Life with Baby: Super Baby vs. Bat Baby August 18, 2015

Hello dear ones! This Life with Baby post speaks for itself. May you be inspired! God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

Other Life with Baby posts:
Cloth Diapers
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/life-with-baby-cloth-diapers/
Breastfeeding and Baby Wearing
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/life-with-baby-breastfeeding-baby-wearing/
Monthly Pictures
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/life-with-baby-cuteness-overload/
Baby School
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/life-with-baby-baby-school/
Hacks
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/life-with-baby-sleep-and-a-birth-shadow-box/

Life with Baby: Sleep and a Birth Shadow Box August 11, 2015

Hello dear ones! Welcome to another Life with Baby post. Today I want to talk about sleep. Then at the end I have a picture of the shadow box I put together of Leeland’s birth and all our hospital memorabilia.

Last time I shared several hacks/ ideas for making baby life easier. You may remember that we side carred our crib to make it a co-sleeper. Here’s a picture of it. You’ll find directions on my previous Life with Baby post.

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/

For now let’s talk about the controversy of sleep.

When Michael (my nine year old) was a baby, I knew very little about how babies should sleep. I picked up a little book called “Baby Wise”. Chris and I made up a schedule and by the time Michael was 3 months he was sleeping through the night. He was also on formula though. And Michael had his own room.

Leeland is a different baby. I am still mainly breastfeeding him at four months and hope to continue for awhile. Also, Leeland sleeps in our room still. We don’t have a separate nursery this time. Its been nine years and I am a different mama. Michael never cried it out for hours, but he did cry some. my eldest has turned out well and I’m not worried about him. We did the best we could as new parents and I think we could’ve done a lot worse.

So…to co-sleep or not to co-sleep? To sleep train or to follow baby’s cues? Cry it out or comfort?
These are big questions and people are passionate on both sides. For me, I want Leeland and myself to both sleep well. My baby is important, but I can’t be a good mom if I can’t function. I’m human. I need sleep. So does he. We needed a compromise.

So I tried to sleep train. Leeland would not self soothe. I could not handle him crying for long, and he could not either. So I did what I didn’t with Michael, I rocked Leeland to sleep. It worked for a bit, but soon I was walking the floor at night. Leeland cried. I may have cried too. It was clear that I was dealing with a different kid. Leeland may look like his bubba, but he is not Michael part 2.

So one night I did what felt natural and the only solution I had for my sanity at the time, I breastfed the baby to sleep. He was happy. I was happy. But I didn’t feel safe having him in the bed. Several of my friends co-sleep with their kids, but it was new to me. If I fell asleep while feeding Leeland, I worried about me or Chris rolling on him. I kept the covers down near my legs, but I still worried the baby would suffocate. Also, it was painful on my back when I had to lift Leeland into his crib. I have scoliosis. If he woke up we’d have to start the process over. Our solution? Side carring the crib to turn it into a co-sleeper.

I love the crib now. It is a safe way to co-sleep for us. I’m able to breastfeed and relax myself. I enjoy having Leeland near. I used to believe that co-sleeping would mess up the marriage bed. It hasn’t. Chris and I still have a romantic relationship. We are probably both more sane, because we are actually getting sleep. I feel like I can keep a good eye on Leeland at night to make sure he is breathing well. I know our solution isn’t for everyone. That’s okay. No parent is alike.

I will say that I’ve learned a lot these last couple of months. I learned that co-sleeping can be safe when using certain guidelines. I learned that co-sleeping is the norm everywhere except North America. Yet, we have the most cases of SIDS…interesting. I also learned that crying it out for many hours can harm a baby’s brain. They go into shock. I learned that there was a major shift in motherhood during the 1800’s…a shift that I believe was bad. Doctors told women that breastfeeding was unclean, that babies should not be held too much, and that babies needed to be in a separate room so they wouldn’t be a bother to parents. Many moms are breaking free from those traditions and embracing natural motherhood.

For balance sake, sometimes a mom does need a break. It’s not that children are a bother, or that moms are selfish. But the baby and the mom both need to be in good health. Sometimes a mom has to do what she has to do to stay sane and to be a good mom. Sometimes babies will cry. It happens. Sometimes you have to walk away and catch your breath. Maybe it is safer in your situation to have the baby in another room. Maybe you have to use formula. I’m not here to judge, and honestly, on the weekends we pull out the disposables, and when I need a break we use formula. Every baby and every mom is different. Give your best with love. That’s what counts.

For me, I needed to be educated on alternative methods. Co-sleeping is a rising trend, but I had many negative and preconceived notions about it. Research showed me that I was wrong. My views on how babies learn to self soothe has changed. You can read more about that in the article below by Psychology Today on Crying It Out. I don’t co-sleep exactly as others do. But our method works for us. Leeland mainly sleeps on his back but he will roll onto his side. I’m very in tune with him at night. I will wake up if he startles.

I have several articles below and some with varying opinions. Judge for yourself what is best for your family. As I lay here typing, my lil one is sound asleep next to me. I like that. My eldest is in his own room, so we don’t have a complete family bed. I still go in Michael’s room and check on him at night. His long legs are usually hanging off the bed. Both of my boys are extremely loved. Life with Baby is different. At 30, I am a different mom than I was at 21. But I am still a loving mom. I’m still a praying mom. I still need Jesus’ guidance. I’m still learning. I’ll never be a perfect mom, and that’s okay.

Lastly, here’s the photo collage/shadow box of Leeland’s birth and hospital memorabilia. I used duct tape but I should’ve used glue. It’s coming a part now that it is hung up. I’ll probably have to fix it.

Well, sweet dreams :). God bless & remember the High King lives! ~ Amber Dover

Helpful articles on both sides:

http://www.babywiseandbeyond.com/2014/02/babywise-schedule-sample-schedules.html

http://www.sleepbabylove.com/free-sleep-expectations-guide-newborns-to-age-5/

http://www.clarkscondensed.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/crying-it-out-alternatives/

http://www.intoxicatedonlife.com/2013/04/19/the-breastfeeding-and-co-sleeping-relationship/

http://cosleeping.nd.edu/safe-co-sleeping-guidelines/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201303/normal-infant-sleep-night-nursings-importance

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201112/dangers-crying-it-out

Other Life with Baby posts:
Cloth Diapers
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/life-with-baby-cloth-diapers/
Breastfeeding and Baby Wearing
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/life-with-baby-breastfeeding-baby-wearing/
Monthly Pictures
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/life-with-baby-cuteness-overload/
Baby School
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/life-with-baby-baby-school/
Hacks
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/life-with-baby-super-baby-vs-bat-baby/

Life with Baby: Hacks July 23, 2015

Hello dear ones! Welcome to another Life with Baby post. So I’ve tried out several hacks or tricks if you will when it comes to baby care. Some of these ideas I found on Pinterest; others I thought of myself but later found on Pinterest. There’s nothing new under the sun, right? I hope these help you!

Pool noodles~ These things are great for loads of stuff. Who knew they could help with baby too! I actually thought of this and then found it online as well. I used pool noodles to keep Leeland from scooting off the bed when I changed him. Now that he’s older and starting to flip over, I just change him in his crib (which is super easy now that it’s a co-sleeper. See below). Why take up space and buy an expensive changing table?

Wipes container ~ You can reuse a wipes container to store all the small baby items like pacifiers, grooming tools, and medicine.

Diaper station~ I found this cart at Walmart back near the laundry department. It’s small and it rolls. I put diapers and burp cloths in the drawers. I have my homemade wipes on top. I keep the solution in a wipes warmer and I keep the cloths in a mesh bag. I have my wet bag for cloth diapers hanging nearby. I just changed the room around so it looks a little different than this picture. Still it’s similar. I keep a small trashcan nearby for disposable diapers (yes, we still use those at times…especially the weekends).

Finding space for baby’s clothes~ I use these rolling plastic tubs and just roll them under the crib. I have two. One for current clothes and another for diapers and clothes Leeland will be able to wear months later.

Mesh bag for bibs, cloth baby wipes, and blankets. The pack of bags comes in three sizes. I have these bibs hanging on a chair in the kitchen. That works well for us since we have no more drawer space in there.

A plastic tub in the bathroom for the baby’s towels and rags. 

Turning our crib into a co-sleeper~ I’ll do a whole ‘nuther post on sleep at another time (Lord willing). But for now here is the link we used to do this. I found it and my husband did most of the work. Sleep is so much easier this way and it’s safe. You can kind of see another rolling cart behind the crib. I keep baby bedding in that one. I can actually walk behind the crib now. You can see that we keep Leeland’s stuffed animals hanging above. I can just turn on his little turtle light above him and it fills the ceiling with stars. I don’t worry about him smothering.

http://www.drmomma.org/2010/01/turn-your-crib-into-cosleeper.html

One last hack and it is soooo helpful. Plastic linky rings. These things are awesome! I can hook the rings to anything…Leeland’s stroller, car seat, crib, play mat, or his bouncy seat. I can then hook toys to the rings. I like to hook foam letters for Leeland to chew on. You can see them in the picture above, attached to the crib.

Well God bless and remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

Pinterest ideas:   https://www.pinterest.com/doverette/all-baby/

Other Life with Baby posts:

Cloth Diapers
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/life-with-baby-cloth-diapers/

Breastfeeding and Baby Wearing

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/life-with-baby-breastfeeding-baby-wearing/

Monthly Pictures

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/life-with-baby-cuteness-overload/

Baby School

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/life-with-baby-baby-school/

Sleep

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/life-with-baby-sleep-and-a-birth-shadow-box/

Life with Baby: Baby School July 16, 2015

Hello dear ones! I’ve got another Life with Baby post for you. Don’t worry. I’m not trying to teach Leeland how to read already ;). Basically, there are different games you can do with babies to help their development and just to have fun. I get weekly updates from Baby Center: http://www.babycenter.com/baby . Anywho, they suggest games that go along with the baby’s development. They’re simple games like peek a boo and bicycling baby’s legs.

I set toys out. Leeland started grabbing things several weeks ago. So I offer him rattles and I attach chew-able items on connectable rings. I read baby books to him and I sing songs. I clap his hands together and play Patty Cake. I sing songs like Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and He’s got the Whole World in His Hands.

I put Leeland on his Boppy or a play mat for tummy time. He’s at the age where I can roll him back and forth to encourage rolling over. Anywho, this is normal baby play but I call it baby school because I have to remind myself to do these things. It’s been so long since I’ve had a little one. I wouldn’t have naturally thought to do some of these games. Here’s a good example: talking through a toilet paper tube in funny voices. I would’ve never thought of that on my own.

Oh, and we can’t forget nap time. That’s the best part of the day!

Here are some more pics of “Baby School”:

Don’t forget field trips!

Big Bubba likes to read to the baby.

Leeland likes talking to the baby in the mirror.

How do you play with your infant? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comment section :). God bless and remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

More Life with Baby posts:

Cloth Diapers
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/life-with-baby-cloth-diapers/

Breastfeeding and Baby Wearing

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/life-with-baby-breastfeeding-baby-wearing/

Monthly Pictures

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/life-with-baby-cuteness-overload/

Hacks

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/

Sleep

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/life-with-baby-sleep-and-a-birth-shadow-box/

Life with Baby: Cuteness Overload July 8, 2015

Hello dear ones! Welcome to another Life with Baby posts. Today I’m going to show off those monthly baby pics that are the rage these days. Some people buy onesies with how many months old the baby is on them. I didn’t go that far but I did find creative ways to include Leeland’s age in his pictures. So get ready for a cuteness overload! You can’t handle the cute ;).

1 Month Old

2 Months Old

3 Months Old

Leeland talking to the baby in the mirror.

God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

More Life with Baby posts:
https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/life-with-baby-cloth-diapers/

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/life-with-baby-breastfeeding-baby-wearing/

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/life-with-baby-baby-school/

Hacks

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/

Sleep

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/life-with-baby-sleep-and-a-birth-shadow-box/

Life with Baby: Breastfeeding & Baby Wearing July 1, 2015

Hello dear ones, I’m sitting outside at the Picasso Pizzeria listening to two men play the blues on guitar. I’m taking a break from my kiddos, so I can write about them! Irony, right? I am desperately trying to catch up on posts, but I’m only able to write once a week. Life with a newborn has changed everything. I’m not saying this to complain. I know I’m blessed and I’m thankful for my lil miracle. My boys mean the world to me. Life is just…different.

I started this series “Life with Baby” to talk about how things have changed since my oldest was little. I am diving into all kinds of baby trends. Okay, so breastfeeding is not a “trend” per say, but there was a time not too long ago when doctors told women that breastfeeding was bad. Yep, my grandparents would’ve been told that. Now we know that “breast is best”.

God created womens’ bodies to do amazing things. Not only do we carry a being that’s still uploading ;), but we also nourish that child with our bodies once they are born. That’s awesome! My buddy Hannah (you hear a lot about her) is a La Leche League leader. The La Leche League is a breastfeeding support group. Hannah gives me a lot of advice. I’m very thankful for her.

I only breastfed Michael for 3 months, but I want to go longer with Leeland. It hasn’t been easy though. Leeland had a substantial tongue tie. Hannah noticed it and told me. Thankfully we found a surgeon who clipped it for us. Still, there are times when Leeland pulls off or accidentally hurts me. And I’ll admit that every now and then we use formula so I can get a break (& keep my sanity). I try to pump but that doesn’t always go according to plan. I’m doing my best though. Moms can only do their best. Sometimes women can’t breastfeed, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love their children. If you are able to breastfeed, I encourage you to find a support group. I had so many misconceptions about breastfeeding. Even my pediatrician gave conflicting info at times. Thankfully Hannah and my breastfeeding consultant set me straight. It also helped to talk to other women in my shoes.

Breastfeeding has been different this go around. Breastfeeding in public is more acceptable. I’m learning to use a cover in all kinds of places….even while walking at the aquarium. One of the benefits to breastfeeding is that it’s always available. I can feed my baby anytime anywhere. I don’t have to worry about fixing a bottle or buying formula. A neat fact that I learned is that when my baby feeds, his saliva lets my breasts know what germs he’s been exposed to. Then they make milk that helps fight those particular germs. I hope I wrote that right. That’s how I remember it anyways.

Secondly, I’ve started baby wearing. The wraps and carriers they have today come in all kinds of shapes and patterns. There is an art to wrapping. I do not have that talent. I’ve only found one carrier that I’m super comfortable with and I bought it at Walmart. The chic wrap I bought online was too small and complicated. I had another that worked when Leeland was brand new but not long after. Baby wearing is definitely a new trend. There’s social groups and everything.

So how about you, mom? Have you tried baby wearing? What’s your favorite type? How long did you breastfeed? What got you through the sleepless nights? God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

Life with Baby: Cloth Diapers

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/05/18/life-with-baby-cloth-diapers/

Life with Baby: Monthly pictures

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/life-with-baby-cuteness-overload/

Life with Baby: Baby School

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/life-with-baby-baby-school/

Hacks

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/

Sleep

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/life-with-baby-sleep-and-a-birth-shadow-box/

Life With Baby: Cloth Diapers May 18, 2015

In this post: The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2015, homemade baby wipes, and cloth diaper tips from a newbie. Hello dear ones! I know it’s been awhile. Life with a new baby is truly an adjustment especially when you have another child as well. So I’m trying to catch up and find my normal. I have a flood of posts coming your way hopefully. First, I want to start a series called “Life with Baby”. I’m trying new things with my second child. It’s been nine years since my first and there are different trends in the baby world. I want to share my experience as an old newbie ;). And so here I am learning about cloth diapers. It’s like a different universe has opened up to me…things that I didn’t think about with my first born. Like natural child birth… https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/knit-together-leelands-unmedicated-birth-story/ Cloth diapers are awesome. They’re cute and soft, they don’t contain harsh chemicals, and they are a great investment. Instead of paying 20 bucks for disposables every week you can buy a cloth diaper for that (or cheaper if used) and use it for a year. How did I get introduced to cloth diapering? My best friend Hannah (the super breastfeeding-cloth diapering-natural birthing-mom that I always talk about) cloth diapered her youngest two kids. She blessed me with several cloth diapers. I’ve bought a few since then but most of my diapers came from Hannah. Boy was I nervous when I began cloth diapering. It’s not as hard as it sounds though and I’ll share my tips at the end of this post. First, let me tell you about The Great Cloth Diaper Change. Here’s Hannah and I at the GCDC. Hannah had a La Leche League booth at the GCDC and she invited me to it. The Great Cloth Diaper Change is a cloth diapering event that just started in recent years in the city of Columbus, Ga. This year (2015) over a hundred women attended the GCDC and set a record for babies being cloth diapered at the same time. There were booths of all kinds. People selling used diapers, natural products, a La Leche League booth, and even a booth to weigh your baby. Several years back, cloth diapering was rare. Not many people knew about it. Now, the cloth diapering trend is on the rise. Baby thrift stores sell used diapers. There are cloth diapers with every sort of pattern. It’s glorious! Here are some of my favorite diapers. Two of these I bought for a couple of dollars at the GCDC. One is brand new and the others came from Hannah. It’s great when you have cloth diapering friends. Everyone passes the diapers around. The diapers get washed like clothes so it’s completely sanitary. So no worries there.

• When I arrived at the GCDC I had less than a minute to sit down behind the line with the other hundred women and prepare to diaper. I rushed to get Leeland ready to be changed before the timer started. This was our first public outing since Leeland’s birth. He was a couple weeks old I think. Anywho, I was still getting the hang of cloth diapering but I did well. It was fun being a part of the cloth diapering community. You don’t get that with disposables. No one really cares what disposable brand you use. You don’t have Pampers groups.

When the timer went off all of us held up our diapered babies and cheered. It was good clean fun. Thank you Leeland for giving me this new experience. Yeah, Leeland slept the whole time. I did get a certificate saying we participated. It’s in his baby book. So one day we can laugh about how silly his mama was. There was a raffle at the GCDC and I won two very nice all in ones diapers (more on types later). I also took a gift bag home. It felt like a birthday :). Our husbands hanging out. This wasn’t really a guy’s event. My husband agreed to go because Hannah’s husband James was there. My hubby is awesome about changing diapers but he doesn’t get excited about it. He could care less about the patterns and types. Chris is still getting the hang of cloth diapering. Sometimes they frustrate him. I just remind him of all the money we’re saving ;). The bigger kids took advantage of the gym. Michael had a blast playing basketball with his friends. Leeland taking a peep! Too cute! I spiked his hair. Tips and Advice from a Cloth Diapering Newbie We used disposables in the hospitals and frankly I was nervous about leaving my comfort zone and trying cloth diapers. I had made a committment though and we are on a budget. Thankfully I had Hannah come over, that first week home with the baby. She showed me how to put on his cloth diaper. I had tried before Leeland was born. The hubby, Michael, and I cloth diapered a stuffed bear. Still, it’s different with a squirming lil one. Here’s what I know now.

• There are different types of cloth diapers. The ones I’m familiar with are the prefolds and all in ones. Actually there are five major types but I am only fluent in the two I mentioned ;).

http://www.thenaturalbabyco.com/diaper-experts/the-five-major-styles-of-cloth-diapers/ It turns out I’ve been using fitted and pocket diapers more than all in ones. I just called them by the wrong names. I basically knew that the diapers you folded and that required a water proof cover were prefolds and then you had the ones that looked like a disposable diaper. There are some that have snaps and some with velcro. Some require inserts and some have them sewn in already. We mainly use prefolds during the day and the other diapers (pocket, fitted, and all in ones) at night. Prefolds can be bought in packs of six or you can make your own out of burp cloths or cloth napkins. They are basically a piece of cloth that you fold into thirds and secure with either pins (the old fashioned way) or these neat rubber fasteners that have little teeth. Then you put a plastic cover over the top. Prefolds are cheaper because you can buy a large pack for the price of one of the other diapers. Also, you can use the same cover all day. You just have to change the cloth inside. Here’s a picture of Leeland wearing one. Note* Make sure the cover covers every part of the diaper (especially the leg area) or you will have soaked outfits. Just to be cute… Here’s a pocket diaper I believe. You put a cloth insert inside the lil pocket. Then you snap or velcro the diaper together. This kind of cloth diaper including all in ones and fitted are a lil more expensive unless you buy used. I save them for the long stretches at night. They have such cute patterns (like the Dr. Seus ones several pictures up), you don’t need to put pants on the baby (if it’s warm of course).

• Use hot water to wash the diapers and add a touch of vinegar if they get smelly. I use Tide Free and Clear as my detergeant. Some moms swear by special baby detergeant or cloth diaper detergeant. Tide works fine for me. Every baby is different though. Some are sensitive to certain brands. I don’t know much about “stripping” diapers, but I know that vinegar helps with bad stink. I use it for my hubby’s sweaty clothes. I also know that cloth diapers get very stinky and cold water just didn’t do the trick. I wash our diapers with the baby’s clothes, bibs, blankets, and burp cloths. It’s easier and saves water. Stripping diapers is the process you use to get the oils and things out that are left over from diaper balms and fabric softeners but I’ve heard it used for getting the stench out when diapers get that mildewy smell. Sometimes diapers don’t want to dry after they’ve been washed several times.

Here are different methods for stripping. I’ve yet to try them. I just use vinegar and wash my diapers once. I wash them on extra heavy. I’ve only had a few used diapers that got the mildewy smell. http://myclothdiaperstash.com/six-ways-to-strip-your-cloth-diapers/ Here’s a post that says not to strip diapers. Everyone has their opinion. http://www.gro-via.com/blog/enough-stripping-already/

• Instead of fabric softener sheets use a ball of aluminum foil to get up the lint. It works great and you don’t have to spend money on fabric sheets. Also you don’t have to worry about stripping the oils off your diapers.
• Have a wet bag! These are life savers. A wet bag has a water proof inside and cloth on the front. You put the diapers and cloth baby wipes inside the wet bag and zip it up so you won’t smell them. I just got one for the diaper bag. It was a pain using grocery bags all the time and it was smelly. I had a wet bag at home though. Hannah gave me her extra and it really helps. You can buy these at Walmart too.
• Separate the cloth inserts from the covers when you wash them. This makes sure they get clean good.
• Give cloth baby wipes a try! It took me a bit to have the confidence to start using cloth wipes. I guess you can say I took baby steps. Cloth wipes are super easy though. You simply wet them with solution, wipe the baby’s bottom, and throw the wipe in the wet bag with the diapers. At first, I kept the wipes soaking in the solution but it turned the solution colors and went bad quickly. So now I keep the wipes beside the solution and just wet them before use. I ring the wipes out to save on solution. Right now I only put a cup of solution at a time. It’s not hard to make so I don’t mind refilling. I could probably keep two cups in at a time. When I’m out of the house I fill a squirt bottle with solution and take it with me. Here’s the solution recipe I use:

Baby Wipe Solution 1 cup hot water 1 tbsp coconut oil 1 tbsp baby wash First, heat the water in the microwave for a minute and a half. That’s enough for the oil to dissolve when you mix it in next. Then add the baby wash. Let the water cool before you use it of course. *Some people add essential oils.

• What to do with poop: Nothing at first. If you are breastfeeding or have a newborn then it’ll come out in the wash. The poop will become solid when your baby starts eating solids. I’m not at this point yet but Hannah is. She says you just empty the poop in the toilet. If it’s smooshed then you can use a paint scraper to get it off. Much easier than buying a sprayer to attach to your toilet.

Well, I hope I’ve encouraged you to try cloth diapers. It can be scary if you’re new like me. Cloth diapers aren’t as complicated as people make them out to be. Most of the diapers work like disposables. You just have to wash them. And the prefolds are easy once you get the folding part down. You’ll change diapers so much with a newborn, that you’ll get the hang of them in just a few days. I can literally do it in my sleep these days (well, half asleep). So I hope to have more Life with Baby posts soon. When I do I’ll add the links below. Well, God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover

Life with Baby:

Breastfeeding and Baby Wearing

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/life-with-baby-breastfeeding-baby-wearing/

Life with Baby: Monthly pics

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/08/life-with-baby-cuteness-overload/

Life with Baby: Baby School

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/life-with-baby-baby-school/

Hacks

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/07/23/life-with-baby-hacks/

Sleep

https://amberdover.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/life-with-baby-sleep-and-a-birth-shadow-box/