Yay for Eco Parenting

[Shirley]

I think with regards to breastfeeding, if you can't do it, then you can't and no-one should berate you for that. It's none of their business. There are glass bottles, non-latex teats etc if that is more your line, or buy second hand, and give a good scrub. If however you want to bf, then it does take time, it does hurt, and I really pity you having to express straight away, as I could only do this semi-comfortably after a few weeks when junior had chomped away for a while. It hurts. whatever they say about latching on, it does hurt for a while. Health Visitors should be supportive of you trying to do this, so persevere. One HV said, "If you count to ten, and it is still agony, then try again. If it has become OK after 10, then it is OK!"

Susan

I totally agree Susan - if you can't do it, you can't do it!! I too had to express from day one (son was born with a cleft lip and palate) and it was awful. Spent many a tearful hour sat pumping away only to get an ounce of milk - when it started turning pink I decided that it was time to stop )

Anyway - if it goes ok... which it can, and often does... breastfeeding is the best thing in the world you can do... both for yourself and your baby. I agree too that there are times when it is painful... and remember sitting crying when trying to get my now 12 year old latched on... and then all of a sudden it worked... and was the easiest thing in the world.

[2steps]

I started out with this pattern, but have adapted it a little as I've gone along
http://www.geocities.com/myfreediaperpa ... intpattern (patterns in 3 sizes can be downloaded and printed from the site)

also found these sites helpful and some have other patterns too

http://www.diapersewing.com/
http://www.geocities.com/rew4birth/AIO_ ... tions.html
http://www.geocities.com/gabrielbaby1/fuzzibunz.html

Fleece works well, particually if your not a great sewer (like me) as you don't need to worry about heming it. I bought one or pieces of material I really liked but the rest I have made from old clothes we had or things bought from charity shops

:)

[nick]

I fed both babies. the first was the hardest with severe mastitis and a baby who was never satisfied. I fed for 13 months and was often questioned as to how much longer and didn't I think he was old enough.
second baby I fed for 18 months and was so much easier. Guess a bit of experience helped as well. once again questions from relatives as to how much longer I was going to feed. Oh well if there is a no. 3 might have to feed even longer
used cloth nappies for first baby to toilet training and most the way through for second baby (got to weigh up cost of buying truck loads of water).
have searched for patterns for fitted nappies and found the pattern for the link below to be easy to sew.
http://www.geocities.com/myfreediaperpattern/

[circlecross]

oooh Ina, that set my teeth on edge with the pink milk (NOT Charlie and Lola!) Ouch.

I loved breastfeeding once it got going - I do miss it; I fed him up till 8 months, but he was turning me inside out and was a biter, so he had to stop.

For cloth nappy makers, have a look at fernandfaerie.com - they are quite interesting and have some patterns (and lots of ideas!)

I'm still cringing about the pink milk - bleaurgh!

Susan

[AnnetteR]

I wanted to use cloth diapers after my son was born but I couldn't find a shop that sold pins or covers. There are some very expensive and hard to find all-in-one products (the cotton cloth has a water-tight covering attached) that uses velcro instead of pins but I couldn't afford to buy a supply that would keep my son clean and dry for any length of time. I think it's sad that things have gone in this direction. Breastfeeding on the other hand is encouraged and there are many products on the market to assist parents in the process.

[Hillbilly]

You maybe just needed pointed in the right direction - there are plenty 'seperates' out there and have been for a long time even in USA.

http://www.mother-ease.com/ are one of many long established retailers over there.

[circlecross]

There is quite a good second hand market over here for cloth nappies, two forums on the internet, if you want the addys let me know. This way you are recycling, and it can be a lot cheaper (unless you become a nappy addict...)

Sorry it was Shirlz not Ina with the pink milk. You poor thing, I'm still having nightmares and so is dh!

Susan

[2steps]

I agree with you about the price of cloth nappes, Annette. That's why I decided to make my own otherwise we couldn't of afforded it either they aren't fantatsic but they will do the job just fine :)

Make me sad that we'd up spending so much more on disposibles but just couldn't affors the lump sum to mean we could use cloth

[Shirley]

didn't mean to give you nightmares Susan.

I'd love to have the info for the second hand cloth nappies - not that I will need them for myself of course... but handy to have in my list of useful stuff should one of my friends need them.

[AnnetteR]

You maybe just needed pointed in the right direction - there are plenty 'seperates' out there and have been for a long time even in USA.

http://www.mother-ease.com/ are one of many long established retailers over there.

Many of those products are/were too expensive for me. Thankfully diapering isn't something I ever have to worry about again.

[circlecross]

there are two forums that I know of - ukparents.co.uk and mumsonline.co.uk who have second hand nappy forums, and enough talk about which nappy? to satisfy anyone. There is a nice american site fernandfaerie.com which shows you some good ideas for making nappies, and a couple of free patterns too. I don't work for any of these sites (too busy with everything else!) but I have found them quite useful, and if you're trying to make ends meet, it all helps.

Happy nappying!

Susan

[Hillbilly]

www.hunnybeez.co.uk

[LorriAnne]

Health professionals and nursing consultants usually recommend the application of cabbage leaves for engorgement, which I had to use this last time, and I was really skeptical about it, until I saw that it works. One thing they don't tell you is that leaving the leaves on for just a little while, about 10-15 minutes, will help the milk come down <i>and out</i>! I've never had the pink milk problem, but I have had one, my oldest, who would nurse so voraciously that I would have air blisters on the ends of my nipples, so I know how bad they can get at times. I have nursed four, and pumped for one, and each one is different. If you can't nurse for one baby, don't think that it won't work for another one you have later on. Always at least try - it's best for both mom and baby, but if it doesn't work out, for whatever reason, don't feel that what others are saying must be true. It doesn't have anything to do with how much you love a particular baby, or how well you will end up bonding with him or her, either. Just don't leave cabbage leaves on for too long, as they are also used to completely dry up a mom's milk supply.
As for how long to nurse, that is a personal choice, and I nursed my oldest until he was my youngest's current age, which is 5 and a half months old, and then my second I nursed until he was almost 2 and a half, and my third I nursed until she was about a year old. My fourth one I pumped for, for about 6 months, but he had a supply that lasted until he was almost a year old. My youngest, well, I don't know. We'll have to see. I nurse him in public, from my front porch to meetings I've gone to.
I also use cloth diapers on him, as well, some prefolds and some made by me and some a combination of both.
I'll have to see what else is in this forum and post some more, but I hear the youngest waking up.

LorriAnne

[Shirley]

Hi LorriAnne

Welcome to the forum - you are so right... each baby is different.

Good for you for breastfeeding in public - it's now illegal for someone to stop someone breastfeeding in public in Scotland YAY - not that it affects me personally... those days are over

Looking forward to hearing more about you and your family!!