I breastfed in Public and No one threw Rocks!

It Happened two weeks ago. my Son was 5 days old. My husband took the week off to help Post Cesarean me and spend the first week with baby! Since I was told not to drive for 2 weeks and to not physically stress myself for several weeks I planed appointments for the first week home all in one day... THis brilliant idea was suppose to make the week easy by accomplishing the "have tos" in one swoop and keeping me in bed for the rest of the week. I didnt plan on the appointments running LONG!
The Offices were packed, and the two hour venture turned into a 6 hour ordeal. THere we were in the WIC office, with a newborn for an hour, and he started to cry because he was hungry, also the second appointment was fast approaching and we were going to be late... very late, late enough for the Pediatrician to cancel! My Husband isnt a patient person abut waiting longer than he believes is necessary and I know that the Pediatrician's office has a wait time for first visits that can last hours so being late to them was even worse when I factored in my husbands frustration. What was I thinking to schedule these so close...   I didnt bring a blanket w me either, I dont have one of those cover things I was planing on nursing the baby after the appointment in the car at the parking lot of the Doctors office! I had not taken a  baby out in almost 8 years! I was having a full blown panic attack. My Husband told me to calm down. He was attempting to calm the baby we were nearly done at this office and would soon be on our way. Well I hit a breaking point.
I said "GIVE ME THE BABY" Lifted my Top shirt unclasped my nursing tank top (so glad I got these!) and Nursed my baby in a room full of people! (there were literally like 50 people in a small space) No one stared (not that I noticed) No One pointed or laughed ( good thing for them my husband would have given them a what for) No one awkwardly looked away or blushed!
Here is the best part, My anxiety instantly dissipated!  I went in the bathroom called the Doctor Told them the situation and they put us up for later that day ( we ended up waiting for nearly 4 hours and were only 15m late) I walked out of the Bathroom (baby still at my breast) and we went about our business at the office! I was relieved to have been in a place with signs on the wall encouraging people to "Breast feed you baby where ever you would like" In Fact the Bathroom door at the WIC office is covered in a collage of Breastfeeding support themed pictures!
I Came home and printed a card up with Florida's Breastfeeding statue

I am not gonna flop my titties out at Walmart, I dont want to be making an appearance on the people of WALMART page. I wouldnt walk around with the baby hanging off my breast in a lot of places,I wont take Breastfeeding Yoga photos or become a "lactivist" daring anyone to comment about my in your face style of nursing.
but
I am not gonna Carry around a pump and coolers and bottles and try and figure a way to heat up milk, Nor will I skulk in Rest Rooms and feed my baby in a filthy stall in which I would never even pee! I will not cover my child with a blanket and hide shamefully like a woman in the Middle East afraid of being stoned or hung for indecency.
I WILL NURSE MY CHILD IN PUBLIC, I will not be looking for a fight, I will do so discreetly in appropriate attire in a manor that is comfortable and convenient.
If a manager or business owner tells me to cover up I will discreetly hand them my Card stating the law in Florida and if they give me a problem I will leave their establishment and contact the appropriate people to make sure they are sorry for harassing me and my child while I patronized their business.

IF A STRANGER gives me a dirty look, I will give them one back, If an adult says something to me about feeding my child, I will do what I do when a stranger is rude to me in anyother situation, I will tell them to kiss my ass. I make no apologies about being rude back to people I will likely never see again. I HIGHLY DOUBT I WILL EVER HAVE TO CURSE A STRANGER OUT FOR HARASSING ME ABOUT NURSING MY CHILD IN PUBLIC but I will if I need to

I feel a sense of relief that I have already crossed this milestone in breastfeeding, I had decided that I would Nurse In Public, Uncovered if the situation arose, I didnt realize it would be less than a week into breastfeeding! I guess expect the unexpected is great advice, especially in parenting!

Cloth glorious CLOTH two weeks later and easier than I thought

As you all know, Last year I became obsessed with Cloth Diapers. After hearing about my cousins years ago then seeing an ad I became rabid for cloth. You can read about how I amassed a stash in my Diapering baby when money is an object. When I got Pregnant in January I was Elated that I would get the opportunity to cloth diaper a baby! Yes my very own Fluffy boy would come in October! So naturally in September I started to freak out, I have 100 Diapers, I am the Chapter head of a charity that provides cloth diapers, IF THIS DOESN'T WORK OUT I AM TOTALLY IN TROUBLE!
I have my Cloth safe detergent
I have my Cloth support group on my phone a the touch of a finger
I have my wipe solution
My Cloth wipes
I had several diapers and a wet bag to go to hospital!
I had to have a repeat cesarean, so I had disposables incase I wasnt able to "deal" with the laundry

Well Day two in the hospital I was ready! I put a flat and a nb cover on my baby!
HE LOOKED GREAT!
THere was even a Diaper Sprayer on the Toilet! yes a flip down shower head! It wasnt like a beday it was presumably for rinsing out bed pans, but it looked like a freaking diaper accessory to me! I USED IT!
Having had a cesarean I was in an extra day so I used liners and some of the disposables, I tossed the diapers in the wet bag (a Gen-Y go bag) and took them home...

It was easy to throw them in the washer, the meconium that did get in the diapers didnt stain much , I put them on my rack and dried them!

My baby got a little bit of a butt burn around Day 5 or 6 and I think it was from something I ate (its been 8 years since I breastfed a baby and I only did it for 4 months the first time) so I did use the Zinc Cream and disposables overnight and it pretty much took care of it!

Yesterday the COOLEST thing happened I discovered the One size diapers FIT RAY!
This is by far the most exciting thing ever ever ever!
Plus even more excitement. I have just been asked 2 participate in the baby kicks ambassador program. Soon I will be trying out natural hemp products made by baby kick and telling you all about them I'm very excited to be getting this opportunity! The idea of natural fabric like cotton and hemp are preferable to me, can't wait to see how it goes!

so far so good ! rinse wash

Welcome Crunchy Baby

      I became a Mother 8 years ago at 21 as the result of a rebound relationship and decided to have a baby on my own. I lived with my Mother and Father. I took all the hand me downs and advice I was given. I was very stressed out and unhealthy. I had a Csection, I gave up breastfeeding at the first sign of trouble the words Cloth diapers never crossed my mind. I was a child and a parent all at the same time. My Parents were taking care of me as my Mother fell chronically ill and I was also taking care of her. WE all took care of the baby and a lot of the way my first son was raised for the first 4 years were a group effort.

Here is a quick Backstory on my Marriage. When I was 16 I met a boy during teen night. First Love YOung love but we were together until we were both 19 and had a falling out. After graduation we lived together and never used birth control we never got pregnant. so fast forward 5 years and we rekindled our romance, Aaron became an instant father to my fatherless son, my then three year olds first declaration to the Man my whole family adored was, "Hi, I love you!" and their relationship went from there.

     My husband was the first person I was ever intimate with and after my high school graduation and in the time since we had gotten back together we never used any kind of birth control, It was massively shocking to us that despite our best efforts (hubba hubba) we were unable to conceive! We are a single income family and we don't have coverage for fertility treatments so the question of why we werent was never addressed, we just kept trying and every month for years our hope for a baby became less reality and more fantasy.
     In the mean time I took a "if you build it they will come attitude" I never actually thought we would have a baby but I became obsessed with cloth diapers and online giveaways for baby stuff. Before we conceived I had won lots baby related prizes including cloth diapers, detergents and some odds and ends for our older son! I just kept getting things but never though I would get to use them and then last year I decided to stop hoping for baby to come. I started getting fit Biking with Our Son to school, eating more healthily, and Drinking a tbs of apple cider vinegar everyday to stabilize my blood sugar and balance my PH for clear skin, I also heard it helps you loose weight. I also heard it can help you get pregnant so in december after a party for my sister in law after drinking a gallon of ACV, after amassing a baby stash for a baby that would never come after making the new years resolution for 2013 to loose 20lbs I found out that Our dream baby was coming I still dont believe it happened

ON September 28th after Walking, having sex, eating jalapeno peppers and taking a shot of castor oil (I do not suggest this unless you know you are scheduled for a csection it causes Irregular and intense contractions and using this wives tale for induction almost always results in a cesarean because the cervix dosent always dilate, mine did but I was scheduled for a repeat section so when I got to the hospital I was intaked for surgery )

SO HERE WE ARE! After 13 years of love a baby of our very own! We are cloth diapering
, in fact until the day we came home from the hospital I never accepted the fact that were actually having him! Yes Him!
breast feeding and despite baby's initial reaction of HATING THE WRAP CARRIER!  baby wearing!

Join me on Our journey with a second baby, I am so so much different than I was at 21 and I cant wait to see what happens with this fugal and crunchy lifestyle!

Love Lovely Mrs Long
and the Crunchy baby!

Breast feeding! Lets try this again!

When I had Sam (seven years ago) I made the decision to Breastfeed. Not only did I know how good it was for my baby but I was just starting to become thrifty and knew that Breast milk costed nothing! As a single woman who was on Public assistance I was encouraged by WIC to breastfeed and it was easy to start! Sam had a good latch and I was a high yield milk producer! I was recovering from a C-section and Living with my Mother so it was easy to spend lots of time with baby and keep on it.
 I noticed early on Sam spit up  A LOT and Having had a problem with breastmilk my self I was quick to find out the reason! Sam was gaining weight and was not having any Breastfeeding issues but the first thing they did was switch him to formula, by the time I found out my 4 month Had GURD (a weak muscle on top of his stomach didn't close properly so much of what he ate spilled right back out) My baby had already been on formula for weeks and had to have supplemental juice to help with the constipation this caused.

Sam's Doctor now is a different Doctor at the practice he comes from Columbia and is currently the Doctor that goes to the hospital I am slated to deliver at, he recommends (as well as several other Doctors) giving babies with GURD a little cereal mixed with breastmilk to weight the milk down.

I am more hopeful going into breastfeeding this time. I am a supporter of those who use formula but I am very very excited and supported by my husband who is glad not to have to shell out for cans and cans of formula.

I have gotten an awesome Nursing Pillow and I learned the nursing laws in the state! I am not completely comfortable with the idea of flopping my titties out for all to see but I plan on getting some awesome nursing tanks!

I have found some great DIY ideas and am going to be trying to do some cool cheap DIYS on tank tops and maybe one of those covers apron things!

So check back and I will be updating my Breastfeeding journey with baby number 2

Poop on those old high school sweaters. No really let your baby poop on them!

If you go through your closet or the any thrift store you can find clothes you are sure that you will NEVER WEAR AGAIN! Sometimes we hang on to this stuff for sentiment and sometimes it is because we entertain that one day, someday we might fit them again!  I personally have gone through and tried to get rid of some things but I really need to try again because I got rid of NOTHING! It is easy to put things on freecycle but some of the things I have are hopeless, I know that if I give them away they will end up in a trash bag when they reach their final destination. SO What do we do with the woolen sweaters and shirts of activities past... we UPCYCLE THEM!!!

It is very quick and easy to turn the fashion statements of yesteryear and the debonaire Fluffy butts of tomorrow! here are some ideas and examples of upcycling for your baby.

T-Shirts- Everyone has shirts of sporting events, races, fundraisers and the like, I have an Aunt that runs Marathons and every time they give her a shirt! Well she is gonna let me have them and I am going to cut large squares out to use as Jersey flats, this takes only the skill to use scissors. A quick search on Pinterest shows a ton of ways to upcycle shirts into onesies and bibs and jumpers and the patterns looks easy. If you can sew a strait line on a machine you can make most of this stuff, and if you have snap players (about $10 after coupon from craft store)  the possibilities are endless. YOu can also cut squares for reusable baby wipes!

Fleece Blankets- every year people get tons of those cheap fleece throws sometimes they are ugly or thin and scratchy. I happened to get a really nice one last year with an owl on it, it rendered all my others useless... or are they?
 I have seen people cut them up to use as diaper liners ( keep baby feeling dry even in natural fibers)
I have made reusable panty liners and diapers out of them myself
YOu can also cut them into squares, make notches in the sides (about every 1/4in) and then tie the notches together to make a really nice baby blankie!
Cut a hole in the middle or sew one corner and you have a baby parka or a hooded blanket.
Make sure if you are using the fleece for diapering you check to see if it either repels or wicks away water do this by squirting water at the fleece before starting, or take a water bottle, cover the mouth of the bottle with the fleece and tip it if water come through you got a stay dry layer for liners or "facing baby" layer if no water pours through then you got a water resistant layer. Most of these throws are the former non water resistant type but most fleece sweaters and hoodies are made of the water resistant variety!

Sweaters- Again do a pinterest search of  upcycle sweaters and you will find a host of products from coffee sleeves and stuffed animals to Skirts, bunting and wool diaper soakers.
I have personally made diaper soakers and it is really easy, cut off the cuffs and cut a triangle (the bottom of the sweater becomes the base of the triangle and the waste of the garment) sew the triangle points together and take the cuffs to make leg holes. I used my machine but it can easily be done by hand. you take some soap and lanolin and wash it by hand ... waterproof diaper cover for the price of thread and lanolin! acrylic sweaters can be used to make lots of fun stuff like stuffed animals and baby pants baby pants are easy too just take the collar and sleeves off cut open the wider upper arms seams, and then sew the two legs together and put the collar on as the waist! Arms can also be used to make Leg Warmers!

Knee socks-  Knee socks can be cut up and hemmed to make leg warmers, baby leg coverings (to show off cute diapers, emo cool arm warmers, childrens scarves, hip embellishments for kids clothes, baby hats or more stuffed critters!





So as you can see with a little bit of imagination or just an internet search you can turn your closet relics or thrift store finds into a wonderful wardrobe for baby, accessories or trendy vintage looking keepsakes.

Dont spend a ton on baby sized fun!!!

     WE bought EVERYTHING when I had Sam, I bought a Crib, I got a bassinette from a friend, I bought an exersaucer. My Dad went Baby crazy he got a Walker a play mat clothes out the wazzu, bibs and outfits galore! At the shower I got about 100 toys, bibs, burp cloths, towels teethers ...we spent major bank on the baby to be! and we hardly used any of it. Really I was single and Sam slept mostly in the bassinet and then he slept with me until he was three (that crib was unneeded) I gave him frozen bananas while teething he didn't wear many of the clothes and I think he used the walker about twice, the point is that babies grow so quickly that this time around spending all that green on some stuff that I only plan on using for several months (and other babies likely haven't used for even that long) seems wasteful so I had a novel idea ! I have been checking Freecycle and craigslist and have found some really GREAT items for FREE. I have also gotten a few things from Once Upon a Child and yard sales for CHEAP!!! Here are some items I purchased and got from freecycle and from thrift shopping and and some price comparisons of similar items at retail!

Exersaucer $99.99 I Paid  $0
graco travel system $299. Freecycle $0

Fisher Price Rainforest swing
Retail Price $139.99
Once Upon a Child consignment store
$60




HOT SLING TATTOO Print
                                                     hotsling website price $68
                                                  Once...price $12 (looks new)



SO Keep an eye out for giveaways (I have won a few NICE baby items including one of these Bean bags and a Water wrap carrier. Look at Craigslist daily for items you need or want, Look at the cheap stuff section in the newspaper. And Sign up for Freecycle, buy/sell/trade groups on Facebook and yahoo groups. And don't be afraid to take something that you might need to clean up from thrift stores or from yard sales. People are usually trying to get rid of stuff they can't use and if you have a spray bottle and a dish cloth you can have a new looking item that you paid little for!





ON a side note be aware that car seats expire so check out the date stamped on the item before buying it or using, make sure when getting items like car seats you are sure they haven't been in an accident. I don't recommend using car seats second hand but I do have one myself that I know was properly cared for and in date. Also before purchasing an item second hand be sure to search the recall list for that item but entering the name of the item and "recall" on an internet search engine or by calling the retailer. Some people are unscrupulous and will sell you a recall item if you don't check it out, they themselves might be unaware of the recall. Notably Bumbo seats have been recalled and I have noticed that A LOT of people have been selling them. So be aware! and be thrifty!!

Poppin' Tags!!! Thrifty Clothes shopping for Baby

"I'm Gonna Pop Some Tags, Only got $20 in my pocket..." 

          When I had Sam I was single, It isnt a lie that GOODWILL helps people in the community find jobs, they helped me find one that I worked in until my Mother took ill and I had to stay home with Baby. That isn't what this post is about though it is about the fact that Baby clothes can be EXPENSIVE!!! and they have the most limited shelf life of pretty much anything you can buy your baby. With Sam I had a HUGE baby shower, My Aunts all came! My Friends all came everyone brought presents and almost every gift included a Out fit for my sweet sonny boy. Women especially like to buy baby clothes because you can only buy them for your own babies for a few short months, I had so many outfits for my first child that I Handed Down and donated many outfits that had only been worn once, some with tags still attached that were never worn by Sammy at all. This time around the bump, I know better. Why am I going to go pay $30 for an outfit my child will wear one time or $20 for a PJ that he is gonna wear for a moth or two? I instead got wise and Hit the Clearance rack... then I got really smart and hit the thrift store! I have been buying BRAND NEW WITH TAGS! Overstock baby clothes from Goodwill for as little as $0.75 each and as much as ...$1.49, yes that is right I haven't paid more than a fiver for a trips worth of baby clothes! Here is a Cater's Child of Mine brand Fleece footed pajamas that retail at the department store costs $16.99 I got it for $0.75 cent as it was the "Color of the week" and there for Half off! this outfit had the tags on it and Is very very soft!

I have purchased quite a few NEW and like new baby gowns (i love baby nightgowns) for this price they are all Carters or Target Circo brand and the savings doesn't stop there I plan on taking my Gently used items to the Consignment retailer ONCE UPON A CHILD to get store credit to buy MORE Clothes for baby once he Grows out of the ones I have now. I have mentioned that I checked out the Clearance racks at Target and Walmart then I saw the exact same outfits a week or so later at the Thrift store! I found the Black Onesie here on the surplus rack for $0.99 I looked it up on Target website for $4.25 a day later. I saved more than 75% I have also gotten fancy outfits Holiday clothes and other amazingly cute clothing items for cents on the dollar. I am sure that I will continue to be wise and shop for baby clothes and kids cloths for very low prices. I have also found some awesome deals on Clothes for myself! I got a $40 pair of Maternity shorts at Kohl's, the same day I hit the Goodwill and found the SAME EXACT SHORTS for $2.49 I wanted to slap myself for not shopping in the opposite order! I have gotten; NEW SHOES, skirts, shirts, and home decoration, craft items Knee socks to make legwarmers for baby, Items for my sons 1st grade class, storage containers and halloween costumes all for less than a few dollars a piece! I have seen the light and it was coming from the thrift store. You can also fell good because the money you spend at goodwill is helping to fund job access to people in your community. Dont waste money on stuff you snuggle baby is only going to wear once or twice, I also think that buying used keeps stuff out of land fills and causes less production and waste. you can resell or donate the stuff after you use it and the best part is its like a treasure hunt! you never know what Gems you will find hiding out with Gramp Pas hand me downs...here are some of mine! 

 from top to bottom; Circo onesie(.99), christmas outfit with hat(1.48) WHite shirt I tie dyed old navy brand (.79) Nautical onesie(.99) "Cowboy" shirt (.75) I have literally three times this these were just the cutest ones!