Baby related subjects: Babywearing and Elimination Communication

First of all: Babywearing.

With Louie, I hadn't heard of the term "babywearing."  I did have quite a bit of time before we got her to research different products, and I bought a Graco front carrier and a Baby Bjorn front carrier.  Didn't like the Graco one; gave it away.  We liked the Baby Bjorn pretty well, although my shoulders and back got tired after a while.  It was pretty good for going on walks, etc., but not great for around the house, as I still felt like I needed a hand on her whenever I leaned over.  It's hard to do things around the house one-handed.

We didn't have any more babies around for a while, and I started feeling like I may as well share my baby things with my sisters who were beginning their baby-bearing.  Who knew if I would ever get another baby small enough for a carrier again anyway, and if I did, they could lend stuff back, right?  So, my Baby Bjorn went to my sister.

A while later, I started doing foster care and got a 6 month old.  My sisters didn't live very close by, and so after a certain day of carrying this baby around, I decided it would be worth it to get another Baby Bjorn NOW instead of waiting to get mine back.  So I went to BabiesRUs and bought a Baby Bjorn that had back support.  I liked it MUCH better, because my back didn't get so tired, but I still had the other problems.

I have only had one other baby (4 months old) since that time until now, and that only for a month, so I hadn't felt the need to expand my options.  So when I got this brand new baby, it was time to babywear again.  I wanted to wear her more than I had worn my other babies, because I had heard how good it was to do.  Also, she liked to be held a lot, and it is not easy to hold a baby and run a house. 

I tried Baby in the Baby Bjorn, and it felt like she was trying to straddle a horse.  That wouldn't work!  My friend had made a ring sling for my sister, who passed it on to me.  I liked it much better.  My shoulders and back weren't as tired (although she is much smaller than Louie and my other babies were, so that could be why).  She could just lay in there and sleep (although try sitting in church with a baby laying across your lap and not have your two toddlers sit on her head!  Not easy.)  However, I still felt the need keep a hand on her when I leaned over, and she was always down by my elbows, so I kept bonking her when I tried to do anything.  Also, I had started to hear of babies suffocating in slings, so I was a little paranoid.  So, again, the sling was good for walking or sitting around, but not so great for getting things done around the house.

A girl at church had a wrap that she had her baby in, and I thought it looked really nice to use, so I talked to her about it, and she said it had been made by a friend, and gave me an idea of how to make one and how to use it.  I also looked online and found a website that showed me how.  My friend's wrap was made out of that fabric that is wrinkled that used to be popular for the skirts in a bag (I am totally uneducated about fabrics, so I don't know what it is called.)  She liked it because it didn't stretch out too much.  On the website, it suggested stretch cotton jersey (like tee shirt material) for up to 15 pounds.  I decided that might be comfier for now, so I went to the fabric store and found some decent looking cotton jersey for $5 a yard.  I actually only bought two yards, then after cutting it lengthwise, sewed the ends together so I had a four-yard piece.  I'm pretty skinny, and 4 yards is about perfect for me, so if you aren't 110 pounds or less, I'd probably go a little bit longer.

A wrap looks complicated, but it is really super simple to make and use (I really don't sew, and you don't have to know how in order to make one.)  I made mine Saturday night, and used it for the first time yesterday.  I LOVE IT!  Baby slept in it all three hours of church.  She was centered with my body so my back and shoulders weren't tired.  She was out of the way of my arms so I didn't keep hitting her (and the toddlers also weren't sitting on her head because she wasn't across my lap).  She felt secure, so I didn't feel like I had to keep a hand on her at all times.  I could even put some of the material behind her head to support it.  I can wear a baby and do things at the same time now!  I'm very excited.

So, as you may have gathered by now, I totally recommend that if you plan on babywearing, you make a wrap.  It costs WAY LESS than buying one if you get your material on sale (especially if you buy half the yardage you need and sew it together - the nicest thing about that is that it is easy to find the center.)  It is cheap, easy to use, versatile, comfortable, convenient, much less bulky than the other options, and when you are done with it, you can give it away or use the material to make something else!

Next: Elimination Communication

I am an eclectic diaperer.  I use disposable and cloth.  I have used different types of cloth diapers and covers/soakers.  I started mostly cloth diapering Louie when she ran out of the millions of disposables that were given to us for her baby showers, so I never had to cloth diaper a newborn.  I do have one-size-fits-all diapers, but Baby is so small that they drown her.  Besides I am using them for Jack and Pie.  I have felt slightly overwhelmed by all the diapers I have been going through for all three girls, and I've been trying to think of different options.

I first heard of Elimination Communication (also known as EC, infant potty training or natural infant hygiene) once Louie was either potty trained or nearly so, so I couldn't use it for her, although I thought it sounded cool.  I've not had any newborns since then, and didn't realize that you could start it even with older babies, so I hadn't really considered doing it until last week when I was trying to figure out how to reduce my diaper usage.  I googled Elimination Communication and watched 10 or 20 You Tube videos about it, and got all excited about trying it with Baby.  I was actually in the middle of watching a video and Baby was acting squirmy (It's my cue!  Should I try it?), so I decided to start right then.  Wow!  Within the next 12 hours, she probably went pee 10 times and poo 2 times!  She stayed dry all night.

Now we don't need diapers at all!  Just Kidding!  Really, I'm still trying to learn her cues.  I probably get about half of her eliminations, and probably misread her cues about half the time (She's whining, she probably has to go potty!  Nope, I just never finished burping her.)  We are probably still going through the same amount of diapers SO FAR, because I am more aware of her eliminations, and I don't want her to get used to dirty diapers, so I am changing them more often when I miss one.  I haven't done the whole "leave her diaperless on a pad so you can note her elimination times" thing, just because our house is too cold.  I expect that eventually we will learn each other's cues better and go through fewer diapers, but for now, her bum is lots cleaner and healthier.  I'm thinking I should just buy some cheap cloth diapers on eBay.  I feel like I am a lot more aware of her eliminations, so I could just have her in diapers without covers during the summer.  Easier to get on and off; less waste if I miss a pee or poo.  I started this last Wednesday, and she has been dry 4 out of 5 nights.  I have taken her to the bathroom before bed, and because she sleeps with me I have been able to wake up and take her when she starts squirming in the middle of the night.  I only have to get up once; I would rather do that than have to wake up because she is crying with a dirty diaper like I was having to do before.  I actually just had to pause my blogging because I was wearing her (in my wrap) and she started fidgeting, so I took her to the bathroom and she went pee!  I have had her go in the training potty, big toilet, a bowl, and the bathroom sink.  So far I like the sink the best, because it is easiest for me to hold her over it.  Sorry if that grosses you out.

These are my thoughts on EC for now.  We'll see if I actually stick with it.  Although, I don't see why I couldn't at least stick with it part time.  If I am not near a bathroom, or if I am super busy, I don't have to stress about it, but if I can tell she needs to go, why not take her if I can?  I am going to try to stick with it, but not let my life be completely ruled by it.  I think that will be the best way to avoid getting burnt out by it.  I must say, though, it is the coolest thing when she squirms, I take her to the bathroom and say "sssss" and she goes!  It is pretty cool to feel like we are communicating that much.  I say, anyone who is considering it should at least try it.