Cloth Diapers

Eibhlin at 6 weeks in her BumGenius cloth diaper

Saving Money, 

One Change At a Time

For anyone who actually reads my Facebook status updates on a regular basis, the subject of this note will not be surprising.  I can't help it.  I have to talk about it.  It is the one thing that has changed my parenting more than anything else over the course of three children: cloth diapers.  Ewww, you say?  Gross, you think?  Hardly.  A cloth diaper is no more gross than anything else involving children.  In fact, cloth diapering has proven to be easier and less expensive than disposables.  

Let me start by discussing the ease of cloth diapering.  First, the image you may have in your head of big rectangles of cloth (which you have to have a master's in origami to correctly fold) with safety pins jutting precariously close to baby's tender bum all covered in a hot, crinkly pair of plastic pants is wrong.  A modern cloth diaper is not your grandma's cloth diaper.  Though a full description of all of the options would take more time than you have, modern cloth diapers use mostly snaps or hook and loop (generic term for VELCRO®).  Rather than a pair of plastic pants, the diapers themselves are made of fabric that is waterproof on the inside--and if it's waterproof, it's other liquid proof as well! It is as easy to put on a cloth diaper as it is to put on a disposable diaper. 

 

Secondly, modern cloth diapers will contain almost ANYTHING your child cares to deposit into it.  When our baby recently had some stomach issues that produced volumes of  very loose bowel movements, I pulled out a few disposables we had left over from our second child thinking it would be easier for my husband.  After one change, he pulled the cloth out and refused to use the disposables.  Without being too descriptive, disposable diapers tend to allow what I call "pooplosions."  If you're a parent, you've been there--up the back, in the hair, up the front, under the arms, down the legs, etc.  Cloth diapers do not allow this.  Seriously.  I have NEVER had poop leak from a cloth diaper.  Really.  No joke.  Bottom line, cloth diapers are not difficult to use and make my life easier.

 

Now, I know you're thinking "But oh, Kellie, the laundry."  I wash my diapers roughly three times in the week, every two to two and a half days. Rinse cold, wash hot, rinse one more time.  That is the equivalent of two loads.  Even better, I never touch them with my bare hands after I have taken them off the baby.  They go into a dry pail, and when it's time to wash I just dump the pail contents into the washer.  That's easy.  The best part?  I don't ever have to run to Wal-Mart at midnight because I'm out of diapers.  I just throw a load in the wash.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.  We also don't ever have to empty a diaper pail or garbage can full of diapers that have been sitting for a week--if you've ever done that, you know how gross that is.  And since we don't keep dirty diapers around in the house, we don't have that "Oh, you have a baby" odor in our house!!  Brilliant!

 

Even better than the ease of cloth is the money-saving aspect of cloth diapering a baby.  I went back and totaled what we have spent on our cloth diaper stash.  I have watched sales and bought seconds when possible, and on the actual diapers I have only spent $362.03.  That's it.  And that's pretty much all I will ever spend for this baby.  Even better, when we are done with our diapers, I'll be able to sell them to a friend or back to the store where I bought them, Cotton Babies (the ONLY place I buy my diapers!!).  I'd love to see someone try to sell a used disposable!  

 

Seriously, though, I can't tell you how much using cloth has eased the monetary stress of having a child.  I don't have to worry about how much it will cost to keep my baby dry and clean.  Consider the chart below--values are approximate and conservative as I don't have an exact total for the first two children (and I have probably estimated low).  I estimated roughly 8 diaper changes per day for a total of 2,920 diapers for a year.  Using the average of 80 diapers per box (some have more and some have less, depending on size), we used roughly 36.5 boxes each year.  At an approximate cost of $18 per box, diapers cost us at least $657 for one year--$1971 for three years.  Again, I think my estimates are low.

If I had started with cloth, I easily could have gotten by having spent no more than $600 TOTAL for all three children, figuring in costs for diaper repair/replacement.  The red on the chart, money spent on pull-ups, was drastically different for child #2, which I attribute to having started using cloth on him just after his second birthday.  He potty trained at two and a half years having never used a pull up.  Cloth diapers allowed him to feel wet, which I think helped him learn more easily.  Child #1 wasn't fully potty trained until she was three, mainly because she didn't care if she was wet because she couldn't feel it.  She was also dependent on pull-ups for nighttime use, while child #2 wasn't.  I wish I had back the roughly $4,000 I threw away on disposable diapering and pull ups.

 

Interestingly, another small expense cloth has saved me is in diaper rash cream.  With my first child I went through tube after tube of the stuff.  This baby is six months old and I haven't even bought any.  (I could go into a long segment on the health benefits of cloth as well, but I'll save that for another time.)  

 

Nothing I have done as a parent has made my life easier than cloth diapering.  I know my baby is clean and dry, her skin is healthy, and my marriage isn't stressed by the constant worry of how we're going to afford diapers.  Even if you are not a parent yourself, I challenge you to consider people you know who would benefit from less stress in their parenting journeys.  Try cloth or tell a friend.  You won't regret it.

 

Please note that I have not received any monetary compensation for all the gushing I've done about cloth diapers or for proclaiming my love of Cotton Babies, but I have entered this writing into a competition where, if I win, I could receive more cloth diapers!!  Here's the link to the contest details:  http://jenniferlabit.com/2011/12/12/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-to-tell-the-world-about-cloth-diapers/

Leave me a comment!!   (You, too, could win!)

 

 

Behind behind behind

Oh my, have things happened in the past two months.

The in-laws have come and gone, and what a time it was.  I think I'll update by child.

The Princess:

• started school.  I cried, she loves it.
• was surprised in Omaha when we went down to meet Stu's family.  The kids didn't know they were coming, so when they flew in they just went straight to the hotel.  We arrived the next day and had them sneak into our room and hide behind the curtains when the kids were distracted.  The Princess was so excited.  Had a great time in Omaha.
• Celebrated Daddy's birthday with an ice cream cake from DQ.  He turned 40.
• September 1st, I came home from class in the morning to have Stu great me with the news that the Princess was puking and had the flu.  Watched her all day and around 2:30 in the afternoon she told me her lower right side hurt.  I called the Dr. to see if I could get her in.  They said come now, so I told the in-laws that they could find bottles and nappies for McGoo and they were fine with Bubba.  Took the Princess in, and Dr. Veit was more than 50/50 that it was appendicitis.  Took her to the hospital where they drew blood, got an IV started, and admitted her (to the same room Stu had been in when he was in in May).  Stu arrived 5:15.  Dr. Ivey arrived 5:45 and said her white count was 22,000 instead of 10,000.  He said he was 75% to 80% sure it was appendix and he would take them out if it were his daughter.  So we gave the go-ahead, and they started prepping her for surgery.  Stu ran home to get McGoo, and I waited there.  Ben Cox was her anesthetist, so I felt more comfortable that he was with her.  Her surgical nurse was Dondee Halverson.  I followed her bed down, and she went through the doors at 6:45.  Stu arrived with McGoo at about 7:05--she was screaming.  Dr. Ivey came out at about 7:20 to say she was done and that the appendix had definitely been the problem.  We went up to her room to wait for her.  She was pretty out of it when they wheeled her back up.  Stu and I stayed--I stayed until 3:00 in the morning and Stu spent the night.  I arrived home just before a bad storm (drove in the garage and the deluge started, got McGoo in and set her carseat down and the tornado siren went off, woke everyone up to get them downstairs only to discover the water softener overflowing when we got down and was forced to turn off the water to the house).  Storm passed and we went back up.  I had a few hours of sleep, then headed back to town with McGoo.  Amy Letsche came not long after Stu left (he had to finish a job at the bank).  She spent quite a bit of the morning helping entertain the Princess.  My parents and Michael Wilson also came by to see the Princess.  They dismissed her at 3:30 that afternoon.  Went home with some Tylenol with codeine.  Got home, and Stu, Bubba, Daniel, Debra, and Terry took off for the Mall of America.  We were all supposed to go, but obviously couldn't.  Elsie, McGoo, the Princess and I had a long weekend ahead.  
• September 2-3 the Princess had different visitors: Holly, Jen Bush and girls, Grandma Jennie, Linda Grauer, Francine, and Donna.  Sunday, Elsie got sick with what was later diagnosed as an ulcer when she got home.
• September 6 was a Tuesday, and took the Princess in for Dr. Veit to check her.  I was pretty sure she had an infection in the incision and she did.  Had to take her back to the hospital for a blood draw to check her white count, which was at 11, 400.  So another round of antibiotics and a followup with Dr. Veit again the next day.
• September 7--infection was looking a bit better, but had started seeping and oozing.  Dr. Veit opened it up a tiny bit more at the end so it could drain and he squeezed some stuff out.  But since it wasn't full of puss, he didn't make us go for another white count.
• September 8--Dr. Ivey check up, and said she was fine.  Finish the antibiotic and she could go back to school the next week.
• middle of September, the antibiotics caught up with her and she ended up with urinary/yeast infections.  More antibiotics and cream.
• October--finally just getting her all cleared up after getting her on a probiotic and keeping up with the cream.
• She's playing soccer and has gotten quite fast!!

Bubba

• He's just Bubba.  He got to go to Mall of America with Dad and had a great time going on all the rides.
• He still loves to think about cutting arms and legs off, but I think he's just being a boy.  He wants to take the skin off things and look at bones, so I think he's just curious as to the inner workings of things. 
• He's my lovey boy.  He still loves cuddles.
• He makes me laugh.
• He is already planning for "when you die, Mom, *the Princess* can take your job."  I don't think he wishes my death, but he's just planning ahead.
• Love that boy.

Stinker McGoo

• She's growing.  Probably about 12 pounds or more and 25 1/2 inches long.
• She sleeps through the night.  Last night she slept from 8 to 8.
• She's starting to roll over to her side from her back.
• She coos and smiles a lot.
• She makes me smile.

Stu has started classes to become an EMT, so he's gone every Monday night and soon will add Thursday nights as well.  I'm proud of him.  Love that man.

Sweet Princess's prayer for the Pea(nut)

Sunday drive to church this past weekend--we were running late, as usual.  While we were driving, I could hear the Princess talking behind me.  At first I thought she was talking to me.  Then I realized she was praying--"Dear God, please help my baby sister to learn about you and know you so that she can know that she does bad things.  And God help her know that she has to ask you to forgive her so she can see you someday. In Jesus' name, Amen."

I cried.

In the past few weeks, I have also heard her praying for me and my "high mones" (hormones), asking God to help them go away so that I wouldn't be sad or impatient anymore.

Thank you, God, for the gift of such an incredible little girl.

And next week she goes to K1.  I'll cry all day, quietly so she doesn't know.

In other parts of our world, the Pea(nut) is growing like crazy.  She was 6 weeks this past Saturday.  She consistently takes about 3 ounces per feeding, has recently decided that nursing might be OK, and has started wearing her cloth diapers full time.  I think she's well over 9 pounds, but not sure exactly.  She's also nearly out of her 0-3 month sleepers, partly because of the cloth nappies--they do make her bum look big!!

Bubba has mostly quit naps, except on the days I find him curled up somewhere, asleep.

Everything is changing.

When she came, she came quickly

Haven't had a chance to get on here and get things updated--life got busy.  After all the false alarms and the "maybe todays", baby finally decided to arrive on Saturday, July 2.  I started having contractions at 3:30 in the afternoon--and they were hard and I knew they were getting more intense.  They still weren't exactly regular, so I waited until about 4:30/4:40 to call Susan.  She arrived at 5:20, and I spent a few minutes telling her where things were and telling the kids goodbye.  I called the hospital on the way to Cherokee so they were expecting us.  I also called my parents on the way to let them know we were going.  We arrived at the hospital at about 5:50 or so--signed a few things downstairs and then one of the medics gave me a ride up in the wheelchair.  Came through the OB doors just before 6:00, right at shift change.  After I changed, they got me into bed and hooked up to monitors--checked me and thought I was at about a 7.  I told them right away that the baby had been transverse, so they were trying to confirm that they could feel the baby's head.  They called right away and put the surgical team on alert in case baby was still transverse.  They had called Dr. Veit, and by the time he got there and checked me he said I was at an 8.  They also called Mary in to do an ultrasound--she confirmed that baby was head down.  By this time the pain was so intense and Dr. Veit said I had a ways to go yet.  I thought he meant an hour or so--so I asked for pain relief.  By the time Ben Cox got up to the floor, Dr. Veit said I was ready to push!!!  Stu said I pushed for less than 6 minutes--and baby was really born all in one contraction.  7:03 I got to see our final baby slip into Dr. Veit's waiting hands--and I was the first to say "It's a girl!!" 

I would be remiss if I forgot to mention that Stu had called Amy Letsche when we got to the hospital and she has arrived just in time to take pictures before, during, and right after the birth--so she got to help us welcome our new little girl:  Eibhlin Mardell Hogg  6 pounds 7 ounces and 20 inches long.  She was so TINY!!!

Stu called Susan right away to let her know we'd had a baby girl--she was astounded at how quickly it had happened, as were my parents when we called them.  :)  I was astounded.  After everything was cleaned up and we were alone in the room with Eibhlin, we looked at each other and it was only about 8:00--we said "now what do we do??"  Was so strange.  Everything went so quickly and smoothly--just as I had hoped.  No complications.

Stu went home that night so he could get a good sleep.  He brought the kids in the next morning to meet their new sister--they loved her, even though Eoin wasn't thrilled that she was a girl.  I had called them the night before to tell them goodnight, and Eoin kept asking me if I was sure it was really a girl.  Poor boy.  He's gotten over it now, but he wasn't so sure then.  Stu took them home and fed them lunch, then Susan came after lunch so that Stu could come back.  We had a little time together in the afternoon, despite all the visitors we had.  We got to have supper together before we were interrupted with more visitors.  He went home and brought the kids back to tell me goodnight--then took them home for bed.

They all came back the next morning for a bit, left for lunch and to let Eoin nap, then came to pick Eibhlin and I up in the afternoon--Monday, July 4.  Her dismissal weight was 6 pounds, which wasn't too bad--but we had been giving her formula.  She was just enough smaller that she had trouble nursing at all and I didn't want to mess around with her.  As it was, when the nurse came out the next day, we only had a slight increase in her bilirubin--which was good.  We went in for a weight check on Wednesday and a bili check, and she had gone from 11.4 to 11.5, which wasn't alarming.  Weight check on Thursday and she was up to 6 pounds 4.5 ounces.  Friday she was 6 pounds 4 even.  Dr. Veit was pleased.  Elspeth tried to be very helpful all week--in fact, she tried to help get Eoin buckled into his car seat for me.  When I got into the car, she told me that she was able to get the top clip and one of the bottom ones, but wasn't able to get the other clip because "Eoin's penis came up and got in the way."  She then announced that sometimes a penis just goes up--I had to work hard not to laugh.

Over the weekend we did take Eibhlin out for her first real outing, to LeAnn Johnson's wedding.  Sunday we stayed home, then Monday morning we were at VBS at Oakdale.  Monday afternoon we ended up back at the Dr.'s because Elspeth poked Eoin in the eye with the pointed end of a paintbrush marker--had the girls checked also.  Eibhlin was up to 6 pounds 10 ounces (she had been on a more concentrated 24-calorie formula mixture). Elspeth was fine.  The rest of the week we took the kids to VBS each morning, then to the program on Friday night.  Thursday we had gone to the Pizza Ranch--where we had been exactly two weeks before to celebrate Elspeth's 5th birthday supper early (and it was good we had as she had the puking and dry heaves flu all day on her birthday on Friday).

We had an outing to WalMart yesterday (Saturday) and to church today.  Uneventful day.  Things are actually going quite well, and I'm just trying to really enjoy each change in Eibhlin as this is our last baby.  I want to rememember everything.

little stinker

So, yesterday was not the day.  Not by a long shot.  Still hanging around, and still very round.  I should simply enjoy the time, but after the false alarm yesterday I find myself impatient.  I am, however, enjoying the slow pace of today.  Kids and I went outside after breakfast and they played on the new Little Tikes play cube that Letsches donated to us last night (and when I say new, I mean new to us as we are its 4th or 5th family). Now I'm listening to Bubba play with the Princess's doll house, singing "wiggle, wiggle, boom, boom."

I know that I shouldn't be impatient.  This is the last time I'll ever grow a life.  This is the last time I'll be able to feel that little life inside me.  I shouldn't rush this.  And last night I did enjoy the rolls, wiggles, and kicks.  So today I need to savor the moments.  The last days with just the two now before the chaos of the new baby. . .

Is today the day?

From many different indicators, our little Pea may make its appearance today.  I'm apprehensive, since last week Friday the Dr. said baby had gone from head down to transverse.  I hope baby turns back to head down, or my hopes for a simple, straightforward birth for the final baby may be dashed.  I am mentally preparing myself for anything to happen and trying to stay calm.  But as soon as I realized that today might be the day, I started praying and have been since.

These moments are only mine to borrow, so no use fretting.

Eibhlin Mardell or Ewan George? 
Either way, love you sweet baby, and can't wait to meet you. Praying for your safe and easy arrival.

onward

Since it has been ages since I've really made any posts of worth, I need to update.

So, April 23rd my baby boy turned 3.  Made him a Buzz Lightyear cake, which he loved.  He still talks about it.  Gave him a Fischer Price MP3 player, which he loved.  And a few weeks before that he had gotten his very first haircut from Mike the barber in Marcus.  He is so grown up, and so tender.  He makes me laugh--in fact just today he was sitting very quietly and I didn't really take much notice because I thought he was reading a book.  He was writing on his leg.  I managed to suppress a laugh for a bit, but he was so immediately contrite and hang-dog that I couldn't contain it for long.  Oh, Bubba.  You are my sunshine.

May brought Mother's Day (and I did get a USB drive, which I've already used quite a bit).  It also brought my birthday--my sweet husband brought home flowers and the kids game me a wireless mouse for the laptop.  May also brought several other events, some stressful.

1. I completed the 2nd semester of teaching and grading, which is a normal yearly occurrence.
2. I started and finished teaching a 7x7 composition course in Sheldon--taught M, T, Th, F of the first week, during which the kids alternated between sitters.  Susan came several days and stayed until 3:00, when she walked them over to Michelle's.  Friday of that first week they spent the whole day at Greta Hogrefe's.  And that Friday night chaos in our world.  More on that in a minute.  The next week I taught M, T, and W--Susan came M & T, then walked them to Michelle's at 3:00 on Tuesday only--Stu was home at 3:00 on Monday.  Wednesday they spent the whole day with Michelle, but she dropped them at the library with Lois for a few minutes because I finished early that day.
3. Back to the chaos--Friday night I came home from getting the kids at Greta's and Stu had sent a message that he wasn't feeling well and was going to stop at the Dr.'s on the way home--we were supposed to go up to Hartley for a graduation, but never made it.  I called him just a little after 5 to see when he was coming home and if he felt better and wanted to go.  He brusquely told me that he'd call me back.  I had only had time to change clothes, go to the bathroom, and give Bubba a snack before I had called him.  He called back two minutes later and said "Can you call someone to take the kids and meet me in A&E (the ER).  Don't speed, just get here when you can."  I had NO idea what was wrong, but promised I'd do it.  Called Sara Wilson, and she and SaraMarie came over and got the kids right away.  I couldn't speed to town because I was behind two slow-moving vehicles and I wasn't going to risk getting into an accident.  When I got there, I was told he wasn't in the ER, but had already been admitted.  When I got up to his room, he was already in a gown, on the bed, with oxygen.  Since there were so many people in his room, I couldn't even really ask him what was going on--probably four different people between nurses and aids.  When I could finally get anything out of him, he told me he'd felt fine until about 3:00 that afternoon, then had spiked a fever and started shaking so bad that he started coughing and couldn't catch his breath.  When he had stopped at the Dr.'s, they thought he was having an asthma attack or possibly something with his heart. But by the time I got to him, he didn't look too bad.  I said something to him about not being too bad, and the nurse popped her head up and said, "No, he's acute."  I still didn't know what was going on really, Then one of the ambulance crew came up to do an EKG.  Then they took blood.  The blood counts must have come back with a high white count then, because they came back a little later to give him a shot of Rocephrin (who knows how to spell it).  I stayed with him until about 9:15, then came back home.  While I was gone, Sara and Michael had fed and played with the kids, and Sara had come over and vacuumed and picked up our house.  She also had them in jammies already by the time I got home.  Michelle came early the next morning so that I could go back to the hospital, and I was there by 7:15.  When Dr. Veit came in, we both expected him to say "good job being cautious, but you're fine and you can go."  What he said instead was that the blood tests they had done already that morning showed that Stu's white count was up even higher.  He also told us that the chest X-ray they had done when they brought him in the night before showed pneumonia.  We were surprised, but both grateful that Stu had stopped.  Just before the Dr. had come in Stu had complained and moaned and was saying he should have just come home instead of stopping the night before.  We were both glad that he did.  He had to stay until about 2:40 that afternoon--another shot of Rocephrin at 2:00, a little observation, and then he was free to leave.  I had gone home late morning to relieve Michelle and wait for Mary (AbuelitaVeit gave him the all clear unless he started feeling worse again.  So he finished his $130/7-pill antibiotic and we were good to go. He got a little tired that week, but he just took it easy.  I did get Tony to come help me mow the lawn that Tuesday so that he wouldn't try it--and Bill came over and helped out, too.
4. I had to do a 2-hour glucose test because I had failed my first one.  So did that Thursday morning (the 26th) while Susan watched the kids for me.  And I failed it--which I found out Friday right before we were set to leave for Minneapolis.
5. I got to have a 3D/4D scan of the baby on Friday because Whitney needed to practice.  :)
6. We went to Minneapolis for the Memorial Day weekend, May 27th-May 30th.  Got there quite late Friday night and had pizza from Dominoes delivered at 10:45 PM--didn't get kids to bed until after 11 that night.  Saturday we went to Como Park Zoo in the morning and early afternoon, then back to the hotel for a nap, then took the shuttle to the Mall of America for supper and rides on the Nickelodeon theme park.  Stu bought the kids wristbands, and they had a blast.  Stayed until the rides quit at 10:00, then back to the hotel to bed.  Sunday we took the shuttle to MOA, then the bus to the Children's Museum.  Had a little kerfuffle getting the bus back, but we finally made it.  Had supper at Rainforest Cafe, then ice cream at Coldstone Creamery, then back to the hotel on the shuttle. Monday morning we packed up, bought sandwiches at the gas station to put in the cooler for lunch, then headed to the Minnesota Zoo.  Got to ride the tram and see a dolphin show.  Left at 4:00ish and stopped for supper in Fairmont.  I think we were home at about 9:00.  Kids had a great weekend, and it was good to have one last family event before the baby.
7. Tuesday had to have a Dr.'s appointment and get a blood monitor--Wednesday morning met with the nutritionist, so have been testing blood four times a day since then.  Very few problems, so should be able to manage this with little difficulty.
8. Wednesday, got to go in for a repeat 3D/4D scan with Mary because Whitney had some trouble.  So sweet to see the baby's face.  Chubby little cheeks, sweet little lips.  Now to decide a name.  I think it's a girl.

We had the car serviced yesterday, and for some reason the guy who serviced it either completely forgot to put back on the oil fill cap, or he had put it on loosely and it fell off.  Either way, it was not good.  We drove from Jensen's to Target, and the smell of oil/something was so horrible it made me sick.  After Target (got a few last things for the baby and new sheets/bedspread for Bubba's toddler bed), we drove back to HuHot for the Princess's early birthday meal.  The stench was horrific, but went away when we turned off the air.  So Stu checked it at the parking lot of HuHot and found oil everywhere under the hood.  Called Jensen's, they sent someone to look who said it would be ok to drive it back, and we drove back to the dealer.  They apologized profusely, took the car right back in, cleaned as much as they could, and robbed another oil filler cap to replace ours. We did finally get to HuHot for the Princess--and I had remembered to bring along her training chopsticks.  Crazy girl ate a full plate and then half of another.  She LOVES HuHot.  And last night Heather and Jason came for grilled brats and we ate on the patio.  Good night.

I think that's the daily stuff.  Meriden Bible school this week, and I've volunteered to sit in the nursery.  Should be an interesting week.  Friday another Dr.'s appointment and appointment with the nutritionist--Dr.'s appointment should be great.  I think they'll do the strepB test.  Kids are going to play with the twins that day.

Baby's getting closer--and I have clothes and nappies washed and ready.