labor and delivery triage room. They did a swab of my cervix to culture and see if there was amniotic fluid present. While they waited for the results, a nurse checked my cervix and I was already 4 cm dilated!!! I hadn’t felt any strong contractions up to this point, just a few VERY mild ones… not enough to dilate my cervix, or so I thought! So the nurses rushed around and quickly got me to a labor and delivery room. I called Jeremy at home and told him to get over to the hospital, because we were going to have a baby some time in the next 12 hours! He called his sister, 40 minutes away, and asked her to rush over to stay at the house while Ayden slept and watch him that morning until we could find someone else to watch him (she had to work that day).

2am- When the nurse checked my progress, my bag of waters broke the rest of the way and came gushing out. It was exhilarating. I felt empowered. My body was in the process of birthing the way God created it to! I was also already dilated to 6cm, still not really feeling the contractions, in no pain at all. I was smiling, talking with the nurses, and calling my parents in NY to tell them Ethan was on his way. I did not look like I was in labor by any stretch of the imagination! Jeremy finally arrived at the hospital during this time with my hospital bags, birthing ball, our cameras, the diaper bag, and of course, my hair straightener and make-up (hey, who can blame a woman for wanting to look nice for such a special occasion!)

2:30am- 7 cm dilated and still not in much pain. I was feeling the contractions more… the were stronger, but still not painful. The nurses kept asking me what I would rate my pain on a scale of 1-10. I kept saying, “Oh, I guess a 3 or 4?” They were amazed. I put makeup on and fixed my hair.

3am- Got to 8 cm, but then for the next 2 hours, I stayed at an 8. That’s when the nurses wanted me to go from my position of sitting up, to laying down. They wanted me to lay on my left side and then after 15 or so minutes, change to my right side… and keep doing that until I started to progress again. They thought it would help Ethan’s head hit my cervix in different areas and with different levels of pressure to better dissolve the cervix. The contractions got much more painful when I was lying down (as I read they are in my natural labor and delivery books! Standing and squatting are the best positions, but the nurses and even my Dr. said they would not allow me to get out of the bed.) I was bummed I had to lay down, but did it any way.

5am- Fortunately, the maneuvers worked… and I was now 9cm dilated. I really had to concentrate on deep breathing and relaxing all my muscles… and I squeezed the heck out of Jeremy’s hand. Doing those things, along with chewing on ice and having a cool wet cloth on my head really helped.

6am- I was 9.5 cm dilated. It was only a matter of time, and I would start pushing! Contractions were strong and I was definitely feeling pain. But I knew it was pain with a purpose. Each painful contraction was pushing Ethan down the birth canal. I was feeling the urge to push (felt like I had to poop real bad!) But they kept hollering at me to wait! That was so hard!!!

7am- 10cm dilated. No epidural, no pain meds. With the next contraction, I was instructed to push. I felt like I was going to poop, so I was timid with my pushing. But then the natural urge to push came and I went with it! Instead of pooping, I peed all over the bed! That was embarrassing, but what can you do. My contractions were about 4 minutes apart, so for the last hour of labor, I probably only pushed for 15 minutes. When his head was crowning, it burned SO bad. I screamed “Fire! It burns!” It hurt, but it was a good hurt. I was thrilled to experience the sensation! Soon, out came his head, and the Dr. suctioned his nose and mouth. With the next contraction, out came his shoulders, and then his body and legs! I did it!

Well, I did it with the help of God, that is. He totally blessed my socks off. I had prayed during my pregnancy against things like a prolapsed cord (when the cord comes down before the baby’s head and gets compressed), meconium in the amniotic fluid (meaning the baby had a bowel movement in utero and could ingest it!), fetal distress, failure to progress, going overdue, etc. I prayed against all these negative situations, but expected a long, drawn out and painful labor. God totally amazed me with the outcome, it was far better than what I had prayed for. God is good, in the good times AND the bad times. Like, my c-section with Ayden was a very traumatic time for me (besides having a healthy baby, everything went the opposite of what I had hoped for). But I wouldn’t have had this amazing experience if it wasn’t for that bad experience.

Why Cloth?

When most of us think of cloth diapering we picture a messy piles of square cotton fabric that smells, stains and needs to be washed out by hand. These diapers would hang on the line outside, need to be carefully folded and pinned, leak like crazy, and come with obnoxious pull-up plastic pants. This is probably the idea your mom has when you mention cloth diapering. Anyone over the age of 20 who was cloth diapered probably had this treatment, and it’s no lie that they could be a pain in the butt.
However, diapers today are not your mother’s cloth diapers. Modern cloth diapers are as easy to use as disposable, cheaper, durable, environmentally safe, healthier, and cuter. That last one may be a matter of opinion, but consider: ads and commercials featuring babies which aren’t selling disposable diaper products will most often feature the child in a cloth diaper. Why? Because it’s a cuter image.

This essay will cover common concerns including cost and care, plus an FAQ. You can skip ahead to the parts that matter to you by clicking the quick links from this table of contents:

1/ Why is cloth diapering cheaper?
2/ Why are cloth diapers environmentally safe?
3/ Why are cloth diapers healthier for my baby?
FAQ & Common Concerns:
1/ Isn’t cloth diapering a lot of work?
2/ What about when I go out?
3/ Won’t cloth diapers leak and stain clothes?
4/ But I don’t want to fold and pin!
5/ What do I need to get started?
6/ Where can I buy cloth diapers?
6.a/ Buying second hand, is that really safe?
7/ How do I wash cloth diapers?

Why is cloth diapering cheaper?
There are a lot of choices when it comes to disposable diapers.  Often the cheaper brands leak, or break easily and most people prefer to buy somewhere in the middle. A baby who is changed regularly will go through 7-8 per day (more as a newborn, less as a toddler). The diapers get more expensive as the child gets older and fits into bigger sizes, after 2.5 years of diapering the average cost is around $.35 per diaper. This ends up being around $2,275 spent on something that gets tossed in the garbage. Most parents who use disposable diapers leave their babies in them for longer periods of time, so based on average of 5-6 changes per day the cost is more like $1,757. Add in disposable wipes and you push the total up another hundred or so. Let’s not even get into products like the Diaper Genie, Swim Diapers, or specialized training pants.
No matter how you look at it, that’s a lot of money. And that cost doubles every time you have another child.

Cloth diapers come in a few varieties. Flat or prefold diapers are the cheapest, fitteds and contours in the middle, and AIO’s (“All-in-ones”) the most expensive. A typical stash of cloth diapers which includes all of the above diapers, liners, soakers, covers and wipes can cost anywhere from $100 to $400 depending on where and what you buy. (My personal stash cost us around $230 Canadian in total). These diapers will last you all of your child’s 2.5 years and are re-used for the next child, and the next . . . if you take good care of your diapers they can make it through several children without showing their age. Some people have successfully used diapers through four or more children and they still looked nice enough to sell at near their retail value.
But what about laundering costs?
It’s not as much as you’d think.  A typical wash of diapers includes baking soda, white vinegar, some detergent and a few cycles. If you choose the ‘wet pail’ method you’ll use more water then someone who uses the ‘dry pail’ method. This calculation is based on 271 loads of diapers over the 2.5 year period.

• 200ml of vinegar @ $.15/load) $40.65;
• water and sewer (for 4 toilet flushes, 16 gal; 1 normal wash cycle, 45 gal; rinsing and filling pail, 7 gal. Total of 68 gal. @$.0067 = $.46/load) $124.66;
• natural gas to heat water (20 cu.ft. of natural gas @$.0015 = $.03/load)
• $8.13; power to run dryer (5.76 kw/hr. for 1 hr., 5.76 kwh @$.07 = $.40/load) $108.40;
• power to run washer (.76 kwh @$.07 = $.05/load) $13.55;
• depreciation on washer and dryer ($.16 for washer + $.09 for dryer = $.25/load.1) $67.75 = $436 ($1.60/load.)

Total money spent on cloth : $100-$400 worth of diapers [average of $250] + $436 spent on washing = $686, reused for each consecutive child Total money spent on disposables : $1,757-$2,275 with average of $2,016, doubled with each consecutive child.

Links: Diaper Pin’s Cloth diaper savings calculator

Why are cloth diapers environmentally safe?
Read your package of disposable diapers carefully and you’ll see something that you might have missed before: solid waste is not supposed to go in the garbage. Even with disposable diapers you are supposed to shake fecal matter into the toilet. Very few people do this, or even realize you are supposed to, but that warning is there for a very important reason. When solid waste goes into the landfill it doesn’t just sink into the ground and disappear. It stays inside the disposable diaper, which needs sunlight and oxygen to gradually decompose, something that those huge piles of sausage wrapped diapers don’t get. It can take as long as 500 years for a disposable diaper to break down, and with diapers being the third most common consumer item in landfills today, that’s a lot of garbage. Our ground water becomes contaminated from rain water running over the landfill, this gets into our oceans, streams and rivers and causes a lot of problems.  About 5 million tons of untreated body excrement, which may carry over 100 intestinal viruses, is brought to landfills because of disposable diapers. Some of these live viruses found in disposable diapers include polio and hepatitis. Those piles that take hundreds of years to decompose also attract insects and animals that can carry and transmit diseases. Even ‘biodegradable’ disposable diapers take years to break down, and rarely get the light and air they need to aid this process.
It takes 3.4 billion gallons of oil and over 250 thousand trees a year to make disposable diapers that end up in our landfills.

But do cloth diapers decompose just as easily?  Yes and no. One must consider that the amount of cloth diapers that would end up in our landfill versus the amount of disposable diapers paints a very clear picture on which is the bigger risk as far as waste goes. Cloth diapers are mostly made from cotton, terry and fleece (which is already a recycled substance). These materials biodegrade much more easily then the ones used in one-use diapers, but do take time. Around six months in good conditions, and as long as 50 years in others. Rarely do people throw away their cloth diapers after using them. They are reused for other children, given to friends and family members, prefolds get used as burp cloths, rags and contoured diapers can even make reusable menstrual pads.
What about the water pollution? It is true that cloth diapers take more water to use, however the amount of water per load is the equivalent of about four toilet flushes; about the same amount of water used if the child was potty trained. This contaminated water goes through the same sewer system as the other water waste produced in your household, and is sent to treatment plants. This quote is in regards to the water waste argument, and makes a very good point :

“Ask nearly any disposable diaper advocate the environmental question and they will most likely say that while they are loading up the landfills in our world, cloth diaper users are wasting the planet’s water. Certainly 20,000 gallons of water seems like a lot to wash some diapers. But let’s put that into perspective. If we spent 640 gallons on our diapers per month, that’s .86 units of water (at 748 gallons/unit). In my household of 2 adults and 2 children, we use anywhere from 10-25 units a month, depending on the time of year. If we averaged 15 units of water a month, our .86 units of water would constitute about 6% of our typical monthly water usage. In the summer, we use more water to keep our lawn green than we do to wash our diapers.

That’s just the numbers. I think it’s interesting that disposable diaper lovers (including the companies that make them) can make quite a fuss about the water used to wash cloth diapers. Nobody seems to get up in arms about the amount of water used to wash and sanitize bottles if parents feed their babies formula – or pumped breastmilk for that matter. In the event that a baby’s parents find the time for a 5 minute shower each day, they will each use over 27,000 gallons of water to keep themselves clean for that 2 1/2 year period of diapering their baby – that’s almost 60,000 gallons for two adults. But 20,000 gallons to wash their baby’s diapers is supposed to be an environmental problem?

If disposable diaper users really think it’s a better choice to pollute landfills with long-lasting, bacteria-laden trash, rather than use water to wash and flush our children’s waste, then shouldn’t all of us adults quit taking showers, wear disposable diapers – and probably disposable clothing altogether – and quit flushing our waste down the toilet? That hardly makes sense. We have wise, environmentally safe and inexpensive ways to treat our sewage water (remember, it only costs about $17.00 for the TOTAL water of laundering one child’s diapers for 2 1/2 years!). Further, water is a naturally renewing resource – remember the “water cycle” diagrams we all came to know and love in our 5th grade science courses?”

Links: The Diaper Drama – Environment
The environmental impact of diapers [includes information on the environmental impact of materials used to create cloth diapers, bleached cotton, etc]

Why are cloth diapers healthier for my baby?
Disposable diapers contain a super absorbent chemical inside their plastic casing called sodium polyacrylate, which pulls fluid away from the baby’s skin and holds it inside the diaper. This chemical causes allergic reactions, was removed from tampons after being linked to toxic shock syndrome, is lethal to to some animals on inhalation, and lab testing [when injected] has shown it to cause hemorrhage, cardiovascular failure and death.
Dioxin, a byproduct of the bleaching process, is the most toxic of cancer-linked chemicals according to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Even in barely detectable amounts it has been known to cause liver disease, immune system suppression and genetic damage in lab animals. It can also cause birth defects. No level of dioxin has been established as safe for human exposure. Every American has a measurable amount in their body, and its half-life is seven years. Over thirty pounds of it are released every year.
The FDA regularly receives complaints from illness or injury associated with the usage of disposable diapers, this includes babies pulling the diapers apart and ingesting pieces, skin being torn from the tabs, plastic melting into the skin, dizziness, rashes, headaches and many other problems.

“In 1987, the Sunday Democrat and Chronicle published news about the new Pampers Ultra. The new gel they used caused severe skin irritations, oozing blood from perineum and scrotal tissues, fever, vomiting, and staph infections in babies. Employees in Pampers factories suffered from tiredness, female organ problems, slow-healing wounds and weight loss. According to the Journal of Pediatrics, 54% of one-month old babies using disposable diapers had rashes, 16% had severe rashes. A survey of Procter & Gamble’s own studies show that the incidence of diaper rash increases from 7.1 percent to 61 percent with the increased use of throwaway diapers, great for manufacturers of diaper rash medicines. Widespread diaper rash is a fairly new phenomenon that surfaced along with disposable diapers. Reasons for more rashes include allergies to chemicals, lack of air, higher temperatures because plastic retains body heat, and babies are probably changed less often because they feel dry when wet.”

This chemical remains in the diapers today.

In 2000 a German study linked male infertility to the use of disposable diapers. The scrotum hangs away from the body to keep it cool – high temperatures reduce sperm count and motility. This study found that during diapering years the scrotal temperature was significantly higher, and in some the natural cooling system was completely abolished.

Even the dyes in disposable diapers have been linked to health problems similar and just as serious as the ones mentioned above.

As far as the sanitation issue, studies have shown that disposable and cloth diapers are equally sanitary. As far as spreading germs what matters is not what the diaper is made of but how it and the baby are handled. Hand-washing being the most influential factor.

Isn’t cloth diapering a lot of work?
Cloth diapering is no more work then disposable. When baby needs to be changed you grab a diaper (with cloth, you’d probably grab a cover too), take off the dirty diaper, wipe and put it in the pail (shaking off any solid waste into the toilet. Breastfed baby poop, before solid foods are introduced, will dissolve completely in water and does not need to be shaken off). Put the new diaper on and off baby goes. Twice a week you either drag the garbage to the curb, or pick up the pail and dump the contents in the washing machine.
Fitted diapers do not need to be pinned and are fastened with either velcro (Aplix, touch tape, etc) or snaps. These usually require a cover which can be made of waterproof or water resistant fabrics like PUL, nylon or vinyl or absorbent fabrics like wool, hemp or fleece. Covers either fasten on the sides, front, or pull-on like underwear.
All-in-one diapers have a waterproof outer layer and do not require a cover. The downside to using AIO’s is that they are usually more expensive then buying fitteds. Normally people purchase four or five to use as ‘nighttime’ diapers.

What about when I go out?
Most parents pack extra pants when they go out with baby because with any diaper leakage is a concern. Some parents prefer to use AIO’s when they go out to minimize the risk of moisture wicking onto clothes, and any dirty diapers and wipes are stashed in a plastic bag and dumped in the pail once you get home. Because disposable diapers do not breathe, the smell is stronger. Dirty cloth diapers stashed securely in a bag do not stink terribly (neither do they smell like roses!) and should not be a hassle. When cloth diapers smell badly it indicates a problem with the way you wash them, not the diaper itself. (Personally I find that a regular fitted diaper with a cover works just as well and do not have problems with leakage when we go out with a fresh diaper on.)

Won’t cloth diapers leak and stain clothes?
Leakage occurs in any diaper that does not fit or is not fastened properly. If you have problems with a cloth diaper leaking you should check the legs and back elastic to ensure a snug fit and either move up a size or down one if need be. Brand new diapers made from natural cotton often need to be ‘treated’ as cotton produces an oil that repels moisture. This can be done one of two ways: you can wash on hot cycle about half a dozen times, or you can boil them for 10 minutes with a few drops of tea tree (and perhaps a drop or two of lavender as well). Cotton, especially cotton prefolds, will ‘fluff up’ after this and become softer and more absorbent This is a good idea for any new diaper, as some fabrics will repel water thanks to an additive. Most WAHM diapers will have been washed before being sold and it’s unlikely you’ll need to take this step with them.

See also: Why are my cloth diapers leaking?!?

But I don’t want to fold and pin!
Some people prefer to use prefolds or flat diapers, which do need to be folded. But they don’t necessarily need to be pin ned . . . diaper wraps can be purchased so all that needs to be done is to fold the diaper into thirds and place it inside the wrap, then fasten the sides (velcro). The wrap fits snugly around baby’s waist and legs and holds the prefold in place.
Also available is a stretchy, non-toxic and biodegradable device called a Snappi which effectively fastens a prefold without sharp edges.
If this is not your style, you have a few other choices.

Contoured Diapers:
These diapers are like prefolds, but skip the folding step. They are shaped like fitted diapers, but are simple in design. They have no elastic, velcro, or snaps. They require a waterproof cover.

Fitted Diapers:
Have elastic legs and back (front as well if they are side-snapping). They are fastened with hook & loop or snaps and are similar in design to regular disposable diapers. They are highly adjustable and will fit a variety of baby body shapes within the weight bracket, some are even designed to fit from birth until potty training with the help of a bit of folding. Fitted diapers come in almost any print or colour and are the most popular type of cloth diaper to buy. They usually require a cover.

Pocket Diapers:
Are just like a fitted diaper, but without the thick absorbent layer in the middle. Instead they are hollow with an opening in the back which is stuffed with a ‘insert’ or prefold diaper. Before the diaper is put in the pail, the soaker is usually removed. This makes washing and drying very easy and fast. The added advantage of having a pocket diaper is how customizable the absorbency level is. For little wetters, you need only use a cotton or flannel soaker, for overnights you can switch to something heavy duty like hemp, terry or wool. Pocket diapers are usually AIO’s; waterproof on the outside with a fleece interior layer which does not absorb but dries quickly and wicks moisture away from baby’s skin.

All-in-one (AIO):
Have all the advantages of a fitted diaper but with a waterproof outer layer so no cover is required. AIOs are a favorite of daycares, dads and baby sitters and require no extra steps or handling then a regular disposable.

What do I need to get started?
You’ll need about 18 – 24 diapers (a little more for the newborn period, as they wet more often), an equal or greater number of wipes, and 4-6 covers for every size. Liners, doublers and AIOs are optional but always nice to have. If you’re going with prefolds you’d probably want at least two dozen (closer to three), plus five or six covers. If you’re going with fitteds or AIOs you can probably get away with two dozen or less. You can also buy one-size diapers instead of getting all those in three different sizes.
You’ll need a diaper pail and optionally a ‘wet bag’ which is a waterproof bag for storing your diapers when traveling or if you’re using dry-pail method and don’t want to wash your pail every time. Just throw the wet bag right into the wash with your diapers.

Where can I buy cloth diapers?
All over the internet are places to buy cloth diapers. Most people prefer to buy WAHM (Work at home mom) because not only are the diapers kid-tested for quality and durability, but you’re helping to support another family. Some good sites to get started are Cloth Diapers N’ More, BareWare (Canadian-based), Born to Love (closed, but still has great resources) and Diaper Pin.
If you don’t have the cash to buy brand new you can call the companies and look for seconds (diapers with cosmetic errors like knotted stitching that cannot be sold for retail value), find places that trade or sell second-hand diapers (like Orange Starfish), there are also many places online to find diaper swaps or trades. Ebay is an inexhaustible resource for both new and used cloth diapers at good prices.

Buying second hand, is that really safe?
Yes! After you wash a diaper once, it’s used – that doesn’t mean you’d throw it away. Diapers that have been well cared-for will have no rips, stains or tears and the fasteners and elastics will still be in good condition. A good quality used diaper will not look worn. Sanitation is not an issue, but if you are concerned you can wash them several times on hot, or boil them with some tea tree oil to kill any germs.

How do I wash cloth diapers?
Washing methods vary from person to person and depends a lot on the time you want to take.
There are two basic methods: wet pail and dry pail. Wet pail is when you have a diaper pail that is full of water with some tea tree oil and baking soda added. Each time you change a dirty diaper, you stick it in the pail until it’s full and then dump the whole thing in the wash. Having them soak is like pre-treating stains, and since you won’t ever go longer then 3-5 days before a wash there’s no risk of mildew.
Dry pail is pretty self explainatory, but often requires an extra cycle or two on the wash.

You will need: Baking soda, white vinegar, and some safe detergent. Do not use soap, bleach, borax or fabric softener on your diapers. Soap causes build-up which makes your diapers smelly, discolored and less absorbent Beach and borax will break down the fibres in your diapers and reduce absorbency and their life span. Fabric softener creates a waterproof layer which will cause moisture to bead off.
Safe detergents are free of whitening enzymes and phosphates. Some good choices are Tide or Sportwash. Any hypoallergenic and/or cheap detergent is likely to be good as well.

This is the method we use:

Step #1:  Fill up the machine with cold water and half a cup of baking soda, agitate for a moment or two and then let it sit for a few hours or overnight. Drain the water and start your regular wash method. Baking soda removes the urine smell and is very effective in keeping whites and colours bright. If you don’t want to do an overnight soak method or do not own a machine that is capable of soaking, you can simply do a short cold wash cycle with the baking soda.
Step #2: Fill the machine with hot water and only a few tablespoons worth of detergent. Make sure it has no dyes, scents, fabric softener, phosphates or other additives – this is much easier to find nowadays than you’d think! Optionally you can add a half scoop of oxyclean or another cloth diaper-specific agent, but baking soda can also do a good job to whiten.
Step #3: Rinse with cold water and 1/2 a cup of white vinegar. This restores the PH balance, helps reduce build-up and works as a fabric softener [Why use vinegar?]
Step #4 (optional): Rinse again with cold water. This makes sure any residue or vinegar is completely out of the diapers, but is not necessary for most washing machines.

Using Baking Soda and Vinegar in the wash cycles is optional, but most people like to do it at least every once in a while to help keep their diapers looking/smelling/feeling good. When using baking soda, include vinegar in the rinse to make sure the PH balance is equalized otherwise you might end up with diaper rash. [Baking Soda, Washing Soda and PH Balance]

For a compact and simple wash routine simply wash on hot with your detergent and rinse on cold on the highest water setting. If you wish to add baking soda and vinegar to a compact cycle but are afraid you’ll miss the rinse, get a Downy ball, the kind used for fabric softener. Put your vinegar in it at the start of your wash and it’ll open automatically when the rinse starts. No fuss!

Dry in the dryer, or on a line. It was once thought that PUL covers should be hang-dried, and AIOs will have a longer life if hang dried, but we now know the opposite is true: both will last longer and experience less wicking if dried on high heat. Any wool covers need to be hand-washed with a special type of detergent, but can go as long as two weeks (or until soiled) before needing a treatment as they are very absorbent and naturally antimicrobial. [How to care for wool]
To sterilize your diapers you can boil them for ten minutes, wash on hot with some tea tree oil (10-12 drops in a full washing machine is enough!), dry in the dryer or in direct sunlight.

Cloth diapers are not as much work as you’d think they are – in fact they’re barely any work at all! Cloth diapers are a safe, cheap, easy and healthy alternative to disposables (and are even Dad-proof).
The only friendly warning any veteran cloth diapering mom would be heard to give is how easily you will become addicted. With all those cute prints, colours, shapes, sizes, names and of course models . . . it’s too easy to become a collector.

(O.k., you really can’t see them because the pic is so small, but trust me, they are there…)

But on a positive note, I was reflecting back on all that God has done in my life the past few months: He’s kept Ethan in my womb after a pre-term labor scare at 28 weeks gestation and 3 months of bed-rest; He’s blessed me by allowing my parents and grandmother to come visit us; He got my camera here today… pre-Ethan; several friends from church have given us baby clothes and diapers; and a friend of mine is GIVING me her breast pump (I had registered for one, but they are EXTREMELY expensive!  I was amazed at God’s mercy when I got an email from her saying she felt led to give me her breast pump.)  God is so good and loves taking care of His children.  I am so grateful and thankful to Him.

I pray that God will bless you today…

“Children under 4 should not be given over-the-counter cough and cold remedies, drug companies said Tuesday in a concession to pediatricians who doubt the drugs do much good and worry about risks.

The voluntary change in advice to parents comes less than a week after federal health officials said they also saw little evidence that the drugs work. But government officials were afraid that taking the medicines off store shelves might prompt parents to give their children adult medicines.

The drug makers said they will also add a warning that parents should not give antihistamines to children to make them sleepy. These are allergy-relief medications often found in medicines that combine several ingredients to treat a variety of symptoms.

“We are doing this voluntarily out of an abundance of caution,” she added. The new instructions will appear on products distributed for the coming cold season. Last year, the companies pulled medicines for babies and tots under 2 from the market.

Pediatricians, who have been calling for a ban on OTC cough and cold remedies for children under 6, welcomed the industry’s latest shift.

“It’s a huge step forward,” said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Baltimore’s health commissioner. “There is no evidence that these products work in kids, and there is definitely evidence of serious side effects.”

Problems with OTC cough and cold medicines send some 7,000 children to hospital emergency rooms each year, with symptoms including hives, drowsiness and unsteady walking. Many kids overdose by taking medicines when their parents aren’t looking.

Since a majority of the problems involve 2- to 3-year-olds, the industry’s new instructions, if followed by parents, should help.

“The 2- and 3-year-olds are definitely the highest risk,” said Sharfstein. “More than 50 percent of the problem is with these kids. “If they don’t have this stuff around the home, they’re less likely to grab it and ingest it.”

Pediatricians still support recalling the medicines for children under 6, and the Food and Drug Administration is studying their effectiveness for children under 12. But federal health officials said at a public hearing last week that it could take them a year or more to make a final decision and order changes. (Um, a year is a REALLY long time! It’s sad how long things like this take!)

Leading cough and cold brands include Dimetapp, Pediacare, Robitussin, Triaminic, Little Colds and versions of Tylenol that have ingredients to treat cold symptoms. U.S. families spend at least $287 million a year on cold remedies for kids, according to Nielsen Co. statistics that do not include Wal-Mart sales.

The industry also said it is expanding an educational campaign aimed at getting parents to be more careful about giving their kids cough and cold medicines. (It’s about time!!!!)

Parents should never:

_Give adult medicines to a child.

_Give two or more medicines with the same ingredients at the same time.

_Give antihistamines to make a child sleepy.

Parents should:

_Give the exact recommended dose, using the measuring device that comes with the medicine.

_Keep OTC medicines out of sight and out of reach.

_Consult their doctor if they have any questions.

Colds usually clear up by themselves after a few days, and many doctors say rest and drinking plenty of fluids are all that’s needed.”

The problem with waking up in the middle of the night, is that I start to worry about anything and everything I can think of.  For some reason, my mind starts to veer off towards the negative when I can’t  sleep… which makes getting back to sleep pointless since I get myself all worked up in the process.   It’s a vicious cycle.  I wish I could just fall right back asleep like most people can, but I ALWAYS end up tossing and turning and eventually I give up trying to fall back asleep… ending up out in the living room at the computer or with the TV on, usually both.

Lately I’ve been so tired throughout the day that I’ve been taking a two hour afternoon nap (probably a combination of being pregnant, hormonal, and sleepless at night).  But it’s hard for me to get good shut eye during this time (for whatever reason I can’t fall completely asleep… I kinda lay there half awake).  At the same time, it seems to be enough rest that my body thinks I don’t need as much sleep at night, I guess.  So, any way, here I am.  Blogging.  Suffering from heartburn.  Worried about you-name-it.  Tired as all heck, but sleep still eludes me.

What I am worried about right now (I need to get it off my chest just like I need to get this heart burn out of my chest!  Maybe this will help me get back to sleep?):

1.  That Ethan is not in the head-down and anterior position (vertex presentation, facing towards the back).  If he is anything but, Dr.’s tend to freak out at this point in the pregnancy.  I just have this feeling that he turned sideways (transverse) yesterday.  He just had hiccups, and instead of feeling them in the southernmost part of my uterus, I felt them on the left side (probably meaning that’s where his head is).

2.  That I will have to have a c-section after so much planning, wishing, preparing for a natural childbirth.

3.  That I won’t go in to labor on my own, going past my due date, and that I will have to be induced… which is bad for someone who is trying for a VBAC (I’d have more of a chance of a uterine rupture).

4.  (Oh, that was a good burp.)  Any way, our finances and bills.  I always worry about our financial state. It seems like we are never going to get out of debt and be financially secure in any way.

5.  Our future.  What does God have in store for us?  Why has he brought us 1,600 miles away from family?  Why Katy, TX?

6.  Ayden’s well-being right now.  I feel like I have completely neglected him during this pregnancy.  I’ve been so focused on manufacturing and preparing for baby #2, that I feel Ayden has taken a back burner on my “life stove”.  He’s just kinda sittin’ there simmering on low, not being paid much attention to.   I know I’m being hard on myself and that it happens to all pregnant women (they feel like they are neglecting their children, especially in the last few weeks of pregnancy), and that Ayden is a resilient child and will not be affected one bit by this stage in life.  But I still look at him frequently and think, “I could be doing so SO much more with him right now!  But I don’t have the energy or patience!”

7.  My parents.  My mom has blood pressure and anxiety issues (I wonder where I get mine from!) and my dad is super busy, working as a full time pastor and also coaching at their local high school on the side, among many other things.  I just don’t want them to work themselves to death.  They mean so much to me.  I want my sons to know how great they really are (to me, they are two of the most amazing people in the world), and it kills me to be so far away from them.  I think that I am STILL grieving the fact that I’m so distant from them.  It started the week before we moved down here (well over two years ago), when it hit me that moving so far away would probably have a huge impact on me.

8. Our house.  It’s old and falling apart at the seams.  It needs so much work.  (I guess you get what you pay for.)  If I had known then (back when we were renting apartments) what I know now, I would have been GLAD to stay in an apartment.  Home ownership has it’s advantages… like Ayden has so much space to move around and play and we don’t have to deal with noisy neighbors downstairs, upstairs, and on both sides.  But in an apartment, you don’t have to take care of the lawn, major repairs are taken care of by the landlord, and in the event of a hurricane, the landlord takes care of the damages and insurance issues.  Oh, and you don’t have to pay housing association dues or taxes when you rent.  And when you own, you get the pleasure of worrying about the effect of the economy on the appreciation of your home.  I highly doubt we will do more than break even when we try to sell this home in the future because of the way the housing market is.  Heck, we may even lose money because of all the plumbing and other maintenance issues this house has.

9.  The fact that I am literally 50 pounds heavier than I was in college… granted I’m pregnant and will lose some weight after Ethan is born.  But when I’m weighed at the Dr.’s each week, I get bummed thinking about all the hard work that is ahead of me when it comes to losing baby weight x2 (since I didn’t lose all of Ayden’s baby weight from freakin’ 4 years ago!)  I start to think that losing the weight wouldn’t be so bad if we had a gym membership… but then I get more bummed because we can’t afford that.  And it’s just a downward spiral from there.  Oh, and what makes it worse is that I was a fitness major in college.  I have a 4-year bachelor’s degree in Physical Education/Fitness and I SHOULD be the most in-shape pregnant woman I know.  But the exact opposite is true.  I am the most out of shape pregnant woman I know.

10.  And lastly (well, from the worries I can think of right now), I worry about what this lack of sleep will do to me the next day… and I start to dread the lack of sleep I will get when the baby comes… and how that is going to affect our marriage and the way we treat Ayden (I am already short-tempered as it is!)  I HATE feeling tired and fatigued.  I know it’s just a period in life that will be over before I know it… and that when my boys are in their late teens and out at all hours of the night and I can’t sleep then, that I will miss it when they were babies.

Sometimes when I hear pregnant women complain and complain about all of their pregnancy issues and complications, I just want to say “Shut up!  You WANTED to get pregnant and this is ALL part of the territory.  So just deal with it!”  I guess I just need to deal with this lack of sleep and heart-burn and know that it will hopefully be over soon… and I will have another beautiful baby boy in my arms.

P.s.  As I am proofing this to post it, I realize that I sound so gloomy and that several of my posts are like this.  Just realize that this is therapy for me (blogging my thoughts!) and so I want to thank you for being a part of my personal therapy!  I feel better when I write out my thoughts and frustrations.    Now, off to bed to try to fall asleep.

Eating a yeast free diet is meant to inhibit growth of yeast within the body. This diet eliminates all foods containing sugar and wheat. It also prohibits eating processed foods as these contain chemicals and preservatives that feed yeast within the body and cause an overgrowth. Following a yeast free diet can often alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel disease, migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic ear infections, asthma, and attention deficit disorder by reducing the candida level within the body.

To follow a yeast-free diet, you will need to eliminate foods which increase the growth of ‘candida’ in your body. This yeast can go from being present in an innocuous way to growing out of control and making us ill for a variety of reasons.

Things that can contribute to candiasis are:

• Stress
• Sugar
• Birth control pills
• Antibiotics
• Steroids
• Surgery

The way I see it, if you eat a lot of the foods listed right below here, plus you have one or more of the factors above, it might be good to try this diet!

A list of foods that you will NOT be able to eat while on a yeast-free diet includes:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Fruit juice and dried fruit
• Sugar, candy, chocolate
• Sodas/carbonated soft drink
• Syrup
• Potatoes
• Corn
• Cheese
• Dried, smoked, or cured meats
• Mushrooms
• Peanuts and pistachios
• Baked goods, cookies, cakes, rolls, bread
• Pretzels
• Vinegar
• Mayonnaise
• Salad dressing
• Mustard
• Pickles

Foods You May Have

The good news about this diet is that there are no portion restrictions for the foods that you are allowed to eat.

• Vegetables preferably of the dark green leafy variety (Carrots turn in to sugar after being processed by the body! So stay away from carrots for a few weeks…)
• Fresh meats (nothing processed)
• Whole grain products
  • Oatmeal
  • Pasta
  • Rice
• Unrefined oils
• Raw nuts and seeds (other than peanuts and pistachios)

Eating these whole foods will improve your health and energy.

Side Effects

As the yeast in your body dies off and leaves your system, you may suffer a few physical symptoms for a few days. Symptoms sometimes include irritability, fatigue and muscle weakness. This normally passes quickly as your body becomes healthier.

The long term, positive side effects of this diet are increased energy, better overall condition, and a reduction in chronic symptoms such as allergic reactions and digestive upsets. The positive far outnumber the negative and last longer as you adapt to this way of eating.

After following this diet for several weeks, you may add one new food at a time from the restricted foods list. You will need to continue to eat foods from the recommended foods list as the majority of your diet to help your body maintain its healthy internal balance.

O.k.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to drink something that has an ingredient in it that has to be handled while wearing a haz-mat suit.  That can’t be good.

Well, 3 months ago, the crap seemed to hit the fan (pardon my language!)  Our Landrover (a car that was graciously given to us) had trouble starting, and when my husband took it in to be looked at… well, let’s just say $350 later, it was all better.  Gas prices were extremely high then ($3.99) and the registration was up on the vehicle, so we just decided to take it off the road, insurance and all.  We saved $25 a month on insurance and hopefully $75 on gas each month by doing that.  Then our Chevy Classic needed new brakes in the back.  $350 later, new brakes and roters.  While in for a break job, they noticed the back right brake light was rusted out on the inside because of a crack in the plastic cover.  $400 later, new brake light and cover.  During all these car issues, our house had electrical and plumbing problems, and $700 later, they were fixed.  But our bank account AND our entire savings accounts were completely wiped out.  I was really frustrated because we had worked so hard to save that money.  It seems like whenever Jeremy does a side videography job (he works for a local lawyer as well as films weddings), the week we get paid is the week something goes wrong and the money just goes right out the door.

And if that isn’t enough, last month, my cell phone bill was $170!  (It’s normally $50.)  My heart sunk to the floor.  Did I REALLY use that many minutes!  I couldn’t believe it.  A few days later, we got our electric bill… $400.  (It’s never been over $225).  I was sick to my stomach.  The previous month’s bill was high enough as it was.

Yesterday, I got our water bill, normally $35… this time it a shocking $106.  I cried.  Seriously… I cried right then and there looking at the bill.  I couldn’t possibly figure out how we had used that much water!  I called the water company to see if they could re-read the meter.

The past two weeks, our garage door has been out of wack… Our toilet has been running constantly, to the point that we have to shut the water valve when we aren’t using it…  We have a leak in a pipe in our entrance hallway that has created a whole in our ceiling.  Our fence was damaged during hurricane Ike and a whole panel is missing.  And several more areas in and around our house need attention desperately.

What I want to know is why, when someone is being soooo extremely disciplined with their money, does God allow all sorts of maintenance issues and enormous bills to come their way, and in such a short period of time, exhausting ALL their resources!?  Don’t get me wrong, at least Jeremy is able to do some side work and earn some extra money, and so far (except for the back fence needing to be replaced) we’ve had the money to fix the major issues.  It’s still frustrating through.  I really think we could have paid off the credit cards by now if it hadn’t been for those unexpected bills.

Sorry.  I guess I just needed to vent today.  I need to think of it this way:  “I wonder how God is going to work through this situation to ultimately bring Him glory!”