tips and tricks: the diaper bag (for cloth moms)

When it came to picking out a diaper bag I was completely lost. Have you seen the floor to ceiling wall of bags at Buy Buy Baby?? How do you pick except based on color? I tried to do some internet research but let's be honest here, there's so much info and I was so overwhelmed that I easily gave up.

I ended up picking the Skip Hop Via Messenger based on a suggestion from a blog I read. She basically said it was the bees knees and her husband didn't hate it.

It is pretty cool looking, has lots of pockets, clips onto the handles of the stroller, built in changing pad. I added it to the registry and checked it off my to-do list. Now while it is a great diaper bag, it quickly became too small for us. Since we use cloth diapers, we need a lot of space. Those suckers seem to grow in size once you try and jam them into the diaper bag.

I'm now going to let you in on my secret for finding a diaper bag big enough for the cloth diapers plus everything else in the world: a bag meant for twins.

I bought the Skip Hop Duo Double and I love love love it. I'll be the first to admit that $80 for a diaper bag is a bit ridiculous, but I got mine for a steal. I have the above striped pattern which is retired so it was on sale for 50% off. Tack on a 20% off coupon on top of that and $32 for the perfect bag is much more doable.

As you can see it has a crazy amount of pockets, 3 across the front {each with a magnetic snap}, a mesh pocket with draw string on each end, a large pocket across the back that is divided in two {part of it houses the changing pad}, plus a zip pocket on the back as well! That's just the outside. The inside has 8 more pockets and then an open middle that is deep and wide. The bag has a detachable shoulder strap plus two carrying handles and the clips to hook it on the handles of a stroller.

The amount of stuff I can carry in this bag is mind boggling. Here goes {and yes I'm a huge "just in case" mom}:

Inside

• six cloth diapers {number varies depending on how long we plan to be out}
• large wet bag
• extra outfit for Quinn
• medicine - tylenol, teething tablets, orajel
• several extra passys and passy wipes
• container of puffs
• small insulated bag that holds three containers of food with an ice pack plus spoon
• 4 soft toy blocks
• giraffe that clips onto the carrier handle
• blanket and lovey {sometimes two loveys}

Outside

• wipes container
• Sophie the Giraffe
• rattle
• baby sunglasses
• two crinkle toys
• diaper cream
• changing pad

I still use the Via Messenger as Quinn's daycare bag, but I highly recommend the Duo Double especially if you plan on using cloth. 

tips and tricks: the pediatrician

I'm linking up again with Meagan for:

We recently moved to the upstate and with a move comes not only a new house, a new job, and a new Walmart layout {seriously, why can't they all be the same?}, but also new doctors. At the top of my to-do list was to find Quinn a new pediatrician. Below is the process I went through to find one. I hope it helps!

• I logged onto our insurance website and clicked on their "Find a Doctor" link. This way I was positive the doctor I chose would take our insurance.
• I then started cross referencing the doctors on the insurance list against patient ratings on www.vitals.com. Through this website you can find out years of experience, where they went to medical school, what hospitals they are affiliated with, and lots of other goodies.
• From there I started calling the different offices to see if that particular doctor was accepting new patients.
• Once I found a doctor that I thought might be a fit, I made an appointment to meet with her.
• At the appointment I asked the following questions:
• How many doctors are in the practice?
• What is the likelihood that he would see another doctor?
• What's the average wait time?
• How quickly can I get a sick appointment?
• Is there a nurse line? Is there a charge for using it?
• Do you have after hours/weekend hours?
• Do you offer breast feeding support?
• If I didn't feel comfortable with our meeting or her answers I would have gone to the next doctor on my list.

Fortunately, the first doctor I met with felt like a great match for our family. Quinn has his nine month well visit this Wednesday so hopefully I will still feel the same way after his first appointment!

tips and tricks: the passy

I'm linking up again with Meagan for Tips and Tricks Tuesdays for Moms. The theme seems to be swimming and swim lessons, but Quinn hasn't started yet so I don't really have any tips for that ha!

Instead I'm going to tell y'all about a little trick I figured out one day. Quinn has hit a stage that when he gets over-tired and starts crying, not much seems to comfort him. I know deep down that if I can get him to take the pacifier, it will sooth him and he will fall right asleep. The trick is getting him to stop crying long enough to start sucking on the pacifier. 

After trying and trying for a good ten minutes I had a thought. If I could put something on the end of the pacifier that he would taste, maybe it would get him to stop crying and start sucking! I wet the very end and dip it in the tiniest amount of sugar. Honestly it's such a small amount you can barely see it, but when it touches his tongue the sweetness distracts him just enough so he'll take the passy and finally calm down. 

I've even carried a couple of restaurant style packets of sugar in my purse so I can perform this trick on the go. Works like a charm!

tips and tricks: bath time

Today I'm linking up with Meagan for Tips and Tricks Tuesdays for Moms. I haven't been a mama for very long, but I'm slowly starting to pick up on some tricks that make our life just a little bit easier.

Lucky for me, Quinn loves bath time. He giggles and splashes and just generally enjoys the water. Trying to scrub him down is always a challenge because he squirms all over the place and I end up covered in water myself.

My biggest problem was the wash cloth. I could never get the baby shampoo to suds up on the cloth and I just didn't feel like I was getting Quinn clean. I would keep adding shampoo until I got some suds which meant I was blowing through a large bottle entirely too fast.

Enter the bath puff. I wish I had thought of it sooner! It makes complete sense to me now to use it on Quinn. The puff is soft and you only have to add a tiny drop of shampoo on it and end up with a really bubbly bath. Quinn giggles the entire time I scrub him down. Bonus: I don't have to add a wash cloth to the laundry pile every night. So simple!

We picked one up at Walmart that has a monkey on it for just a couple dollars. Hope my tip helps another mama out there!