My Life as an African Gypsy

**Apology. Blogger had some problems and the comments were deleted. I saw them, they just did not stay. Boo! I am sorry about that.**

So I wanted to add a little follow-up to my breastfeeding post...

Good News: Anaya is now 11 weeks old and few few things improved, though I've thrown pumping into the mix, which has kind of started me on a new cycle of the awfuls. Anyways, the good news is that your body will eventually regulate, no longer causing the 'Shower Shuffle', or having a fear of boobs exploding (a.k.a. engorgement), and less of need for breast pads.

Bad News: I did start pumping this past week, because Anaya will finally take a bottle after a few minutes of screaming. Now that I am increasing my production, my body is figuring itself out again. Sigh. You only think you feel like a machine when you are breastfeeding, and then you start using an electric pump (or even a hand one)... ummm, can you say humiliating? I can be alone in a room and feel embarrassed, all hooked up with tubes and bottles. The nice part is that you can have a little freedom back, and miss a feeding while someone else steps in.

Side note: Next baby I will give a bottle sooner. I waited until about 10wks or so with Anaya and she hates it. We have had multiple screaming nights, only to end up breastfeeding. She will take a bottle eventually now, but it is not a peaceful process.
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Here is my Cloth Diaper - Report #3

We had our first leak during the night. This morning I woke up to a wet sheet and blanket. No fun! That is why having 2 sheets is a necessity! I am not really sure what the problem was; I guess she just peed a lot. I think, as I have said before, it will be better when she stops eating once in the night... filling up with the liquid. On a positive note, it has been our only leak in the night.

Double inserts are the key for us, even though she is only 11wks. I've had to put aside my vanity and poof up the diaper. They work. We have had hardly any trouble. I say 'hardly any' because every now and again the leg will be a tad damp, but not like it was. They last a good 3-4 hours.

I feel like we are operating a successful operation, and that is what it is, an operation!

I wash every other day and never run out. I stuff the diapers with inserts right when they come off the line, during a nap time; it only takes a few minutes. I scrub the poopy diapers immediately, and then let soak in cold water for a bit. Stains haven't been a problem so far. The dry bucket is SO much better.

It is not too bad, and not too much work. I am actually pleasantly surprised.

So, better late than never, right?

It took a little longer for me to get the diapers stripped and dried on the line. We had a cloudy day in there, and that doesn't work too well for drying. Anyways, I have now been using them for about 2 days. Here are my findings:

They are still cute, cute. I really love her in them with a little T-shirt. Precious!

I think my daughter is a heavy wetter. The diapers, with one insert, are good for about one pee, and then I need to make a change. The other option would be using double inserts all the time, which my husband is pushing me towards, but in my vanity, I would prefer her bum not to be that big. We may get to that point.

I do use double inserts at night, and we have not had a leak for the two nights I have used them. This is a huge plus, because I don't want to be washing sheets all the time.

When they leak, the diapers do not leak a ton. I can just feel them damp around the leg, and I know I need to change her. Not too bad, and I think I can live with it. Depending on how soon she goes after changing her, a diaper can make it approximately 2-3 hours. I have 24 diapers, and I have safely made it 2 days and will wash today with some clean ones still in the drawer.

I switched to a dry pail. I kept my cute bucket, but we put a trash bag in to save the plastic from absorbing too much of the lovely scent. This is some stinky business! I would maybe recommend a stainless steel trash can. After wringing out the wet diapers from the wet pail the first time, I decided it was sick and didn't want to do that anymore, since the water pretty much turns to pee water. Gross!

I do rinse the poopy diapers. Kind of gross as well, but I think it will help with stains, and at this point her poop is soft enough to dissolve. (Good to know, right? Ha!)

So there are my findings after 2 days... the second time around. I think I can stick with it. I'll write again about them in a week or so and let you know more.

They are cute, cute.



Wouldn't you agree?

As for leaking...

Day 1 was fairly successful. During the day, we had no leaks. She wore the diapers about 3 hours at a time. I put double inserts in for the night, and the diaper made it 10 hours, but I should have changed her right away, instead of trying to wait until her feeding. She did leak around the leg.

I was feeling pretty good, somewhat proud of myself, as if I had made the diapers or something. Ha! However, day 2 fell apart. Lots of leaks, even after less than 2 hours. Needless to say, I was very frustrated. Now, when I say leaks, I'm not talking super wet, but it does get her little onesie wet around the leg.

For now, I put her back in disposables. We had an all day outing today, and I just didn't want to worry about it.

Here is the plan: After reading some reviews, I think I will strip my diapers. What this means is that I will soak them in water with dish soap. (In the US they recommend Dawn dish soap. I don't have that here in Mozambique, so I will use Sunlight.) The covers have certain synthetics in them that can make them less absorbent. One lady said she had the same problems that I am having, but after stripping them, no more leaks! I am hoping this will work as well for me and solve our leaking problems.

I will soak them tonight, wash them tomorrow, and hang them to dry.

I shall report on Monday or Tuesday.

My reason for cloth diapering was solely financial. Sure, like most people, the idea of being 'green' sounds nice, but I am honestly not very motivated by that. You think diapers in America are expensive? They are even more so here in Mozambique, because they have to be imported. UGH!

When I began looking into it, I was suddenly overwhelmed. SO many options, and a lot of them seemed like an expensive start up cost. I began reading reviews to find the best fit for our family.

I ended up ordering 24 Sunbaby one-size pocket diapers with 48 inserts off Ebay from a lady in China for $156 w/o shipping. (US shipping is free, but it was only $30 to have them delivered to my door in Mozambique!) I did double inserts for every diaper, so when she begins wetting heavier, we'll be set. Also, night time can need extra absorbency, if she'd ever sleep through the night! Ha! These diapers are made for babies 7-35lbs, which means no need for small, medium, and large... that would be expensive! Though, I have heard they fit better around 10lbs.

(I will tell you that the seller of Sunbaby diapers on Ebay is currently taking a break, but I hope she will resume her sales soon. I have heard that Coolababy diapers are almost exactly the same, also cheap from Ebay.)

Anticipating some adjustment to having a baby around the house, I chose to wait until 2 months to begin. So now she is at 9wks and I am just getting started. =)

Now I'll introduced to the diaper:

Here is the diaper laid flat. All the snaps are for fitting adjustments.




Largest setting And the smallest

This is the pocket the insert goes into

Like so

I bought a cute soak bucket with a lid to put the diapers in after worn, but before washing, while I wait for a full load.

It is recommended to do one or two washes before use, so I soaked my diapers in water for awhile, then washed them once in the washer with detergent, and dried on the line. (We do all drying on the line, unless it is raining.)

Note the cute colors and patterns!

Some people put the inserts in as they are putting the diaper on, but I prefer to have a drawer full of diapers ready to go, so I've put all the inserts in and snapped them up to the smallest setting. (note: place insert in while diaper is flat, before snapping.)



So I think we're ready to go! I'll update tomorrow and let you know how our first tries went. Hoping for no leaks!

And while you are washing diapers, why not do cloth wipes and save a little more? I've gone with the Bottoms-up Kit mainly because I got a great deal from BabySteals.

Pretty much a pre-cut soft terry cloth wash rag.

Clean and dirty containers that seal nicely to keep smell away, along with little oil drops, which help with the wash and smell. You only need a couple drops per wash period.

A nice mesh wash sack.

And handy waterproof bags for on-the-go.

Okay, there it all is. Reviews and experiences to come...

Maybe the fact that I am a missionary has a little something to do with it, but I would guess most Mommies actively involved in a Christian community can relate to my experience of post-baby ministry transition .

I went from going to the hospital and visiting 5 days a week, to not at all, and now slowly getting back to 1-2 days a week. I was at the hospital visiting with my friends the very day before I went into labor; it was what I did... almost a part of who I was. I was not ignorant of the changes that were coming, and I had made up in my mind and heart that Anaya, and my children to follow, will be my #1 ministry; however, if I am honest, I have still have had a mourning of those things I used to be able to do.

Even my days back at the hospital have changed. This is not all in negative ways, in fact, little Anaya brings so many smiles and joy each and every person she encounters; I have an automatic conversation starter. I love it! The difference for me now is that I cannot jump up onto the bed and hold the lady struggling to sit, the one near death. I cannot sit with the same lady for hours just holding her hand. Now I have Anaya strapped to the front me, many times wanting me to move around. Jon can take her when need be, and we will strike a balance in the times ahead, but I do yearn to do certain things that, for now, I cannot.

I chose this though, and I do not regret my decision in the least. For now I am just learning... transitioning. My #1 ministry is Anaya. Okay. But what should that look like on a day to day basis? She is a newborn! She cannot understand what I am saying or teaching her. Giving her food, bathing her, changing poopy diapers? Sure doesn't feel like ministry sometimes. In fact, sometimes I feel lazy, not making it out of my nursing tank top and exercise shorts. I do pray over her; her health, her future, wisdom for Jon and I as parents, etc. We sing worship songs to her. We ask the holy Spirit to dwell in her and for the Lord to save her soul. All this is good and well, but the fact of the matter is that most of the day is spent just caring for her physical needs. And you know what? It is good.

I have to remind myself that the Lord is pleased with me caring for my child, my husband, and my home. It is a ministry of breastfeeding and diaper changing.

**Take note of the title. This post is intended for female readers, or for men wanting to have sympathy for their breastfeeding wives. There may be more information than you care to read, and if you know me, it may be more blunt than you are used to, so take this as your warning, and read at your own risk.**

I heard so many women talk about the beauty of breastfeeding and the miraculous bonding that happens during the process. I was not deceived. I never looked forward to my darling baby sucking my nipple, and always felt cuddling with a bottle would fill that little bonding need just fine. My reasons for breastfeeding were first and foremost the health benefits for Anaya, and secondly we cannot afford formula, at least not easily. The following is a little of my experience thus far:

Scabs: Some women had been honest, and I was prepared that the first week or two could be painful as your nipples toughen up. (Just a lovely thought, huh?) Sure enough, after only a few short days, I had scabs on my nipples. Seriously? Scabs! On my nipples! Somehow the milk still comes through. Then I had to watch and worry about poor Anaya ingesting a scab as she sucked so furiously, though thankfully, I was able to peel it when it got quite loose. Sick. Let's just say, "Not sexy." Boobs have temporarily lost all sexuality.

Engorgement: Then, your boobs get engorged while they are trying to regulate how much milk to produce. I knew this, but the first time my boob became as hard as concrete, I freaked out. We were on our way home from our friends' house when I felt it. I wanted Jon to get home as fast as possible, and I tried to calm myself. In my rational mind I knew my boob wouldn't explode, but there was this irrational side that kept tugging at me... Good news, they don't explode.

Sleeping with a Bra: It is impossible to be without a bra/breast pads for any length of time. So long comfortable sleeping; we have got to keep these things under wraps. Once again... sorry hubby!

Leakage: There are two kinds of leakage I want to talk about, but I'll put the other one under a different label. Here, I'll just talk about the good 'ol through the breast pad/to the side of the breast pad leakage. To save money, I've been trying the washable breast pads. I have to wear two, but for the most part they work well. For the most part... happily, the other times have been at home, sparing me utter humiliation. I've decided to wear the disposable ones when I go out for any extended period of time, even though they cost $12 or so dollars for a box of 60. When Anaya decides to bless me with an extra hour of sleep in the night, I wake up with two big wet spots on my shirt, making me get up anyway. Can we say embarrassing? Sorry hubby... not sexy!

The Shower Shuffle: No one warned me about this. While a nice warm shower can be good for engorgement, on a day to day basis it is just annoying. So here you are all nice and clean, finally washing off the spit up and diaper cream, not to mention the layers of sweat for those who live in non-air-conditioned homes in the midst of the summer, and you are feeling pretty good... that is until you try and dry off. Your boobs are like faucets! How in the world are you supposed to dry off? If you lean over at all, hello gravity, not nice! After many attempts and much milk on the legs, I've perfected a little shuffle, which eliminates leaning over. It helps, but not completely. After having to yell at my husband to bring me my breast pads so I could even step out of the shower, I've learned to put them within reaching distance.

Appearance (TMI): Wow. It isn't just like, "Oh yay, I finally have big boobs for the first time in my life." Though, in clothes, it does feel a little like that. But naked, no, they are covered in veins, the areola is ginormous, and your nipple is massive. Nope, not just big boobs, big crazy lookin' boobs. Ha! In my opinion, not sexy!

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Anyways, to balance it out a bit, I usually end up laughing multiple times when my ravenous little girl grunts and shakes her heads like she's about to die unless she gets some milk, or when she looks up and grins at me between sucking, or when she burps insanely loud, but doesn't want to quit sucking for a second.

It isn't all horrible, and a HUGE benefit is that you lose your baby weight much faster, and your uterus shrinks back much faster. You may retain 5 or so pounds until you stop breastfeeding, but you get to that weight much faster. I was down 20 of 25 pounds in about 1-1.5 weeks; it was really amazing.

So to all those breastfeeding, or those who have breastfed, hats off to you!

So this title is a bit deceiving, making you think that I had no stretch marks before this day; however, that is simply untrue. My years of puberty left me gifts of shiny little squiggly lines on my hips and inner thighs. It didn’t help that in college I happened to gain some 25-30 pounds and then proceeded to lose it all months down the road. Yeah, that still seems like a little foggy bit in life that I don’t remember, but I assure you there are a few pictures for proof. Anyways, back to this day that I found, ahem, my new stretch marks.

I was 39 weeks pregnant with my precious little Anaya, and up to this point had felt pretty good about myself. I only gained twenty-five pounds during the pregnancy, and while my tummy was large and in charge, it happened gradually and felt pretty normal to me and somewhat cute. I had semi-faithfully rubbed what is called ‘Bio Oil’ on my belly to prevent stretch marks, and had already drafted a letter offering my services for commercials and campaigns, because I was proof this stuff worked; I had no stretch marks! (Okay, I hadn’t really written the letter, but that was my state of mind.) I say semi-faithfully because I had every intention of putting it on once or twice a day, but hello, I am a girl who can’t even wash her face on a regular basis, or take my make-up off at the end of the day, so yeah, semi-faithfully better fits the scenario.

We don’t own very many mirrors, and only have one on lend that is full length. I keep it in the guest room for now, which has odd lighting, but does the job of checking to make sure I look put together enough and that my pants aren’t too tight, leaving weird tightly stretched lines under my booty. This was the mirror I used during my pregnancy to admire my beautiful preggo belly. Oh this mirror of lies! Okay, maybe it isn’t the mirror’s fault and more my own for the lighting issue, but I would rather blame the evil mirror.

Okay, so we are back to being 39 weeks pregnant and I was in the bathroom when I decided to admire my big belly in a tiny little mirror attached to our shower. I had done this before, and while I couldn’t see the whole thing, I could get a glimpse of the glory that was my belly. This being my first pregnancy, I was simply in awe. It was during this observation that I saw what appeared to be some faint marks lower than my belly button. Frantically I went up on my tip toes. There, to my horror, were lots of squiggly lines! They were a light reddish purple. I felt nauseous and went to sit on the toilet, where I could pee, something I did every few minutes, and get my thoughts together.

My husband came in to find me sitting on the toilet with tears in my eyes, rubbing Bio Oil like a mad woman, thinking perhaps the oil could make them disappear now. When he asked what was wrong, I could hardly get out the words: “I… have… stretch marks!” This was followed by a flow of tears that did not stop for a half an hour or more. Once, when my husband asked if I was still crying, I said, “Yes! I am mourning my body!” I knew I couldn’t cry about these things forever, and now that they were permanent additions, I figured I’d give myself a day to mourn them, and then I’d have to move on.

“Have I moved on?” you ask. Not really. I don’t cry over them anymore, but post-baby they seem a little higher than they were, and they haven’t shrunk any, which I think they will. They are now silver-y and not reddish purple, so that’s a plus. Some people like to call them battle scars from pregnancy. Yeah, that doesn’t work for me, or make me feel much better about them. They are what they are, and they are permanent, so there ya have it. I’ll just try hard to get this tummy back in shape and work with what I’ve got. I think of it more as a sacrifice I chose to have my precious girl. It was worth it, but still a sacrifice, and sacrifices aren’t generally thought of as fun or easy.