When you first hold your little bundle of joy in your arms, probably the last thing on your mind is whether to use cloth nappies or disposables. Or, like a growing number of parents these days, have you already decided which one is best for you? The jury is still out on this one and both sides of the argument seem to be quite valid and legitimate.

So, which type of diaper is best both for you and for the environment, and the planet as a whole? As a new parent, you have to consider your own circumstances and whether you will find it easy to wash the cloth diapers yourself. Will you have time? If you are a first-time parent, you will undoubtedly underestimate just how much time is taken up just caring for a new baby. Do you want to spend a significant proportion of this time washing diapers? You will be washing lots of baby clothes, so maybe it will not make so much difference to you.

Then there is the consideration of how many cloth diapers you will need in comparison to disposables. The advantages of disposable diapers are that they are very easy to use. Just take one out when it is needed and throw it away at the end. Almost all of them now contain sodium polyacrylate – a polymer which is absorbent to one hundred times its own weight. This means that everything is absorbed into the diaper and away from your precious baby’s skin. This means that these diapers can be left on longer. They have recently advertised a 12-hour diaper for dry nights. This means that you use fewer of them over your day.

The reusable diaper must be lined and pinned. Then, when it needs changing you must dispose of the inner lining and then keep the soiled outer diaper in a container until you can wash all of them together. Since they are not as absorbent as disposables, you will use much more – maybe more than double the number of disposables. Then, once you have gathered enough for a full load in your machine, then you can wash them together. It would not do to wash less than a full load because this would not be environmentally friendly. Urine-soaked diapers can be washed at a lower temperature, but soiled diapers must be washed at 60 degrees. Then to save more of the environment, you can dry these out on the washing line. Rather than have bucket-fulls of diapers hanging around, at least one of these washes must be performed everyday – and where do you put your crawling baby while you hang everything on the line everyday?

Disposable diapers do not break down in land fills easily at all. Also, people often throw them away in scented sacks to save their house from filling up with bad odors, which increases the time needed for them to break down. But, it is thought that diapers make up less than 1% of the nation’s waste, so a true environmentally friendly policy should examine all types of waste sources and minimize all routes to landfill.

Until adequate reporting and perhaps legislation can determine policy on these, it must be left up to the individual conscience whether it is better to use cloth or disposable diapers. Realistically far fewer parents choose to opt for cloth reusable diapers for the reasons described: those of economy, hygiene and practicality. But, if there is a good diaper-washing company in the area who can service thousands a day and return yours to you at a reasonable rate, then reusable diapers may prove to be a viable option.

How to Get the Help You Need with Your New Baby

If you are expecting a baby, it’s a good idea to plan ahead to have someone help you during the first few weeks after the baby is born. Even if you will be staying home with the baby full-time, new babies can be very demanding, and you may need some help to take care of the baby and keep up with the house.

The easiest place to look for help is from your husband if you are married. Hopefully he will be willing to help not only with the baby but with the housework as well. However, you may find that you still need additional help, especially if your husband comes home from work already tired. He might not have the energy to provide all of the help you need.

Your extended family members are the next option. Many times, new grandparents, aunts and uncles will be excited about the new baby and willing to come help out after the birth. Whether grandma is watching the baby while you try to get some housework done or washing the dishes for you while you feed the baby, help from relatives can take some of the burden off the new mom’s shoulders.

If you don’t have family members nearby, you might ask some of your friends if they can help out now and then. They may be willing to hold the baby while you try to get caught up on some of the housework or even take a nap. Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help. They may be excited about the chance to play with your baby. You’ll never know if you don’t ask.

Another option is to hire a mother’s helper. A mother’s helper is someone who helps out with either the baby or the housework while the mother is in the home. Mother’s helpers can often be hired through childcare agencies. You might also be able to find a teenage girl who is willing to take on this job. Ask around among your friends and neighbors to find out if anyone knows a good babysitter. This person may be a good mother’s helper as well.

Think of a baby, a new-born baby, and nine times out of ten the image that comes to mind is that of a soundly-sleeping infant, lying all cosy, warm and innocent in his cot watched over by a favorite teddy bear. Now think about the amount of time and effort it probably took his mum or dad to get him off to sleep. They might have got up to tend to his cries many times that night, leaving either one or both of them red-eyed and exhausted.

The question most parents are asked after “How’s the baby?”, is “Is he sleeping through the night yet?” And in those first few hectic, chaotic months of having a new baby in the house, sleep will be a topic close to most parents’ hearts. Will the baby ever stop waking five times a night? Will he ever sleep through? Please, please, please, when are we going to be able to get some sleep?

If you are feeling tired out and demoralised from trying to soothe your baby to sleep, time and time again, take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. Babies are not born with an In-depth knowledge about the different times of day. They’re not aware that adults have general routines and certain times for having a meal or going to bed. They certainly have no preconception about what night-time is and that night-time is when we prefer to get our sleep. All baby will have on his mind in the first months is making sure his stomach is constantly filled with milk, and he won’t mind If he has to wake you at 2am every morning to do this, and then again in another couple of hours!

If you’re prepared not to get too much in the way of uninterrupted sleep in baby’s first three months, you won’t be disappointed. The majority of babies are going to wake once or more each night during this time. 75% of babies are sleeping through by the time they reach six months, so things should improve for you, and soon.

A minority of babies, however, are problem sleepers right through their toddler years. Generally, when a new-born baby is sleeping, nothing, but nothing will disturb him. Dogs barking, noisy parties, he’s oblivious to them all. But just like some adults, some babies can be light sleepers, waking at the smallest noise. Others will still wake regularly in the night just for reassurance that you are there. Thankfully, most of these problems can be resolved with a little guidance and perseverance. This article will give you some useful tips for both avoiding and solving sleep problems, and provide information on:

- how a baby’s sleep patterns will change;
- how to build up a bedtime routine for you and your baby;
- how to provide an environment in which baby will want to sleep, and which is safe for sleeping in;
- some common sleep problems, and tips for solving them.

So take heart. It can be very difficult indeed to cope initially on the few hours’ sleep you manage to snatch here and there. Have sensible expectations right from the start. And while you are suffering the sleepless nights, there are plenty of things you can do to catch up on your sleep and help you cope.

- Sleep when your baby sleeps if you can.
- Ask a family member or friend to mind your baby for a few hours whilst either you or your partner takes a rest.
- Jointly share the baby’s care and getting up to baby during the night with your partner so you both have an opportunity to get some sleep.

You’ll soon find, especially as you bond with your baby, that you will begin to understand his behaviour – his different cries, his sleep patterns. All this will help in building up a bedtime routine that will prevent difficult sleeping habits from the start. Then both your baby and you will hopefully get to sleep through the night.

Bringing your newborn home is both exciting and scary. Here are some tips for getting through that wonderful, exhausting first week and beyond.

Unbuckling the car seat for the first time it hits you – this precious baby is yours. Yours to love and yours to care for. Bringing your newborn into your home is exciting, but scary as well. This little baby is such a big responsibility.

The pregnancy was long, labor and delivery were long, only the hospital stay was short. The exhaustion is starting to sink in. As a pediatric nurse visiting newborns and their parents at home, I see parents who are tired and often overwhelmed. No one is ever really prepared for the 24 hour life: the round-the-clock care of a newborn. Wonderful and unique as this time is, it is exhausting. Some moms have family and friends nearby for help and support, but many are completely on their own. If you need help, here are some tips and information to get you through the next few weeks.

Rest

Grab rest when you can. It sounds easy and obvious, but isn’t. Gone are 6-8 hours of sleep a night. A newborn needs to be feed several times a night; diapers need changing, and this little person needs loving and comforting. Lack of sufficient nighttime sleep means trying during the day to do some catching-up. Take friends and family up on their offers of help. Maybe they can bring a meal for the freezer or pick up something at the grocery store on their way over to visit. Maybe one person could empty the dish washer or clean up the dishes that are still on the counter from several days ago when you left for the hospital. No one person needs to do everything, but if several people each do a little, your life can be a lot easier.

If you are more on your own, try to focus just on those things that need immediate attention. Rest whenever the baby is sleeping. Even some time spent lying on the sofa listening to soft, relaxing music is helpful. Let the answering machine screen your calls, or at least don’t answer the phone when you are resting. Getting rest allows your body to heal. It helps you be more relaxed and patient, to feel more like yourself. Taking time for yourself is not being selfish, it is allowing you to be a better parent.

Caring for Mom

While both Mom and Dad are exhausted from the new schedule, Mom also has her own healing to do. Rest is essential for healing. Time is now the most valuable, yet scarcest resource. If you have another child, this is a good time to sit together on the sofa for some reading, or to ease up on TV time restrictions and lie down on the couch while the older sibling watches a video, or has an indoor picnic on a large tablecloth. When done just gather up the cloth and shake outside.

Are you feeding yourself as well as the baby? All new moms need plenty of fluids, but if you are breast-feeding make sure you have a glass of water or juice every time you nurse. Good nutrition plays an important role in your healing, so eat a good balance of protein, fruits, vegetables and grains. Many new moms complain of not having enough time to eat because they are so busy with the baby, but caring for your own needs allows you to heal faster and give you more inner resources with which to care for this new life.

The vaginal flow after delivery is called lochia. In the beginning it is quite bloody, and small (dime-sized) clots are not uncommon. Large clots (quarter-sized), going through more than one pad an hour, or dizziness should be reported to your physician. As the days pass, the flow should decrease. If you notice an increase in amount of flow, or of bright red blood, you are doing more than your body can handle right now. This is a signal for you to back off, do less, and ask for more help.