How to Naturally Strip Your Cloth Diapers

For any of you who know me in real life, it's old news that I cloth diaper, but if you only know me through my blog...SURPRISE I'm a cloth diaper momma! I didn't originally start out using cloth diapers, I was your regular first time mom, using disposables just like everybody else.  I had played with the idea of cloth diapers but the very thought intimidated me so much I didn't even both researching because I figured it would be too difficult.  Fast forward to my daughter being two years old and fully potty trained during the day, I was sick of wasting money and creating so much waste with pull-ups.  I had worked with some kids who wore cloth diapers, and a couple of my friends started to talk to me about how easy it was (even compared to disposables, because these were converts) and I decided to give it a try.  I mean, what could it hurt, it was only for night time.  So I started researching online and talking to people and picked a few pocket insert diapers and purchased some extra inserts.  Since I was only using them at night I didn't want to run through the shells so quickly so I decided to layer my inserts outside of the pocket rather than stuff the diapers.  This lets me use one shell for 2-3 days which really cuts down my laundry.  However, I think with this new baby, I will stuff the inserts and also use all-in-ones just to make it a little easier since he will be using them all the time.

Anyway, as I embarked on my cloth diaper journey I soon found out something unexpected...cloth diapers can develop a...funk...and leak! I was shocked! No one had told me this, I didn't read anything about this in any forum! So in a relative panic I messaged my other cloth diapering mommas and was informed about stripping my diapers! So after some explaining and a little research, I found that stripping your cloth diapers is basically removing all of the soap, hard water, rash cream, yucky build-up that develops inside your inserts which makes them not smell all that nice and repel water.  However, to my relief I learned that you do NOT need to chuck all of your inserts but simply wash them in a special way every so often, usually every 6-8 weeks but since mine are only used at night I can get away with 8-12 weeks without any issues.  Since one of my main reasons for switching to cloth diapers was to get away from all of the chemicals in the diapers I wanted an all natural way to safely strip my diapers.  I did in the beginning use the Dawn dish soap and Bleach mixture recommended by the diaper manufacturer, but I wasn't comfortable using such harsh chemicals on something that was going straight on my daughter's skin.  So after a lot of researching I discovered that you can strip your cloth diapers NATURALLY using distilled white vinegar and baking soda!  I wasn't able to find an actual tutorial on how to do this, so I kind of created my own by combining online research and suggestions from other mommies.  I have created a tutorial below to hopefully help any other stressed out mommies out there looking for natural solutions. I also have a YouTube video showing you how to do this stripping routine. If you would like to check that out you can click here.

*NOTE: BUMGENIUS AND MANY OTHER CLOTH DIAPER MANUFACTURERS DO NOT RECOMMEND USING VINEGAR AND BAKING SODA, USING THEM WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY.  YOU NEED TO DECIDE IF RISKING THE WARRANTY IS WORTH NOT HAVING THE CHEMICALS, IT'S YOUR CHOICE.

Materials Needed

1) Your choice of cloth diaper detergent: Only use cloth diaper approved detergent to insure a long life for your inserts.

2) 1/2 Cup Baking Soda

3) 1/2 Cup Distilled White Vinegar: It MUST be DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR, any other type of vinegar will ruin your diapers.  I also purchase organic for extra reassurance that there are no chemicals.

4) 1 Cup Calgon (or other hard water softener) split into two equal parts.  This is only if you have hard water and don't have a build in water softener.

Step 1: Wash you diapers as usual. This is important, especially if you haven't cleaned your diapers yet because you want to make sure you're stripping all of the build up not just cleaning the yuckies that are currently on your diaper.  So run a normal wash cycle like it was a regular wash day.

        Note: A trick for new cloth mommies out there, that I didn't get the privilege of hearing in time is when washing your diapers first do a cold rinse.  This will help get rid of any stains and make sure they do not set in.  I learned this too late, but will be using this with my son.

Step 2: After the entire regular cleaning cycle is done, put your washer back to the beginning of the original clean setting (for me that would be redoing an entire white cycle).  Now we can start stripping! During the wash cycle you will add your 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of Calgon (or other water softener) if you have hard water.  This will prevent your baking soda from reacting to the minerals in the hard water and creating more build up.

Step 3: During the rinse cycle you will add your 1/2 cup of DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR along with your last 1/2 cup of Calgon.  Again, you add the Calgon only if you have hard water.  This is to prevent the vinegar from reacting to the minerals in the rinse water and creating more build up...remember we are getting rid of build up.

Step 4: After the regular wash cycle, I always run an extra rinse cycle without anything added to the water (if you have extremely hard water you can add Calgon but I don't find it necessary). I do this to make sure that all of the vinegar, baking soda, Calgon, and any left over detergent is rinsed all the way out of the diapers.  I mean, after all, I am trying to minimize the stuff in my daughter's diapers and even though vinegar is natural it can become an irritant.  While the extra rinse is going I open the washer door and look in.  If there aren't any bubbles I know everything is rinsed out, if not I know I need another rinse.  Usually I only need one rinse, but if you put too much of anything you might need another rinse. You can tell the difference from the regular agitation bubbles and bubbles caused by residual products, because the bubbles from any of the additives will fizz, while the agitation bubbles will not.

Not the best picture since it was an action shot, but you can see that there aren't any fizzy suds present, that's how you know everything is rinsed out.

Step 5: Dry your diapers.  Normally I just throw the inserts in the dryer (NEVER PUT YOUR SHELLS OR WET BAGS IN THE DRYER, ALWAYS HANG THEM) but when I'm stripping them I like to hang them on the line outside.  I do this for a couple of reasons, first the sun is the best and most natural bleach and disinfectant. I find that any stains still on the diapers are faded a lot after hanging them, and they feel more sterile and clean.  Second, the smells from all the flowers and trees get pushed through the inserts by the breeze making them smell so nice! Before I hang them, I will throw the inserts in the dryer on "fluff" just to get the drip out and it helps keep the inserts fluffy after the vinegar.

And that is your simple tutorial on how to strip diapers.  The entire thing, including the initial cleaning took about an hour, which is the same amount of time that it takes to strip them using Dawn and Bleach.

If you want to know about how we did our sand pit click here.

DIY Glitter Paint Letters

We had another crafty couple of days over at our house this week and as a result,  I created this really simple recipe for DIY glitter paint!  Now this isn't supposed to be used for large rooms or anything, but it works really well for craft projects that you want to add a little dazzle to.

 Materials:

1) Wood letters: I bought these at my local craft store and they come in many different styles.

2) Paint: You will need water based acrylic paint, make sure that it is watery/thin so the glitter comes through.

3) Glitter: I used silver glitter, but you can try any color you want to see what works

4) Paintbrushes: Obviously

5) Matte Finish Spray Paint: I use Krilon UV-Resistant Clear spray paint.  Make sure that it is a clear matte finish so you don't have any glare.  If your project is going to be near a lot of sunlight, be sure to use the UV-Resistant type so there isn't fading.

Step 1: Mix your paint & glitter: Be sure you cover the surface you're working on as this can get messy. I have a craft closet so I don't, but if you don't have a designated art place, make sure to cover your work area.  The first thing you need to do is mix your paint and glitter.

There is no exact recipe, just add as much glitter as you want

Step 2: Paint your letters: Once your glitter and paint are mixed you can paint your letters, you will probably need a couple coats of paint since the paint is so thin, so don't freak out if you don't see that much glitter.

Add caption

Here is a close up of the first layer of paint for each of my colors.

NOTE: I used craft mate brand paint for the pink and Martha Stewart brand for the green.  The Martha Stewart brand was a little thick even though it is water based. So make sure you test a small area first or get an off brand paint because they are most likely thinner in consistency.

Step 3a (optional): Add extra glitter: If your paint is a little thicker you may have to add more glitter depending on the look you want.  You can do this in two ways. One: you can just sprinkle a little bit of glitter on top of the final layer of paint once it's applied.  Or, you can make the last layer of paint a higher ratio of glitter (about two to one) and that should get the glitter look.

Step 3: Spray with clear coat: Once you have let the paint dry (at least three hours) spray a generous coat of clear coat onto your project.  This is VERY important.  What the clear coat does is it helps to hold the glitter in place (especially important if you sprinkled extra glitter on).  Even if the glitter is mixed in the paint, when it dries it can separate from the paint and flake off a little.  The clear coat seals the glitter into the paint so it won't flake off.  An additional benefit is if you use the UV-Resistant kind then you don't have to worry about the colors fading in the light.

Step 4: Backing: Now this step depends on what your craft is. Since I am making wall letters for my daughters "big girl" room I needed to put some backings on the letters to hang them.  My problem was the wood letters I chose were so thin I didn't think a traditional hanging mechanism would work. So I bout some of those command strips and they seem to be working well.

They were a little expensive, I believe these were $5 for a packet of three at our local craft store. But, they do seem to be holding on really well.

Step 5: Decorations: Again, this depends on what you are using the glitter paint for but I wanted to add some extra decorations to the name letters.  Since my daughter's room is owl theme I decided to put some owls on the letters. This is a similar to the look I did for her nursery when she was an infant.

I found these felt owls at our craft store, they stuck on really easily and had a variety of colors.

This pack came with four different color combinations of owls so I had a lot to choose from.

And here is what the final product looked like:

I really like how I alternated the colors of the letters, and you can see a little bit of the glitter reflecting in the light, but it's way more noticeable in person.

I hope this was helpful to anyone looking for a cute way to add some "spice" to regular room letters!  Let me know any tricks you guys use to decorate your little one's rooms.

How to De-stink and Disinfect Your Sponges

Okay, so I don't know about the rest of you, but I am all about living as "green" as possible.  Now I'm not perfect, not even close, but I do make a conscious effort to make as many "green" choices as I can.  One of these choices is I try to predominately use sponges in my household cleaning (and for when I use paper towels I used ones made from recycled products and I recycle them). Since I use sponges for the vast majority of my cleaning (including the bathrooms) I find that they can get stinky and grimy really quickly.  I know a lot of people would just automatically say "just throw them away" but that kind of defeats the purpose of the sponges.  If I were to throw out a sponge every time it gets grimy it would be almost the same as using paper towels.  From my research, I haven't found any specific recommendations or research on how long to keep a sponge, but I generally keep them until they start to fall apart.  However, sponges can get funky LONG before they fall apart.  You definitely don't want to use a funky sponge because that 'funk" is due to bacteria growing.  So in order to extend the life of my sponges I do a couple of things.  First, I make sure to rinse my sponges out with VERY hot water (as hot as I can stand) after each use. This helps kill any germs that are on the sponge, and making sure they are not wet helps cut down the chance of bacteria as well.  Second, I make sure to store them in a dry place in-between uses.  For my kitchen sponge I place it in a special sponge holder on the side away from the water. And for the bathroom sponges, I store them under the sink to keep them away from moisture.  Finally, I go through a disinfecting routine about every month.  This routine helps keep my sponges absorbent, fluffy, good smelling, and bacteria free; which allows me to use them for a lot longer then you normally would.  So here is my sponge de-stinking and disinfecting routine!

Here are my sponges before and after the disinfecting.  It's hard to tell with the iPhone picture, but before hand the sponges were very stiff, thin, and not very absorbent. The "before" sponges are wet, so you can see how thin they are.

What you need:

• A medium/large Tupperware with lid, if your lid has a vent that's even better.
• Distilled white vinegar (I prefer organic)
• HOT water
• Microwave
• Stinky sponges

Step 1: Put the sponges in the Tupperware and fill it half way full with HOT water.

Step 2: Put the vinegar in the Tupperware, I free hand this part, but I would say its about a cup of vinegar.

Step 3:  Put on the lid (if you have a vent tab make sure it's open) and put the Tupperware with sponges in the microwave, and cook for 10 minutes.

DO NOT put damp or dry sponges in the microwave for this long by themselves, the MAY catch fire.  That is why I put them in the hot water and vinegar to keep the wet while they disinfect.

This part is the what really disinfects the sponges.  You put them in for so long so the water will boil (the closed lid helps facilitate this) the boiling water along with the vinegar will help to kill any bacteria and germs that are in you sponges which brings them back to life.  A second benefit to this, is if you have the vent open then the vinegar and water will evaporate and de-stick anything that's in your microwave so you an easily wipe them away with a paper towel (or your newly clean sponges).  I love being able to get two chores done at once!

Step 4: Once the timer goes off drain the Tupperware with the sponges still in it.  This is another time that the vent comes in handy, because you can drain the majority of the hot water with the lid closed and reduce your risk of getting burned.  *NOTE: The water is going to be extremely hot so be very careful.*

Step 5: Rinse your sponges in cold water.  I usually fill the Tupperware back up with cold water, put the lid back on and shake the container. Think of it as the agitation cycle of the washing machine.  The water will be fizzing (that's the vinegar).  I then drain the water and wring out the sponges (note, they may still be hot).  I do this a few times until the water no longer fizzes after I agitate. This way I know there is no more vinegar left (to prevent hardening of the sponges, or the vinegar smell).

Depending on how much vinegar you originally put in, you may have to do the rinse, agitate, wring cycle a few times before all the vinegar is washed out.

So that is how I rejuvenate my sponges.  Doing this every month or so, as needed, helps to extend the life of my sponges by a ridiculous amount.  Before I figured out this routine, I may have kept my sponges for a month or so.  Now I'm able to keep them for 4+ months!  This helps me really reduce my carbon footprint in the amount I put into the landfill, and it saves me money!  This is especially the case since I purchase sponges made from recycled material which are about $5 for a pack of 3.  But I have tried this on regular sponges and it works great for all sponges. Let me know what you guys use to extend the life of your sponges or other household items!

The worst baby products out there.

I recently wrote a post about the best baby gadgets on the market so I figured I would do a follow-up post on the products that I think, are the worst products out there.  Now please be advised that like my post about the best baby products, this list is my personal opinion.  You may have some of these products and love them, however when I had my daughter these were products I either never used (even though I had them) or I used them but found that they were more hassle then they were worth and that there where simpler, cheaper options for me to utilize. I feel that a lot of times mom and mom-to-be's are bombarded with all of these different products it's hard to figure out what we need and what we don't.  Especially since we so often rack ourselves with mom guilt and want to "get it right" the first time. I hope this list is very helpful and helps inform you all in your search for the products you need and don't need.  So here is my list of the worst baby products on the market. However, if you disagree with my assessments, all of these items can be purchased from amazon.com.

1) Diaper cakes: Okay, now I now these aren't actual "products" but a collection of products put into a  "cute" display for use as a shower gift.  I will admit I have seen some very cute versions of the traditional diaper cake, however the majority of the ones I've seen are pretty...blah. My biggest issue with this item is that it is rarely personalized.  Unless you go out an purchase several items from the mommy-to-be's registry and then make them into a cute cake, there is actually very little in these cakes that is useful.  I received two of these at my shower, and while I was grateful for the thought, I didn't really use any of the items.  The bottles were cheap and I received a full set of the bottles I registered for, so the ones in the cake weren't needed.  The diapers where also very thin and super small, I kept them and used them for 'emergency situations' but I still only used two or three before my daughter moved out.  None of the teethers were packaged so I didn't know if they were BPA free and didn't want to use them. I ended up donating a lot of the items in the cake because I didn't want them to go to waste.  Additionally, you have to think about what the mom is asking for.  For baby #2 we are planning on cloth diapering, so a diaper cake with disposable diapers wouldn't be useful at all. Once again, if you get items from the registry and make your own cake, then it would be useful, otherwise, stick to the registry.

2) Baby nail clippers: You can see my story as to why I HATE these things, on my best baby products post along with a great alternative.  But basically, I don't like these because baby nails are SO ridiculously small, and babies are SO ridiculously squirmy that it is virtually impossible to cut your baby's nails without also cutting her skin! OUCH!

3) Baby mirror: Now there is a caveat to this product. I do think that they are very useful IF you buy the right one. This was an afterthought for me at the store while I was getting the rest of the items off my registry.  I was already spending a lot of money and didn't want to go broke so I bought a simple mirror that had a simple strap which you clipped in-between the back seat and trunk area (if that makes sense) so whenever I would accelerate (no matter how slow) the damn mirror would fall down flat and be of no use for the entire trip.  I've seen some really good ones, but they strap to the headrest, and research has shown that the safest place for baby is in the center of the back seat.  So if there isn't a headrest in the center, finding a good mirror is very difficult.

4) Baby sink baths: To me these are really dumb. When your baby is too small to be in the sink (or still has the cord stump on) you can just lay him down on some towels next to the sink and sponge bathe him.  Once the baby is bigger and doesn't have the cord stump, there are plenty of baby baths or bath seats that go into the tub and later convert as your baby grows to hole a larger baby.  Sink baths are only good in the sink and you baby will grow out of them quickly. I do see how it can be convenient for space, however a lot of in tub baby baths collapse down for easy storage. I'm just a big fan of finding products that last through multiple baby stages, reducing cost, clutter, and my environmental foot print. The bath seat I got for my first child lasted from birth (or cord stump falling off) until she was seven months old and could independently sit in the tub.

5) Bassinets: This is also a personal preference but I don't see the need for bassinets any more. I have seen so many registries where the mom asks for a bassinet and a pack-in-play, and for me that is just redundant.  Most pack in plays come with a bassinet feature that is an insert that goes into the pack-n-play and raises the baby up to make taking him out easier.  So to have both a bassinet and pack-n-play is very redundant, especially if your goal is to save space.  In my view a pack-n-play is much better because once they baby grows out of the bassinet stage you can take the insert out and just use the crib. Additionally, since the pack-n-play folds so you can transport it anywhere you and baby go. We are still using ours 3 1/2 years later for when our daughter goes to grandma's house for sleepovers or for when my sister visits from NY with my nephew.

6) Bottle sterilizer: I had one of these with my first and used it for a total of five times...maybe.  It was also very redundant. First of all, the bottles are only sterile when the lid is closed, the second you open the container the all of the contents are no longer sterile.  So it's actually pretty pointless.  Also, many dishwashers have a sterilization feature if you want to sterilize them.  After a while I would just   do a deal clean of the bottles in the dishwasher at the end of the week (hand washing the rest of the time) and sterilize them then.  That was easy enough, way more cost effective, and didn't take up any additional space.  My advice, skip the sterilizer and use the dishwasher if you're really worried about it.

7) Baby brush: Okay, there is a difference between a brush and comb.  If your baby has a lot of hair (like mine did) a comb works wonderfully in combing knots after a bath and in the morning.  Baby brushes don't really do any de-tangling because of the density of the bristles.  So you end up just pushing the hair around and making it full of static.  If your baby's hair isn't super long, you can just finger comb the hair and be done with it.  In my opinion a brush really isn't necessary until their hair is SUPER long, and even then a comb is probably better.

8) Baby carrier: Ok, this one also need clarification.  I think baby carrying is great, it is the TYPE of carrier that is important.  I think that slings and wraps are really great, and super easy.  However, with my first I purchase a carrier like the one pictured above, and is SUCKED!  It was SO big and bulky and very hard to get on.  It took me about 3 minutes to get it on WITH my husbands help. I was never able to get it on and the baby secured by myself, so I never used it when I was alone.  Also once you finally get the damn thing on getting the baby in is a hole other story.  You need like six hands to get the baby in! You literally had to hold the baby by the arm pit with ONE HAND and then open the carrier with the other and slide the baby in while holding the thing open.  Now this may be easy when your baby is older and has some head control...that is if you weren't holding him with one hand and he's like a million pounds! Over all this is just a bad setup and way to difficult, especially for a first time mom. Go with the sling.

9) Pacifier clips: Okay, so there are a few reasons I don't like these pacifier clips. Like a lot of these products I think it's an unnecessary expense. If a pacifier falls on the floor wash it off with water, a boogies wipe, regular wipe, hell after your first child you'll probably pop that thing in your mouth to clean it off (I've seen it). Germs aren't that big of a deal as long as your child isn't immune compromised, or going through medical treatments that can effect their immune system (i.e., chemo). So in my opinion a little dirt never hurt anyone. Also there is no guarantee that your child will like the type of pacifiers that go with the clip you have.  We went through several different types of pacifiers until we found one our little liked, so the one you end up with may not fit the clip you have.  And finally, the most important reason why I don't like the pacifier clips is that they are a choking hazard.  Think about it, this thing is clipped on your baby's clothes, or car seat and it isn't a far stretch of the imagination to think that while baby is moving, wiggling, and falling asleep it would be relatively easy for the ribbon to get wedged around/across the baby's neck. This is not something I want to risk. So I just throw the pacifier in the diaper bag and when it falls wash it off.  Sometimes old school is best.

10) Pacifier pouch: This is basically the same thing as the pacifier clip, except there is not choking hazard (so definitely an improvement).  However, in my opinion, unnecessary.  I had one of these with my first.  It was so cute and matched the diaper holder I had and was color coordinated with the diaper bag...I was very stylish (ha).  The main purpose of this item is to help keep the pacifier in a secure place so it is easy to find when baby has a meltdown so you can easily pop the sucker in and avoid all those mean glances by non-parents.  I tried this for a while, about a month or so, and it just didn't work.  It was very cumbersome and really more of a pain then it was worth.  I found myself struggling to quickly unzip the damn zipper when my little started crying.  This resulted in the zipper getting stuck and it taking me even longer to get the pacifier out.  I also had a hard time figuring out the best place to put it.  I first had it on the outside of the diaper bag, but then I had to go into the basket of the stroller (often times digging under shopping bags, jackets, and blankets) to get to it.  Then I put it on the stroller so I had easy access to it, but then when the stroller was in the back of my car I couldn't access the pacifier when she was crying in the car. I then tried to have a pacifier in the front of the car, and then one in the pouch in the stroller and that was just redundant and ended up with me loosing a lot of pacifiers.  So eventually what I did was I just picked a small pocket in the diaper bag and put pacifier (without the pouch) in there. This way I didn't have to deal with any zippers to get to the thing. I also tried to position the bag so that the pocket was easily accessible to make the digging less.  I guess this could be an effective piece if you were able to find out a system that worked for you, however I never got the hang of it.

11) Bottle warmer: I had one of these as well and I didn't use it long. First of all only certain types of bottles will fit, unless you get the warmer that corresponds to your bottle brand.  This wouldn't be an issue if you liked the steamer that went with the brand of bottle you picked...I did not.  Also it takes a while to set up the warmer and get the water warm, which is very hard when your baby is hungry NOW.  Now if you are formula feeding you can warm it in the microwave or use bottled water at room temperature.  If you are breastfeeding (DO NOT MICROWAVE BREAST MILK) you can microwave water for a minute or two and place the storage bag in the water to warm it.  You can also do this with the formula as well.  Doing this still takes less time then the warmer.  All-in-all this isn't a BAD product, its just the time required for set up, and the fact that you need to get corresponding equipment makes it a little inefficient to use.

12) Baby shoes: Okay, I really don't get these. Yes, it completes the outfit, and yes they look cute, but they are totally pointless!  Babies don't walk so they don't need hard bottomed shoes. If you really want something on your baby's feet then put socks on! They will keep his feet warm and look cute too.  They even have socks that have shoes designs on them so it LOOKS like your little one is wearing shoes to complete an outfit.  Also, babies grow so fast your little one will probably wear those shoes once or twice before they grow out of them.  Socks on the other hand, can stretch and last a while.

13) Shopping cart cover: These are completely unnecessary. Yes, the patterns can be cute but they are truly pointless.  Germs really aren't that big of a deal (unless your child falls into one of the categories discussed earlier in the post) and exposure to germs can actually HELP your child by exposing him to various non-threatening illnesses that allow your baby's immune system to build antigens and basically exercise. If we continue to shelter our kids from these harmless germs their immune systems will not get the proper practice it needs to fight off bigger bugs.  Furthermore, this is just one more step you have to do and one more thing you have to carry before you do your normal routine.  If you are truly concerned with germs  many grocery stores and retail stores offer disinfecting wipes right by the front door, use those.  I never used this with my little and she rarely gets sick and when she does it's only for a day or so...because her immune system got practice.  I have also watched other moms struggle to get this cover on while wrangling their little one, and it adds and extra few minutes onto their routine. Now this may not seem like much, but as a mom, every second counts!

14) Pacifier with germ lid: Now I have the same germ issue with this as I have mentioned above and with the pacifier clip above as well.  However, my real issue with this is the cover itself.  I received on of these (in a diaper cake) and never used it.  I originally thought it was a great idea and was planning on using it.  But as I cleaned it the first time to get it ready for my daughter I noticed that the germ lid was SUPER SENSITIVE.  I would barely tap it with my finger, brush against it really, and the thing would SNAP shut. Like snap shut super fast!  I was really concerned with my little one getting her finger, nose, or lips stuck in it.  I decided to do an experiment and I help the pacifier with one hand and then put my pinkie finger next to the pacifier nipple and lightly tapped the cover.  Not only did is snap shut ridiculously fast, but it hurt so bad! It actually left a red mark on my pinkie and was pretty difficult to open once it had shut. During one experiment I had my finger too close to the hinge and got my skin caught in it and my husband hand to open the lid because I couldn't pry it open.  After that this was a no go.  I didn't even donate it (I donate everything) because I didn't want to risk another child getting hurt.  I threw this sucker out so fast!  Of everything on this list, this is the one thing that I will say is not based on the person, this is a horrible item and you should avoid it at all costs!

Well, that is my list!  I hope this was helpful in explaining why these items are a no-go in my opinion, and also provided you with some alternative ideas and strategies if you decide you really want one of them.  Like I said before, parenting is a personal thing and the products you choose are just as personal.  There are very few items that are an absolute "no" so this is not a definite list, but more of a guideline from a mom who has used them and did not have a good experience.  If you guys have any other products you think should be on this list let me know what they are and why. You can also check out my best baby products post to see items I highly recommend.  

The best baby gadgets out there.

Okay, this post I wasn't sure if it should be here or in my pregnancy and childbirth page since it's kind of a grey area. But I figured since this is more of a products after birth piece I'd put it here. So I've ready a lot of 'best baby products" lists and most of them have left me scratching my head and thinking "WTF" how is THAT on the list, or how is this NOT on the list.    I thought it would be helpful for all of you guys to get a list of actual items LOVED by an actual mom who is getting ready for her second child (and using all of these items).  Now this list is strictly for those "non-essential" luxuries. You know, the items you put on your registry because they look nice and it would be nice to have. So you're not going to see things like layette, swaddles, etc here because those are all MUST HAVES, however I think that of ALL the gadgets out there, there are a few "luxuries" that I think are more on the must have list, and this is what this post is about. You can also check out my post on the worst baby products out there, so you can know what to avoid. If you are interested in getting these items there are links for each in their areas, and if you are doing your registries on amazon.com or babiesrus.com these items are all on those sites.

1) Nail Scissors: Now you can buy these separately or in grooming kits, and I LOVE them.  For my daughter I registered for a full grooming kit (which I really liked) and inside there were the regular baby nail clippers and the scissors.  I tried to cut her nails with the baby nail clippers one time and of course, I nicked the skin around her toe and boy did she scream! There was even a little bit of blood! And I as a mom of course freaked the hell out! I felt SO bad and I was in tears and was too traumatized to cut the rest of her nails.  A few days later when I worked up the nerve to try again I used the nail scissors and they are AMAZING! They are tapered at the end so you can easily get under the baby's nail so you can actually see what you are going to cut (something you can't do with the clippers) so you know you are not cutting skin. I love these so much I still use them for my daughter and she's 3 1/2 and I have registered for another pair for my baby boy.

2) Boppy Pillow: Or any baby support pillow really.  This was so useful when my daughter was a newborn and infant. I used it for everything from tummy time, propping her up to bottle feed her when she was able to hold her bottle.  It was really nice to be able to put her down on the floor supported and be able to answer the phone, or load the dishwasher. This is definitely on my hospital bag packing list.  However, please note DO NOT let your child sleep in this pillow and DO NOT put the pillow on the couch with your baby in it and leave her unattended even for a second.  This is not a substitute for a crib or bassinet, it's merely a convenient place to put your baby ON THE FLOOR for a quick second, or to help during feeding.

3) Baby Q-tips: Now there are a lot of people who are against Q-tips but try doing any of the other wax removal methods with a baby-good luck!  I checked with my pediatrician and she said that baby Q-tips were fine to use.  That is because of their shape, they have a small tip that then expands to a large round ball.  This prevents the q-tip from going too far into the ear canal so it's safe and very convenient when cleaning out ears. I received these as a shower gift that I didn't register for and I was SO grateful!

4) Supplemental Nursing System (SNS): I have not used the SNS but I had a friend who used it for her low milk supply and loved it!  Basically, it's for women who want to breastfeed but suffer from a low milk supply.  This system (and others like it) allow the mom to fill the main compartment with the formula (or donated breast milk) of her choice and it is delivered to the baby via the small tubes as the mom breastfeeds. This allows the mom to provide her baby with her own milk while making sure that the baby is getting enough to eat.  It still promotes bonding and eases your mind. The best part is if you keep breastfeeding, the odds are that your supply will increase and you won't need the system!  I had low milk supply when I had my daughter and pumping so much was very difficult and eventually resulted in me stopping breastfeeding.  I wish I new about the SNS then, and I have already registered for it for this baby.

 5) Diaper Holder: This is a MUST in my opinion. It is so convenient to have a system like this right next to your changing table so you can just throw dirty diapers right in and be done with them.  The diaper holders are air tight so you don't get a funky smell in the nursery and you just take them all out at once.  We did ours once a week and we never had a problem.  I didn't use one that needed special bags because I didn't want the additional cost, so we got one where we could use our own trash bags and that worked great.  We had Oder eater trash bags and I think this helped.  I couldn't imagine having to change the diaper and then put the baby down somewhere and walk outside to the front of the house and throw out the diaper EACH TIME I changed our daughter...no thank you!

6) Nasal Aspirator: These are SO useful.  In all honestly, I think my hospital gave me one when we left so I didn't even need to register for one.  It's so convenient when your little one is stuffed up, or when  you can see those icky boogies, you can just suck 'em up easy peezy! 

7) Bottle drying rack: I originally thought that I could just throw my bottles in the dishwasher, wash 'em up and that would be the end of it.  BUT, what I didn't realize is that when you are exclusively bottle feeding, babies go through A LOT of bottles and they go through them quickly!  I tried to do the dishwasher thing for about two weeks after becoming an exclusive bottle feeder and it was just too much to keep up with.  I was running the dishwasher all the time with the smallest loads in them just so I could have clean bottles, and I had a lot of bottles.  It was just easier to hand wash them, and if you do that then a drying rack is essential so you don't have a huge wet mess on your counter. Now if you don't end up being an exclusive bottle feeder then you may be able to use the dishwasher and not need a drying rack.

8) Walker: In the past this has always been an after thought for new mommies ( I know it was for me). But when my daughter started cruising it became apparent we needed a walker.  This is another thing that depends on your situation, if you have a smaller house where the furniture is close together so your little one can easily move from space to space, then this is not a necessity. However, in our house there is a lot of open space so Isabella couldn't easily move from space to space. Now you don't necessarily need a walker like the one pictured above, we bought a cheap stand on walker, the ones where the child holds onto a handle and pushes the walker around the house and can just let go and crawl away whenever she wants. That worked very well, and I think it was like $20 at Kohl's so those are great for people on a budget.

9) Wipe warmer: Now I have seen people bash wipe warmers like crazy on other lists, but this was a serious must have for me.  I think this is one of those things where it depends on your situation.  If you live in Hawaii or another place that is always really warm then this is a silly expense and so not needed.  However, when we had our daughter we lived in the high desert and she was born in the middle of December so it got REALLY cold, especially at night.  I remember it even snowed a few days after she was born.  The wipe warmer was really nice, especially during night time changes so I didn't completely shock her awake by wiping her tush with a cold wipe. And then when we hit summer and it was really hot, I simply unplugged the warmer and it still kept  the wipes damp. I really liked it

10) A vibrating baby chair: I'm not sure what the actual name for this thing is but my husband and I called it the "baby shaker' lol.  We had an old school one like the picture above, it was given to us by my mother in law and we LOVED it.  It was the only thing that would soothe her on a consistent basis.  This is child specific so unless someone gives you one of these or a swing or the like as a registry gift, I would suggest sticking to cheaper second hand items until you find the one your baby will like, that way you won't waste a ton of money finding the one she likes.  Once you know your baby's preference you can always by a more advance model.

11) Forehead thermometer: These are awesome! I received a medical kit as a shower gift and part of that included rectal and arm pit thermometers. Well I was completely freaked out about the rectal thermometer thing, and good luck pinning a wiggly infant down long enough to get a reading on the arm pit.  Then a family friend told me about these nifty forehead thermometers.  You simply place the tip on the baby's forehead and it gives you and accurate reading in 30 seconds! So much easier!!!

12) Diaper organizer: I had one of these and LOVED it.  It was so convenient to have my wipes, diapers, ointment, etc all together.  I even had her q-tips, brush, and lotion there too since we always did our after bath grooming on her changing table (it was just easier for me). I am a HUGE neat freak and love things to be organized so this was the first thing I purchased after my baby shower.  It was so nice having everything in one convenient location, especially during night time changes when I was half asleep. There are a bunch of different sized side compartments so everything had it's place. I kept my extra diapers and wipes in a bin under the organizer so when I ran low it was really easy to just quickly swap them in all while still holding my little one!


Well, I hope you like my list, remember that how we raise our children is very specific to the lifestyle we lead so there is never going to be a list that completely covers everything you need, but I hope this helps any expectant mommies looking for ideas. If you guys have any other items you think should be on this list, please let me know what they are and why!  I hope this was very helpful, and please check out my other post on the worst baby products out there for a comprehensive list on the products you don't want to waist your money or registry space on.