Infant-Related Must-Haves

Hello!

So I want to share my very favorite baby-related items, in no particular order. Some are practical and some are silly. Enjoy!

p.s. I wanted everyone to have easy access to everything I mentioned so this post is chock-full of links. 

Rock n’ Play

why is this sideways? I don't know how to fix it. Oh well, Ramona's right-side up.

Ramona is just about outgrowing this now but for the first four months it was fantastic. She could nap in it during the day and it was somewhere for her to sit and watch me do the dishes or some other chore and every once in awhile she’ll sleep in it at night. It outs her feet up a little, so if she has a toy in her lap she can reach it, which has been really helpful. The whole cover is washable in case of spit-ups or diaper leaks. And it’s super portable, so we would take it to the grandparent’s house for naptime and such.

Elf Hat

She actually looks like she's trying to take off her hat here, maybe this picture wasn't the best choice. 

Ramona wore her elf hat the first day home from the hospital. I really like it. It’s a perfect medium temperature hat, it fits her well, and it’s super, super cute. I like a lot of babysoy products, they’re really simple and not too cutesy.

Thirsties Diaper Covers

I think I’ve said plenty on thirsties diaper covers in my previous cloth diaper related posts. They are my favorite.

Life Is Good socks

truck socks!

These were the only socks we owned that would stay on Ramona’s feet. They are really thick and high enough to not come off easily. These were actually the first thing I purchased when I found out I was pregnant.

My Evenflo Stroller

Ramona in her car seat with her baby friend Jolene

the stroller (without the car seat in it)

I love my stroller! It’s a travel system, so I love my carseat as well.

Best Things About It:

-It has lots of storage room underneath; I can easily fit the diaper bag and another bag and a toy for Ramona and a water bottle for me.

-It has a wicked turning radius; I can easily turn around in elevators so I don’t have to back out.

-The handles are padded and comfortable.

-It’s light for a travel system

-It’s very easy to fold and unfold, and it’s very easy to take the car seat in and out of the car, even with a sleeping baby in it.

Ring Sling

Ramona all slung up

My maya ring sling was a hand-me-down and it has been excellent. When Ramona was a (younger) newborn, she would always sleep in it, and I could easily walk around and do chores at home or go out and do errands. Now that she’s a little older she loves to people watch when I’m downtown or just to be held close to me instead of put down when I’m at home. She has just started holding her head up enough for me to wear her facing out or wear her on my hip, so this opens up a lot more possibilities.

As a side note, she has never liked getting in or out of the sling, it takes her a few minutes to get used to it, so don’t give up if your baby cries when you first try it. Walk around a bit and see if they’re calmed by that feeling (it’s soothing because it’s similar to being in your uterus).

Moon Pillow

I just got my moon nursing pillow, but I’m really excited about it. It’s very similar to a boppy, but personally I like it better. (Off topic, grammar check wants me to change “moon nursing pillow” to “moon-nursing pillow”, grammar check thinks I’m nursing the moon.) It’s main use is as a pillow to hold Ramona higher while she breastfeeds, because otherwise I’m holding her there, which gets tiring, or I’m bending over for the whole feeding, which is hard on my back.

But other than that I can use it to prop her into a sitting position, or to support her back while she’s sidelong nursing, or as a prop pillow for tummy time. Multiple uses! Hooray!

Crinkle Cat

I cannot for the life of me find this toy on the internet. Oh well, it looks like this:

Crinkle cat was Ramona's first favorite toy. Babies LOVE the crinkly sound of plastic so some toy companies have ingeniously incorporated it into their products. Crinkle Cat has plastic in her feet and tail so she crinkles! We used to just hold her and crinkle her for Ramona to keep her attention focused on something but now that she's grabbing she can use it to entertain herself, which is particularly useful in the car. 

Ramona also likes Crinkle Cat's goofy smile, it was the first inanimate object she smiled at. 

Choosing a Type of Cloth Diaper

Cloth diapers can be kind of overwhelming when you start out. They essentially have a whole vocabulary of their own. The types I’ll cover here are flats, prefolds, fitted diapers, pocket diapers, and all-in-one diapers, and then some accessories like covers, inserts and snappis.  This list is in order from least expensive to most expensive.

It should be noted that I use prefolds and pockets, so those are the kinds I know best.

Ramona in a thirsties cover and green mountain prefold

Flats

Flats are the simplest possible choice, and also the cheapest. All it is is one big flat piece of absorbent cloth. To use it you fold it up and attach it with pins or a snappi (see accessories at the bottom of this post) and then put a waterproof cover over it. The cover is where most of your money will go, and it’s the same cover that will work over a prefold or a fitted diaper.

Pros:

-Cheapest option

-Dries quickly because there’s no extra bulk

-One size fits all

Cons:

-Slightly more work to fold and cover

-Requires two pieces (flat and cover) plus pins or a snappi

-Not quite as absorbent as some of the other options

-Hard to get on a baby that moves a lot

Prefolds

green mountain prefolds

Prefolds are the majority of my stash. In simplest terms they are prefolded flats. They are bulkier but barely need to be folded. They also need a waterproof cover over them.

Pros:

-Still pretty cheap

-Dries quicker than the later options, but not as quick as flats

-Doesn’t necessarily require pins or a snappi (depends on the cover and the fold)

Cons

-Requires two pieces (prefold and cover)

-Has to be changed more often than pockets or all-in-ones because it doesn’t pull the wetness away from Baby’s skin

-Hard to get on a baby that moves a lot

As a subsection of this post I want to quickly cover the three main folds for prefold diapers:

            The Trifold:

            This is just what it wounds like, the diaper is folded into three equal parts, just like a letter, and then the cover is put on top.

            The Bikini Twist:

            This is where the diaper is flat at the back of the cover and then flat at the front, but twists in the middle, making it the bulkiest where absorbency is needed the most. I initially rejected this fold because I thought it sounded like the diaper would be not as wide right in the middle, but that turned out to be incorrect, now it’s my go-to fold.

            Angel Wings:

            This is kind of a combo of the other two; the diaper is flat at the back and then folds into the three panels at the front.

I made this in Paint, I hope it makes sense

Fitted Diapers

duo fab fitted diapers

Fitteds are a kind of shaped version of a prefold. They attach to themselves, but still need a cover because they aren’t waterproof.  They can technically be worn without a cover, since they stay on by themselves, but be warned that pee will soak through them onto the floor/Baby’s clothes/the couch/the car seat etc.

Pros:

-Easier to get a on a squirmy baby

-Has elastic at the thighs to add extra prevention from leakage

-Easy to attach, doesn’t ever require pins or a snappi

Cons:

-Requires two pieces (fitted and cover)

-More expensive than flats or prefolds

Pocket Diapers

Pocket diapers are like the cover you would use with any of the previous options but with another layer of cloth on the inside. This layer is open at one end or both ends and can be stuffed with a prefold, a flat, or an insert (see below).

Pros:

-Can be stuffed ahead of time for easy on, easy off

-Can have a soft material like fleece against Baby’s skin instead of the sometimes-stiff cotton of prefolds and flats

Cons:

- Requires two pieces (pocket diaper and insert of some kind, although sometimes they are sold with an insert included)

-Need a new cover every time (covers for flats, prefolds, and fitteds don’t necessarily need to be washed when Baby only pees)

-More expensive than previous options

All-In-One Diapers

bum genius all-in-one diaper

The most convenient and the most expensive diaper option. The all-in-one is like a bulky disposable diaper. There is no extra work, the diaper comes off, goes in the laundry, and goes right back on the baby, no folding or stuffing.

Pros:

-Most convenient option

-Only one piece needed

Cons:

-Most expensive option

-More diapers needed because the whole thing needs to be changed every time (no covers that can go through a few pee diapers)

-Takes a long time to dry because of the bulk

Snappi

The snappi is a three pronged attachment piece that can be used instead of pointy pins of flats or prefolds. It simply attaches to either side and the between-the-legs bit and you’re ready to go.

Diaper covers

There are a couple of different kinds of diaper covers. There are kinds that attach with Velcro or snaps and there are kinds you just pull up. In my opinion, the only things to make sure your cover has are gussets. There provide extra protection around the legs to prevent leakage. Another thing to keep in mind is that while snaps are slightly harder to attach, babies can sometimes kick out of Velcro and older babies can sometimes just undo it themselves.

Inserts

Pocket diapers can be stuffed with prefolds, flats, or inserts. Inserts sometimes come with the diaper and are just little absorbent pieces of cloth that can go inside a pocket diaper to soak up everything. They can be made out of pretty much any absorbent cloth, and if you’re really handy you can probably just make them yourself.

That’s all I can think of, but if you have any questions I’d be happy to answer them in the comments. 

We Took my Daughter to an Overnight Music Festival

And you can too!

Ramona and her dad

There’s often a lot of conflict between altering your life completely when you have a baby, and keeping your identity. The trick is to find a good balance. How I see it is that you can still do most of the things you did before you were parents, you just have to be safe and plan well.

Spontaneity is rarely an option when you have a young child. You have to account for everything; weather changes, diaper explosions, sudden sickness, and so on. Here’s how we managed to bring our three-month-old to a music festival and camp overnight with her.

We didn’t attempt to pack light. We made sure we had supplies and extra supplies for every possible scenario. We brought about a third of her wardrobe and I don’t think she wore more than two pieces of clothing, but I was glad we were prepared.

We were able to get a spot in Family Camping so that when Ramona woke up in the middle of the night they would (hopefully) be more understanding. We took turns setting up the tent while the other one held her. We had two air mattresses on either side, and our sleeping bags on top of those. Then in the middle we built a little nest for Ramona. We put down two towels and three of her blankets. I built up her bed to the same level as mine so that I could easily sidelong nurse her overnight (which turned out to be quite difficult, but we’ll get there)

We got there around 5pm, so the hottest part of the day was over. (It was actually a three day music festival, but we opted to just stay one night for our first attempt at babycamping) Ramona’s usual bedtime is 8pm, but we didn’t want to settle into the tent then so we strapped her into the front pack and explored the campground for the next couple of hours while she slept.

When we were ready to go to bed we brought her back to the tent. She woke up when we took her out of the front pack and I nursed her to sleep. (One of the things I regret not bringing is a lawn chair or beach chair or something. I would highly recommend some sort of back support like that for nursing moms while camping)

Overnight was a little rough. Ramona’s schedule was the same as it is at home (waking up to eat once at 4:00 and once at 5:30), but sidelong nursing was really difficult while sleeping on the ground, even with the air mattress. Next time I plan to buy one of those much thicker air mattresses, the ones that are about as thick as a regular mattress.

We woke up pretty early the next day because as soon as the sun rose it got very hot in the tent. (My only other regret is camping in the clearing instead of the woods where it would have been nice and shady). 

Morning stretches!

The day was filled with loud music and sunscreen at hot,hot baby wearing. Ramona was mildly fussy in the heat all day but we did our best to keep her cool and in the shade and it never got too bad.

As far as the music goes, they sell wonderful baby earmuffs, but since we didn’t learn about that until after, we mostly just stayed a little further from the stage. Ramona loves music and enjoyed kicking and smiling on a blanket in the grass.

There was a creek by out campsite and we visited it periodically to dip Ramona’s toes in and hang out on the shady edge between the beachy part and the woods.

Overall I’d say our experience was lovely. I would highly recommend trying it, and I would advise bringing lots of sunscreen (for everyone), water (for you), and toys (for baby). And don’t forget that you’re there to enjoy yourselves, if you’re happy, your baby will be happy.

Cloth Diaper Stash

I was pretty fixed on cloth diapering from the beginning. A big pull was that money is tight, and cloth diapers are a cheaper investment overall (some places will tell you they aren’t, and in some circumstances that may be true, but really, on average, cloth diapering is a better investment). We used disposables for the few days in the hospital but I didn’t really like the plastic-y feel or the crinkliness. I’m a fan of the bulky charm of cloth.

Here are the supplies I started with when my daughter was born:

-30 newborn prefolds           

-6 Thirsties diaper covers (4 regular, 2 duo)          

-2 Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers

-regular laundry detergent

-a big ol’ pile of homemade reusable wipes

-a super awesome diaper pail

-some gallon-sized Ziploc bags for wet bags

Now let me break down that list a bit:

-30 newborn prefolds

Green mountain diapers is a fantastic website. It’s jam-packed with helpful info and tips and they sell excellent prefolds. Since we needed the orange-edge newborn size for so little time, we borrowed them from a friend whose baby just outgrew them. Obviously this isn’t an option for everyone, but I would recommend renting or buying second-hand for the newborn size, if not for all sizes.

And as a side note, there is absolutely nothing wrong with second-hand diapers. I know you wouldn’t buy second-hand underwear, but diapers are so expensive that you kind of have to just get over the idea of it. They are perfectly hygienic. If you feel like you need to, wash them more than once. Wash them ten times. But I suppose that wouldn’t really be very environmentally friendly of you.

-6 thirsties diaper covers (4 regular, 2 duo)

To be honest, I settled on thirsties covers because they were cute and the reviews were good. I chose regular because they were cheaper, but we ended up with two second-hand duo covers and recommendation-wise, I would steer you towards that. The duos cover two different sizes of the regulars, and even have a little half-step in between. They are not twice as expensive as the regulars, so by that logic alone they are worth the extra $$. Ramona is around 12 lbs now; she’s been wearing the duos since day 1, and is nowhere near outgrowing them. To be fair, she’s also still in the regular covers as well, but those look like they’ll only last us another week or two.

-2 fuzzi bunz pocket diapers

These had some pros and cons for us. Pocket diapers are easier in general because the prefold goes inside, so putting them on and taking them off is an easier process. But the fuzzi bunz brand doesn’t have any gussets around the legs the way the thirsties covers do, so (at least in my experience) we had a few more blowouts. When Ramona was about a month old we bought one thirsties pocket diaper with an insert, and that was excellent. Best of both worlds.

Another thing about the fuzzibuns is that they are fleece inside. This was great in winter; it seemed so cozy and I would always put her in the pocket diapers for bedtime. When it got hot out, though, her legs and bunz would always be too sweaty when I changed her.

-regular laundry detergent

Not too much to say on this topic. I haven’t tried anything else so I don’t feel like I can compare this at all. It works for us; we’ve never had a reason to switch. The end.

-a big ol’ pile of homemade reusable wipes

Don’t skip this section because you can’t sew. Reusable wipes are the easiest things to make. Ours are made entirely from cut up tee shirts. It’s as simple as that. Step one: cut the tee shirt into rectangles, like 3x4”. Step 2: dip in water and wipe that poop off your baby. Tee shirt material doesn’t unravel so the edges don’t need to be hemmed.  Newborn skin is too sensitive for the alcohol on disposable wipes, so you have to find an alternative in the beginning, in any case. And now that I’ve been using reusable wipes the whole time, I find the scent of alcohol wipes on my baby’s skin kind of unpleasant.

Essentially, it’s silly to use disposable wipes with cloth diapers.

-a super awesome diaper pail

We got this diaper pail as a gift right before Ramona was born. It has been excellent. We keep it in the bathroom by the changing table and the washing machine. Diapers go right in it as soon as she’s changed. We keep a pair of rubber gloves on the side and use them to load diapers from the pail into the washer. It’s pretty straightforward, the pail has a carbon filter that keeps any smell from escaping. It has served us well.

Often people use a liner in the pail, but so far I haven’t seen a reason too. Every once in a while I hose out the pail, but that has only happened once or twice. Poop doesn’t really get on the pail; it’s usually all wrapped up in the diapers.

-some gallon-sized Ziploc bags for wet bags

They sell wetbags, but to me they seem kind of like glorified Ziploc bags, so I use my regular old un-glorified Ziploc bags. We use the kind with the actual zipper lock thing so that there’s little chance of a wetbag explosion in my diaper bag. I think of them as somewhere in between reusable and disposable; I’ll use one for about a month before I throw it away. So we’ve hardly made a dent in the box I bought when Ramona was born. 

This is the first post!

This is my blog!

Hello everyone. I made this blog to share all my routines and systems that keep me sane while I raise my three-month-old daughter, Ramona.

This is Ramona

She has a lot of hair.

I’m hoping that other people may be able to find some use for my advise, or at least find my adventures entertaining. Enjoy!