We spent 3 hrs in the ER today trying to get my heart rate back down to it's normal 100 beats per min. I've always been told I have an irregular heart beat by every new dr I see none have ever said I needed to see a cardiologist until today. I have had episodes before where I can just be sitting on the sofa and my heart rate just goes through the roof to something like 180 beats/min. but as soon as I lay flat it's like someone flips and switch and it goes back to beating normal. I've spoken to drs before about it had to wear a heart monitor halter thing for 24 hrs before and never anything further. Well I got up this morning and while sitting on the toilet bam my heart starts going like crazy so I finished my business and went and layed back down thinking it'd right it's self in no more than a min. Well 10 min later no luck so i went up stairs and got my DH's blood pressure cuff thing to check my bp since I wanted to know if maybe this was causing the issue since on a normal day I have borderline low bp. It said I was 117/78 with a heart rate of 188. So I informed DH and just took it easy laying on the sofa then back on my bed because when I was up right I had serious problems breathing. I hadn't felt the baby move all morning so I checked him with my fetal doppler and he was doing great, but after an hour of this I decided it was time to call my OB the on call guy said to get to the ER. So off we went! Once we got into the ER they hooked me up to the EKG machine and then put in a huge IV line oh my lord I hate IVs and this one was the biggest one I've ever gotten! While hooked up to the EKG machine we could watch my heart rate and the kids had fun cheering and being disappointed every time it'd go back up. At one point it was up to 220!! So they started off with Vagal Maneuvers. These are non-pharmaceutical techniques used to try and slow the heart rate. First the nurse had me hold my breath and strain like I'm pooing (she felt the need to thrown in just don't poo on my bed....yeah I'll try not to) this didn't work at all. So we tried coughing and that did nothing. So on to the really fun stuff. She brought in a bucket full of ice and water and had me stick my face down in it until I needed to breath it did nothing but freeze my face. Then she dumped all that ice and water in a big back and pulled my gown down off my chest, covered the rest of me with some blankets and stuck the bag on my chest. While Gary and the nurse said it was working (but only worked while the bag was on my chest as soon as she removed it my heart rate when right back up) I started crying because it hurt and I couldn't breath. Little did I know the next step would hurt worse. The nurse said the next option was medicine. So she left and came back with some stuff and turned to Gary and said maybe you want to take the kids down to our kitchen and get them some drinks or snacks. This is the moment I started to freak out a bit cuz I knew she only said that so the kids wouldn't be there in the room. So he and the kids left and 7 different ER Drs and nurses came into the room to "watch" while they gave me this medicine. The medicine was like someone crushed the life out of me slowly going from my neck down to my pelvic area and it lasted the first time about 6 seconds. The first dose had very little effect so they gave me another dose and I swear the second dose lasted more like 20 seconds. I cried after the first dose and bawled like a little baby after the second and I swear I had contractions too. I prayed that my baby didn't feel that like I did because that would have been horrible. The second dose got my heart rate down to 120 so enough with that drug and they gave me some kinda blood pressure medicine that was supposed to help bring my heart rate back down the rest of the way. Which by the time we were leaving it was back down to 105.
The dr came in to discharge me and said I have Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT) and I need to follow up with a cardiologist this week. He wanted to start me off on a low dose Beta blocker but once he said it would lower my BP I had to tell him I normally have low BP so that's not good because I'd be passing out left and right. So we left with the directions that if it happens again and if it doesn't right it's self to come back to the ER! Yay :-( I hope after seeing a cardiologist we have some what of a better game plan. I'd love to stick around this place for at least 50 more yrs :-)
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Going "Poo Free"!!
So the ever curious person I am who's willing to try just about anything once (with in my limits because yes even I have limits) thought I'd give this a try to see if I liked it. By now your probably still wondering "what is she going on about? How do you go poo free?" Well most likely your thinking the wrong kinda poo! lol I'm talking about sham"poo" not "poo"poo!!
That's right and no I'm just not washing my hair that's yucky and I'd have dreads and I'm pretty sure my dear hubby would kick me out of our bed. Basically you use baking soda (BS) as your shampoo and apple cider vinegar (ACV) as your conditioner.
Baking soda helps remove natural oil build up with out stripping and removes the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable. Apple Cider Vinegar benefits as a conditioner are its acidity is close to that of natural hair and it's also an effective germ killer. From what people say there is a hair detox period of kinda manky oily hair for a few weeks. So in trying to avoid that phase as much as possible I have not been using any products in my hair for the past 3 weeks (to be honest this isn't hard for me I don't normally use products besides shampoo and conditioner) and have been washing my hair only 1 or 2 times a weeks. I was pleasantly surprised that my once a week washing hair routine didn't already cause me to have an oil slick for a head since I normally wash it every single day! The only thing I'm really slightly worried about at this point is 1. my hair color. yes pink is not my natural color or any other color that's on top of my hair at any given time but I'm not super worried about the color because I can always fix it :-) and 2. having a greasy head!! I touch my head probably over 100 times a day. It's just my thing I like rubbing my scalp and when my hair and scalp feel manky I can't stand it!! So time to get started!!
On 11/11 I mixed up 2 different cups for my shower! In 1 I mixed 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 1 cup warm water and the other 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup warm water. I dumped the BS mixture on my head rubbed it in for a full minute then rinsed. My hair did not feel clean at all lol. It felt oily but I went ahead and finished up. I dumped the ACV mixture in rubs it in and let it set for a min. My hair still did not feel clean but what do I know maybe my idea of "clean" is wrong. So I got out the shower and blow dried my hair. My hair does not look oily but it feels oilyish to me.
11/12 my hair still feels the same and looks the same to me as yesterday. I'll probably wash it with the BS and ACV tomorrow and maybe make the BS mixture a little stronger but not sure I'll have to think about it over night I guess. So far I'm not really impressed or unimpressed with it but I will give it more time. Supposedly once your scalp gets used to the BS and ACV wash you only need to do it once a week and have amazing hair. That would be awesome!
11/13 so I added a little more BS and my hair still feels "funny" to me lol but hubby says it doesn't look oily or feel funny to him so I guess i'm going to keep trucking along with this.
11/14 no washing it today it feels so nasty to me and kinda is slicked down to my head but still doesn't look oily. ugh I'm really finding it hard to not wash it with shampoo lol
11/15 bought a natural bristle brush today it kinda helped it not feel so yucky just got my hair wet in the shower nothing else to it today
11/16 my hair still feels the same...yucky...but no time to do anything to it today didn't even get it wet in the shower (today was one of those mornings where I just wanted to scream but settled for crying) but tomorrow is a new day and if I get around to it I'm bleaching my hair. I'm think this will most likely get my hair to not feel yucky anymore because it will probably strip all the oil back out but eh I got to color my hair!! I'm just a bit worried about the combo of using BS after coloring and maybe not all color being washed out. It makes me a bit nervous but I will just rinse really really well before dumping the BS mixture on (hopefully my entry tomorrow wont read scalp burns or hair loss :-O)
11/17 well the coloring went great no explosions and I stayed poo free
11/18 no washing today
11/19 I washed with BS with 2 drops of Tea Tree Oil (TTO) and rinsed with ACV I love the smell of TTO and it's great for my itchy scalp/eczema
11/20 no washing today and am going to try and go 2 more days with out washing it but will rinse it with water in the shower
11/21 didn't take a shower at all today since all we were going to do was clean and reorganize the garage and work in the back yard lol but I will be taking a shower first thing in the morning just not going to wash my hair.
11/22 just rinse and go
11/23 I did a deep condition with Coconut oil infused with some Lavender Essential Oil followed by washing with BS w/TTO and rinse with ACV then i put some more coconut oil in my hair before drying it to help with my less than stellar ends and let me tell you a little goes a long ways my hair looked like a cow snotted all over my head but it didn't feel like that it actually felt pretty nice and light not heavy and thick like it looked (none the less I was happy I had no where to go with my hair looking like that)
11/24 washed it again today to get rid of the cow snot look :-) this time I waited till my hair was dry and used a little coconut oil on my ends and it looks much better today
over all I'm very happy so far with going poo free and will continue on this journey of going a bit greener with my personal care :-)
*UPDATE*
12/1/10 ok so I'm giving up on going poo free because my hair I think is just too fried. It's breaking off so I'm going back to normal stuff to try and revive my hair. Maybe when my hair is a bit healthier I will try this again because it was awesome until I stripped the color out of my hair. So I'm not giving up just going to try it at a different time :-)
That's right and no I'm just not washing my hair that's yucky and I'd have dreads and I'm pretty sure my dear hubby would kick me out of our bed. Basically you use baking soda (BS) as your shampoo and apple cider vinegar (ACV) as your conditioner.
Baking soda helps remove natural oil build up with out stripping and removes the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable. Apple Cider Vinegar benefits as a conditioner are its acidity is close to that of natural hair and it's also an effective germ killer. From what people say there is a hair detox period of kinda manky oily hair for a few weeks. So in trying to avoid that phase as much as possible I have not been using any products in my hair for the past 3 weeks (to be honest this isn't hard for me I don't normally use products besides shampoo and conditioner) and have been washing my hair only 1 or 2 times a weeks. I was pleasantly surprised that my once a week washing hair routine didn't already cause me to have an oil slick for a head since I normally wash it every single day! The only thing I'm really slightly worried about at this point is 1. my hair color. yes pink is not my natural color or any other color that's on top of my hair at any given time but I'm not super worried about the color because I can always fix it :-) and 2. having a greasy head!! I touch my head probably over 100 times a day. It's just my thing I like rubbing my scalp and when my hair and scalp feel manky I can't stand it!! So time to get started!!
On 11/11 I mixed up 2 different cups for my shower! In 1 I mixed 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 1 cup warm water and the other 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup warm water. I dumped the BS mixture on my head rubbed it in for a full minute then rinsed. My hair did not feel clean at all lol. It felt oily but I went ahead and finished up. I dumped the ACV mixture in rubs it in and let it set for a min. My hair still did not feel clean but what do I know maybe my idea of "clean" is wrong. So I got out the shower and blow dried my hair. My hair does not look oily but it feels oilyish to me.
11/12 my hair still feels the same and looks the same to me as yesterday. I'll probably wash it with the BS and ACV tomorrow and maybe make the BS mixture a little stronger but not sure I'll have to think about it over night I guess. So far I'm not really impressed or unimpressed with it but I will give it more time. Supposedly once your scalp gets used to the BS and ACV wash you only need to do it once a week and have amazing hair. That would be awesome!
11/13 so I added a little more BS and my hair still feels "funny" to me lol but hubby says it doesn't look oily or feel funny to him so I guess i'm going to keep trucking along with this.
11/14 no washing it today it feels so nasty to me and kinda is slicked down to my head but still doesn't look oily. ugh I'm really finding it hard to not wash it with shampoo lol
11/15 bought a natural bristle brush today it kinda helped it not feel so yucky just got my hair wet in the shower nothing else to it today
11/16 my hair still feels the same...yucky...but no time to do anything to it today didn't even get it wet in the shower (today was one of those mornings where I just wanted to scream but settled for crying) but tomorrow is a new day and if I get around to it I'm bleaching my hair. I'm think this will most likely get my hair to not feel yucky anymore because it will probably strip all the oil back out but eh I got to color my hair!! I'm just a bit worried about the combo of using BS after coloring and maybe not all color being washed out. It makes me a bit nervous but I will just rinse really really well before dumping the BS mixture on (hopefully my entry tomorrow wont read scalp burns or hair loss :-O)
11/17 well the coloring went great no explosions and I stayed poo free
11/18 no washing today
11/19 I washed with BS with 2 drops of Tea Tree Oil (TTO) and rinsed with ACV I love the smell of TTO and it's great for my itchy scalp/eczema
11/20 no washing today and am going to try and go 2 more days with out washing it but will rinse it with water in the shower
11/21 didn't take a shower at all today since all we were going to do was clean and reorganize the garage and work in the back yard lol but I will be taking a shower first thing in the morning just not going to wash my hair.
11/22 just rinse and go
11/23 I did a deep condition with Coconut oil infused with some Lavender Essential Oil followed by washing with BS w/TTO and rinse with ACV then i put some more coconut oil in my hair before drying it to help with my less than stellar ends and let me tell you a little goes a long ways my hair looked like a cow snotted all over my head but it didn't feel like that it actually felt pretty nice and light not heavy and thick like it looked (none the less I was happy I had no where to go with my hair looking like that)
11/24 washed it again today to get rid of the cow snot look :-) this time I waited till my hair was dry and used a little coconut oil on my ends and it looks much better today
over all I'm very happy so far with going poo free and will continue on this journey of going a bit greener with my personal care :-)
*UPDATE*
12/1/10 ok so I'm giving up on going poo free because my hair I think is just too fried. It's breaking off so I'm going back to normal stuff to try and revive my hair. Maybe when my hair is a bit healthier I will try this again because it was awesome until I stripped the color out of my hair. So I'm not giving up just going to try it at a different time :-)
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Oil Cleansing Facewash Method
So I read about how this was an awesome alternative to buying commercial face washes and it's a much healthier alternative for your skin. I am using Castor Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil and Tea Tree Oil. Castor Oil has potent anti-inflammatory properties, but is also healing and cleansing. Sunflower Seed Oil sinks into the skin better, aiding the Castor oil in transportation deep into the pores and allowing it to draw the dirt and grime to the surface of your skin where it can be wiped away. The essential fatty acids, though they are not naturally occurring in the body, are a necessity for the health of our cell membranes. These acids help restore the skins natural moisture balance and help prevent unnecessary dryness. Tea Tree Oil has beneficial medical properties when applied topically, including antiseptic, antibacterial, anti fungal,and antiviral action.
I mixed:
1 oz Castor Oil
2 oz Sunflower Seed Oil
0.1 ml of Tea Tree Oil
I used about a quarter size amount. I poured it into my hand and rubbed it together to heat it up. I massaged it in for a good i don't know 5 minutes. While doing this I let my sink fill up with hot water and stuck a wash cloth in it. After the 5 minute mini massage was done I wrung out the wash cloth and set it on my face to let the steam open my pores. I did this twice. Then I wiped my face down probably 3 times with the water and patted dry with a towel. My face didn't feel oily at all which I had expected since I was washing with oils. Instead it felt soft and velvety definitely not what I'm used to feeling after I wash my face. It normally feels dry and taut. I followed up with like the smallest of micro bits of Coconut Oil as my face lotion. So far I'm loving how my skin looks and feels just after this one go! :-) I'll add an update after using for 2 weeks.
*UPDATE* 12/30/10 my skin is doing great! I will never wash my face with anything else ever again! I haven't had really any break outs (like maybe 4 zits since i started using this and that like how many I used to get in 2 days) my pores are smaller and i have less black heads. They aren't all 100% gone but it's a vast improvement!
I mixed:
1 oz Castor Oil
2 oz Sunflower Seed Oil
0.1 ml of Tea Tree Oil
I used about a quarter size amount. I poured it into my hand and rubbed it together to heat it up. I massaged it in for a good i don't know 5 minutes. While doing this I let my sink fill up with hot water and stuck a wash cloth in it. After the 5 minute mini massage was done I wrung out the wash cloth and set it on my face to let the steam open my pores. I did this twice. Then I wiped my face down probably 3 times with the water and patted dry with a towel. My face didn't feel oily at all which I had expected since I was washing with oils. Instead it felt soft and velvety definitely not what I'm used to feeling after I wash my face. It normally feels dry and taut. I followed up with like the smallest of micro bits of Coconut Oil as my face lotion. So far I'm loving how my skin looks and feels just after this one go! :-) I'll add an update after using for 2 weeks.
*UPDATE* 12/30/10 my skin is doing great! I will never wash my face with anything else ever again! I haven't had really any break outs (like maybe 4 zits since i started using this and that like how many I used to get in 2 days) my pores are smaller and i have less black heads. They aren't all 100% gone but it's a vast improvement!
I even went out and got a fancy looking bottle for my new face wash!
(looks high dollar now doesn't it lol)
In this bottle now is:
3 oz Castor Oil
6 oz Sunflower Oil
15 drops Eucalyptus Oil
20 drops Tea Tree Oil
and unless my skin changes for some reason this is all that will ever be in this bottle. I love the smell of it too :-)
Friday, November 19, 2010
Gonna give wool a try!
So after much thought I'm going to give wool covers a try too. I have chatted with several woman who live in either Florida or Texas who swear up and down that wool is awesome even in out hot temps. So I ordered some. I ordered 1 Sustainablebabyish knit wool cover in natural which is one of their new colors so I wont get it until mid December but that's ok since I wont have a baby to use it on until March :-) lol. While I was there I also ordered 2 of their snap less multi-fitted diapers (which are made with a heavy organic bamboo
cotton terry body with turned and top stitched leg elastic), 1 Organic Bamboo Fleece Doubler to try, 1 roll of Bummis Bio-soft Liners in small to try, 1 planet wise wet/dry bag (it has two separate pockets which I thought would work great for storing some wipes in one spot and dirty diapers in the big pocket), and of course some Eucalan no rinse wool wash. One of the reasons why I went with Sustainablebabyish is because of this: "sustainablebabyish/sloomb has partnered with Trees for the Future to offset the carbon generated in the production and care of each of our cloth diapers and knit wool covers. when you purchase a sustainablebabyish cloth diaper, a tree is planted in Southeast Asia. you know choosing cloth diapers keeps disposables out of landfills. now, your choice also reduces carbon emissions and helps reforest the planet." I love that this company does this!!
I just can't wait to get the new fluff in the mail! I only have a few more things that I want to buy for Javan that will go over his little bum so that saddens me but one of the reasons for doing cloth diapering is to save money so I can't really justify buying more than we need :-( so I guess I will savor these last few things that I need to buy (at least until he grows out of the ones we have :-D). I know I'm addicted lol
cotton terry body with turned and top stitched leg elastic), 1 Organic Bamboo Fleece Doubler to try, 1 roll of Bummis Bio-soft Liners in small to try, 1 planet wise wet/dry bag (it has two separate pockets which I thought would work great for storing some wipes in one spot and dirty diapers in the big pocket), and of course some Eucalan no rinse wool wash. One of the reasons why I went with Sustainablebabyish is because of this: "sustainablebabyish/sloomb has partnered with Trees for the Future to offset the carbon generated in the production and care of each of our cloth diapers and knit wool covers. when you purchase a sustainablebabyish cloth diaper, a tree is planted in Southeast Asia. you know choosing cloth diapers keeps disposables out of landfills. now, your choice also reduces carbon emissions and helps reforest the planet." I love that this company does this!!
I just can't wait to get the new fluff in the mail! I only have a few more things that I want to buy for Javan that will go over his little bum so that saddens me but one of the reasons for doing cloth diapering is to save money so I can't really justify buying more than we need :-( so I guess I will savor these last few things that I need to buy (at least until he grows out of the ones we have :-D). I know I'm addicted lol
Monday, November 15, 2010
What's for dinner??
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Cloth Diapering Resources
These are all places that I have found useful information!
*Useful tip for those that don't know and are using windows if you hold ctrl down while left clicking on a link it will open the link in a new window/tab so you wont navigate away from my page*
what the different types of diapers are general descriptions and functions
diaper definitions
some pics of how to fold Pre-folds
some more pics of different folds for Pre-folds
how to fold flat with video
Jaimee Gleisner's You Tube Channel she has a good Cloth Diapering 101 in a 7 part series.
next to each pic of one of these diapers is a link to see the diaper on a baby and on most of them they show how the diaper is actually put on and different pins or snappi uses
All About Cloth Diapers a blog I really like to read for opinions
Cotton Babies a company I love their products and they carry some other brands I love and they have free shipping!
Green Mountain Diapers If your looking for cotton that's all they carry besides a few hemp and wool items. The owner is very pro-natural fibers.
Detergent ratings for CDing
HE-Detergent ratings for CDing
My Favorite wool is from Sustainablebabyish great wool care instructions and I'm in love with their snapless multi-fitted cloth diapers too!
As I find more useful sites or info I'll add it to the list of resources or feel free to add your own favorites in the comments below!
*Useful tip for those that don't know and are using windows if you hold ctrl down while left clicking on a link it will open the link in a new window/tab so you wont navigate away from my page*
what the different types of diapers are general descriptions and functions
diaper definitions
some pics of how to fold Pre-folds
some more pics of different folds for Pre-folds
how to fold flat with video
Jaimee Gleisner's You Tube Channel she has a good Cloth Diapering 101 in a 7 part series.
next to each pic of one of these diapers is a link to see the diaper on a baby and on most of them they show how the diaper is actually put on and different pins or snappi uses
All About Cloth Diapers a blog I really like to read for opinions
Cotton Babies a company I love their products and they carry some other brands I love and they have free shipping!
Green Mountain Diapers If your looking for cotton that's all they carry besides a few hemp and wool items. The owner is very pro-natural fibers.
Detergent ratings for CDing
HE-Detergent ratings for CDing
My Favorite wool is from Sustainablebabyish great wool care instructions and I'm in love with their snapless multi-fitted cloth diapers too!
As I find more useful sites or info I'll add it to the list of resources or feel free to add your own favorites in the comments below!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Kawaii Cloth Diaper Snazzy Minky Giveaway!!
O.k. so I have loads of CD friends who swear by these diapers! They are supposedly super cheap but super great diapers! So I'm hoping against all odds to to win this contest so I can get a free one to try it to see what all the hub-bub is all about :-) so fingers crossed! Wish me luck! I'm off to enter as many times as I can!!
And if you want to enter as well here is where you go http://audsbabydays.blogspot.com/2010/11/kawaii-cloth-diaper-snazzy-minky.html and good luck to you too!
And if you want to enter as well here is where you go http://audsbabydays.blogspot.com/2010/11/kawaii-cloth-diaper-snazzy-minky.html and good luck to you too!
a Hot Coco kinda day
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| a warm bit of heaven to try and sooth my soul |
It's been 3 weeks now of someone being sick in my house. It all started 3 weeks ago with Danika getting strep. By that weekend I had it. Then Danika went to school on Monday and called crying about her throat. I picked her up and took her to the dr the next day when her fever was 103. Tested for flu it was negative. So the dr suggested that we get some blood drawn to see if it was viral and mono. So I asked for the dr. to test Danika for Factor V Leiden since their dad has it. By the end of the week Lucas had strep (Yay) and we got the results that Danika's other thing was not mono but was a viral infection. She finally is all healthy and back at school this Monday. Tuesday me and Lucas had her viral infection while neither of us have had a fever he lost his voice other than that he's been fine. Me on the other hand I feel like someone took sandpaper and rubbed it up and down the inside of my throat! Today I seem to be slightly better! Yay I hope that this means I am on the up swing of this!
So last night the pediatrician called with Danika's results on the Factor V Leiden test. She has the heterozygous form of the mutation. So basically she is at higher risks for getting clots in veins and may cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT). But the risks aren't as high as someone who had the homozygous form of the mutation which is good news. The pediatrician stressed that she not ever be around cigarette smoke, start smoking when older or work in an environment where there is heavy cigarette smoke. She needs to stay on a healthy diet and it's important that she never becomes over weight. She will also be limited on birth control options later in life and will also have to most likely see a perinatologist as well as an OB if she ever gets pregnant. We will have to make sure any medicines she is given do not increase her risks of getting clots. There is a chance the boys have it to we will find out for sure sometime when they need blood work done.
I knew there was a chance she had it but knowing now is kinda hard it makes it a reality. Now I have to try and protect her from something we have no control over. She may live her whole life with never having an issue from the disorder. It just really makes me sad that she's not "healthy" and there is nothing we can do to fix her we just have to wait and hope she doesn't fall apart. I think probably in a few weeks the initial shock of the news will wear off and it'll just be one of those things to remember just in case but right now I want to hug my babies to me and keep them all safe even though that's not really possible.
So I'm having a hard time copeing with knowing she really has this disorder. And as I sit here finishing my hot coco all I really can do is pray she will be ok and nothing bad will ever come to her, but it's hard to have that kind of faith in the unknown. Maybe I'd cope better if I didn't have my hormones outta whack from pregnancy but they are so I'm just sitting here waiting for school to be over so I can cuddle my little girl extra tight today because I think that's really what I'm needing right now.
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| my little princess |
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Another Sunday Night
Tonight we enjoyed a pleasant pot blending of Caribbean Breeze Herbal Tea (mix of strawberries, apples, elderberries, citrus peel, rose hips, hibiscus blossoms and rose petals), Apple Lemon Pomegranate Rooibos Tea (mix of green rooibos, apples, pomegranate seeds, lemongrass, cherry bits with pits, cardamom, red rose petals, & pomegranate blossoms ) with a hint of Peppermint Herbal Tea mixed in. This is one of my many favorite blends of tea it's especially yummy iced in the 100+ temps we get here in the summer. The boys spent their chill time messaging each other through their DSs. I love the brotherly bond they have and how they love spending time together sending each other silly messages instead of just vegging watching tv!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Woohoo finished ordering more diapers!!
Ok so now that my credit card is smoking I think I've now got everything I need ordered! Today I ordered:
2 kissaluvs pail liners
12 kissaluvs bamboo/hemp doublers (the price was to good to pass up)
24 Organic Birdeye Flats
Snappis
A Gallon of Allens Naturally Laundry Detergent
So that's it! I still have stuff I want to buy but I got everything I think I actually need to successfully CD Javan onces he's born!!
2 kissaluvs pail liners
12 kissaluvs bamboo/hemp doublers (the price was to good to pass up)
24 Organic Birdeye Flats
Snappis
A Gallon of Allens Naturally Laundry Detergent
So that's it! I still have stuff I want to buy but I got everything I think I actually need to successfully CD Javan onces he's born!!
100% Organic Cotton Vs. Plain 100% Cotton
There are many options when buying cloth diapers (to say in the least) and while trying to sort through which ones I wanted to invest in two options kept coming up. Organic or non-organic cotton and bleached or unbleached. So I've been doing quite a bit of reading and will cover bleach vs unbleached in a different blog. So here is the skinny on Organic vs Non-Organic Cotton. This is mainly about the farming and harvesting part since that is where there is a big difference really. These are lists of facts I've gathered from all my reading compiled into one place for maybe better understanding and easier comparison.
Non-Organic Cotton:
*typically treats seeds with fungicides or insecticides
*uses genetically modified organism seeds for approximately 70% of US grown cotton
*Synthetic fertilizers are applied to the soil
*soil requires intensive irrigation
*Highly toxic herbicides are applied to kill weeds
*Highly toxic pesticides are used for pest control
*25% of the worlds consumption of insecticides are used for pest control on cotton
*use toxic chemicals to defoliate for harvesting
Non-organic cotton farming uses 2.03 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers (formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulphate, parabens, chemical dyes etc) per year while only using 3% of the farmland.
Organic Cotton
*Uses untreated seeds
*Never uses genetically modified organism seeds
*Living soil is the basis of the organic farm
*Soil enriched by compost and other organic matter
*Builds strong soil through crop rotation
*Soil retains water efficiently
*Weeds are physically removed instead of chemical methods
*Uses beneficial insects, biological and cultural practices to control pests
*Maintains a balance between pests and their natural predators through healthy soil
*Relies mostly on the seasonal freeze for defoliation to harvest
Benefits of growing organic:
*protects surface and groundwater quality
*reduced risk insect and disease control by replacing insecticide with the manipulation of ecosystems
*long-term prevention of pests through beneficial habitat planting
*conservation of biodiversity
*eliminates the use of toxic chemicals used in cotton
*organically grown crops also yield soils with higher organic matter content, thicker topsoil depth, higher polysaccharides content, and lower modulus of rupture; therefore reducing considerably soil erosion
*saves lives pesticides & hazardous chemicals are believed to cause up to a million cases of poisoning a year and 20,000 deaths)
*no formaldehyde (used in the finished product) and according to NCI (National Cancer Institute) study, there is a link between formaldehyde exposure & cancer in the uppermost part of the throat
*no nickel is used which can cause skin rashes
USDA Organic Standards:(just a useful tidbit)
Four principal labels for organic cotton fiber products are:
1. 100% Organic Cotton. This must contain 100% organically produced cotton
2. Organic Cotton. This must contain 95% organically produced cotton
3. Made with Organic Cotton. This must contain at least 70% organically produced cotton.
4. Made with __% Organic Cotton. This must contain the percentage of cotton advertised.
So I don't know about you but for me it's an easy choice when buying my cloth diapers to go for the organic option when ever available because if your baby is wearing non-organic cotton diapers they are exposed to the pesticides and chemicals that were used to grow and manufacture the fabric. I find buying organic when ever possible helps send a message that I want a better place and cleaner environment. And this is one thing I can feel great about supporting!
Non-Organic Cotton:
*typically treats seeds with fungicides or insecticides
*uses genetically modified organism seeds for approximately 70% of US grown cotton
*Synthetic fertilizers are applied to the soil
*soil requires intensive irrigation
*Highly toxic herbicides are applied to kill weeds
*Highly toxic pesticides are used for pest control
*25% of the worlds consumption of insecticides are used for pest control on cotton
*use toxic chemicals to defoliate for harvesting
Non-organic cotton farming uses 2.03 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers (formaldehyde, sodium lauryl sulphate, parabens, chemical dyes etc) per year while only using 3% of the farmland.
Organic Cotton
*Uses untreated seeds
*Never uses genetically modified organism seeds
*Living soil is the basis of the organic farm
*Soil enriched by compost and other organic matter
*Builds strong soil through crop rotation
*Soil retains water efficiently
*Weeds are physically removed instead of chemical methods
*Uses beneficial insects, biological and cultural practices to control pests
*Maintains a balance between pests and their natural predators through healthy soil
*Relies mostly on the seasonal freeze for defoliation to harvest
Benefits of growing organic:
*protects surface and groundwater quality
*reduced risk insect and disease control by replacing insecticide with the manipulation of ecosystems
*long-term prevention of pests through beneficial habitat planting
*conservation of biodiversity
*eliminates the use of toxic chemicals used in cotton
*organically grown crops also yield soils with higher organic matter content, thicker topsoil depth, higher polysaccharides content, and lower modulus of rupture; therefore reducing considerably soil erosion
*saves lives pesticides & hazardous chemicals are believed to cause up to a million cases of poisoning a year and 20,000 deaths)
*no formaldehyde (used in the finished product) and according to NCI (National Cancer Institute) study, there is a link between formaldehyde exposure & cancer in the uppermost part of the throat
*no nickel is used which can cause skin rashes
USDA Organic Standards:(just a useful tidbit)
Four principal labels for organic cotton fiber products are:
1. 100% Organic Cotton. This must contain 100% organically produced cotton
2. Organic Cotton. This must contain 95% organically produced cotton
3. Made with Organic Cotton. This must contain at least 70% organically produced cotton.
4. Made with __% Organic Cotton. This must contain the percentage of cotton advertised.
So I don't know about you but for me it's an easy choice when buying my cloth diapers to go for the organic option when ever available because if your baby is wearing non-organic cotton diapers they are exposed to the pesticides and chemicals that were used to grow and manufacture the fabric. I find buying organic when ever possible helps send a message that I want a better place and cleaner environment. And this is one thing I can feel great about supporting!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Yay! Ordered more cloth diapers!!
I placed another order today with Cotton Babies. I ordered:
3 Proraps classic in newborn
3 Bummis Super Brites in small colors blue, green and yellow
1 Bummis Fabulous Wet Bag size medium in yellow
2 Seconds BumGenius 3.0 One-size cloth diapers in white
1 BumGenius BabyLegs in William (got this item for free)
I've almost completed my stash! I just need to order my flats, my 2 laundry wetbags and laundry detergent! and hopefully get my diapers that I registered for :-) and then I'm good to go!
3 Proraps classic in newborn
3 Bummis Super Brites in small colors blue, green and yellow
1 Bummis Fabulous Wet Bag size medium in yellow
2 Seconds BumGenius 3.0 One-size cloth diapers in white
1 BumGenius BabyLegs in William (got this item for free)
I've almost completed my stash! I just need to order my flats, my 2 laundry wetbags and laundry detergent! and hopefully get my diapers that I registered for :-) and then I'm good to go!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Duh
So I've definitely hit that brain dead part of pregnancy. I am forgetting things left and right and can't remember stuff I've done the day before. This is so frustrating! Ugh! That and typing has become a challenge since I can't remember what I started typing about in the beginning lol! And I find myself just sitting around staring off into space! This is why i haven't blogged in a few days! Maybe I'll get some good sleep tonight and my brain will functions again!
Monday, November 1, 2010
AIO vs Pre-fold with Cover
Someone asked me today what my thoughts on this topic were so here's what I told them!!
Good question! I have owned 1 AIO and never got around to using it, and let a friend have all my cloth diapers with the directions to return when done and 1 they never used them and 2 threw them away (needless to say it's a good thing he was one of my best friends cuz I wanted to kill him!!) . That being said at this point in time I have no plans to buy any AIO.
So from my readings this is what I think of AIO diapers:
Pluses!! They are the closest to a disposable diaper as you can get! They are a water proof cover, diaper and a liner all sewn into one, no stuffing just one thing to strap on to the baby. That being said you can buy diaper doublers, inserts or prefolds to add absorbency if you have a heavy wetter (in that case to me it seems like just as much work as a pre-fold with a cover).
AIO draw backs. They are like the ultimate diaper & so is the price! Also never having used one they seem like with everything sewn together it will take longer to dry and just like disposables you only get one use out of each diaper once used it has to be washed again. Lastly if something goes wrong with it that's a whole diaper gone :-(
Pre-fold/flats/contoured or fitted diapers can all be used with a cover. The reason I'm going to be using pre-folds and flats is because you are able to customize the fit as your baby as it grows and your baby's shape better than with an other diaper. The folding techniques are really really easy to do and with most covers you can just fold the pre-folds up like a newspaper and lay in the cover and go! Unlike AIO during every diaper change all you have to change out is the diaper not the cover unless it gets soiled so you need less covers. I also like the fact that if a cover does get dirty I can wash it in my sink really quick if I need it asap and they line dry in like 15 mins! The only cons I can think about for this type route of diapering is 1. not everyone knows how they work so you'll have to teach who ever might have to change your baby how to do it and 2 it takes maybe a few seconds longer than and AIO to do (I'm just assuming this since like I said I've never actually used and AIO but have used disposables before but with practice I'm sure prefold and cover will be just about as fast as AIO diapers).
And for an example I'm going to use BumGenius' products for pricing:
AIO (I was told you need 24 diapers to get through 2 days of diapering)
BumGenius 3.0 deluxe AIO (these come in x-small, s,m,l so you will have to buy more as your baby grows) $382.80
Organic option
BumGenius Elemental One-size AIO (fits baby from 7-35lbs) $598.80
Pre-Fold (you need 24) & Cover (you need 6)
BumGenius Flip One Size Diaper Cover (they are supposed to fit baby 7-35 pounds and I was told you need only 6 for 2 days) 6=$83.70
BumGenius Flip Insert Stay Dry (these aren't pre-folds but these are their non organic option) 24=$118.80
Organic option
BumGenius Flip Insert Organic (it's an actual prefold) 24=$190.80
Summary
AIO $382.80 vs Prefold & cover $202.50 and these AIO don't grow with the baby so you'll have to buy more as they get bigger! That's a $180.30 difference
Organic AIO $598.80 vs organic prefold & cover $274.50 with a difference of $324.30
So for me Prefold and Cover is a much economical option for me and I'd have less of a problem replacing them than an AIO if something did go wrong. I put in the two different price options because I plan to use as much organic products as possible and from what i've read organic cotton is more absorbent than regular cotton. So this is all just my personal opinion so take it for what it is lol bet you didn't think you'd get a novel for an answer :-D
Good question! I have owned 1 AIO and never got around to using it, and let a friend have all my cloth diapers with the directions to return when done and 1 they never used them and 2 threw them away (needless to say it's a good thing he was one of my best friends cuz I wanted to kill him!!) . That being said at this point in time I have no plans to buy any AIO.
So from my readings this is what I think of AIO diapers:
Pluses!! They are the closest to a disposable diaper as you can get! They are a water proof cover, diaper and a liner all sewn into one, no stuffing just one thing to strap on to the baby. That being said you can buy diaper doublers, inserts or prefolds to add absorbency if you have a heavy wetter (in that case to me it seems like just as much work as a pre-fold with a cover).
AIO draw backs. They are like the ultimate diaper & so is the price! Also never having used one they seem like with everything sewn together it will take longer to dry and just like disposables you only get one use out of each diaper once used it has to be washed again. Lastly if something goes wrong with it that's a whole diaper gone :-(
Pre-fold/flats/contoured or fitted diapers can all be used with a cover. The reason I'm going to be using pre-folds and flats is because you are able to customize the fit as your baby as it grows and your baby's shape better than with an other diaper. The folding techniques are really really easy to do and with most covers you can just fold the pre-folds up like a newspaper and lay in the cover and go! Unlike AIO during every diaper change all you have to change out is the diaper not the cover unless it gets soiled so you need less covers. I also like the fact that if a cover does get dirty I can wash it in my sink really quick if I need it asap and they line dry in like 15 mins! The only cons I can think about for this type route of diapering is 1. not everyone knows how they work so you'll have to teach who ever might have to change your baby how to do it and 2 it takes maybe a few seconds longer than and AIO to do (I'm just assuming this since like I said I've never actually used and AIO but have used disposables before but with practice I'm sure prefold and cover will be just about as fast as AIO diapers).
And for an example I'm going to use BumGenius' products for pricing:
AIO (I was told you need 24 diapers to get through 2 days of diapering)
BumGenius 3.0 deluxe AIO (these come in x-small, s,m,l so you will have to buy more as your baby grows) $382.80
Organic option
BumGenius Elemental One-size AIO (fits baby from 7-35lbs) $598.80
Pre-Fold (you need 24) & Cover (you need 6)
BumGenius Flip One Size Diaper Cover (they are supposed to fit baby 7-35 pounds and I was told you need only 6 for 2 days) 6=$83.70
BumGenius Flip Insert Stay Dry (these aren't pre-folds but these are their non organic option) 24=$118.80
Organic option
BumGenius Flip Insert Organic (it's an actual prefold) 24=$190.80
Summary
AIO $382.80 vs Prefold & cover $202.50 and these AIO don't grow with the baby so you'll have to buy more as they get bigger! That's a $180.30 difference
Organic AIO $598.80 vs organic prefold & cover $274.50 with a difference of $324.30
So for me Prefold and Cover is a much economical option for me and I'd have less of a problem replacing them than an AIO if something did go wrong. I put in the two different price options because I plan to use as much organic products as possible and from what i've read organic cotton is more absorbent than regular cotton. So this is all just my personal opinion so take it for what it is lol bet you didn't think you'd get a novel for an answer :-D
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