pikapü

The first thing I noticed about my first little pikapü cloth nappy was the softness.

Compared to the disposable nappies my little one has been wearing it felt like heaven.

I was so excited to give the nappy a go but had to wash it first. We have been having pretty cold and cloudy weather lately so I was a bit concerned about how quickly it would dry especially as the pikapü is an all in one nappy.

I pulled my load of laundry out of the machine and the pikapü was the dryest thing in there. It was almost dry already! A few hours on the line and it was done and ready to wear. I can't tell if there was a look of relief or joy on Lucy's face when that nappy went on but she had the longest sweetest nap while wearing it. Actually as it was going I was so excited (My mum and sister were there too and we were all excited) that I think the excitement transferred to Lucy and she did a little happy wee.

It seems to be a great nappy. Comfy and soft and good at soaking up the good stuff. It was easy to clean again and came out super clean in the wash. Again it was very quick to dry and hangs nice and easy on the line. It does have velcro which you would think would ruin in the was but inside the nappy are some velcro savers you put the scratchy end of the velcro on so they last longer.

Pros - cute and cuddly, quick drying, great colours.

Cons - a little difficult to figure out how it goes on. Its OSFA so the newborn setting takes a little folding and moulding. Not impossible though.

Altogether a pretty fun and cool nappy. I think I'll buy more.

home alone

Today was my first whole day alone with my special little babe.
Myl left to go to college this morning at 10 and wont be back till 6.

We have had such a lovely day.

I feel like I have just been feeding and cuddling all day. This kid is always hungry.. or maybe when I'm home alone I just notice it more? She has this very cute cry that sounds like "gee" when she is hungry and she starts headbutting my neck. It's pretty adorable.
I'm learning all the cries. Sometimes I just have no idea what she wants but when all else fails, a feed usually does the trick.

I think I have created a cuddle monster. Lucy really doesn't like being put down. She lasts about five minutes and then along comes that little wail. (Just long enough to go to the bathroom or put some lunch together) After trying to cuddle her all day I gave up and put her in the sling. It's nice having my hands free. Eating soup for lunch became a thousand times easier.

It's all rainy so the walk I intended going on didn't happen. It's so nice sitting inside with a little body on my chest keeping me warm. She smells so nice. Just like a little fresh baby.

My little girl is growing so much. We finished our first pack of newborn nappies. She has grown out of them so we had to get the next size up. (I'm still not supposed to do laundry so we are still using disposable nappies.) She is getting all chubby and has rolls on her arms and legs. Part of me wants her to stay a little tiny newborn forever but it is good she is growing big and strong.

in the cloth

baby bee hinds

Finally I have gotten round to writing a post about cloth nappies.

I love the idea of a reusable nappy. It's good for the environment, looks super-duper cute and is softer on little babies skin. They have come a long way since the terry toweling days of old. They don't need to be soaked for long periods of time. Just scrape off the solids and pop in the washing machine.

As they get more and more popular there are so many different brands of cloth nappy. Each baby is different and therefore each baby will need a different type of nappy to avoid spills and leakages.

baby bee hinds

For this reason we have decided to go with the disposables for the newborn stage and then see if we can sample other brands to choose the right one for our little girl.

There is a fantastic website and brochure all about cloth nappies, the brands and advice on choosing a brand. They say that you will need 30 nappies from birth to toilet training.






There are a few things you need for cloth nappying.

green kids

Nappies - all in one (waterproof cover included), fitted (with elastic in the legs) , one size fits all, different sizes, pocket nappies (liners come out making them quicker to dry), prefold (like terry flats but with an absorbent panel)

They come in a multitude of different materials. Bamboo, hemp, minkee, silk, sherpa...

You can get snap fastners or velcro. Snap fastners are harder to undo but also harder to replace.

green kids

Liners - cloth or throwaway. It's for the solids so your nappies don't get as messy as they could.

You can also get booster liners to put in the nappies for night times or when the little one is extra "full."

Imse Vimse wipes

 Baby wipes - cloth or throwaway. Wet pieces of cloth work just as well, are much cheaper and can be put in the machine with the nappies.

Nappy bag/bucket - Something to put the stinkers in while you are out or at home before you do a wash.

itti bitti

So.. things I need to consider are

- what babies bot bot is like.
- how I am going to clean the nappies. We have a big washing line that gets plenty of sun and a big powerful washing machine and access to a drier. This means I can get nappies that are more absorbent but take longer to dry. (bamboo)
- how much money I have to spare upfront/will have in the future. Should I get one size fits all or small-medium-large when the time comes.
-the fabric I/baby likes. I'm personally not a huge fan of the minkee. Maybe it's really comfy but I just don't like the look of it.



What brand do you use? How did you plan for cloth nappies before your baby was born?

material girl

 

This little one is not even out of the womb yet and already she has so much stuff.

There is a fantastic article here about the five "essential" baby items that are not so essential. It's a fantastic read and has really made me think about what the little one needs vs what I see in the shop and swoon over. I don't think there is anything particularly wrong with having things for your baby but on a tight(ish) budget it's good to look at what is actually necessary.

So far I have gotten a bit of baby stuff. I have a fantastic list given to me by a friend of all the good to have baby things, their average cost and good brands/features to look out for.

Here is what I do have.

- Cot. It's wooden and was given to us.
- Blankets. A few different ones. Cotton, wool.
- Wraps. aden + anias, muslin, cotton.
- Burpy towells x5. Ikea 99c.
- On loan one Mei Tai and one fabric wrap.
- Baby bath. From ikea.
- Change table and mat. Using a desk with a mat on top.  
- Baby bag. Made by my mum.
- Car restraint. 


Here's what I don't have

- Cot mattress. I threw out the one that came with the cot as it was a bit stained and I was told it's best not to use a second hand one. Need to measure cot and buy.
- Sheets, mattress protector etc.
- Pram. Going with the Maclaren Vogue. Just have to buy it.
- Nappies. Disposable for the newborn stage then cloth.
- Nappy bucket. With lid.
- Breast pads. yes.
- Bath products. Natural and chemical free. Both for at home and for nappy bag.
- Rocker. I loved mine as a baby. Keeps baby occupied while I am in the shower etc.
- Porta cot. We do go away quite a lot.

Here's what I have but no doubt need more of.
- Baby clothes. Size 000 for newborn and 00 for a bit older.
- Books. All the classics.
- Toys. I'm gathering a pile of handmade softies.

All I really need at the moment is the cot finished and the car seat installed. If the little one comes early we just need to be able to take her home and give her somewhere to sleep. Seven weeks to go. I can do it.

sustainababy

I like the earth.
I like that it is green and blue.

It seems like people mess up this green and blue balance a bit. We over use, under recycle and waste like there is no tomorrow. I am not innocent of any of these things.
I'm going to have a baby soon. Babies use up a lot of stuff.
Here are some ways I am going to try and reduce my little ones teeny tiny carbon footprint.

1. Cloth Nappies.

What a fantastic invention is the modern cloth nappy. Gone are the days of terry towell and safety pins, hello velcro/snap fastners and groovy prints and colours.
Sure they do need to be washed which uses water but when you think about the water that goes into making and disposing of the other kind of nappy it works out much better in the end.

They also end up being much cheaper in the long run not to mention absolutely adorable. You can also go cloth on things like baby wipes, breast pads and the like.

I could even go totally green and practice Elimination Communication or start my potty training really early.



2. Go Handmade

I'm a bit of a crafter. Have made a few things for the little one already. Here, here and here. I'm going to be making a whole lot more. You can make things for your baby out of old adult clothes by recycling the fabric. T-shirts into onesies or trackpants. Not only is this cheap and good for the environment but it is also ethical as many cheaper clothing brands are only cheap because they don't pay their workers well.

If you can't manage to sew then go second hand. Most babies don't wear clothes long enough to wear them out. You can also go second hand on cots (as long as they still fit safety regulation) and other baby furniture.

3. Make use of the Library.

Books are great and wonderful and I love them so much. But they are made out of trees and those trees come from somewhere.

While I intend to have a good collection of literature for the babe there is no reason why some or most of those books can't come from the library. We are lucky enough to have a library five minutes walk from our door which is stacked with great children's books, games and toys.

Myl and I already loan books and dvd's from there for us. I'll definately be paying them many a visit.

4. Chemical free baby products.

It is a little scary to realise just how many chemicals are in the products we use every day. Soap, shampoo, moisturiser and cleaning products are full of weird ingredients. Just what is cocamidipropyl?

It's amazing how much cleaning you can do with vinegar or bi-carb soda and where there isn't a cleaner/product that you can find in your pantry there are many organic, chemical free baby soaps out there on the market. Much better for the environment and baby's sweet skin.

5. Organic baby food.

I am so looking forward to starting the little one on solids.

Yes I know this is at least 9 months away but I think it will be so exciting to create beautiful meals then puree them for her tasting pleasure. I've always been a bit confused by the multitude of pre tinned baby food. I'm sure there is some reason for it but how easy can a bit of pumpkin mash in a sealable container be? Make 10, freeze them and use as needed??

And how could I forget the best organic food of all? Breastmilk. Save money on all that formula and bottles and give little one all the nutrients she needs.


6. Less toys, better toys.
There are so many horrible plastic toys out there nowerdays. How many toys can a kid play with. I guess the answer is about a billion but how many do they need? I really love making my own softies and will be making some for the little one.
Wooden toys are also better for the environment than their plastic counterparts. They last longer and give children better imaginations. I can remember playing for hours in the plastics cupboard or with a drumkit made out of pots and pans.

7. Sling it.

There are loads of busses in my area. There are loads of places I can walk to. I drive the car far too much because it is so much easier. It's better for the planet (and my behind) if I get out and walk. I can pop the little on in a sling or pram and off we go.

Here is a really fantastic blog dedicated to keeping your baby home as good for the environment as it can be.

sweetest things...

Here are some lovely things I have found on the innynet
for babies that would be oh so lovely.

Click the image to see where it is from.