Jackson's First Food

Jackson had his first food experience the other day - so cute. He's growing up so fast!

Cloth Diapering 101

CLOTH DIAPERING 101

Don't fear the Cloth

I was a little nervous about switching to cloth from disposables at first. We used disposables for the first 2 1/2 to 3 months as we got into our routine, got used to diaper changing, etc. Then there it was...the cloth diaper. It was staring at me like "hey, you said you were going to do this, so suck it up!!" But what if they leak all the time? What about laundry? Will they really get clean? And what about the cost? Is it really worth it?

So one day, I took a deep breath, sucked it up, and all my fears turned out to be rather silly. Cloth diapering is easy for us!

I always get a lot of questions from friends about the cloth diapering experience, so let me tell you all about what we do.

First, here are the items we have on hand:

1) 20 (ish) Fuzzi Bunz One Size Diapers

2) 2 Fuzzi Bunz Hanging Diaper Pails

3) 1 Bidet

4) Diaper Liners

5) Biokleen Bac Out Spray

6) Charlies Soap Powder Laundry Detergent

7) Storage Box

What type of cloth diapers do you use? We went with the Fuzzi Bunz One Size diapers. The one size allow you to use the diapers from birth until potty training. They fit babies 7-35 pounds and adjust with elastic button waist and leg casings. With each diaper you get extra elastics and one large and one small insert, which you can double up if needed. Still confused on how this works? Check out the video here.

We find using them is super easy and the inserts are very absorbent. I usually use both inserts just to buy me some more time before needing to change Jackson. The only downside is that they can be a little bulky and therefore you may need to work a little harder to get their pants over their rear, or even buy a size larger. But it's not that big a deal. The great thing is that these will be the only diapers we should EVER NEED...even with another child! A HUGE cost savings. Plus, they come is such cute colors!!

How many do you need and how much does it cost? Well, we have around 20 or so, some of which were purchased for us from our registry and others which we bought ourselves. If you buy all on your own, it would cost you about $500 for 24 diapers (click here). Having this many will allow you plenty to not have to do laundry every day. Right now, with the 20 I have, I do laundry every other day. Yes, $500 is a lot of money up front, but the average cost of disposables is about $72 a month. So, the cloth pays for itself in only 7 MONTHS!! And you can use them for multiple kids.

What about the poo? This is probably the scariest part for most people. It's true that with a disposable you don't have to deal with the poo as much. But it's not as bad as you think with cloth. I use some cloth diaper liners that catch the majority of it that you can just toss away. Then I have a bidet that you install easily on your toilet that can spray the other mess off (similar to the video here). After I spray it off with the bidet, I have a spray from BioKleen called Bac-Out Stain and Odor Eliminator that I spray on the diapers before putting them in the pail. It is completely natural and can be used for other stains as well, like carpet, couch, etc. It smells great and also helps keep the odor down longer. We've never had an issue with odor at all using this method!

Then I have two Fuzzi Bunz Hanging Diaper Pails (like pic on left) that I use to put all the soiled diapers in. These are great because you just take the bag to the laundry, unzip the bottom to release all the soiled diapers into the washer and throw the bag in with it as well. The bag has a lining that prevents odors and stains.

How do you wash them? Here's the washing instructions (click here). Basically you wash them without detergent in a cold cycle and then again with detergent in a hot cycle. They can go in the dryer or you can air dry. You do need to use a recommended detergent, like Tide FREE or Arm & Hammer Free. We actually went with Charlies Soap Powder, which you can buy online. I like it because it's in a little can and all you need is a tablespoon for every load. And it doesn't have any harsh scents, is completely hypoallergenic, biodegradable, and reasonably priced! Oh, and it is HE compatible if you have that type of washer. Using this method I've rarely had any stains on the diapers whatsoever!

Where do you store the diapers? After washing and drying, I pre-stuff all the diapers with the inserts and store them in this really cute box I found at the container store. They call it a home box and it can be found online or in the laundry section of the store. It's the perfect size to stack them all in, and it still looks decorative sitting on the floor. And the two handles on the side make it easy for me to transport to multiple rooms or pack in the car when going on a trip :)

What do you do when you travel or go out? We do two things. For one, I do keep a

few disposables on hand for long trips, and even use one at bedtime so he won't wake up feeling wet (and on a side note, some experts say using cloth speeds up potty training because the child can feel immediately when he's wet himself and is uncomfortable). But I also have a few Wet/Go Bags like the ones seen on the right. Fuzzi Bunz makes their own diaper tote bag as well, which I have. So, when you're out and do a diaper change, you simply put the soiled diaper in these bags and zip them shut. Then you can deal with them when you get home. They are made to prevent leaks and smells and work very well!

So, all-in-all, I love cloth diapering. It's saving us a lot of money and has a lot of other benefits as well, such as possible early potty training, less diaper rash (only 5% occurrence with cloth vs. 50+% with disposables), less trash, etc. I would really encourage people not to be afraid of cloth.

Feel free to write any additional questions in the comment line!

First Month

Well, the first month has come and gone so quickly. Being a mom has come pretty naturally. It's so strange how your instincts seem to kick in and somehow you just "know" things - and you didn't even have to take a class!

Jackson has been wonderful. He is such a good baby! We're pretty lucky that so far he's been a decent sleeper (will go about 4 to 5 hours before waking up to eat, and then will sleep for another 3 after that). He also isn't too awfully fussy. He's also a good eater, and has eaten approximately every 3 hours since birth (a lot easier than 1 1/2 to 2 that some people tell me they've had to do).

We feel so blessed to have a healthy, growing baby boy. At his last appointment, at 5 weeks, he weighed 11lbs 1oz, and was 24 inches long (at birth he was 8lbs 4.6oz, and 21.5 inches).

I love that now he is starting to smile some and is focusing on our faces a lot. I just can't wait to see his personality come through. Who is this kid?? Will he be more chill like his dad, or a little more type A like his mom? As much as I want to know, I'm in no hurry to have him grown up. I'm just trying to enjoy these moments because before I know it, we'll be shipping him off to college (cringe).

Here are the things I know about Jackson so far:

1) He's a cuddler. He loves to sleep on your chest and finds a way to get his little head right in the crux of your neck. It's too sweet!

2) He loves his hands in his mouth. Must have been like that in the womb. His obsession led us to disregard most reading to the contrary and introduce a pacifier after week one. He is definitely a "binki boy".

3) He loves baths. He gives us this furrowed brow look while in the bath, but he never fusses. Maybe he'll be a swimmer?

4) He doesn't mind the dogs at all. They sometimes come up and kiss him and he just turns away, but doesn't freak out at all.

5) He travels well. We had our first trip (4 hours back to Salem, VA) and he slept well in his car seat.

6) He's a pooping champ. I'm glad I haven't started cloth diapers quite yet, because I'm not sure I could afford to buy enough to keep up with the laundry this kid would create right now.

We can't wait to learn more about our little man! Here's to month two!

Lindsay's Favorite Things (My Personal Mom Must Haves)

I remember when I was registering for items for the baby shower. I spent a lot of time reading reviews, comparing prices, asking for advice, and simply trying to decide what I needed for a new baby and what I didn't. After this first month of motherhood, here's my list (so far) of my personal "must have" items in case any other mothers out there want to look into them. Obviously, all moms will be different and what works for me may not work for you ;)

Baby Wise Book (Click Here/ $10)

This book was recommended to me by several church friends that have been parents much longer than me, and I can see why. I have referenced this book so often. It has been so helpful to me in getting a good schedule for breast feeding underway in a way that is flexible, but yet allows for orderly days and nights. Most importantly, it brings security and order to baby. You'll want to buy this book for the following reason: The average breastfed baby, using the techniques in this book, sleeps an average of seven to eight hours a night between weeks seven and nine!! Jackson is only at week four now, but he has already gone 4-5 hour stretches several nights now. I'll have to update you all on whether we have success at week 9.

Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump (Click Here/ $159)

Less expensive than it's Medela counterpart, but getting great reviews online, I decided to go with the Ameda. I didn't need the carry-all bag, so I simply purchased the pump itself. I've loved it!! Even though I'm not returning to work, having this pump was important when breastfeeding wasn't initially going well with Jackson (just the first week, now it's fine!) and I had been instructed to pump in order to help my milk come in. I've also used it to relive engorgement, pump for bottles if we're out and about during the day, and just keep milk supply up. I would also recommend getting the $20 accessories kit that comes with the freezer bags, a few more bottles, and some parts. If you're returning to work, it is likely worth spending a bit more for the carry-all version of this pump, though I know I received at least 2 small breastfeeding backpacks as freebies that most moms get from the hospital or their pediatricians office that I could use in a pinch.

FuzziBunz Hanging Diaper Bag (Click Here/ $20)

I liked this so much, I ordered a second one! You can hang it on the door or even use it to line a pail for soiled laundry and cloth diapers (the top stretches and will fold down around the pail easily). Then when you need to wash everything, the zippered bottom allows you to release the contents without touching, or you can just turn it inside out to get it all in the laundry. And the pail itself goes in the laundry with the rest :)

FuzziBunz Nursing Pads (Click Here/ $15)

So comfortable and washable. The soft fleece layer feels so nice and they are very absorbent, assuring no leaks. Just make sure you wear them under a more lined nursing bra or they probably will show under your clothes. But I haven't had many problems with that. They wash up wonderfully!

Nosefrida Nasal Aspirator (Click Here/ $15)

Okay, this one sounds really strange and scared me, but the reviews were so good that I decided to try it anyway. Turns out it's pretty great! Instead of the standard "bulb aspirators", this uses the parent's own suction to get the snot out...and don't worry, despite fears to the contrary, it doesn't end up in your mouth. Plus, the part that goes against baby's nose isn't inserted in the nostril, but just pressed against the opening. Seems much safer to me and has been much more effective than the bulb.

IKEA "Spoling" Changing Table (Click Here/ $79)

Great for smaller spaces because it folds up. Also has great pockets on the sides, mesh baskets underneath and "shelf" on the bottom, allowing you to store everything you'll need for diaper changes. Our current space wouldn't allow us to have a crib and changing table, so buying this and keeping it stored when not in use was the perfect solution. Actually, right now we just keep it set up in the main living room so that we can easily change diapers and still have access to the TV, kitchen, etc.

Chicco Lullaby LX Playard (Click Here/ $169)

We love this playard. Right now, it is set up in the bedroom and it is where he currently sleeps (we'll be moving him to his crib likely next month, when nighttime feedings slow down). One of the best elements is the music box and the remote that controls it. I always put him in there, turn the music on, and then walk away and get in bed. If he get's fussy and the music stops, I have the remote and I just push a button to start the music again. It's also pretty easy to set up. We'll be traveling with it for the first time this weekend though, so I may have to update this post after that experience!

Phil & Teds Explorer Stroller (Click here/ $479)

This was a splurge item for us, but we are glad we spent the money. This stroller is awesome...it rides so smooth on all surfaces. We love that the sun shade can move to keep the sun or wind off the baby at any angle. Then there are plenty of accessories you can add to make the stroller even better, like rain covers, etc. And it's adaptability is top notch - when you have a second child, it can be changed in multiple ways to fit two infants, two toddlers, or a toddler and an infant. Plus, I got the all apple green color, and it's really cute!! You can watch the promo video here. (Also, to get free shipping, order it from strollers.com)

The Birth

"A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world."

~ John 16:21

Well, I'm not sure I've completely forgotten the anguish part, but it is waning. Labor was quite an experience. I took the classes, read the articles and books about what to expect, but when it finally came, I don't think I was truly ready for it. I hadn't had any contractions, no Braxton Hicks...nothing - and here I was 4 days past my due date. And then it came - I went from nothing to OMG, this is labor! It came on so quickly, and yet lasted so long. Spoiler alert - there is a happy ending to this story...a beautiful baby boy that came 28 hours after contractions had started.

Tuesday, January 18th

5AM: Awoke with what I could only describe as stomach pains and figured, hmm, these may be contractions. But, maybe I just had an upset stomach? Tried to get some rest but told David I wondered if I was starting labor. The pains were much closer together than what I figured the start of contractions would be though, so perhaps this was Braxton Hicks? Oh well, I guess we'd have to wait until my 10:45am appointment with the doctor to find out.

10:30AM: Headed to the doctor's office for my appointment. Had still been having relatively "mild pains" every 2-4 minutes the entire morning. Hadn't eaten anything but a cracker. Was hoping the doctor would tell us something about what was going on. Was this labor? Was I even dilated? Prior to this appointment I had been almost 70% effaced, but no dilation. Surely, these pains meant I was a bit further along. Doctor's check showed I was almost 100% effaced, but only a finger tip dilated. He did think that perhaps it would happen in the next couple days though.

I left a bit confused and worried, because the contractions kept coming every couple minutes and I wasn't sure I could handle this for a couple days!!! If this was false labor it better stop soon because it was really starting to hurt. I mean, where were the 5-10 minute apart contractions?...I thought that's how things usually got started. Oh well, no such luck.

2:20PM: Had been timing my contractions for an hour and they were still an average of about 2.5 minutes apart and were very uncomfortable. David was starting to worry at this point - wondering if this was normal. Called the doctor's office and got permission to go to the hospital. I honestly felt elated!

3:00PM: Arrived at the hospital and got checked in. They put me on a monitor and did a check. I was now 1.5 cm dilated. Good - at least some progress in the last 4-5 hours, but slow going. The nurse could tell I was very uncomfortable and she guessed I would be admitted and sent to labor and delivery shortly. I was having a lot of pain with each contraction, still coming about 2 minutes apart. I was feeling it mostly in my back and down my thighs (sciatic nerve perhaps?). They wanted me to try to walk around, but I just couldn't with the thigh pain being so intense. I did sit up as much as possible though.

5:00PM: I think around this time (times from this point on become a bit of a

blur) we got moved to the labor and delivery room. My mom was on her way and my friend Sonja dropped by to see me as well. It was nice to have a little distraction between contractions, which continued to be close together and very painful in my hips and thighs.

Since my contractions had started 10 hours ago, and at last check I was only about 2cm dilated, I was beginning to get very concerned about my ability to handle labor long term without an epidural. I was never against an epidural, but I had initially hoped to wait until I was about 5cm. But at this point, with the slowness of the progression, that would be around midnight at the earliest - meaning I'd have had contractions about 2 minutes apart for 18 hours. I wanted to get to at least 3 cm, so I waited a little longer and got a shot to assist with some pain relief. The shot really didn't help do anything much but relax me a little more in between contractions.

6:30ish? Mom arrives. David I think was the most happy to see her...Sonja as well (Sonja told me after the fact that she felt like if my mom hadn't come she would have had to stay to assist David, who was having a hard time watching me in pain and not being able to do anything about it.)

8ish? I was at 3cm at this point and the doctor and everyone agreed the best course was the epidural. Otherwise I was going to wear myself out. The anesthesiologist was contacted, but the nurse told us that an emergency

pregnancy situation had just come in and therefore there would be a delay.

9ish? No anesthesiologist yet. The nurse asked if I would like another shot while we were waiting. Those of you who know me well know I HATE needles, but at this point, I would have taken 100 shots. I was really struggling through contractions...the thigh pain was beyond intense and nothing seemed to work - no position, no breathing pattern, nothing. But I continued to breathe well through them as much as possible.

10-11ish? Finally, the anesthesiologist got to me!! I've never been more excited to see a man with a large needle in my life. I had no issue with the epidural at all...no fear...no pain during it's administration. In a couple minutes I could tell it was working. Pain level was now at 0, when it had been about an 8. Whew, now I could rest. I tried to get some sleep, as did my mom and David. I honestly think the epidural meant as much to them (and their hands that I had been squeezing the life out of) as it did to me!

Wednesday, January 19th

Middle of the night - I have no idea what time it was but at some point I awoke and realized I was feeling a little bit of thigh pain again. By the time I got the nurse and told her, the contractions had come back full force. I don't know why, but somehow I missed the part where epidurals wear off and they need to come in and re-dose. The anesthesiologist was called again, and luckily it was only around 10-15 minutes before he got in.

Wee morning hours - Here we go again...epidural was wearing off. I had to get through some intense contractions and then the doctor came in to re-dose me. I did have a panic attack shortly after this re-dose, however. After the first two doses, I could still feel my legs and have some control over them. But after this third dose, I went to roll on my side and realized I couldn't control my legs at all. Something about that just really bothered me and I started to get upset. My mom tried to talk me down and David went to get the nurse and between the two of them, I luckily got myself together. I think the emotion of the last 24 hours of labor was just really starting to get to me.

Around 7am? - I think it was around this time that the doctor came and checked me and said I was about 9cm. They broke my water at this point and said it shouldn't be long until we'd be pushing. I continued to try to rest.

9am? Dr. Bernstein (one of my favorite doctors from the practice - yay!) arrived and the baby was at +1 position. It was time to push. Part of me was excited, but the other was so nervous. I was so so tired and worried that I couldn't do it. They say first time moms sometimes have to push for 2 hours or more and I just didn't think I had that in me. I was even more nervous as I started because I could tell the nurse wasn't happy with my pushing initially. It didn't help that at about this time, once again, the epidural wore off. But then again, it may have helped after all, because I started to really push and only about 20 minutes from the start, the nurse called the doctor saying I was close.

My mindset at the time was one of disbelief. I was still almost in a panic because I just wasn't believing I was close. It was going to be another hour, I just knew it - no matter what they said.

9:37am - But, all of a sudden, there he was - a healthy baby boy - 8.46lbs, 21.5 inches long. (The nurse told me afterward that I was one of the best pushers...who knew!!)

David started crying (I don't think I had any tears left) and they laid him on my chest. I was so happy to see him - he was perfect! Hallelujah! It was over. I was so so tired from the past 28 hours. I just remember asking everyone if he was okay and seeing David hold him and bathe him. His APGAR scores were great...9 and 9.5 and he was so darn cute.

Despite a long long labor, it was a very healthy labor. I didn't have any interventions like Pitocin and there was never a time when the baby was stressed. While I would wish for a shorter labor next time, I certainly can't complain since there were absolutely no complications whatsoever.

Jackson is doing great. When we brought him home he was a bit jaundiced, but he's fine now... eating well, sleeping pretty well too. Mom is getting some rest and enjoying being home with her little man. Dad is over the moon and so so helpful with everything. The puppies are doing wonderful with him as well. They just want to lick him and be near him. We couldn't ask for more! David and I feel so blessed to have this beautiful gift from God - our firstborn son.

Fetching Gone Wrong

Our dogs are pretty smart...well, most of the time. David likes to throw the ball with Marty a lot, and he typically brings it back. But as soon as you pull out the camera, he seems to loose all intelligence. Enjoy these videos.

A Truly New Year

Isaiah 42:9 "See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare..."

God has definitely declared "new things" for David and I this New Year. We are about 3 days, give or take, from becoming new parents. And we're also dealing with the newness of my not working. Two huge life transitions!

It became clear to me this Fall that the Lord was leading me to leave my job at the church. It was a difficult decision and one that David and I spent a great deal of time praying about. But we thank God for the clarity and peace He has given both of us about our path moving forward.

It is a bit strange to not be working...well, outside the home that is. Raising a child is definitely going to be WORK!!! But it's also wonderful that I can spend time with my son in the most precious time of his life. Not to mention the dogs will be ecstatic as well when I don't leave each day.

My not working will present some challenges. For one, our income obviously has decreased, which means making some changes in the way we live and spend money. But David and I both are Dave Ramsey people, so we're already ahead in terms of working on our budget, our savings, etc. (P.S. First Baptist Rockville has a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Class going on now if anyone is interested...it's awesome!)

Also, David works from home most days. While this will be nice, it will probably be a bit difficult for him to concentrate with a crying baby at home. He'll probably need to get out of the house and go work somewhere else with internet access at times. And I will need to make sure I don't bother him too much just because he's here. On the other hand, I think David's excited about my having more time (eventually anyway) to cook! And I'm comforted by the fact I won't be here all alone with a newborn.

I'm not sure what our long-term plan is with regards to my returning to work. I'll be using this time to seek God's will. One thing I am looking into is church consulting. God has given me a passion and gifting for working with churches, helping them see breakdowns and develop systems and structures. So, I once I get Jackson on a decent schedule, I will be working on becoming a certified church consultant with the "Society for Church Consulting". I'm not sure if God will open the door for this, but I do know that just reading the articles and books from this organization, I get excited and feel like I could read about it all day...and I'm not even a big reader! We'll see where God leads!

The second huge transition is that we are about to become parents!! I have to say that it is still surreal to us, even three days out from the due date. Our feelings about everything range from uber excited to crazy nervous, thinking "aren't you supposed to be licensed for this?" Most days though, I just can't wait to meet him. I find myself wondering more now what he'll look like. Will he look more like me, or more like his daddy? Only a short time before we find out.

In the meantime I'm just keeping busy. Running errands, cleaning up, cooking, visiting with friends, messing around with my playlists on iTunes, etc. I've been feeling pretty good here at the end of the pregnancy. No Braxton Hicks contractions, no major aches or pains, and I'm even eating and sleeping okay. Better enjoy that while it lasts!

So, 2011 is going to be an exciting time for the Folkerts! We're looking forward expectantly to all the changes, knowing that God is faithful! New things have been declared!!