Save money by breastfeeding!

The first commercial baby formula was developed in 1867!  Throughout history there have been moms that have not been able to nurse but until formula was developed a wet nurse was employed.  So when formula was introduced the need for wet nurses disappeared.  The problem with formula was that it became the "normal" way to feed your baby.  That is definitely changing.. Canada and US are getting back on track and breastfeeding is on the rise! 

My son Parker and I had a rough start with breastfeeding.  He was Jaundice and really sleepy in the hospital and spent a lot of time under the lights.  I pumped a lot in the hospital and fed him with a syringe.  I was adamant that he not get ANY formula or use a bottle, it was written in my birth plan which they had in my file.  I wasn't getting very much when pumping so I was being told how much I would need etc.  I knew from my sister and from books that they did not need much at first and to not worry.  One nurse had the nerve to mention formula to me and I told her "No.. my baby does not need formula.. what we need is to get out of this hospital and to our cozy home where we can be comfortable"... I'm actually not so sure if I said it so nicely.  I had it written down in my file and I still had formula shoved down my throat.. so imagine if I was a new mom who had no idea!  The nurses and lactation consultant at the hospital were useless for me.   Within an hour of getting home from the hospital Parker had a full feed!

My first month was not fun at all!  I was so engorged when my milk came in.. cabbage leaves were a life saver!  I had a lot of nipple pain!  I had read about tongue ties and I was convinced Parker had one as I couldn't see anything wrong with his latch.  multiple nurses and doctors told me he was fine.  I had the doctor refer me to the Lakeview Breastfeeding clinic in Calgary, AB and sure enough... Tongue tie!

My tips to succeed!

• Before you have your baby find a family member or friend that can help you.  My mom and sister we're amazing!  They may be able to share resources to help you as well.   My sister shared Dr. Jack Newman with me. 
• Know what a good latch looks like.  Find images that show the difference between a good latch and bad latch.
• Be aware that it is a learning process for both you and your baby.  It takes time to figure it out and until it's figured out you may be feeding your baby far more than every three hours. 
• It shouldn't hurt!  It may be uncomfortable at first while you get used to it but from what I understand it shouldn't hurt.
• Check to see if there is a breastfeeding clinic in your area.  I live in Canada and the clinic was covered by our healthcare.  If you do not have one find a lactation consultant and see if it is covered by your insurance.
• Purchase a couple nursing bras,  nursing tank tops and shirts so that you can nurse comfortably and discreetly wherever you are.  This is FAR less money than formula so don't feel guilty about purchasing items that you will be comfortable.  My mom bought me two nursing tanks and they are worth every penny... the essential tank by Bravado.

So.. whip'em out!  Enjoy the many benefits of breastfeeding.. including saving money!  It's worth the effort!

Oh, Canada!

Check out this blog post from the gdiapers.typepad.com blog!

Oh, Canada!

Hoorah! So glad to hear that gDiapers may soon be affordable in Canada! Good timing too because I'm dying to get the boys gStyle set for Parker!

Making your own wipe solution

More and more people are cloth diapering these days and cloth wipes are an easy add on!

1. Cut up a couple of receiving blankets into little squares (yes they’ll fray in the wash.. I just rip frays off when I see them) or you can purchase some cheap baby washcloths.. chances are you’ll have a bunch of these anyways. 

2.  I kept my peri-bottle from the hospital and I use that.  You can use a spray bottle as well.

3. In an 8 oz. bottle I put 2 pumps of Dove baby wash, a few drops of tea tree oil and about a tablespoon of mineral oil.  Fill it up with water!

4. I spray one corner of the wipe with the solution and use that to clean and I use the dry side to dry of his bum before the diaper goes on.

That’s it!  So easy!  Dirty wipes just go in the wetbag with the cloth diapers.  www.zany-zebra.com has more recipies to check out!

Grobag Review

So.. maybe I’m weird but I’m totally lost when it comes to what to put Parker in to sleep.  I’m always worried that he’s too cold or hot and it stresses me out.  I try to cover him with a blanket, but even in his sleep he has a natural reflex to kick it off.  So for the last couple weeks I have been looking for a Grobag for him.. why did I choose a Grobag instead of another brand of sleep sack?  Because they are idiot proof!  It tells you right on the site what TOG (no idea what it stands for) to use for what temperatures and what to dress them in.  It’s just one less thing for me to have to worry about.

Of course I searched Kijiji in Calgary but no one was really offering the one I needed and all of the styles seemed really old.. and they still wanted at least $20 for them.  I was starting to think I was going to have to buy one new.  I remembered seeing some new ones at Once upon a child so I called them up.  Turns out they had some used as well.. so off we went!

To be honest there wasn’t many there so I think I actually lucked out but I found a super cute one for $18!  It is a 0-6 1.0 TOG so it really will only last me till fall!  Clearly as shown below.. he loves it!

I’ve put a wanted ad on Kijiji.ca to find a 6 to 18 month TOG 2.5.  I’m sure I’ll be able to find another one at a great price!  Or I may try making one!  I’ll keep you posted!

Links

Grobag Info - http://www.gro.co.uk/Grobag-baby-sleep-bags/View-all-products.html

Once upon a Child - http://www.onceuponachild.com/

Buying a Swing

A swing is something that your baby could hate or love! If your baby loves it.. it will be a godsend! There are a couple things to think about when buying a swing. The most important thing in my mind is to make sure it plugs in! From reviewing the swings on babiesrus.ca it looks like there are only three models that plug in and the cheapest of the three is $199.99.



The Fisher price Zen swing is the swing my mom purchased for Parker. We love it! She got it used through kijiji for $160.. yep that's quite a bit for a used swing but considering it's features and that it can be plugged in I don't think it's a bad price at all! It pretty much the Royles Royce of swings and I plan on keeping it around for the next baby.

This is one of the items I would suggest hunting for before the baby is born. Look at the new models, read the reviews and pick out the one you want. Search on Kijiji (Ebay classifieds in the USA) but put a wanted ad out there for the specific one you want and list the price you are willing to pay. You should be able to find a great swing that plugs in for $75 to $150 depending on features and age.

Happy Shopping!

Keeping up with the Jones! Let's be honest..

Let's be honest, we all want the best for our children. We want the newest toys, the best clothes and the best gear! We seem to have this sense of inadequacy in our culture if we can't provide the best. Many of us would rather go into debt than admit that we need help.

A lot of my success in finding items for cheap and free was just to be myself and be honest about where we were financially. If your friends and family don't know that you are in need they may not offer help and items that could go to you may go to the local salvation army or be sold to someone else.

One of the things I did was put a wanted ad on my work message board. A total stranger came by my desk with some brand new sleepers she had sitting around. I didn't know her at all and I was touched by her generosity. From another lady I purchased a quinny car seat (and frame), bassinet, bathtub, some clothes, an exersaucer and more for $200. She didn't have time to sell things through craigslist or Kijiji and was happy to help me out. Because of her generosity I was actually able to donate another bassinet I had purchased earlier to a young teenage mom! The biggest blessing I've had by far is from my work friends Brad & Leah who I carpooled with during my pregnancy. They have given me strollers, toys galore (he's good until at least 3 years old), a baby monitor, a playmat, a tricycle and so much more! I can't even imagine what we would have done without them. They knew we were in need and helped us out.. and they know that we will pay it forward when we are done with the items they have blessed us with.

No one coming into my home would feel bad for Parker.. he has everything he needs and more. Of course there are many things that I would love to get.. a bugaboo stroller, a fancy video baby monitor etc. But I definitely don't need them.

My suggestion is to be honest... especially if you have nice things from the past but are now in a different financial situation! By outward appearances people may not expect that you need (or want) help! Try to be okay with second hand things.. and you will be surprised at peoples generosity and the wonderful items that you will find!

gDiapers Review

I love gDiapers! I was given a starter pack with two small gpants and a package of the biodegradable inserts. I fell in love! What I loved the most about them was that the poop stayed inside the diaper! Wow what a concept! I've experienced my share of pampers and huggies blowouts and I would much prefer washing the gdiaper liner than spending 1/2 hour trying to get a stain out of a cute outfit! I am completely perplexed at the popularity of disposables... maybe my boy is just a super pooper!

For those who aren’t familiar with gdiapers you have two options for inserts, the biodegradable flushable inserts or cloth inserts. check out http://www.gdiapers.com/gdiapers101 for more information.  I use primarily cloth inserts.  For mothers day my mom bought some diaper making fabric and we've made some awesome inserts made out of Zorb sandwiched in Bamboo french terry and cute cotton flannel! They work great! We also have extra fabric and are going to sell some to recoup our costs on the fabric. I will be using the same inserts for Parkers entire diaper wearing experience.. huge money saver!! For your reference cloth inserts will cost you roughly $5 each or $2 to make... and you need at least 2 dozen.

Tips on buying gdiapers used. You can expect to pay between $5 to $10 per gpant on kijiji or craigslist. You can also find them on the gdiaper yahoo group or ebay. Watch out for stains and make sure the velcro doesn't curl too much. If you know someone in the USA, 2 packs can be purchased for $24.95 at babiesrus. They are not affordable in Canada yet so I would try to find used or buy in the states. If you live in the states I would go ahead and purchase from gdiapers.com if you can't find used. It is a great company and if you sign up for the newsletter they do offer discounts periodically.

Breakdown of my purchases..
8 medium, 5 large and 5 packages of inserts - $150 (new - $285 - $300)
4 medium (fun colors) - $50 (same 2 packs are $59.99 at bo bebe in Calgary, AB)

Pros
- Option of biodegradable/flushable inserts or cloth
- No poop on the cute clothes
- super cute!
- the dog can't get them
- you don't have to double your garbage every week or feel guilty

Cons
- Expensive from the store (in Canada)
- minor pee leaks if left on too long or put on wrong

Stay posted for a video breakdown of my gdiaper system!