We've tried a few different cloth diapers, but prefolds with covers are what we've settled on as our daily go-to (overnight is a different story, I'll save a whole post for that). We've tried a variety of different covers, so I thought I'd give a rundown of all of them for anyone trying to decide:
Thirsties Duo Wrap, Size One - These were my favorites when E was a newborn. We started out with these and Blueberries, and looking back at the photos the Blueberries were just comically large on him. Even the Thirsties were bulky at first, but that's how it goes with prefolds. But they did fit his skinny little frame until he was 5 months, at which point he grew out of the rise. Amazingly, though, we were still snapping them as tight as they'd go! I especially like that they have a double gusset at the leg - this makes it much easier to keep the prefold contained, and cloth sticking out is the surest way to get a leak. They come in a good assortment of colors and a few fun patterns, and we had almost all of them. In the summer, E was often wearing just his diaper or diaper + shirt, so his covers were part of his wardrobe! The big downside is that because he grew out of the rise but not the width, he won't fit into Size Twos for quite a while. So the Thirsties are now put away in the outgrown clothing box, and we've moved on to other brands. But these were my favorite while they fit him.
Blueberries One Size - Like I said, we had these from the start, and they were huge and bulky on him at first. They continued to be a bit bulky for my liking for quite a while (I do have a VERY skinny baby, mind you), but around nine months he finally really grew into them, and at the moment (10 months) they're my favorites. They have a double gusset like the Thirsties, but unlike the Thirsties they have two rows of snaps - this wasn't so important when he was a newborn, but I'm finding it works much better than a single row now that he's bigger.
Flip and Econobum - These are the two covers made by Cotton Babies, who also make BumGenius pockets and AIOs. They are very similar, with two main differences: The Flip covers have two rows of snaps while Econobum only has one, and Econobums are made of thinner, cheaper material (which makes sense, since they're meant to be budget covers). Both come only in one-size. I didn't buy any of these until E was a few months old, so I'm not sure how well they would fit on a newborn, but I suspect they would be bigger than Thirsties Size One but not as bulky as Blueberries. I like the fit now, but the big downside is the lack of a double leg gusset. I can understand this oversight in the Flips, since really they're meant to be used with the Flip inserts rather than prefolds. We use the inserts for overnight thanks to their stay-dry layer, and the lack of a gusset is no problem then because they don't come close to sticking out. But the Econobums are made for prefolds (they even sell Econobum prefolds); I assume this is another cost-saving measure. On both brands, this makes it annoying to tuck the prefold in at the leg and leads to the occasional leak when some fabric pokes out and wicks liquid onto clothes. Now, if you want to use the Flip inserts, or prefer a pure newspaper fold (folded into thirds and laid in the cover) for your prefolds, these covers are great. But I'm considering selling mine and buying more Blueberries.
Best Bottoms One Size - I just bought one of these recently. They're very similar to Blueberries in size, although they have one more rise snap so there's more flexibility there. The main difference is that the material is thicker and stiffer - this might mean that they'll last longer, but it also makes them a bit bulkier. Probably even worse than Blueberries for newborns, but for bigger babies they're fine. I haven't tried the inserts that are supposed to go in them. They do have only one line of snaps, but that hasn't really been a problem for us.
Overall, after trying these I think that I consider the double leg gusset to be the most important feature to look for in a cover in terms of ease of putting it on and leak prevention, assuming you use prefolds. Beyond that, it's going to depend on the build of your baby - for a peanut like mine, Thirsties were the clear winner until about 4-5 months, and Blueberries fit the best now at 9-10 months. Between 5-9 months, honestly I was having trouble finding covers that fit him well. That was when I bought the Flips, Econobums, and Best Baby, and none of them fit him that well until more recently (but the Flips were better than the other two). A chubbier baby will probably have less problem with bulky covers, and a shorter baby (E is always right on 50th percentile length) will be able to stay in the Thirsties longer.
My suggestion if you're starting out, especially if the baby isn't born yet, is to start with a few Thirsties for the newborn stage (they also come in sized rather than the two-size duos), and then buy one of each of a few other brands and see what fits your baby best!
Showing posts with label cloth diapers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cloth diapers. Show all posts
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Cloth Diapers for the Total n00b - Part 2
The Players
aka, Is This a Diaper or a Cover?
The first step in getting a handle on the world of cloth diapers is working out what is what. But terminology by itself only gets you so far, so I'm including some info on the differences and when you might choose each of these options. As usual, this is all my opinion, and what works for me might not work for you!
Diapers that need covers
Prefolds - These are the classic that most people picture when you say "cloth diaper." Several layers of cotton folded on top of each other. I will be honest, I know there is Indian and Chinese cotton, but I've never gotten the differences straight and I have no clue which I own. Not convinced it matters. These require a cover, as the pee will soak right through them. You can lay them in the cover then put it on the baby, or fold the diaper and use pins or a snappi to put it on the baby and then put the cover over it. I find that the latter gives me less leaks, but others swear by the former. Prefolds are cheap - as little as a dollar each, though commonly more like $2.
Fitteds - A fitted diaper is like a prefold, but is precut to fit the baby with no folding, has elastic in the legs and waist, and closes with snaps or aplix (a version of velcro common on cloth diapers). They are also often made with a cool fabric on the outside layer, which leads to some brands (ie, Goodmamas) being highly sought-after as collectible. Like prefolds, these require covers; there is no waterproof layer in a fitted. Personally, I don't really get fitteds. They are far more expensive than prefolds - you might get a few for $5 each used, but new they're anywhere from $10-$40 each. And then you have to put a cover over the cool pattern anyhow! But again, some people swear by them. They cite the convenience and the elastic holding more poop in to keep covers clean longer, and many people enjoy the patterns even though they get covered up.
Contours - Like prefolds, but shaped to fit the baby without extra folding. Both conceptually and price-wise in between prefolds and fitteds. These do require a cover. I really don't see these mentioned much on the cloth diapering boards I read, so I get the feeling most people go fully to either the prefold end or the fitted end rather than taking this middle ground.
Covers - You'll need to put one of these over any of the above types of diapers. A cover is not a diaper itself, and generally has no absorbent material, only a layer of waterproof material to go over the absorber of your choice. Many commercial covers use PUL as the waterproof material, but there are also covers that use fleece or wool. You can usually use one cover repeatedly until it gets poop (or a lot of pee) on it. They range in price from about $8-20 each new, and for a newborn 5-8 of them will get you through laundry every other day. They come in every color and pattern possible, especially if you start looking at handmade ones on Etsy or Hyena Cart, and close with either snaps or aplix.
Diapers that don't need covers
Pockets - A pocket is a diaper that does not require a cover. It has the same kind of waterproof material (generally PUL) on the outside as a cover, a minimal layer of absorbent material on the inside (sometimes a material that wicks moisture away from the baby's skin), and a pocket between them to put more absorbent material into in the form of inserts, doublers, or even a trifolded prefold. Personally, I find stuffing pockets - then having to pull out the wet inserts - to be annoying enough that I've sold the few that I owned, but plenty of cloth diaperers use them exclusively. These are generally more expensive than prefolds + covers, though there are cheap brands sold mostly on eBay.
All-in-Ones - As the name implies, this is the whole shebang. A waterproof outer layer with all the absorbent materials you need attached. AIOs are the most expensive option, but many people keep a few around for use by babysitters or family who don't want to mess with snappis or pocket-stuffing; using an AIO is just as easy as a disposable. I like them better than pockets, but only have a few for overnights (with hemp doublers) because of the cost. Because of all the fabric, they often dry more slowly than other diapers.
All-in-Twos - What? Wouldn't that be a pocket? That was my initial reaction to the existence of AI2s, but the difference seems to be that the material snaps into place rather than going into a pocket. So I guess you can pull it off for faster drying, while not having to fish anything out of a soggy pocket.
Other bits and pieces
Inserts - These are what go into pockets. They are long, thin rectangles of absorbent material; microfiber, cotton, hemp, and bamboo are most common. Generally one will get you normal absorbency and two will do overnight duty. You can also lay them into a cover instead of a prefold - but remember that microfiber shouldn't touch a baby's skin directly and can cause rashes if it does.
Doublers - Are basically the same as inserts, though they may be thinner. The point of a doubler is to lay over another diaper to increase absorbency for overnight or heavy wetters.
Liners - These are there to act as a barrier between the diaper and something. You might use liners if you need to use a non-cloth-friendly diaper cream, or to make it easier to shake poop off into the toilet. There are both flushable paper and fabric liners; if you are washing liners to reuse that have diaper cream on them, don't put them in with your other diaper laundry.
Soakers/Longies/Woolies/Skirties - Various names for wool covers. Longies are pants-length, and skirties (duh) include a skirt. I honestly don't know much about how wool works; it's not actually waterproof, instead it somehow lets the moisture evaporate out slowly instead of leaking out. (I think.) Plenty of people swear by it even though a single soaker can cost $20-50.
aka, Is This a Diaper or a Cover?
The first step in getting a handle on the world of cloth diapers is working out what is what. But terminology by itself only gets you so far, so I'm including some info on the differences and when you might choose each of these options. As usual, this is all my opinion, and what works for me might not work for you!
Diapers that need covers
Prefolds - These are the classic that most people picture when you say "cloth diaper." Several layers of cotton folded on top of each other. I will be honest, I know there is Indian and Chinese cotton, but I've never gotten the differences straight and I have no clue which I own. Not convinced it matters. These require a cover, as the pee will soak right through them. You can lay them in the cover then put it on the baby, or fold the diaper and use pins or a snappi to put it on the baby and then put the cover over it. I find that the latter gives me less leaks, but others swear by the former. Prefolds are cheap - as little as a dollar each, though commonly more like $2.
Fitteds - A fitted diaper is like a prefold, but is precut to fit the baby with no folding, has elastic in the legs and waist, and closes with snaps or aplix (a version of velcro common on cloth diapers). They are also often made with a cool fabric on the outside layer, which leads to some brands (ie, Goodmamas) being highly sought-after as collectible. Like prefolds, these require covers; there is no waterproof layer in a fitted. Personally, I don't really get fitteds. They are far more expensive than prefolds - you might get a few for $5 each used, but new they're anywhere from $10-$40 each. And then you have to put a cover over the cool pattern anyhow! But again, some people swear by them. They cite the convenience and the elastic holding more poop in to keep covers clean longer, and many people enjoy the patterns even though they get covered up.
Contours - Like prefolds, but shaped to fit the baby without extra folding. Both conceptually and price-wise in between prefolds and fitteds. These do require a cover. I really don't see these mentioned much on the cloth diapering boards I read, so I get the feeling most people go fully to either the prefold end or the fitted end rather than taking this middle ground.
Covers - You'll need to put one of these over any of the above types of diapers. A cover is not a diaper itself, and generally has no absorbent material, only a layer of waterproof material to go over the absorber of your choice. Many commercial covers use PUL as the waterproof material, but there are also covers that use fleece or wool. You can usually use one cover repeatedly until it gets poop (or a lot of pee) on it. They range in price from about $8-20 each new, and for a newborn 5-8 of them will get you through laundry every other day. They come in every color and pattern possible, especially if you start looking at handmade ones on Etsy or Hyena Cart, and close with either snaps or aplix.
Diapers that don't need covers
Pockets - A pocket is a diaper that does not require a cover. It has the same kind of waterproof material (generally PUL) on the outside as a cover, a minimal layer of absorbent material on the inside (sometimes a material that wicks moisture away from the baby's skin), and a pocket between them to put more absorbent material into in the form of inserts, doublers, or even a trifolded prefold. Personally, I find stuffing pockets - then having to pull out the wet inserts - to be annoying enough that I've sold the few that I owned, but plenty of cloth diaperers use them exclusively. These are generally more expensive than prefolds + covers, though there are cheap brands sold mostly on eBay.
All-in-Ones - As the name implies, this is the whole shebang. A waterproof outer layer with all the absorbent materials you need attached. AIOs are the most expensive option, but many people keep a few around for use by babysitters or family who don't want to mess with snappis or pocket-stuffing; using an AIO is just as easy as a disposable. I like them better than pockets, but only have a few for overnights (with hemp doublers) because of the cost. Because of all the fabric, they often dry more slowly than other diapers.
All-in-Twos - What? Wouldn't that be a pocket? That was my initial reaction to the existence of AI2s, but the difference seems to be that the material snaps into place rather than going into a pocket. So I guess you can pull it off for faster drying, while not having to fish anything out of a soggy pocket.
Other bits and pieces
Inserts - These are what go into pockets. They are long, thin rectangles of absorbent material; microfiber, cotton, hemp, and bamboo are most common. Generally one will get you normal absorbency and two will do overnight duty. You can also lay them into a cover instead of a prefold - but remember that microfiber shouldn't touch a baby's skin directly and can cause rashes if it does.
Doublers - Are basically the same as inserts, though they may be thinner. The point of a doubler is to lay over another diaper to increase absorbency for overnight or heavy wetters.
Liners - These are there to act as a barrier between the diaper and something. You might use liners if you need to use a non-cloth-friendly diaper cream, or to make it easier to shake poop off into the toilet. There are both flushable paper and fabric liners; if you are washing liners to reuse that have diaper cream on them, don't put them in with your other diaper laundry.
Soakers/Longies/Woolies/Skirties - Various names for wool covers. Longies are pants-length, and skirties (duh) include a skirt. I honestly don't know much about how wool works; it's not actually waterproof, instead it somehow lets the moisture evaporate out slowly instead of leaking out. (I think.) Plenty of people swear by it even though a single soaker can cost $20-50.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Cloth Diapers for the Total N00b - Part 1
A month before E was born, I was panicking. Everyone says all you really need when the baby comes home is a carseat (check), a place for them to sleep (check), and diapers - BIG NOT CHECK!!! Not only hadn't I bought my diapers, I didn't even know what I wanted to buy.
The world of cloth diapers can be incredibly intimidating when you first approach it - so many options, so many price points, so many brands! Somehow, none of the (many, many) pages I read made it all clear. This intro probably won't either, but I'll make an effort, at least. Hopefully it will clarify something for someone!
Before we start, though, a few important things to remember:
1) You do NOT have to know everything there is to know about cloth diapering to get started. Things will make much more sense once you've actually tried a few.
2) You do NOT have to have every diaper you will ever need to get started. In fact, if you try to do this, you're likely to find that some of what you bought just doesn't work for you anyhow! Every baby and family is different - just focus on getting enough to get started, and then you'll figure out what fits your baby best, what you find most convenient for you, etc. You can sell what doesn't work and buy new things to try bit by bit.
3) You do NOT have to commit to a particular system, brand, or even type of diaper! You might use one type at home and one to go out, or one during the day and one at night, or you might just have a big mix of things that you use as you feel like it! I think the best approach is to buy a few different brands or styles at first to see what works for you. If you find you really love a particular diaper, you can stock up later.
4) As with anything in parenting, you will be amazed how quickly you go from n00b to expert once you're actually using these things in your day to day life. Remember, that was me up there panicking only about six months ago, and here I am now, writing my own intro!
5) A whole lot of this will be my own opinions, and I'll try to make that clear when it is. Different diapers work for different babies and families - what I hate, someone else swears by. Don't take my opinions (or anyone else's) as gospel.
The world of cloth diapers can be incredibly intimidating when you first approach it - so many options, so many price points, so many brands! Somehow, none of the (many, many) pages I read made it all clear. This intro probably won't either, but I'll make an effort, at least. Hopefully it will clarify something for someone!
Before we start, though, a few important things to remember:
1) You do NOT have to know everything there is to know about cloth diapering to get started. Things will make much more sense once you've actually tried a few.
2) You do NOT have to have every diaper you will ever need to get started. In fact, if you try to do this, you're likely to find that some of what you bought just doesn't work for you anyhow! Every baby and family is different - just focus on getting enough to get started, and then you'll figure out what fits your baby best, what you find most convenient for you, etc. You can sell what doesn't work and buy new things to try bit by bit.
3) You do NOT have to commit to a particular system, brand, or even type of diaper! You might use one type at home and one to go out, or one during the day and one at night, or you might just have a big mix of things that you use as you feel like it! I think the best approach is to buy a few different brands or styles at first to see what works for you. If you find you really love a particular diaper, you can stock up later.
4) As with anything in parenting, you will be amazed how quickly you go from n00b to expert once you're actually using these things in your day to day life. Remember, that was me up there panicking only about six months ago, and here I am now, writing my own intro!
5) A whole lot of this will be my own opinions, and I'll try to make that clear when it is. Different diapers work for different babies and families - what I hate, someone else swears by. Don't take my opinions (or anyone else's) as gospel.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Myth vs Reality: Cloth Diapering
Let me tell you, becoming a parent provides fodder for a few dozen of these Myth vs Reality posts!
Cloth diapering is going to be difficult and tedious, but will be worth it so I'll muddle through - Actually, my husband and I agree that it's far easier and more enjoyable than we expected! Changing the diaper might take another step or two, but not so much that you notice it. And while yes, we have to do laundry every 2-3 days, even that has its upsides. There have been plenty of days where the only thing I managed to get done other than feeding the baby and letting him nap on me was diaper laundry, and it's nice to have something that's actually achievable in those early weeks! The laundry really only takes about 15 minutes total of human effort, and most of that is the putting away.
I have to make sense of all this information, figure out exactly what I want to use, and get all the diapers I will ever need before the baby is born! - This one had me going a little crazy a few weeks before he was due. The truth is, if you grab a couple dozen prefolds and a handful of covers you're set to start, and you can try out all the pockets and fitteds and AIOs or whatever you like a piece at a time as you go. Find something you like, buy more; something you don't, sell it. You can even start with disposables and build your stash a piece at a time from the ground up. There's no right or wrong. You don't have to fully invest in any one "system" or commit to one brand. And in the end, you won't know what fits your baby best in advance anyhow, so buying two dozen BumGenius 4.0s or nothing but Thirsties covers might result in having to rebuy your whole stash anyhow!
We'll use disposables or pocket diapers when we're out and about, and only use the prefolds at home - Some people do this and it works fine. But we found it annoying to keep track of what to put in the diaper bag separately, plus we'd either have to change him before we leave (whether he's wet or not), or else wind up with extra stuff at changing time. With disposables, we'd still have the wet diaper we just took off of him to deal with. And with pockets, we'd have a clean cover and snappi that we'd have to remember to dig out of the diaper bag later. Changing a prefold on the go is a little harder, especially if you're somewhere without a real changing station, but for us the annoyance factor is lower overall.
Cloth diapering is going to be difficult and tedious, but will be worth it so I'll muddle through - Actually, my husband and I agree that it's far easier and more enjoyable than we expected! Changing the diaper might take another step or two, but not so much that you notice it. And while yes, we have to do laundry every 2-3 days, even that has its upsides. There have been plenty of days where the only thing I managed to get done other than feeding the baby and letting him nap on me was diaper laundry, and it's nice to have something that's actually achievable in those early weeks! The laundry really only takes about 15 minutes total of human effort, and most of that is the putting away.
I have to make sense of all this information, figure out exactly what I want to use, and get all the diapers I will ever need before the baby is born! - This one had me going a little crazy a few weeks before he was due. The truth is, if you grab a couple dozen prefolds and a handful of covers you're set to start, and you can try out all the pockets and fitteds and AIOs or whatever you like a piece at a time as you go. Find something you like, buy more; something you don't, sell it. You can even start with disposables and build your stash a piece at a time from the ground up. There's no right or wrong. You don't have to fully invest in any one "system" or commit to one brand. And in the end, you won't know what fits your baby best in advance anyhow, so buying two dozen BumGenius 4.0s or nothing but Thirsties covers might result in having to rebuy your whole stash anyhow!
We'll use disposables or pocket diapers when we're out and about, and only use the prefolds at home - Some people do this and it works fine. But we found it annoying to keep track of what to put in the diaper bag separately, plus we'd either have to change him before we leave (whether he's wet or not), or else wind up with extra stuff at changing time. With disposables, we'd still have the wet diaper we just took off of him to deal with. And with pockets, we'd have a clean cover and snappi that we'd have to remember to dig out of the diaper bag later. Changing a prefold on the go is a little harder, especially if you're somewhere without a real changing station, but for us the annoyance factor is lower overall.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Attention Disposable Diaper Users
I have a very important message for you, from a cloth diaperer. No, I'm not here to judge or convert you. I mostly use cloth diapers to save money, though the lack of trash is nice, too. But I couldn't care less if you don't want to do extra laundry - totally understandable.
No, I'm here to help you out. Because from what I hear, many of you think it's normal to clean poop out of your baby's hair. To go through several extra outfits each week due to poop on both the baby's clothes and your own. To carry new clothes for both of you everywhere you go. I have never done any of these things, and neither have many (though not all, of course) cloth diaperers. How?
Diaper covers. Not the cheap decorative ones that come matching with an outfit from Target. Serious covers with PUL, snaps or velcro, and elastic leg gussets. I'm not here to judge, and neither are the covers - they don't care if they're covering a prefold, a fitted, a Huggies, or a Pampers. They hold the poop in no matter what diaper it's leaking out of. When we went out of town for a few days, we bought a pack of Huggies Swaddlers but also brought a few covers. At least twice in four days, poop wound up on the covers but not us.
They cost $9-15 each new (you can also find them, like all CD stuff, used). You can reuse them diaper after diaper, only tossing them in the laundry once they've contained some poop. They come in every color and pattern imaginable - my baby was born at the end of May, and I was annoyed when it started cooling off and we had to put pants over his cute covers. You may have to try a few to see which fit your baby the best, but you can recoup a lot of the money selling them used - or some places, like Cotton Babies, have a thirty day satisfaction guarantee. To get you started, take a look at Flip or Econobum from Cotton Babies, Thirsties, or Bummis, or check Etsy.
And just say no to poosplosions.
No, I'm here to help you out. Because from what I hear, many of you think it's normal to clean poop out of your baby's hair. To go through several extra outfits each week due to poop on both the baby's clothes and your own. To carry new clothes for both of you everywhere you go. I have never done any of these things, and neither have many (though not all, of course) cloth diaperers. How?
Diaper covers. Not the cheap decorative ones that come matching with an outfit from Target. Serious covers with PUL, snaps or velcro, and elastic leg gussets. I'm not here to judge, and neither are the covers - they don't care if they're covering a prefold, a fitted, a Huggies, or a Pampers. They hold the poop in no matter what diaper it's leaking out of. When we went out of town for a few days, we bought a pack of Huggies Swaddlers but also brought a few covers. At least twice in four days, poop wound up on the covers but not us.
They cost $9-15 each new (you can also find them, like all CD stuff, used). You can reuse them diaper after diaper, only tossing them in the laundry once they've contained some poop. They come in every color and pattern imaginable - my baby was born at the end of May, and I was annoyed when it started cooling off and we had to put pants over his cute covers. You may have to try a few to see which fit your baby the best, but you can recoup a lot of the money selling them used - or some places, like Cotton Babies, have a thirty day satisfaction guarantee. To get you started, take a look at Flip or Econobum from Cotton Babies, Thirsties, or Bummis, or check Etsy.
And just say no to poosplosions.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Myths vs Reality: Newborns
The books, the websites, the classes - they lied like rugs. And things would have been a little easier if I hadn't been fed these lines.
Babies sleep 14-18 hours/day - Ha! Not this one! Try 11-12, and yes, I've tracked it with iPad apps so that's not an estimate. Every single person who met him for the first three months - starting with a pediatrician the day he was born - commented on how "alert" he is. We decided that alert is a euphemism for awake, since most newborns that we met were asleep and he never was.
Babies eat every 2-3 hours - See, that's the longest a newborn goes without eating. In this case, I know E is normal. I've seen plenty of other new moms convinced that something is wrong because their baby eats every hour, or for several hours straight. Most newborns eat more often than every 2-3 hours, and almost all engage in "cluster feeding" for 2-4 hours (or more!) now and then, especially during growth spurts.
Babies sleep through the night by three months - Actually, he did this. Around three weeks, he started sleeping longer stretches, and from 3-12 weeks he reliably slept a 4-7 hour stretch every night. But after he was born, I found out about the four month sleep regression, when it all goes to shit. And he hit it a month early. So for nearly two months, he was back to sleeping in 1-2 hour chunks. Now, at 5 months, he's starting to alternate between bad nights and nights where he'll have one or two 3-hour stretches. So hopefully we're slowly coming out of that, although I know now that some babies don't sleep well til nearly a year. Just never listen to anyone who tells you that babies sleep through the night by X weeks/months.
Changing diapers is a nasty, disgusting chore - Reality isn't always worse than the myth! I don't mind the diaper changes at all (well, except when E is in a bad mood and screams through one). Maybe this is because cloth diapering slows the process down just a bit, but I often find diaper change time to be a nice bonding time. I sing him some songs, kiss his bare tummy, maybe even read him a book while letting him air out a little (but with a cloth over him just in case, of course). And everyone was right that exclusively-breastfed poo really isn't that bad. Sure sometimes a big poo that he manages to get on his feet while I'm removing the diaper is kinda gross, and he does pee everywhere now and then. But we change his diaper a good 10x a day, and those things happen maybe once a week. Overall, changing diapers? Not as bad as advertised!
Babies sleep 14-18 hours/day - Ha! Not this one! Try 11-12, and yes, I've tracked it with iPad apps so that's not an estimate. Every single person who met him for the first three months - starting with a pediatrician the day he was born - commented on how "alert" he is. We decided that alert is a euphemism for awake, since most newborns that we met were asleep and he never was.
Babies eat every 2-3 hours - See, that's the longest a newborn goes without eating. In this case, I know E is normal. I've seen plenty of other new moms convinced that something is wrong because their baby eats every hour, or for several hours straight. Most newborns eat more often than every 2-3 hours, and almost all engage in "cluster feeding" for 2-4 hours (or more!) now and then, especially during growth spurts.
Babies sleep through the night by three months - Actually, he did this. Around three weeks, he started sleeping longer stretches, and from 3-12 weeks he reliably slept a 4-7 hour stretch every night. But after he was born, I found out about the four month sleep regression, when it all goes to shit. And he hit it a month early. So for nearly two months, he was back to sleeping in 1-2 hour chunks. Now, at 5 months, he's starting to alternate between bad nights and nights where he'll have one or two 3-hour stretches. So hopefully we're slowly coming out of that, although I know now that some babies don't sleep well til nearly a year. Just never listen to anyone who tells you that babies sleep through the night by X weeks/months.
Changing diapers is a nasty, disgusting chore - Reality isn't always worse than the myth! I don't mind the diaper changes at all (well, except when E is in a bad mood and screams through one). Maybe this is because cloth diapering slows the process down just a bit, but I often find diaper change time to be a nice bonding time. I sing him some songs, kiss his bare tummy, maybe even read him a book while letting him air out a little (but with a cloth over him just in case, of course). And everyone was right that exclusively-breastfed poo really isn't that bad. Sure sometimes a big poo that he manages to get on his feet while I'm removing the diaper is kinda gross, and he does pee everywhere now and then. But we change his diaper a good 10x a day, and those things happen maybe once a week. Overall, changing diapers? Not as bad as advertised!
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