WAHM Review- Sweet Southern Bums

So we recently won a pretty awesome giveaway. Sweet Southern Bums is a fantastic WAHM brand with a pretty huge following. She recently sold a diaper at auction for 2,000+ dollars. Yes you read that correct. And I must say I think she deserved every penny. One look at any of her pages and you will fall in love with the adorable designs. Although I can not vouch for every diaper she makes I will proudly promote this little beauty I won. 

Her labels are basic and stitched on well. The diaper has curved wings that contour around baby. the snap locations don't fit my baby how I would like them to, but the diaper stays in place and wears very well.  It has a fold down rise so it can fit a good range of babies. I have never felt a softer diaper. Apparently my son is in agreeance as he will have a bowel movement in this diaper 90% of the time. 

This diaper is wide and provides great coverage over the whole bum. The soaker pads are snap in and last my little guy several hours. I often reach for this beauty for nap times. although not entirely water proof we have not had a leak yet. 

I am not sure if the reason this diaper was used in a giveaway was because of  some slightly cricked stitching, or if the catty wankous edge on the soaker pad is standard. Judging from other pictures of diapers I wouldn't think so. And this is literally my only complaint about the diaper. It has zero effect on the performance. just a bit of an eye sore for who ever is putting the diaper on the baby. And the rest of the sewing is perfect. 

I defiantly recommend you grab a SSB if you get the chance.  

SSB Label

I rock out with my cloth out.

see how the edges or not quite rounded?

overall a really great diaper, by a wonderful mama.

Pretty Eco Intimates mama cloth review and coming soon a giveaway.

I first started hearing about mama cloth shortly after ourventure  into cloth diapers began. The idintrigued me but I had several my concerns. 

I was lucky enough to win a beautiful set of mama cloth from Pretty Eco Intamates. Following is my review of these specific pads.

My cycle has always been a bit of a beast. Heavy flow and painful cramping lasting for as long as 10 days. I have not been able to wear tampons as they worsen the already unbearable cramps. So for the sake of simplicitity this review will be a comparison between standard pads and cloth. 

The pads arrived soft and seemed very sturdy and well stitched. Included was well written care instructions and contact information. After prep washing I found that the cotton desgign fabric had not been pre-shrunk and thus ened up bunching. Luckily this did not effect function or comfort. 

Cloth pads are so much more comfortable the standard. You feel a little extra bulk, but not a harsh chaf causing friction, like store bought pads. Pretty Eco Intimates also a wide variety of sizes and absorbencies, much more then your standard options. And how about the pretty fabrics to boot. 

I had zero leaking issues with the fleece backed pads. The inner absorbing layers did bunch a bit after wash cycles, but by pulling the ends of the pad while unbunching the core that problem was easily solved. 

So lets face the facts. Regular pads bunch up, cause chaffing, and are generaly just uncomfortable. I did experiance some minor ( comperable) bunching with the cloth pads. But they washed completly clean, and were a million more times comfortable. 

So.... Washing? I was a little freaked out about this part. One thing to remember, it looks like a lot more blood then it really is. That being said, a quick rinse and a toss into the wet bag and it was not really so bad as i imagined. 

If you want to give cloth a try... DO IT. just try it out. 

And .... pretty Eco Intimates will be sponsering a give away right here after the new year! 

This page is pending a give away!

One of the most fun ways to build a stash is to enter every giveaway you can find.they can score you all kinds of cloth diapering esentials from , covers, inserts and accesories. This blog is nearing its 1,000 view. And i think that is exciting! So to celebrate I will do a give away next month! What the give away is for will be announced when we have our 1,000 view.

In the meantime here are a list of currently running giveaways from some awesome people. Be sure to like as many pages as you can. Not only will this give you more entries but may also help you find more giveaways.

http://tinyurl.com/lemfu6o for a smart snugs mystery bag!

http://tinyurl.com/k3c3ffx.   For a huge wool and fitted package! 

 For a 55 dollar gift card for diaper junction.

http://clothdiaperaddicts.com/2013/11/diaper-junction-black-friday-giveaway/

WAHM Review- Pandeezies Hybernator fitted overnight diaper

                              

                                                     Photo of pandeezies logo! Super cute.

                      

Pandeezies is a wonderful work at home mama whom I won a giveaway from. She makes custom and pre-made diapers. In speaking with her she guided me kindly to choosing my custom diaper. I chose to have her make us a overnight diaper. Which she has cleverly, with the help of her husband, titled a Hybernator.

This puppy is packed with absorbency. There is a soaker layer, the bamboo soaker pad, and an additional bamboo booster. the cover itself has a fleece exterior eliminating the need for a cover. However if you have a extremely heavy wetter a plain cover might be a good idea, but I doubt it to be needed.

Before receiving our Hybernator we used a double stuffed pocket at night time. This would last 11-13 hrs and both inserts would be soaked through in the morning. We use the Hybernator with no cover for the same time. The outside of the diaper is not wet at all and the bamboo is not fully soaked through. In fact I have decided to not use the booster!

This is a well made diaper. Sewn with a serger and designed to last. The only Problem I have had with this diaper is that the ends of the saoker are starting to roll just a little bit. Other then that I would recommend this diaper to anyone who is looking for a good night time solution.

In addition She has done half the prepping work for you! She washes 5 times for you. She told me after 10 the diaper will reach full absorbency. Whats better then ready to wear fluff?

More pictures to Follow

On the 9 month old he is 18lbs.

Photo by Pandeezies.

All the lovely soaker pads.

 This highlights the curling.  Not a mojor problem at all.

Second look at the fleece lined insert and the booster.

Labeled really well with full care instructions.

 Adorable label.

On the bum of my 30lbs 3year old.

The edge fold to fit smaller babies.

Look at all that layering.l

Love that it features cross over snapes for the littlest babies.

Tis the season, How to nurse a baby who has a cold.

Oh, no the runny nose has started baby has a low fever, and his little eyes are all red. How do you continue to be successful nursing when baby can hardly breath! Here are my ideas for b making nursing the poor little snot nose baby.

1- You are the best thing for your baby. A mothers chest can detect if a baby needs to be cooled or warmed. Skin on skin (as long as you do not also have a fever) is a great way to help baby cool down.

2- Suction out the snot before starting a nursing session.  Use saline drops as directed.

3- Go slow and be patient.  If baby is congested they may unlatch ever few chugs to get a good breath. Give them lots of time to nurse and nursing frequently will both help them to get their fill. Remember baby reads your emotional cues so stay calm and don't get frustrated or baby will too.

4- Keep baby's head upward of their body while nursing. This might make you find some pretty weird nursing positions, but allowing mucus to drain instead of pool will help baby breath.

5- Depress the breast. Make sure that plenty of air can circulate around baby's nose. Gently press down on your breast under baby's nose to allow a little better air circulation. 

As long as baby's is producing a clear, or light yellow/green mucus. You are dealing with a cold. If baby begins to produce a bright green snot I urge you too see your doctor as this is often a sign of an infection. If baby's fever passes above 102 and or baby is acting lethargic or very differently call a doctor immediately.

When in doubt call a doctor.  Never use this blog as a medical cure site. This is a place for advice and conversation. 

A typical cold passes on its own in a week or two until then do your best to make baby comfortable and give them extra snuggles.

Sustainablebabyish Wool Cover Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLtQzftrpLk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

4 month Cloth Diapering update

Welcome once again to THISNURSINGMAMA. We have been solidly cloth diapering now for over four months. I have to say it has been one of the best things I have done for my baby. Second to breast feeding.  

After having success with Alva Baby and Kawaii I started to branch out to other brands as well.  We won a thirsties giveaway for a duo wrap cover and 2 duo hemp prefolds. This awakened an interest in using prefolds and covers. We have now acquired Grovia, and Best Bottoms covers as well.

We have also picked up a few more Kawaii and Alva Baby as well as a couple of Sun Baby pockets aswell. In addition we have begun to give wool and fitted a try as well. Our new top favorite is the flour sack towel. I will do reviews for it all as soon as I can.

All this in 4 months? When I first pondered cloth I never thought we would do it full time. But the incredible results we have had as well as the fairly easy maintenance has made this a wonderful and believe it or not fun addition to our family.

Baby N rarely suffers from rashes. If we get one it clears in a matter of hour to a couple days. They tend to be very mild rashes as well. His dry legs are no longer dry. We put lotion on them only as needed, not the several times a day we use to need.

N loves his diapers both him and R-L love to help stuff diapers. By this I mean the tumble roll and grab the piles of diapers inserts and flats. It has become a relaxing and fun event we all enjoy.

The laundry it's self, although it takes time is not difficult. And our routine has barely changed since the start.

I know we will continue to use cloth through potty training.  

Aden and Anais swaddling blanket review and pending Giveaway!

I have one that will be up for a give away once my face book page reaches 100 likes.

Www.facebook.com/thisnursingmama

                                               

Baby boy loves his Aden and Anais swaddling blankets. When I first heard of the company, I was immediatly

curios. After looking at the prices on their webpage my curiostity ended. That is until I saw one in person in the

middle of summer. The light airly large blanket once again spiked my curiosity. 

I price scanned all over the net looking for the best deal. Finally I gave an EBAY seller who was selling individual 

blankets a try. As soon as the small package arrived I opened it and was still sceptical, especially for the price I

paid. I laid the blanket into N's arms and he grabbed it up for a cuddle. He is vey selective and has one toy he

plays with more then other. He until this point did not have a favorite blanket. 

My sons immediate reaction to this spendy blanket made me have a change of heart. 

Price is really not too bad. The fact that the blankets are so thin are what made them seem like an over priced 

item. For a pack of 4 you will spend a little under 40 dollars, that rounds out to 10 a blanket. 

Here are the things I have found most beneficial about these blankets.

1- They are very breathable. Although they are thin they do not feel weak. They seem like they will last. The thin

breathablity of it makes me feel totaly comfortable allowing my baby to sleep with his blankie. Even multiple layers

keep air moving comfortably. I bunched one up and breathed normaly for several minutes, and although it was 

a bit warm, if never felt like I would struggle to breath.

2- They are nice and warm. Even with a single layer spread on my legs or over baby I feel much warmer then 

without. 

3- Their large size makes them perfect for so many things. They will swaddle your baby for as long as baby needs

it. I can still completly swaddle 7.5month old N in his.

4- Versitile. Not only is it a great blanket but it can be used for a number of other things as well. I used one the

other day as shawel over my shoulders. It can be used as a bulky scarf, nursing cover, burp cloth, car seat cover,and pretty much

anything you can imagine.

5- They are just plain comfy and snuggly. I love them, my three year old loves them, my baby boy loves them.

http://youtu.be/hwvu0nZBNFI

AND REMEMBER I HAVE ONE WAITING TO BE GIVENAWAY WHEN MY FACE BOOK PAGE HAS 100 likes

      

Growing Baby, changing nursing.

You may have noticed that as your baby grows the same holds won't seem to work exactly the same way. Nursing is a constantly changing learning curve. As your baby grows everthing changes every couple of months.  Supply changes.  You have to re learn how to best juggle your ever changing baby. Here is some tips for counting sucess.

1- Don't stress!  Your body will adjust your supply.

2- breath. If you are calm vaby will follow your lead.

3- Don't be afraid to explore.  Try different holds, follow baby's lead. If they are not thrashing around they are probably comfortable. 

4- Enjoy nursing. Take time to remember why you chose to breastfeed.

5- Surround yourself with support in any form you can find.

Setting goals and sticking to them can make you feel accomplished.  Remember to keep them realistic.  Keep in mind things like how much solids baby is eating, other fluids and snacks too. Keep tge calorie intake high. Add the formula or breadtmilk to ceral and even purees.  Offer the breast first and then give some solids.

Personaly I still prefer to nurse on the go. It is more convenient and my kids never eat much on the go. I have found find a place with as few distractions as possible or nursing while walking works best for my curios and easily distracted babies.

The most important thing to remember is as long as you are doing what feels right to you, you are doing amazing.  So follow your gut and your baby's lead and you will be able to nurse as long as you both desire.

Bitting update

So the bite count has come to about 15 total bites. He has not bitten me in several days and I think he may be done with it..... I have come to learn that if he does bite he is usually done anyways, so i never latch him back on unless he acts hungry again. There where a couple times i latched him back on right away because he was very fussy. But I would get bitten every time. Stick to unlatching if you get. A bite and try to sooth some other way. If N stops nursing it usually means he is done or he has a burp. If he burps good I will re latch and see if he eats more, no burp I have learned just means he is full.

Starting Solids

How do you know baby is ready to start solids? Our clue has been interest, and age. RL started showing interest in food around three months old. We waited until after our four month check up to actually start solids. N however did not show interest until well into his fourth month. With both children we double checked with our pedi before we started solids. This is always a good idea. 

What do I mean by shows interest? Does your baby stare you down as you eat? Do they reach for your fork? Do they babble more when they see or smell food? They are showing interest in the food you are eating. That is a great sign they are ready for more then just boob. 

Some moms like to EBF for a full six months. I see nothing wrong in doing that at all. You can consult with your doctor about the benefits of starting or waiting. For our kids starting around four months works. 

Here are 5 hints to a smooth transition. 

1- Go slow, it should not be an over night change. We started about four months and N is nearly 6 months and has only had 5 foods total. 

2- Start simple, try cereal and breast milk first. 

3- mix in breast milk or formula with any food. In doing this the taste is still familiar, it is thin, and baby wont loose as many calories. 

4- Enjoy it. I promise it will be messy, have fun and laugh. Don't stress the mess. 

5- Start green, then move to then move to the sweeter veggies, and add fruits last. Let baby get use to peas and beans before giving bananas. Then baby won't decide bananas are the only food they will eat. 

Tip 3 comes from a personal experience. RL actually dropped a little weight when we started solids because she was not getting enough calories. Veggies and cereal have a lot less fat then good old boobie  milk. After adding formula she gained weight again, but it was something that we never even thought of until it hit us in the face at a doctors appointment. Just because baby is full, does not mean they are getting all they need. Remember unless your doctor is concerned about a baby's weight you should never put them on a diet, babies need fatty yummy thick milk. They are very active, they will burn through it. 

Ouch... What do you do when baby bites you?

N has grown two teeth in the matter of a couple weeks. He is now working on number three and he has started to bite. OUCH,! That hurts.

Whats a girl to do when a precious babe becomes a bit of a terror? Baby bites you say ouch, and if your baby is like mine they will laugh at you. Here is what I do. It worked great for my daughter. 

As soon as baby bites unlatch them.  Either turn them away from the breast or if it doesn't cause them too much stress, put them down and go do something else. When baby fusses or acts hungry latch them back on. If they bite again repeat. If baby starts to immediately fuss as if hungry, give them 1-2 minutes then re latch. After a few times they will start to connect that making mom jump and say ouch, will make the food go away. As i remember it R took only a few bites before she learned it was not worth it. Even with a mouth full of teeth I did not suffer too bad.

N is still mostly nursing. He is 5 months and only eats solids from time to time. He is teething and teething babies due nothing better then gnawing away at things, including mom. Try to stay calm and react as little as possible. As always babies feed off your energy. 

Good luck!  Feel free to share your idea about how to stop biting and ask any questions you might have.......

Kawaii Baby Diaper Review

Here is our three week review of our Kawaiis.

I do not like the original square tabs. They do not fit N right. There is not as many adjustment possibilities, and I just cant get a perfect fit.

However my go to nighttime diaper is the mom label bamboo. They fit N great, nice and snug, yet still look comfortable. They are super soft both inside and out. They are a bit thicker and heavier then Alva bamboo. 

I did not think I was going to like the pocket closure on the Kawaiis, but they actualy work great. I will also do a you tube video for these later.

They hold up really well. There is less pilling on the fleece then Alvas. They are so easy to snap, but hold really well. 

           

  Difference between alva and Kawaii bamboo

     

Alva Baby Diaper review 3 weeks in....

Alright so we are hitting that three week mark and I wanted to update on how I am liking my Alvas.

I am still loving them. So far I still have no PUL issues and they just fit N great. They are soft. The fleece does a great job wicking away the moisture. And the opening makes for easy stuffing. 

My top favorite Alvas are the bamboo. I wish I had ordered more. They are extra soft, both on the inside and out. I also feel that they are. Little lighter, and have a little extra give. I will post a youtube video about it.

This a picture of the bamboo Alva....

                                                     

       

                                                  

Stocking up on a budget my ideas......

             

    

I wish I would have cloth diapered sooner. I know one thing that might be holding others back is the start up cost. If you go the cheap way and spread it over time it wont seem like such a hard hit. 

Okay lets say your pregnant. Now you need to keep your caffeine intake as low as you can bear. So instead of spending 3 on a cup of coffee but a 3 pre-fold or flat. Just by one or two a month. So six bucks a month, to give you 18 by your due month. Then every 2-3 months buy a cover cheap brands run about 5 bucks. Thats 5 covers. Your costs will be about 5-15$ a month  seems a little more friendly doesn't it. Also ask for cloth diapers you never know what you might get at your shower.

Total cost after 9 months is .... 45- 135 dollars

With pocket it would be ....60-150 dollars for cheaper brands 

If you got to have more expensive diapers hold to the same idea 1-2 diapers a month. 180- 360 dollars

The other item you will have to purchase are....

A container to put dirty diapers there are a ton of options. 5-50 dollars

Safe laundry detergent varies. I spent 13 dollars on mine and it sould last a few months. 10-30 dollars

Easy one time buys just pick up or stock up whenyou find a good deal. 

That covers the basic needs there are a million add ons but this will get you started. This last month i have purchased 16 diapers, two wet bags, and bio-liners all for about 200 dollars. 

Great places to buy diapers....

Alvababy.com

Theluvyoubaby.com

Kellyscloset.com

Diaperjunction.com

Superstash.net is a personal favorite 

         

   

 

Dirty laundry, the skinny on ...our... My laundry routine.

Probably the biggest concert that comes with cloth diapering is the laundry factor. I do not enjoy doing laundry, we always have a constant pile of cloth to fold on our couch. But my diapers are not included in this. So here is how my laundry cycle works.

First I change N from his nighttime diaper. Because of my small stash I have so far been washing every day. I have enough for almost two days now. So after changing I take the night time diaper and throw it in the washer. I add the previous days diapers and the wet bag to the wash. 

                                              

                                                    This is a load of about 12-16 diapers

I run a cold water rinse.

After the rinse is complete I add about 3/4 tablespoon honest laundry detergent.

                                                 

 I run a heavy load wash, with an extra rinse. 

        

I do a hot wash with  two cold rinses. We have a front load HE  washer. If younhave a standard washer you will want to use more detergent. A good start is half of the recommended amount.

I dry on tumble dry low. So far no issues

I pull the covers out after one drying cycle. I also remove any inserts that are dry, and continue to dry the rest on medium heat.

When all the diapers are done I sit next to N on the floor, sometimes he sits on my lap some times he lays on the floor cuddling and hugging the diapers he can reach. It takes me about five minuets to stuff my diapers.

The laundry does not take that long at all. Most of the time you are just waiting, so other things can be done in the mean time. If I can do cloth diaper anyone can. I work full time on nights, and watch my kids when my husband works during the day. I am also waking up every few hours to nurse N. 

Cloth diapers are so much better for the environment. If you do a little research you will find that it takes 400 or more years for a disposable to decompose! Even the bit of extra water used to wash is no where near the impact as a couple years worth of diapers rotting away. Modern diapers have made it so easy so why not add one extra load of laundry... Maybe two if you have a bigger stash....it's laundry you do laundry anyways .......

Rebranded Alva baby diapers review and review of that brand- you will want to read this

 I decided to cloth diaper on a whim. I did a bit of research but not a ton. I then found the website clothdiapers.us.com. I made the assumption that they sold Alva babys in the US.... After making a slightly hasty although well planned out order. I did some more browsing on their web page and I did not like what I found.  The diapers where indeed sent from China. Oh well no biggy right. But after nearly a week had gone by and money had been withdrawn from my account, I started to wonder if I had been scammed. so I found them on face book. 

I had already written an email, but received no answer until I wrote on their Facebook page. I was told that the delay was due to one of the diapers I ordered being out of stock. There had been nothing to tell me of this, or I would not have ordered that diaper. I asked if that item could be subbed for an identical item of just a different pattern. The reply was that they could sub a diaper of lesser cost and add a insert. They also added an insert because of the trouble. Ok again not a big deal. 

Until the package came. I had ordered 5 diapers. I received 3. I snapped a picture of what I had received and spent the next several days trying to get the last 2 diapers sent to me.  I placed my original order 6-13, and I am still waiting on the last two diapers to arrive. 

          

  

Cloth diapers.us.com is brand new, they have no idea what they are doing. They are kind and generous, but it is not worth the mistakes. My one order had 2 issues that I spent about a week each emailing to get resolved. I do not recommend ordering from them at all. They did correct their wrong doing but they are just not worth it. The diapers do not come with inserts, there is no packing log in your package and they are just had to deal with. Order Alvas direct or from a company like superstash.net or a buy sell trade group on Facebook. 

Now on to my review of the Alva diaper. So far I really like them. They have a wonderful feel. Slightly like a satin not rough or sticky like I was expecting. The snaps have plenty of options to fit a wide range of sizes. I get a great fit every time. The minky is soft and cuddly. The one thing I am not sure of yet is that the elastic seems thin to me. My little guy has less red marks with the cloth diapers then he gets with disposables, so it has not been an issue. The inner fleece is soft but after just about 2 weeks it is pilling, normal though. 

 

So heres a quick break down of so far the pros and cons.......

PROS

- soft fabric, is very touch able

- easy to use snaps that seem sturdy 

-so many patterns :) 

- great fit for my baby at this time

- inexpensive

- no leaks yet

CONS

- thin elastic doesn't seem like it will last ( i will keep you posted)

- ships fromChina/ made in China

- not the best fleece

Stay tuned and I will keep you updated as time goes by as to how these hold up for us.

Honest company expanded review

This week we received our first full Honest order. We just ran out of the sample of healing balm and it worked so well on my son I wanted more. So here is a review of what i ordered.

laundry soap

- I ordered this for the cloth diapers. So far no issues. The larger bottle seems to have less scent then the sample did. I have used it on a few loads of diapers and so far no issues at all. It is very concentrated, and i have to use very little on my stash.

Healing balm

- now has a new formula. The only difference I have noticed this far is a change in color. The consistency is the same and my sons legs still look better then without use.

Bubble bath

- great smell and makes great bubbles. I may sound crazy but I think it actually made the water feel softer.  And it did not stress me out as my 2 year old ate the bubbles. 

Shampoo and body wash

- yup i decided to give the new formula a try. Still not impressed. It is great for the babies but i have way too much hair to spend 10 bucks on a bottle of shampoo that probably wont last me two weeks. It was much thicker then the sample I received but still just didn't cover as much as I needed it to. I do like it as a baby wash.

Hand sanitizer

- i got the two pack. And I love it. They come in spay bottles. You just spray and let dry. Perfect size for the diaper bag. And it is fun too, just ask the toddler. It also has a great smell. You smell a bit of the alcohol but its very mild and pleasant overall. 

Ventures into cloth diapering.

About a week ago we recieved our " China Cheepies" diapers. I ordered some basic Alva babys from secondary site. I wont go into the headache that caused but I do want to talk about the cloth diapering experience.

It has been wonderful. I am really loving it. I bought just enough diapers to get an idea if I would be able to handle the process or not. I also received a couple of sample diapers from Kawaii baby. Both diapers have fit differently but they are both a cheaper option then other pocket diapers. 

I have enjoyed cloth diapering so much I plan to slowly expand our stash and do it 3/4 time. So far we have been doing 1-3 cloth diapers a day. We have had no leak issues at all, even when my husband managed to put a diaper on completely backwards. 

When i first thought of doing CDs i wanted to try it because baby boy has sensitive skin and diapers left so much marking on him. I wanted to try cloth for at least his overnight diaper, since he was pretty much sleeping through the night. Worked like a charm. We have some marking but not nearly as red or angry looking as with disposables. 

second the laundry process is so easy! Just do a load of diapers. The load takes a little longer then your clothing does but it is not bad and really nothing fancy. Then you just stuff the diapers and have them ready to go. 

We are using pocket diapers. So easy! Just stuff. I have tried 3 types of inserts. Bamboo is my favorite!  I have also used Microfiber and pre folds. All three work great. For night time I use the bamboo and a small microfiber. Even fully soaked there is 0 leakage at all.

Next OMG there are so many cute covers and pockets. They are also soft to touch and just seem much more comfortable. I have a new addiction to shopping for cloth diapers. 

I really have yet to have an complaints. It is not that hard of a change at all. Here are some video links that helped me decide to try cloth. As always ask questions and leave comments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gE-BrxgVYQ&feature=youtube_gdata - Video Tube for YouTube - iPhone/iPad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_Xs6hbBF8M&feature=youtube_gdata - Video Tube for YouTube - iPhone/iPad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EqjrArLr4I&feature=youtube_gdata - Video Tube for YouTube - iPhone/iPad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN75DGGshnw&feature=youtube_gdata - Video Tube for YouTube - iPhone/iPad

The diapers we are using are ...

Alvababy.com. - alva babys

The luvyourbaby.com. - kawaii baby diapers 

I will write a review for each later.....

Mysterious little bump.

About two weeks ago I developed a sore nipple. " what nipple pain after 4 solid months of easy nursing? That was crazy to me. So i began to do research as to what was going on. After all my research I figured it must be caused by having had a bad latch. I am pretty sure it happened while dozing off while nursing in bed. I developed a small red bump on my nipple.  Through the two weeks the pin has gotten better. It also has gone threw several phases. At first it was a little whitish bump, but turned red after not nursing for awhile. It then almost looked like a scraped knee, with little red spots on the greater red area. Now it is just a red bump. The pain is pretty much gone and only bothers me now and then at the initial latch. 

I thought it might be several things. Mastitis, or a milk blister. However it just did not have the same characteristics as either and it has got better on its own with little treatment. Basically I have just let any milk dribble dry on it, instead of wiping it off. And i have let it air as much as possible. 

Milk blisters are skin grown over milk. Kinda of like a clogged duct but milk is stuck in a pore. This did not seem to be what i had as the sore was not hard like a blister, it did not seem "swollen" and the skin was not thicker. This seems to me what i would make to be a blister, based on my own experiences. Also i had no pain prior, neither with nursing or pumping. It just suddenly struck.

Mastitis is very serious but most of the information I looked at seemed to case it in the breast not usually the nipple. Although there is usually associated nipple pain. 

Had the issue continued to bother me I would have contacted a consultant for help. But for the most part I think us mommies can do a pretty good job of knowing what is wrong with our bodies. Just follow your instincts. 

Other places to seek help for breastfeeding- links

The La Leche League has so many resources, they have local chapters for nearby help,
http://www.llli.org/

Kellymom.com has tons of information and help. 

Youtube is a great learning tool. Some interesting videos are...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD-d1m7oKBo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0oNIqgjH_c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I dissagree with a couple of lines in this one, but it still has good information. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD686-RXQWQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewn1Dm55y7k&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/ has basic breastfeeding information.

The makers of the Medela breastpump has great information on there site and now offer online classes (10) for a 25$ charge. http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/

Always feel free to leave comments and questions below i will do my best to help you.

An interesting fact in a reasent status

https://www.facebook.com/WeTeamup4healthLlc

Citrus lane review

K

Well after a long wait i finally recieved our first CL boxes. One thing I didn't le right off the bat is that the boxes were both addressed to me and not my kids. It would be nice to know which box was for which kid. Also it took 6 days ( not including sunday) for it to ship from northern Cali to norther Oregon. Usually that takes 3 days tops with USPS. I did cancel my boxes as they did not meet my expectation for the new latest greatest ideas and products. Some people loved their may boxes, but I did not.

The first box is for my 3 month old little boy.  I was least pleased with his box.

The first product I will talk about is the gripe water. Although we have deffinatlynused this and I am glad to have recived it, it has been in boxes before. This is my biggest problem with the box is I had seen several reviews already list this as an item just a few months ago. I wanted CL to introduce me to new things not stuff that I probably had heard about and had seen from other moms. The gripe water has been awesome. It seems to settle little mans belly great. There is one thing I dont like. The dose for my 3 month old is one Tbls. Thats a lot to get a little guy to take from a dang dropper. So although the bottle is full-sized and seems big it really is not because the dose is large.

The travel size dapple dish soap was a great find. I stuck it in my pump bag and it fits so nicely. It has a great smell. Very mild and is colorless. Yet again this was another product i had seen before. I do plan on continuing to use the bottle for wash pump parts on the go. I have not notced a difference in the ease of cleaning. But it does not take as much to rinse off, and a little goes a long way.

The book was the best find in my little guys box. Bear Takes a Trip is a cute little story with a ryme. There is also a simple way to introduce how to tell time for older children. In my opnion its a pretty complex book for a baby, but you can never have too many books.

Another thing I had seen in other reviews of boxes where these dang keys. Correct me if I am wrong but what baby doesn't have keys? Mine now has three sets. I love the Green Toys concept but anything would have been better then keys. Again I will whine about how I was expecting new and different item. I also do not like these keys because they are HUGE.  They are also pretty heavy and very loud. Not a hit for my little guy at all. 

The Mommy Hook was the gift for mom in my sons box. Again another very popular product i had heard of, in this case i never wanted such a thing. I am going to have to get creative as to what to use it for as my stroller has a huge basket. And I don't like the concept of hanging things off the back of my stroller as I have seen strollers tip from overloading. I am going to figure something creative for it. 

Next is my 2.5 year old daughters box. I was sad that her box seemed so empty. It is a good thing her brother is really good at sharing. Lol 

I will say it again you can never have too many books. The only thing I did not like was that its a paper back and my daughter is very hard on books. It did come with a CD however we have nothing to play it on. The story is pretty good. I was expecting it to be like the wheels on the bus, but it is a story about traveling.

Hands down the best item we recieved. Different, new, something I have never seen. Inspires creativity, and I love that. I think my daughter still needs to grow into it a bit, but she does like it. Again i love this because it is differnt then what i see in the stores and it is from a green company. This was my expectation of the box overall and I only received one toy that met that. 

Wonderful concept but so not aged right for my daughter she has not had something like this in well over a year. They did not even taste good. They where very tart! My husband actually ended up eating the whole package and he even said he did not much care for them. My daughter is nearly three, she is not into dehydrated snacks. Crackers or chips would have been more appropriate in my opnion. 

The mommy gift in my daughters ox was cookies...... I only got a couple as my daughter did love these. They had a bit of an after taste. The initial taste was great but they left a residue and after taste in your mouth that was not pleasent. Also cookies being shipped in a loosly packed box made for more crumbs then anything. I did like that it was something I had never heard of! 

That all for the boxes. Like I mentioned we did cancel as the boxes where just not for us. If you are a first time mom it would probably serve you great. If your a experianced green mom, I would save the money, stalk their facebook page and buy the thing you see that interest you. As a experianced mom I feel let down by a services that promises latest and greatest and gives 90% of things I had already known about, and did not really want. I did really love that CL sent personalized surveys to my emails. I love the concept and the company seems good, but I would only recommend them to new moms with one child or twins. 

I will keep my eye on the company maybe we will try again after they have aged their concept a bit more. For now they are simply not worth 50 dollars a month. We plan to enroll our daughter in classes this fall instead.