Why we are Cloth Diapering.

Cloth diapers, cloth diapers... Where do I begin? I feel like they should come with a warning label!

Spot the preggo belly!

Warning: They come in cute prints and soft fabrics!

You will spend every last penny on the search for 90's cartoon theme or one that matches your nursery, purse or outfit perfectly. 

Seriously, 90's cartoon prints stole my heart the second I saw them. But I guess that doesn't answer the some many "Why's" I've gotten since I said we are choosing to use cloth over disposables. Granted I still have time to change my mind. Baby is in utero. But for now these are my following reasons.

One. C.o.s.t..... Upfront they are more money I'm not going to lie. I gave myself a $500.00 budget. Then I bought the diapers over the course of my pregnancy. Spending $100.00 on pre loved or used diapers from a friend. And then off local sales and custom sites. [FACT: I only spent $350.00] There's a huge market for cloth diapers. Who knew? Over all it saves money. My first child did not potty train till he was older then the average kid. [Because, reasons.] If my child now follows either of his brothers steps we would still save roughly $1,000.00 without having to purchase disposable diapers over the next 4 years. 

Two. The environment. I use hand towels instead of paper towels because I find they are gone to quickly and are a waste of money. Why would I want to have the same issues with diapers that add more bulk to my one trash can? And the fact once it makes it's way to the landfill can take 250 years to 500 years to decompose. Then add chemicals that can burn a baby's bum and ultimately end up in our air and water supply? And logistically speaking.. It takes 3.4 billion gallons of oil to make disposables every year. 20 times more in raw materials, 2 times more water and 3 times more energy to create than cloth diapers. All eating up our renewable energy sources. 

Three. Sustainability. Yes I know I just sort of hinted on that in two. But a good cloth diaper should last you roughly 3+ years and through multiple children if cared for properly.

Four. Less blow outs. This is a big one for me but simply put the cloth diapers simply hold more poo then regular diapers do when properly put on baby. 

Five. They aren't your mother's and grandmother's cloth diapers. Though those are still an option I even have a flat my grandmother used on my mom, aunt and uncle. They have several options to chose from. From snap closes, velcro, snappies [they hold the diaper with soft plastic teeth] or diaper pins. They are CUTE! So many prints to chose from cartoons, to flowers, to plain solid colors. Worried about stains? In most cases simply put the in the sun light and they will be gone in an hour.

Six. Did I mention you can get custom prints? There's nothing cuter. You can have your last name written across baby's bum if you wanted to. Favorite characters, music, colors nothing is off the table. And the diapers are soft. Often made of velour or fleece fabrics. So nothing rough touching baby's sensitive skin. The diapers actually breath better this way causing less rashes as long as changed in an appropriate time frame.

The negatives...

The poop. Isn't that whats on everyones mind? Well exclusively breastfed babies poop can even go directly into the washer without the need of washing off. It's water soluble! If baby is on formula or solids it's easily washed off without ever needing to touch it. Then last but not least... you have to carry some soiled diapers around with you, till you get home and they can be washed or put in the diaper bin. 

Washing cycles and diaper strips. Roughly a normal wash routine requires a pre rinse then a long hot wash. No heat on the dryer or hanging outside to dry equals longer dry times depending on the diaper.  And strips can take a few hours with all the diapers in a soak before a wash cycle.

They are bulky and can still leak. What diaper is not prone to some leaking. Sh!% happens.. Bulk is another issues not all clothes are cloth diaper friendly especially if baby has a large bum to begin with.

Resources:
Friends. Brooke, Brittaney and Rose between the 3 of them have 5+ years of cloth diaper experience

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Live strong article by Amber Keefer.
Live Strong

How to clean a pack n' play.

Hello all,
 A lot has changed since I've last posted. I am now expecting my third child. A miracle in itself. And I've had a major life change happen.

Anyway upon finding out I was pregnant I realized that I no longer had any actual baby items. I got rid of everything. As in we thought we were done having children and there wasn't going to be another. Did I mention my kids outside of the womb are ages 10 and 8? So not only do I not have any baby stuff but it's been gone for years!

So I found myself in the position of needing to obtain the basics. Luckily I have some amazing friends that helped out and procured a few of those items in our time of need. One of those items was donated to her through an online source. And I am really, really grateful for it. A received a small pack n' play. It was used but it good condition. Me being the germaphobe I am, I still have to clean it. Ha, ha, ha I also have OCD and I'm nesting so let the fun begin!

Step one. Brake pack n' play down. Remove pad and put in a bathtub. Fill halfway with hot water and add a capful of laundry detergent I used Oxyclean. Then add half a cup of white vinegar and a cup of baking soda powder. Let soak for half an hour.

After 30 minutes turn it over and agitate the water a bit. Like a washing machine would. I also used this time to take a brush and scrub any set in stains or stuck on grime. 

Water looked a bit grimey after that. (Then the cat fell in and I was forced to clean cat and bathroom. She's so talented...) Let stand for another 30 minutes then either use your shower or a garden hose and rinse away any further residue. Let drip dry for about 15-20 minutes if you use your shower. Then take it all outside and set up pack n' play and the mat to dry in the sun for about 2-3 hours. Make sure that the mat is on a flat surface to dry. Some of the boards in the pack n' plays are card board. So drying flat is a must. The sun will help dry the mats and remove any stink or stain that may have naturally occurred. 

All the stains have come out and I couldn't be happier. They were just light stains from use. Something that happens to everyone. Even if this had been used by my older boys or if it had sat in storage I would be doing the same thing.

This is the mat now stain free. Smells good. The sun can do amazing things for your laundry. I recommend it for more then just pack and plays. It takes the funk smell out of washed bathroom rugs to. But that's a post for a different time. Hope all enjoy this post. It's something I never thought of with my other kids I would have thrown a sheet over it back then. Times have changed. 

Living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome & Lactose Intolerance.

Hi,
 I'm Rayna and I'm 1 in the 15% and 75% of the population living with IBS and Lactose Intolerance.

You may have heard about IBS in movie's like Along Came Polly or lactose intolerance from the movie French Kiss.
The main character doubled over in pain and their stomach's making audible noises. With the promise of them running to the nearest bathroom. That has been me... Well a few times and not always to that extent.

Here's what I know:
IBS is a intestinal disorder causing gas, belly pain and bloating, nausea and a combination or one of the other of constipation or diarrhea. Yuck. And fun stuff right?

It can't be cured. But, it can last a few years and go into remission or it can last a lifetime. Let's hope for the latter of the two.

The causes of IBS are relatively unknown. There are factors that key in but everyone has different ones. It can be the health of your gut, your diet, stress/anxiety levels, family history or sometimes it seems everything. Everything causes you to be miserable.

Lactose intolerance is caused by not being able to produce enough of the enzyme Lactase. Lactase is an enzyme that brakes down a surgery product found in milk and other dairy products called lactose. It is not a food allergy.

The symptoms of this include gas, nausea/diarrhea, and belly pain after eating dairy. (Kind of sounds like the same at IBS at this point am I right?)

Much like IBS it's another debilitating disorder people find them selves dealing with on a day to day basis. But if you think about it from a digestive stand point LI can be managed. Avoid dairy. Avoid it like the plague. If only it were that simple. Dairy products are in EVERTHING and under hidden names.
Whey, curds, dry milk solids, malted milk, cream, Casein, whey protein concentrate, milk by-products, non fat dry milk powder, margarine, nougat, Caseinates. All these names can be found in normal day to day things no one thinks about eating. I wish I could say I that I don't eat processed foods but I can't. So I'm left with a few options.



How I manage:
I have figured out some ways to make my life easier when dealing with this issue and some of the side effects of lactose.

1. Research and doctors visits. You have to be diagnosed by a doctor to confirm you have both diseases. But take advantage of it when you are. Ask questions!
2. immediate relief medications. They aren't everyone's first choice. But then again neither is pain. There are many options. Some people found that anti spasmatics help, some use alternative medicines. I personally have different medicines for different occasions. If I know my IBS/LI is going to be a problem I take Imodium I can't thank the makers of it enough. For other occasions I suck on really strong mints or essential oils. Mint is proven to help with the effects of IBS and other stomach issues. 
3. Preventive medicines: Pre and Probitics I highly recommend them. Prebiotics help the good bacteria already in the digestive track and keep it healthy. Probitics introduce new good bacteria to the digestive tract. I take one every morning. Digestive Enzymes  These brake down a majority of the common food groups we all eat. I take them every morning at breakfast. If you simply can't go without having some cheese in your life their or diary pills called Say yes to dairy. Or Lactaid that have the enzymes you need to help digestion and allow you to eat it in small portions.
4. Learning what foods to avoid. This was the hardest part. For everyone it's different. For IBS there's options called the Fodmap diet allowing you to see what foods are proven to cause IBS and by following that diet some people have "cured" themselves by healing their gut. I personally avoid greasy foods, foods that would create a lot of gas. I avoid Eggs they are notorious for gas but for me it's a whole new ballgame. And I actually CAN eat some diary. I can eat aged cheeses, some butters and on occasion chocolate (which has caffeine a stimulate also associated with the cause of IBS) I cannot, cannot, cannot eat ice cream. This is the number one cause of pain for me associated with lactose intolerance. It will instantly cause stomach issues that will last all day and into the night.
5. HEAT. Using a heating pad or shower works wonders over an upset tummy. I find mine eases up almost instantly.
6. Tell your family/friends and bosses! They are your supporters. And most may have a few questions. That's okay let them ask. In the moment of you having to rush of to the restroom they will understand. If you have to pull off on the side of the road right then and are late to an event this is kind of important information to have. Most wont judge I have found most people to be supportive. You don't have to live with this alone, you don't have to be scared to go out places, and you don't have to be embarrassed.

Tips and Tricks I've learned:

 For lack of a better word.. I used to be scared shitless to leave the house. Oh yes I cursed and shitless is anything but what it was. I would use the bathroom at least 5 times before I left the house. Then I'd be so nervous about my IBS acting up in public that it of course would act up in public.

So first thing learn how to transcend the bullshit. Whether that's medication to help anxiety, or meditation. It will help! more then you know. Non spastic human > then a spastic colen.

If your a germaphobe about public bathrooms. Bring some sanitzer and wipe the toilet seat then your hands.

If your worried about smell. There is this magical stuff called Poo~Pourri it's essential oil that coats the surface of the water. 2 or 3 sprays over the toilet and the only thing the next person will smell is oranges or vanilla. Heck I put this stuff in my kids and guest bath for everyone to use. You can find it here at their site or on amazon.

If your worried about noise. Play an app on your phone. All of these help lesson anxiety's power over your stomach. 

So that's it. To the bitter end. It's me and what I live with and how I deal with it. If you are new to the IBS/LI community I wish you well. And know that there is some hope.