Keeper of the Home » Babies

Results and Thoughts on the Survey: Breastfeeding vs. Return of Menstrual Cycle

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:00:23 +0000

At long (long) last, time to analyze this survey on Breastfeeding vs. Return of Menstural Cycle that just blew me out of the water with all of the responses it received!

So... what is the relationship between breastfeeding and the post-partum return of fertility?

I thought that the answer would become more clear, but although I feel like there are some definite trends and general aspects of the relationship between the two, overall my answer would have to be "Well, it really depends...". How's that for clear as mud?

I did manage to confirm something that I already thought, which is that I have a pretty crunchy readership- over 75% breastfed for more than 12 months, and over 36% breastfed for 18 months or longer! Mamas, you rock!

Let's dig in and see what the survey said:

I'm going to apologize now that these charts are not as clear as I would like them to be-- I couldn't increase the size any more without cutting off the chart!

This is one of the results that blew me away. Those fuzzy numbers say that over 39% of moms were still nursing at night when their cycle returned! Additionally, less than 40% were feeding baby any sort of solids, only 15% offering a pacifier, and 6% offering supplemental bottles.

What that means is that significantly more than half of breastfeeding moms see the return of their fertility while they are NOT offering bottles, NOT using a pacifier, NOT feeding solids, and CONTINUING to nurse through the night!

The next part of the survey asked moms when their cycle returned, in comparison with how long they breastfed in total. You can see that there is definitely a significant holding-off factor that more extended breastfeeding offers. For those moms who continued to breastfeed past the 6 mth mark, another 7.5% of them managed to stave off the return of their fertility.

BUT, for the great majority (over 80%) that didn't seem to make a difference.

In fact, if you look also at the two charts below, which are for moms who breastfed for 12-18 or 18+ months, most moms still get their cycle back by the time their baby is 6 months old. A whopping 72%, according to my oh-so-scientific survey!

Extended breastfeeding does make a difference, obviously, as a much greater percentage of these moms who breastfed for 12 months or longer saw their cycle hold off for much longer. As many as 10-15% of moms did not regain fertility until after baby was 1 year old.

When I look at these results, I have to extrapolate the fact that perhaps we North American women (brace yourself for the broad, sweeping generalization...) are NOT practicing the kind of ecological breastfeeding that naturally prolongs the return of fertility.

What exactly constitutes "ecological breastfeeding" anyways?

Glad you asked! I did a bit of research and found these 7 basic tenets of ecological breastfeeding, as put forward by Sheila Kippley, author of Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing

7 Standard of Ecological Breastfeeding

From an article on the La Leche League International site, by Sheila Kippley

Breastfeed exclusively for the first six months.
Pacify Your Baby at Your Breasts
Don't Use Bottles and Pacifiers
Sleep with Your Baby for Night Feedings
Sleep with Your Baby for a Daily-Nap Feeding
Breastfeed Frequently Day and Night and Avoid Schedules
Avoid Any Practice that Restricts Nursing or Separates You from Your Baby

Anyone want to do a quick run-through of the standards and see how your breastfeeding practices matched up, according to when your cycle returned?

For me personally, with my first I was only practicing #1, 6, and 7 completely when my cycle returned at 12 months (though fertility didn't return until 15 mths). She was in our room for night nursings as well (#4) until she was 6 mths and night-weaned at 11 mths. With my second, I was practiced #1, 2, 3, 6 and 7. He also slept near me until 6 months. He was 18 mths old and still getting one early morning (3-5am) feed when I caught the first egg and conceived my third.

Currently, I'm nursing my 12 mth old frequently, but just night-weaned (naturally- I didn't force it) about a week and a half ago. I've practiced #1, 2, 4 and 6 with her, but have had times when I've had to pump and use bottles for her while I was away. She also slept near us until about 11 mths old, as I continued to night feed. My cycle is just showing signs of returning.

That's just my story, though. As I said earlier in this post, my true answer as to the relationship between fertility and breastfeeding is that there are definitely some practices that seem to have a fairly consistent effect on the return of fertility. And there also seem to be a whole lot of women for whom there isn't a lot of rhyme or reason, but their bodies just seem to work in a particular rhythm of fertility no matter what.

Image by tedsblog

Here are a sampling of the interesting additional comments from moms who took the survey:

My cycle returned as soon as I started offering my baby solid food--even though it was just rice cereal. Offering food means the weaning process has started, no matter how little you offer or how long you breastfeed at the same time (in my case, 20 months). My body just seemed to know that it wasn't the "one and only" any more, and lo, my period came back.
I have breast fed all 7 of my kids. With each of them, my cycle returned around 7 months. With each child, they had somewhat different habits.
Both I and another breastfeeding mom I know found that the return of our cycles took longer with each successive child. So I had the longest break from my cycle after my third child was born.
For me, my cycle returns withing a month of baby night-weaning.
I always breastfeed on demand around the clock and my cycle always returns around 3 -4 months postpartum!!
I was actually tandem nursing my 15 month old and my newborn and my cycle returned at week 5 post-partum. It return the same time with my first baby as well.
My period returns when I quit nursing.
My cycle hasn't come back with any of my 5 children until i was down to about 2 nursings a day....just my experience....I'll be interested in your finds.
I have had three babies and it was different every time. My first nursed until she was four, and my cycle came back when she was 14 months old. With my second, I was tandem nursing a LOT, and was shocked to discover I was pregnant again when he was only seven months old. With my third, I was again tandem nursing and my cycle returned when she was nineteen months old. At that point, I was just two months shy of having gone four entire years with no period.
My baby is exactly 18 months old (to the day). I'm still breastfeeding - several times during the day and also at night. My menstrual cycle has not yet returned.
I transitioned my son to a crib when he was almost 1yo. Previously we had been co-sleeping. As a result he nursed less at night - though he was still not STTN. A few weeks later and my cycle returned.
From my own research and the info I've received from fellow NFPers (from our ministry site www.sweeterthanhoney.org), a HUGE reason for an earlier than expected return to fertility is due to baby sleeping through the night. A woman could be breastfeeding exclusively (no pacifiers, no solids) for an entire year but have a early return to fertility (when baby is 9 mo old, for example) because baby began sleeping through the night at 8 mo. I've advised young moms who want to delay fertility to co-sleep or wake up the baby to nurse in the night.
I was breastfeeding TWINS full time when my cycle returned after only 3 months. :-)
I found with all three of my kids that my menstrual cycle returned when I completely cut out nighttime feedings (so baby would go about 8 hours without a feed during the night)- for my first two this was around 6 months, and the third it was around 9 months.
I have birthed four babies at home. We have nursed on demand (rarely more than two hours apart even as they approached one years old), co-slept, practiced babywearing, etc. Our babies do suck their thumbs, but we've never encouraged it over breastfeeding, and they have all nursed a LOT during the night. With my first three pregnancies, my cycle returned at 2 mo. After my first, I got pregnant when he was six months, then we waited until our second baby was one to conceive. We got pregnant for the fourth time when our third was five months old. Just sharing all of this info, because it is something I'm so greatly interested in. I struggle to come to terms with the fact the my body is allowing me to become pregnant when my babies still need my milk. Couldn't be happier with our four little ones, so a mixed blessing :)

It's a whole lot of food for thought. I've come to the conclusion that perhaps there is no conclusive answer.

I'm quite certain that trends in the North American diet, environmental toxins, etc. play a role in our hormones and fertility. I also think that (as a general rule) most of us don't practice true ecological breastfeeding, as it is practiced in many other cultures.

After all this, what do you think about the issue now? How do you think that breastfeeding practices and individual differences between women account for the timing of the return to fertility?

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Healing Rashes While Cloth Diapering

Sherrie Cook — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:27 +0000

Written by Sherrie Cook, Contributing Writer

There are many reasons to choose cloth diapers for your baby. Many mums choose cloth to aid in the prevention of diaper rashes. Cloth diapers are breathable, allowing air to flow freely through them. This constant air movement provides a natural, dry environment without using harsh chemicals next to baby's skin. In most cases, rashes are "gone with the wind".

Unfortunately, not even using cloth guarantees a rash-free childhood for your little one. Rashes in the diaper area can be caused and/or made worse by a variety of different things.

Some of the most common irritants include:

moisture trapped against the skin from heavy wetters, infrequent diaper changes or insufficient diaper absorbency
irritation from urine and feces (pH is raised with this combo to a higher alkalinity allowing baby's delicate skin to break down more rapidly)
chemical irritants from detergents/soaps
allergic reactions from dyes, fragrances, fibers, etc.
friction/chaffing
restricted air flow
oral antibiotics (kill the "good" bacteria and leave the "yeasty" bacteria to run a muck)
microorganisms
diarrhea
introduction of new foods
commercial wipes

How do you know which one(s) of these factors is causing your child's rash?

Unfortunately, it's basically a process of elimination (no pun intended). In the meantime, while you solve the mystery of the rash, it is extremely important to give your baby's skin a helping hand while it heals. This does NOT mean you will be forced to dig into the far reaches of the hall closet for that dusty, left-over disposable diaper (now two sizes too small) from last May!

Here are a few ideas to give you hope for finding more natural solutions:

:: Ointments

Most diapering systems suggest that you do NOT use creams and ointments since these products can coat the fabric of your diapers and cause repelling issues. Nobody wants that! What I suggest to concerned moms is two-fold.

Choose a cloth diaper friendly ointment. A couple of my favorites are petroleum-free Baby Bottom Better Salve and Grandma El's Rash Cream. (Many moms really like Northern Essence Diaper Salves, too, though I haven't needed to try the latter because the first two always worked well for my babies.) Used sparingly, a little goes a long way, these ointments should not clog your diaper fabric.

If you are still concerned that the use of ointments might ruin your diapers, place a piece of fabric (i.e. flannel, fleece, a cloth wipey, a prefold diaper, or even a strip ripped from an old tee shirt) between your baby's bum and the cloth diaper.

This additional layer will serve as a barrier and will keep most ointment residue from transferring onto your favorite diapers. Once used, you may launder the fabric with your cloth diapers or, for cautious parents, with a load of jeans. If you think yeast may be involved secondary to your child's rash, this may be one case where tossing the barrier fabric might be your best bet.

*Be sure to check your manufacturers warranty prior to the use of any diapering ointments listed here.

:: Naked Time

(If your babies are like mine, they're cheering already!) Babies generally LOVE to be freed from all things that bind them - including diapers!

Right after a bath or diaper change, consider letting your little one air out a bit before replacing the diaper. Make sure all baby's cracks and crevices are patted completely dry.

Resist the urge to use talcum powder (bad for the lungs if inhaled) or cornstarch (cornstarch rings the dinner bell for yeast - you don't ever want to encourage the presence of yeast by setting out a yummy treat) in the diaper area, especially when the skin is already broken and vulnerable with a rash.

An absorbent prefold placed under your baby (if he's not yet mobile) will provide ample coverage for a few minutes . If your baby is on the run, a loose fitting prefold, soft diaper cover or trainer will do the trick for a few minutes - just don't forget he's not leak proof and start dinner. :)

Happy Rash-Free Diapering!

Photos courtesy of: Ozrix, La Grande Farmer's Market & crimfants

Sherrie is a wife, mother, peer counselor, speaker and author. She enjoys helping fellow moms in their quest for a simple, God-centered home for their natural living families. She notes her (hopefully) helpful hints at The Proverbial Woman.

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Better Bedtimes for Little Ones

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:00:01 +0000

Guest Post by Leah Hoffmaster

There are few things in life more precious than a sleeping baby. One of my favorite things to do during my children’s infancy was to lay them on my chest and allow my beating heart and warm embrace to soothe them into a peaceful slumber. Oh, how often I would wish that for just one moment, time could stand still.

Yet, surely enough, to quote the old adage, “time marches on” and our babies continue to blossom and grow and turn into their own beautiful little people with strong, individual identities. This often happens more quickly than we are ready to accept or admit! The past few years have flown by so quickly and have transformed into memories before my very eyes, and still, I long to share those quiet moments of joy with my children.

I have found one of my most fulfilling duties as a mother to be when I lovingly tuck a babe (or 4) snugly into their beds after an eventful day. This has also become one of my most challenging duties to tackle! It seems as if the kids aren’t always “feeling” the need to unwind quite like I am, and somehow they no longer find sleep as desirable or as easy to attain. Who would have thought?!

As I’ve come to realize how important a good night’s sleep is for my sanity my children, I have set out to find ways to help make their transition to bedtime as easy as possible.

Here are some of the things that work for our clan:

Establish a bedtime routine that is functional, yet fun.

Most kids find it easier to relax when they have an idea of what’s coming next. Slow-paced activities that they enjoy also help to settle them down a bit from a busy day. Our kids love baths, so we start off our evening routine with that. (If your kids hate getting in the tub, maybe the morning would be a better time for them, instead!)

Keep a few special books, games, or stuffed animals set aside ‘for bedtime use only’ and allow several minutes of quiet time play on the bed. This will encourage them to think of their bed as “a special place” and not the “enemy”.

Start early.

Our youngest three have a bedtime of 7pm. Really! In order to have adequate time to bathe, read, sing, etc., this means we need to start at approximately 6pm.

Kids are more likely to enjoy bedtime if they are not exhausted or cranky. Plus, I know I am much better suited for the task if I don’t have to rush. I tend to be more patient in the earlier hours of evening as well.

Consider using room darkening blinds.

No one wants to go to sleep with the sun shining in their eyes! Not only that, but studies have shown that our bodies actually are best rested when we get at least 8 hours of “dark time” sleep a night..and that time increases for children. We were able to buy our blinds for just $10 a piece.

Evaluate naptimes.

If you would like to get your children to bed earlier at night, it might be necessary to keep them awake for a longer stretch of time during the day.

Our girls need at least 6 hours between naptime and bedtime to be able to get to sleep easily. Now that they take just one nap per day, fitting it into mid-morning works best to keep their bedtime routine running smoothly. If they seem to be getting a bit restless later in the afternoon, a short quiet time activity or video can do wonders.

Be creative.

Some of the best childhood memories I have are from my own bedtime. My mother would gather us all together to sing some tunes, sometimes making up different words just for fun.

My dad was a creative genius. He would tell us the most fabulous stories that he would create with his own imagination, and we could not wait to go to bed each night to listen to these wonderful concoctions. Occasionally he would let each of us pick a word or two and then would incorporate those words into the plot to encourage our own creativity and to keep our attention. He also would give us “question tests”, to assess our knowledge in both important and trivial subjects alike.

Even though I have nowhere near the talent he did for those stories, I have started a similar tradition with our oldest son. He is now 10 years old, yet he’d gladly go to bed for me at 7pm as well if he knew he’d get a good story out of the deal. (Do I sense a date night brewing in anyone’s mind?!)

Group ‘em together.

If I’m giving one baby a bath, why not add in two more?! The same goes for story time, prayer, and bedtime around our house. Especially since all 3 little ones currently share a room! It’s much easier on me not to have to repeat the same steps throughout the evening, and then there is the additional blessing of having them all fall asleep around the same time. The children enjoy getting to spend their last moments of the day with one another. It’s a win-win situation.

Stay close by till they’re asleep.

I like to spend some quality time with my older son and husband after the children go to bed at night. Often they’d be waiting for me downstairs in the living room, and I would no sooner go down to meet them before I’d hear the pitter-patter of little feet running across the floor upstairs. After having gone up and down those steps enough times to make a full length work out video, it finally occurred to me that just a few extra minutes upstairs would make all the difference.

If you’re a mama who trains her kids to stay put once they’re tucked in, just knowing you are nearby may be enough to keep them in line, and in bed! I like to peek in and make eye contact every few minutes until they are asleep. This saves me loads of time and frustration!

Start the day with praise!

Every morning we like to greet the new day with singing, dancing, and praising God together as a family. We use a variety of dvd’s, cd’s, musical instruments and dancing scarves to keep things interesting. At night, we almost always end up talking about how fun it’s going to be to worship God together again in the morning, as this is just a bit of enticement for them to get to sleep more quickly. Hey, it works, and I say if it doesn’t hurt anything, then go for it!

If you’d like the chance to win one of our favorite family time praise dvd’s, stop over and check out my giveaway, sponsored by the legendary Donut Man! I know you’ll love him as much as we do!

Enjoy the moment.

Before we know it, our children will be old enough to get to sleep all by themselves, and will grow out of wanting bedtime stories each night. Keeping this in mind helps me to continue on in joy, even on nights where things aren’t working out according to plan.

Let’s join together to give thanks to God for the opportunity to care for the children he’s entrusted to us, remembering to “put on” the grace he offers us to make an impact in their lives, one day (or night) at a time.

How do you make bedtimes better for your little ones?

Leah enjoys a simple life as wife and home schooling mama to 4- ages 9,3,2, and (almost) 1! Through the Lord’s strength and amazing grace she has overcome a past of drug addiction, approval addiction, and atheism, and now knows her true identity as a child of the King! Recently challenged by personal hardship, Leah started her blog, Dance And Be Glad, to share her heart and testimony of the power of God to bring joy, health, and healing back into our homes.

Image credit peasap

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Take my Survey: Breastfeeding vs. Return of Menstrual Cycle

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:00:37 +0000

As a mom who delays solids, nurses for an extended period of time and offers nighttime nursing for most of the first year, my cycle takes its sweet time returning.

However, I know that this isn't the case for every mom. I hear anecdotally from a lot of moms that even frequent nursing or nighttime nursing does not prevent their cycle from coming back, and plenty of moms conceive again when their baby is under a year old (and sometimes even less than 6 months old).

This often surprises me, because what I have read about the nursing hormone prolactin is that it should suppress the other hormones required for a woman's menstrual cycle to return. In theory, this means that during the early months and even the first year when nursing is baby's primary form of nourishment, she shouldn't be able to conceive again. Theoretically speaking.

Wouldn't it be interesting to explore the actual statistics of regular moms, to find out at what point and under what circumstances their own cycle returned? Inquiring minds want to know. Or at least, mine does.

So, I decided to conduct my own very formal and official survey. :)

It would be too complex to add too many more fields to the survey. I kept the survey relatively simplistic, which means that I won't be able to accurately take into account special circumstances, like a mom or baby being sick, going on vacation without baby for a period of time, a season of high stress in the mom's life, etc.

Would you fill out my survey and help to satisfy this curious little brain of mine?

Please take my survey!

I promise, I will share the results of the survey with you all!

Any guesses as to what my survey will discover? What do you think about the breastfeeding/Fertility relationship?

Image by Daquella Manera

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Feeding Babies: A Relaxed, Common Sense Approach

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:00:56 +0000

When I had my first baby, I was strangely eager to feed her "real" food. I couldn't wait to break out those baby spoons, to start grinding up food in my blender and moving in to that next stage of babyhood. I began when she was around 5 1/2 months old, a reasonable age I figured. I even drew up a lovely Type A chart for my fridge, to record her every bite, her reaction to each food, and how many days I waited before the next introduction.

My darling girl, however, had different plans. Her reaction to the food? Yawn... ho, hum. What's all the fuss about solids, mama? More milk, please!

A bit dismayed and confused, I backed off for a while. I continued to hesitantly offer a bit of food over the course of the next several months, and though she took it from time to time, she didn't truly care or seem to need it until she was more like 9 or 10 months.

Fast forward two and a half years. Now I had a little guy who's starting to approach that magical age of six months. I decide to play it a bit more relaxed this time, going far beyond 6 months to ensure that his gut is ready to handle and digest food. At around 7 or 8 months, I began to oh-so-slowly introduce my homemade babyfoods, one at a time. Success! He loves it, he's ready for it, and I didn't stress myself out by trying too early.

Then, while pregnant with my third this past spring, I read something that shook me up just a little bit more: Real Food for Mother and Baby, by Nina Planck.

Being the careful, cautious mother that I am, I had always made my baby's meals with whole, nourishing foods. I slowly introduced them, one by one, working from smooth purees to gradually chunkier combinations. I thought I had it all figured out.

Enter Nina's casual yet common sense approach. So long as it's "real" food (that is, foods that are old, traditional, whole, and were eaten by our great-grandparents), allow baby to eat it without fuss, without comment, without pureeing, without stress. Could it really be so simple?

Bless the babies of experimental moms like me. They get to be the guinea pigs of all our brilliant (and not-so-brilliant) ideas. Thankfully, Johanna is a pretty chill third child, and her mama has gone from being a bit of a basket case to a rather easy-going, relaxed, "sure, why not?" kind of mom.

Image by xlordashx

Here are my oh-so-brilliant and oh-so-precise methods for feeding my darling girl:

1. Wait until she's good and old. I had visions of 8 or 9 months, but this particular child seemed ready at about 7 1/2. I went with the flow. In the meantime, I gave her nothing but lots of warm, delightful, nourishing, always-available breastmilk for as long as I could.

2. Cook regular meals for the rest of the family.

3. Find something in those meals that seems to be safe for baby (ie. soft enough to gum, nothing that might cause a choking hazard, no grains until baby's digestive system is a little more mature around a year old). My first picks? Ground beef and liver, lightly cooked egg yolk, boiled sweet potato, steamed cauliflower or broccoli with butter, ripe banana, soft avocado chunks.

4. Break into small-ish pieces (note the precision) with your fingers. Put baby in a chair or on your lap. A bib is nice.

5. Allow baby to go for it.

6. Sweep floor thoroughly (this is in bold, because yes, it is necessary).

7. Repeat the next day.

Here's what I didn't do:

Record what I fed her.
Puree anything. At all. The closest I've come is to use a fork to lightly mash something. And she had some homemade applesauce because my older children were eating some.
Use a spoon or a bowl.
Wait several days between each new food introduction.
Worry about how much she did or didn't eat.

The result? A happy baby who has not rejected a single thing I've offered her, including a myriad of different vegetables and liver. A happy mama who is able to sit and eat her own dinner with both of her hands, and who has saved herself the time and effort of preparing ice cube trays full of baby food.

Image by chimothy27

But What About...

Food allergies and sensitivities

A main reason that babies have reactions to foods is because they are fed too early. Babies that are given solids before six months (and many are fed as early as 3-5 months) do not have digestive systems that are capable of completely breaking down foods. Instead they have a "open gut" which means that particles of food (usually food proteins that their systems are not able to fully digest) make it through microscopic holes in the gut lining and into the blood stream. There, these particles create an allergic reaction, as the body treats them like foreign invaders.

By putting off solids until at least 6 months and longer if possible, the risk of food sensitivities greatly decreases. At this point baby is creating more of their own digestive enzymes and the "open gut" has matured and closed up.

Of course, if you already have severe allergies in the families (dairy, gluten, peanuts, etc.) then it would be wise and prudent to avoid these foods for as long as possible, and then only offer them in a very controlled and careful way the first few times to be able to observe any reaction to them.

Getting enough food

One of the things that I love most about this method of feeding is that it keeps breastfeeding as a priority and the main focus of baby's diet. So long as mom is offering the breast often and ensuring that her own diet/beverages are sufficient to keep up an ample milk supply for a larger baby, this solves the problem of whether the baby gets enough to eat. Baby will gradually begin to eat more and more of what they are offered (and begin to request more as well) as their needs and appetite grow.

Until my babies are around a year old, I offer breastmilk before I offer food. I don't make this an absolute firm rule, nor do I decide to not let them have food at lunch because I haven't been able to sit down and nurse them yet. It's simply a mindset of breastmilk being their primary food, and solids being secondary. This gradually shifts as baby grows bigger and becomes more and more interested in and capable of eating solids. The shift occurs naturally, I've found, if I let it happen that way.

But my baby is hungry before six months old...

I hate to say this, because it sounds insensitive or judgmental, and that is absolutely not how I want it to come across. But, when moms tell me this my first thought is that they may simply may not be making breastfeeding the priority.

(And I KNOW that there are absolutely exceptions to this and the occasional mom who just really, really struggles with her milk supply no matter what she tries, so please know that there is no criticism at all if you are one of those moms. I applaud your efforts to breastfeed in spite of difficulties!)

It takes a LOT to feed a growing baby. A lot. I eat and drink non-stop all day long, in order to continue to breastfeed my 8 1/2 mth old daughter (who is a bit of a roly-poly, chunky monkey, which equals a healthy baby). I feed her usually 1-3 times between 7pm-7am, and then another 4-6 times throughout the day. That's a lot of milk and I would be lying to say that it's effortless on a mama's part to keep making enough milk to satisfy a hungry, growing baby.

In my experience with my three babies, it takes commitment on my part. 100% commitment to maintaining as much milk as my little one needs means that I nurse more often, I don't try to force them to sleep through the night if they still need the milk, I add extra nursing sessions if my supply wanes, and I snack and sip continually. Yes, it's a bit more effort, but it's well, well worth it.

Can baby handle foods that aren't pureed?

From my experience and what I've read, yes, most babies can. There will be the odd baby that struggles with some of the chunkier textures or has a stronger gag reflex. In those cases, just calmly observe and make a decision that only you as the parent can make. If it doesn't work for your baby, then do something different. It's as simple as that.

I've linked to some excellent posts below, both of which address the choking and texture issues, which I think you will find helpful. They also get into many more of the specific details and reasoning behind this method of feeding babies. It is referred to in many different ways, including Baby-Led Solids or Baby-Led Weaning (referring to the entire process of weaning a baby from exclusive breastfeeding to solids to weaning from the breast). Both posts link to some other useful articles and books as well.

Feeding Baby Naturally: What, When & How

Baby Essentials That Aren't, Part 7: Baby Food

Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two, and Baby's First Foods(the book that started it all, for me at least)

Has anyone tried this approach to feeding their baby? What has your experience been like?

Image by Charlotte Speaks

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Creating Routine with Little Ones

Emily McClements — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:00:23 +0000

Photo by David Clow

By Emily McClements, Contributing Writer

If you’re anything like me, you may have read in books, watched on a Nanny show, or read posts on blogs about creating a routine for your children. It all sounds so wonderful to have perfectly planned out days where you are super productive, spend lots of quality time with your children and spouse, and even end up being able to pursue hobbies or interests for yourself.

And then, if you’re anything like me, you tried to create a perfect plan and then got super discouraged and frustrated when your first few days on the new plan didn’t create the results you were expecting. So, you may have given up on having any kind of a routine at all. This is basically how I operated up until a few months ago.

I have 2 young kiddos and from the beginning I wanted desperately to get them on a “schedule”. After each of my babies was born, I would write down when they slept and when they ate to try to figure out what their “natural” schedule was. Neither of my kids fell into a routine on their own. In fact, I tried and tried for several months and had such a hard time getting my youngest onto a schedule, and then when I finally implemented a routine for his older sister, his routine fell right into place. Funny how that works, isn’t it?

If you’re a new mama, or new to having a routine for your days, you may feel a little bit overwhelmed with how to get started with a schedule or routine – I know I did. And this can be especially true when you have young children and no two days are ever the same.

Photo by juhansonin

Here are a few ideas that I used in creating a routine for my days:

1. List Ideas. Write down some ideas for what you want to do with your kids on a regular basis. When I was first trying to come up with a plan, I had a hard time deciding what it was I actually wanted to do. Over the course of about a week, if we would do something fun or productive, I would write it down. I kept of list of things I wanted to try to incorporate into our days.

Some of my ideas included things like doing “yoga” with my daughter in the morning, time for me to clean up after meals, doing a kitchen task with my daughter, cleaning up toys and then reading books before naps, and time outside when it’s nice out.

2. Take Notes. When you have a day that goes really well and things run smoothly (not like those happen all that often!) write it down. Take note of the schedule or routine that you followed for that day, and why you think it worked well for you and your kiddos.

3. Start with Less. When you are finally ready to make your first schedule or routine, less is more. Try not to fill every minute or even every 15 minutes of time. Use 1 or even 2 hour chunks of time for what you want to do, that way you won’t feel pressured or stressed when your routine is off a little – which it definitely will be, but that okay! If you need an example, here’s our routine that we try to follow most days.

4. Tweak It. I’m still tweaking my routine on a regular basis. There are some things that after trying them for a while, I decided weren’t really a necessary part of our routine. And I have added things along the way too. The key to adding things to your routine is to do it slowly and only add one new thing at a time.

5. Give Yourself Grace. You will have days that look nothing like the routine that you have down on paper. You will have days were it takes you all day to accomplish what you usually have done by lunchtime. It’s okay. Be flexible. What’s important to remember is that routines give you a guideline for your days and help your little ones to know what to expect, but that doesn’t mean if you get off that the routine isn’t working for you. As you work at implementing your routine, eventually most of your days will look a lot like your plan on paper, and most is better than none at all.

Routines are a great way for us as mamas to give consistency to our days and to our families. They are great for helping us to be productive and get the things done that we need to around our homes. If you don’t have a routine in place, I would encourage you to try it out and see what works best for you. Having a good routine can help us be the wives and mothers that God has called us to be.

Do you have a routine in place for your days? How does it help you in your role as wife, mother and home manager?

Emily is a blessed wife and mama to two little ones. She is passionate about caring for God’s creation and people by being a good steward of the resources He has provided. As part of her journey towards living more “frugally green” she blogs about the things she is learning and the changes she is making at Live Renewed.

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Giveaway: Fuzzi Bunz One-Size Diaper, Hemp Insert and Bamboo Wipes

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:00:34 +0000

Now that I've got you all thinking about diapers (not to mention the fact that one of the themes at Keeper of the Home this month has been reducing waste), it's the perfect time to offer a giveaway of my current fave, the Fuzzi Bunz One-Size pocket diaper!

Just Bumming Around, who happens to be one of my fabulous March sponsors, kindly allowed me to review several of their products on my own little sweetheart. Now it's someone else's turn to give these wonderful diapers and accessories a go!

Barbara has a policy of only selling cloth diapering supplies that she absolutely loves and thinks are the best. I've been cloth diapering a long time and I think she's got pretty good taste.

Here's what she's giving away to one lucky mama:

1 Fuzzi Bunz One-Size diaper, winner's choice of color/pattern
One Countoured Hemp Insert
6 Bamboo Wipes

Fuzzi Bunz One-Size Diaper

Here's what I recently said about this diaper that I use and love:

"I wasn't sure that I could love another diaper as much as I initially loved my BumGenius, but I was wrong. The new Fuzzi Bunz one-size is hands down my current favorite diaper.

It uses a unique cinching system with the leg elastics that allows you to change the size from the inside, rather than using a snap system on the front of the diaper (like most pockets). This ultimately means a less bulky, funny shaped one-size- hooray! It also keeps the legs fitting snugly, no matter what size your baby is."

To read the rest of my thoughts, see the Keeper of the Home Pocket Diaper Review.

Contoured Hemp Insert

I have tried several different hemp inserts previous to this one, but I can see why Barbara was eager for me to try it. This is the mother of all hemp inserts.

It is made with 4 layers of a mix of hemp fleece and organic cotton, making it super absorbent. It is cleverly designed so that it opens in the middle, with 2 layers above and 2 layers below. This means that it offers a full 4 layers of absorbency, but dries relatively quickly for its size, because the layers separate in the dryer. It also has a large, wonderful contoured shape which means that it really fills the pocket completely, for full coverage.

It is ideal to use as a single insert during the daytime, or to double up with a microterry insert (micro on top, hemp on bottom) for excellent nighttime absorbency. Now that I've got the hang of using it, I'm lovin' this baby!

Bamboo Wipes

So. incredibly. soft. Seriously, why do babies get all the luxury?

They are made with bamboo fleece, and are 8x8 inches. They are double-sided, so even one wipe can handle a pretty messy job. I've always used cheapo baby wash cloths as my diaper wipes, but I can definitely see why you would consider using these instead.

Want to win this incredible cloth diapering package? Here's how:

*Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each additional entry- thanks!

Visit Just Bumming Around and choose your favorite color/print if you won the giveaway. Then come back and leave me a comment letting me know which one you would pick.
Explore Just Bumming Around's site a bit, and leave a comment letting me know any other products that particularly appeal to you, or that you've used before and loved.
Subscribe to Keeper of the Home by email or RSS.
Follow me on Twitter.
Tweet this giveaway (use @keeperhome in your tweet)
Follow me on Facebook.
Link up to this giveaway on your Facebook page.
Join the Keeper of the Home community forum.
Start a new thread or comment on an existing thread in the forum (and have you checked out the Cloth Diapering board)

Giveaway ends Thursday, April 1 at 9pm. Giveaway has now ended.

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Keeper of the Home’s Pocket Diaper Review

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:00:29 +0000

Why pocket diapers?

For over 4 years, I used fitted diapers with covers, and I was happy with them. Yes, they could be a bit bulky but I didn't have any major issues. They were simple to use and cost effective to buy.

Then I discovered pocket diapers. I have been a bit like a kid in a candy store. I'm in love. Here's why:

Pocket diapers are more trim and fitted.
They come in so many adorable colors and designs.
In my experience, they have kept my babies drier and more free of diaper rash
They can be stuffed with various sizes and styles of inserts and doublers, making them very versatile for different situations (day or night, nap or car ride, light or heavy wetter).
They're super simple for Dads and sitters to use.
There are many adjustable one-size options available, good for use from newborn up to potty training.
They have considerably cut down on the space that I need to store my diapering supplies, as I use mostly one-sized diapers now, rather than having so many different sizes from my fitted and covers days.

Yes, they're a bit pricier than some options. But the ease, simplicity and flexibility they offer, and the comfort for my babies (all with sensitive skin), makes them so worthwhile for me. I have transitioned over and will probably never go back. My only exception to this is the very early newborn weeks, when prefolds and covers just make sense.

Cost comparisons:

I am not comparing based on price, because within the realm of pocket diapers, I have found the prices to be very similar. The pocket diapers that I am reviewing all go for about $17-19 on average (US prices), depending which store you buy them from. Occasionally I will find something on sale for around $14-16. It is best to buy them in bulk, in package deals of 3, 6 or 12 at a time for the greatest discounts.

It's really about searching for the right deal, for the particular diaper that you're interested in. I have found great deals on almost every diaper at one time or another.

How I reviewed the diapers:

I thought it best to create a simple chart that would compare each diaper on the same elements. Here's an explanation of what I was considering as I reviewed each diaper:

Diapers are rated on a scaled of 1 to 5, with 1 being terrible and 5 being amazing. And honestly, none of them were terrible. I would stop using them if they were. Some were simply better than others, and the fact is, there are lots of other great diapers out there that I haven't yet had an opportunity to try.

I've chosen some of the most popular and well known pocket diapers on the market, including mostly one-sized and a few perfect size (S,M,L) diapers. These are all diapers that I personally use, week in and week out, on my sweet girlie pictured above and some have also been tried out on my 2 1/2 year old son.

BumGenius 3.0 One-Size

BumGenius was the first pocket diaper that I fell in love with. It started to fit my newborn within about a month of her birth, and right from the start gave a great fit due to it's velcro closures. They fit very well around the legs, with no leaking. And the colors are bold and adorable.

After much wear, the inner and outer fabric on my BumGenius diapers looks and feels great. Very little pilling. The elastic is still going strong.

I wish I could say the same for the velcro. It may give a great fit, but it is this diapers worst feature. The front velcro strip is getting quite pilly. The side velcro fasteners are showing a lot of wear and I have to clean them off frequently. They will need to be replaced before the next baby, but thankfully BumGenius supplies replacement velcro tabs for free if you call and ask for them.

My one major complaint is that they don't get big enough to necessarily fit all the way through potty training. For some smaller kids, they'd be fine. For a real chunky monkey, probably not so much. At 7 months and probably 18-20 lbs, Johanna is almost in the largest setting (although that setting will fit her for a long time- my little guy did wear them briefly after he turned 2).

Fuzzi Bunz One-Size

I wasn't sure that I could love another diaper as much as I initially loved my BumGenius, but I was wrong. The new Fuzzi Bunz one-size is hands down my current favorite diaper.

It uses a unique cinching system with the leg elastics that allows you to change the size from the inside, rather than using a snap system on the front of the diaper (like most pockets). This ultimately means a less bulky, funny shaped one-size- hooray! It also keeps the legs fitting snugly, no matter what size your baby is.

I haven't had my Fuzzi Bunz One-Size for as long as some of my others, but so far they are holding up pretty well. I do notice that Fuzzi Bunz inner fabrics tend to pill in general, but this doesn't really affect their use. They take slightly longer to dry than some of my other pockets (I air-dry mine).

Best of all, they are quite large and should definitely last well into toddlerhood for most children. Truly a one-size fits all. I'm a happy mama.

Fuzzi Bunz Perfect Size

These are the predecessor of the Fuzzi Bunz One-Size. They come in x-small, small, medium, and large. They fit VERY generously. The small is supposed to fit a 7 lb baby, but it took my daughter several months to be able to fit it well enough to prevent leaks, and in fact, my petite 2 year old could actually fit into it. At 7 months (and somewhat chubby) my daughter is still easily in the small, and is just beginning to fit the medium on it's smaller settings.

That said, with the correct sized diaper, they still give a great and leakproof fit. Due to their "perfect size", they are slightly less bulky than the one-size option, though I don't feel the difference is very significant.

I find these ones a little easier to stuff than a lot of the one-sized pockets, and easier to dump the inserts into the diaper pail without having to reach in and grab them (usually a good shake will do the job). They are also one of my fastest drying. But, they have seemed to stain/wear the most on the inside, and I am even seeing a bit of strain on the PUL (outer layer) of 2 of mine (this is after about 6 months of continuous use).

*Thanks to Just Bumming Around for all the Fuzzi Bunz diapers to review!

Happy Heiny's One-Size Snap

These also come in a velcro version, but I got these when I was really curious to try some snap-only diapers and see if I liked them better, as I was getting frustrated with the velcro while washing.

This is another one with lots of room to grow. These shouldn't have any problem accommodating most toddlers. Only problem is that they don't offer a great fit on newborns or young babies. They have plenty of snaps (more than any other), so in theory you should be able to achieve a good fit.

I just found that there was too bulk around the waist and though they technically "fit", it wasn't until she got to be about 12-13 lbs that I felt they started to fit more comfortably (and now that she's bigger, they fit really well and are becoming one of my favorites- who knew?).

Also easy to stuff and wash, and fairly quick drying. High quality, these wear well and are a good pick.

Wahmies One Size with Snaps

One of my favorite aspects of this diaper is it's velour lining. It is so soft and usually feels quite dry to the touch when I change Johanna out of it. I'm not sure if it's just a fortunate diaper that has never seen a lot of #2, but it is as clean and snow white as the day I got it still!

These have great fitting leg elastics, though I do worry that they might get slightly tight as she gets really big. There isn't a ton of room to grow, which is my major complaint with this one (and the reason for the low Value rating). I really like it, but I can't see her fitting into it past 2 years old (but I could be wrong).

Unlike many other diapers, this one only has one row of snaps along the front. This isn't a really big deal, but I find that two rows offers a more snug fit and less bunching in the front. The snap version of Wahmies (which is what I have- I haven't tried their hook closure style) has some elastic near the belly button and by the top of the bum as well, I presume to improve fit and comfort. To me, it doesn't make much of a difference, but maybe it would have if I got it when Johanna was a newborn?

These do wash and dry very well, and they offer a nice, trim fit and seem to be quite well-made.

Rocky Mountain One-Size

I remember being so surprised when I pulled this one out of it's package and saw that the inside was blue! Every other pocket diaper I own is white on the inside. Although the color choices are limited, I like that there are different color options for the inner layer, and this will help to keep it nice looking over time while white inner layers get somewhat stained.

Another neat feature is that the inner layer is a type of suedecloth. It is very soft, keeps baby quite dry, and seems to wear better than others. It also dries quite quickly and washes well.

Similar to the Fuzzi Bunz One-Size, these diapers have inner elastic systems that tighten the legs. Rather than a button system like FB, Rocky Mountain uses a snap system that works quite well. These diapers definitely get a good fit around the legs and avoid leaks. But, like the Wahmies, they have only one set of snaps across the front, so they can also bunch a bit from time to time, which is why I couldn't give a 5 for fit.

Lastly, although these are nice and roomy for a growing baby, they sure do have a narrow opening for stuffing inserts! Definitely a little bit harder to stuff and sometimes (yuck), I have to manually pull the wet insert out rather than simply shake it out.

DryBees Sized Pockets

I used the size small when Johanna was a newborn. It was great to have a pocket diaper that really, truly fit her when she was so small.

Unfortunately, there were a few things about these diapers that just weren't too great. I had issues with the velcro top curling down a bit, and sometimes the velcro would rub on her tummy (not so nice). I had to really pay attention to how I put them on to try to minimize the chances of this happening.

My other issue was in washing them. The velcro tabs are supposed to stay in place while washing, but without fail, they would come open and attach themselves onto other diapers in the load.

I did speak to a company representative about the issues, and though they couldn't replace my diapers (because I knowingly bought them from a clearance site without a warranty), she did say that these issues don't usually happen, so perhaps these seconds (as in, not perfect diapers, hence the deep discount) that I got just had particular issues with their velcro.

Otherwise, they were great to use, as far as easy stuffing and cleaning, quick drying, and nice fit around the legs on a little baby.

DryBees Fleece Night Times

After speaking with the DryBees rep, I decided to take a chance on reviewing their fleece night diaper, to see if I was any fonder of it. The answer is definitely, it's been much better!

I haven't had any velcro issues as far as rubbing on the belly or curling down (though the sides still sometimes open in the wash). They seem much more comfortable for her.

This diaper is unique in that it is fleece, and does not have a waterproof PUL outer layer. I didn't know what to think of this, but surprisingly have found that it really does make a great nighttime diaper! It's nice and soft, with really sturdy and well-reinforced leg elastics, to prevent nighttime leaks. The only leaking I have had is if she's been up nursing many times during the night, and she probably would have leaked in any pocket diaper on those occasions.

This diaper can be a bit bulky, so I choose to use it only for nighttime. These are also fitted, not one-sized. As with the other Dry Bees diapers, they fit just as their fitting chart says that they will.

*Thanks to Cloth Diaper Company for the Dry Bees Fleece Night Time, Wahmies, and Rocky Mountain Diapers to review!

Haute Pockets One-Size

I felt that out of all the diapers with velcro, these ones had the highest quality velcro. It seemed to withstand washing well, and have the strongest grip. The front strip has stayed in great condition, while my BumGenius has gotten more frayed and pilled.

One feature that I liked in these diapers was the shape of the front of the diaper. Others have a more rectangular shape in the front, and the Haute Pocket has a nice curve to it. It also has inserts that are not just long, but also have a wider curve on one end to sit exactly into these front curves. I'm not exactly sure why, but I like it and feel that it gives a bit better front coverage.

These really do fit nicely. Very trim elastic around the legs, and the velcro gives such a perfect, snug fit in the front. Although the ones I have are hot pink, I did use them on my son (shhh, he never needs to know these details of his infancy) when he was over two, and they still worked really nicely on him.

I did have a problem with the PUL on mine, that neither I nor the customer service reps could understand. It unfortunately made them not as waterproof, relegating my once beloved Haute Pockets to being used as mere backup diapers. Customer service would have happily replaced them for me, but they were a gift and I had no receipt. Alas. I will most likely get more in the future (with a receipt, this time!), to give them another go. And maybe not in hot pink. :)

I'm sure many of you have your own opinions and thoughts about many of these pocket diapers, and perhaps other brands. Feel free to chime in and let us know what you think!

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

May I Review Your Lovely Products?

Reducing Waste by Using Cloth Diapers

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:00:34 +0000

Image by mhofstrangd

Post by Contributing Writer Sherrie Cook

For years prior to 1961, parents used cloth diapers on their children because there was no other option. Since the 60’s, paper diapers have grown with such popularity that many moms now choose them because they, too, think there is no other option.

Ten years ago I began my own personal search for a cloth diapering alternative in our modern world. I hit so many brick walls that I began to wonder if the reason was perhaps because there was something wrong with cloth diapering. Were these diapers unsanitary? Maybe all the extra laundry was too much work. Could it be that moms had finally grown weary of diaper dunking?

It didn’t take me long to decide that diapering babies using cloth must now be an archaic, extinct notion. The days of plastic pants and safety pins had been replaced with the quality and functionality of disposables. We, as a nation, had obviously arrived in diaper utopia.

However, I couldn’t help but wonder…what cost would we now pay for such luxury? It quickly became apparent to me after a few trips to the grocery store. Upon bringing my Tigger & Pooh stamped paper diapers home, I realized exactly the price to be paid – too much!

Just as that package of diapers was walking through my front door, I found myself exchanging it for a garbage bag full of its soiled predecessors. Essentially, I was throwing away my money. How much was I actually wasting? You might be surprised to learn – cloth vs. disposable diapers: a good estimate.

Twenty-two years ago it was estimated that over the course of a single year, 18 billion paper diapers were sold and used in the United States alone.1 For a family with a child in diapers, the diapering portion makes up approximately 50% of their entire household trash content.1 What a waste!

And that waste is willing to stick around for a while, too. It has been predicted that it could take 250 to 500 years for a single disposable diaper to decompose.2 That’s not the legacy I want to leave for my great, great, great grandchildren – ick!

Image by zenac

Steps to switching to cloth diapers for less waste:

1. Research your cloth options. The hardest part can be getting started. Visit forums where moms flock to talk about cloth. I love the Diaper Jungle and Stephanie’s cloth diapering section in her forum!

2. Learn how to wash cloth diapers. (It’s not as hard as you think, I promise.)

3. Pick 1 or 2 diapers to try and let the fun begin! If you can sew, consider making your own diapers. (CAUTION: some moms claim they have developed a cloth diaper addiction.)

4. Enjoy the ride to reducing waste by using cloth diapers regularly.

For those who cloth diaper, what was it that brought you to that decision? For those who don't, what holds you back?

1Lehrburger, Carl. 1988. Diapers in the Waste Stream: A review of waste management and public policy issues. 1988. Sheffield, MA: self-published.

2Link, Ann. Disposable nappies: a case study in waste prevention. April 2003. Women's Environmental Network.

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy:

Homemade One-Size Cloth Diaper Pattern and Wipes Recipe

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:00:31 +0000

*The Tiny Tooshies instruction link is now fixed!*

Today is the debut of the first of my new contributing writers here at Keeper of the Home. Over the next 6 weeks or so, you will get a chance to "meet" each contributor, and shortly I will have a contributor's page up with their photos and bios.

___________________________________

Our first writer, Angela Beery, has created her own pattern for making a homemade, one-size cloth diaper and it looks excellent! Making your own diapers is a wonderful way to use up extra material, and to make diapers that are extremely frugal as well.

Here's a look at the diaper:

Diaper front (size small)

Diaper front (size large)

Diaper side (size small)

Diaper back

Want to try making this diaper yourself? Here's what you'll need:

Diaper Pattern - This is the printable pattern, with tracers for your fabric pieces.

Tiny Tooshie - These are the written instructions for putting together your own "Tiny Tooshie" diaper. One thing to note is that there is an option of either keeping these as simple cloth diapers, which you would put a cover over OR the other option is to use a waterproof fabric on the outside to make them all-in-one diapers.

Note- to download these files, click on the link once. On the page that it brings you to, click on the 2nd link.

Angela's Cloth Wipes "Recipe"

3 cups warm water
2 T olive oil
3 drops of lavender essential oil (or scent of your choice)
2 drops Tea Tree Oil
2 T baby wash

1.) Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

2.) Soak baby washcloths or other soft cloth in mixture and place in wipes holder. Do not wring out completely. The wipes holder will keep wipes moist until ready for use.

Angela Beery, former So-Cal city girl and world traveler fully embraces her simple, yet abundant, life in a small town at the foothills of the Colorado Rockies. She and her husband love serving the Lord with The Salvation Army - Angela, as a volunteer and her husband as a youth and music pastor. When not chasing around her 18 month old daughter, Angela enjoys spending time outdoors, cooking low-fat meals and crafting of every kind. You can read more about her journey as a homemaker at her blog, Domestic Godliness.

Our Sponsors:

Spoonk Rider: The Portable Accupressure Mat
Plan to Eat: Drag & drop meal planner with automated shopping list maker.
Fertility Flower: Helps women predict ovulation, increasing chances of conception. Outstanding charting tools.
Experience God as Your Provider: Does Your Financial Future Feel Like a Crumbling Sand Castle?
Learn to Cook With Sourdough: "Pay What You Can" Classes in Sourdough and Traditional Cooking
Holy Ambition: If you're thinking, God can't use me, think again! YOU can make a difference.

You might also enjoy: