Breast is Best

Since I was a little girl watching my mom nurse my baby sister, I knew I would do the same. I had no idea that in the 70s and 80s nursing was no longer in fashion and my mother was breaking rules and choosing to do what was best for us, instead of what was best for her.

It makes me terribly sad to know that even though we have a plethora of information out there regarding the benefits of breastfeeding, some are still choosing to give their infants formula. I do understand that there are circumstances where formula is the only option (a friend of mine's sister with breast cancer just had her son, and he will be formula-fed while she undergoes chemotherapy) but for the rest of us, there just aren't that many good excuses.

If I told you I had a potion that would help to prevent your child from developing allergies, diabetes, obesity, etc- would you give it to your baby? That's what breastmilk is. It helps to prevent so many things because it is packed full of antibodies. It is also much less expensive than formula- a whopping $1200-2500 per year less, in fact, depending on whether you can use the generic store brand or have to go for one of the specialty brands. And not breastfeeding is responsible for annual health-related costs of over $3.6 billion. Breastfeeding is also responsible for releasing a couple of "mothering" hormones- prolactin and oxytocin- which are essential to relaxing and just loving on your baby. And the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastmilk as the primary source of nutrition for the first year of baby's life.

Recent studies regarding formulas, and the fact that no one will release brand names, are alarming. For example, one study by the CDC shows that some 15 of the US's most popular formulas have rocket fuel components in them. How is that legal?!?

And even though an article was written recently about the so-called Case Against Breastfeeding, which cited some obscure studies and ignored relevant ones, a retort to that article was written that goes in depth about the benefits of breastfeeding. If the formula companies are claiming that their products are inferior to breastmilk, who are we trying to kid? Formula is an expensive, inferior option.

Studies have shown that the higher a woman's education, the more likely she is to breastfeed her child. And interestingly, in Third World countries, women who breastfeed are assumed to be in poverty. Formula has been presented as the wealthy family's opportunity, which is consumately sad. I had a friend serving as a missionary in Thailand. As she nursed her baby, a woman came to her and said, "Aren't you an American? Don't you have any money?" My friend tried to explain that nursing was better for her baby, but the lady didn't understand because formula is so tied up in the socio-economic status of the country.

Breastfeeding is not easy, though. It takes time and understanding and there is a learning curve involved. It can be painful at time (during the early weeks) and time consuming. But there is nothing sweeter, in my opinion, than a baby at breast. Most states allow nursing in public. My own state of South Carolina legalized it about 3 years ago. Unbelievable, huh? Our culture is so wrapped up in sexuality and the improper usage of breasts that it is hard for people to watch a baby nurse at the breast. An interesting article was written discussing that very thing. I have the personal belief that if you can turn on TV and see a mostly exposed breast and not be offended, I can sit in a restaurant and nurse my baby and you should not be offended.

All in all, breast is best. Thousands of articles about breastfeeding can be cited to prove this. But you will also need some support- from friends, family, and your spouse. Studies have shown that women who are not supported at home will be more likely to quit breastfeeding. And let's not forget about Dad's feelings- he may feel left out due to not being able to quiet and comfort baby. There are lots of things going on emotionally and physically in regard to breastfeeding. Just know that it is the best choice for you and your baby.

Rocky Mountain vs. Bum Genius

Several people have asked what I like and dislike about the diapers I carry at my store. So, here goes:

BG Likes:

they have worked out a lot of the "kinks" (ie. wick resistant modification which lessens leaking onto clothes)
they come with an infant insert and a regular insert
they are cute
they have the "one-size" so that baby can grow
they fit babies from 8-35lbs
you can bleach them
inserts can be snapped into different sizes to correlate with the diaper size
look like traditional disposable diapers

BG Dislikes:
velcro sticks to everything
velcro makes the latch side "pilly" and over time doesn't hook and latch as nicely
they take 2-4 weeks to ship out my orders (since I'm a "little guy")
the legs don't work for thinner- legged babies- not tight enough

RM Likes:
work at home mom makes them
made in the USA
easy to order- ships quickly
for a snapping system, they are less expensive ($20w/insert vs. $24.95-BG comparable)
snaps don't attach themselves to anything
they snug tightly around baby's legs to prevent leaking
they fit any shape and size baby- 5lbs to 30lbs
cute color combinations
look like traditional disposable diapers

RM Dislikes:
if baby produces lots of urine, sometimes it will wick onto clothes (but Tracie- the maker- says that you can just place insert in and leave about an inch of room to prevent this)
can't use regular bleach on them- but you can use a color-safe bleach.
they sell out quickly, so sometimes it is hard to place the order
the insert comes in one size- but you can buy your own and buy the diaper only (for $17.95)

Cloth Diapering- Is It For Me?

If you have been around the more naturally minded community, you have heard of cloth diapering. And let me guarantee you, this is not your grandmother's idea of cloth diapering. While you can still get the plain cloth, fold-it-yourself, secure it with pins, and put a rubber cover over it diapers, your options have widened tremendously. For example, BumGenius and Rocky Mountain Diapers have developed wonderful alternatives to cloth diapering and both have grow-with-your-child systems. BumGenius diapers (their one-size) have the diaper cut out and shaped like a disposable one, and you can flip the front down and secure it with snaps to create the right size for your baby, 8-35lbs. They have super absorbent micro-fiber inserts which are taken out of the diaper when it is wet or soiled, and you wash them all together in the washing machine. And Rocky Mountain has taken snaps to a whole new level, with a wonderful leg adjustment system- fitting babies from 5-30lbs. And if the pocket diapering system is not something you are looking for, Mother-ease has the more traditional diaper plus cover system- an absorbent cloth diaper and then you use a water resistant cover on top.

The Real Diaper Association, advocates for a return to cloth, have staggering statistics regarding disposable diapers. First, the average family will spend approximately $2500 per child during their diapering career. Second, that one child in disposable diapers will generate a ton of non-biodegradable trash during that time. If you are concerned about your pocket or your carbon footprint, then cloth is for you. Another benefit to cloth is for babies with sensitive skin. Disposable diapers don't allow baby's skin to breathe, causing irritations, yeast infections, diaper rash and other not-so-fun, painful ailments. In any of those situations, the research shows that the baby should wear cloth. After having two girls in cloth diapers, I can proudly say that except during teething episodes, we've never had so much as a red spot, much less a diaper rash on either baby's bottom.

You hear that babies are so expensive, right? Well, if you choose to diaper with disposables and formula feed, you are right. If you choose to cloth diaper and breastfeed, the cost is almost negligible. I have spent $600 on both girls for their diapers and zero for formula, making my grand total for food and diapers $600. On average, the consumer spends about $2000 per year on formula. Add that to what disposable diapers cost, and that is a whopping $4500- and add that again to account for another child and you have spent $9000 to my $600. That is $8400 that I can use for groceries, house payments, college savings, or various other things!! If you want to compare just diapers to disposables, you are saving approximately $1800 up to $2300 per child- and that is some serious cash!

So, what is the cloth diaper breakdown? You will spend approximately $20 per cloth diaper. Oh, that is so expensive, right!?!? Well, let's think about it. You can think of disposable diapers as worth a quarter apiece. So, each time you throw one away, you throw away $.25. If your child is average and you change them 8 times per day, that is $2.00 per day that you are spending. In 10 days, you've bought one cloth diaper. In a month, you've bought 3. In 12 months, you've bought 36. And I'm being generous with the numbers. I've had days where my girls have gone through 15 diapers. Not all cloth diapers cost $20 each either.

How many cloth diapers do you need to get started? I would recommend about 24. If you would like to avoid doing diapers 3 times a week, get 36. And remember that you can use them for subsequent children. I have 42 diapers for two children and do diaper laundry 2-3 times a week. Also remember that buying in bulk usually saves you a little bit of money. At my store, buying 10 Rocky Mountain Diapers saves you $1.00 each, and buying 20 saves you $1.50 each. If you buy 12 BumGenius diapers, you save $1.00 each. And then you factor in your detergent- I bought a gallon of Allen's Naturally for $50, but it has lasted 2 years and counting, plus the additional water cost each month (I've calculated approximately $5 additional) and you are still drastically lower than disposables.

All in all, cloth makes sense. It's easy, it's definitely affordable, and you are not destroying the environment while keeping your baby healthy and happy. I would recommend cloth to anyone. If you do laundry anyway, why not add a few extra loads per week. It's not that much! Plus you can check out Diaper Pin for loads of reviews to make the choice that is best for you. Also, feel free to set up a time to come to the store to touch and see how they work...