Health Archives - Page 7 of 8

How I Convinced My Husband To Cloth Diaper Our Baby

June 17, 2014 by Tamara 11 Comments

If you had told me even a year before Caden was born that we would be cloth diapering him I would have laughed. I never thought this would be something I would be doing. We used disposables for the first few months of Caden life and while they were super convenient and easy to use we were spending so much money on diapers. As a family living on a very modest income I started rethinking my views on cloth diapering.

I began researching the benefits on cloth diapering, how much it would cost vs. how much our family would save, and all the ins and outs of exactly what I would be getting myself into if we decided to go the route of cloth diapers. I knew if I could create a solid presentation to my husband on the benefits of cloth diapering it would outweigh the initial upfront cost to purchase everything that would be needed.

If you or your significant other is on the fence about cloth diapering check out why Josh and I decided to take the plunge. There are lots of good reasons why cloth diapering might be the way to go for your family but I know it is not for everyone and that is ok. Read to the end to see the basics you need to get started.

COST OF DISPOSABLES VS. CLOTH

During Caden’s first month of life we used 287 disposable diapers. We were changing him every 1-2 hours during this time. Because newborns need to be changed so often I am glad that we didn’t start cloth diapering him until he was a few months old. To be honest I probably would have gone slightly crazy trying to keep up with the laundry. We will wait to cloth diaper our newborn daughter until she is a few weeks old just to make it easier on us.

Disposables: Let’s assume that you decided to buy your diapers from Amazon.com and you picked Huggies Little Snugglers Diapers to cover your newborns bum. For a box that contains 88 disposables you are paying $24.99 which equals out to $0.28 a diaper. And let’s also assume you are going to be using on average 60 diapers a week. Every month you would be spending around $66 for diapers and over two years this adds up to grand total of $1600!

Cloth: If you have ever looked into cloth diapering or currently cloth diaper your child you know how much one type of cloth diaper can differ from the next in price. So depending on what type of diaper and brand you buy your cost could vary greatly from mine. We spent $350 to build our stash of 24 diapers and to also buy several accessories. Over the last year we have added a few items that I feel were a must to make the process a little easier, so as of today our grand total spent is probably more around $500. Next week I will be covering my favorite cloth diaper brands, how much they cost, and why I love them.

PEE, POO, AND EWWW

Changing a babies diaper is not the worst thing in the world but at times it is not the most pleasant. While the ease and convenience of disposables diapers is wonderful I can honestly say that once you get into the routine of dealing with pee and poo in a cloth diaper it is really not so bad. Yes it does take a tad bit longer to clean up but I think it is worth a few extra minutes to save over $1000. I will be covering more on how we handle the poo in a later post. But I will say that because I was exclusively breastfeeding Caden until he was 6 months old we could treat all the diapers the same. Everything could go straight into the washing machine, poo and all (I know it sounds gross but trust me the breastfed baby poo washes away and does not leave a trace on your washer or diapers). This made cloth diapering an easier sell because we didn’t have to worry about rinsing anything off into the toilet for the first several months.

HEALTH CONCERNS WITH DISPOSABLE DIAPERS

As a parent and someone who has become increasingly interested over the years in products that are placed or come in contact with the body I think this is an important subject to bring up. The more research I began doing on this topic the more I realized that I had no clue as to what goes into these products to make them do the things they do.

Dioxin: Most disposable diapers are treated with chlorine and the byproduct left behind from this treatment is dioxins. If you look up dioxin in the dictionary here is what you will find…

a highly toxic compound produced as a byproduct in some manufacturing processes, notably herbicide production and paper bleaching. It is a serious and persistent environmental pollutant.

Dioxins are carcinogens, and while they can be found on diapers they are also found on sanitary pads and tampons. But to put things in perspective, a 2002 study that analyzed dioxin levels in four types of diapers didn’t find the most potent known dioxin (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin) in any of the diapers tested. So while this could be considered good news, the fact remains that your baby might be exposed to minuscule amounts while wearing diapers.

Sodium Polyacrylate: If you have ever seen a disposable diaper explode you have seen the beads of the super-absorbent material that has been used in diapers since the 1980s to make them wonderfully pee-absorbent. sodium polyacrylate, absorbs 300 times its weight in tap water via osmosis. Some claim that this can cause skin irritations and allergic reactions. Sodium polyacrylate was removed from tampons in the 1980s after links to toxic shock syndrome, but it is still debated among experts if this is truly the cause for TSS or if women were wearing their tampons for days at a time causing a rich breeding ground for bacteria.

There are other suggestions that disposables diapers have been linked to increased asthma rates and also contribute to male infertility. I am no scientist and have not seen a study that can prove these claims but thought I would mention them so you know the health concerns parents have against putting their child in a disposable diaper.

DISPOSABLES DIAPERS COULD STILL BE USED

What? Didn’t you just tell us the health concerns behind disposables? Yes I did. I think as a consumer of any product, especially products you are going to use for your child, it is important to take a little time and research what you are planning on using. But I also was aware that cloth diapering wasn’t always going to work for everyone who watches Caden (including Josh and myself at times) or during special circumstances. So I told Josh we could still use disposables but we would try to mainly use cloth and see what happened. I think having a general plan is a great idea anytime you are trying something new. At first we tried to cloth diaper Caden at night. But over a few weeks the smell from his hemp insert started to reek. Like make your eyes water when we would change him in the morning. So to solve that problem we put Caden in disposables at bedtime each night. Disposables are also great to use if your little ones get sick with a stomach bug or if you are planning in being away from home for a long stretch of time.

ECO-FRIENDLY

While some will cite the added use of water used in washing cloth diapers as an environmental concern no less important than our ever filling landfills, it is important to note that a great deal of water is used to produce disposable diapers too. In addition disposable diapers contain petroleum-based ingredients, also a non-renewable resource. Many studies have proven that disposable diapers negatively impact the environment both in the production and disposal after use.

CLOTH DIAPER LAYETTE

If you have decided to take the plunge or are leaning that way here is what you can plan on buying to get you started. I will cover these items in more detail in the following weeks. This overview should give you a basic idea of what you will need. Depending on when you decide you will be cloth diapering your little one you can always include some of these items on your baby shower registry. Also check Craigslist too! I know it sounds weird but you can find lots of great deals on cloth diapers and accessories.

24 – 36 Diapers (I will be discussing my favorite types and brands next week)
Additional Inserts: these will add additional absorbency to your diapers and help prevent leaks
Wet Bag or Pail Liner: waterproof bag where you will store your diapers between washes
On The Go Wet Bag: waterproof bag for storing your dirty diapers when you are on the go
Cloth Wipes
Wipe Spray
Diaper Sprayer: attaches to your toilet to help remove solid waste
Detergent

There you have it! Those are the main ways that I convinced Josh, and myself, that we should cloth diaper our baby. The biggest selling point was the cost difference overtime between disposables vs. cloth. Now that we have Maisie we will be saving even more money because we already have everything we need to cloth diaper.

Do you cloth diaper or have you wanted to try? Why or why not?

If there is any other health, fitness, nutrition, mommy related product you would like me to investigate let me know. Chances are good I have already researched it and would be happy to share my thoughts and what I have learned with you.

Filed Under: Health, My Family Tagged With: Cloth Diapering

Whitening Your Teeth Naturally With Activated Charcoal

March 31, 2014 by Tamara 7 Comments

Your smile is a great way to brighten someone’s day and leave a lasting impression. But if your teeth are stained and have lost their luster sometimes smiling is the last thing you want to do. While there are many products available that will whiten your teeth almost all of them contain harsh chemicals. When Crest Whitestrips first came out I was so excited to try them, and while I loved the results that they gave me I wasn’t thrilled that my teeth and gums hurt for several hours after I used them.

If you are tired of putting chemicals into your mouth in order to achieve a whiter smile keep on reading. I am happy to share with you the amazing results I had by using activated charcoal to whiten my teeth. These photo’s have not been edited in anyway to make my teeth appear whiter.

After 7 days of using activated charcoal in combination with hydrogen peroxide for a mouthwash the results were amazing!

WHAT IS ACTIVATED CHARCOAL AND HOW DOES IT WHITEN YOUR TEETH?

Best known for it’s ability to keep poison from being absorb into the body if it is digested, activated charcoal is carbon that has been treated with oxygen. The treatment results in a highly porous charcoal. Activated Charcoal is made by heating coconut shells in the absence of air. The partly burned shells are then granulated to a size that provides for optimum absorption.

Activated charcoal is amazing at whitening teeth because of its adsorption qualities. Yes I did say adsorption, not to be confused with absorption. The perfect example would be drinking a glass of water = absorption vs. spilling a glass of water on your skin = adsorption. Activated charcoal is really good with it’s adsorption of tannins. Tannins are in the food and beverages we consume that stain our teeth (wine, tea,cola, sauces, sweets,etc) and activated charcoal is remarkably efficient and fast at adsorbing them.

It even has the ability to be helpful at adjusting the pH balance in the mouth. This can be helpful for preventing cavities and bad breath. Plus after you brush your teeth with activated charcoal your mouth will feel super clean and you won’t be able to stop running your tongue against your teeth.

HOW TO USE ACTIVATED CHARCOAL TO WHITEN YOUR TEETH

Activated charcoal is very messy! You have been warned. Use with caution when brushing your teeth. It will not stain your teeth or skin but it can be hard to clean up if spilled.

1) Brush and clean your teeth like you would normally.

2) If using activated charcoal from a capsule, twist it open (I like to do this over the garbage can) and place contents inside mouth. Don’t swallow. You can throw away the capsule.

3) Using your tooth brush give your teeth a good scrubbing. Your mouth will be very black. Don’t worry it will wash out. I brushed my teeth for about 1 minute with the charcoal. And because I love you all so much here is what my mouth looked liked each and every time.

4) Get ready for the really messy part now. Have a glass of water nearby that you can rinse your mouth with. This will take several attempts unit the water runs out clean in your sink. Make sure to rinse off your toothbrush as well.

5) Lastly I used hydrogen peroxide to give a final rinse to my mouth and teeth. I figured if I am ditching the typical way most people whiten their teeth I might as well switch up my mouthwash at the same time.

And that is it. Pretty simple and very cost effective. For the activated charcoal capsules and hydrogen peroxide I spent just under $10. I will be able to use both of these products for a very long time before they run out.

THE RESULTS

I think the pictures speak for themselves. I was very impressed with how easy this was and while I don’t think I will be doing this everyday I can see myself doing this at least once a week and maybe more often if I have a special event planned.I was amazed in the difference that only a few days made but I decided to continue on with my experiment for the full week. Again these pictures have not been edited to make my teeth appear whiter.

If you want to try this out for yourself here are the products I used:

Make sure and take pictures too! It is fun to see how much of a difference this made in the appearance of my teeth and how much cleaner they felt after using the activated charcoal.

Do you think you will try this?

Filed Under: Health, Personal, Products Tagged With: Activated Charcoal, Crest Whitestrips, Hydrogen Peroxide, Teeth, Teeth Whitening

Why I’m Over Kegels & Loving Squats: Real Pelvic Floor Advice

March 10, 2014 by Tamara 8 Comments

Last week at the gym when I made a quick dash to the restroom I found several ladies discussing how much more they hated jumping jacks now since having a baby. Seeing my pregnant belly they urged me to do my Kegels as they headed off to their group fitness class. I could totally relate to what they were talking about, you can read my post on this very topic: The Mama Confessionals: Oops…I Peed My Pants! Nobody wants to pee on themselves, which is why I thought it would be helpful to talk about how I feel about Kegels on the blog today.

Now don’t stop reading this just because you haven’t had a baby. This post will be helpful to everyone, because even the manliest of men, can suffer from pelvic floor disorders. I think the majority of information that we have been told by our doctors, girlfriends, moms, and sister on Kegels is more harmful to us than helpful. Let me explain…

KEGELS & YOUR PELVIC FLOOR

Doing Kegels causes muscular contractions. Now if you have very slack pelvic floor muscles Kelgels, if done correctly, can be helpful to make the muscles taut. Unless you have worked with a pelvic floor specialist using a biofeedback machine it can be very hard to know if you are doing these exercises correctly.

I have heard some recommendations to do Kegels repeatedly throughout the day. Let’s think about this for a moment. Doing 1 exercise repetitively will only cause a tight muscle. If you already have a tight muscle contracting it more will further aggravate it. Doing this type of exercise over and over again during the day can cause the pelvic floor muscles to become weaker, not stronger. When pelvic floor muscles become weak they create instability throughout the entire core of the body. When you only focus on one small part of the puzzle you miss the big picture. Don’t miss the big picture here. Pelvic floor disorders are serious business.

Instead of tightening the pelvic floor muscles we should be lengthen them. Resist the urge to tuck your tailbone under when you are standing or walking. Normal movements that we do everyday play a huge role in how our muscles function. Do you wear high heels to work? Invest in cute pair of flats instead. Do you feel like you are constantly straining when you go the bathroom? Invest in a Squatty Potty. Seriously if you have never heard of these or think the idea of squatting to poo is crazy you are not alone. I laughed the first time I heard about the Squatty Potty, but it is seriously one of the best products we have ever purchased for our house! I will do a separate post on the benefits of squatting in the bathroom soon.

Be aware of your pelvic alignment. Take time to know where your pelvis is when you sit, stand, walk, and exercise. Like I mentioned above even going to the bathroom can shift the alignment in your pelvis. Want to know more about how you can adjust the alignment of your body? Check out several of my tips in my post The Truth About Diastasis Recti & Healing Your Core.

SQUATTING & STRETCHING

Do bodyweight squats daily and activate your glutes. If you really want to prevent pelvic floor disorders build up your glutes. Having a nicely shaped butt will not only give you a boost of confidence but it also will ensure that your pelvis is not being pulled forward by tight pelvic floor muscles. By squatting deep on a regular basis you are training the body to keep the little curve at the small of your back and the pelvic floor muscles from being overly tense.

Focus on stretching. Start with your calves, hamstrings, and groin (adductors). Stretching these muscle groups will help your squat become deeper. If you are an athlete and having tight quads and psoas can keep the pelvis tucked, which we want to prevent as much a possible. So get out the foam roller and focus on lengthen these muscle groups.

If you are having a baby squat during labor. Seriously! There are squat bars that can be attached to the end of your hospital bed. Grip that bar, push away, and deliver that baby with the help of gravity. I can tell you I had a great experience delivering Caden this way. My pelvis was aligned and I was in a position that allowed me to make the best use of gravity to push my baby out using every muscle group in my entire body.

All that to say I have ditched Kegels in favor of squats. Does this mean I don’t ever have leakage? Well no, but I will say that based on what I have heard from other mom’s my results have been successful. I am 28 weeks pregnant and can get through my workouts leak free. For me I feel like that is a success. Now if I get super sick with bronchitis and start pumping the fluids you probably won’t want to sit very close to me.

As women we need to encourage, educate, and be resources for each other. I know my body will never be back to how it was before having kids and I am 100% fine with that. The more you can understand why your body works the way it does the better equipped you will be to improve how it functions. I love sharing what I have learned through my own research here on my blog. If you want to learn even more about squatting and how to know if you are doing it correctly check out Katy Bowman’s post You Don’t Know Squat.

Now I want to hear from you! Leave me a comment below if you have any questions. I would also love to know: Did you do Kegels during your pregnancy and what were your results? Has anyone else squatted to deliver their baby?

Additional Reading:

Filed Under: Health, Postpartum, Pregnancy Tagged With: Kegels, Pelvic Floor, Squats