All three of us have been sick... it started with my husband last week and finally got to Oliver and I this week Tuesday. I figured this is a very appropriate topic since we are dealing with these issues at the moment.
Until you have a baby you probably don't pay much attention to snot unless you have allergies or frequent colds. This post is covering both scenarios (babies and adults).
Towards the end of my pregnancy I had the misfortune of having a really bad cold and flu, back to back. The crappiest part about it was not being able to take anything that could knock you on your ass to sleep. My mid wife turned me to many homeopathic and natural remedies that got me through and also got me thinking about never using some of those poisonous typical medications out there (like NyQuil to name a popular one). However my issue with being sick typically has always been the runny nose and not being able to breathe well at night because of it...so a friend of mine suggested using the Neti Pot? She described it to me as a little teapot with a tip that looks like a penis, that you put in your nose and flush it out. Not being one for putting things up my nose (especially something shaped like a penis..lol) and nasal sprays freaking me out, I had no intention of trying this Neti Pot thing...but one night out of desperation I sent my husband to Walgreens to get me this contraption. I must of watched 20 video demonstrations on Youtube that night before I got up the courage to try this thing. Once I did it I was amazed at how much snot came out...SO MUCH and I could breathe clearly. The new question was, why didn't I know about this sooner? In case you don't have a clue what a Neti Pot is, here is a video. It is an ancient Indian technique practiced all over the world! There is a lot of interesting history behind this technique...
The Neti Pot!
There are many styles out there.
The Snotsucker that Sucks
because it DOES NOT suck! (You got that?)
Ok so now let us fast forward to having Oliver. Now my mindset is geared towards "baby". Babies will eventually have snot issues and they can't blow thier nose or use the Neti Pot until much older. So, what the heck are you suppose to do for them? Well in every Baby Medical Kit they give you these "bulb nasal syringes" which couldn't suck out snot if your life dependent on it. They are useless! You might as well use them as bath toys or baste a chicken with them. Ok so if those don't work, what are you to do? Well...
You use the most awesome invention of all time "Nosefrida the Snotsucker"! This handy dandy little device is like a snot vacuum that you control with the sucking power from your mouth! Here is the company's overview (I think it is cute):
The Snotsucker that actually SUCKS SNOT!
It’s smart.
It’s Swedish.
It’s maybe a little strange.
It’s doctor invented & recommended.
It’s 100% hygienic due to the included filters (4).
I have had to use this a few times already, and all I have to say is that it is a great invention that works flawlessly every time.
All I have to do is put some saline in the baby's nose and then suck out everything with the Nosefrida. It is fool proof. However poor Oliver does not like the saline or the sucking for that matter and cries through the whole procedure. So I try to use it sparingly when really necessary. Also as a word of advice, wash after every use immediately! If you fail to do so the snot is difficult to get out of the tube. So here is their official video!
So even before I had Oliver I knew I wanted to cloth diaper. Why??? Well these are my top 6 reasons...
(1) Disposable diapers are full of chemicals that are on your babies genitals 24/7. I don't want chemicals near my genitals and sure don't want them on my baby's.
(2) I hate making so much waste! I compost and recycle... Our weekly ratio is about 1 garbage bag: 3-4 recycle bags: 2 compost buckets per week... so seeing all the waste disposables make kills me inside. (The Environmental Protection Agency reports that about 20 billion disposable diapers are dumped in landfills each year, accounting for more than 3.5 million tons of waste.)
(3) I hate wasting money. Constantly buying diapers to fill with poop and pee made no sense... it was like flushing money down the toilet and since I am not working to be at home, I can not afford to do that.
(4) I had many poop blow outs and leaks with disposable regardless of size and brand. So really how much worst could cloth be?
(5) My baby kept having diaper rash...and I really believe that the disposables were the culprit.
(6) I really wanted to try to do Elimination Communication with my baby and cloth diapers are easier to put on and off. (We haven't given up completely but it has been challenging...)
Oliver in disposables!
When I told people this, most gave me negativity about it saying things like "Oh just wait, you say that now...". However I really wanted to at least try. Well since I got a ton of disposable diapers at my baby shower...and not being big on returning things I decided to start off with those. I did buy a starter kit of cloth diapers from Baby's R Us since I had many gift cards from there. [As a side note, can I say I don't really care for Baby Depot stores. After Oliver was born I realized most of the things I needed or wanted weren't offered at those type of stores. Lesson learned! ] So back to the diapering... I bought a starter kit of G-Diapers because once again these baby depot stores don't have much to offer in way of natural parenting.
Oliver in the G-Diaper (Small Size).
Oliver in the G-Diaper (Newborn Size).
So I used disposable diapers until I ran out of new born size ones which was around a month... and started using the G-Diapers. I loved using the newborn size model they had. I had great success but the problem I was having is I didn't have enough. The kit only gives you 12 and when you don't have a washing machine at home you find yourself without diapers. So I did some disposable and some cloth. Since the G-Diapers are quite pricey and you constantly have to buy new sizes I didn't want to purchase any more since he was going to be needing the next size soon. The kit also contained 6 small sized diapers which I switched to around month 2. Once again I didn't have enough and they constantly leaked all the time! NO matter what I did. So I actually gave up on the idea of cloth diapering...because I knew very little about it and didn't research into it at that point.
Then a friend of mine recommended a cloth diaper company called Comfy Rumps. She told me they are one size adjustable (so no need to buy different sizes), they don't leak, and they are affordable. She had me at "Hello"... lol. So I went home and went to their website (http://comfyrumps1.mybigcommerce.com/) and saw that they were affordable compared to the G-Diapers and other cloth diapers on the market... cloth diapers typically are between $15-20 per diaper and that's a lot. I read tons of reviews and watched a bunch of 'Youtube product reviews on them. Reading mainly everything positive about the product, I bought a set. I was able to get a package of 25 diapers which included inserts (G-Diapers did not), extra inserts, and two wet bags (one for the hamper and one for traveling) for around $250. Sounds like a lot but it really isn't considering you never have to purchase another diaper again! So on Oliver's 3 month birthday they arrived at our door! I was ecstatic!
Did I mention how frigging cute cloth diapers are.. we have a ton of colors and prints! So I have 25 diapers and we roughly go through 5-7 per day, so I find myself washing diapers every 3 days. I wash them by hand and to be honest I actually enjoy doing it... it is kind of therapeutic. Since Oliver is exclusively breastfed his poop doesn't smell bad at all, I prefer that smell over the urine smell to be quite honest. I have a method of pre-soaking in baking soda and/or soda ash. Then I wash them in an organic detergent, rinse, and hang to dry. If I can do this then someone with a washing machine should be able to without a problem. Another amazing factor is the line drying... many people do not know this but the Sun is a natural bleacher... all the yellow stains magically disappear before your eyes in the Sun. My husband even helps out washing the diapers by hand, because he is such a great daddy!
So we are almost at 6 months old and we have not used a single disposable or even felt the need to have them as back-up. The diaper rash cleared up immediately (we don't even have diaper rash cream at home). One of the biggest benefits is that Oliver never looked cuter with all his adorable diapers! We do have a few small urine leaks when I push the envelope of a double stuffed all nighter diaper (12 hours) but nothing like the disposable diaper leaks. I also have yet to have a poop blow out or up the back blow out with the cloth diapers, even though there is much more poop these days. I had quite a few "Up the Onsie" and "Down the Leg" blowouts with the disposable. I will never go back to disposables!
So is there any downfall to cloth diapers? Well one thing is that since this is a one size adjustable diaper, they tend to look very bulky on newborns to 3 months. So a lot of the cute outfits that you get will not fit. Unless you invest in smaller sized cloth diapers as well. Another issue some parents have is having to carry around soiled diapers when on the road. Well that is what wet bags are for and to this day I have yet to have to carry a really bad soiled diaper. My little one usually doesn't poop when we are out and about, but if he did I don't see the issue of putting it in the wet bag. Another one I hear is that cloth diapering is labor intensive... well anything you do for your child is labor intensive, however the labor you do for your child's well-being should be considered a labor of love and not an inconvenience. To me this has been one of the best choices we have made for our little guy. Who said washing diapers is hard? and I am doing them by hand...
While I was pregnant with Oliver my husband and I decided that the baby would NOT sleep in the bed with us. We purchase a nice co-sleeper/bassinet to put in our room instead, because we wanted him close but not as "in our bed" close...lol. The reason behind our decision at that time was purely on what was ingrained in us from others (without doing our own research) and also based on horror stories we heard about kids sleeping with their parents until really late in life...and we didn't want our baby to be in our bed until middle school or even elementary school for that matter.
So the story goes...I delivered Oliver at 10pm on a Saturday night and since we gave birth at a birth center we were sent home 4 hours later so around 2-3 am. My wonderful mid wife kept insisting that the baby should be sleeping in the bed with us...and surely enough when we got home he did go straight into the bed with us. It was the most natural thing for me to do being exhausted and all, and he hasn't left yet (now at almost 6 months). Both my husband and I saw the need and the convenience of having him with us in the bed.
Me and Oliver during his first week at home!
People's first reaction to bed sharing is... OMG that is so dangerous (as if we plan on killing our child or if we came from another planet...). Well in case you didn't know bed sharing is a very very very old practice used around the world. It is extremely common in Europe and other parts of the world, and is popular in the US as well but kept a secret. My mother bed shared with my brother and I and I am grateful for it today.
Obviously the first month sleeping with Oliver in our bed was a readjustment phase. Since he is our first we were learning from scratch. I tried using the Snuggle Nest and that didn't last too long.. Then I found myself up with the breast feeding pillow every 2 hours feeding him and not getting much consistent sleep myself. Then I heard my friend Zura say that she feeds her little one on her side laying down and just lifts her shirt up... and it couldn't have made more sense in my head. So I tried it! I laid the baby by my side like always and when it was time to eat I just exposed my breast for him and voila... no crying in transition and not having to get up physically... it was perfect. Almost too good to be true! So by almost 2 months old Oliver was sleeping through the night by my standards. My standards are not very high compared to most...lol
Happy Mornings, every morning!
So here is how our beautiful nights play out... I bathe Oliver around 9 then after the bath I massage him. Around 10 I lay down in the bed to nurse him. After he is passed out I leave him there so I can have some ME time. Then 2-4 hours later he makes a little cry for me to come back and I nurse him again. At this point I either stay for the night with him or get back up to finish what I was doing. Then through the night since he is right next to me I can feel when he starts to move around and I nurse him (this is usually done subconsciousness nowadays). I could not even tell you how many times he nurses through the night because honestly I do not know...because I am usually asleep. Most of the time he helps himself to an all you can eat buffet. Then he usually wakes up any where from 8-10 in the mornings (use to be around 11-12 from months 2-4). When he wakes up he does so with a smile and now begins to talk softly (blabbering). So he goes down peacefully and wakes up peacefully. He does not cry at all through the night, not a sound out of his mouth. This is great for my husband because he get s a full nights sleep every night and so do I for that matter. I have not felt tired nor sleep deprived after this arrangement fell into place.
I was not afraid as most people are. I have never had a fear of rolling over my baby EVER. The thought never even passed through my mind. He was in my belly for 9 months and I never rolled on him then why would things change from one day to the next just because he was on the outside now??? We have plenty of pillows, a sheet and a blanket in the bed and I never had a fear of him suffocating because he was right next to me the whole time. It is very natural to sleep with your baby! Actually I caught a fever I probably wouldn't of have because of him next to me. I can also feel his breathing and know everything is okay.
However, there are some negative aspects of bed sharing (which don't bother me at all). Obviously you will get the occasional pee puddle in your bed, no biggy. Haven't have a poop stain yet! In the beginning I had puddles of breast milk everywhere that get crusty, so you have to change the sheets more frequently, but that doesn't happen anymore. You obviously have less space in bed, but I am cool with that. As far as intimacy... I love what another blogger wrote on the matter "If the bed is the only place that you do it, you have a really boring life.. get creative".
If you are still not convinced about bed sharing think about this for a moment. We love our husbands so much and love having them in the bed for our security and warmth. If you ever had to experience your husband being away for even one night, how did that make you feel? For me it is lonely, sad, and afraid. Now imagine your baby, new to this world... they lived inside of you for 9 months. What kind of a transition is it for that baby not to hear your heart beat and breath or feel your warmth when you separate them from you cold turkey. The thought of that alone is so sad to me. This poor baby has instincts to be close to momma and momma puts them in a cold bed to be by themselves...
So how long will Oliver be in our bed... who knows! These types of changes should take place naturally and not forced in my opinion just like weaning a child off the breast. Also each child is different! I heard of children who do not want to be in their parents bed from a few months old... and others stay longer than welcomed...lol
Daddy and Oliver first week at home!
Passed Out!
Sleeping Beauty!
Stretching....so cute!
Passed out before I could dress him!
This is a hard life...
Happy mornings!
Good Morning Sexy !
We have been napping on sheep skin!
Bonding with Daddy!
Bonding with Momma, and enjoying breakfast in bed!
Beltway Babywearers: Wearing a Newborn: When T and I went to our Bradley classes for Devon, as soon as we heard about babywearing, we knew we wanted to do it. Especially when abou...
Well actually we were wrapping in the rain but slinging was a better fit for the title :).
Just want to add some more benefits of wearing your baby. Today has been a non stop rainy and dark day so it was a stay indoors type of day. Baby Oliver was getting cranky, don't know if it is because of teething, maybe has daddy's cold, or was just bored to death... so I decided to take him out doors. Since the rain wasn't very strong I wrapped him up, took an umbrella, and around the blocks we went. He was so peaceful and happy to be outdoors regardless of the rain. I couldn't have done this with a stroller... it is just more natural for me to wear him, and he loves it too. Also the wrap turned my pajama/night gown into a dress, hid the fact I wasn't wearing a bra and also protected the baby from mosquitoes (notice I tucked his feet into the wrap). Also, if wrapped correctly with good wrap, it is extremely comfortable to wear your baby.
I am using a homemade cotton gauze wrap which is ideal for Florida because it is so HOT. There are many options out there for materials for wraps... not all are created equal!
That's our new $2.99 Ikea Umbrella.
Another awesome benefit of baby wearing is that you can breastfeed your baby in the wrap... this is great on many occasions. Here are some pictures of how this is done. Obviously baby has to be nice and high on your chest and have easy access to his milk supply.
Oliver got hungry from the walk!
He is getting sleepy....
He is OUT! Within minutes!
Feeding with no hands. I was able to take these pictures myself!
When in public you can raise the wrap up to cover the back of baby's
head for more privacy or even wear a jacket as well.
It has been such a crappy day and my hubby is feeling crappy so I will leave you with some cute baby pictures to make it better!
Playing soccer indoors with my 1st soccer ball
given to me by my uncle Carlos!
A little over two years ago after dreadfully dealing with infertility specialists and beginning to have small bouts of depression, God stirred me into the direction of diet and exercise... After doing tons of research about women's hormones and diets, I decided to go organic with all my meats, dairy and grains.and I gave up all processed foods. Also along the way of research I added the Blood Type Diet (I am B+) and decided to stick to "Kosher Meats" (no pork, shellfish...). I also got rid of any products (from shampoo to mascara and everything in between) that contain parabens and other toxic chemicals these companies are trying to kill us with...
So now that I changed my diet... what to do for exercise... I have been practically an active coach potato for 2 years (my lifestyle was active compared to most people but inactive to my standards). So how did we decide on Crossfit? Well we use to take our laundry to a laundry mat not too far from our home and every time we went we drove by a gym that had "Crossfit" written on it in big lettering. My husband noticed it and began to research what it was about. He kept telling me that is was the type of work outs that the guys from the movie 300 did to get into shape for the movie...yeah that is real motivating for a woman (not). So he went, came back dead three days in a row.. the first day he was comatose in a tub of ice and told me I should definitely go... I looked at him and said, nah it's okay. Well 2 weeks later I did go... the first day was a disaster, I puked while working out for the first time ever...It was a real kick in the ass, a real reality check and it felt GOOD. So we signed up and started Crossfitting at Crossfit ATP in Dania Beach, FL.
BEFORE...
Now bitten by the Crossfit bug I started to get better, faster and stronger... it is a great feeling when you conquer things you never imagined possible for you to do (like push ups, pull ups, rope climbs, wall jumps, lifting heavy weights...) , so sweet! It was also the first time I would get anxious and excited before working out ever... working out use to be boring and so repetitive with not much gain. So a little less than 6 months and I was in my first Crossfit competition (The Broward Affiliate Cup). Not knowing what to expect it was so fun because Crossfit is not only about working out it is about relationships and camaraderie...we have made so many friends by joining Crossfit, that is it like being adopted by a new family in a way.
Coach Juan Bacca doing his thing :)
Getting Ready to start!
Our Team Crossfit ATP
Jeremiah (my team mate) and I passed out after the workout!
So after completing my first competition I got even more inspired to train harder...and my husband and I did another competition (Partner Pandemonium) 6 months later.
The Girls!
Hubby and I
The Team - Crossfit ATP
Partner Burpees
65# Thrusters
Well at the turn of my one year anniversary at Crossfit I was very happy with my gains...
12 kg (each) Kettlebells
Virtual Shoveling
Swing the Kettles at the Beach WOD
Strict Pull Up like a Boss..lol
DURING...
And then I got pregnant (the details on how that happened will come in another post, in regards to the infertility...). I was not going to quit Crossfit, oh no. I planned on sticking through it until I popped. Doing Crossfit while pregnant is possible and very beneficial for your pregnancy and deliver (However if you had never done Crossfit in your life, being pregnant is NOT the time to start!). In order to do so you need to really trust as well as listen to your body and get advice from others who managed to do it. There is a great site call crossfitmom.com and you can read just about anything from modifications for certain workouts to nutrition and more. The crazy thing is I was able to keep up in most classes, even though I was out of breath quicker. I obviously had to modify a lot especially towards the end. Here are some of the modifications I had to do along the way:
- I stopped running and rowed instead. (I never liked running in the first place and I would get really bad round ligament pains from doing it if I tried while pregnant.)
- I stopped squatting past 90 degrees. (Your body releases a ligament relaxant hormone so that your body can stretch for the baby..so it is not safe to push your ligaments during pregnancy.)
- I stopped hand stand push ups, rope climbs and wall jumps. ( better safe than sorry... even though there are woman who do them through their pregnancy.)
- I stopped burpees, and switch to pregnant burpees.
- No more sit ups... I did do toes to bar pretty far along....
- Went down in weights overall.
- Step onto the box instead of actual box jumps.
- Went from double unders to singles and then stopped jump roping altogether towards the end.
4 months pregnant
still doing pull ups and chest to bar!
Post Work Out.. catching my breath!
I did not Crossfit all the way through pregnancy as I would have like to. I stopped at month 8. The reason I stopped was because I had a really bad Flu and a baby shower to plan during month 9, so I just decided it was time to stop. That was a difficult decision to make, but it had to be done. Here is video of my pull ups at 8 months pregnant.
AFTER...
So after delivering my precious baby Oliver, I was grateful to Crossfit for my body not getting to out of shape through the pregnancy. I did not have a six pack the day after or do I have one now 5 months after... but I am much better off compared to other mothers who did not. I had a great pregnancy, no vomiting or nausea and I didn't swell at all until 4 weeks before I gave birth (and I also wasn't working out either). I was surprised to see how fast my body healed and bounced back after my birth. I was blessed to have had an all natural birth at a birth center with a marvelous mid-wife (this will be another post...). I started back at crossfit 3 months after the birth (just to be on the safe side and because I was being a little lazy). IT WAS SO HARD! It felt as if I started back from scratch...but now I am getting back on track. Oliver comes to the gym with my husband and I. We do back to back classes and we switch off. Oliver loves it there and he is blessed to have so many nice people around him. I think we actually created a Future Crossfit Monster.... hahahaha
