Why 'Cloth'?

Cloth diapering.. I have posted about it before and the amount of $$ it can actually save a family (not to mention how 'eco-friendly' it can be). There are definitely two sides to this story, from how much are you actually saving to the amounts of water/energy/etc used to make cloth diapers vs. disposal on environment. I believe if you are looking for a certain answer or view, you will always be able to support to back up that view.

But for me personally, we have invested very little in stocking up on cloth diapers (thanks to freecycle & craigslist), so really, our financial benefit would be huge. We just have to START using them! I think one of the main things that have stopped us is..... I don't know how to use them. It sounds crazy, but they are much more complicated looking and I have so many different styles that... I don't know what to do with them! And if I can't do it, I know that getting my husband to do it is out of the question.

Green Baybeez is a local boutique that offers cloth diapering (they are also a great resource for EVERYTHING nursing related!) that I will be hitting up this weekend. I have about 5 different style cloth diapers with different liners, snaps, folds, fits... you name it! I know they will be able to clear the air for me and make cloth diapering a breeze. Is it weird for me to bring my bin of diapers in and have them explain each diaper to me??... Hope not, because that is the plan! Hopefully everything will be clear to me after the weekend, and I can be the next 'go-to cloth diaper queen'! Ha! Ha!

Happy 3 Months Little Bud!!

I cannot believe how fast this time has gone by, and all I hear is... it doesn't slow down! It feels like yesterday I was bobbing in a pool, 8 months pregnant and telling my girlfriend, 

"one moment I am doing this, and the next moment I am going to be in the hospital.. 

and it will feel like it was just seconds in between now & then..." 

Then the next thing I knew, it wasn't just Braxton Hicks I was feeling,

those were 'HERE COMES THE BABY' contractions!

 Walking up and down the flower gardens at RCTC with my husband, stopping every 10minutes to moan, groan and him rubbing my back to ease the pain. 

Within a blink of an eye, in the hospital screaming.. yes, to me it seemed very

 'made for TV' labor screaming. 

What seemed like forever at the time, my Little Bud arrived at 12:31 am 8/10/12.

 Gabriel Fancis was finally in our arms, and we were in love.  THREE MONTHS it has been!!

I am cherishing these moments, every single second. 

All the screams & cries, smiles & giggles... every. single. moment. Happy Birthday little one. I love you.

Working Mom: Pumping, Nursing & Keeping Up Supply

Yesterday I was able to meet with a lactation specialist in my home. Before I moved, I had unlimited resources to help with questions, advice, etc. on breastfeeding. Now that I am home, the resources are not the same here... so when I was referred to Kathleen, it was a huge sigh of relief! Little Bud never had the best latch, and during the move it was recommended to me (by a lactation consultant) to focus on pumping until we get settled. Two of the biggest stresses in life: 1-having a baby. 2-moving. Both within a two-week period... overwhelming is an understatement! Now I have gotten out of the routine of nursing, and almost exclusively pumping. Kathleen is working with me to get Little Bud re-introduced to nursing and making a routine of it. With working full-time this will be difficult... but short strides! Here is where we are starting:

Kathleen came to my home early in the morning while Little Bud was napping, so we had lots of time to chat. The first thing we discussed was working and pumping, while keeping up my supply. One of the main focuses is keeping myself healthy, well nourished. hydrated and rested (rested? impossible)!
1. If you can't make time or forget to drink water. Make a point to schedule in 'chugging times'. Example: wake up in the morning, chug my 8oz of water! THERE! 1oz down for the day, only 9 more 'chugging sessions' to go! ESPECIALLY while nursing OR pumping, drinking water during your session is recommended!
2. Eating the right foods. PROTEIN PROTEIN PROTEIN!!! Making sure to get your dose of lean proteins is crucial! 2-3 servings is recommended (each being 3-4oz per serving). This was the main thing I needed to work on. Even apples with peanut butter as a snack to try and get that needed protein! Also, the GOOD fats! Easiest way?.... nuts & seeds.

Snack Mix-
Fiber cereal (FiberOne Honey, Cheerios)
dried fruits (raisins, apples, prunes, etc)
Sunflower seeds-Pumpkin Seeds
dark chocolate-chips
MIX in bulk. Less work when on the run!

This is a great snack to make and keep in your handbag/diaper bag! You are getting your fiber, fats, proteins.. everything your need to keep your energy up & hunger satisfied! Here is a great link for 'lactation cookies' that are proven to help keep & increase supply! I will be trying them out this weekend!

Another great point Kathleen brought up (which I loved), pampering & keeping myself relaxed will only benefit the baby and make nursing more enjoyable! Suggestion: should massage & neck rubs from the hubby while nursing/pumping will help relax me and increase my letdown! 

RE-Introduction: When little Bud comes to breast, it needs to be a positive experience... so if there are tears or fussiness, backing off and taking a few moments to calm down. LOTS OF SKIN TO SKIN, and sparking his natural senses to nurse. This will definitely be a process and is NOT going to happen overnight... but working on this over weekend (mostly Sunday), to focus on familiarizing him on breastfeeding again.

Follow-up... Monday. I am meeting with Kathleen again, and will definitely share our results &  progress!

Long-time, no post... and a NEW NAME

So... it has been awhile since I have updated this blog. A lot has happened in the past few months (which I will break down in other posts), but to some it up::::

Had baby ( Gabriel Francis, 5#15, born 8/10/12) moved out-of-state and back home, started a new job and adjusting to a whole new life! I love every single once of being a mother. 

I am bursting with love for my little Bud. 

Which brings me to my next topic... NAME CHANGE!

Though I have changed the name from 'ecoSPROUT' to 'Little Bud & Mommy', the ideas are the same. I am a mother raising my child with eco-friendly alternatives (at least trying my best to) 

and sharing my experiences as I learn! 

The name 'Little Bud' came from a nick name that my has dad called Gabriel. My grandfathers name was Bernard, known to everyone as Bud.  He passed this spring and now walks side-by-side with my Grandmother Eunice. He was strong, kind & gentle. 

I wish my children would have gotten the chance to meet him. 

The name just kinda stuck, and if Gabriel is to be called something other than his given name... Bud is perfect. He is the center of my whole world, so it seemed logical 

to talk parenting, baby, learning, etc... with my little Bud front and center! 

So, expect to hear more from me. I can't promise it will be daily... but there definitely won't be months in between post anymore! 

Travel Systems

I am very excited to be getting my Teutonia T-Linx Travel System in the mail this week! I have read the best reviews about this specific stroller, and has the top of the line safety and convenience features! 

 

Here is a link to the actual product:

 http://www.teutoniausa.com/tlinx/infantcarrycot#background=0&fashion=crb&mode=travelsystem

And I will be following up this week with my personal review of the product. Since my little one hasn't arrived yet, the review will be based on assembly, ease of use, etc.  Stay tuned!

Expecting a Baby & Saving Money

Let me introduce myself. My name is Patricia and I am currently expecting my first born child. It is quite an adventure! As with anything (and everything) in life, every day is a new challenge.
I am sure, any mother out there already knows that. 

I am going on 34 weeks, and the time seems to be flying by! This is both SO exciting and very scary at the same time. A life changing event! 

For my husband and I, we made sure to be very prepared to welcome a baby into our life. From getting our nursery ready to baby proofing the house. Now that we are down to the last couple weeks, we are double checking everything! Did we do this, have we done that... also, we just took a Birth Education & Preparation Class this weekend. Seriously (and surprisingly), something we BOTH needed. Any information to better prepare ourselves for the weeks & months to come, we welcome! 

Our biggest vice while preparing for baby was (and tying up loose ends, still IS) our budget. Making sure we aren't sacrificing safety for saving a few pennies. A LOT of research, comparison, review-reading, demoing... on and on and on, has gone into every piece of our baby related purchase. Time consuming, yes.. willing to cut corners, no. 

Our first venture in 'eco-friendly' living will be using a product that baby goes through... by the CASES. Cloth Diapering. I was surprised that my husband was up for the challenge, but when we compared how much diapering can cost from birth to potty training, it was a no-brainer. My husband is a numbers guy, and knowing that disposable diapers can cost (on average) around $2K up to $3k was a huge eye opener. Of corse the initial investment for cloth diapering was also a shocker. Cloth diapers can cost on average about $25-$30 EACH. They estimate the initial investment between $300-$800, but again, that is from birth to potty training. So really, you can see where the appeal is with saving dollars. Also, it's 'green' living, good for the environment and safe for baby! 

Of corse there are options out there for you to take advantage of, as far as getting started for little or no money. I was able to get a bulk of my cloth diapers through Freecycle. 

A local group that supports the belief of... in so many words.... 'one mans junk is another mans treasure'.  Basically, a group of mostly moms who have items that their children have grown out of, whether it be clothes to bouncy seats, and 'recycle' them to other moms who may be needing those items. Everything is free. Please note: this is a Yahoo! group that you must apply for, and is available in almost ALL communities. 

Another great source is Craigslist. I have seen cloth diapers on there individually for around $10 to packages of 20 or more starting around $100. These are great ways and great resources to try, without having to invest a whole lot of money (if any) to see if cloth diapering IS for you and your family. 

The GREEN Mission

I am on a mission to discover eco-friendly alternatives to living and raising a family. Price & convenience is the number one challenge when finding the 'green' life!

My life is dedicated to educating people of the beauty of living. Everything from enhancing your natural beauty (with makeup), Opening your heart to those who cannot speak for themselves (our furry friends), and living a happy & healthy 'green' life. SEEING the beauty in everything around us.

ecoSPROUT is about sharing eco-friendly alternatives and educating parents on the benefits of living life & raising a family in more eco-conscious ways! Being a mother, I know that main concerns with saving money & convenience. You will be able to read about & discover products that fit those two concerns, yet still being 'green'!!