Why We Switched to Cloth Wipes

Originally, I was going to write about our switch to cloth wipes in my cloth diapering one year later post. However, that post got to be rather long so I decided to do a whole separate post about wipes.

Back when I was still pregnant and researching cloth diapers the idea of using cloth wipes didn't really cross my mind. I was too busy researching what type of cloth diapers to use, what brand, how to wash them, etc... I came across them right around the time we actually started using cloth with Harrison. I made a mental note to look into them further. Pretty soon my husband and I were lamenting about how we hated disposable wipes. They seemed so thin, poop always seemed to be threatening to seep through to our hands. We had to use so many. We hated actually buying them (even though they are cheaper than diapers). Apparently we are not alone in our loathing because we also had a discussion in my mommy group about how much we hated them. So finally around Christmas I had had about enough of using them and decided to switch to cloth. Needless to say, we love them! Oh let me count the ways; 

1. They work way better than disposable ones, the poop just comes off easier. 
2. I use 1-2 per change (occasionally more for major poopage) whereas I was easily using four or more before  
3. They are gentler on Harrison's skin 
4. They do double duty as face/hand wipes- some people keep a separate stack on their kitchen table for this very reason.
5. You can use them wet or dry so you can pat baby's butt dry to avoid irritation.


If you're using cloth diapers you might as well use wipes. It's just easier. It was annoying to be changing Harrison's diaper and putting the diaper in the wet bag and then having to find a trashcan for the wipes. This was especially annoying when changing him while out and about. I'd lay him down on the changing table in the public bathroom, get him all changed, and then have to carry a handful of dirty wipes out of the stall and into the trash. If I'd managed not to get poop on my hands changing him, I certainly did now. I bought a stack from a wonderful Etsy shop KathyHowesCreations. You can pick from a ton of different prints and Kathy was really wonderful to work with. When buying cloth wipes I recommend keeping it simple. Get the cheapest, but still best quality, ones you can find. Mine are basically a rectangular shaped piece of fabric that has been surged on the edges to prevent fraying. You can find organic cotton ones, "designer print" ones, "plush" ones, two or three layered ones, etc... I've seen some that are are $12 for 6 wipes. What?! To me, they aren't worth it. You're supposed to be saving money right? Mine were about 50 cents a piece and they are holding up well. If you have the time and inclination you can make your own wipes pretty simply. Or, you can use cloth wash cloths.

This is exactly how mine looks just
with different scents/colors. I highly
recommend the honeyed almond
and vanilla bean scents. 

When using cloth wipes you'll want to use some sort of wipe solution. I purchased soap bits from another Etsy shop, Wee Essentials, and love them. The store's owner, Candy, was great to work with and answered all my questions. The bits are basically little cubes of handmade soap that you dissolve in hot water and then store in a container on your changing table. I also pour some in a mini spray bottle to keep in my diaper bag. You'll probably need to make a new batch every couple days. I normally make a new batch every time I do diaper laundry. Wipes can also be stored wet in an old disposable wipes container (here's a video about how to make them pop up like disposable wipes) or other tupperware type container. If you want to store them wet in your diaper bag you can simply put them in a zip-loc bag or buy a waterproof wipe pouch. 

You can buy a mini sampler of the bits (like I did) and select 5 yummy scents from more than 2 dozen she has available. They arrive in a container with each scent labeled and instructions for making the solution. You get around 100 bits, enough for about 8 months! Which, for $17, is a great bargain. If you love them (you will!) you can buy a bigger sample set that'll last over a year. Or you can get jars of just one scent. These are made to be gentle on your baby's skin and you can get them in either dyed or undyed scents. The only issue Harrison had was with the lavender chamomile scent. It gave him a rash so we stopped using that kind and it cleared right up. I plan on dissolving a couple in water and using them in an old foaming soap dispenser, so not all is lost. At his next check-up I asked the doc about a possible allergic reaction and she said that she has occasionally seen reactions from both lavender and chamomile. So, you may want to shy away from that scent if you think your baby has sensitive skin. If you would prefer to make your own solution, recipes can be found here and here. Another tip, I wouldn't use just water- it can be drying to the skin. 

To care for the wipes you just wash them right along with your diapers. I throw mine in the same wet bag and dump them all in the wash together. It's super simple and we are so much happier with these than the disposables. 

Cloth Diapering, One Year Later

So it's no secret that I love using cloth diapers with Harrison. We've been using them for a little over a year now, so I thought I'd write about how our diapers have held up, what things we've added and learned over the year, and basically just what our experience has been.

We still use Bum Genius and Sunbaby diapers. Both have held up well over the year, but I will say that the Bum Genius ones we have seem to be holding up better. Two of the snaps on one of our Sunbaby diapers is coming off and we'll have to replace it with a Bum Genius soon. It isn't causing leaks just yet, but every time I undo the diaper I am afraid it is going to pop off. I've never machine dried the diaper (which can harm them), so it isn't from that. Just wear and tear I guess. But, it should be noted, that the Bum Genius are showing virtually no signs of wear and tear other then slight staining  on the inside from poop. But, they are diapers after all. The Sunbaby ones are showing the same thing, too. When we are pregnant again and it is time to buy more diapers I will not buy any more Sunbabies. I do like them, and still think they are a great value for the price. But, we plan on having more than two children, and I'm hoping to use a lot of the diapers again and again. I just don't think the Sunbaby ones will hold up to more than one baby. 

A diagram of a Flip diaper. 

Since my last posts (which can be found here and here) we have been on vacation to the beach. We used cloth for the entire week and had no issues. The condo we stayed in had a washer and dryer, so it was super easy to keep up with the diapers and little was different from being at home. We brought a drying rack with us, but they had one of those, too, so we didn't need to use ours. If you are staying somewhere that doesn't have a washer/dryer and you don't feel like using the laundromat while on vacay you can use Flip diapers.  Basically you start with an outer waterproof shell and add one of their inserts on top before fastening it on your baby. They make disposable inserts as well as cloth. So if you find yourself without a washer/dryer, simply buy a pack of disposable inserts, throw them away after each changing and reuse the shell just as you would if using a cloth insert. Then, when you're home from vacation, go back to using the cloth inserts.

Cloth diapers can be used as swim diapers, too. We didn't buy any disposable "swimmers" for Harrison. We simply removed the inserts from the diaper and just used the shell/cover as the diaper. Easy peasy. This has worked great and we are using the same method this summer as well. Although, this summer I have noticed that we are going through our stash a little faster than I would like since we are at the pool a good amount of the time. To remedy this I stopped at my favorite local shop Hello Bluebird and bought 3 BrookiEllen diapers covers/swim diapers. I haven't used them yet, but I'm excited to. :) Having a few swim diapers on hand will allow me to still wash my diapers ever 2-3 days. Although I always recommend buying from local small businesses, I have even seen reusable swim diapers at Target. They aren't one size like the BrookiEllen and Bum Genius ones, though. So you have to buy a bigger size as your child grows out of them.

I have even put Harrison in just a diaper cover and swim shirt with no swimming trunks on top. It kind of looks like he is wearing a speedo, which I happen to find adorable. I think this is a wonderful idea for girls as well. A little girl in Harrison's swim lesson class wore a bikini bottom and swim shirt a few times and I thought that a diaper cover could easily replace the bikini bottom and be super cute! BrookiEllen makes incredibly adorable ruffle butt diaper covers that would be absolutely darling as a bathing suit bottom and swim diaper all in one. 

I mean come on! Just pair this
 with a pink or white
swim shirt and your daughter
is sure to be the best dressed at your
local pool or beach!

We are still using and loving our Planet Wise wet bags. I have noticed a little wear on the water proof lining of our large hanging wet bag, but it hasn't effected the performance of the bag. It's still as waterproof as it was in the beginning. When the next baby comes along I will probably just purchase another large wet bag and use the old one for wet cloths at the pool/beach. Our medium wet bag that we keep in our diaper bag is holding up very well and I have noticed no wear at all (probably because it is washed less). The cotton fabric and zippers on both bags are holding up really well and have no wear and very little color fade. I love Planet Wise and fully endorse them as a company! Their goods are made in America, which I love. Here is a quote from their website that perfectly illustrates why I love them and why you should too,  "All products are manufactured in a locally women-owned facility helping to support the local economy and reduce our environmental impact.  All business decisions, either big or small, are evaluated with our planet’s health and social harmony in mind." Gah, I'm in love! In addition to wet bags they make backpacks, lunch bags, reusable sandwich and snack baggies, swim diapers and shirts, diaper covers and many more great products. 


The next time I buy diapers I plan on buying more that are made in the good ol' U.S.A. I have only done limited research so far, but Blueberry and Thirsties diapers are made in America. And, of course, you can search Etsy for other great brands like BrookiEllen. I am passionate about buying products that are made in America or are at the very least fair trade. This extends beyond diapers into food, clothing, and cleaning products as well. Looking back, I just didn't do enough research before buying my diapers. When you know better you do better, right? As I do more research I'll do yet another diaper post illustrating all I've learned and what I recommend. :) 

Peace & Love

Cloth Diapering Part Dos- What we use and how we do it

Now that I posted about why we chose to use cloth diapers with Harrison (and all subsequent babies) it's time to outline the different kinds, how easy it is, and what you need to get started. There are several different styles of cloth diapers including; all-in-ones, pockets, fitteds, pre-folds and covers, and one size. And, there are a few different types of closures; aplix, snaps, and pins/snappis as well as a few different types of inserts. I'll do my best to explain each of them.

First I want to make a disclaimer of sorts and say that each baby is different. And while some people love one type or brand others hate that type. Each type and brand has its followers and each are good in their own way. In my opinion, there is no "bad" diaper. It's just that some people prefer one while a different person prefers another. What works for me might not work for you.

All-in-ones (AIOs) are water-proof diapers where the inserts are sewn in, and there is no stuffing required unless you want to add extra inserts for more absorbency. They are convenient since there is no stuffing, but there is a higher price for such convenience and they take longer to dry. Here is a good video about AIOs. It only talks about one brand, and some may be slightly different. But, it's a good overview.

Pockets are water-proof diapers that have a pocket where an insert is stuffed inside and then taken out before it is washed. They tend to be a little cheaper than AIOs, but some people (men ;) ) don't like that you have to stuff and unstuff them. They are very customizable because you can add any combination of inserts to fit your needs. Here is a video of how to pockets work.

Pre-folds and covers are what many think of as "old-fashioned" diapers. They are white pieces of cloth that you either lay flat and fold around your baby's bum and fasten with a snappi or diaper pin or you can tri-fold them and place them in a water-proof cover. If you use a snappi or diaper pin you need to put a water-proof cover over top. People love these because they are the cheapest cloth diapering option, but other people don't like them because they aren't as convenient as AIOs or pockets. Here is a video about how to use pre-folds with and without a snappi.

Fitteds are sized (think small, medium, large, etc...) diapers; some are water-proof, others aren't. Some people love these because they tend to fit babies sooner than one size diapers and you can often achieve a better fit. But, you (obviously) need multiple sizes as your baby grows. And, some feel that is inconvenient and would rather buy one stash of one sized diapers. Once and done.

This is a Rumparooz one size pocket diaper. You can see
how small and big it gets. Also, you can see aplix and
snaps.

One size (OS) diapers are meant to fit your baby from about 10lbs until they are potty trained. The diapers have multiple waist and rise snaps to adjust to the size of your baby. You simply snap the rise up and down as your baby grows. These come in AIO and pocket versions, and you can also get OS covers for pre-folds. 

Cloth diapers use aplix (Which is Velcro. But, Velcro is trademarked much like Q-tip and Band-Aid, and so aplix is the generic term used) and snaps to close. Both have pros and cons. While Velcro  aplix is easy to close, it also has a tendency to make the diapers stick together and form a long "diaper snake" in the washing machine. To counter-act this manufacturers add "laundry tabs" to the diapers, you simply fasten the aplix to the tabs to prevent the dreaded snake. But, the trick is you actually have to remember to fasten the tabs. With snaps you don't have that problem. But, it takes a little bit longer to fasten the diaper when you have to line up the snaps. This can be an issue if you have a squirmy baby (who doesn't?). 

There are a few different types of inserts. Each diaper normally comes with one or two inserts. As your baby gets older and starts to pee more you will probably need to add other inserts to prevent leaks- especially overnight. Often times, you can buy extra inserts that are identical to the ones that come with the diaper. But, a lot of times using multiple inserts can become bulky. To avoid this you can use hemp or bamboo. These inserts are both extremely absorbent and thin; which makes for a very trim diaper. You simply layer them under the inserts that come with your diaper. You layer them under rather than on top of the insert because the micro-fiber inserts that the diapers come with absorb quicker in order to wick moisture away from baby's bum. And, the hemp and bamboo absorb more slowly. Personally, I love the hemp inserts I have! I actually need to get more because Harrison is a very heavy wetter. These often save me from leaks during nap time. 

There are dozens of different brands of cloth diapers. I'm not going to pretend to know everything about every brand. But, I did do a lot of research before deciding which brands to buy. We decided on Bum Genius and Sun Babies brands for Harrison. Actually, I thought I was going to buy Bum Genius and Fuzzibunz, but when I went to a local store that sells cloth diapers they only had Bum Genius and Sun Babies. The woman that sold them used both on her children and loved them. Plus, Sun Babies was considerably cheaper than Bum Genius and Fuzzibunz, so I decided to fill out the rest of (almost half) my stash with those. In Bum Genius I have mostly their 4.0s which are pockets, but also have 4 of their Free Time AIOs. Both preform very well, and I haven't had any issues with them. Although, Anthony thinks the AIOs are "annoying"  and "bunch Harrison's balls". Men. Although the rise of the AIOs isn't as roomy, I don't find them annoying and Harrison doesn't seem "bunched" to me. But, I thought I'd mention it. Sun Babies only makes pockets, and they also perform very well. However, I found out why they are a lot cheaper than any other diaper brands I have come across. They are a Chinese company (not necessarily a bad thing) and seem to use a little lesser quality material. I noticed that their water-proof fabric seems a little thinner than my Bum Genius diapers and the cotton seems to pill a little, neither have effected absorbency so far. Also, the seams don't seem to be quite as secure, and the elastic isn't quite as stretchy. Although they preform as well as the Bum Genius, I am a little worried that they won't hold up as well as their more expensive counterparts. Only time will tell, and I would certainly still recommend them to anyone looking to use cloth diapers. The price really can't be beat, and the have really cute prints!

Some other brands that I researched and have read many, many good things about online are Rumparooz, Happy Heinys, Kissaluvs, Gro-via, Flip, Charlie Banana, Kuwaii, and Bummis. If you are interested in using cloth diapers I highly suggest you check out the cloth diapering board on The Bump. There is a FAQ section where you can read up on common questions, and the ladies that frequent the board are very knowledgeable. You can ask them absolutely anything. I learned, and continue to learn, a ton on there. Also, check out YouTube. There are so many helpful videos on there, and there is even a cloth diaper channel. If you're looking to save money (who isn't?) check out Spot's Corner where you can buy used diapers (Relax, not all of them are actually used and have been pooped on. Some are new in the package- people just didn't like them or got them as gifts and didn't want them). And, if you want to buy from small businesses or buy made in America there is always Etsy (plus I think Bummis are made in Canada- not America but not China either). 

Finally, there are a few things besides the actual diapers that you'll need to get started. Let me outline them;

A wet bag or diaper pail- You'll use one of these in place of a traditional diaper genie. You can simply buy a trash can or hamper and line it with a pail liner or use a wet bag. I use a Planet Wise (made in the USA!) hanging wet bag in my nursery and have a medium one in my diaper bag. I LOVE them. They come in a lot of fun prints and have held up really well in the wash.

Cloth diaper-friendly diaper rash cream- When in cloth diapers babies don't tend to get many diaper rashes (Check out this video about breathability). Harrison hasn't had one yet. But, he does get a wee bit red every now and then. So, it's a good idea to have some cream on hand. But, due to the chemicals used in many conventional rash creams you can't use them in cloth diapers. They "clog" up the fabric and effect the absorbency. I use CJ's BUTTer in the Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey scent. This stuff is fabulous and it smells great. You only need to use a little bit.

Cloth diaper-friendly detergent- Much like diaper rash creams, conventional detergents contain chemicals that effect the absorbency of cloth diapers. However, there are many detergents you can use. This website has a list of detergents that are safe to use. A good rule of thumb is unscented, powder detergents work best. I use Ultra Tide powder (in the original scent). I got this tip from the cloth diaper board on The Bump. And, even though it isn't formulated for use with cloth diapers, it works very well when only a little bit (2 tablespoons) is used. I decided to use Tide because detergents made specifically for cloth diapers tend to be more expensive. And, I didn't want to have to buy two different detergents- one for clothes and one for diapers. Plus, Tide is found pretty much everywhere, so you don't have to order it online. However, I do kinda want to try Rockin' Green. I have heard really good things about it and it comes in yummy scents and different formulas designed for specific water types. It is a little pricey, and that is what has kept me from trying it.

Diaper sprayer- It hooks up to your toilet's water supply and is used to spray poop off of diapers. You simply plop solid poop (Eww) in the toilet and spray off any stuck-on poop from the diaper while holding it over the toilet. I have a Bum Genius diaper sprayer but haven't used it yet. Harrison is breast fed and breast fed baby poop is water soluble (you learn something new every day), and just dissolves in the wash. Once he starts solids I will be using mine.

That's all you need. I know it can seem overwhelming, but it really is easy once you  get started. One question I get asked again and again when I tell people that we use cloth is, "Isn't it a pain to wash them?". The short answer is no. It's only 2-3 extra loads of laundry a week, and really doesn't bother me. Especially considering how much money we're saving by doing it. It's almost like I'm getting paid to wash them. Maybe if I felt like I was being paid to clean our apartment it would be a lot cleaner. ;) Here is a video that I found really helpful. The mom has some nice tips and explains everything really well. And, of course, each brand's website tells you how to wash them. I love using cloth with Harrison and can't imagine using disposables. Every time I see disposables in the store I think to myself, "thank God I don't have to buy those". It's oddly freeing. :)

Cloth Diapering Part Uno- Why we use cloth

If someone would have told me 2 years ago that I'd be cloth diapering my son I'd say they were crazy. You see, when I thought about cloth diapers the image of white cloths and safety pins came to mind. Or using a diaper service; which I thought would be way too expensive. But, then I stumbled upon a cloth diapering message board while on The Bump and started doing some research. All the ladies on that message board seemed to really love cloth diapering and preached about how much money they saved, how easy it was, and how bad disposable diapers are for the environment. All of that in addition to the pictures of their uber cute babies wearing cloth made me want to do more research about using them. 

There are several different ways to go when thinking about using cloth diapers, and I became a little overwhelmed at times. So, I want to share with you what I've learned, what I use, how I do it, and why I love cloth diapering Harrison. The reasons we use cloth are pretty simple; 

1. Cost savings 
2. More environmentally friendly
3. They're really cute

Cost savings was the first thing that made me want to cloth diaper. At first it seemed expensive, and; in all honesty, it is more expensive at first. But, they will pay for themselves rather quickly. In my search to figure out exactly how much I'd be spending I found out about a website that allows you to calculate how much using cloth will cost you including electricity (to wash/dry), detergent, water, and everything else you need to get started. It compares this cost to how much disposables will cost you until your little one is potty trained (Up to $3,000. What?!), and shows you how long it will take for your investment to pay for itself. This site really put things into perspective, and it wasn't long before I was researching different brands, styles, and all the supplies I would need.

Since there are so many different types and brands of cloth diapers (which I'll talk about in part dos) there is a wide range of what you can expect to spend. How many diapers you want  in your stash will also determine the cost. I want to do wash ever other or every two days, so I have 22 diapers. This is a comfortable amount for me, but I will probably add to my stash in order to try new things as they come out. 

My cost: I was lucky enough to receive a little more than half my stash as a gift (thank you, Mom!), so my out of pocket cost- not including water and electricity costs- was only about $150 and that includes 10ish diapers, two wet bags (will explain later), and two containers of cloth diaper friendly diaper rash cream. If I had to guess I would say that my entire stash cost about $400, and that is probably a high estimate. Obviously $400 is a lot better than spending up to $3,000 for diapers for one baby. It's easy to see how using disposables is literally like throwing money in the trash.

Cost was how I sold Anthony on the idea but environmental benefits was another selling point for me. As Anthony put it, "I don't care enough about the environment to wash poopy diapers unless is saves me money". Never mind that Anthony has yet to actually wash a diaper. ;) I'm not going to bore you with all the reasons why disposables are bad for environment. And, frankly, I don't know every way they are harmful. But, this is what I do know; a lot of oil is used to make disposables and they take an incredibly long time to break down in landfills. Here is a good article about how long diapers sit in landfills. And, in the interest of full disclosure, it also talks about how cloth diapers aren't completely environmentally friendly. 

Cute factor is an admittedly vain reason to use cloth. But, a lot of baby things involve vanity. How else do you explain those incredibly adorable pink, fluffy baby tutus? To properly illustrate just how cute cloth diapers are it is imperative that you see Harrison's fluffy butt! :)

He's about 3 months here.

Oh. My. Gawd. He is so little in this picture

33 weeks!

I've been wanting to do this whole baby/pregnancy blog thing for awhile now. I've been reading a few other blogs and got the idea to do a weekly update with a standard set of questions from them. Since I'm pretty far into this pregnancy this first update will contain some past info. to compare and give you an idea of where I started vs. where I am now. So, here it goes...


STATS:


How far along: 33 weeks! I really can't believe I am that far already. Time has flown by and is going really slow all at the same time. On one hand it feels like it was just last week that I took that first test and showed the positive result to Anthony. But, on the other hand I am not quite ready for this baby to come, and am glad that I still have a few more weeks. The nursery is still a work in progress, we have yet to build our cloth diaper stash (Yes, cloth diapers. That will be a post all of its own), and I want to make a bunch of freezer meals. But, beyond the physical/material things I also still need to do some mental preparation. Well, as much as a first time mom can do. There are still several things about labor/delivery and the newborn stage that I am trying to wrap my brain around. I'm not going to go into those things at this moment because that is going to be a separate post. But, I have realized that the reason it is hard to imagine/wrap your brain around certain things about pregnancy and motherhood is because those are the two things in life that are different for every woman and there is just no way of adequately telling a first time mom what to expect in a way that will actually convey the life changing events that are about to take place. Simply put, you aren't going to understand it until you've been through it.

So, I've been reading Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth as a way of preparing as much as possible for this birth. I'm still looking for a good book about life with a newborn. If there is one thing I have learned from reading other pregnancy blogs it's that you shouldn't read dozens of books about pregnancy/birth and motherhood. It will get too confusing-there are too many conflicting ideas and opinions. Instead, I have learned that it is important to first research the type of birth you want and figure out which type of theory/technique you agree with most. And then, find a good book about that. For me, I did a lot of research before I even got pregnant and decided that I wanted to have a midwife oversee my pregnancy/birth rather than an OB, and I wanted to try everything I can to have a natural birth. I came across Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth while reading a natural birth blog. I LOVE the book so far, and I do feel more mentally prepared after reading what I have so far. Obviously time will tell, but I'm happy with this book and will be recommending it to all the pregnant women in my life wether they want to try for a natural (by which I mean pain med-fee) birth or not. The birth stories in it are powerful and empowering, and I feel very inspired by them. Also, the way Gaskin explains the things that go on during labor and delivery and how to prepare for and handle them really makes sense to me.

Size: According to the fruit/veggie chart I found online, Baby C is the size of a honeydew. He'll be at that size for a few weeks before moving on to the last fruit- watermelon. As far as actual measurements, I consulted a different chart and the average size for 33 weeks is 17. 2 inches long and 4.23 pounds.

Total weight gain: Based on my starting weight it is recommended that I only gain about 15lbs. I started out losing weight due to nausea, then I slowly gained weight. I held steady at 5 pounds gained for several weeks; which I was happy with. As of two weeks ago I had gained 7lbs. This actually kind of surprised me because I was so used to seeing the same number on the scale. haha. I weighed myself this afternoon and I seem to be up to 10lbs gained. I am going to re-weigh myself tomorrow morning, though since it is more accurate to weigh yourself in the morning. Overall, I am happy with 10lbs gained. I am 33 weeks, after all, and women who are at a more healthy weight pre-baby are told to gain 30-40 pounds (or about a pound a week)during their pregnancy. So, I'm pretty proud that I've been able to keep my weight gain under control. I only have 7 weeks left, so even if I gain a pound a week until then I will still only be at 17lbs gained. That is a number I can totally live with. :) My belly is measuing within the normal range, so that should mean that Baby C will be an "average" size. That thrills me since I am all too aware of the size of his exit route. ;)

Sleep: Sleeping on my side has definitely taken some adjustment. I am a hard core stomach sleeper and I absolutely can not wait to be able to sleep that way again. But, I'm pretty used to it by now and I have to say that I sleep fairly well. I do get up 2-3 times a night to pee, but I am usually able to go right back to sleep (thankfully). Changing sides is getting increasingly harder, though. I'm pretty sure I sound like an old person when I move from my left to right side. Sometimes I have to pull on Anthony's arm to give me some leverage while turning over. Luckily for him, he doesn't complain.


Food cravings: Pizza, pizza, and more pizza. I don't know why, I wasn't a huge pizza fan pre-pregnancy. But, I have heard from other pregnant women that pizza is one of their big cravings, too. Weird. Besides that I don't really crave a specific item. Instead, I crave something sweet or something salty- anything fitting that description will do. Occasionally, I do get a really odd, specific craving, though. For example, the other day I wanted a simosa from Kenya. And not just any simosa- one from a street cart in Gilgil. That was, hand down, the best simosa I had while there. Mmmm!


Food aversions: Nothing right now. But, a couple months ago avocados; unfortunately, were making me gag. I couldn't finish the chicken avocado ranch sandwich from Zoup! and quacamole at Chipotle made me gag. Thankfully, that stage is over, and I can eat pretty much anything I want.

Symptoms: I have had pretty bad round ligament pain since a couple months into this pregnancy. My bikini line and upper thigh area ache when I walk. I now know why the pregnant lady waddles, let me tell you. It has gotten a little better lately (or maybe I am just used to it and don't notice it as much?). Other than that I have had more frequent heartburn, and my lower back and hips ache after a long day. I am incredibly tired some days, but that is to be expected. Fortunately, I haven't thrown up, experienced swelling, or had any of the other common symptoms.

Stretchmarks: None until about a month or so ago. Now I have several around my belly button. Their appearance doesn't bother me at all and I didn't do anything to prevent them. I'm not the type of person that worries much about thier physical appearance and they don't make me self-conscious. My belly does get itchy, though, so I've been lotioning it daily.

Midwife Appointment: I'm going every two weeks now, and my next appointment is the 27th.

Movement: I feel him move a lot, but mostly at night. He moves more when I play music- specifically Jennifer Hudson. I'm serious, this kid loves her! I've tried other artists/bands, and nothing gets him moving quite like Ms. Hudson. :)

Belly Button: It's getting more shallow every day. It's almost flat and I can make it "pop out" if I stretch my belly a little. Gross, I know. But, I can't help it.

Gender: Boy! Although, I must admit that I am not entirely convinced that is the case. I guess time will tell. :)

Best moment of the week: Getting some things for the nursery with my mom, and painting the bookshelf that was in my nursery. It's getting a make-over for Baby C, and I am so glad that I am able to have something from my nursery in his.

What I’m looking forward to: Getting the nursery completed! And, of course, finally meeting this little guy!


What I miss: Nothing, really. Besides sushi. That is definitely going to be one of my first meals after delivery.



Ok, that's all for this week's update. Some posts I'm working on are; cloth diapering, the things that are hard for me to wrap my brain around, how great Anthony has been throughout all of this, a nursery post with pictures, freezer meals, and some others. I'm also working on a birth plan (I know, I know you can't plan the birth. But, this will basically be a list of things that we want and don't want to happen if we can prevent it. My midwife recommends at least getting your desires on paper so that you are educated about the process and know what you want. I'll definitely be going into labor/delivery with an open mind, though.).

So for now....

Peace&Love,

Ashley