How UnderCover Mama Saved My Baby from Chickenpox!

A few weeks ago I noticed 2 itchy spots on my belly and back. I thought it was mosquito bites but had no idea how they got to my belly! Someone suggested it was poison ivy but again, almost impossible. A couple days later it turned into a blistery rash. As we were going out of town the next day, I decided to go to Patient First being that it was quite uncomfortable and I wanted to make sure it wasn't contagious.

The Doctor at Patient First took one look at it and announced, "That is definitely Shingles."  Shingles?! I thought that's for old people! She said that she's seen a few young people with it lately. So am I contagious? Only if someone comes into direct contact with the lesions. But I am nursing a baby! She said my baby was likely already exposed so there's nothing I can do about it anyway. Someone can contract chickenpox from shingles, but they wouldn't contract shingles. But my 8 mo old nursling has not had the chickenpox or the vaccine, and he's the only one who has been in direct contact with my belly!

Her only advice was to keep it covered, wash my hands, and take an antiviral. I was taken off work for a week as I'm a midwife and don't want to expose my patients - just in case. I called my pediatrician who wasn't concerned. It's not dangerous for a baby at 8 months to get chicken pox.

So we went on our trip as planned. And my baby never got the chicken pox!

I attribute it to my Undercover Mama! I LOVE the Undercover Mama and wear one all the time! It is great because it just hooks to your regular nursing bra and is much cheaper than a nursing tank. I like that it keeps my belly covered while I'm nursing as I wear a lot of T-shirts. I also wear it to sleep because nursing in bed makes for a cold tummy! I think because my Undercover Mama kept my belly covered all the time, my baby was never exposed to the shingles lesion.

Another great benefit of the Undercover Mama!

Lollidoo Overnight EcoPocket to the Rescue!

All moms suffer from lack of sleep and look forward to a time when their little one will sleep through the night without waking. We dream about it, well actually moms who don't get good sleep don't actually get to dream, but we daydream about dreaming...lol

The heartbreak happens when the time comes, baby sleeps through the whole night, the problem? Well the problem is that your cloth diapers can't make it through the whole night without wicking or leaking and there's nothing like a soaked cloth diaper, sheets and onesie to wake a sleeping babe! I know, it's a sad thing, all you want to do is sleep and finally baby wants to sleep, but you need to find an overnight cloth diapering system that works!

That's where the Lollidoo Overnight Ecopocket comes in! Fleece is a really awesome cloth diapering solution for heavy wetter and overnight and that's why Lollidoo has created a pocket diaper for overnight using it! Fleece repels moisture which keeps the wetness inside the diaper, in the inserts where it belongs.

About Lollidoo:
Made in the USA with recycled and organic fibers, LolliDoo cloth diapers are available in a whole host of styles, beginning with our versatile eco-pocket pocket-style cloth diaper with recycled fleece outer and your choice of certified organic cotton skin liner or recycled StayDry skin liner. eco-pocket diapers are available in Classic or Overnight styles in an array of vibrant colors.

The Overnight Ecopocket comes with THREE absorbent innies/inserts.

Visit Soft and Cozy Baby today and check out the Ecopocket by Lollidoo! We promise, you won't regret it!

Guest Author: Julie, the "Cloth Diaper Geek"

You use what kind of diapers??!!

One of the things I love most about cloth diapering (and working at a cloth diaper store) is getting to share my knowledge and passion with others. I love when a fellow mom expresses interest in learning more and gives cloth diapering a try. I get a thrill when a fellow mom notices my son's adorable diaper in the Nordstrom ladies lounge. What better way to spread the word?

That being said, I often run into those that are super skeptical of the whole cloth diaper concept. I hear questions like "You wash that in your washing machine?", "You have to rinse them out?", "You know disposables are so much easier, right??". I wish I knew the perfect way to respond but I am usually at a loss. I generally revert to smiling and conceding that cloth diapering might not be the best choice for everyone... I wish I could express to them how cloth diapering changed the way I look at consumerism, the environment, my budget, my baby's health and so much more!

Have you encountered many nay-sayers?? How do you respond?

cloth wipes: all the cool people are using them

When I first ventured into the world of cloth diapering I was hesitant about a lot of factors: washing, leakage, practicality etc. I was ultimately won over by the environmental impact of disposables AND their impact on my wallet. Why then was I not as excited to jump on the cloth wipe band wagon? For some reason I held onto that last vestige of disposable diapering. I was happy to ditch the paper diapers but I felt like the wipes practical and inexpensive enough to keep using them. I was so wrong!

After about a month of cloth diapering I realized the disposable wipes were cramping my style. First, I discovered how flimsy they were and just how many I needed to clean up an atomic #2 diaper. Second, I could no longer just wrap them up in the disposable diaper and throw them out (ohhhhhhhhh the landfills........). It actually ended up being MORE work to separate them out without making a mess. I ended up banishing disposable wipes from my house (I do keep them in the car for emergencies!) and making an effort to use the cloth option.

For those that are skeptical (or scared) here is "Cloth Wipes 101".
Lots of cloth diaper makers have gotten in on the cloth wipe action: BumGenius, Fuzzi Bunz, Kissaluvs, the list goes on and on. You can also use washcloths (baby or otherwise- the baby ones tend to be a little softer on the bum), pieces of old textiles- you get the picture. You can use them dry with a spray bottle, wet with plain ol' water, or wet with a diaper wipe solution. There is no wrong way- just what you find that works best for you.

Here is how I "get my wipe on":

I use Thirsties Fab Wipes (and let me tell you, they ARE fab!


For a solution I use Punkin Butt Organic Wipe Concentrate:

I love that one little bottle makes 50 batches!!!

I use a plastic wipes container but any tupperware (or even a wipe warmer) will do. I use an old Huggies tub because I like the opening better for "pop-up-ability". I won't include a picture of that because I bet our readers are super smart and know what one looks like ;)

Now here is where I get kind of fancy. I like my wipes to pop out of the tub like a disposable wipe would. Here is how I make that happen:

Step 1: Lay out the first wipe and put the second wipe halfway over it.


Step 2: Fold one wipe over the other.


Step 3: Lay another wipe over the side you just folded over.


Step 4: Fold the opposite side over the cloth you just laid down.


Continue folding this away until you have used the desired number of wipes and place them in your wipe container. Next, add your wipe solution to one cup of boiled water and pour over the wipes. You're done!! Once you get the hang of folding the wipes this will go a lot faster :) If the folding is not your think you can skip this step. Other mamas prefer to wet wipes as needed or just keep a spray bottle with water or wipe solution on hand to spray dirty bottoms. No matter which way you do it cloth wipes saves you money AND benefits the earth!

Breastfeeding Necessities

My son is now 8 weeks old and I am LOVING breastfeeding my second time around! Breastfeeding should be simple, right. Just you and the baby. No bits and pieces to take along or wash. You're ready to go whenever baby needs with no cleanup required (except for the milk mouth)!

That is true and makes breastfeeding so much nicer than bottle feeding with all its included preparation and clean-up. But I want to share some of the gadgets that I've been using which is turning breastfeeding into almost as much of an obsession as cloth diapering! I just love all these things that I've found to make the experience that much more exciting!

The first is the Undercover Mama. This awesome invention keeps your belly covered while you nurse. Instead of buying an expensive nursing tank or forfeiting your favorite bra, you can keep your bra and save money with this product. It attaches to your own bra and drops down when you release the clasp on your bra! I am living in it these days! I wear it to bed too because my belly always gets cold when I'm nursing in bed at night!

Next is the Milkies Milk Saver. This thing is ingenious. All you can think about when you take off your soaking breast pads is how much milk was wasted that is now going to be washed out. Especially when you need to pump and every drop counts! It is a little large and I would love one that I could wear all day long, but it's got a great design. You put it in your bra on the other side than you're nursing on. And it catches all the milk with let-down. I once collected 2 oz using this! It even comes with a heavy-duty case that acts as a stand to hold it upright.

My last ingenious invention is Milk Trays. With my first child, I couldn't believe how expensive those bags are to freeze breastmilk in. Were they really necessary? What's wrong with plain old freezer bags? Of course no one had an answer so I used them - protecting my precious breastmilk for my baby. I'd hate for it to get ruined or freezer burned. Then I saw Milk Trays. They are specially designed, made of medical grade plastic, with 1 oz compartments. You pour the milk into the compartments from the bottle that you pump into. Then you freeze it. When they're frozen, you pop out the one-ounce sticks and store them in a regular freezer bag. Date the bag by the week so you use up old milk first. To defrost just put as many sticks as needed into a bottle and defrost in warm water like you normally would. This way you save every drop and don't defrost more than you need and have to throw it away. Then just rinse out the trays and reuse!

Of course, I would be remiss if I failed to mention My Brest Friend as a true nursing necessity. It provides unbelievable support and comfort, even for the new breastfeeding mama with a tiny newborn. At that early stage you truly don't have enough hands and support to keep everything in place. This pillow wraps around your body and is very adjustable both in how high or low you set it and in how snug it fits around your belly. It has a flat surface so the baby doesn't roll in to you and supports your arms and back. The great thing I've found, even with nursing an older (relatively-speaking) baby, is that it comes in very handy when I'm nursing on one side and pumping on the other. I do that to maximize my pumping, which I need to do for work. The pillow completely supports the baby, so I don't need to use 2 hands to hold him, and I can hold the pump and usually still read a book or type on my laptop. For the modern woman!
My Brest Friend comes in super pattern choices, offers a plush deluxe cover option, has slipcovers that can be switched out, and even has a Twin Pillow!

Speaking of the modern breastfeeding mama, check out the Easy Expression by Medela. It comes as a halter or bustier and holds your pump in place so you're hands-free and can get things done! Truly vital if you're pumping at work. I have even heard first-hand of some women who pump in the car on their long commute. Have to be hands-free for that!


Happy Breastfeeding!

Cat Wearing

One day I was doing my helpful thing at Soft and Cozy Baby when an older local lady came in, looking bewildered. She was all the stereotypes of “crazy cat lady” that one can think of, so I was ready for an interesting conversation. She was looking for a baby carrier- a cheap one to wear on the chest, she stressed. I showed her our Moby Wrap and she was instantly overwhelmed. So I showed her the Baby K’tan as the easier alternative, and she said “I’m just worried that her claws will snag that fabric.” Claws, you say? It turned out that she had an ailing cat at home that she would like to wear, because kitty didn’t like to be away from her and could not go up and down stairs anymore.

Ah! Considering that I am no stranger to wearing cats, I indulged her request. I told her to go to any thrift store and pick up a Baby Bjorn or Infantino, as it would be perfect for her to wear her invalid cat. I printed out some examples of a “crotch dangler” and sent her on her way. I love Baltimore!

A few weeks later, Cat Lady stopped by again…with the little black cat strapped to her chest facing out in an old blue and plaid Baby Bjorn, cost $5! She was elated, and the cat was either quite comfortable and happy, or half dead. Another satisfied customer!

And that is the only time I will ever recommend a Baby Bjorn! Why? Because there are hundreds of more supportive and more versatile-not to mention more stylish-baby carriers on the market, for about the same price.

The Baby Bjorn only allows parents to wear their babies on the front, to a maximum weight of about 20 pounds. Many folks won’t even make it to that weight limit before giving up on babywearing because of the Bjorn’s design, which does not distribute baby’s weight comfortably for parent OR baby.

Let’s compare the Bjorn with one of our most popular (and my favorite) soft structured carriers, the Ergo Baby.

The Ergo has a wide, padded waist strap that effectively spreads almost all of baby’s weight onto the hips, which as all mothers know, are designed to bear lots of weight. The Bjorn “hangs” all of baby’s weight on the adult’s trapezius muscles, which are not designed to bear any weight at all.

Furthermore, the Ergo places baby in a comfortable “seated” position, spreading their legs in an ergonomic position (hence, “Ergo”) that also helps distribute baby’s weight evenly onto your hips. The Bjorn concentrates all of baby’s weight on a small strip of fabric between baby's legs, which hang straight down instead of curling around the wearer's body. This allows baby's weight to press on baby's small, delicate crotch area, which is thought to cause spine and genital issues.

The third feature that makes the Ergo and other similar soft structured carriers a much more practical choice than the Bjorn is the ability to wear your child on your back. This allows you to carry heavier children (up to 45 lbs!) for much longer periods of time, as well as be able to do housework or other tasks that require your arms. I have carried a 40-lb five-year-old on my back for several hours in my Ergo with no difficulty or pain at all!

The only thing that the Ergo cannot do that a Baby Bjorn does is allow baby to face outward, but this is not a design flaw. The “facing out” position does not distribute baby’s weight or position baby’s spine ergonomically, so the “facing out” position is not optimal for long periods of comfortable babywearing. Furthermore, it is thought that babies can get stressed and overstimulated if facing out for long periods of time- they can’t see their caregiver or turn away from the stimulating outside world if they need to. But for those who have babies who do like to see what’s going on, there are carriers like the Beco Gemini, FreeHand, and Pikkolo. These carriers are a great cross between the Bjorn and a standard soft structured carrier like the Ergo- they have a supportive waist strap AND allow baby to be worn facing in, facing out, and on your back!

Newborn Picks

So I am LOVING cloth diapering a newborn. He is now 4 weeks old. I have a lot of my first son's diapers saved but we started with a diaper service so the diapers I had are still too big on my newbie! Plus there are so many fun diapers out there that I needed to try! I consider him a business expense - to try out all my new products!

So Netanel was born Jan 17 weighing in at 7 lb 4 oz - perfect size! But he was also too small for some of the diapers that should fit a newborn. Plus we had the umbilical cord issue - what would fold down and not rub on it. So I'll share my faves!

Lil Joeys are awesome for newborns! They're a bit pricey, I agree. But they really fit perfectly. They're designed for 5-12 lb. We used them from the beginning, as they have a fold down for the umbilical cord. Plus they still fit great a month later, and I except to get at least another month or so use out of them. To top it all off, my 2 year old's favorite diaper is Rumparooz Ladder 6 - so now he has matching diapers with his little brother!

Tini Fits are also designed to fit 5-12 lb. They don't have the umbilical cut out and they were a bit big initially, but we love them now, at 4 weeks. Plus they're stuffable like a pocket!

FuzziBunz Perfect Size in XSmall is another great fit. I love pocket diapers in general as you can stuff them with extra absorbancy, which I've needed to do. Plus if you snap them all the way to the center, at the smallest setting, it pulls down the middle to clear the umbilical cord.

Kissaluvs fitteds in a Size 0 are a well-known favorite for newborns. They fit great, snap down in front and are trim. To go over it I used a Thirsties XSmall cover which fits great. I started with a Bummis Newborn Super Brite but he's basically outgrown that by now - except for very trim diapers. But it doesn't work over prefolds anymore.

Prefolds are also a great newborn option. They're economical, absorbant, and you can customize the fit. They are a bit bulky but fit fine under a onesie or stretchie. Babies look cute with a bubble butt! For overnight diaper changes I like Bummis Whisper Pants - you dont have to deal with pinching and tucking the prefold into a cover. They're not cute, but when you're bleary-eyed in the middle of the night, you just pull it up and you're done!

bumGenius XS All-In-One are also a great, easy newborn diaper option.

And coming soon are GroVia's newborn organic All-In-Ones! Can't wait to try it!

What's your favorite newborn diaper??
Check out our Newborn Diaper page!