Cloth Diaper Giveaways at Coupon Mommy of 3!!!

It's Cloth Diaper Week at Coupon Mommy of 3 (check out the Cloth Diaper Week button to the right of my page to visit her site!)

Here are the giveaways that I'm currently taking part in:

Krap Katchers Giveaway (ends Aug 6th!)

AppleCheeks Giveaway

AppleCheeks Giveaway #2

Prairie Tales Giveaway

Doopsy Cloth Diaper Giveaway

Bummis One Size AIO Cloth Diaper Giveaway

Maxwell Designs Wetbag Giveaway

If you're totally interested in winning the prizes, get your bums on there and start entering NOW! GO! :-) Have fun everyone!

My Journey of Switching to Cloth Diapers

CLOTH DIAPERS VS DISPOSABLE DIAPERS.....

I actually never thought in a million years that I would even be comparing the two diapers before I had Kaelyn. I always planned on using disposable diapers because I never thought to use anything else! Whenever I thought of cloth diapers, I always pictured ugly white fabric, lots of pins, diaper covers and disgusting messes!

A good friend of mine put a bug in my ear about cloth diapers just after Kaelyn was born...and that little bug kept talking to me, so I looked into them a little more. Surprisingly, the more I read up on cloth diapers and saw that they're NOTHING like they were some years ago and how stinkin' adorable they are (unlike disposables), the more I really wanted to make the switch from disposable diapers!

To get my feet wet, I ordered a cheaper cloth diaper from eBay to try it out and see how I liked messing with it. I honestly didn't mind doing the washing and cleaning part of it at all! So, then I ordered two "factory seconds" cloth diapers from Nubunz to get my cloth diaper stash started and I'm so excited! I've read that in order to cloth diaper full time I need at least 24 diapers and 2 large wetbags for the nursery and two small wetbags for our diaper bag, so I only have to do laundry every other day.

3 diapers down, 21 more to go. 4 wetbags to go also! haha! I guess I have some work ahead of me!

I came across an idea about 2 days ago to see if cloth diaper companies/small business owners would send me one of their diapers to try out on Kaelyn and review it on my blog as I start out on my cloth diaper journey. So far I've sent out about 30+ emails asking these companies if they'd like to participate. As of right now, I've heard from 3 companies and 1 of them agreed to let me try one of their diapers!! Michelle Stapleton of Sustainable Hemp Products in Australia is sending me one of her "lushies" to try and I absolutely CAN'T WAIT to get it! Stayed tuned for my review :-) Maybe I can also convince some of these companies to give me an extra diaper or two to do my own giveaways!

I guess my total now is 4 diapers down, at least 20 more to go! haha!

I'm also entering a BUNCH of giveaways to see if I can win any diapers to add to my stash. I will be blogging about these giveaway separately. WISH ME LUCK!

So, if you're strongly considering cloth diapers, already using them, or never even thought of using them before...follow me along on my journey as I go through trying out different diapers to see which ones I like best! There are SO many different kinds out there! Let's hope I don't get too overwhelmed with the variety. Thankfully I have a starting point. After much research and help, I wanted to start with pocket diapers because I heard that they were the closest to disposable diapers as far as ease of use. I would like to try some all-in-one diapers, pre-folds, and side snap diapers as well.

Some helpful definitions/terms/and more:

Diapers - (Courtesy of The Cloth Diaper Experiment)

Flat Diapers:
-A Large square or rectangular piece of fabric
-Must be folded to fit
-Versatile
-Work for a large range of sizes
-Require a waterproof cover

Prefold Diapers:
-Pretty much a flat diaper that has been, you guessed it, "Prefolded" into smaller sections
-Made up of several layers. For example: 4x8x4 -- 8 layers in the middle section with 4 layers on either side
-Inexpensive
-Effective and easy
-Need folded to fit
-Require a waterproof cover

Contour Diapers:
-Shaped like disposable diapers
-No elastic at waist or legs
-Require pins or snappi to fasten
-Require a waterproof cover

Fitted Diapers:
-Shaped like disposable diapers
-Have elastic at waist and legs
-Most fasten with Velcro or snaps
-Require a waterproof cover

Pocket Diapers:
-Have a pocket where an insert is placed for absorbency
-Are not effective without an insert
-Most have a waterproof cover built in
-Removable insert = faster drying time

All-in-one (AIO) Diapers:
-Works like a disposable diaper
-Fasten with snaps or velcro at the waist
-Built in waterproof cover
-No folding or inserts

All-in-two (AI2) Diapers:
-Works like an AIO
-Has a removable doubler to add absorbency
-Removable doubler cuts down on drying time

One Size (OS) Diapers:
-Designed to fit all sizes
-Probably won't fit premature babies
-Probably won't fit big toddlers
-More cost effective than sized diapers
-Can be bulky on small babies

Here are some other cloth diapering terms that are a little confusing:

Diaper Sprayer: It looks like a kitchen sprayer and attaches to your toilet to make the clean-up of soiled diapers extremely easy. When a diaper is poopy, take it to the toilet and spray it off!

Liners: Thin layers of cloth that lay inside of the diaper to make the clean up of poopy diapers easier. They protect the actual diaper from stains and make rinsing the mess easier.

Flushable Liners: You use these instead of cloth liners and you can then flush the mess and not have to worry about rinsing. I use flushable liners and I love them! They really do make clean up easy and if any gets on the diaper it is just a small amount and is easy to rinse off (with the help of my handy diaper sprayer!)

Inserts: Absorbent soakers that absorb moisture. You stuff pocket diapers with these.

Soakers: The middle part of the diaper that absorbs moisture when your little one wets...they can be sewn in, snapped in, partially sewed in, stuffed, or just laid in.

Wicking: When moisture is pulled to the outside of the diaper.

Stripping: Removing buildup from detergents, ointments or hard water from your cloth diapers.

There is also a whole set of terms that are for wool covers. I haven't used wool yet but hope to try it out this fall!

Longies: Pants made from wool that are used as a diaper cover.

Shorties: Shorts made from wool that are used as a diaper cover.

Wool Soaker: Wool diaper cover.

Skirty: A wool soaker with an attached skirt.

Wetbag: the bag you put your soiled cloth diapers into before you wash them.

Factory Seconds: diapers that have a 20%-30% chance of having a flaw and are sold at a discount price.


WEBSITES:

FAQs About Cloth Diapers

Diapering Basics

PLEASE let me know if you guys have any questions! I would love to know who's using cloth or thinking of using cloth...so comment on this post so we can share some good stuff and keep in touch!!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Attachment Parenting Part 2 (Crying it Out Continued)

My good friend Amber just shared this blog post she found that someone wrote about the "crying it out" method!!

"Just Let Her Cry"

Attachment Parenting

I'm an attachment parent. We are attachment parents. What is attachment/natural parenting you ask?

There are MANY different opinions as to what attachment parenting is but it's basically meeting your babies needs in some of the most natural ways possible and following your parenting instincts. Some things may include: NOT letting your baby cry it out, baby wearing (wearing your baby in a wrap or sling as much as possible), feeding on demand, safe co-sleeping, bed sharing, natural birth, using cloth diapers, extended breastfeeding, no circumcising, no vaccinations, etc. That is just a taste of what can define attachment/natural parenting. Here are a couple sites that explain attachment parenting or are sites entirely based on  attachment parenting.

KellyMom.com

Attachment Parenting International

What is Attachment Parenting?

Attachment Parenting

Now, I don't practice all of the things that I listed above and you don't have to to be an attachment parent. I vaccinate, I didn't get to do extended breastfeeding because I stopped when Kaelyn went through her scare but I would have breastfed her until she was 2 years old, I had Kaelyn in a hospital and had an epidural, we bed share, etc.

I found this comic that basically paints the perfect picture of the criticism attachment parents face everyday...

Another thing that I've faced as an attachment parent is many people telling me to put Kaelyn down when she falls asleep, otherwise she'll never learn to sleep on her own. This may work for some parents and babies, but it just doesn't work for me. Don't get me wrong...there are days where I wish I could put Kaelyn down and she'll sleep on her own and then there are other days where I wouldn't mind holding her morning and night. On the days that I struggle with, I just keep telling myself that she won't be this little forever and before I know it...I'll just wish that I can hold her in my arms again. I always remember to tell myself that the laundry and dishes will eventually get done...they'll always be there waiting for me...but the time I have with Kaelyn is precious. All that other stuff can wait! :-) However, if Kaelyn wants to sleep alone, she'll sleep alone. I have been able to put her down most times if I want to but other times she just wants to be close to me and I REFUSE to let her "cry it out"! It's SO emotionally stressful on a baby, and just as stressful on the mother having to listen to her baby cry hysterically like that! Here on some articles on "crying it out"...

Excessive Crying Harmful to Babies

Dangers of Leaving Baby to Cry It Out

'Babywise' Linked to Babies' Dehydration and Failure to Thrive

There are MANY more articles on those pages that you can look at but these three are to get you started.

There is a huge difference in letting your baby "cry it out" and putting your baby down for a few minutes to collect yourself and your sanity so you don't end up doing something drastic to yourself or the baby. I had to do this a couple times when I was exhausted and nothing I did for Kaelyn would sooth her!

I do want you all to know that I understand that my parenting style doesn't work for everyone and that I completely respect EVERYONE'S method of parenting because that's what they chose to work best for their family. Attachment parenting just ended up working best for ours and we love it! :-)

3 Months Young

Kaelyn is 13 weeks and 2 days old today! Where is the time going!?

I don't know what it is about getting to that 3 months mark...but some one lit a fire in our little munchkin! She came to "life"! Derek and I are having SO much fun with this stage of hers because she's CONSTANTLY "talking" and smiling. It makes our mornings so amazing when we get to wake up to her smiling face. She's also not fussy anymore, she only fusses when she needs the basics or is teething.

Quick Tip: For those of you with teething babies and have extra pacifiers, get them wet and put them in the freezer! A-MAZING! For those of you not using pacifiers, a wet wash cloth put in the freezer for a couple minutes to get cold enough did the trick too! :-) 

She has discovered her hands more now, and LOVES laying on her play mat on the floor batting at her toys. The main toy that hung on it was a huge pink bird that made noise every time she touched it, so when she discovered this for the first time...the look on her face was priceless! She had no idea what to think when she made that thing make noise. Sadly, her friend the bird died so we had to replace it with something else. I love that the toys on this play mat are interchangeable with most toys out there so we got a toy that vibrates when you pull on it, it's a large lion with polka dots and huge feet that she loves to grab. She doesn't quite have the motor skills to pull on it yet...but I'm sure that will happen in no time!

This was when the big, pink bird was still alive! haha! 

Her newest thing she discovered was the mirror on her mat...now she can't stop smiling and looking at herself! It's the cutest thing EVER!

Admiring her pretty self :-)

Mine and Derek's favorite time of day is changing table time! Kaelyn can stay there and "talk" for HOURS if we let her. We also get the BIGGEST smiles while she's on her changing table too.

Table "talk" and smiles with Mom and Dad

Derek has been having a little fun of his own when he's doing things around the house. Kaelyn is now old enough to fit comfortably in her Jeep front carrier, so Derek always has her strapped to his chest and she loves it!

Hanging out with Dad in her Jeep carrier!

PASSED OUUUUT!

 As far as an update for Derek and I, Derek is still working both of his jobs at UPS and Martin Hall Juvenile Detention Center. We are also getting VERY excited about him returning to school this Fall in September! He will be finishing his Bachelor's Degree in Business Management/Operations!! WOO HOO! He should be done Spring/Summer Quarter of 2012. I'm FINALLY getting our apartments cleaned out! I can't believe how much stuff can fit in here! I think we've made a thousand trips to Goodwill and Salvation Army to drop stuff off! All I know, is that we desperately needed to gut this apartment. We have so much stuff that we don't even use, so it's been SO nice having a little extra room around here.

Can you believe it's August already? Enjoy the last full month of Summer!

Happiest Baby On The Block by Dr. Harvey Karp

Every new parent should buy this before their baby is even born! All I know, is if I got this DVD in time, I would've had more sanity the first couple months of Kaelyn's life! haha! It's a DVD that shows you different techniques to sooth a fussy newborn when you've changed her and fed her but she's still fussy. It's to help them cope with the outside world after their born.

I HAVE to give a special "shout out" to Danielle Gardner who told me about this DVD! Thank you girl, you're amazing for referring it to us! We will DEFINITELY be using the techniques on the DVD from day one for the next babe.

We would've gotten it sooner but Netflix kept telling us that it's arrival kept getting pushed back so we didn't get the DVD until Kaelyn was 2 weeks shy of 3 months. We would've bought it if we only knew what we were missing out on! Definitely would've helped me get more sleep for a month. The DVD is ideal for babies ages birth to 3 months but for those last two weeks before she turned 3 months...the techniques on this DVD STILL WORKED! We couldn't believe it!

It just may be the one gift I get all new Mom's!

Here is the website to purchase this DVD. But if your unsure about getting it...do the free trial on Netflix and rent it to see for yourself!

The Happiest Baby On The Block