Diaper duty. Diaper changing and techniques are a must  learn as a parent of babies. It is the inevitable duty that just comes with the territory of being a mom or dad- whether you mind it or not! It’s truly surprising how much can actually go into changing a wet or poopy diaper! With my firstborn I quickly learned I needed to have a station set up and all the goodies prepped and ready to go. Many a times I was unprepared and without necessary items (aka a diaper) and it made for changing baby’s diaper a heck of a lot harder and longer than it needed to be. Also, I didn't really know the importance of having a clean station and how using a diaper pale could be so beneficial!

Now with my second baby, I use the Playtex® Diaper Genie® Complete. It has an Odor Lock System, yes I'm serious, and double Air-Tight, odor controlling and antimicrobial clamps, which has been a game changer when it comes to keeping the room smelling fresh and getting rid of dirty diapers FAST! Most diaper pails I've come across make it hard to open and put the diaper in, with baby in hand; however, the Diaper Genie® has an easy-to-use foot pedal! The pail also comes fully assembled and has refills so I don't have to go up and down the stairs to put the dirty diaper in the trash. Even when I've done this, it's caused the entire garage to smell hideous very quickly. NOTE TO SELF- do not put dirty diapers in regular trash bins!

Help reduce the spread of germs and run your hands under warm water so your hands aren’t freezing when you touch baby. He will appreciate it. : )

Put one by your changing station and LEAVE IT THERE. My husband used to laugh at me when Banx was first born. I’d change his diaper in pretty much any room of the house but would forget all the necessities. He’d hear me call out, “Babe…” and by the guilty tone of my voice he would laugh and bring me a diaper, wipes, cloth, or butt balm. Needless to say, I FINALLY learned my lesson and now use a basket to store all the diaper changing goods. It’s perfect and cute, too! In the nursery, everything is organized in the drawer of our changing table.

Always have back up! You definitely don’t want to be diaper-less or wipe-less mid diaper change! I recommend a company like Honest Diapers that come monthly or something that makes it easy. We sometimes order our diapers off Amazon Prime, but we have to remember to order before our supply is low!

Sometimes baby spits up when lying down in this position. Be prepared and have a burp cloth closeby! 

Have a jar of tethers/pacifiers and some toys handy to give baby if he needs a distraction- This can help immensely especially if baby is squirmy. He may be more focused on the toy than the poop in his diaper!

For the nursery I use the Nook Pebble Change Pad. The materials include- Eucalyptus, Organic Cotton, Zinc, Easy-Close Nylon Zipper. The fabric is water proof and it’s easy to clean. If you are changing baby on the couch or the bed, I recommend the Lil Helper Large Bamboo Change Mat. The top layer is quilted with 70% organic bamboo and 30% organic cotton on both sides and the top layer is made from pesticide and bleach-free bamboo/cotton. The waterproof barrier is phthalate; BPA, lead and heavy metal free. BOOM! It’s also easily folded and stored like a blanket, or you can take it with you on the go! It can also be used as a crib pad or a play mat. Pretty nifty, eh!?

This is self explanatory, but what I really mean is you might think about removing socks and pants altogether. For strictly wet diapers it’s not necessary. In fact, I usually leave shorts or pants on and pull them down to baby’s ankles. It can make the whole process a little easier; however, when their is poop involved I’ve changed way too many diapers where baby starts kicking and I lose grip of his feet and it gets all over his socks and pants. Talk about a mess!

I found this to be especially important when baby has started eating solids and the poops are stickier and messier. Warm wipes help to remove everything and the bottom wash helps to conserve the amount of wipes used and gives baby a fresh little bum rather than putting him in the bath. It may sound ridiculous because it kind of is, but it is totally worth the purchase! You can also make your own bottom wash using a dark glass spray bottle. It's hard to find a bottom wash without preservatives and chemicals in it. I like this little mixture HERE. 

When Banx was an infant, I used organic cotton or bamboo small baby washcloths (SEE BELOW), wet them in warm water, rung out the cloth and used it to wipe his bottom. The wipes or cloths, if you will, that the hospital gave us when we came home with Banx were so rough. I also didn't feel comfortable using them because of the potential harsh chemicals that were used to make them (yes, this is why I love to choose organic as much as I can especially when baby is brand new with very sensitive, susceptible skin). Exposure to harsh chemicals early on can have side effects so I make an extra effort to use organic wipes/cloths and put him in organic jammies (where he spends most of his time sleeping in). Ya feel me?!

Obviously! For girls, wipe front to back to prevent infections. For boys, this isn’t necessary. You may want to cover his penis with a cloth in case he decides to pee everywhere (I’m sure it’s happened to the best of us)

Since babies seem to get red bums and diaper rash often, be sure to have a handy dandy little cloth to be sure his bottom stays dry. I keep a couple in my drawer and wash them frequently. You can find organic bamboo washcloths HERE on Amazon. There a quite a few brands that make these soft organic washcloths. I stock up and have some for baby's face, some for his bottom, and others I use in the bath. They are great and can save you money on wipes. I also used them when the boys were first born since I didn't want to use any harsh wipes on their sensitive newborn skin. I didn't mind washing them after use because I felt good that they never had diaper rash.

I don't always do this after each diaper change, but if baby's bum is a little red I like to use my zinc oxide paste. I swear by it! It works like a charm and clears his redness within a day! I also be sure to use petroleum free and chemical free products. Ya'll I can't stress this enough. READ YOUR LABELS! Sometimes I even come across a product that is all organic. Mama like! I highly recommend keeping  organic coconut oil in the house in your kitchen, your bathroom, and baby's room or wherever is convenient. It is a MUST to have for various reasons and uses. It has anti- inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties which makes it great for cradle cap, eczema, diaper rash smooth hair, dry and chapped lips, baby acne, and more!

Here are a couple diaper rash salves to try:
Bee All Natural Organic Diaper Rash Salve- IN A GLASS JAR : )
Green Goo Organic Miracle- IN A GLASS JAR : )
Ora's Amazing Herbal Baby Salve- IN A GLASS JAR : )
Hills Remedy Diaper Rash Relief
Badger Baby Oil- IN A GLASS JAR : )

The Playtex® Diaper Genie® Complete works wonders and prevents the room from smelling like the sewer. Diaper pails can actually help reduce the spread of germs. I love that I can open it with my foot because during diaper changes my hands are never free, especially when baby becomes really mobile. Sometimes it takes extra effort to hold him down on the table while rolling up the poopy diaper. The last thing I want to do is reach over and open the pail with my hand. Also, the refills are easy to replace. It's a no brainer and a win in my book!

I keep my non-toxic cleaner and a paper towel role or rag in the boy’s bathroom that is nearby so I don’t have to run downstairs to get anything. This is really important to ensure baby doesn't catch any germs and just for cleanliness purposes. I do my best not to skimp on this area and have a couple organic changing pads covers on hand . I love the ones from Modern Burlap!

Ok, so some of you, like me, don't actually wash your hands with soap and water right after each diaper change. Let's be real! And for those of you that do, bravo! I use a Nature's Paradise Coconut Hand Cleanser hand spray when I'm not washing my hands. It does the trick and then I know I have to wash my hands later. A quick fix is better than no fix!

Ok, so who would have thought there would be so much to diaper changing? I mean, it's really quite simple...but what I've learned about this technique could really help some of you and your babies get relief from their colic...err... upset tummies. The reason I say this is because there is some hype and controversy, if you will, regarding if colic is more of an intestinal or tummy issue. But thankfully we're not getting into that right now!
Dr. John Edwards tells us why this technique is so important. Check it out!

When changing your baby, Dr. Edwards says, "The way most of us have intuitively changed a diaper is not sound spinal biomechanics, and it very well may be the cause of your baby's colic. By bringing the hips forward, it makes the vertebrae shove backwards out of position and cause nerve interference that ends up stopping the flow of info from the brain into the intestines."

“When we're born we have one spinal curve.  It's the fetal position, the c-shape that our middle backs keep, which is necessary to stay tucked nice and snuggly inside our moms.  That primary curve is the only curve we have as an infant until we build the other two in our spine.  The first re-shaping of the cervical spine happens in our necks when we learn to lift our bobbly heads and hold them up.  The second, called the lumbar curve, happens in the low back, and it forms when we learn how to crawl.  We need these secondary curves to support our body weight for standing, bending, and lifting. 

But until we build them, the mechanics of the spine function very differently.  If you think of a baby's spine like a bridge, one that doesn't have a cervical or lumbar curve, then the peak of the bridge is between the 9th and 11th vertebra in the thoracic spine.  To give you an idea of where that is on you, the ribs that make up your ribcage exit at the 8th thoracic vertebra, and the "floater" ribs exit from the 9th to the 12th.  Compare that to where an adult's peak is -right between the shoulder blades- and you're going to come to the same realization I did.

The double leg lift is pretty intuitive, so I don't blame us for thinking it was the right way to change a baby.  Infants are folded inside mom, and once they discover their feet it's virtually impossible to keep them out of their mouths.  But the difference in the bending here is at the hip joint.  The femur heads in infants are barely developed because they don't need the bony structure for standing or the muscle strength and tension for walking. 

That lets them fling their feet over their heads and giggle without even thinking about it.  But when we use those legs for handles for a child who doesn't have that secondary lumbar curve, we're folding the spine at its peak, pushing the vertebra out of alignment where the nerve flow for the intestines comes out, and we're doing this how many times?  Three?  Five?   Seven times a day?  No wonder chiropractic has such a high success rate with colicky babies - we just put back what parents keep putting out!”

That's all for now folks! Please let us know your TIPS AND TRICKS for changing baby's diaper or any of your FAVORITE PRODUCTS! Share the wealth of motherhood for all!

Happy Diapering!

xx,

​Cate

This is a note I am writing to myself should I get pregnant with baby number three. It is also a note that I wish I would have read (and believed!) over and over when I went through my first two pregnancies. Here we go…


​Pregnancy is one of the finest experiences that you will ever embark on in your life. Ever. To focus intently on the numbers on the scale is doing yourself a disservice and much less, the female baby-making population a disservice. But I know you, and I know you will. The first time you see those numbers tick up and subsequently tick up, you’ll lose heart and most importantly faith in your body, which is the exact opposite of what you should be doing!! Take a deep breath and know that your body is smarter than you are. Your body doesn’t care about the scale, it cares about growing and protecting one of life’s most precious miracles that you’ll ever come to know… your child.

​Be kind to yourself and most importantly have grace with yourself. Rather than focusing on weight during this time, do what makes you feel healthy and strong, and nothing else. Don’t listen to people/media sources/your friends/yourself about what you should be doing or where your body should be at. Seriously. And don’t you dare compare yourself to other women. I know you will, but this is poison for your psyche.

As for the postpartum period, give yourself tiiiimmmmeeee to heal. Like I’m talking two years for your body and hormones to return back to normal before you even THINK about losing weight. The closer your babies are together, the more time you need. The postpartum period (two years plus for some women) is not the time to focus on weight loss because you will fight a losing battle and your hormones, my friend, will win every time. If you want to go batshit crazy, go for it, try and lose weight. I dare you. Once again, your body will outsmart you because it knows better.

Be prepared to gain weight, lose weight, or stay at the same weight (above your pre-pregnancy weight) or all of the above, well before you return back to your normal physique. Remind yourself that this is normal and is your body's way of healing and normalizing. Once again, trust in the process. To think that you will drop weight right away or magically lose weight at a certain point because that is what happened to Sally will not work in your favor. You are doing yourself an injustice to set unrealistic expectations. Once again, time is your friend and your body knows what it is doing.

If you do decide to focus on weight loss, keep in mind that you are not playing by the same rules as you used to be during normal weight loss circumstances. During the postpartum weight loss game, you’ll be up against prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin can play a role in reducing your metabolic rate, while oxytocin can affect both weight and appetite. Oxytocin is claimed to be the “feel good” hormone for some women, but not all women, and can actually lead to increased stress-producing experiences including loss of sleep and weight gain. If you fail to remember that you are up against hormones, you will make yourself legit crazy when you try and lose weight because it wont happen. Not to mention if you are breastfeeding and try to diet, you’ll risk losing your milk supply and/or pt yourself at risk for postpartum depression and anxiety. Remember that? Literally, hell. My best advice is to wait for those factors to stabilize which can take up to two years before you think about successful and healthy weight loss.

So, during the postpartum period you need to freaking eat, you need family/friends to help, you need to rest and you need to take care of yourself. If you don’t, don’t be surprised when postpartum depression and anxiety comes knocking on your door. Oh, and by the way, don’t expect to be in a bikini for two years after you have a baby. THAT is a reasonable expectation. If anyone says otherwise, they are in the MINORITY that loses fast (great for them but not the norm) or they are going through unhealthy measures that they will pay for through adrenal/thyroid issues or other ailments. Listening to people/media/experts/yourself say that you can and should lose weight within the first two years postpartum is poison for a mother’s brain. Seriously. Let your body do it’s thing and remember during this time that the scale is your worst enemy.

Instead, focus on things that lift you up, make you happy, healthy and stronger. Workout when you are ready, it will work wonders for your body and mind. Only do so when your body signals that it is ready. Screw the “six week” mark clearance for working out. It’s bull sh*t. TRUST YOUR BODY. If you are not ready, then don't workout. Simple as that. Remember it's more like TWO years to heal; not six weeks.

Also, eat healthy. Don’t listen to people about low-carb this or 21 day fix that. DON’T DO IT. Eat healthy and balanced. Focus on whole foods and nourish your body. Your body and your baby needs you to! Enjoy your kids. Go outside and get fresh air. Relax. Time is your friend when it comes to healing your hormones and your body after having a baby. So remember this! Enjoy it! You only get this opportunity to bring babies into this world a few times. So do it right, don’t taint it and share the knowledge with your mommy friends so we can change the stigma about pregnancy and postpartum weight expectations.