Cloth Diapers - Yes, Working Moms. You CAN Do It!

Choosing to try out cloth diapers with my daughter came as an evolution of sorts. I think it was a combination of having one friend (yes, just one!) who had done it, combined with some of my favorite bloggers taking it on. My friend worked part-time and most of the bloggers who were trying it did not work outside the home. This made me skeptical because I honestly didn't know if I could do it while working. One day, I came across one Mama blogger I was following that worked full-time. She really inspired me to believe that it was something I could at least try.

During those first several months, Velcro diapers were a most for those middle of the night diaper changes.

I did some posts on my own blog about:

Our decision to cloth diaper. This post includes my main reasons at the time to try it out including: cost, functionality, cuteness, safer and more comfortable for baby’s skin and definitely better for the environment.

Update on our progress once Elyse arrived. This post discussed everything from why I recommend using disposables at first and easing into cloth, the diapers I tried including my favorite brand, Velcro vs. snaps, my love of the diaper sprayer, how we store our dirty diapers, why we love cloth wipes and our laundry process.

 

I LOVE using warm, cloth wipes. They are so much better at cleaning up messes..

Bottom line, if you are considering cloth diapering, talk to people who have done it before - and recently. The diapers of today are nothing like the diapers we were in as babies. While some who have never tried cloth diapering will encourage and/or support you, others will tell you it is too much work, will assume it means you are using a diaper service, tell you they’re too expensive, “gross” and even mock you for considering it. I have experienced it all – believe me. More than one person has literally laughed at me when I told them we were going to try it. I have no problem talking to someone who tried cloth diapers and were unsuccessful. I do, however, struggle with the negativity from those who have little experience with it and are judgmental. Diapers, like anything, are just an option and certainly not for everyone. For instance, if I was single or had a husband who didn’t take on an active parenting role with our daughter, it might get a little bit overwhelming and frankly, I probably wouldn't do it.

I have lots of detail in the links above about how we cloth diaper, but here is a little about what I've learned and/or changed up since I went back to work in January. 

Laundry from before baby even came. Those are Thirsties covers that we hardly used.

We wash our diapers every three days now. Two extra loads of laundry a week – not so bad. Plus, Bill and I take turns. It isn’t a set schedule, but we try to fairly share the responsibility so it really only amounts to washing and stuffing the clean diapers once a week for each of us. In order to be able to wash diapers three times a week we did have to make another change.

We bought more diapers. We have 36 diapers now. I know, that's a LOT. In fact, it is a pretty hefty stash for most families and definitely not a requirement. But for us, it made it much easier. Elyse goes through – on average – ten diapers a day. If we only wash diapers every three days, we don’t have enough clean diapers to put in the diaper bag for the next day when she goes to hang with her Grandmas on work days. This wasn’t an issue when I was at home, but a lesson we learned along the way. To maximize cost effectiveness, one blogger shared they wash all their diapers at the same time and leaves the one clean diaper on baby. This would never work for us. First, I am never one to gamble only having one clean diaper. In addition, that family dries their diapers. Our wash/dry process takes much longer. We don’t do two separate washes. We use a setting on our washer that takes two full hours – it is a heavy duty setting that gets out the stains, plus it is set to an extra rinse to remove any excess detergent that can cause diaper buildup (and leaks). We line dry all of our covers and that takes at least 24 hours given we are in the Northwest and there is no outdoor line drying for us right now.

Diaper Rash. Babies generally get less diaper rashes with the newer generation of cloth diapers. We have had one diaper rash, but it was only when she was incredibly sick with pneumonia and she had diarrhea every diaper change. A little Grandma El’s diaper rash ointment, as recommended by Julie at Simple Cloth, was a miracle worker and it literally went away in twenty-four hours. We used fleece liners on those days as not to ruin our diapers (Diaper cream creates a barrier on the baby’s bum so it can ruin the diapers making the diapers repel, rather than absorb moisture).

Disposables For On-the-Go. Elyse hasn’t been in disposables that much at all. In fact, I bought a jumbo pack of size 1 and then size 2/3. We still have size 1s that she has pretty much grown out of and I don’t know if we’ll ever make it through all of the bigger size either. In the few times she has been in a disposable, we’ve experienced more than one blowout (not pretty); I can only remember this happening one time in a cloth diaper. For this reason, I don’t put her in disposables as often as I used to when we are just running around town. I don’t want to risk a poopy blowout away from home. Ugh – those are messy!

Childcare. We are fortunate that Elyse is not in daycare and gets watched by Grandmas. We told both of them that we'd provide them with disposables and if they didn't want to use the cloth, they didn't have to. However, both use them each time they watch Elyse and happily, we haven't had any issues. They each even rinse out the poo'ey ones for us even though that is not something we'd ever ask them to do. But, we sure appreciate it!

Still a newborn, BumGenius, looked pretty big on her then.

Bottom line, choosing what type of diaper you want for your baby is a personal choice and no one else’s business. Using cloth diapers is definitely not for everyone. Using cloth doesn’t make you a better or more responsible parent. However, it is something that over time I've really enjoyed sharing with others. It isn't that I want everyone to do it - it has more to do with it not being as common. Every time I change Elyse's diaper in mixed company there is at least one person, if not more, who has never seen a diaper like that before and it generally leads to a number of questions. We've just been so happy with them, I like to share our experience and am hopeful it encourages more people to at least give it some thought.

Curious about cloth diapers? Know someone who is thinking about it? Here are resources I’ve used:

Simple Cloth – local store for me, but they ship nationwide. Not only can you buy diapers and accessories there, they are available for you to call or e-mail with any questions. An invaluable resource and, no doubt, one of the main reasons we haven’t given up. Any little issue or problem we’ve run into, their owner, Julie has been able to resolve for me.

Young House Love. This is a DIY, home renovation/design blog that I’ve been following for a while. They are also first-time parents and have shared their experiences with cloth diapers, which I’ve found quite helpful.

My Life in Transition – Julia is a working Mom who has been very open about her experiences as a new parent. This Mama tells it like it is and talks about stuff I would never share publicly. However, I love that she does because it has helped me more than once know I'm not alone! I’ve really appreciated the information she has shared on cloth diapering Truman (oh my gosh, that baby is cute!). I’d have to say her situation and views most closely mirror my own.

Mama at Home – Kristen’s blog was very helpful to me when I was pregnant. She chronicled her own pregnancy via her blog, so when it was my turn I went back to her site to see where she was at week-by-week to compare/contrast to my own experience. While we are very different in terms of our parenting styles, I absolutely respect her honesty and openness about life with her new baby.

And just some other informational and/or shopping sites: Diaper Pin. Diaper Swappers. Cotton Babies.

If you have any questions, please let me know by comment or e-mail!

PS: Just yesterday, I helped my friend register at Simple Cloth. She is due in July and going to give cloth diapers a whirl! So excited for her!

- Courtney

Mmmmmmmonte Cristos

Monte Cristos are pretty much in a world of their own in terms of sandwiches. Is it breakfast? Is it dessert? Wait, there's sugar on that sandwich? My friend, Karen, would call them a VIOLATION. To Karen, it is a "violation" to mix sweet with savory. She takes this quite seriously - no chicken with sweet teriyaki sauce, no pineapple on her pizza and definitely no strawberry jam with her cheese and ham sandwich.

I am completely the opposite. I love violations. Salty peanut butter with chocolate. Apples on my grilled cheese. And yes, Monte Cristos are one of my favorites. I've enjoyed these since I was a kid and have tried many varieties over the years. There are a multitude of variations. Normally, they are prepared with sliced turkey along with the ham and cheese. Traditionally, the sandwich is dipped in egg batter and fried. Alternately, I have had it grilled, served as an open-faced sandwich, and even made with french toast as a base. They are normally served with a dusting of powdered sugar and a side of fruit jam or preserves (normally strawberry). Mmmmm... When I came across this recipe recently for a quick and cheap way to whip up one of my favorite guilty pleasures, I had to try it. As I said, I said I've eaten them over the years, but really, I don't do so quite so often these days as they aren't exactly a healthy option. Making my own version of this guilty pleasure where I can control the ingredients left me super excited!

I am always coming across coupons for crescent roll dough, so I picked up a couple of packages for a great price. I bought one of those small (cheap) packages of honey ham (literally, it was .88 cents). And the rest of the ingredients we always have on hand.  I will warn you this recipe has a lot of wiggle room, but that is the beauty of it. You can't go wrong!!

Take two pre-cut triangles to make rectangle

Monte Cristo Pockets

Ingredients:

• Thinly sliced deli meat (I like turkey or ham, but you can use any)
• Sliced or shredded cheese (I like using lowfat white cheese - ideally Swiss - but again you can use any)
• 1 package crescent rolls (I use reduced fat - reduces the GUILT, but not the flavor!)
• Powdered Sugar
• Jam/Preserves (any kind)
• Pam (or other non-stick cooking spray)

Line a baking sheet with foil. This step is not required, but does make for easier cleanup if your cheese oozes out. Unroll the crescent rolls, keeping two of the triangles together (it forms a rectangle). Lightly press the seams together.

Put two or three pieces of meat on one half of the rectangle. Layer with a piece (or shreds) of cheese. Fold the other half of the dough over your cheese and meat forming a pocket and seal edges by pressing down with your fingers. Bake at 375º for 15-18 minutes. Prepare yourself for how good it is going to smell in your kitchen as these bake. Once they are golden brown, it is time to take them out of the oven, dust with powdered sugar and serve with a heaping tablespoon of your favorite jam. Makes four sandwich pockets.

Enjoy and please let us know if you try these!

- Courtney 

FAST FOOD

The truth of the matter is as a working Mom, I probably eat too much fast food.  I probably serve fast food (or microwave, frozen, etc) to my family too often.  I find that dinners are a struggle.  In an effort to share food ideas, here are some tried and true winners we use at our house.  They aren’t fancy.  I am not a cook by any stretch of the imagination.  In fact I don’t particularly enjoy cooking. 

Baking – love it!

Cooking – oh bother!

1. Mini-pizzas – always a hit because they are easy and fun.  The kids can really get into them if they like pizza.  I might have the only kid in the world that does not like pizza.  You can get mini pizza crusts and then get all the ingredients the family likes ready the night before.  When you get home just load them up and they are ready in 10 minutes.  Experiment and try different ingredients.  We’ve gotten into pesto and olive oil instead of red sauce.  You can also plan ahead and cut up enough toppings for a few nights and then freeze or refrigerate them for another time. 

2. White Trash Breakfast – so really insert any favorite breakfast dish.  They can tend to be easy, fast and comfortable.  There is one in particular that adds a little special somethin’ somethin’ to breakfast for dinner.  Prepare and make French toast.  Before taking it out of the pan or griddle, add a layer of peanut butter and cut up banana slices. Smooch one piece on top of this lovely filling.  Then serve quickly so the warm and ohey-gooey center is warm and soft.  HEAVEN!

3. Panini’s – I don’t think you need a panini maker, I don’t have one.  I have a press (similar to the one below).  Got it on sale one day at Macy’s for $15.00.  I am telling you this one simple purchase changed my life.  Seriously.  In a very good way.  You can make fast sandwiches, but they are so much more then a simple sandwich.  You can get all creative and turn out a gourmet sandwich in 15 minutes.  Its great because you can use up items, like from the pizzas (make a pizza panini) or any veggies or meat you have left over.  Sometimes I just make different sandwiches with left overs and every gets a slice of each kind.  You can try different sauces, veggies, spreads, etc.  But when you set down at the table you feel like you delievered so much more then just a PB&J.  We’ll have to do a whole post on yummy panini recipes.

4. Chicken – I realize this is a rather large topic.  I’ve been scared of chicken most of my life.  At least in terms of trying to cook it.  I like to eat it – most of the time.  Unless I have prepared it.  So, here is my secret for weeknights:

Its not cheap, but if you watch for it you can pick up bags on sale and they store for a few weeks in your refridgerator.  They are so handy in a pinch.  You can use them on salads, tacos, paninis (see above), the list goes on and on.  I sometimes add a little pesto or seasoning and add on a pizza.  This has definitely saved my bacon a time or two when I haven’t planned ahead and can’t really go out to get something for dinner.

Please share your ideas and secrets of your kitchen and preparation for weeknight dinners!  Also here are a couple of blogs that I have found to be very helpful in preparing easy and family friendly food.  Later I’ll try to share some ideas about pre-planning and preparations for future meals.  Happy Valentine’s Week everyone!

XoXo,

Jessica

Leaving Baby

At 36 years old, I became at a Mom for the first time. My husband and I were overjoyed with the birth of our daughter, Elyse, in September 2010. I was so excited about taking time to stay home with my daughter, but as exciting as it was, I knew I would dread going back to work.

You see, I have worked for as long as I could remember. I got my first job about two weeks before I got my driver's license. The first day I drove to work coincided with cashing my first paycheck. Freedom! Independence! Pride! I could get used to this! I went to college and always held part-time jobs. I have always worked and the longest I could remember not working was for the two and a half weeks I took off in September 2008 for my Fiji wedding and honeymoon. I've worked hard at my career and feel proud and confident in where I am today professionally.

Fast forward to New Years 2011. Everyone is celebrating. Me? I'm literally weeping into my little girl's hair telling my husband, "I just didn't expect to love her so much!" I felt selfish. I felt guilty. I questioned our decisions. I worried that I wasn't doing what was best for my daughter. It killed me that we would be away from her more than we would be together. How could this be right?

The night before I went back, it didn't get any better. I was a mess. I was so upset, I was literally sick and felt embarassed I was this emotional.

Let me tell you. It did get better! The power to make decisions, even sacrifices is what made all the difference. That first Monday was awful. I had two measly hours with Elyse and I found myself crying into her head again.

Fast forward to today - about five weeks from when I first went back to work. I've worked out a schedule where I can have more time with my little girl. This has meant the world to me. I've had to be pretty creative with my work hours to make it work, but it is all worth it. Now, our baby has more time with her parents, than not (given both of our schedules). She gets three days a week with two of her Grandmas and her Grandpa - it couldn't be more ideal.

It is never easy leaving her - don't get me wrong. I enjoy our brief time in the mornings. Diaper change. Getting dressed for the day. Sniffing her head (am I the only weird Mama who loves that?). We get good playtime in at night. I get fun text messages (even pics) when I'm away from her that help a lot and keep me feeling connected to her routine, schedule and just what she is up to. Next thing you know it is the weekend again and we are back together.

We've found a way to make it work. I've come to appreciate my time at work too. Now that I can set that guilt aside, it is fulfilling and a wonderful balance for me. Plus, I don't sacrifice a minute of the time I do get with my daughter - that time has become much too precious!

Preparations #2

Snacks for Pick Up

As Addy grew from baby into toddler we were stuck in a very challenging pattern that pick up time because the worst time of the day.  Addy was tired, pick up at daycare is always hectic in the evenings and I was tired and stressed from a long day at work and contemplating all the to-do’s both at work and home that were waiting for me.  This is a recipe for disaster.  Addy would come into the house once we got home and throw temper tantrums almost every night.  I can very much relate to Kim's note below about hungry kid in the pantry as we walk in the door.  After some trial and error we realized that Addy needed a little snack on the way home.  This snack, although simple, had a huge impact:

• Focuses child’s attention – it is something repetitive and comforting during transition time
• Staves off hunger – this way you can actually get home, change, feed the animals and make dinner
• Opportunity for win-win – both of you feel successful during transition time
• Quiet time – may provide Mom with a couple of extra minutes of quiet time to make those final work phone calls on the way home

I pack this bag each Sunday with snacks for the week. 

I also provide my husband a couple of extras as well.  I normally do pick up by there will be those days that things get switched up.  I typically include things like an apple, fruit leather, or bag of goldfish or crackers.  You can get pre-packed bags of crackers and such at the grocery store to make it even more simple.  I typically make the bags myself to save some money.  Now that Addy is older I have her help me put the bag together so she is taking some ownership in what ends up in the bag.  When we started I kept the bag up front and handed out the snacks.  Now I keep it in the back and when I buckle Addy in, she picks out her own choice and I keep the bag in the back.

As a working Mom what preparation techniques have you found to be helpful?  Please share, we’d love to hear your great ideas!!

Do You Have any Quick, Kid-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Enjoys?

Here is a reader submission from KIM.

YAY for the working mama!!!

Something very challenging for me is dinner time. By the time I get home, my girls are into the pantry looking for a “snack”. The race is on to get something to the table. I love the crock-pot idea and use it often, but sometimes it’s a little boring (or maybe I’m just cooking the same thing over and over). Fortunately for me, I have a full kitchen at work. I have put together a casserole at home the night before and during my afternoon break threw it in the oven. Once I left work, the casserole was done and ready for me to put it in my insulated carry case and head out the door. It made my car smell yummy and all I needed to do was a salad or veggie.

Any quick, healthy, and kid-friendly meal ideas would be great. Sometimes it’s just chicken nuggets for dinner, but mama needs something more!

Thanks!

Kim

Great idea, Kim! Thank you.

Are you a working Mom with a story, suggestion or information to share? Do you have a recipe idea to help out Kim or any of us Mamas? E-mail us!