Our adventure with Cloth NappiesJune 11, 2015
I was in love with the idea of cloth nappies when I was pregnant. Big fabric squares and nappy pins were out making way for brightly coloured, elastic encased, shaped nappies. I set out firmly believing we would end up ‘mixing’ disposable and cloth nappies. The only hurdle was the price, I couldn’t believe how big an investment they were, I’ll admit I only had the courage to buy from the cheapest end of the scale.
We bought 6 in the first batch and a further 13 once I realised I would actually use them. The faithful one size (which we plumped for) really didn’t fit well enough for the first 4 months or so. No smaller newborn size for us.
Thankfully babies grow and here we now are being so very environmentally friendly. Was it my care for the world that drove me, or the sheer cuteness in the designs, or perhaps the natural fabric… nope – it was simple economics. I’m the first to admit disposables are easier, plus I made all the rookie mistakes.
Out of the wrapping and into the machine? I can sadly testify they need those 3-5 washes they say! In sheer joy that they are finally ready to be used, you whip out a nappy and an insert pad and try to side the latter into the former – note : sliding one piece of fluffy fabric along plastic backed fabric should be a ‘minute to win it’ game. Then comes the HUGE (but optional) nappy liners we split into 3 – cue scissors, and if that outfit was a little snug before you started you’ve no hope now. Finally it’s on, you feel triumphant, sit back and admire your eco-friendly, penny saving work… just for a short time at least.
Oh yes, I did end up covered in pee! I knew deep down that the magic expanding chemical gel stuff they put in disposables wasn’t there, that moisture will soak through, it’s the nature of fabric, but still we forget. Ergo more frequent trips to the changing mat and an extra plastic lined bag. The bit I dreaded was washing itself. The first try I hand washed and it took 2 days to dry – oh, a not very eco tumble drier is recommended, something we can’t afford or fit one in the house. However, washing turned out to be an unfounded dread – unravel, pull apart and throw in the machine as you go, add half a measure of washing powder and it’s done. OK, you may want a clothes peg for the noggin, but it’s a short lived meh.
It was a bit of a rocky start, they cluttered the drawer for a while, but now our clothes horse sports nappies 2-3 times a week – the sun dries them off in an hour or so. Once you realise they need to be stored pre-assembled and get into the habit of checking the leg elastic regularly, you fall in love with the bright fun things, or at least your wallet will. The more they are used the better they adsorb and the more the associated habits form. We revert back to disposables through the night and every time we leave the house for more than half an hour, but as long as the hot weather lasts we’ll be providing views of a beautifully coloured or patterned baby bottom.
Grub grub – Part 3 : weaningJune 1, 2015
A few months back I met up with my two mummies in the city, we stopped for a drink and to feed our three little boys. I remember clearly then watching the two mummies with their bite sized and finger mashed food as I bottle fed Adam who is the youngest of the trio. Weaning was already on my mind and while their meal wasn’t by any means a disaster it did seem a lot of work.
Weaning is an emotive subject. I’ve never seen such high strung message boards and outright anger displayed as I have when people discuss when to start. Medical professionals appear equally torn, some insisting on the 6 month mark, others (like our Serbian doctor), insisting during the 4th month is the right time. And when you decide to take the plunge there is more debate on what to feed the little one, how much and when. I’ll happily admit I found the whole thing quite daunting. 7 weeks in and I’m relieved to say it’s wasn’t nearly as traumatic as anticipated.
Like everything connecting to feeding a child there is much debate and little instruction. Nobody wants to be definitive as children are so different. ‘As long as the child is healthy, happy and gaining weight’ is the mantra that spurts forth, but it’s a unreassuringly subjective line to many, especially those who don’t get to weigh in very often. So that five month old who is chomping MacDonald’s chips can be sitting next to a child who will get only milk for another month and both really are doing just fine.
Like most we muddle through. I sided with the late start people using spoons, admitted our diet is not veggie heavy so jars would be in the picture and got used to sharing my food with Adam when possible. I must admit preparing refills for the jars has had mixed results, I still fret over if he’s had enough, but he eats well and finger foods are still a game he enjoys. Jars, like formula milk, disposable nappies, spoon led weaning, and so many other things fall short of the co-sleeping, constant baby wearing, potty trained at 2 months parents, but who cares. I’d rather grab a jar of (what legally has to be nutritionally balanced) purée, order a pizza, and spend the afternoon laying on the bed hearing Adam say ‘glug glug’ in glee and giggling until my eyes leak!
Those decisionsMay 22, 2015
Fours years ago this morning our lives changed. It is a morning I’ll not forget for excitement stood in the air almost as thickly as apprehension. It was my husbands last day at work.
When I met Zeljko he worked in a shop, he had a regular (if decreasing and unreliable) income and he’d never really been out of work. We didn’t really have much of an alternative income at the time, our float was depleting and donations were thin. Life wasn’t easy, married just over 6 months, I was still adjusting to the a more permanent foreign life, and Zeljko’s work was beyond taking the mickey. Even the basics such as eating had failed, I was skipping meals daily and failing to find my feet cooking when Zeljko arrived home. Some of the resulting conversations are etched clearly in my memory.
I’ll not pretend that the decision we made back then was easy, but it was the right one. We stepped out into the unknown and what followed was life changing. From helping add a little content on a website Zeljko has slowly turned himself into a programmer and discovered something he loves to do. I had the tools and the right number of nudges to build a website full of kids ministry resources that is now used worldwide by thousands of people every month. Finding our feet and projects we love have given us things to build on, opened doors (like joining CMS), and helped us establish a more stable and healthy life in the city we call home. Being bold meant being open to blessing greater than we could imagine.
7 months ago this morning our lives changed big time. We held our first born child. Bringing a child into our lives was a huge decision. Zeljko is still considered officially unemployed, our lives rely on a careful balancing of visas and our bills are paid by money which is either irregular or reliant upon goodwill. While it may seem crazy to add a child into this mix we know already some of the great blessings it’s brings. As we enjoy the light we know darkness can ascend at any moment, yet we also know that we can boldly move forward, continually trusting in God’s provision.