Cloth nappies 101: Are cloth nappies for me?

Something I hear, and see online a lot, is "I don't really think cloth nappies are for me". A lot of people are interested in why I use cloth, so I thought I'd have a few blog posts centred round cloth nappies, my reasons for using them, and how we get on.

I'm no expert in cloth nappies, but since Isabelle arrived I've learnt a lot, and I've spent far too much time researching cloth as well. That, combined with the expertise of the lovely ladies from Cloth Nappy Library NI, has given me a good base of knowledge to share with people who are wondering if cloth might be for them, or are just curious to know what drives a seemingly sane person to want to wash poo in her washing machine! At the end of the day, I really don't think cloth nappies are for everyone, and everyone needs to do what they are comfortable with, and what makes their life easiest.

Really, I got into cloth nappies just by reading about other mums using them online. I didn't know anyone in real life who used them, apart from the older generation, so I was pretty surprised to see just how many mums were using cloth nappies. It made me think "huh, maybe this isn't so hard, maybe it is something we could do." I read dozens of posts where people asked questions about using cloth, and saw the 'cloth bum mums' saying it really wasn't that difficult at all, and as long as you can stick washing in the machine, you can probably use cloth nappies!

Whenever I'm talking to people looking to try out cloth nappies, I always say "Give it a go. If it doesn't work, at least you'll know you tried" and that was definitely my mantra going in. We felt a lot of negativity towards our choice to use cloth nappies, simply because most people know nothing about how modern cloth works. But, knowing the benefits, we were very certain that we would make it work, as we felt the benefits to our family were pretty big.

Here are the 3 main benefits of using cloth nappies:

1// Cheaper in the long run:
A lot of people are daunted by the initial outlay for cloth nappies, but if you work out how much you spend on disposables over the lifetime of a baby, and then times that by how many babies you plan on having, it will almost certainly work out cheaper to buy a stash of cloth nappies. Our cloth nappy stash probably cost somewhere between £200 and £250 - and that could have been a lot less in honesty. A quick look on Amazon tells me Pampers cost 15p each. Isabelle wears 6 nappies a day, costing. That £250 I've spent on cloth would keep me in disposable nappies for 249 days - less than a year! And I can use my nappies for any babies we have in the future, making it even more cost friendly! Yes, of course we then have to pay for the washing, but I know the cost of the 3 extra washes I do each week will never add up to the extra cost I would put out for disposables.

2// Better for the environment:
Those 6 nappies I use each day would have to be thrown out if I used disposables. And since Isabelle's favourite thing to do is poo in a clean nappy, often a nappy is taken off again in under an hour. All of those go into a landfill, where they just sit. Not decomposing at all. Did you know - gross fact - all the disposable nappies you ever wore are still sitting in a landfill, in 'perfect' condition? Pretty horrific to think about! Since the UK government is making reduction of landfill waste a priority, this is one thing I can do to help.

3// Better for her bum:
No chemicals around Isabelle's bum, just pure fluff. I don't wear plastic pants, so I don't expect her to either! Depending on the stats you read, cloth bum babies are around 7% less likely to get nappy rash, which is apparently partly to do with cloth nappies being more breathable. Some people say they must be warm, but cloth nappies are actually cooler on a baby's bum - think about how much warmer you are wearing a cheap plastic rain coat than a breathable one.

Those are the most important reasons for us using cloth - we think they outweigh the drawbacks in our situation. Because, it would be a lie to say there are no drawbacks to using cloth nappies - but I think they are pretty small really...




1// I have to change Isabelle more often than if she wore disposables. I change every 2-3 hours, but I know if she wore disposables I could leave her much longer. It's not a big deal though - mummies change so many nappies anyway what's a few more in the mix?!

2// Cloth bums are definitely more 'rounded' than disposable bums, and there have been a few incidences when  her trousers have been difficult to get on. However, I have to say that if that's the case it's usually because I'm trying to cram her into ones which are slightly too small anyway! Her bum is chunkier, so I size up in vests earlier than I may need to - but since I would eventually buy them anyway, it's not a big issue for me.

3// I have to wash them. I know that's obvious, but it has to be said anyway! I really don't find it too much hassle to throw them into the machine every other day, and then hang them to dry, but I know it is something that puts a lot of people off. I've got my little routine so I do one load of washing every day, and it just so happens that every other day that wash is nappies instead of clothes.

So there you go. Those are the reasons why I chose cloth, and maybe some things for you to think about as well. It's never to late to change to using cloth nappies - as even using one cloth nappy every day will save 365 nappies from landfill every year (a favourite saying of CNLNI's founder!).

Over the next few weeks I'll be posting about cloth nappy options, how to go about building a stash of nappies, and the big question....what about the washing?

Do you use cloth? Any pearls of wisdom you'd like to pass on to convince non-cloth users that they really could give it a go?

Getting around the 'no snowsuits in car seats' rule

If you haven't seen it already, this article explains why you shouldn't allow your little people to wear snowsuits - or other similarly bulky/padded clothes - in their car seat. The basic idea is that the bulk of these doesn't allow you to tighten the straps of the car seat as tight as you normally would. As these snowsuits are really all air, in a collision, the air is squeezed out and suddenly, your little is rattling around in their car seat, not properly strapped in.

It makes a lot of sense, and since I saw it, I haven't dared put Isabelle in anything bulky like that in her car. That said, it's winter. It's cold. She needs to be warm and, sometimes, normal clothes, a coat and a blanket just don't quite cut it.

I accidentally came up with a great solution to this problem after getting a bit excited in the Next Christmas sale. Although I thought I had ordered a snow suit, when it arrived it was actually just a onesie with a fur hood. It's fleecy and warm, but it's thin and not anywhere near as bulky as a normal snowsuit. It's also MASSIVE on Isabelle. My little mind kicked in to gear, and I thought to myself..."I can use this as a snowsuit substitute over her clothes!"

To me, it is the perfect solution. It's an all in one, and nice and cosy so it keeps Izzy really warm. As it's really big, it fits wonderfully over whatever she is wearing. But, it's thin, so there is no worry of it acting in the same way as a snowsuit if I were to be in an accident.

So, instead of taking a chance and using a snowsuit, or piling blankets on your little and having to put the snow suit on when you arrive at your destination, simply buy a fleecy onesie in the next size up. I've already converted the mummies at my baby sensory class to my way of thinking, and hopefully you'll think it's a helpful little tip too.

Excuse the hat over the eyes look! 

Surviving a sleep regression

Until recently, I didn't really think sleep regressions were a real thing. I do now...

One Monday evening I put Izzy to bed as always. An hour or so later, she grizzled and Simon went to settle her. 45 minutes later, same again. And then again. Gosh, we thought, this isn't going to be a good night. At 11 o'clock after the 4th time settling her, I decided I couldn't do that all night so brought her into bed with me for the night. She slept soundly for the rest of the night, and we thought we were in the clear. Until the same thing happened again the next night...except it was accompanied by an hour of screaming. Nothing we did could settle her so...in to bed she came. And then the next night the screaming went to for even longer until she was brought into bed.

Three bad nights in a row? That's tough. The next two nights she slept in her cot, but woke every 2 hours or so and took a long while to settle. Then back to screaming and into our bed. Things came to a head on the 7th night when she woke at 11pm and screamed for two hours straight and NOTHING worked - including bringing her in to bed. Simon and I were tired, she was exhausted, and we were all frustrated.

So, what on earth was the cause? Welcome the '9 Month Sleep Regression'. I had heard of the 4 month sleep regression, which we had no issues with, but never one at 9 months, so it caught us off guard and knocked the wind from our sails. After some hasty Googling, we found out that we were not the only people to have their baby SCREAM at them for no apparent reason, and with no way to settle them. These other people had also experienced the 9 month sleep regression, and there was a general consensus on the cause. Imagine you have a big meeting tomorrow, and you have practised and practised what you need to say. It's likely you'll go to bed, have it all spinning round in your head, and have trouble falling asleep. Well, that's the same with Isabelle. Except, she doesn't have a big meeting, she just has LIFE.

Simon and I have said a lot in the last month just how much she is changing, and how much she has learnt to do lately. Every day, she seems to be doing more, and be doing things BETTER than before. She is stronger, understands more, can move better - she just has so much going on! So it's no wonder that when she goes to bed at night she has a little trouble switching off. The problem seems to be that she isn't getting in to a deep enough sleep, so she wakes more. And that is frustrating - I hate waking up during the night, so I understand why she gets cross. As Lauren from Mrs Hippo and Me said to me once "You can lie and stare at the ceiling, but they can't, so they cry". It makes so much sense. Isabelle's brain is churning with 'stuff', she isn't sleeping deeply so she wakes, gets mad about it, and cries.

Luckily, after that awful Sunday night things improved and, although she isn't quite back to normal yet, she is sleeping much better once more. So, what are our top tips for surviving a sleep regression?

1// Understand what's happening - once you know why your baby is waking more often, I think it makes it easier to deal with. It definitely made me more sympathetic. Rather than getting cross that she was sleeping so badly, and screaming so much, I felt bad for her that she couldn't sleep when she wanted to.

2// Put a plan in place - when you figure out it's a regression you are in and not just a few bad nights, figure out a plan that helps everyone get some sleep. Ours was: soothe her back to sleep until 11/11.30pm (when she would wake screaming) then I would feed her. Simon was in charge from then until 2.30am, and I took over after that. Once we had that in place, everyone got some sleep, the screaming stopped and things started to get better.

3// Be consistent - I've read a lot that you can neither 'sleep train' or 'sleep untrain' during a regression. Basically, it's not the time to try and get your baby into a new routine but, similarly, you can't really break the one you had before. Despite that, I still think it's important to be consistent with what you do. The first 6 nights we were all over the place so it's no wonder Isabelle cried - she was confused about what on earth was going to happen next! Once we were more consistent, she seemed much happier.

4// Don't do anything that you wouldn't normally do - even though you supposedly cannot create new habits during a regression, don't do anything you wouldn't normally do, just in case! So if you do NOT want your little sleeping in your bed full time, don't let them during the regression. If you wouldn't normally let them cry it out, don't do it now.

5// Do whatever it takes to help them out - as long as it complies with #2 and #3, do whatever it takes to soothe your baby and help them get more sleep. I sat in the nursery for 30 minutes after she fell asleep every time she woke, just because I knew she was only sleeping lightly and it was comforting for her to know I was still there. I didn't get much sleep those nights...

6// Have patience - I know it feels like it will never end...but it will.

7// Invest in a blanket and a onesie - sitting in Isabelle's room, cradling her in the rocking chair to help her fall back in to a deep sleep at 3am is chilly. My onesie was invaluable.

Now, maybe your baby won't hit the 9 month sleep regression; if not, you are so lucky! It is apparently the worst regression, so I am unbelievably thankful that it's (almost) over. It was tough, without doubt the toughest 8 nights we've ever had with Isabelle, but we survived! There were tears and screaming along the way, and not just from Isabelle, but the only lasting damage are the mental scars which Simon and I now bear!

Has your baby suffered from a sleep regression? Any top tips to get through it?

Review: Ella's Kitchen My Little BIG Meals

I've posted several times about out weaning journey with Isabelle, and about our choice to follow baby led weaning. The fact that we feed Isabelle whatever we eat means that I've never ventured into the 'baby food' section at the supermarket - honestly, the thought hasn't even crossed my mind.

So, when Ella's Kitchen sent me some of their My Little BIG Meals for Isabelle to try out, I was a bit hesitant at first. I am not keen on the idea of Isabelle eating food that hasn't been home cooked, simply because a lot of the time that means there are far more ingredients being used than I would like - especially when it comes to sugar, salt and preservatives. Maybe it would be true to say that I am a bit of a food snob when it comes to my little.

But when our My Little BIG Meals arrived, and I had a thorough read over the ingredients, I was very relieved to see that not only do they only include organic ingredients, but the ingredients list reads more like a homemade recipe than anything else. Simply a list of good, organic, healthy ingredients which make up each of the different meals. Not only that, but each of the meals stated on the front just how many vegetables could be found inside - vegetable moussaka has 7, pork stew has 6 and chicken curry has 5! There is no way I include that many vegetables in one meal and, like all parents, I am always worrying that Isabelle isn't eating enough veg, so this was a big plus point in my eyes.

Isabelle tried the pork stew on a night when Simon and I got takeaway - definitely not something we consider suitable for her. I was surprised at how big the portion was - it was very generous and actually gave Isabelle enough for dinner and lunch the next day, and would be more than enough to fill up a bigger toddler.  Because the Little BIG Meals are suitable for 12months+, it was nice and chunky, which meant Isabelle could easily pick up the different bits to scoff them. Isabelle loved all three meals, with the chicken curry being her favourite.

So, our first experience of 'baby' food wasn't anything like I expected! It was simply good food, perfect for my little. While we will continue to feed Isabelle whatever we have most days, these Ella's Kitchen My Little BIG Meals are a little gem to has stashed away in case of a dinner emergency - which with my expertise in cooking, happens more than you might think!

Stay tuned for a review of the Ella's Kitchen cookbook coming up in the next few weeks.

Follow Ella's Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Babywearing - what's on offer?

Ever since we had Isabelle and delved into the world of babywearing, I've noticed other people wearing their babies pretty much everywhere I look! I previously posted about the Boba 3G carrier we got before Isabelle was born, and the dos and don'ts of baby wearing 'safely'.

I think when a lot of people are thinking of babywearing they look to high street retailers for answers. However, as I discussed in my previous posts, the common high street carriers don't keep your baby in an optimum position, and quite often aren't very comfy for parent or baby. I'm part of several babywearing groups on Facebook and one of the most common things I see from new posters is "I have had a high street carrier but it's so uncomfy to use for long periods - is there anything else I can try?" Unfortunately, many parents who want to babywear may not know about other options available to them. That said, ANY babywearing is a bonus for babies and parents!

So this is my quick guide to what else might be on offer for you if you want to regularly babywear, and are looking for something more ergonomic, and something comfier, than a high street carrier. Thank you so much to the wonderful babywearing mummies and daddies of Northern Ireland who let me use their pictures to show off the different types of carriers!



1// Soft structured carriers (aka SSCs or 'buckles'):
The Boba 3G we used is an example. These are very similar to 'normal' high street carriers in that they have straps, buckles and a structured waist and area against baby's back. They are good for getting on pretty quickly, and can be adjusted to be used with different people. Buckles are normally used on the front or back, but some can be used for hip carries too.
(Keep your eye out for the chance to win a beautiful SSC in the next few weeks!)





2// Ring slings:
These are quite common, and can be used for carrying your little from birth until toddlerhood. They are especially great for quick trips - I use mine if Isabelle and I are just nipping into the supermarket for one or two things, for example. They are easy to adjust, but it can take a while to get to grips with exactly how to position it for maximum comfort. They are usually used on the hip, but can be used on the front and back too.

3// Woven wraps:
Katie Hopkins takes a pretty dim view of these! These are a long piece of woven fabric which you wrap around yourself and baby in different ways to create different carries. They have a learning curve, and can be confusing to start with, but they are really supportive and a great option to carry any size of little person. They have the added bonus of coming in a massive range of colours, designs and sizes, as well as different price ranges.








4// Stretchies:
These are very similar to wraps, but are made of stretchier fabric, and are most suitable for carrying tiny babies up to about 6 months. They can be pre-tied and you can pop your newborn in and out when needed. Many mummies start with stretchies and then move on when their little one gets too heavy. (Check out me wearing Isaac last week - lovely baby cuddles!)

5// Mei Tais:
In my mind, these are a hybrid between an SSC and a wrap. They have a structured panel similar to an SSC, but long straps which you wrap and tie around you instead of buckles. They are easier to get to grips with than wraps, and I find our mei tai is really easy to use on my back with Isabelle.





If you are really interested in babywearing, try and get along to your local sling meet to try out a few options before you buy. In Northern Ireland, Sling Library NI are a wonderful bunch of very knowledgable ladies who want to share the babywearing love. There are sling meets all around the country, and Facebook is a great place to find your local meet.

There you have it - babywearing wrapped up in a nutshell. I'll leave you with some more pictures of babywearing goodness! Including some bear/doll/dog-wearing by some of the little people!

Breadmaking made easy

Simon and I usually buy a loaf  each week, and it's mainly used for toast. My dad is a coeliac, so we were worried about Isabelle having issues with gluten, and avoided giving her bread for a while. We slowly introduced it and, luckily, she seems to be ok. However, over Christmas, I heard a lot of information about supermarket bread and how - like everything that is mass produced I suppose - it contains preservatives and other bits and pieces that I would really rather not be feeding to Isabelle.

When Simon and I got married, we had put a breadmaker on our wedding list, but nobody bought it. The idea went out of my head until Simon mentioned it may be a good idea for us to start making our own bread, so we know that Isabelle is getting good quality stuff. The fact that we know exactly what is going in to home made bread, and that we can whip it up whenever we need it, is definitely very appealing. After commandeering and unused breadmaker from my parents, we set about making our first batch.

Warm from the breadmaker and ready for lunch

I had vague recollections of making bread during my time as a nanny, and we used my somewhat limited knowledge as a base as to what we would include. After several batches, trialling the different settings and different quantities of ingredients, we think we have it cracked.  Using the breadmaker is so easy - I pop the 6 ingredients in and turn it on. 3.5 hours later, the house smells delicious and a batch of freshly cooked bread is waiting. It makes me feel like a total domestic goddess! OK, so it certainly isn't as impressive as hand making the bread, but the idea is there! It feels great be able to give Isabelle homemade soup and homemade bread for her lunch.

So here is our recipe. If you decide to give it a go, use this as a starting point as each breadmaker will have different functions, and will turn these same ingredients out slightly differently.

Ingredients:
350g wholemeal flour
250g strong white flour
400ml water
7g yeast (ours comes in pre-measured sachets, specifically for use in bread makers)
Teaspoon sugar
Pinch salt

As with everything, the price of breadmakers really varies, but you can pick some up quite cheaply if you fancy having a go.

Do you make your own bread? Have you a favourite recipe to share?

Playing with the big boys (and girls!)

Isabelle is a very nosey girl; she is constantly watching other people to see what they are up to, and loves being in her sling because she gets a great view of the world around her. She especially loves being around other babies and children, and having a nosey at what they are up to. At Baby Sensory classes recently, I've noticed her paying less attention to the activities, and more attention to what everyone else is doing instead.

Even better if the children she is watching are older - that is her absolute favourite. She loves to watch them run around at super speed, in to everything, and playing with their big boy and big girl toys.

The gruesome twosome back in September

And the one person that my little loves to watch more than anyone, is that big boy she sees so much of - Master Jacob. She is totally fascinated by him, and loves nothing more than watching him zoom about, in to all his toys, and chatting about everything around him as he goes. And - when the mood strikes him - he loves to be around her just as much. Last week, he played a great game of peekaboo with her at the dinner table, and the other day held her hand to 'help her walk'. They are such a sweet little pair, and I just know how much she loves being with him.


Luckily, we are such a close family that she gets to see her buddy all the time, and I'm so thankful that she has a big cousin to learn from and, in years to come, play with and have a great relationship with. And, of course, there is little Isaac. While he's too young at the minute for her to be as intrigued by his antics, soon enough these three little people will be running around causing havoc and headaches to the rest of us!