Pumping Pitfalls

Workin' it!
via babygearcenterdotcom

As you take on pumping as a second job (third! you are now a Mom, too!), there are a few incidents you may be anxious about or want to avoid... Or want to commiserate about, if you've already experienced...

Finding time to pump. Regardless of how much time you take off from work, one thing you absolutely must do before returning to work if you plan to keep nursing, is schedule in your pumping sessions (and be mindful booking adjacent meetings). If you have some kind of a desk job, make regularly occurring meetings on your calendar for at least 20 minutes, probably 3 times per day, whenever you anticipate you would be feeding your little one. These breaks will vary as your baby consolidates feedings and eventually weans, but this is a good place to start. And don't forget to discuss this pumping with your boss. He or she has to allow you time to pump, but it is courteous to discuss your needs, and offer to work out a schedule that accommodates everyone. My boss actually had a baby a year before I did and she actually had lots of tips to offer, and was very supportive.
People knocking on your office door. Ugh! Especially when they should know what you are doing in there. Even as I have become comfortable with pumping at work (and other places), and breastfeeding just about anywhere, I still cannot bring myself to yell through my closed door, "Sorry I am busy right now!" C'mon people. The door is closed... you can hear the pump "whirrrring" in here... Ask me your question via the office instant messenger... or wait 10 minutes.

Crying over spilled milk. This is certainly a big risk from having to bottle the stuff and measure it out and cart it back and forth between work and home and daycare and other places out and about. I had a particularly frustrating day before returning to work, trying to build up a backup supply. My well-meaning hubby had given the baby our backup bottle, and I felt this overwhelming need to replace said bottle, even though it was bedtime. So after nursing (so I was pretty much on E, right?) I got out the pump and tried to see what I could get out. I was already stressed out about "needing" to pump, and it was late. So then to top it all off, when I finished pumping and had extracted a couple ounces (which felt sub-par, though was a decent amount, given all other circumstances), I promptly knocked over the uncapped container and spilled it all over the carpet. I definitely cried. Needless to say, the whole scenario could have been avoided, but I bring this up to say, that wastage of breast milk in any form is a feels like a personal hit. Take extra care when handling it to avoid the tears.

Not being able to pump enough. So I mentioned I am an IE, right? So I have a spreadsheet that I keep track of my pumping progress. I like to know if I have met my quota for the day; how today compares with yesterday, or last week; noticing that the left side has higher output than the right... etc. According to my sheet, I have pumped gallons of milk since returning to work. What a confidence booster!! But this also brings some stress, say, when I haven't made my daily quota, or if I notice a poor trend developing. The best advice I can give here, is know that you will have enough. And if you don't, it's OK. You can supplement with formula if you need to. Really.

the setup
via Medela

Not packing the supplies you need. You do not want to be caught without any of they key equipment needed to extract milk during the day, especially since you probably have a target (however much baby will need tomorrow with his caregiver!) and every ounce short induces panic (see above). One thing I have been short on before is enough milk receptacles. So I started packing several freezer bags just in case I forgot, or in case I had a great day, volume-wise and needed a place to put it all. This does actually happen, by the way and you definitely want to be able to capitalize on it. The apparatus - you definitely will need the pump and the "horns" and tubing, etc. I would recommend also having the AC adapter, of your pump is battery powered. At a La Leche League meeting, I learned that during the day I didn't need to do any cleaning between sessions since breast milk is basically magical enough to ward off bacteria for that short a time. They also advocated just a rinse in the evening, and a sterilization on the weekend. If you subscribe to this like I did then the only real opportunity to forget pieces if the setup is Sunday night/Monday morning, so be extra diligent that day. I kept the parts drying on a burp cloth together after cleaning preferably near the pump bag.  (see my pumping at work checklist for other items to pack).

Leaving the pump bag at work.  This is the worst feeling. If you live close and have time you can go back and get it. But it's a pain, and if you don't live close, you'll just cry. Again, try to keep it near things you won't - or better yet - can't forget, like your keys.


yummy muffin!
via dominosugardotcom

 Not eating or drinking enough. It is so easy to forget, especially as you start to get caught up in the day-to-day at work again. I recommend grabbing a big glass of water every time you go to pump. And pack snacks you'll look forward to, and that are portable. Also, our pediatrician recommended that I drink a glass or two of milk per day for the hydration and calories. I interpreted this as, 'you can drink all the chocolate milk you want'. So I packed a 9-oz baby bottle of skim milk and a couple tablespoons of Hershey's syrup, with a flat cap on top and kept it in the fridge at work to look forward to as a treat each day. I made big muffins on the weekend, and packed them as snacks (that I knew I would look forward to). I bought Luna bars by the caseload and kept them, and a water bottle, in my work bag at all times.

Pumping at Work

In case you didn't know this, I am an Industrial Engineer by background, which means I am always trying to streamline processes, even in my personal life. Now that I have this new baby, it is more important than ever for me to optimize my time. And this is especially true at work, since I look forward to 5:00 when I can run to daycare and snuggle the little one as soon as possible. This being said, I am also still nursing said little one, which means I am also pumping at work. For any other mama's planning to do the same, I would like to offer a few tips:

 First and foremost, make sure your employer is aware of your need to pump and what this means. You will need a clean private place to do this, and some flexibility in your day to take breaks to do so. It doesn't mean you won't be working during these time periods, but it may, even if you have the best of intentions of staying productive. Know that if you have a desk job, it is likely that you can still get some things done while utilizing a hands-free pump, but you may also need to focus on getting yourself in the "baby zone" (see below) or have some technical difficulties to contend with that might preclude work during these pump breaks.

Secondly, as you are planning to be out (and for sure before you return) go ahead and block out some planned pumping time on your calendar.  This prevents you (or others if they can see this calendar) from over-scheduling  you. Its not fool proof: of course there will be those meetings that  you really can't negotiate. So you'll have to adjust forward or back some. Don't stress about this too much. Your milk will still be there. And if you can at all have a store in the freezer before you come back, this takes the pressure off, too.

How many breaks per day should you plan on? Ideally you should pump when your little one will be eating (with the caregiver you have entrusted). Before I had the baby I envisioned that would get it all in with only two breaks per day, but by the time I was actually returning to work, I figured I'd better play it safe and go with 3 (and occasionally he was actually eating 4 times!). This proved to be successful. I did find that the first pump of the day (after having only nursed on one side in the AM) yielded the most and the other two, significantly less. Eventually, as the little guy's feeding schedule changed, I dropped down to two pumping sessions.

So what should you bring with you to pump?
You'll probably find your grove after a while, but initially I would plan to pack the following:
A really good, reliable, hands-free pump I am loving my Medela Freestyle. I am not sure of any other truly hands-free competitor out there. I really struggled with my decision, though. I felt guilty about spending so much $$ on a pump, when there were several options out there that were less expensive. I even had a friend that used one and said it worked "just fine." The one she had wasn't hands-free in-and-of-itself, she used one of  those hands-free bras. I just wasn't 100% convinced that would work, so I went this route, and don't have a single complaint. And I feel totally justified after I discussed the price of formula with another new mommy. This pump, as expensive as it was, paid for itself in just a couple months.  Until a friend asked me about it recently, I didn't realize how passionate I really was about my pump. But you go with what makes you feel comfortable.
...all the pieces that attach it to you, whether that means the straps and clips for the Freestyle, or a hands-free bra.
Burp cloth. I find this serves several purposes: it can be that thing that smells like your baby, if you need the reminder to put you in the lactation mood; it can be your pumping placemat, where you can lay out all your equipment, and still protect your workspace from potential drips or spills; and also it is great to wrap up the "horns," as some call them (the parts that attach to you, and might have milk still on them), and  put them back in your bag for next time.
Empty collection bottles (and lids!) If you do go with the Freestyle, know that Gerber bottles are compatible with the pump as well (which can really save some $$$ as those Medela sets are not cheap!). I also recommend looking into several sizes for milk collection. We were pumping from day one, since our little guy needed some time to learn to latch on. We started with some teeny 1 oz containers at the hospital, which really cut down on the intimidation factor of the 9oz bottles we had waiting at home. Just starting out, there was a pronounced progression from the 1oz, to the 2.5 oz to the 4 or 5 oz, and finally the 9oz-ers. each subsequent size really felt like an achievement for me, and a milestone for the little one. And if you are using the Medela cooler bag that comes with the pump, it neatly fits 4 of the 5oz bottles, but also two 5's and one 9oz (tilted sideways) and a full milk storage bag, when/if you get to needing that combination.
And while you're packing these, go ahead and slap labels on them. Our daycare requires that we use a specific color tape to label our bottles, and that we write our child's name, the date the milk was expressed, and when it will "expire". I go ahead and and label at least the first two when I pack them before pumping.
Wipes I keep these in the bag for wiping off the pump parts, but I honestly don't use them all that much. I went to a moms' group hosted by a La Leche League rep while I was on maternity leave. (I highly recommend mommy groups while on leave for a variety of reasons, by the way...). They really talked about the almost magical powers of breast milk, such that a thorough washing and sterilizing is not required between each use throughout the day. I do rinse the "horns" every evening during the week and let them air dry on my counter, and I sterilize them once over the weekend.
paper towels/napkins These are the mainstay of what I use to clean up after the pumping session. I usually grab a handful from our break room in the morning and keep them stashed in a desk drawer. As I am disconnecting myself from the horns, I have a napkin handy to catch any drips, and to wipe out the cup before I detach the collection bottle, so it doesn't drip on me. I do tilt it back some to see if I can get any of that milk to go into the bottle, but usually I can't, and be careful that you don't pour milk out of the backside of the bottle if its really full.
hand sanitizer I keep a pump of this at my desk and sanitize before opening my pump bag to pull out all my equipment. I am not a super-germaphobe, but its probably not a bad idea when handling my kid's food.
milk storage bags You will definitely need these if you are trying to rotate your freezer stock to keep the milk less than the recommended one month old. I also try to keep a few extra of these in the pocket of the pump bag. You never know when you are going to have a really good pumping day and need a little extra space for stashing milk. My favorite were the Nuk brand ones (I found the lansinoh bags to leak when I defrosted them... sad sad)
permanent marker for labeling the storage bags
nursing bra maybe this is obvious (because the hands-free attachments for your pump will clip to it, but just in case. Also make sure the ones you buy are compatible with said attachments. All of them are not. And you may not need one if you are going with the hand-free bra + not-so-hands-free pump option. One I love is the Bravado seamless silk.
cooler bag and ice pack(s) for storing pumped milk until you get home to the fridge
A/C adapter plug just in case the battery on the pump dies on you. Plus, its nice to keep all of the pump stuff together, so you don't have to hunt it down if you want to pack it for vacation, etc.
photos Or in this age of the Internet, have access to your personal web or Facebook page (via smartphone, computer, etc.) to view all those cute photos your are sharing with friends and family. Your baby's smiling mug will do a lot to get you in the mood for lactation.

Don't forget to also pack plenty of (healthy) snacks for the day, and drink lots of water (or milk, as I was advised by my child's pediatrician) to replace all those calories you are pumping out!!!

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: The Pivotal Point...

So, they key issue here on these cloth diapers is can a working mom keep up with these. Thus far, I haven't really been working but a couple of days a week, and those have been from home. I am going back to work in a week or so full time. This means that my time here at the house (little one or no little one) will be greatly reduced. I anticipate this will make it more difficult to squeeze in a load of laundry (cloth diapers or otherwise), so we are nearing the moment of truth.

So far, I have really been impressed with the diapers. Each has endured being soaked and soiled to the max, and I can say that we've had no poopy leaks, just one wet diaper seepage where the thing was FULL and the contents reached out of the top of the waistband. I think that is pretty darn good compared to the messes we've cleaned from the disposables, whether we've needed to go up a size or not. I have been more than impressed with the sun's ability to remove stains from the diapers, and laundering is relatively quick (though I have had the luxury to just pop over to the washer any time, even mid-blog-post). I would feel better if I could run a more full load. And I've not tested having to cart these out-and-about with me much, as I haven't invested in a travel wetbag just yet.

Also, We have 4 diapers total. One of which is an overnight, and one is a pre-fold/cover combo, so that can last up to 3 diaper changes, depending on if the cover gets soiled since we have 3 pre-folds to swap out. This almost nearly has us covered for one day outside of daycare. At the moment, the hubby and I both agree that we like them enough not to send them back as we near our 30-day trial. However, we are going to give it a couple of weeks after I go back to work to evaluate the laundering situation (and the real crux of the working mom issue, in my opinion) to decide if we are going to order more to cover us more days of the week/weekend. We'll consult the math on the Dollars and Sense post to decide how many more we'll get if those weeks are successful. I think I would still like to order one more overnight diaper, regardless of the outcome, since I just feel so much better about the little guy hanging out in a cloth diaper as he is sleeping through the night more and more, rather than a  bloated disposable (I changed one pretty full disposable diaper recently, to find a few little gel beads on his skin, which rather freaked me out).

So stay tuned: in a couple of weeks we'll have our verdict!

ps: My husband has reminded me that there is another pivotal issue involved in all this cloth diapering, that we will not be able to evaluate for another 6 months or so: solid poop. At the moment, our breast milk-soiled diapers go right in the cloth diaper pail. I am unsure of the diaper changing logistics when there is solid poop to be disposed of (seeing as how our changing table is in the nursery which is an entirely separate room from where we keep the toilet...). I suspect that by then, our little guy's bowel movements will be fewer, and more predictable (and perhaps all being taken care of at daycare on weekdays), so we may be able to strategize a bit to minimize this issue, if it really is an issue. I'd be interested in feedback on this if you have it! And you can look forward to another post as we get to that point!!

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: Dollars and Sense

So, I did some quick math:

One disposable diaper is about $0.20 to $0.25.

A cloth diaper (not including pre-folds and wraps) is about $23-$25. So a hundred uses, makes it pay for itself (not including the cost of washing). The cost of washing is about $0.60 per load.

So I REALLY like the rump-a-rooz diaper for overnight. If I bought 2, to rotate evenings, They would pay themselves off in about 6 months. So 3 or 4 pay off in less than a year.

For the day diaper types (except pre-folds), if I am just using them in the mornings and afternoons, I would use about 3-4 a day, and maybe 6-7 a day on weekends. So if I invested in a dozen of one kind (or some combo of a couple kinds), That's about $300. So they would pay for themselves in just under a year (assuming a couple weeks of vacation in disposables, perhaps).

So... still the cost of the laundry, but that's $400 up front cost for nights and weekends, so if the little guy doesn't potty train at age one we'll be benefiting. If he does, well then, that is worth any difference in cost for sure!!

Also, if I could convince the daycare to use cloth... using the same numbers... I know my day care has to change him (by law) at least once every two hours. So let's assume (conservatively) 5 diapers during the day. 25 per week. So that's 55 diapers changes per week total (combined with those above), minimum. If you were willing to do laundry every other day... you could have, what? 12? 18? in the queue? Even if you bought 24, they would pay themselves off in a year! If you could get by with fewer (which if we say yes, we'll start on the low side, and add more as needed), then even sooner!

Now I say "excluding" prefolds, because at this point, my husband still thinks they are going to be kind of tough. However, they are definitely the least expensive, so if I can change his mind on them, those will be the best decision fiscally!

Additional items - other things to consider include wetbags (one for the nursery and one for the diaper bag, at a minimum... maybe a spare while washing?), snappi's (if you go with prefolds), and you can even go the cloth wipe route! Now that's advanced. Also, cloth diaper-ers recommend certain diaper creams when pairing with cloth to prevent affecting the absorbency of the diapers.

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: Day 3

So I had some good experiences today!

Laundry: I was worried that more poop had stained these brand new diapers. I wondered if I was washing them incorrectly? Or waiting too long before washing (1-2 days)? Then I remembered something I'd read a lot about in my research, that lots of mom's praised the power of the sun to fade staining. The rain had finally let up and it was sunny (though chilly), so I let them dry outside on the porch. Only a few short hours later they were dry and stain-free. Even the thirsties cover whose white piping had stained on the first wearing, and I thought was already a lost cause. And the best part - drying outside was faster and cheaper than running the dryer for 3 cycles!

Reusable cover! Finally M only had a wet diaper in the Thirsties duo. Even though he was wet after only an hour, I finally got to try my hand at changing only the prefold. It really wasn't much different from changing a regular diaper, except I am not so graceful with the snappi yet, and I am super-paranoid about making sure all the edges of the prefold are tucked in. Also, I can't help but wonder if he wouldn't have felt wet in such a short time in a disposable, but then again, this is supposed to be the aspect that helps with potty training, right? This left me with the promise of a longer stretch of using cloth for the day!

Soon, I will sit down with the math to see how long it would take for a stash of cloth to pay for itself (in part time usage, that is)... this could be the real pivotal point for us...

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: Day 2

First dirty wash: Last night we threw all the diapers, and the liner right into the wash. We ran a small load, with a small amt of detergent with the extra rinse cycle. All the poop was gone! Sadly, the prefold, showed a little staining, as did the gusset on the Thirsties wrap, and a small spot on the BumGenius. I ran those through again on a warm rinse. Still a little staining on the wrap and prefold. Threw everything in the dryer (except the cover, which I let air dry). After one dryer cycle,  the inserts and AIO were still damp, so I left them out to air dry overnight again, and again they needed another short cycle in the dryer. The AIO is still a little damp.

Yesterday evening, we used the wrap, a prefold, and a snappi and went out for dinner with a friend. We had an hour stop to make on the way, and again, we must've caught the little guy at a good time, because by the time we made the restaurant the cloth diaper combo was FULL. Again we couldn't reuse the cover, so we put a disposable on him.

For overnight, the Rumparooz insert was still damp, as I mentioned, so he was in a disposable. Again, M slept through the night (!), which means it wasn't cloth magic the previous night. But we are still happy.

This morning, after his regular post-breakfast poop, I put on the GrowVia. It only took him about 15 minutes to wet this one. It wasn't dripping wet, but it was wet, and he was fussy, so we changed him into a disposable as we waited for the AIO to finish drying. The cover was still spared (no poop though), which is a plus, since if we had an extra insert we could have just changed that part.

So far, I am not feeling overwhelming love for cloth diapers, but I do think that having more of them would make it better. I feel a little wasteful doing a whole laundry cycle for 4 diapers, and then having to keep switching back and forth from cloth to disposable. Also they don't seem to last quite as long as disposable (between changings) but to be fair, most mornings we go through 3 disposables in an hour, depending on how we time them with his digestive cycles. And disposables hold so much pee because of the chemicals in them, which is a bit of a bummer. Also, we haven't had any blowouts in them (but we haven't tested poop in all models yet, either).

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: Day 1

So, after I got home from SweetBottoms, I washed the Thirsties Duo wrap, prefolds (which had already been "prepped" and washed several times), the Rump-a-rooz parts, and the diaper pail liner (did I mention this yesterday?) with some towels from the dirty clothes basket (I figured this was OK since we haven't been using fabric softener or dryer sheets since the new addition to our family. I point this out because Beth wanted me to be sure not to contaminate the diapers with softeners because it can diminish their absorbency). I hung the cover and liner to dry, and threw the rest in the dryer. Next, I had to "prep" the Grow Via and the BumGenius AIO. This means you have to wash them on hot several times (since they are new natural products) to up their absorbency. These two had to go by themselves. I was home for the afternoon, so this wasn't too much of a pain. When the small load on the washer stopped, I just turned it on again. After 4 or 5 goes, I put them in the dryer (not the GrowVia shell... but the other parts). Now this took a while. One dry towel, and two diaper pieces. Two dry cycles. Then I threw them on the drying rack (inside) overnight. THEN in the AM I threw then back in the dryer and they were FINALLY dry. This could be a turnoff if it is going to take this much time. We shall see.

Meanwhile, the first two diapers were ready to use by the evening. M and I were headed to a mommy group, so I braved using a new cloth diaper. Just before I fed him, I put on the prefold with a snappi (using this rolling technique), and the Thirsties cover (size 1, on the largest setting). He ate (starting at about 5:45), and we headed out (6:15). He got fussy during the group around 7:00. I went to change him, as I'd packed an extra prefold. His diaper was LOADED up. In a couple of hours the prefold was soaked through, and he had pooped. It was all contained in the cover, but unfortunately the cover could not be re-used, so I had to put on a disposable. What did I do with the soiled cloth? I put in in a gallon ziploc bag, and then transferred it to the cloth-liner lined trash can back in the nursery when we got home. My opinion after test one: not sure if I have a "heavy wetter" or if I just got him at the right time to load up the diaper, but my hopes of just changing the prefold are a little bruised.

After we got back from the meeting, I sat down with the hubby and showed him the 4 diapers I'd gotten at Beth's. He (also very patiently) listened, and was genuinely interested. Good sign.

We fed the little guy for the last time before bed, and went to change him into the Rump-a-rooz for bed time. This was comical. The diaper was huge!!!! Beth had recommended this one for night time (since I think we'll primarily be able to use cloth for nights and weekends, this was a pivotal piece of the equation). It has a double soaker insert that adds a LOT of volume. But supposedly can hold a lot of volume, too. And the fleece lining should wick away moisture to the insert for storage. We adjusted to the middle row of snaps, for the best fit. We swaddled him up for the night, and I planned to see how well this was really going to work at our usual 2AM feeding. However, our baby slept through the night for the first time (!!!!), so he had a good 8 hours to really put this thing to the test. I picked him up, and I thought I felt moisture on his blanket, so I was worried. But it turns out all the pee was contained!! The inserts were pretty soaked, but the lining wasn't sopping, so I didn't feel like he had marinated in it all night. And clearly he was comfortable enough to go all night. I got him changed and undressed. I pulled the insert out and put both it and the cover in our diaper pail. I have to say that I am pretty pleased with this one so far. No poo in this one, so I am not sure yet how a poopy night would factor in. I did notice this morning that there were some red lines on his thighs, and they seemed to linger to the next day. Perhaps we put this on too tight?

The next morning, the other two diapers were dry and ready to go. First I tired the BumGenius. Put it on at 10, was pretty wet and ready to be changed by 12:30. Again no large dose of poop, but I was pretty happy with this one, too. Pretty easy to toss the whole thing in the diaper pail.

I wasn't changing him in the nursery, so I didn't have the last diaper handy, so I put on a disposable. But at the next change, I put the GrowVia on him. In just over an hour the insert was pretty wet up front, but there was some dry space in the back. In this case the cover was clean, so we left it out to reuse for next time. Beth recommended alternating covers of this type during the day, letting them air out between wearings, so this should work out.

So let me tell you about our make-shift diaper pail. We got a liner from Beth. Washed it. Put in in one of those retro metal trash cans. Over 24 hrs, 4 soiled diapers in. No lid. Not much smell. The contents are only breastfed poops and pees, but I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of odor.

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom?

Today, the little guy and I met with Beth at Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique to discuss a cloth diaper trial. I have been interested in cloth diapers since we found out we were pregnant. Yes, for the environmental benefit (in my research I found it is actually illegal to throw poop in a landfill! Yet that is exactly where disposables go! How do we all get away with it?), but mainly for the benefit to my wallet, and my baby's bottom. And also because of the promise of fewer-to-no blowouts and easier potty training (when that time comes) AND, honestly, because they are so darn cute!. With all the positives, the glaring negative, elephant in the room, is that surely they are more work, and potentially more gross, to deal with -- right? Especially for two parents who work full time outside the home? (For more pro's and con's see What To Expect's list)

As I mentioned, I scoured the internet in my research to see what this cloth is all about, but I couldn't find anything that proved that two working parents could successfully use cloth diapers to their benefit. So this is what I am setting out to test.

Beth's business offers a cloth diaper trial for 30 days. At the end of the trial, I can return the diapers (so long as we haven't destroyed them) if cloth isn't for us, or if it is, I can swap any particular ones I didn't like for ones that I preferred. Sounds like a deal to me. And also, even though I had looked everywhere online, I couldn't actually put my hands on any of the different models to get a feel for how they would attach to the baby, etc. So Beth also offers a demo at her place for the type-A's of the world. I took her up on both of these things.

I went over to Beth's this morning and she (very patiently) explained the different types of diapers to me, after she (very patiently) heard about my diapering situation. "The situation" is as follows: My husband and I both work full time, and in about a month, I will be returning to that full time job and sending my little guy off to daycare (also full time). So far, day care has said that they will not deal with cloth diapers, so I am really only looking at nights and weekends for this (unless I can convince day care to change their perspective...). Also, did I mention that my husband is not into this at all? If this trial can convince him, it should convince anyone. He thinks that afore-mentioned elephant is a deal breaker just thinking about it. My guy is 8 weeks today, about 12 lbs, and pretty tall, I think (his official stats from the pediatrician will be out next week).

After an hour with Beth (again, she was so patient with me!), to start we are trying one of each of the following:

Grow Via shell set
Thirsties duo (size one) + infant sized prefolds + snappi (or not)
BumGenius organic one size AIO (Elemental)
Rump-a-rooz G2 one size pocket