Cloth Diapers: Going Simple

photo credit Diaper Junction

If you are interested in cloth diapers because you want to save money above all other reasons, then think prefolds. Prefolds are pretty much the least expensive way to cloth diaper ($1-2 per diaper + a few covers that start around $11 each). Though you will need a couple of sizes to cover your baby from birth to potty training, you can still get everything you need to diaper your child for 3+ years for less than a couple of packages of disposables. If you are only cloth diapering part time, this is still a great option to save $$, too.

So what do you need?

1. Prefold Diapers - before I started cloth diapering, I knew these as burp cloths, but really they are the 'old school' diapers you see on baby posters. Some good options are Thirsties Cloth Diapers -hemp prefolds, or the very inexpensive but effective Indian Prefolds.  For full time diapering you probably need 20-30 of these, depending on how often your baby 'goes' and how often you want to do laundry.

photo credit Diaper Junction

2. Diaper Covers - Thirsties Diapers makes two great options - either a sized cover, or the Duo Wrap, where two sizes will cover your baby's diapering lifetime. There are lots of cute patterns and options out there to choose from, so check out Blueberry and can be very inexpensive, like Econobum,  For full time diapering at home you probably need 3-5 of these in each size, depending on how often you do laundry, or how often baby poops. Covers can be reused several times between pee diapers, but need to be washed after poop gets on them.

3. Snappi (optional) - the snappi replaces the need for pins in this 'old fashioned' way of diapering. It works like the gripper on an Ace bandage to hold together your folded diaper. I say this is optional, because I often forgo the snappi and fold the diaper Angel Wing style and just lay or tuck it into the cover. You probably only need one or two of these for full time diapering.

THAT'S IT. That is really all you need.
... Of course it is easy to go crazy with a collection of covers, and maybe you will get a few accessories (like a wetbag for storing dirty diapers, detergent specific for cloth diapers, cloth diaper safe diaper cream, to name a few)

I admit that I don't send these to daycare (I am so grateful that our teachers are willing to cloth diaper, that I want to minimize any potential intimidation), but I frequently turn to these myself at home. They take up very little space when packing the diaper back for a whole day out - and we seem to always have some handy. That big stack of burp cloths? Those can double as a diaper in a pinch, too (after all, that's what they really are...).

One Hot Mama Challenge - Month 1 Week 2

Month 1, Week 2: Money Talks

toddler's version of our 'gulf fish in papillote'

We decided to keep M in preschool during my maternity leave. Well actually, it was more a given between us - we never considered not keeping him there. Even though I am only partially paid for some of my time off (we can cover this hot topic later...) I wanted to give Baby Sister my full attention, realistically be able to take naps if I need them, and really take the time to go to things like a lactation group and Mommy and Me Yoga. We were fortunate enough to have some savings to help us keep covering the cost of daycare (and the regular bills) during my time off.

This week's focus in One Hot Mama is coming to terms with your new budget, be it temporary or permanent, and all the ways this might come into play.

Of course, when you aren't working, you're pretty much spending money (why does it seem there is no middle ground?) So, I wanted to get a good jogging stroller, a key to making a work out, and even just getting out of the house, more realistic. But I couldn't come to terms with a $600 price tag, especially when we already had strollers that technically worked just fine for their purpose. So I found the one I wanted gently used on Craigslist and saved half.

I mentioned my weekly meal planning before in regards to saving my sanity and time during the week, but it helps in the $$ department, too! Having a plan for our groceries keeps wasted food to a minimum. I find that meat is the priciest item in our food budget, so planning at least one meatless meal per week helps here. Also I can plan to split meat between meals, like using half a rotisserie chicken for Monday's meal, and the other half later in the week, or buying a bulk package of ground beef, etc. and doing the same. Feel free to look at some of my weekly menus by clicking on the recipe key word on the side.

If a class at the gym or a Stroller Strides group isn't in your budget, you can still get some good, regimented fitness. The book gives a suggested workout schedule for a full three months, that allows you the flexibility to choose what you like to do (for example, one day's prescription is '30 min walk, 20 min jog, or cardio class at the gym'). I downloaded a Free 'Couch to 5k' app on my phone that gives me three walk-to-run workouts per week, and even gives audio cues on when to start/stop running, and can incorporate music from my own phone. Additionally, Erin's book gives some great strength and yoga routine ideas. I even started to dig up my old workout DVDs that I haven't seen in a year!!

Some of my favorites:
Yoga for Surfers, Peggy Hall
Postnatal Rescue, Erin O'Brien (has some gentle stretches you can do as soon as you get home from the hospital)
The Biggest Winner series, Jillian Michaels
Yogini Workout, Ellen Barrett

Erin gives some other examples of what she thinks are worth splurging for - and how you can set a goal to get the cash for them.

Erin is graciously giving away a *FREE* signed copy of her book - for a chance to win it, answer this question -

*** Question: What ways have you made room in your budget for your new addition? ***

Find the other One Hot Mama posts here.

Recipes this Week

Just returned from a week vacation visiting our parents over Easter break, but we are hitting the ground running to make our weekly meal plans, and keep my sanity. Sunday morning after we flew in, hubby and M ran to the store for breakfast supplies (eggs, sausage, fruit, bread and milk). Then later he went back during naptime for the veggies for the sausage and rice! My motivation for cooking most weeknights is to have leftovers - so I have something to pack for M's lunch as well as our own. It helps us all make better food choices when we are crunched for time, and let's us spend our $ on meals out over the weekend when we can really enjoy it.

As usual the lineup includes one meatless dinner and one fish dinner.

Sausage and Rice - Our dinner-in-a-pinch, this week with brown rice! I still haven't perfected this, but I try to sub whole grains for processed ones in as many places as I can. I started 1 cup of brown rice with 3 cups of water. Brought to a boil and then simmered for 10 minutes before adding the kielbasa rounds. Cooked with sausage for 10 more minutes, then added the chopped broccoli and red pepper. Cooked for a final 10 minutes. The result was still a little soupy, and a bit creamier than the white rice version, but I let it rest, uncovered for a bit, served with a slotted spoon. By the end of dinner the extra water had been absorbed/evaporated.

Chicken and Bean Nachos - adapted from this recipe, We make the avocado salsa (usually omitting the jicama if we can't find it). Otherwise we layer tortilla chips, then shredded rotisserie chicken (we use about half of one, and save the rest for something else), rinsed canned pinto or black beans, and a thin layer of shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese on a cookie sheet. Broil for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted, and top with the salsa. We usually make one cookie sheet-ful for our family of 2.5, and the rest makes all our lunches for the next day.
To make the next day lunches, I put all the topings together in a tupperware, one in each corner, and pack chips seperately. Hubby and I assemble all but the salsa, microwave to melt cheese, then top with Salsa. M eats all his seperately.

Not your mama's tuna salad - courtesy of Rachel Ray. This is another easy favorite of mine :)

Tacos & re-fried beans - The tacos are your average recipe (store-bought shells; meat seasoned with a store-bought packet of seasoning... we used half a pound of leftover bison, and some of our leftover rotisserie chicken from the nachos above; diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, avocado chunks, plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream) and we used Ellie Kreiger's recipe for the beans (delicious! even my husband was pleasantly surprised!)

Quinoa salad - adapted from this recipe, I swapped quinoa for the wheat berries, but everything else is the same - YUM!

This week we also took a family urban hike to our closest grocery store on a chilly, overcast day and picked up frozen pizzas (hubby and I always get our own since we like different things, which means plenty for M and lunch leftovers) + frozen veggies for a Saturday-night-in dinner. We also picked up ingredients to make our favorite breakfast casserole Sunday morning:

2 cans reduced fat crescent rolls
1 roll reduced fat breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
8 eggs (1 yolk reserved)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350
1. Unroll one can of crescent rolls on the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.
2. Top with sausage and cheeses (beware: too much cheese will make the casserole too greasy).
3. Scramble the 7 eggs and 1 egg white (reserving the 8th yolk), and pour over the sausage and cheese.
4. Unroll and top with the second can of crescent rolls.
5. Brush top layer with reserved yolk.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until center of casserole is set.
Cut and serve!!