Were they all planned?

I am expecting my 6th baby.  Compared to the rest of America, that's more than will fit in your car (plus 2 parents)! However, in my kids' world, our oldest son once told me we had a small family- compared to the rest of the families in our home school group. 

I have been asked many times if we "planned" our babies, and how many more do we "plan to have".  It used to be that I never knew how to answer such personal questions, especially when they came from people I hardly knew.  But God has planned my family.  He knew each of my children even before they were knit together within my womb.  So, the answer is YES, each of my children were planned.  Each one was planned by our loving Creator and given as a gift to my husband and I.  Have I been surprised by God's plan, at times, yes, but God's plan has always surpassed my own expectations.

We cannot wait to meet our 6th baby and see what God's plan is for this little soul!

Cloth Diaper Wipe Solution

I haven't posted about cloth diapers in quite some time. 

I have changed my preferences a bit since I first started out.  I now prefer diaper covers with an insert that I can change throughout the day.  I used to prefer pocket diapers.  At that time I thought it was too complicated to have separate covers and inserts, I wanted simplicity so the pocket diaper was simple.  Now, that I have been cloth diapering for a number of years, I like the covers because I only need 1 or 2 covers per day.  I just change out the insert when wet or soiled.

I have also changed the way I make my cloth wipes.  This is my current recipe (subject to change without notice!):
-2 cups water
-1 Tbsp liquid castile soap
-1 Tbsp olive oil or grape seed oil
-10 drops tea tree essential oil
-10 drops peppermint essential oil

I mix it all up in a squirt bottle and keep a stack of dry cloths on my changing table.

Happy diapering :)

Yet another response to BMJ article on early feeding of infants

http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/unicef_uk_response_to_BMJ_article_140111.pdf

Sleep

The other night as my husband and I were getting ready for bed, our dog, Trey, who was in his kennel, started barking. We thought this was unusual because he had just gone out to potty and he is used to sleeping in there.  Jokingly, I told my husband, we should just let him "bark it out" tonight.  Of course, we went to check on him and let him out of his kennel, and he came upstairs and got in bed with us (being a small dog, he easily fits at the foot of the bed).

After I made the joke about letting him cry bark it out, I started thinking about the way we treat our babies.  I wouldn't keep my dog locked in his kennel barking, even though I knew he was fed and had just gone potty, why would I ever keep my baby locked in his crib crying? (Ever notice how much cribs look like cages?)

Yet, I hear parents, frequently talking about how their babies eventually learned to sleep after they were left to cry it out in their cribs.  How much more do we love our children than our pets?  It was unthinkable to me to leave my dog in his cage barking, even if for purely selfish reasons-that I wanted to get some rest and not listen to him barking.  How many parents who have listened to their child cry, have been able to rest themselves?

I have tried to let my babies cry while I waited outside the room.  I felt terrible.  I wasn't at peace, and everything inside of me was also crying, "Go pick him up and hold him!"  It wasn't a quiet voice inside of me, but my instinct, my intuition was shouting at me, that this was not right.

And so, as I reflect on my apparently, lonely dog, and about to give birth to my 4th baby, I think back to those early days with my other children.  Granted, I have my share of some sleepless nights, but overall the majority of our nights were very calm and peaceful.  When my baby woke, I also woke to sounds of movement, thumb sucking and lip smacking, not crying.  My babies didn't need to cry to wake me, for they were sleeping right next to me.  Usually, all I had to do  was roll over and start nursing, before drifting back to sleep.  My husband and my dog slept through the whole exchange.  In the morning, was I always ready to jump up and start my day?  No, but I wasn't sleep deprived, I was ready to face another challenging day as a mommy.

Obesity, even in the very young

This is very disturbing, that even babies are considered overweight and even obese.

http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/01/03/baby-obesity-epidemic/

Bilirubin

Very interesting article on jaundice and bilirubin in the newborn.

http://drjaygordon.com/pediatricks/newborns/bilirubin.html

Do you really need all that stuff?

You're expecting a baby. There is so much excitement at this time of your life. You are preparing for your labor and birth as well as for life with a baby. Maybe you are planning a baby shower or registering for baby items. But do you really need all that stuff at the baby store? They will most likely provide you with a list of things you "need" for your new baby.

Now that I have 3 children, I've learned a lot about taking care of babies and all that stuff from the registries and stores.

Needs:

• sling, wrap or other carrier-great ways to carry your baby so that you don't need to spend money on swings, bouncy seats etc. Also baby can easily nurse in a sling or wrap while Mom is on the go!
  
• nursing tank tops-I love these because you can wear them under any shirt and easily nurse without having to buy new "nursing shirts"
  
• cloth diapers-try cloth, you will save $$
  
• bed side rail or co-sleeper-it's easier to nurse frequently at night if you baby is close by either in your bed or in a co-sleeper of bassinet.
  
• breast pump (if working outside the home)
• diaper bag-or large purse that you can put some diapers and a change of clothes in
  

Waste of Money:

• changing table-I have my cloth diapers in a basket that sits on the floor and now that I have older children I spend a lot of time sitting on the floor with them anyway, so why not get down on their level to change diapers too. It's good exercise!
  
• crib-we've hardly used ours, all 3 of our babies have slept in bed with my husband and I, and have only used the crib for a few months before we tranistioned them to a big bed
  
• wipe wamer-not a necessity
  
• high chair-I personally think the seat that can sit on a regular dining room chair takes up less space than a high chair
• pacifiers-let you baby nurse on demand and for as long as he or she needs for comfort. You will have a great milk supply and this will also delay the return of your menstrual cycles.
• special hooded towels and wash cloths-they're pretty cute, but really a regular towel and wash cloth will do the trick just as well.
• expensive baby monitor with video and room temperature ect.-as above, if your baby is sleeping in the same room with you, as recommended by the AAP, this is unnecessary.

*These are my personal opinions based on an attachment style of parenting. Every family is different and will have differnent syles of parenting. Use common sense when shopping at the baby superstores and remember that you don't reallly NEED everything on the list they will give you!