GiveAways Ending Tonight at 11:59pm. June 29th.

More Giveaways Canadians can enter:

ENDS tonight June 29th at 11:59pm.

1.) Apple Cheeks Cloth Diaper. By Mama B.

http://mamabmy.blogspot.com/2010/06/mama-essential-27-applecheeks-review.html
www.applecheeks.com

2.)Fuzzi Bunz Cloth Diaper. By The B Keeps Us Honest.

http://thebkeepsushonest.blogspot.com/2010/06/2nd-birthday-bash-fuzzibunz-review.html

3.)Hately pajamas. By The B Keeps Us Honest.

http://thebkeepsushonest.blogspot.com/2010/06/2nd-birthday-bash-hatley-review.html

4.)Rockin Green Detergent. Loving My Life. ENDS: July 12th.

http://www.lovingmylifereviews.com/2010/06/rockin-green-soap-review-giveaway.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LovingMyLifeReviews+%28Loving+My+Life+Reviews%29

Breastfeeding Stigma

There are so many challenges to breastfeeding: engorgement, leaking, worry about milk supply and of course, cracked and bleeding nipples, to name a few.

There is no wonder that most women choose to formula feed. Those that do breastfeed usually only make it a short period of time before switching.

I believe however, that one of the main reasons that women don't try breastfeeding or don't continue to once they start: is a lack of social support.

People in our society do not see breastfeeding as natural and healthy. They see a woman with her boob out in public. Period.

I have not breastfed before. I am presently pregnant with my first child. But I do plan on breastfeeding for one whole year. That is my goal. People may think I'm crazy but then again they think that anyway for me wanting to cloth diaper.

The depressing thing is that I am more worried about the negative stigma attached to breastfeeding then I am of the pain and time-consumption of it.

Since I have voiced my desire to breastfeed I have had no positive or reinforcing feedback.

All I have heard is:

"PLEASE don't breastfeed in public."

"Don't ever feed your child in a restaurant. It's disrespectful."

"That woman really should have covered herself better, no one wants to see that."

"I hope you plan to go sit in the car to breastfeed, if we're in a restaurant."

"Just go home if the baby needs to eat."

These are actual comments made by people in my own family!

I haven't even had my baby yet and already I am dealing with people's aversion to it.
So as I said, there is a huge lack of social support for breastfeeding mothers. I am really worried about what my life will be like for the next year.

Will I be secluded into another room, car, or bathroom stall while my family and friends continue to enjoy themselves until I am finished with the nasty habit of feeding my child? If so, will I really be able to stick with it? Do I really have enough backbone to stand up for myself and the needs of my baby to my own friends and family, most of whom have never had a child, let alone breastfed?

Only time will tell, but in the mean time I guess I'd better stock up on a bunch of comebacks for the people determined to make breastfeeding harder than it already is...

More GiveAway Opportunities.

I have discovered a few more places to enter to win some free stuff.

1.) Sprout Change Reversible One Size Giveaway. By Dirty Diaper Laundry.

ENDS: June 28th 2010.
http://dirtydiaperlaundry.com/sprout-change-reversible-one-size-giveaway-628/comment-page-13/#comment-31284

2.)Happy Heinys Organic One Size diaper. By Diva Diapers on Facebook.

ENDS: June 27th 2010
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/DivaDiaperscom/299508989847

3.) $30 gift certificate. By Mom's Milk Boutique on Facebook.

ENDS: When they reach 4925 fans. Only 10 more to go!
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/West-Frankfort-IL/Moms-Milk-Boutique/126520794044?ref=ts&ajaxpipe=1&__a=22


GOOD LUCK!!

GiveAways- Take Advantage!

Well, not only am I addicted to cloth diapers and accessories, I have a new addiction.

Entering to win free GiveAways.

This is another new thing I have discovered since starting to blog. Many or even most cloth diapering blogs offer almost weekly free giveaways. These giveaways are often cloth diapers but can also be cloth wipes, baby toys or gift certificates to their affiliated store.

There is a mandatory step to enter. Such as saying which product you would like to try from a company, for example Boon or Happy Heinys. Then there are many, sometimes as many as twenty extra ways to enter. You do whatever it says, for example Tweet about the giveaway or become a fan on Facebook, then you leave a comment about what and where you did it. If you can do almost all the extra entries you have a fair chance at winning.

I have found that Facebook and Twitter are invaluable to getting these extra entries. So if you don't have an account to these sites you should create one.

A winner is drawn using a random drawing program from the names in the comment section of the blog where the giveaway is posted. So if you have commented ten times you have ten chances to win.

I have been entering these giveaways for only a couple weeks and yesterday I won my first giveaway. I am sooo excited.

I entered a giveaway posted by 29 Diapers. http://www.29diapers.com/
I won a bottle of Thirsties Booty Luster (cloth diaper solution)and 6 Fab Wipes in your choice of boy or girl colors. This was the first thing but hopefully not the last that I have won on line.

The only down side is that if you live in Canada like me, you are not eligible to enter all giveaways. I spent a lot of time entering The Cloth Diaper Whisperer's giveaways and then discovered that they are only open to US residents. So read all information carefully and if it is not posted, send a question to the blog writers. You don't want to win an awesome prize and then not be able to claim it.

So to give others the chance to win some giveaways that are eligible for Canadians, I am going to start posted links to giveaways that I have discovered.

GIVEAWAYS:

1.) Boon Scrubbles bath toy set. Posted by 29 Diapers. Ends 11:59pm on July 4th 2010.
http://www.29diapers.com/2010/06/22/boon-scrubbles-review-and-giveaway/

2.)Pimp Your Stash: Win a Knickernappies OS Diaper w/ Loopy Do Inserts!
Posted by Diaper Discussions. Ends July 2nd 2010.
http://diaperdiscussions.blogspot.com/2010/06/pimp-your-stash-win-knickernappies-os.html


Have fun and try not to get too addicted!!

Baby Kicks.

Tonight, my baby has been kicking me off and on for hours. We had friends over tonight, they were drinking wine and we were playing board games and baby was dancing up a storm in my belly.

My friends could see my belly jumping and jiggling while I sat at the kitchen table. There is no trouble to tell that he is getting bigger and stronger. He used to only kick in my lower abdomen and now he is kicking at the top of my belly. It is a lot more noticeable there.

It is the strangest feeling in the world to feel your baby moving around, kicking and punching you. The first few times I really felt it, it was disconcerting. My body was moving and doing things that I did not give it permission to do. I could not control it or even know when something was going to happen.

I often wonder why he is so active some days and less so on others. I know a lot has to do with food and movement. While you are moving a lot, the baby is put to sleep by the motion. When you relax or in my case as soon as I put my feet up the baby wakes up and starts moving around. Food, especially sugar also has an effect. I guess the baby gets a sugar high and makes him hyper. The same as it does to all children.

But is it also just a personality thing? Does he just feel like being active some days and relaxing on others, like we all do? How much of his personality is formed already? Will it change?

There are just so many questions and so little answers at this point. But that is the joy of pregnancy. Wondering and daydreaming about your future child and the person he or she will become...

Green Parenting Message Board

When I was first considering cloth diapering my baby, I stumbled onto the
Green Parenting board on the What to Expect website. I was already a member of the "Expecting in September" board on this site.

The Green Parenting board has become my go-to site. I am on there every day asking questions and reading other people's answers. Almost all the people on this message board are moms who cloth diaper their babies or women who are looking for info to start cloth diapering.

The tips, techniques, advice and help with brand choices on this message board are invaluable. There is also advice to help all parents live a greener life and tips on how to make the transition as easy as possible.

Anyone considering cloth diapering should definitely check it out. And if you already cloth diaper you should join and advise other women like me on the best ways to succeed in cloth diapering.

I believe that if everyone knew how easy and fun cloth diapering could be, all parents would want to do it.

Cloth Diapering My Newborn.

I have bought all one-size diapers. One-size cloth diapers are diapers that are adjustable from around 8 pounds to 35 pounds. All my one-size use snaps to alter the length and width of the diaper.

The problem however is according to all the cloth diapering message boards, one-size diapers do not fit around the legs of newborn babies. Even if they are 8 lbs. There is not a tight enough fit and they may leak around the leg holes. Obviously, I do not want this to happen.

So I was planning on using disposables until my baby is big enough for my one-size dipes. But now, I am not so sure. I am really excited to start cloth diapering and unless I am in a lot of pain after delivery I would rather start right away.

So for the last couple weeks I have been researching the best and least expensive cloth diapers for newborns. Of course, there are as many choices for newborns as there are for babies in general. Hence, it has taken a couple weeks.

They make really cute pocket diapers and all-in-one diapers that I would love to have BUT they are just as expensive as the one-size that will fit the baby until he is potty-trained. So they are not really in the cards at the moment.

The least expensive and most recommended diapers I have found are Chinese prefold diapers with a newborn size cover. Prefolds are more along the lines of what our grandparents used to use except they have a thick absorbent pad in the center. You basically fold the flat diaper three times, lay the baby on it. Pull the flap up between the legs and fasten. You could fasten with pins (ouch!) or with a snappy. Then velcro the diaper cover on over. Covers are way cuter than the plastic pants used to be.

For this method you buy around 24 prefolds (around $1.60 a piece) and 2 to 4 covers ($12.00 each). Then you can diaper your newborn until 15 lbs approximately. Pocket diapers for newborns cost anywhere between $15 to $25 each. So prefolds and covers are definitely the most economical way. Most moms who cloth diaper say that this is actually one of their favorite ways to cloth diaper and it is not difficult at all.

So I have made my decision to use prefolds for my newborn.
Now I just have to take the plunge and buy some...

A Cloth Diaper Addict Is Born.

I am going to cloth diaper my baby when he arrives in September. I have been scouring the internet for the last few months. I have been reading and asking questions on message boards, reading everything I can on websites that sell cloth diapers and most recently (because I just discovered them) following cloth diaper blogs.

On these sites they all have a common thread among the moms that use cloth diapers. Everyone is an addict!

Once you start buying and using cloth diapers, it is all you want to do. I can see that I have been hooked and am now one of the newest converts to the fluffy side of life.

There are so many choices: colors, textures, systems, brands. At first it is overwhelming, particularly because everyone has a different opinion on the best systems (Pockets, All in Ones, Prefolds, Flats, Hybrid ...) and on the best brands (Kissaluvs, Bum Genius, Bummis, G diapers, GroVia ...).

But to a cloth diaper addict, these choices just feed the obsession. You want to try everything. You want one in every color. You want to continuously add to your "stash". (Which in itself, is a very telling word.)

In my case, however, this is all intensified. I cannot try my diapers, I cannot see which one I like until my baby is born. In three more months! So if money were unlimited I would just keep buying and buying. But of course it's not and if I happen to win the lottery, I think my husband would have something to say if I spent it all on something to cover the baby's butt.

But what a cute butt that would be...

Glucose Test Completed

So now I am much more informed as to how a glucose test works.

The glucose test consists of drinking a bottle of very sweet orange juice and then sitting in a room for one hour. You must give a urine sample during this time and at the end of the hour you have the blood test. It is much less complicated than I thought. I thought they would check my blood many times during the hour, but it is only once. So it’s not too bad.

I didn’t even have to wait to speak with anyone. I guess it’s because you see a technician not a doctor so the technicians are not as busy.

I do not have my results, however. The nurse said my OB would call me in the next couple days if there is a problem, i.e. If I have gestational diabetes. If there is no problem then he will just talk to me at my next appointment. For me that is in 4 weeks time since I just had one yesterday. I am going to call him to ask, however, if I haven't heard from him by Tuesday next week. You never know, results can get lost.

I also had to have a vaccination (WinRho) because my blood type is A negative. My husband is A+ so I needed a vaccine now and another at the birth if my baby is RH positive. It is to prevent my body from developing antibodies that will attack my next baby when I'm pregnant.

The glucose test only took one hour but I had to wait around for them to confirm my blood group and then give me the medication. Then I had to bring it to another floor to the Day Clinic to have a nurse give me the vaccination. Then I had to wait 15 minutes to make sure I didn't have a reaction to the vaccine.

In total, I was there for THREE hours. It was a beautiful afternoon here too. Nothing like spending it waiting around in a stinky, germy hospital.

Oh well, at least it is done and now I just have to wait for the results...

Glucose Test Today

I am headed to the hospital for a glucose test to see if I have Gestational Diabetes. I have very little idea on what the test entails. I do know that every pregnant woman must get check for it during their pregnancy. I always thought it would be earlier though. I am over 6 and 1/2 months pregnant now. If I had diabetes, wouldn't it be better if I knew right away? But maybe it doesn't show up until six months or so.

I am under the impression that it is going to take a long time to do the test. Just waiting for the test will probably take an hour or so. I live in Quebec, Canada and unless you are dying you wait a minimum of one hour to see a doctor (even if you have an appointment).

I heard and/or read that you have to drink really sweet juice and then you sit there and they check your insulin levels regularly for a specific period of time (maybe one or two hours). It's to determine how your insulin levels react to the sugar, I think.

I had my regular doctor's appointment yesterday and he gave me a paper to take to the hospital for the glucose test & a blood test. But he didn't tell me ANYTHING about the actual test. So frustrating. I was in & out of his office in 8 minutes.

The sugar levels were high in my urine yesterday too, so I'm a little worried. He asked if the sample I brought was after fasting. I told him that is was the first urine of the day. Until just now I assumed that the levels were high because I was fasting but that doesn't really make sense. They would be higher after eating, right?

Oh great, so if the sugar levels were higher after not eating then maybe my insulin is not regulating itself. I'm glad I'm getting this checked today. I really wish my OB would have explained any of this to me...

Anyway, I will go to the hospital armed with a book and maybe my laptop to finally have this test. I really hope I don't have diabetes, I do not want to have to give up sugar or take needles everyday. I don't even know how gestational diabetes would effect my baby.
Hopefully, I won't have to find out...

Thirteen Weeks to Go

I am 27 weeks pregnant today. I am due around September 12th or 15th 2010. One ultrasound said the 15th and the next said 12th. But who knows, the baby will come whenever he feels like it. Oh ya, and it's a BOY!

Boys are so rare in my family. I am one of three girls and between my two sisters, I have three nieces. So when I found out I was pregnant, I automatically assumed I was having a girl. I know intellectually that it is the man that determines the sex of a baby but it has always been assumed that women in my family cannot have or carry boys. (Old wives' tale, I know.)

The day I found out my baby was a boy I was shocked:

The ultrasound tech was doing all kinds of measurements of the baby's organs and bones. I could follow most of it and then at one point she was looking at an area and I had no idea what part of the body it was. When I asked, she laughed and said "it's the baby's sex." Up until this point I was trying to be patient with everything she had to do but I was dying to know for sure what I was having. When she said that I was stunned, she was looking at it for what seemed like forever and she hadn't told us yet!! "What is it?!" I asked.

"Well you see, this is one leg, this is another and here is a third."

It took a moment for this to sink in, my husband and I were both silent. Then when we realized what she was saying we started laughing. "It's a boy, there is a boy in there? Are you sure?"

She checked twice and sure enough, the little penis was there again. She even printed a picture, as proof I guess.

So much for mother's intuition! I was sure I was having a girl, I even had dreams of holding my baby girl in my arms and feeding her.

I am having a baby boy in approximately three months and I am so excited. I hope you follow me through all the excitement and stress of the coming months and beyond.

It's sure to be an adventure, especially since I have never even changed a boy's diaper...