Hippy Mom Nonsense - Cloth Wipes

I am a hippy mom. I do crazy things to my baby (and force my husband to do them too). I went without drugs for my baby's birth. I refused the hospital eye ointment. I didn't let them clean my baby until I breastfed. I plan to breast feed at least a year. We use a baby wrap. We co-sleep. We use cloth diapers.

Now cloth diapers will get their own 'Hippy Mom' entry but my sister-in-law is going to send me some she's making me so I'll wait until I have more info to give you (also I just started trying wool diapers and want to have more experience with them too).

Having tried it both ways, I cannot imagine consistently using disposable wipes if you use cloth diapers. The few time we've used disposable wipes we've had to root through dirty diapers to remove them before we wash and we've always missed at least one. What a pain! Plus you can't feel all high and mighty about using cloth diapers and saving money and the environment if you're constantly buying and throwing away wipes. It's lame.

So we use cloth wipes. We have a variety. We have some bumgenius bamboo cloth wipes we purchased, we have wipes that are really baby wash clothes (for some reason we got tons of those), we have pieces of 2 cut up flannel shirts. It really doesn't matter.

We use cloth wipes in 2 different ways. In the diaper bag we have dry wipes and a small spray bottle of my wipe solution. In our bedroom we have a wipe warmer filled with wipes and my wipe solution. They're marvelous. Rarely do I need to use more than one (although to be honest the flannel ones are a little thin and before Peanut starts pooping more than breast milk I'll double them up and sew them together so they're a little thicker).

My wipe solution is a very simple one I made up after doing some very basic research.

Wipe Solution:

1 c water

1/4 c liquid aloe vera*

2 T liquid castille soap (I use Dr. Bronner's baby soap)

2 T oil, plant-based but no nuts (I use safflower oil)

2-3 drops essential oil* (I use a lavender/tea tree combo)

*optional

The aloe and essential oil are optional but I like them. This is freakishly cheaper and has nothing in it to irritate my baby's skin. I highly recommend it (plus it's kind of fun to mix it up yourself- you feel so effective and hippy-ish).

Should you be using disposables or just can't bring yourself to switch over to cloth wipes you can still use this solution to save money and be gentle on a sensitive babies bottom. Just buy paper towels (I've heard Viva are the best for this), cut them in half and use the solution the same as I do. You can even skip the spray bottle and pack pre-moistened paper towels in a ziplock in your diaper bag.

Go and be more hippy....

Dear Work,

You told me when we changed my position from part time to full that if we needed to change it back later we could. You lied.

I talked to my supervisor, she talked to her supervisor. I was going to go back to work part time. I went into the 'firm up details' meeting to find out the next supervisor up said full time or nothing. The feeling was 'shut up and be grateful you have a job'.

Guess what???

No job is worth me being away from my Peanut 50 hours a week (working and driving). We'll do what we can to make the money work. I will see my baby grow up. I will be there for all the important milestones. I will NOT spend 80% of my working time working just to pay child care.

Nehemiah 6:3

And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

Happiness is...

going from:

to:

Our heater broke right around the time Peanut was born. We just got a new one. It is the best thing ever!!! I can now move to a different room in the house with Peanut without first taking in the space heater 20 minutes ahead of time. It is also a 95% efficient one so we'll save money on our gas bill AND get a refund on our taxes. So happy!

Dear Peanut,

One day you'll be a teenager and have a strong need to hate me. I submit the following for the view of our friends on the internet to make that hate easier.
You're welcome!

Love,
Mommy

It's a Test

OK so it's been way too long since I've blogged (no internet at home remember...) to actually catch up on everything going on with me, Ox and Peanut. However the birth experience was amazing so I've prepared a short exam to see how well you know what happened...(this picture to help remind you it was all worth it)

1. L has been in early labor (reasonably regular, mild/medium intensity contractions) all day. It is 8pm and she's exhausted. She...

• a. goes to bed immediately


• b. putters around getting things ready for the baby and is in bed by 9ish


• c. decides to make sure she's exhausted (so she can sleep through the contractions when they get worse) and stays up playing games until midnight

2. T/F In triage L is asked not only the same questions she came in weeks earlier to answer (about smoking, medical history etc) but is also asked if she is experiencing any pain (at this point she has been in labor for about 24 hours). The nurse does not find her sarcastic "yes" amusing.

3. Which of the following people were with L pretty much the entire time through labor and delivery (even though the hospital told her beforehand the max was 4 people):

• a. Ox


• b. L's Dad, Papa Shawn


• c. L's Sister, Wendy


• d. L's Sister, Hillary


• e. L's Friend, Amanda


• f. All of the above
  

4. Ox, as L's birth coach, was:

• a. distracted and bored


• b. scared and grossed out


• c. irritated and snappy


• d. amazing and supportive

5. While L labored those in the room performed which of the following services:

• a. getting water/ice/juice


• b. rubbing L's feet/back/side


• c. being back support to lean against


• d. letting L use them to brace her legs against during contractions


• e. all of the above

6a. T/F L did not allow any kind of pain medication during labor or delivery

6b. If 6a is T, which of the following did L do in the midst of labor pains:

• a. hit a nurse


• b. throw the water cup when offered to her for the 8,000th time


• c. scream "this is all your fault" or "we're never having sex again" at Ox


• d. ask for pain medication


• e. tell Ox she was tired and "it was his turn"


• f. stab someone with a needle for talking during a contraction

7. To allow for the possible emergency need of fluids or medications, L had:

• a. an IV


• b. a hep lock


• c. nothing

8. The shower in the birthing room was:

• a. relaxing


• b. warm


• c. like icy needles

9. T/F Instead of wearing a hospital gown, L wore her own dress from home. It has been washed and worn repeatedly since.

10. T/F After watching Peanut's birth, L's sisters and friend, Amanda, are all very excited to get pregnant.

Answers: 1. C 2. T 3. F 4. D 5. E 6a. T 6b. E (although f was threatened) 7. B 8. C 9. T 10. F!!! :)

As I'm Sure You're Aware...

Peanut was born!!!

Oct. 9, 2009 3:20 am

Nathaniel Gibson Mitchell

7 lbs 3.7 oz
20 1/2 in

More updates to come...