Wrap Review! Didymos India Holi

Manufacturer: Didymos
Name: India Holi
Weave: Twill
Weight: 255 g/m2 (60/40 weight was the only weight listed on the database)
Blend: There are two different versions, 50% Linen 50% Cotton, and 40% Linen 60% Cotton, I had 50/50

I got my Holi in the dead of summer. Linen is perfect for the heat. The pattern is pleasing to the eye. I used the "wrong" side more often than the "right" because I liked it best. I purchased this wrap brand new and it came to me like cardboard. One hot wash/iron and it softened right up. A double hammock is my go to, and even with all those passes over me and Emmalee, it was still very breathable and wearable in the Nevada summer heat. The cush on the shoulders was perfect, without being too bulky of a wrap. Holi didn't live here long, because it was the slipperiest wrap I've ever tried. It would slip right into place when I did my passes, but it also slipped right out of place. 

It's GIVEAWAY time!

It's time for a giveaway! Thank you so much to all my readers and followers. 

There are TWO prizes this time! This fabulous cross-body babywearing bag was handmade by Mimiz Marketplace. It's the perfect length to cross your and your baby in a carrier. The strap is cushy and won't dig into your neck. It's just the right size for a couple fluffy diapers and the rest of your necessities. Bags (and more!) are available for purchase through Etsy!

The second prize is a 2 oz bottle of hand made Stink Away Diaper Pail Spray! A special blend of essential oils that ELIMINATES odors, it doesn't just cover them up. All natural, non toxic, good for the planet, and good for your nose! Stink Away Diaper Pail Spray is available for purchase through Life As Dallas Knows It.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wrap Review! Lenny Lamb Sunrise Rainbow

I'm starting a new series! I'll be reviewing all the wraps I've tried so far, and I'll review any new wraps that come in. Starting with Lenny Lamb Sunrise Rainbow, the first real wrap I owned! 

Manufacturer: Lenny Lamb
Name: Sunrise Rainbow
Weave: Twill
Blend: 50% Cotton 50% Bamboo

This wrap is the absolute softest wrap I have ever tried. It's soft and floppy straight out of the bag. One wash and it was perfect. The colors are vibrant, but not blinding. I found it to be a bit slippery. My passes would glide easily, but my knots also slipped a lot. When E hit 20lbs (around 4 months!), this wrap lost all its support. Every carry I did would slip and pull. I was sad to see it go!

Happy Birthday, Emmalee!

I can't even believe its been a whole year already! My sweet angel baby isn't such a little baby anymore.

Emmalee is not my rainbow baby in the typical sense, but she came to me during a particularly stormy time in my life. She has brightened every day since she arrived. I am so grateful I was chosen to be her mommy.

We had a snowstorm early early the day of E's party, so the guest list was cut down quite a bit, but we still had so much fun! I wanted the food to stick with the rainbow theme, so we had rainbow goldfish, gummy bears, a rainbow veggie tray (cherry tomatoes, carrots, yellow bell peppers, cucumbers, blue corn chips, and ranch dressing clouds), multi colored tortilla chips with salsa, and rainbow fruit kebobs (strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, kiwi/honey dew melon, grape).

We had a little drama while I was frosting the cake (choking/fainting drama--yikes!) so it didn't turn out perfect, but I'm happy with the results! What would a rainbow birthday be without a rainbow cake?

Happy birthday to my sweet baby girl!

Breastmilk Smash Cake!

Emmalee is one! I can't believe this year has gone by so quickly. Bittersweet.

I celebrated Em's half birthday, and I made her a breastmilk cupcake (biscuit, really). I wanted to keep her on the healthy route for her first birthday, so I decided to make her a breastmilk smash cake! You can read my original post here.

I went with whole wheat flour this time, instead of gluten free. Every gluten free baked recipe I've tried has turned out disastrous, so I didn't want to take my chances ruining this one! You'll need:

2/3 cup of breastmilk, which is roughly 4.5 ounces. If you don't have enough you can supplement with coconut milk. I had 3.5 ounces of frozen milk to use, the rest was coconut.
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
1/3 applesauce
11/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped fresh strawberries (or your fruit of choice!)

Frosting:
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups confectioner's sugar
2-3 tbsp Breastmilk (or coconut milk)
(optional) 1.5 tbsp beet juice (pink coloring)

Combine milk & ACV. Let sit for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to curdle. Mine has never curdled, any time I've used this recipe. I just waited until I saw movement (bubbles) and its turned out fine. Beat sugar, applesauce, and vanilla together until smooth. Mix in dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Stir in strawberries. Pour into two 6 inch round cake pans. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Frosting:
Beat room temperature butter until fluffy. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add beet juice. Stir in one tablespoon of milk at a time and beat until smooth.

Don't be surprised when you batter looks a little... strange! The coconut palm sugar combined with the whole wheat flour make for an interesting color!

Emmalee really enjoyed her cake! She didn't really dig in, she preferred to be dainty and not get messy!

What do you think of this breastmilk cake? Will you try it?

Whitening Your Teeth Naturally

I HAVE to share this with you guys!

Activated charcoal. Heard of it? Maybe? How about for whitening your teeth? No?

I read this article from Crunchy Betty months ago. I was skeptical, but wanted to try it anyway. I finally got around to buying some activated charcoal (aka activated carbon) about two weeks ago. Oh. My. Gosh. The results are incredible!

Crunchy Betty suggests using capsules of activated charcoal like this. You can open a capsule and it's the perfect amount for one treatment. I chose to purchase this one (wayyy cheaper). It's for an aquarium, so it's tablets instead of powder.

Pour out a bit of the AC.

Grind it up into a powder (I do it mortar and pestle style). You should have roughly a teaspoon of powder. Be careful when dealing with the AC in powder form, it can be harmful if inhaled.

Add a dash of water to make a paste and spread it on your teeth with your finger. I pour the rest in my mouth, swish around a little, and then hold it in front of my teeth. Keep it there 3-5 minutes then rinse WELL, and brush normally.

So easy! You don't have to worry about any harmful chemicals, and it won't cause any tooth sensitivity like traditional peroxide-based whitening creams.

Look! This is after only THREE treatments! You guys, this is amazing! (sorry I don't have Hollywood straight teeth)

Remember, you need ACTIVATED charcoal (carbon). Don't go out and grab a brick from your barbecue, it's not the same thing.

Did you try it? What were your results?

HE Cloth Diaper Routine

I recently made the switch to full time cloth diapering, which means I had to perfect my washing routine. No more getting away with tossing stuff in the sanitize cycle and walking away.

I'm no expert, but from what I've read, the most important part of washing cloth diapers is using lots of water. HE (high efficiency) washing machines are made to use as little water as possible. So that makes washing diapers a challenge.

The first few washes my diapers came out smelling...weird. Not bad, like they were dirty, but kind of musty and earthy. Clean diapers should come out of the wash smelling like nothing, so obviously that wasn't working. I read this was probably detergent build up. As these diapers came to me second hand, it was definitely possible! Because I don't have a good ol' water wasting top loader, I used my bathtub to help me strip the detergent out. I filled the (clean!) tub with cold water and loaded up the diapers. After a few swishes, it was obvious there was detergent in the diapers. I swished and swished then drained the tub and filled it again about 6 times. I then ran 8-10 rinse and spin cycles before they finally came out smelling like NOTHING. Hooray!

I hunted around and I saw that some people open their detergent drawer and add water through it. That's a great idea, except you void the factory warranty and run the risk of damaging your washing machine by adding extra weight the washer isn't accommodating for. If I owned my washer and dryer, I'd absolutely take the risk for clean dipes without 10,000 wash cycles every time, but I don't, so I had to come up with something else.

HE washers weigh your laundry before adding water so the least amount of water can be used. Diapers are absorbent, so that tiny amount of water gets soaked up in the diapers and they flop around not getting clean. So, here's what I've come up with. I am using a Kenmore Elite High Efficiency machine.

• Saturate diapers with water before tossing them in. There is a utility sink in my laundry room. I fill it with cold water and soak the diapers in it. It's a bit messy transferring the diapers from the sink to the washer
• One Kids wearcycle with detergent, on warm/warm, 2nd rinse, and auto soak options
• One Express cycle on cold, 2nd rinse, heavy soil level, no detergent
• One Rinse&Spin cycle, No detergent. After this cycle I pull the dipes out and smell them. If I smell anything they go back in for another rinse.

I sun my diapers when I can, but if I don't have the time (or the daylight), I tumble dry. Be sure to check your diapers' specifications on using the dryer!

My diapers have come out smelling fresh and clean. It takes a bit of extra work, but I am successfully full time cloth diapering with an HE machine and my dipes are pristine!

What's your wash routine? 

Cloth wipes... Again!

Since its gotten a bit colder, my cloth wipe solution isn't working for me anymore! My diaper station is right next to the window and the coconut oil solidifies in the bottle, making the solution a pain to get out of the bottle and a huge mess when it finally sprays out! I fiddled around and have landed on this recipe as my new favorite:

1T Avocado oil
2T baby shampoo
1/2tsp vitamin E oil (or one capsule broken open)
5 drops GSE
10 drops TTO
10 1/2 cups distilled water

You can adjust the recipe if you feel this makes too much, I just like to make a lot at once so I don't have to worry about it.

Tea Tree oil and grapefruit seed extract are both antibacterial and fungus fighting. Because this makes such a large batch, I like to have the essential oils in to be sure no bacterias can grow. Alternatively, GSE is wonderful against yeast. If you're fighting thrush or yeast diaper rash, up the GSE by a few drops.

I keep my solution in a spray bottle and wet each individual wipe before I use it. Soaking the wipes in solution and then storing them wet sets up the perfect breeding ground for nasty bacteria, so if you decide to pre moisten your wipes, add a bit extra tea tree oil to combat the bacteria (but be aware of your baby's sensitive skin!).

A few people have asked if I use disposable wipes for outside the home. I don't. Instead, I have a small bottle (a little plastic spray bottle from the travel section) full of solution and a couple wipes in the diaper bag for when we go out. Dirty wipes go in the wet bag and come home with us!

Let me know how this works for you! :)

Sizing of woven wraps

Woven wraps come in a variety of sizes, the most common being 2-7. Woven wraps are always sized in meters.

2: 2.6m (8.5ft)
3: 3.1m (10.2ft)
4: 3.6m (11.8ft)
5: 4.2m (13.7ft)
6: 4.6m (15.1ft)
7: 5.2m (17.1)

Why so many different sizes?

The length of the wrap will determine what carry you can do. Multi-pass carries require a longer wrap. Single-pass carries require a shorter wrap.

So how do I know what size to get?

Before purchasing your wrap, you need to determine your base size. Your base size is the size you can do every carry with, including carries with many passes, such as a front wrap cross carry (FWCC) or a double hammock (DH). The "average" person has a base size of a 6. If you consider yourself petite, your base is probably a 5. If you consider yourself to be plus size, then your base is probably a 7.

What about a "shorty"?

A shorty a term used for a short wrap. Short wraps are great for quick carries, such as a ruck, when you don't want long tails. The typical shorty is a size 2 or 3. My base is a 6 and I like using a size 3 as my shorty, because it gives me a little bit more versatility with my carries. Depending on your size (plus/petite) your shorty might be a 2 or a 4.

What about all the other sizes?

There are a few of  you might see that you need "one size up from your base", but for the most part when you are moving one size up or down from your base, the main difference is the way you tie off. For example, a DH carry in a size smaller than your base, you can tie at the shoulder instead of in front.

Here is a list of a few carries the averaged sized person can do with each size wrap. Each carry is linked to a YouTube tutorial. Many of these carries can be done in multiple sizes. If you see a carry listed under a size 3, that means it can also be done in a size 4, or 5, and so on.  Keep in mind, this changes whether you are petite or plus sized. There are many more carries than the ones I've listed. For a more comprehensive list, click here.

2

Rebozo,No Sew Ring Sling, Ruck Tied Under Bum

3

Rebozo, No Sew Ring Sling, Ruck Tied in Front, Robin's Hip Carry, Half Jordan's Back Carry 

4

Short Cross Carry, Kangaroo, Poppin's Hip Carry, Double Hammock (tied at the shoulder)

5

Petite base size carries

6

Average base size carries

Front Wrap Cross Carry, Back Wrap Cross Carry, Secure High Back Carry, Double Hammock, Front Cross Carry, Coolest Hip Cross Carry

7

Plus size base carries

Breastfeeding a newborn: My tips and tricks

My breastfeeding journey has not been an easy one. It was a lot of work for me to breastfeed my daughter, and I am very proud to have come this far. I had no help, so I had to figure things out on my own. I poured over tons of research and finally came out on top. Here's a little advice for breastfeeding your new baby.

The first few weeks are so hard. A newborn's stomach is teeny, and breast milk is digested quickly, so you nurse a lot. Embrace it. You are forming a wonderful bond with you new baby, and these first weeks are crucial to your breastfeeding experience. Avoid using a pacifier (if you can stand it) and absolutely avoid bottles until at least 6 weeks. I introduced a bottle at 3 weeks, and it was the cause of our downfall.

But I'm worried I'm not making enough milk. My baby constantly wants to nurse! That's good! Remember, newborns have teeny tiny stomachs, they need to nurse often. Your baby is also working on building up your milk supply. Breastfeeding is supply and demand. Your baby needs to nurse in order for you to make enough milk! If you are truly concerned, get in touch with a local lactation consultant (NOT your pediatrician), or WIC office. Ask to see someone with a baby scale. You can weigh your baby, feed them, then weigh again to see how many ounces they've taken. Reno locals, I highly recommend contacting someone at The Nurturing Nest. They are a great resource for you! (no, they didn't pay to me to say that, I just like them!)

My partner wants to bond with the baby also, so they need to give a bottle.
There are so many ways to bond with a new baby that don't involve sabotaging your nursing relationship. Have your partner take their shirt off, strip baby down to a diaper, and they can snuggle up on the comfy couch together under a blanket, basking in each other's newness. Assist your partner in a bath with the new babe: have them get in the bath first while you hand baby over. Let your partner have little squish snuggles in your carrier. All those are far more intimate than a bottle, anyway.

I'm tired! I want to sleep for a feeding during the night.
This is completely understandable. Hang in there mama. In a couple weeks, this will get so much easier. If you just stick it out a little while longer, you'll be far better off than a bottle feeding mama! Sitting up in bed to feed your little one takes far less effort than getting up to prepare a bottle in the middle of the night. You can do it! Practice side lying nursing, once your baby is a few weeks old (I felt comfortable at four weeks). You can relax when you are side lying, and you might even be able to fall asleep! Don't worry, breastfeeding moms have an acute awareness of their child. Be sure to follow the guidelines for safe co sleeping.

Have a basket or a bag you can easily bring with you anywhere in your house stocked with a few essentials:

• A water bottle (partner:this is your responsibility! Keep this full of icy cold water!) Breast milk is comprised almost completely of water! You should be used to drinking tons of water from your pregnancy, anyway, but staying hydrated is very important. 
• Non perishable snacks (granola bars, almonds, apples, beef jerky) Breastfeeding gives you a hunger you have not known before! Eating a good, solid meal may not happen as often as you'd like, so be sure to keep your strength up with healthy snacks. 
• Book/phone/tablet/eReader (and the charger!) Something to keep you entertained while you sit on your sore bum for hours on end. 
• Children's books (if you have other children) Your older child(ren) will likely be feeling a bit miffed at mommy spending so much time with the new baby. Having books handy to read to them, while you're nursing the baby will help everyone settle into the new routine better. 
• A pen and paper, or app on your phone, to keep track of which side you last nursed from. Keeping track of feedings themselves is not important. It's not important to nurse at a certain time for a certain number of minutes. It is important to switch back and forth between breasts (somewhat) equally, so your supply is built on both sides. It will be hard for your sleep deprived brain to remember which side was last. This paper or app would also be a good place to track wet/dirty diapers (a great way to tell if your baby is getting enough milk!) 
• Unrefined coconut oil For those sore nips, coconut oil does wonders. It is safe to apply as much as you want, and does not need to be washed off before baby nurses. 
• Nursing padsI recommend soft, cushy, re usable pads like these. Or, you could make them yourself, its easy! The disposable pads always stuck to my nipples when I leaked! It was like pulling off a band aid. Ouch!

Whew! That was a lot of information, but I hope that has helped you in some way.

Breastfeeding is hard work. You are an awesome mom for working so hard for your baby! Thank you for breastfeeding.