A whole big nappy story

When I was halfway through my pregnancy I started searching the internet and asking for advice about the best re-usable nappies. There were so many to choose from that I quickly became confused and didn’t know which to get; all in ones, birth to nappy, flat nappies the list is endless. There are some websites which offer a trial pack which includes various different styles to help you decide but living in the sticks where I live that wasn’t an option for me. I asked on the Raw Families Forum (http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfamilies/) and got varied advice. I then decided to go with Kushies because they are available from Mothercare and meant my mum could pick them up for me with some gift vouchers I had. But when she went to get them she didn’t think they looked that great and thought they were a lot of money so she decided to get me the Mothercare Smart Nappies instead, for about £40 you got 4 nappy outers and 10 re-usable nappy pads, the first size was from birth to 3 months, I had 2 started packs and they actually lasted me until the baby was 4 months old. We got on very well with these and had very few leakages. However when it came to going the next size up the same size re-usable nappy pads were to be used in the 3-6 month outers, the pads didn’t stretch the size of the outer and almost every time they would leak. I put up with this for a little while and eventually searched for a better nappy. I figured a birth to potty would be more economical in the long run and seeing as I already had some new born ones which were perfectly fine i could use them again for my second baby (god willing) and wouldn’t have to use the rather large birth to potty. So, when my parents came over recently I got them to bring me some new nappies this time I chose Wonderoos, from birth to potty. I have been using these for the last month and so far so good, they are rather bulky and I think Eleftheria would have got lost in them if she was wearing them from birth, but they are very soft and the top fleecy material keeps her very dry thus very happy. The full time kit cost about £230 and comes with 15 nappy outers, 15 re-usable pads, 15 nappy boosters and 15 re-usable wipes. I only use the booster over night and during the morning and have worked out that between the hours of 8pm-midnight the baby doesn’t wee so much so I am still using the smart nappy once a day and this way it means I can stretch the nappies an extra day before I need to wash them.

Since Sunday the 24th May, I have been making an extra special effort with my diet. I actually got quite down about it a few weekends ago and it affected my whole Sunday. I was almost resumed to just accepting the way things are and giving up, but I managed to pull myself out of the doom & gloom mood I have fallen into. And things have been very good ever since. As much as I have tried and have cut back I just couldn’t give up dairy and bread was forever calling me. But something clicked in me on that Sunday and ever since I have been able to resist, I still get those urges don’t get me wrong but I am able to resist the temptation. Now I am not saying that things are perfect but I am certainly getting on the right track. Breakfast is a huge fruit smoothie (I am practicing for when the baby starts weaning ;-), fresh orange juice with superfood powder from Kiki. Lunch is vegetable crudités with a raw dip and then dinner is whatever vegan I have cooked, or if my husband has eaten out or has meat I whizz up a salad for myself. My favourite snack at the moment is banana with almond butter. I’ve also been creating some delicious raw desserts such as divine cherry cheesecake and cherry ice-cream and every so often I make a whole dehydrator full of fruit leathers, my last batch had honeydew melon and peach leather, simply delicious.