Cloth diapering!

Cloth diapering is something I always wanted to do but never got around to it with my daughter. When Matthew was four months old his Aunt Tosha started looking into cloth diapers. She asked to try them on Matthew which sparked my interest. We started out with cheapies.

This ^ is one of the cheapies. We had a few different brands (green baby, babyland, babycity) but they were all the same. The fit was not the best and the pads weren't the best. But they did work okay for short period of time for our son. And I triple stuffed them for my daughter (3) to sleep in. They actually worked. But not even two months of use and they all delaminated. So I would say not to waste your money on these.

This^ is the Charlie Banana. These are not cheap lol. I tried them out as a recommendation from a friend. I do like them but they don't hold as well as others for us. I think for these it does really depend on the size and shape of your baby. I would recommend trying these to see how they do with your baby.

This is the Sunbaby^ these do well and hold well. But for the price I would rather order my favorite:) I would also recommend trying these.

This ^ is a Gigglelife. I do really like this one, especially for night because it has the longest pad I've seen. However, my favorite brand makes one that looks just like this and it's quite a bit cheaper.

This ^ is another Gigglelife. It is a

Minky/bamboo one. I would not recommend these. For starters both of my kids had skin reactions to it. Secondly their bamboo inserts that came with it are by far the worst inserts I have.

This ^ is a Royal Fluff. I got it off zulily for $10. Regularly they are much more expensive. I really like this one, but again, my favorite brand make one similar. One thing I don't like about this one is that it doesn't have a cross over snap. My son was already old enough that I didn't need it for size. But, I use them when the diaper is soiled to roll up and snap together til it makes its way to the diaper pail. I do like them and would order more if they come to zulily again or if I find them on sale.

This^ is my favorite brand! This is the Alva! I'm very impressed with especially for the price. I had 5, one delaminated, that were previously owned. I have two more on the way. I *think* I will like the C series the best(they look similar to the royal fluff but have double inner gussets) I highly recommend these. And even if one delaminates they're cheap and easily replaceable!

These are all the diapers I started with. The white one on the very left is a bum genius 4.0. I do like it but I would not recommend Velcro. Ever. To anyone. It gets to the point where it doesn't do what it's suppose to and to me that's just aggravating! I prefer snaps! On the top right is a bumkins. I hate that would and would never recommend it!

This is the rumparooz^ I do really like this one (minus the Velcro). However Alva makes one very similar (double gussets and all) so I'm waitin on that one to try now. I would also recommend trying this one:)

So after trying all these I'm goin to be building my stash out of mostly Alvas. I may throw some Rumparooz and Bumgenius 4.0 in there too :) this is what works for my son, your baby might be different. All you can do is try!

Oh! I also have an econobum on the way, which is like a shell withprefolds. So we will see what I think of those:) 

My story!

My name is Sarah Fike. My maiden name was Huffman. I lived in Garrett, Indiana my entire childhood. My story really begins when I met my now husband, Josh. We met threw a mutual friend and even though I honestly was not interested at first josh opened my eyes and my heart to him. Once he kissed me I knew he was my one and only(March 24th 2006) On december 23rd 2006 josh purposed to me in his red mustang with a ring, I had already known I wanted to marry him. I moved in with him, in his dads house, at just a few months past 17. Shortly after i dropped out of high school and got my GED. Right before i turned 18 we moved to our very first apartment.

This is where our lives changed and started heading to where we are now. On April 1st 2008 I found out that I was pregnant! I was excited and thrilled. I thought josh was as well but found out later that he wasn't and that he was terrified. Three days later, April 4th, I miscarried. From there I went into a depression I guess and started rushing things to try to start a family. We decided shortly after I miscarried to get married in August. I say we but it was really just me. I wanted a family, right away, and I knew the only way my family would accept that was if I was married. I loved him and knew I wanted to get married we just really hasn't even talked about setting a date.

On August 2nd 2008 josh and I were married at the harbor of love in kendallville. My sister helped me pay for the dress and my whole family pitched in and helped us plan and put together our wedding in just three months. Looking back now I realize just how beautiful I was and I couldn't have asked for a better wedding. I can remember feeling nervous about walking down the isle in front of everyone.

 

We moved around a few more times, all in my hometown, and even though we tried I didn't get pregnant. I went threw a bad time in my life and started drinking a lot. Even though I was under age. At this point josh had his CDL license but because he was so young he had problems finding a job with it so he bounced around a lot. Things weren't really looking to good, then we found a house in Avilla, Josh's home town.

We moved into the house in Avilla on June 6th 2009. It was a small house but cute and with a nice yard. Josh got on the fire department, which honestly drove me nuts at the time, but I'm proud of him for it. And eventually josh found a good job. Things were really looking good. A few months later I finally got what I had been wanting! A positive pregnancy test!!

On October 22nd 2010 I got that positive test! I was so happy and nervous at the same time! Months later we found out we were having a baby girl. We named her Alaina Michelle. Alaina is after my Dad's Mother's middle name and Michelle is my moms name. She was born on her due date on July 1st 2010 at 6lbs 7oz and 19

Inches long(A story for another time). I was so happy and full of love! Although, and I didn't admit this to years later, I do think I was struggling with post partum depression. My little girl was my world, and I could not have chose a better father for her.

In 2011 I started attending ivy tech community college. It didn't last long but with my school money I bought a canon rebel t3i ('professional' camera). I started trying to do professional photography(digital dreams photography) but it didn't work out in the long run. But, one day I was searching for covered bridges and found the closest one was in spencerville. Well, my cousin Tosha went with me. On the way home we took county road 68 and she pointed out a house for sale on land contract. Josh called and in November we went and looked around and made an offer.

They accepted the offer. This property was Josh's dream, 34 acres and several nice buildings. The house was not though. I thought we would like the house but in the end we didn't. Living there started me on my path for natural living. Surrounded by Amish can have that effect. We boarded someone's cow for meat, had our own garden, and started looking into alternative medicine.

Which reminds me that I need to backtrack.... When Alaina was born I was very uneasy about shots. Very. But I didn't know any better so I allowed the shots at birth. I later decided to delay shots until she was a year or two old. Her doctor at the time didn't mind. At about six months old Alaina got sick. Just a cold but I felt as though her doctor wasn't paying enough attention so we asked for a referral. We were referred to a pediatrician in Fort Wayne, doctor Barb. He was nice enough, but he said he would only take us on as patients if we started catching up on shots. I was very uneducated. The only reason I delayed was because of my gut feeling(wish I would have stuck with it). So I agreed. She got one set at that appointment. Next appointment she got another   set, including the MMR, which by the CDC is too young (9 months). Well, this is a story for another time, but she had a reaction. We then decided again to stop. And thanks to a facebook friend I began to look into it. Her name is Ashley and I will forever be grateful for her opening my eyes. ****weather you believe in shots or not please please please look into it and educate yourself. You should NEVER do anything just because 'everyone else does'****

 

So our new natural life style went right along with that. I learned a lot while we were there. Josh missed his old fore department but got on the Pne in our new town. And I loved the country and the horses and the garden and so much more but it didn't last. 

Before things started going bad there I found out we were going to have another baby! I got pregnant right after a chemical pregnancy the cycle before. I found out July 25th 2012 that we had another on the way! Few months later we found out that he was a boy. We chose the name Matthew David. Matthew as a strong, biblical name; and David after his dads middle name. I began stressing about the house being set up funny and where his room would be and all of that. Then at seven months pregnant my world started to crumble. 

Even though we had a contract the people went back on it. We didn't know why at the time but found out later that he had immediately sold it to his uncle. Everything points to them planning that from the beginning, but we will never know and what's done is done. This was February 2013. Right after josh and I's birthdays. We weren't given much of a notice and everything was terrible. At eight months pregnant we moved to a rental house in Avilla. The night we moved in I went into false labor. We were wronged in so many ways with that house but we just signed off and moved on. Our consciences are clear but I hope it weighs on their hearts what they did to us.

I went into false labor with Matthew several times but I'd never really progress. I had contractions for pretty much an entire month. We had several false calls which resulted in josh calling off work, calling my grandma for Alaina, calling my mom to come meet us, driving all the way to the hospital ect. So even though I didn't want it, I agreed to be induced. I had been seeing a chiropractor my entire pregnancy and he realized before my induction date that Matthew was face up and that that could be stopping my labor. He tried to turn him, but I don't think Matthew ever Got completely turned. He came up facing the side.

Matthew's birth story ill save for another time, but I will share a tidbit. I wanted the all natural birth i almost had with Alaina. I spent most of my labor in the tub or on the ball. I lost control when my moms faith in me diminished (doctor also said I was only at 8) and allowed the epidural. Five minutes later the anesthesiologist said I shouldn't feel any more but boy could I! All of it was still there! The epidural failed and my son was born less than 15 minutes later with just one push!!

My son didn't have any eye goop, no shots, and was left intact(no circumcision). He was 8lbs 2oz and 21 1/2 in long, almost 2lbs heavier and 2 1/2 inches longer than his sister.

Right after Matthew was born I noticed this squeaky noise. Asked the nurses and the pediatrician (several times) and they assured us it was normal. At 7 weeks old we found out it wasn't. He has laryngomalacia. I'll post all about that adventure later. He was put on Zantac, which I wasn't happy about it. Worked on it with my diet an chiropractor and a few weeks later we were able to take him off of it.

Alaina hasn't had any more shots since her reaction and she won't ever have any more. Matthew has never had any shots and never will. He is intact. He is exclusively breast fed, he hates bottles. I nurse in public. uncovered usually. Matthew doesn't take a binky, like his sister, but loves his thumb. I'm a strong believer/supporter of attachment parenting and I will get a baby sling one of these days. We co-sleep, I didn't with Alaina and I really regret it. We cloth diaper&wipe, which has been a huge challenge but were getting there. And we will do baby-led weaning, whenever that it. Which means that I will not decide for him when to stop. We also love God. We try to attend every week and are working on ourselves and trying to bring Him into our lives more and more. 

This is our lives. What we've done and what we do now. I'm not saying what we do is the only way but its what I feel is best for my family. You are free to chose how to raise your family and I will respect that and just ask for the same respect for my decisions. You don't have to agree, and I'm not asking for permission.

Photo credit RCT photography