Some reflections on mommyhood

So, I had a baby. I'm really going to try and keep this blog from turning into a mom-blog. But I have to indulge in one post. It's kinda a photography post too, because I took pictures of my baby. I guess I'm a momtographer now!

He's growing so fast!

Anywho, I thought I would share a few reviews about products I've found helpful in the first few months.

osoCozy Prefolds

We are using a combination of cloth and disposable diapers. For cloth, I love the osoCozy prefolds. They are soft and absorbant and a good value.

Flip Diaper covers

They come in lots of colors and even a math related pattern, and they fit Henry very well. I like them better than Thirsties, although Thirsties are quite popular. My advice would be to buy 1 each of several brands of cover, see which you like and then buy more. I think it is just a matter of which cover fits your baby well. 

Snappis 

Little stretchy grippers to use instead of diaper pins. Very easy to use.

*Note: Prefolds and covers are a good basic set up for cloth diapering, and if you get a few covers and a dozen or so prefolds, you can give it a try with minimal investment. You'll also need a diaper pail, aka a trash can with a lid from target, and a liner. I use a PlanetWise diaper pail liner, which comes in lots of fun colors. There are lots of helpful tutorial videos on youtube demonstrating how to change a cloth diaper. 

Baby Washcloths

That "make your own wipes" recipe that floats around Pinterest works just as well with cloth wipes. I got a tupperware box the right size, and I put all the lovely little washcloths in it, and pour the wipes solution over top and let it soak in. Viola! we never have to buy wipes (okay, so we still buy them on occasion, for "out-and-about"). 

Wipes Solution: 1 and 1/4 cup of water, 1 Tbsp baby oil, 1 Tbsp baby "Head to Toe" wash, mix well.

Pajamas

So, i pretty much think you could have only footie pajamas for a baby. That is what Henry wears 90% of the time. Messing with multiple layers and trying to keep socks on his feet is just difficult. 

Dr. Brown's Bottles

These bottles are the best in terms of Henry not drooling half the milk out and onto his clothes. They fit on the medela pump, so I can still pump directly into them. I also like the plain medela bottles that came with my pump okay, but not as well as the Dr. Brown's. I am NOT particularly a fan of the "Calma" bottle that medela makes. Henry ends up losing a significant portion of his meal dribbled down his chin when we use this one. 

A swing

I know they are expensive and huge and it seems unnecessary. So, we didn't get one at first. However, we were blessed to get one for free from a neighbor. And Henry really loves it. It is such a lifesaver when I need to get some schoolwork done, or fix dinner. I can set it up right by where I am working, and he can watch me contentedly. 

Anyways, to make this post slightly crafty, I will mention that I am thinking about graduating to making my own cloth diapers. Henry is about to outgrow the size 1 prefolds, so I might make some larger ones. If you are interested in making your own cloth diapers, here is a spreadsheet with links to many tutorials.

Next time I promise I'll be back to more creative endeavors. I still need to post about the china cabinet I re-finished!