I tend to get really frustrated at what I see around me and to think it's a bit hopeless. I believe that our basic and constitutionally endowed freedoms are under attack in America. I believe that human depravity is finding new ways every day to wreak havoc on our order and our lives as seen in the Boston attacks. I believe that the voices of individual thinkers are becoming drowned out by the mob voice of group-think and irrational emotionalism. I tend to have a "the world is ending and there's nothing we can do to stop it" mentality when it comes to matters of politics and evil. But the other day a comment made in passing gave me a brief moment of perspective.That comment made from habit, that it could be a lot worse, reminded me....it could be a lot worse. And that thought made me thankful.
I am thankful that I live in a country where violent attacks on innocent lives are still greeted with horror and a degree of surprise, rather than being an expected daily occurrence.
I am thankful that we have amazing hospitals and emergency personnel that respond immediately and effectively to save lives, whether on the clock or not.
I am thankful that my daughter can still grow up to vote in a democratic nation and that her vote will count as much as any man's.
I am thankful that we still have an organized government that protects the lives of its citizens both at home and abroad.
I am thankful that I can still make so many decisions without government interference and that the music I listen to, shows I watch, and words I read have not been censured.
I am thankful for the freedom to worship my God with my family and to freely and joyfully impart the love of the Father to my child.
I am thankful for every church and organization that seeks to meet the basic physical needs of hurting people here and abroad.
I am thankful that we are not all the same and that our diversity is by God's design.
Most of all, I am thankful that my God reigns sovereign over all these earthly issues that I get so passionate about. I am thankful that one day every knee will bow to him. I am thankful that his sacrifice secured a future in heaven for his children where there will be no tears and no death. I am thankful that he is the true Healer, Provider, and Protector.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Heaven on Earth
This post has been on my mind for the last week and the events in CT today gave it new meaning. Anyone who knows me knows that “emotional” and “compassionate” aren’t generally the first words people use to describe me. If you’re looking for someone to empathize over your favorite shirt getting ruined in the wash or the hangover headache you have this morning, I’m not your gal. However, the truth is that when it comes to the really serious stuff, I actually empathize almost too much.
We live in such a broken world and it’s easy to think that sin and sorrow have won out. You don’t have to look far to find people who are hurting, sick, despairing, stressed out, and desperate. Even without senseless tragedies like the shooting this week, pain and loss are all around us. Within my own small circle of friends and family, I’ve seen loss of relationships, finances, health, loved ones, and joy. It’s really easy to get caught up in all the loss and pain of those we care about. Sometimes watching them go through these things is worse than going through it ourselves.
It hit me this week that I’d gotten wrapped up in all of it again. Wrapped up in the stress money troubles in our home and my family, wrapped up in the pain of people I care about, wrapped up in the tragedy in Newtown and the crushing agony those parents must be feeling. It would be so easy to get angry or bitter or cynical or numb. God reminded me of a few things though. First, this world is not our home. Life on it is messy but these “light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor. 4:17). Our true citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20) and, once there, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Rev 21:4). I know it sounds cliché, one of those things you say like “everything will be fine” or “it’ll all work out.” But it’s a lot more than that. For one thing, everything is not always fine and it doesn’t always work out but this is a guarantee, a promise from the One who cannot lie. We have to get it through our heads that while the choices we make here on earth are definitely important and can have eternal consequences; our lives here are only one tiny dot in the picture of eternity. Our short time here is supposed to be spent glorifying the God that we will get to worship forever one day.
God didn’t say that our troubles here were unimportant or that our pain isn’t genuine but he called them light and momentary troubles because they are so brief in light of eternity. This brings me to the second thing God reminded me of this week. We’re studying John 1:1-14 at church and it’s talking about God becoming flesh in the body of Jesus. It reminded me that God is not a puppet master sitting up in heaven removed from our struggles. He put on flesh and walked among us, knowing pain and temptation just like us. Hebrews 4:15 says that he has “been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” When his friend, Lazarus, had died, he wept even knowing that he would raise him again because he felt the same pain we do over the loss. He emptied himself and took on the appearance of a man (Phil 2). He didn’t stop there, but took on the pain, the loss, the struggle, and the weariness of being a man. Ultimately, God wrapped in flesh, the all-powerful, all knowing Master of the Universe chose to submit himself to death on a cross so that we can have this hope and promise of heaven to give us strength and healing on earth. That is very real and something that we can hold on to and take joy in knowing.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Homemade granola bars for moms
My favorite snack lately has been homemade chewy granola bars. I recently got the book Mother Food at the recommendation of my friend, Amber Casbohm. Most women know to eat oats to increase their milk supply but there are actually a lot of other lactogenic foods. This snack can combine quite a few of them into a healthy, tasty bar. I got the recipe from smittenkitchen.com and have tweaked it just a bit.
1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats (if gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free oats)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-3 cups dried fruits and nuts, processed if you prefer smaller bits (for nursing moms, a combination of any of the following: dried apricots, figs, dates, cashews, peanuts, pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds. I also like cranberries and cherries and more fruit than nuts.)
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey, maple syrup or corn syrup (I usually use honey)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
Mix together all dry ingredients, including nuts and fruits in a large bowl. In a small bowl or the measuring cup you melted the butter in, mix the wet ingredients. Then, combine them all in the large bowl until well moistened. Smitten Kitchen recommends an 8x8 pan but I usually use something a tad bit bigger or even a 9x13. Line it with parchment paper or use a non-stick spray. Then press the mixture into it with a spatula or your fingers. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely. I recommend sticking it in the fridge until cold to completely set it so it's less crumbly. Cut with a serraded knife. You can store separately in small separate baggies or plastic wrap. They keep for a few weeks. These are a great snack for kids too!
1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats (if gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free oats)1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-3 cups dried fruits and nuts, processed if you prefer smaller bits (for nursing moms, a combination of any of the following: dried apricots, figs, dates, cashews, peanuts, pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds. I also like cranberries and cherries and more fruit than nuts.)
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey, maple syrup or corn syrup (I usually use honey)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
Mix together all dry ingredients, including nuts and fruits in a large bowl. In a small bowl or the measuring cup you melted the butter in, mix the wet ingredients. Then, combine them all in the large bowl until well moistened. Smitten Kitchen recommends an 8x8 pan but I usually use something a tad bit bigger or even a 9x13. Line it with parchment paper or use a non-stick spray. Then press the mixture into it with a spatula or your fingers. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely. I recommend sticking it in the fridge until cold to completely set it so it's less crumbly. Cut with a serraded knife. You can store separately in small separate baggies or plastic wrap. They keep for a few weeks. These are a great snack for kids too! 
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Marital Myths and Five Years of Bliss
One of the things that really irked me in the first few years of our marriage was references to "the honeymoon phase." People would frequently ask if we were still in this honeymoon phase or towards the end of the second year, make negative comments about it coming to an end. At the time, I didn't really know why this bothered me so much. I think I've figured it out though. Many of these well-meaning friends were demonstrating a certain mentality about marriage, whether or not they really believe it or were just being conversational. The mentality was that this "honeymoon phase," which is idealistic and marked by infatuation and emotionally driven behavior, is the good or the best part of marriage and that it's downhill after that. The idea that the first year or two of marriage are the best you'll ever have is sad and very dangerous. This is just one of the many cultural beliefs that has helped degrade our marriages because paired with the idea that we should always do what makes us happy, it leads to some pretty short marriages. The problem with the whole thing is that you're assuming a marriage is at it's best during a period of time when your love is largely about emotions and obsession (and no, I'm not saying that this is always the case for every couple). If that's the case, I highly recommend not getting married. There is obviously an emotional component to love, but love is an action and a choice, not a feeling alone. Marriage is a covenant, a promise to love each other through all the trials of life until the end of life. You can't make that promise with any hope of keeping it if you think love is strongest at the beginning. You can only make that promise if you have decided to actively love your spouse regardless of how you feel about them and what you're going through. This may not sound romantic, but it's really the key to a true, lasting romance. When you've committed to each other like that, you can have a truly happy marriage. Those warm, gushy feelings should be an outcome of your faithful love towards each other, not the foundation of it.
All of this to say, those first couple of years are fun and exciting and special and you'll never get them back. But they are not the best. Marriage just gets better. Every day that you live life together, every day that you wake up and make the decision to treat your spouse with love and respect, every day that you get to know your spouse better makes your marriage better. I do not mean that every day will be happy or that you'll always like your spouse. It's far more likely that you will have days or even weeks or years where your marriage struggles and is even miserable for a time. When that happens you can get out and jump into another relationship that will be happy for a time before also falling apart. Or you can stick it out and keep your covenant. Interestingly enough, Tim Keller noted in his book, the Meaning of Marriage, that most couples who are unhappy right now but stick it out, are happy within five years and go on to have happy marriages.
On a similar note, when we were planning to have a child and while I was pregnant and after I had Izzy, a number of people made comments about life being over after having a kid. Life is definitely different and will never be the same, but it is so much better.
Nate and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary this weekend and I can truly say that I am happier, more in love, more satisfied with my marriage and our life together than I ever have been before. What really excites me is that I believe in five more years, I'll be able to say the same thing. We're both far from perfect and we have our flaws and pet peeves and sinful natures. There are plenty of times that we annoy or even infuriate each other. But we also push each other to grow, to love God more, to love others more, to be sanctified. There's no one but Nate that I would rather be with and I look forward to the rest of our lives together.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Making my vote count for something (Warning: Highly biased)
I've been sitting here for the last few hours after the final presidential debate contemplating politics...and playing mahjong. I haven't watched much of the debates this time around because I don't care for either candidate and I find them pretty frustrating. My husband and I have been arguing over how we should vote. He's been pretty adamant that he'll either vote Libertarian or not at all. I keep arguing that we have to choose the lesser of two evils and get Obama out at the cost of getting Romney in. After tonight, he's finally swayed me (he usually is right). Not surprising, considering how both candidates parrotted their talking points, repeating the same dead arguments, and failed to demonstrate the ability to think critically or to show consistency in their political philosophies (though Obama probably did better on that count).
Ultimately, if you identify with the Libertarian viewpoint, you have a choice this election between voting your ideals or voting pragmatically for a slightly more favorable outcome. The bottom line is that at the core Romney and Obama are very similar. Both believe in big government, running at a deficit, and sticking their noses where they don't belong. Obama puts his in closer to home, in funding endless programs and controlling how I spend my own money. Romney wants to poke his in everywhere, policing the world. Both believe in spending too freely, whether it's my hard earned dollars going to those who are too lazy to work or in lives far too casually spent in wars we don't belong in. The Republican party has become more and more about big government over the decades, trying to validate it's massive military spending with supposed free capitalism ideals. The tea party movement has tried to bring us back to conservative roots but the choice of a presidential candidate indicates they've failed, at least for now. I keep hearing that you can't "waste your vote" by voting for a third party, but the problem is that by voting for Romney, you're not just voting against Obama. You are voting for Romney and everything he stands for...at least when he's choosing to stand for it. For me, I can't in good conscience vote in someone who is going to increase the debt my kids are going to inherit.
So the question is, do you still have hope for true conservativism in America? If you don't, then by all means, vote for the lesser of two evils so that you're not "wasting your vote." If you do, then instead of "making your vote count," make it count for a candidate that most closely lines up with your political philosophy. Is the Libertarian party going to win this election? No. Next election? Probably not. But I'm going to hope that by the time my daughter can vote that she'll have an opportunity to vote for someone who believes in small federal government, stronger states, upholding the constitution, and protecting our property and our rights vigorously.
Ultimately, if you identify with the Libertarian viewpoint, you have a choice this election between voting your ideals or voting pragmatically for a slightly more favorable outcome. The bottom line is that at the core Romney and Obama are very similar. Both believe in big government, running at a deficit, and sticking their noses where they don't belong. Obama puts his in closer to home, in funding endless programs and controlling how I spend my own money. Romney wants to poke his in everywhere, policing the world. Both believe in spending too freely, whether it's my hard earned dollars going to those who are too lazy to work or in lives far too casually spent in wars we don't belong in. The Republican party has become more and more about big government over the decades, trying to validate it's massive military spending with supposed free capitalism ideals. The tea party movement has tried to bring us back to conservative roots but the choice of a presidential candidate indicates they've failed, at least for now. I keep hearing that you can't "waste your vote" by voting for a third party, but the problem is that by voting for Romney, you're not just voting against Obama. You are voting for Romney and everything he stands for...at least when he's choosing to stand for it. For me, I can't in good conscience vote in someone who is going to increase the debt my kids are going to inherit.
So the question is, do you still have hope for true conservativism in America? If you don't, then by all means, vote for the lesser of two evils so that you're not "wasting your vote." If you do, then instead of "making your vote count," make it count for a candidate that most closely lines up with your political philosophy. Is the Libertarian party going to win this election? No. Next election? Probably not. But I'm going to hope that by the time my daughter can vote that she'll have an opportunity to vote for someone who believes in small federal government, stronger states, upholding the constitution, and protecting our property and our rights vigorously.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
All I Owe
Our church just had a launch party for our new building and got Indelible Grace to do a concert for it. If you're not familiar with them, they're a great group that puts new music to old hymns. They sang one song that I hadn't heard before that really stuck out to me:
All I Owe
Verse 1:
When this passing world is done
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory
Looking o'er life's finished story
Then, Lord, shall I fully know
Not till then, how much I owe
Chorus:
All I owe You paid for me
From all I owe I've been set free
And all I owe proves Your great mercy to me
Verse 2:
When I stand before Your throne
Dressed in beauty not my own
When I see You as You are
Love You with unsinning heart
Then Lord, shall I fully know
Not till then, how much I owe
Bridge:
Chosen not for good in me
Wakened up from wrath to flee
Hidden in the Savior's side
By the Spirit sanctified
Teach me, Lord on earth to show
By my love, how much I owe
Words by Robert M. McCheyne and Matthew S. Smith. Music by Matthew S. Smith.
(c) 2003 Detuned Radio Music (ASCAP)
Money has been on our minds a good bit lately. We have a lot of debt and sometimes it feels like we are being crushed under a mountain of financial responsibilities. The wording in this song "all I owe" brought to mind our debt and I realized that what we owe financially here on earth is miniscule compared to what we, in our sin, owe God. We could never repay it. That mountain of debt crushes all life from us and we cannot make the smallest dent in it. Yet God says that through Christ's death and resurrection, our debt is completely wiped away. Sometimes I like to make that a smaller thing than it is. Like God opened an excel spreadsheet of my net worth and just cleared out a few cells that were red and put me in the black. But in reality, my debt to God is like sinking sand, and I can only sink farther and farther with the certain promise of death. That's what Christ died for and rescued me out of.
All I Owe
Verse 1:
When this passing world is done
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory
Looking o'er life's finished story
Then, Lord, shall I fully know
Not till then, how much I owe
Chorus:
All I owe You paid for me
From all I owe I've been set free
And all I owe proves Your great mercy to me
Verse 2:
When I stand before Your throne
Dressed in beauty not my own
When I see You as You are
Love You with unsinning heart
Then Lord, shall I fully know
Not till then, how much I owe
Bridge:
Chosen not for good in me
Wakened up from wrath to flee
Hidden in the Savior's side
By the Spirit sanctified
Teach me, Lord on earth to show
By my love, how much I owe
Words by Robert M. McCheyne and Matthew S. Smith. Music by Matthew S. Smith.
(c) 2003 Detuned Radio Music (ASCAP)
Money has been on our minds a good bit lately. We have a lot of debt and sometimes it feels like we are being crushed under a mountain of financial responsibilities. The wording in this song "all I owe" brought to mind our debt and I realized that what we owe financially here on earth is miniscule compared to what we, in our sin, owe God. We could never repay it. That mountain of debt crushes all life from us and we cannot make the smallest dent in it. Yet God says that through Christ's death and resurrection, our debt is completely wiped away. Sometimes I like to make that a smaller thing than it is. Like God opened an excel spreadsheet of my net worth and just cleared out a few cells that were red and put me in the black. But in reality, my debt to God is like sinking sand, and I can only sink farther and farther with the certain promise of death. That's what Christ died for and rescued me out of.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
A ridiculously long post about cloth diapering
For anyone who hasn't used cloth diapers, you may find the idea a bit gross or complicated. I was worried about this and Nate considerably more so. We've both found it surprisingly bearable however. I even find that Izzy's cloth diapers tend to hold in the smell of a dirty/wet diaper better than a disposable does. With the better diapers, you also don't have those explosions out the diaper and up the back and down the legs that you'll often get with disposables. You do have to be prepared to wash them every 1-2 days depending on how many you buy.
So, when I reached out for advice on which cloth diapers to use, the only consistent recommendation I got was to try a little bit of everything before investing in a lot of any one type. And that's what I did. Four months and eleven diapers later, I've got a pretty good idea of what works for Izzy and me so I thought I'd share. I will preface this by saying that Izzy is a very thin baby and not all diapers work for all babies.
Newborn:
If I was going to go back and do it all over again, I probably wouldn't use cloth until my baby fit into a one size diaper simply because it's not that cost effective and I'm using cloth for the savings rather than green benefits. Most one size diapers start at 8lb. though they really start fitting well closer to 10lb. On the flip side, the newborn diapers only get used for such a short time so they will probably make it through 3-4 kids, adding to the savings. It also gives you a chance to figure out what you like.
I'm going to start with my favorite, Kissaluvs fleece fitted diapers (around $13). The fleece is soft and stays feeling dry even when it's pretty soaked which is my favorite feature. The diapers fit well and never leak. Their trimmer than most prefolds, although thicker than some other fitted options. They work for 5-15lb. and so far that's been true for Izzy. They fit well even when she was only 6lb. and she's still on a small setting at 11.5lb.
I tried both the snap and the velcro versions of the Thirsties Duo Wrap cover ($13) in size 1 and prefer the velcro because on the tightest setting it lays flat. This is a great cover and well worth the money. It comes in cute designs and I've never had a leak.
I decided to try a cheap fitted diaper as a prefold alternative and went with the Green Mountain Workhorse which is only $5 for the newborn size. It works for 5-10lb. As a prefold alternative, this is a great diaper. It has similar absorbency but holds everything in better than a prefold. However, it feels wet even when it's not that wet and has to be changed more often than the kissaluvs and did leak on occasion. Still not bad if you need something really cheap.
I also tried two prefolds, the Dandelion Unbleached ($2.65) and Indian Prefolds ($1.50). I hated the Dandelion because they are so thin that they don't hold much, were too small, and the sides are so thin I was worried about using Snappis. I will say though that a lot of people love them so maybe I was doing something wrong. The Indians were way better and worked well when she was really tiny but started leaking when she got a bit bigger so I went through covers so much that it wasn't very cost effective. They do make great burp cloths though if you decide you don't like them! I have a lot of friends who love their prefolds and don't have as many leaks, so maybe it depends on the baby!
I also tried some AIOs because I wanted something a bit easier, especially for babysitters and when we're out and about. I tried the GroVia Newborn AIO which is great as far as being trim and easy to use but I had constant leaks. I think this is because Izzy's legs are so thin and that it would be an awesome diaper for a chubby baby. We also tried the BumGenius Newborn XS diaper which has a smaller size range but leaked almost every time I used it despite fitting pretty well.
I also tried the Thirsties Duo AIO which is a pretty good diaper. It's fairly trim but absorbent, feels dry, is easy to use, and comes in velcro or snaps. Thirsties is a two size system, 6-18 and 16-35 and seems to run fairly true. I did think it was a bit bulky when she was really small but is pretty trim now. I have had a few leaks from it and you have to be careful that the attached soaker is tucked inside all the edges. I would only buy this if I was going to do both sizes because of the cost-you want to use it all the way through both sizes.
One-Size:
If you're going to use fitteds with covers, there's not really much of a cost savings in comparison with AIOs or pocket diapers because you need one cover for about every 3-4 diapers and the fitteds aren't cheap. I still prefer a fitted with cover for a newborn just because it worked better than the newborn AIOs, but for the long haul I wanted something a bit easier.
After everything I tried, I went with FuzziBunz One Size Elite Diapers ($18-20). This is a pocket diaper which is a little bit of a pain because it has to be stuffed, but is still easier than using a cover, especially when you're in a hurry. They're trim and have adjustable elastic that makes them fit well on any type of baby. They're absorbent and stay feeling pretty dry. They're easy to put on and and I've never had a leak. They advertise themselves as a 3-year diaper though they only have a 1-year warrantee so we'll have to see on that point. You can shake the insert out of the pocket without having to touch the dirty part of the diaper so that's definitely a plus. The inserts do take quite a while to dry though.
I love the BumGenius Freetime diaper ($18-20) as a nighttime diaper because it has two attached soakers that hold a lot and stay feeling dry. I've never had a leak so I trust them for 8-12 hours. The reason I won't use them as a daytime diaper is that they are super bulky, and are way too wide between the legs to fit well under clothing. They also dry super fast which is nice when you're behind on laundry!
Despite my poor experience with the GroVia Newborn, I tried the AIO Organic One-size ($20-24) because the leg gussets are designed differently. While they still didn't hug Izzy's legs, I've never had a leak even when using them overnight and they were a close second runner to the FuzziBunz. They're fairly trim, super easy to use, and hold a lot. The only real downside is that they're not quite as obvious to use as the Fuzzibunz so babysitters may be a bit confused and they're not quite as trim.
I also tried the Flip diaper with the Stay-Dry soaker (4-6/$50) just because it's about half the price if you're getting 2-3 uses out of the cover. I can definitely see this being a good option on an older baby but it was very bulky because Cotton Babies diapers run wide between the legs. I can definitely see the cover lasting through 2-3 inserts though I don't think it would make the best nighttime diaper. If you're looking for a cheap way to diaper an older baby, it's definitely a good option.
Other Cloth Diapering Stuff:
I use the Planet Wise Wet bags and have one large one and two mediums. The large I keep in the nursery, one of the mediums in my diaper bag, and the other medium as a backup for when I'm washing one of them. You can also do a trash can with disposable liners which probably protects against odor better but is also a recurring cost which I'm trying to avoid.
I've been using Nellie's detergent and haven't had any problems with it. I recommend doing a cold rinse, hot wash, and then another cold rinse to make sure you have all the detergent completely out. If you don't do the extra rinse, the detergent can build up and react to the ammonio in urine, causing a bad odor. I just got some EcoNuts and am excited about trying them because they're super cheap and have great reviews. I use Nellie's for all my laundry and plan on doing the same with EcoNuts. You may have to play around with how much detergent to use to get the diapers clean without causing buildup since it can vary based on how hard your water is. No matter how many diapers you have, you have to wash every other day because you can't leave them dirty longer than that.
I just started using cloth wipes and it's definitely not as bad as I expected. I only use them at home because it's just too much hassle when I'm out. I use water with a drop of baby body wash in a plastic container that I leave in my wipe warmer. I have 24 wipes and I only use them once then wash them to cut down on the gross factor. I got bumGenius wipes ($12/12) but I'm guessing there probably are not huge differences between brands.
Liners/Diaper Sprayers: With breastfed newborns, they don't really have solid poop so you don't have to worry about getting it off the diapers. I just throw them in the bag as is. I have tried bioliners which work quite well but are really unnecessary at this age. You'd need about 1-2 packs/mo and it'll run you anywhere from $12-24 depending on the brand. I might use them again when she's eating solids but right now that's a lot of cost. The better option for removing solids is a diaper spray (around $40) which attaches to the toilet. I haven't tried it but I've talked to a few people who swear by them and it's probably the route we'll go later on. Fuzzibunz has good reviews on theirs.
How many to buy: Newborns go through more diapers, usually around 12/day so I recommend having at least 18 (washing every day) and up to 30 (washing every other day). Once they get to about three months, they only use around 7-9 diapers/day so you'll need anywhere from 12-24 depending on how often you want to wash.
Where to buy: There are tons and tons of website that sell diaper products from WAHM sites to the big names like Amazon and Diapers.com. While I love to support the WAHMs, I've generally found the bigger sites to have better prices, especially on shipping, though there are exceptions. JackBeNatural does free shipping on most orders and has great customer service. The Baby Grocery Store has great customer service and they have a physical location! If you live near Charlotte, I highly recommend it as a way to go and actually see and feel the diapers before investing. He'll also negotiate prices a bit if you'll buy bulk. I do buy most of mine from Amazon because they sell pretty much everything and only once or twice have I found a better price elsewhere. Purchases over $50 get free shipping so I just make sure to order enough. You can run a google search on specific diapers if you want to price shop. You can also buy used off of Craigs list or even Facebook sites like JackBeNatural JackRestash. Also checkout http://paddedtushstats.com/ for info on laundry detergents, diaper reviews, washing tips, etc.
As mentioned before, I'm cloth diapering because of the cost savings, though I do like the idea of natural cloth on Izzy's sensitive skin rather than chemicals. However, there's a limit to how much hassle I'm willing to go through to save a few bucks so when we travel, I do use disposables (gasp!) and I think it's definitely the way to go! If I'm on vacation or doing a lot of running about visiting people, the last thing I want to worry about is washing diapers!
So, when I reached out for advice on which cloth diapers to use, the only consistent recommendation I got was to try a little bit of everything before investing in a lot of any one type. And that's what I did. Four months and eleven diapers later, I've got a pretty good idea of what works for Izzy and me so I thought I'd share. I will preface this by saying that Izzy is a very thin baby and not all diapers work for all babies.
Newborn:
If I was going to go back and do it all over again, I probably wouldn't use cloth until my baby fit into a one size diaper simply because it's not that cost effective and I'm using cloth for the savings rather than green benefits. Most one size diapers start at 8lb. though they really start fitting well closer to 10lb. On the flip side, the newborn diapers only get used for such a short time so they will probably make it through 3-4 kids, adding to the savings. It also gives you a chance to figure out what you like.
I'm going to start with my favorite, Kissaluvs fleece fitted diapers (around $13). The fleece is soft and stays feeling dry even when it's pretty soaked which is my favorite feature. The diapers fit well and never leak. Their trimmer than most prefolds, although thicker than some other fitted options. They work for 5-15lb. and so far that's been true for Izzy. They fit well even when she was only 6lb. and she's still on a small setting at 11.5lb.
I tried both the snap and the velcro versions of the Thirsties Duo Wrap cover ($13) in size 1 and prefer the velcro because on the tightest setting it lays flat. This is a great cover and well worth the money. It comes in cute designs and I've never had a leak.
I decided to try a cheap fitted diaper as a prefold alternative and went with the Green Mountain Workhorse which is only $5 for the newborn size. It works for 5-10lb. As a prefold alternative, this is a great diaper. It has similar absorbency but holds everything in better than a prefold. However, it feels wet even when it's not that wet and has to be changed more often than the kissaluvs and did leak on occasion. Still not bad if you need something really cheap.
I also tried two prefolds, the Dandelion Unbleached ($2.65) and Indian Prefolds ($1.50). I hated the Dandelion because they are so thin that they don't hold much, were too small, and the sides are so thin I was worried about using Snappis. I will say though that a lot of people love them so maybe I was doing something wrong. The Indians were way better and worked well when she was really tiny but started leaking when she got a bit bigger so I went through covers so much that it wasn't very cost effective. They do make great burp cloths though if you decide you don't like them! I have a lot of friends who love their prefolds and don't have as many leaks, so maybe it depends on the baby!
I also tried some AIOs because I wanted something a bit easier, especially for babysitters and when we're out and about. I tried the GroVia Newborn AIO which is great as far as being trim and easy to use but I had constant leaks. I think this is because Izzy's legs are so thin and that it would be an awesome diaper for a chubby baby. We also tried the BumGenius Newborn XS diaper which has a smaller size range but leaked almost every time I used it despite fitting pretty well.
I also tried the Thirsties Duo AIO which is a pretty good diaper. It's fairly trim but absorbent, feels dry, is easy to use, and comes in velcro or snaps. Thirsties is a two size system, 6-18 and 16-35 and seems to run fairly true. I did think it was a bit bulky when she was really small but is pretty trim now. I have had a few leaks from it and you have to be careful that the attached soaker is tucked inside all the edges. I would only buy this if I was going to do both sizes because of the cost-you want to use it all the way through both sizes.
One-Size:
If you're going to use fitteds with covers, there's not really much of a cost savings in comparison with AIOs or pocket diapers because you need one cover for about every 3-4 diapers and the fitteds aren't cheap. I still prefer a fitted with cover for a newborn just because it worked better than the newborn AIOs, but for the long haul I wanted something a bit easier.
After everything I tried, I went with FuzziBunz One Size Elite Diapers ($18-20). This is a pocket diaper which is a little bit of a pain because it has to be stuffed, but is still easier than using a cover, especially when you're in a hurry. They're trim and have adjustable elastic that makes them fit well on any type of baby. They're absorbent and stay feeling pretty dry. They're easy to put on and and I've never had a leak. They advertise themselves as a 3-year diaper though they only have a 1-year warrantee so we'll have to see on that point. You can shake the insert out of the pocket without having to touch the dirty part of the diaper so that's definitely a plus. The inserts do take quite a while to dry though.
I love the BumGenius Freetime diaper ($18-20) as a nighttime diaper because it has two attached soakers that hold a lot and stay feeling dry. I've never had a leak so I trust them for 8-12 hours. The reason I won't use them as a daytime diaper is that they are super bulky, and are way too wide between the legs to fit well under clothing. They also dry super fast which is nice when you're behind on laundry!
Despite my poor experience with the GroVia Newborn, I tried the AIO Organic One-size ($20-24) because the leg gussets are designed differently. While they still didn't hug Izzy's legs, I've never had a leak even when using them overnight and they were a close second runner to the FuzziBunz. They're fairly trim, super easy to use, and hold a lot. The only real downside is that they're not quite as obvious to use as the Fuzzibunz so babysitters may be a bit confused and they're not quite as trim.
I also tried the Flip diaper with the Stay-Dry soaker (4-6/$50) just because it's about half the price if you're getting 2-3 uses out of the cover. I can definitely see this being a good option on an older baby but it was very bulky because Cotton Babies diapers run wide between the legs. I can definitely see the cover lasting through 2-3 inserts though I don't think it would make the best nighttime diaper. If you're looking for a cheap way to diaper an older baby, it's definitely a good option.
Other Cloth Diapering Stuff:
I use the Planet Wise Wet bags and have one large one and two mediums. The large I keep in the nursery, one of the mediums in my diaper bag, and the other medium as a backup for when I'm washing one of them. You can also do a trash can with disposable liners which probably protects against odor better but is also a recurring cost which I'm trying to avoid.
I've been using Nellie's detergent and haven't had any problems with it. I recommend doing a cold rinse, hot wash, and then another cold rinse to make sure you have all the detergent completely out. If you don't do the extra rinse, the detergent can build up and react to the ammonio in urine, causing a bad odor. I just got some EcoNuts and am excited about trying them because they're super cheap and have great reviews. I use Nellie's for all my laundry and plan on doing the same with EcoNuts. You may have to play around with how much detergent to use to get the diapers clean without causing buildup since it can vary based on how hard your water is. No matter how many diapers you have, you have to wash every other day because you can't leave them dirty longer than that.
I just started using cloth wipes and it's definitely not as bad as I expected. I only use them at home because it's just too much hassle when I'm out. I use water with a drop of baby body wash in a plastic container that I leave in my wipe warmer. I have 24 wipes and I only use them once then wash them to cut down on the gross factor. I got bumGenius wipes ($12/12) but I'm guessing there probably are not huge differences between brands.
Liners/Diaper Sprayers: With breastfed newborns, they don't really have solid poop so you don't have to worry about getting it off the diapers. I just throw them in the bag as is. I have tried bioliners which work quite well but are really unnecessary at this age. You'd need about 1-2 packs/mo and it'll run you anywhere from $12-24 depending on the brand. I might use them again when she's eating solids but right now that's a lot of cost. The better option for removing solids is a diaper spray (around $40) which attaches to the toilet. I haven't tried it but I've talked to a few people who swear by them and it's probably the route we'll go later on. Fuzzibunz has good reviews on theirs.
How many to buy: Newborns go through more diapers, usually around 12/day so I recommend having at least 18 (washing every day) and up to 30 (washing every other day). Once they get to about three months, they only use around 7-9 diapers/day so you'll need anywhere from 12-24 depending on how often you want to wash.
Where to buy: There are tons and tons of website that sell diaper products from WAHM sites to the big names like Amazon and Diapers.com. While I love to support the WAHMs, I've generally found the bigger sites to have better prices, especially on shipping, though there are exceptions. JackBeNatural does free shipping on most orders and has great customer service. The Baby Grocery Store has great customer service and they have a physical location! If you live near Charlotte, I highly recommend it as a way to go and actually see and feel the diapers before investing. He'll also negotiate prices a bit if you'll buy bulk. I do buy most of mine from Amazon because they sell pretty much everything and only once or twice have I found a better price elsewhere. Purchases over $50 get free shipping so I just make sure to order enough. You can run a google search on specific diapers if you want to price shop. You can also buy used off of Craigs list or even Facebook sites like JackBeNatural JackRestash. Also checkout http://paddedtushstats.com/ for info on laundry detergents, diaper reviews, washing tips, etc.
As mentioned before, I'm cloth diapering because of the cost savings, though I do like the idea of natural cloth on Izzy's sensitive skin rather than chemicals. However, there's a limit to how much hassle I'm willing to go through to save a few bucks so when we travel, I do use disposables (gasp!) and I think it's definitely the way to go! If I'm on vacation or doing a lot of running about visiting people, the last thing I want to worry about is washing diapers!
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