DVDs

1. we already watch Your Baby Can Read every day.  i put them in their bouncers or leave them in their carseats (if we had been somewhere), and throw on this lesson.  it's usually under 30 minutes, but my girls are CAPTIVATED watching it!!!  we started with the first disc.  usually, they fall asleep to watching the young boy, Graham narrate in entirety. 

when i was at the library a couple of weeks ago, i looked for some DVDs for my girls to watch.  i noticed the Baby Einsteins that were there were for 6 mo.+  so, i looked for something else that we could use meanwhile (my girls are 4 mo.), and found these...

2. i picked up Baby IQ in "colors" and "animals."  i'm beyond impressed.  sometimes, i join the girls and watch the DVD because it's just so awesome.  i like "colors" the best.  the way the colors are potrayed is just so abstract and fantastic.  it really brings all of the colors together... without labeling the colors.  that's the only thing that i don't like.  also, there's nobody narrating--only the London Symphony Orchestra playing upbeat classical music in the background.  my girls also fall asleep to this, and the music really helps me get into the groove and do things around the house.  another quick note: these are suitable for 0 mo.+  i think that it runs under 30 min.

baby acne

on my girls, i've noticed that they sometimes get these little red bumps (spots) like we did when we were teenagers or in our early adulthood. :)

anyway, i found this article on homeopathic treatments of baby acne. :)

Go Green @ Home?

Through my CD/Detergent research, I found some great information about how to recycle and use your resources/supplies/tools more efficiently at home...

Here's a great article on DiaperPin about how to GO GREEN in your home... some ideas I already incorporate, but some others... I could use some help. :)  And, there are some suggestions/ideas that I never considered that are quite interesting... :)

Enjoy!

cigna's "healthy babies" program

i know that cigna has an incentive program, healthy babies, where you talk to a nurse once a month during your pregnancy, and they send you a check, postpartum, for $150... for the full $150, then you need to sign up during your FIRST trimester.  the amount lessens if you sign up in your second or third trimester.     
this program was one of the highlight of my pregnancy.  it was so easy to get a hold of my nurse, and whenever i had a quick question on which i'd like medical advice, i'd then call her.  plus, postpartum, she dealt with my medical issues, having them reprocess paperwork, called the benefits' department for me... because, i, obviously, had no time.  it was so nice.
see if your insurance has a similar program!  they're all trying to become extra friendly now, offering many incentives, programs for a "healthier" you....

which detergent for CD?

4/18/11: i found this awesome site that gives a breakdown in a chart on how each detergent is for cloth diapers (CD)!  here's another useful site, too.

i recently switched from Mountain Green (they have it at JoAnn's, and you can use a 40% off coupon there, so it'd be $6) to Rockin' Green (so far, did take out some stains that the former couldn't off a prefold).  RnG is super powerful and will take care of diapers quite well. :)  it's known to remove difficult stains whether in clothes or not...

through my research, i did come across these two other detergents made specifically for CD:

Biokleen

Crunchy Clean

which one do you use and why?

update 8/29/12: since then, i have also used Country Save, which works awesome and used it for everyday laundry. i got it at sprout's, but the store has since discontinued it.  so, i have reverted back to RnG and every month, i strip my diapers with RLR (for $1.50, which is cheaper than buying in bulk from RLR) that i buy through my local Zoolikins because it's pretty much unavailable anywhere else. :)  RLR is great for freshening up clothes, too- not just diapers!

CDing as a FT mom?

here's a great article about a mom who works full-time (FT) and still chooses to cloth diaper (CD)!

yay for her!

packing your cloth diaper bag

here's a great video on how to pack your cloth diaper bag that i saw today.

personally, i also include the following for my TWIN GIRLS:
- i only do two diapers, maybe prefolds/covers, AIOs or pockets already stuffed (usually, i don't stay out for very long)
- girly things, such as an extra outfit, matching headbands, and socks
- rattles/toys
- the girls' sunglasses
- some snacks for me (lol) like luna bars, already shelled sunflower seeds, bananas, apples, etc... and a water bottle and/or honest kids organic juices
- clean empty bottles
- a baggy of extra pacis, nipples, lids/caps
- a spray water bottle (small)
- a diaper spray water bottle (small)
- extra bibs
- extra burp cloths
- samples of formula
- samples of butt paste
- small water bottle for formula
- my checkbook, wallet, keys, chapstick, iPod, a pen, small pad of paper, my phone

it's VERY full because i have to grab double of everything... i'm looking for something bigger, but this does well for me for now. :)  i do keep another bag in the car with outfits ziplocked, extra diapers, burp cloths, and my wrap.  in there, i also have samples of formula, too.

free pump eligibility

- you may be eligible for a FREE double-electric hospital-grade breast pump via your insurance (they'd prefer not to scream this from the rooftops, though!).  i have an HMO, and it was still covered.  for me, i found out about it through cigna's healthy babies' program.  remember how i wrote that the nurse would call me monthly to see how i was and gave me super good advice?  well, she is the one who told me about it... IF my babies were to be admitted to the NICU and being preemies, then i'd be eligible.  since mine fit both criteria, then i was eligible. :)  yes!!!
- find out BEFORE you deliver if you're eligible.
- when you're in the hospital and should you be eligible, then ask your doctor to write a prescription for exactly this: "double-electric hospital-grade breast pump" because your "child/ren were admitted to the NICU and they're considered premature" (less than 37 weeks).  
- STAY ON IT!  one month into it, they sent me the standard double-electric breast pump (twice over) that you can get online for $70... definitely not the hospital-grade one i used in the hospital.  keep calling them, pestering them if they messed up, which they did in my case (shocker, right?!).  
- make sure they know that it's a PURCHASE, not a rental... to avoid any confusion and issues.  
- they sent me brand new attachments/bottles to use... obviously, for sanitary purposes.  the pump is serviced after any usage.  they first did mine as a "rental" (their mistake), and i'll keep this one for my pump! 
- i got a $1,600 pump for free!!!  yes, it's bigger than my medela pump instyle, but like i said before, it's AWESOME, so quiet, and works very efficiently!

is nursing challenging for you?

when i was researching how to increase my supply, i also came across these two great links:

Back to Breast
Family Bed

if you've previously been unable to BF, then those two sites might help you out...

BFing/pumping tips

as i mentioned before, i wasn't exclusively able to BF twins.  so, i researched ways to increase my milk supply.  i couldn't be the only one with this problem, right? 


right. 


it's a bigger problem than most people think.  and, this is often where people give up.  when i read things, i came across some surprising facts... adoptive mothers could BF?!  if that was possible, then surely there was a way to increase my supply!  :)


the starred items are really what helped me get my milk to increase... now, remember, before i was doing 4oz./feeding... mostly on my R boob (one boob usually gives off more milk than the other)... 


increase BFing supply tips:
1. try fenugreek supplements ($7-8), mother's milk tea* ($2 on sale at sprout's), or more milk plus by motherlove($17.95), which are all featured below- many women swore fenugreek would work, but it did NOTHING for me.  for others, it did wonders.  the tea is what did it for me.  i drank it 3-5x/day like it suggests until the box ran out... M-F.  by the following M (i hadn't gone to the store that weekend), i noticed my letdown was coming down INCREDIBLY faster.  then, i started to produce more... the MMP did okay, but not worth the price tag. 

however, i would start from L to R in the picture... 


2. pump AFTER BFing*- something they don't teach you in the hospital.  you need to do it to relieve yourself of all the milk to build up an adequate supply to replenish.  cannot replenish what's still there. :) pump until you feel like your milk has drained... it might take 5-15 minutes, give or take.  you'll feel when you need to stop. 


3. pump every three hours*- i don't remember them telling me this in the hospital.  but, pump if they're sleeping.  pump EVEN at night.  pump every three hours whether they need milk or not.  you will, unbelievably increase your supply in days if you keep this up... just this.  again, pump for as long as you feel you need... at first, i watched the clock, and then i just stopped doing that.  yet, it takes me now around 10-15 minutes, but there are times that it'll take less or longer, just depending.... they say that the general rule of thumb is to keep pumping for 3-5 minutes after your last letdown... but, that can lead you into your next letdown.  try to prevent a huge wait time between pumping... such as 5-6 hours.  too drastic of a time frame where you could get two pumpings/feedings.  sometimes at night, i'm too tired to wake up and i press "snooze" too many times, and next time i wake, i realize that it's been about this time frame since i've last fed/pumped.  that's okay once in awhile.  i haven't seen it really affect my milk production.  i just make sure i pump/feed three hours afterward.  yet, if you continue to wait such a long period, then it definitely will not provide the right amount of milk that you need for your babies.  plus, you'll feel unbelievably engorged, which is pain-ful! :) 


4. when BFing, keep the twins on the same boob*- for the initial milk, keep both on the same boob... i forgot what type of milk it's called, but from what i recall (forgive me if i'm wrong), it's the best type of milk.  the foremilk, i think.  i'm probably wrong.  lol. :)  


5. when BFing, switch babies twice*- this is hard, especially when the babies are younger.  so, i'd say wait until they're at least six weeks since their heads are so fragile.  yet, switch the babies when they "seem" full/bored/start to communicate (where mine are at, lol).   


6. feed upon demand*- my girls are almost four months, and i still feed them upon demand, yet there are times that i have to relieve my milk and i go ahead and pump if they're sleeping/already full.  when they're much younger, you definitely feed upon demand... whenever they need that milk, you whip it out.  lol 


7.  drink plenty of water, eat well and sleep well*- isn't that hilarious, especially the last one?!  anyway, remember the expensive lactation consultant about whom i wrote?  i asked her point blank if this really made a difference, and she said no.  yet, you still need to make sure YOU are hydrated, well nourished and well rested because I BELIEVE that it affects your milk production.  case in point: i've been on different antibiotics so far since my girls have been born, and that combined with stress prevented my body from taking care of myself first, which then affected my water intake, nourishment, and rest.  that affects your BFing.  it's this whole circular situation, unfortunately.  lol.  even i felt sick a few days ago, and throughout the day, my milk production was "off" because my body was taking care of MYSELF first before working overtime to produce milk.  your body fights for you FIRST.  everything comes afterward. 


8. nursing vacation- i've done something similar to this, but not necessarily this.  a nursing vacation is when the baby is in bed with you, exclusively BFing upon demand.  sometimes, i'll have one of my babies with us and nurse in bed... to avoid having to "pump" and i'll take my other baby girl and do the other side when she wakes.  generally, a NV is ideal if you have a singleton or a baby who constantly needs to be fed.  


9. pump after a shower or use a warm compressor to stimulate*- you'll have great results after a shower, especially if you're due to feed or pump.

remember how i said that my amount was 3-4oz./feeding?  well, NOW, it's anywhere from 4-12oz./feeding (generally 6-8oz.), AND my girls are eating MORE and they've grown older and BIGGER (at three months, more than doubled their birthweight by a bit).  i'd say that we're now at 90/10 (BFing/formula), and there have been several days that we are 100% BFing/pumping!  on those days, i'm ECSTATIC because i've obtained, what i thought once was, an untouchable goal... BFing/pumping exclusively with twins! 


NOTE: most importantly, stick with it.  results make take awhile... i gave the fenugreek one week.  then, i moved onto the tea, and gave that one week.  finally, with the MMP, i gave that less than a week.  keep with it; one day will not suffice.   also, MY results may not be the same as YOUR results, so find what works best for you.  also, i didn't start this until they were about five, six weeks old, so don't go depriving yourself of any sleep by following these guidelines exactly.  that will get you nowhere.  you need to make sure that you REST so you're well-rested for your KIDS. :)  please understand that it's NOT my intention to offend anyone in this post... i'm only writing about what worked for me/tips i researched/learned.... 


yet, honestly, the two things that REALLY worked for me were:

1. mother's milk tea

2. pumping every three hours (after BFing or just pumping), whether the girls were sleeping or not... even through the night.  cannot forget that part!