I realized the other day that this time last year, I was
My latest fixation is cloth diapering, but it changes every few weeks. Not long ago it was carseats and stroller combos, and not long before that it was my weight. Moving on from one
I've decided that my brain works in a divide and conquer fashion of acquiring information and a little bit all-or-nothing. I'm either
I say this to make myself feel better and to keep from feeling like I'm flighty or fickle. It's not that I move from topic to topic because I lose interest (although I have found myself moving on from a topic because I didn't find enough good information), it's because I've established the level of understanding that I decided was necessary for the time being. Sometimes I revisit a fixation because I realize there is more to learn than I originally thought I needed.
Take cloth diapering for example. About a year ago I did the research and chose a brand (if you've ever looked into cloth diapering, you realize what a battle just choosing a brand is). I also looked into systems for washing, which detergent is ideal for us and systems for cloth wipes. After that I was satisfied, until I decided we would try cloth diapering from newborn on (we are going to use a one-size pocket diaper, which doesn't fit until about 10 lbs... I don't plan on having a 10 lb baby). That meant a whole new look at the cloth diapering world and the pros (leakage protection) and cons (cost) of a set of smaller diapers. Most people use disposables until their kids fit into their cloth system.. but I'm feeling up for the challenge after the first week or two (after the 'black tar' has passed). Right now I'm thinking we'll use prefolds and covers (more traditional cloth diapers) but I might get a few newborn pocket diapers too if I can find them used or at a really decent price.
I don't mind that my brain works this way, but it is interesting to analyze it.
I wonder what I'll be
We've done a lot of cloth diapering- more with Toby than with Owen for sure. My thoughts are that, if you use a diaper service (which usually you can't with pocket diapers so I assume you won't) its essentially the same / just as easy as disposables. If you are washing them yourself, you need someone at home or keeping up with the laundry is basically impossible. Of course that also won't be an issue for you. Laundry is really the only challenge to them, and I personally think that I would not want to cloth diaper until the baby is between 5-7 weeks old, which for my kids, was when they stop pooping every hour :-) All babies are different but I don't change them as often if they are just wet, so at that point there would be less laundry. I certainly noticed an increase in laundry going from 0 to 1 kid, but it blew my mind how much it increased from 1-2! It was exponential. I expect that, should I ever deign to produce a third offspring, my house will explode in laundry. I'm really not sure how I got on this tangent. Anyway. Have fun obsessing, and cloth diapering. Which pocket diaper did you go with? We use Bum Genius 3.0 and love them. I have heard the 4.0s and Elemental are also awesome but those did not exist when I was buying cloth diapers!
ReplyDeleteThat is some good self insight. Do all your research now while you have time and brain power!
ReplyDeleteLisa - yes, we're going to use BumGenius 4.0s. I know most people agree with you about not using cloth until later. I figure, at one point in time, it wasn't even a choice! And if it's to crazy, I'll just buy some disposables ;). For now I like the idea of doing cloth right away... we'll see! The good thing about prefolds and covers, is if you can keep the poop or pee in the prefold (I've heard a snappi helps) then you don't have to wash the cover every time.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbor has seven kids, and is having her eighth in May... I can only imagine her laundry pile! (I know she says it takes over her laundry room and the hall outside it, but I haven't personally seen it) ;)
Well, that is just my personal preference because I don't love laundry (its not as awesome as loading the dishwasher). I'm pretty sure Erin (from grad school) used cloth right away or at least within the first few weeks so I know its doable. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I was going to say, I think I have a similar personality type. :-) I have found that I was still pretty obsessive (fixated) on things when Toby was a baby. Usually it was nursing-related. I have to say, the fixations have lessened substantially with the appearance of this second offspring. No time or energy to research or care about much of anything. Not sure if its having two kids or just since he doesn't sleep or if because even though I work less, I do still work and Dave used to be home full time. But yeah. So... maybe with time you'll lose your fixation tendencies, who knows?
-Lisa