Cloth Diapers

Why we do it: I was totally against cloth diapers when we first had Lucy, unlike Pete who was surprisingly open to the idea. In fact, we didn't get in to them until she was over a year old if I remember correctly. Part of that was that for her first year of life, we were traveling a lot, in other people's homes.

Eventually, after seeing a friend do it while staying in her house and realizing it wasn't that hard, we went for it.

Our number one reason is probably that its cheaper. Also, I enjoy the idea that I'm not just adding tons of disposable diapers to landfills. Plus, it's kind of fun. And its really not that hard.

What we do: We take a pretty flexible approach, trying to use cloth as much as we can, even out sometimes, but always feeling the freedom to use a disposable if we want to or need to: when we're out of town, church, when babysitters are over sometimes, during the night (I didn't bother to get in to the nighttime cloth diapers), and sometimes when I just forget to wash the cloth ones...

We use Best Bottom Diapers. There are tons of cloth diaper brands these days. I like Best Bottom because of the snaps which you can adjust to any size child who wears diapers, the leg gussets which rarely leak, and they're easy to wash. Adam wears the same diapers now that he wore in his first week home from the hospital as an infant. (They have different sized inserts for different weight categories.) The website is bestbottomdiapers.com for more info.

Adam at 1 or 2 months

We usually go through 4 or 5 diapers per day with Adam now that he's older (it was at least 8 per day when he was born and Lucy was still wearing them at that point too.) After a diaper is soiled, I unsnap the insert and throw it in the wet bag. If its number two, I dump it in the toilet and then put it in the wet bag. If the outer shell is still clean I might reuse it with a new insert once or twice- this is usually if its just a wet diaper.

After two or three days (because I have only one child in diapers now and we have accumulated quite a few), I wash them. (I'll probably be washing them every night when the new baby comes). I do a lot of laundry anyways, so it doesn't seem like a huge burden. First, everything is rinsed with cold water twice. Then washed with soap in hot water (and that's when I add other things that need to be washed such as sheets, towels, kitchen rags, and the occasional needed clothing item.) Then we usually line-dry the outer shells, and throw the inserts in the dryer.

Doctor's Appointment Today {almost 29 weeks}

Just got back from the doctor where everything looks good and they seemed fine with me choosing to test my own blood sugar, instead of doing the glucose screening test.

• I'm measuring right as 29 weeks.
• My blood pressure was great.
• According to my records I've gained two pounds in between this appointment and the last one (they were a month apart.)
• Baby's heartbeat was good. 
• I'm supposed to log my blood sugar numbers and report back in a month.
• Today, I got two shots: flu vaccine and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis-  mainly to prevent the baby from getting whooping cough in the first few months of life.) I am for vaccines. 
• I also had my hemoglobin tested (for anemia) and it came back 11. They said they usually supplement with iron if its 10.9 or lower. I was glad to know this, because I haven't really been paying attention to my iron intake (just protein). Now I can pay more attention to that (and take my vitamins more often which I haven't been.) The nurse said it'll give me more energy, which I would love. 

Speaking of low energy, I've had a couple of horribly low-energy days in the past week. I would love prayer specifically that God would give me enough energy to be there for Pete and the kids, and generally keep our house running. And also that I wouldn't despair. Sometimes I get so tired physically that it affects all my emotions too. I want to choose to trust God as He gets me through every day.

My Alternative to the Glucose Screening Test

These came in the mail today: All the stuff I need to test my own blood sugar!

Instead of doing the standard glucose screening test at my doctor's office, I've opted to test on my own; regularly at first (per whatever the doctor recommends) and then from time to time when I want to check in to see how I'm doing.

Through my own research I've come to terms with the fact that anyone can get gestational diabetes (high blood sugar issues specifically in pregnancy which can lead to many problems). So, that is why I didn't just want to throw everything out the window and assume I'd be fine.

However, I haven't had good experiences with the screening tests in the past (expensive, time-consuming, incorrect results at first, makes me feel sick...), and I'm eating a very low glycemic diet anyways, which is what they put you on if you have GD. Plus, I don't want to drink the junk they make you consume before testing you. I don't think my body would handle that well at all considering I almost never put real sugar in my body, especially in that form.

So, today begins the fun part of testing my blood sugar. I'm actually kind of excited to see how it goes (is that weird?)!

Trim Healthy Mama

This is a shameless plug for a new way of eating I've been trying, and loving, for several months now.

Think: whole foods, good and traditional nutrition, energy, and biblical weight loss/body image specifically for, but not limited to, moms.

It's too complicated for me to try and describe everything here. After all, these two sisters wrote a 600-page book explaining everything. But I would say it is definitely worth it.

I was skeptical at first but my own story so far is this: I started eating "on plan" before I got pregnant (and still wasn't a stickler about doing everything "right"). Before I reached the second trimester I had lost 15 pounds (felt like I wasn't even trying). Even since then, I have only gained 8 pounds in my entire pregnancy so far. And I'm eating TONS of calories and good, nutritious food. Its all about eating the right things at the right time with the right other foods (mainly, controlling your blood sugar.)

I'm very interested to discover how I feel eating this way in the last couple months of pregnancy and postpartum. I've previously had a hard time shedding pregnancy weight despite religiously counting calories, exercising, and trying really hard to eat well. Honestly, I'm tired of the emotional battle- of constantly thinking about and trying to lose the weight. Trim Healthy Mama is so refreshing. I personally think its biblical, natural, and God-honoring.

If this interests you, I would recommend reading this short review since that is how I first became interested: http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2013/02/review-of-trim-healthy-mama.html

Another piece of advice is: Don't be overwhelmed. It was overwhelming at first for me but I changed little things one step at a time. It doesn't have to be a total overhaul in what you eat, just little changes. Pick a couple new things per week that you want to try.

Also, I should say, that I don't personally agree with everything in the book. For instance, they choose not to eat pork. We eat tons of pork. Pete and I don't agree with their reasoning and that's okay. I still thoroughly enjoyed "getting to know" these wonderful, fun, Christian women and the massive amounts of wisdom they had to share.

You can "like" Trim Healthy Mama on facebook for recipes and stories. And of course, always feel free to ask me questions.

Sweet Children

Psalm 127

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man

who fills his quiver with them!

 Sometimes, I just need the reminder of Psalm 127. As I sit here thinking about how I've lost my patience with them several times in the last 24 hours... it seems especially good to let this scripture sink in to my heart. Perhaps I should rephrase: Knowing my own heart (always prone to sin and deceit- Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick"), I always need to remember Psalm 127.