With just seven days until my actual due date (although we’re pretty sure Baby P will make us wait even longer), we’ve officially begun getting ready for her arrival.
Of course you’ve seen us tackling her nursery, but now when we say getting ready, we really mean getting-ready-for-my-water-to-break-and-to-actually-welcome-our-new-daughter-into-the-world. See, pretty much right after we found out I was pregnant we slowly began to wrap our minds around the idea that our family would be growing as my belly continued to expand with every baked potato and chocolate milk craving.
Now you see why I’ve been humming my tweak on an old Beyoncé classic: “I don’t think you’re ready for this belly.”
And only quite recently did we fully digest the concept that we actually made a person. We made a person! There’s a girl in my belly who will walk and talk someday, heck she’ll even have a job and probably be desperately embarrassed about her dorky parents who always have paint in their hair. It’s just such a giant thought that it literally takes about nine months to sink in- which might just be why it takes so long to cook one of these things. It’s probably nature’s way of making sure you’re really ready for the life changing and momentous birth instead of smacking you in the face with a baby after 30 days of gestation. But anyway, now that we have fully been able to wrap our heads around the notion that we’re about to really be parents (!) there are a few things that we’ve done in anticipation of our little miracle’s arrival:
1. Our practical purchase: My obsession with my water breaking in bed or on the couch got the best of me and I convinced John to let me get a waterproof mattress cover to protect our beloved organic mattress and another little waterproof blanket that I can place on the sofa or the seat of the car in these last few days… you know, just in case. And the good news is that they’re not nearly as crunchy and diaper-like as I expected (we picked them both up for $23 total at Bed Bath & Beyond thanks to two of those 20% off coupons). Maybe it goes back to how fiercely I love our house, but it just seemed worth the added security to at least attempt to keep the sofa and the bed (along with the passenger seat of our new car) protected from the wrath of holy-cow-it’s-really-time. Especially since my mom’s water broke in bed with every single kiddo. Sidenote: my absolute dream is for my water to break at Target or Home Depot because I just think that would be hysterical since we practically live there. I know, I’m weird.
2. Our DIY project: This second idea was John’s brain child (I’m telling you, he’s the sweet sentimental one and I’m the neurotic fool who worries about my water breaking). He actually brought it up as my birthday gift back in March by suggesting that we get a fabric covered album and create our own little “baby book” with fun patterned paper and printed prompts that you see in typical baby books like “The First Week Was….” and “First Word…” We love the idea of adding in keepsakes like her hospital bracelet and her little going-home hat along with a ton of photos and even things like her inked footprints (we plan to bring a few pieces of cardstock to the hospital since the nurses will gladly make footprints that we can stick into our little memory book of sorts). So we headed over to Michael’s (with a 40% off coupon in hand) and snagged a sweet 8.5 x 8.5″ album covered in super fun Amy Butler fabric for just $9 after my handy coupon.
We also picked up a pad full of 8 x 8″ patterned paper to use as a backdrop in our keepsake album (to the tune of $6). So our entire DIY baby book project ran us $15 total. And after adding all the decorative paper and leaving room for notes about momentous occasions (along with photos and other memorabilia) we were left with a pretty sweet way to document many of Baby P’s firsts:
And since we made it ourselves we had fun adding in quirky things, like this page of “future predictions” where John and I guessed everything from her hair and eye color to her first word, her favorite subject in school, and even her future profession. It should be super fun for the beanette to look back at all of our goofy (and most likely completely wrong) guesses someday.
Plus the fact that it looks so cute in the nursery is the icing on the cake…
3. Our Burger-meets-baby prep: We’ve actually read quite a bit about how to ensure that your pooch and your baby get along, because there’s nothing we want more than for our first fur baby to happily coexist with our first human baby. And time and time again we’ve heard that bringing home a gift for the dog along with the baby can help your pup associate the baby with good things and feel appreciated and excited upon her arrival. Of course we’ll also be doing the bring-home-a-baby-blanket-for-him-to-sniff-beforehand trick, but ever since John mentioned that his mom got him a He-Man toy when his little sister came home from the hospital I’ve been convinced that something super fun for Burger (like a pup-cake from Three Dog Bakery along with a new chew toy) will make him giddy about our growing fam. So we recently picked up some goodies for him… and can’t wait to see his tail wag when he gets ’em.
4. Our blog backup: This forth prep step was actually right up there on the practical side with my waterproof mattress cover. We’ve been working overtime for over a month to amass enough extra blog posts to “tide us over” for the first few hairy weeks after Baby P comes home. That means we took on a few secret projects and wrote up a lot of extra Reader Redesigns, Look & Learns, Email Answers, and Burning Questions along with some fun new tutorials to keep the blog from stagnating while we get our “sea legs” with a newborn, so to speak. Oh and we have a killer House Crashing post to share as well. Basically, you can rest assured that you’ll still get the same YHL experience even when our day to day has gone from projects and blog posts to diapers, feedings, and no sleep.
5. And speaking of diapers: We got a bunch of BumGenius One-Size-Fits-All Organic Snap Diapers from a local shop called MonkeyGrass that we love to support (here’s a link to their online shop and for any Richmond people you can visit their store inside It’s Hip To Be Round in Carytown). These cloth diapers alone (which were actually selected as “more convenient cloth diapers” by Cookie magazine) will save us a substantial amount of money over the course of Baby P’s childhood, and we even ordered them in colors that will work for a possible boy down the road, since we definitely want to use the same cloth dipes for multiple kiddos.
Plus our easy to use Energy Star front loading washer and dryer will keep our water and electricity use to a minimum (everyone says you do laundry like crazy with a baby so we figure it won’t be much of a difference to add some diapers to the mix). And since the average baby uses 8,000 to 10,000 diapers between two and three years, we’ll get to keep that many disposables from landing in a landfill. And all the moolah that we’ll save from buying disposable diapers all the time (which is commonly estimated to be between 2-3K per child) means more money that we can put towards future DIY projects (maybe even with the help of our little girl when she gets big enough to hold a paint brush…). Is it weird to be super excited about diapers? Probably.
6. My clothes cleaning ritual: I actually read that washing all new non-organic baby clothing and bedding (as well as the removable covers of car seats and swings) with a cup and a half of vinegar can rid them of most of the chemicals and dyes that aren’t present in organic clothes. So I’ve been busy washing all of our sweet baby socks, onesies, and pretty much everything else I can get my hands on… just so I’m über ready with the purest baby clothes possible. And the funny thing is that they don’t smell like vinegar when they come out of the wash (they’re completely odorless, it’s kind of amazing). Of course I did have one fateful white-blankets-and-onesies-are-now-pink incident (don’t ask- I somehow tossed tiny hot pink leggings in with the whites) but the soft pink cast on everything actually charms me to no end. And I guess I should get used to letting things roll off my back, so it was a good lesson in the whole nothing-will-be-perfect-and-that’s-ok concept.
7. My pillowcase purchase: I actually got a quick tip from a reader that I just had to follow since it seemed like such a simple way to add some cheerful color to the pretty-stark-and-sterile hospital birthing experience. Joni wrote to us and said:
“I have a little piece of advice that may seem stupid but you’ll thank me later. Make sure you have a pretty pillowcase for the delivery of the baby. It will be in a million photos. Mine was so pretty that when I look at the pictures 13 years later, all I see is my gorgeous baby and that fabulous fabric. It’ll distract people from looking at your puffy I-just-gave-birth face”
Well, for those who don’t know me, I can puff up like the best of them. Seriously I broke my nose in college and my cheekbones didn’t come back for nearly a year. I’m a swelly girl (John even calls me Swell from time to time). So the idea of a pretty pillowcase to take the focus off my giant face sounds like a good one. Plus I just love pillowcase shopping. And the best part is that I hunted down this beauty (on sale of course) and John’s family actually got two of them for me as a birthday gift. So springy and sweet right? Just like my May baby on the way. And not only do I plan to use them at the hospital on Baby P’s b-day, but they’ll make such pretty and fun guest bedroom pillows from then on.
8. Our space saving multipurpose solution: We heard from various friends and family members that a white noise machine and a light machine were two secret weapons to help the beanette drift off to sleep (especially in those first few weeks). And although we believed that they both would really make a difference, with limited outlets and surface area in the nursery, we wondered if we could get some sort of a two-for-one solution that would work double duty. Enter our new iPod I-Home dock stage right (we’ve seen it on amazon.com for a good price):
It was another baby item that came highly recommended by friends and fam (since we can upload children’s music and learning songs for Baby P as she grows). And John, in a stroke of daddy-to-be genius, realized that we could download a CD of white noise from iTunes – to the tune of $6 no less – and effectively turn our iPod dock into a white noise machine with the press of a button (we can even leave it on “repeat” for lengthier renditions of “crashing waves” or “static”). Gotta love a $6 quick fix that allows us to cut back on an entire nursery gadget while saving money. But wait it gets better, the particular I-Home dock that we selected actually has a color changing feature, so it can cycle through a bunch of room-illuminating hues (quickly, slowly, or not at all if you turn off the ambient light setting). So not only does it serve as a sound machine and a music player, it’s a light machine too! Jackpot.
Oh and while we were prepping left and right we came across this quote, which touched both of us so much that we just had to share it:
“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.” -Anonymous
Pretty sweet, huh? We can’t wait to meet our little one. And we’d love to hear what any of you guys have done while prepping for a new arrival (whether it’s a baby, a four-legged friend, a roommate, or even a few weekend guests). How did you get your house ready for the new company?
Wendy says
I’ll tell you what I wish someone would have kept reminded me: It won’t always be like this – it does get better. I was so stressed out when my little guy was born when he wouldn’t sleep or he would cry and I imagined my life as I knew it as completely being over forever. You just have to keep reminding yourself that it does get better and although life won’t be the same, it will be much, much better than it ever was before (once you get pass the first 12 weeks, you’re golden). Things will come to you so quickly after that mommie and daddy breaking-in period. Can’t wait to see pics of that sweet little one when she gets here!
Angelica says
Congrats! It’s so exciting! I actually gave birth 2 weeks ago, one week before my due date! I was so scared that it would be late that I was thinking of ideas to try to induce labor (eating spicy food, walking a lot, etc) and then my water breaks as I was finishing up my spaghetti in the kitchen! I turned off the stove, throw everything in the fridge, grabbed some things, then hubby and I headed for the hospital! It’s such a great feeling to finally have the baby in your arms than just in your belly! Wish you all the best, and enjoy! Happy belated mother’s day! And thanks, those are some great ideas you have there.
Becki says
This may be long… ;)
First, can I just say how I LOVE how you always comment back? So many bloggers say that they read everything, but you never really know. I love how you take the time to respond and let your readers know that! ;)
We are expecting our 3rd in August, and THANK YOU for all the reminders and cool suggestions! Even on baby #3, there is so much to remember and you forget what it was like with the first ones!
White noise/sound machine has saved my life with both my kids. It just makes life a little easier because even though you *know* you aren’t supposed to tip-toe around while they sleep, it sure is hard not to. The sound machine not only helps them sleep, but helps you relax as the garbage truck zooms by during their nap!
Here is my handy tip that I stand by: swaddling. Baby P is used to being tightly held in and comforted, and lots of newborns have a hard time staying asleep because they can jump and smack their face with their fists without being able to control it. Swaddling keeps them nice and snug and keeps their reflexes from ruining their slumber! Both my kids were swaddled until they were 4 months old.
All in all, you’ll figure it out. The first 6 weeks are the worst, and the biggest piece of advice I can offer is to not set crazy high expectations of yourself. I guarentee that there will be moments where you have absolutely no idea what to do! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Great advice Becki! Thanks so much for the swaddling and the nothing-will-be-perfect-right-away tip. So good to remember!
xo,
s
Jessy says
I have a horrible time falling asleep – I’ve been like this since I was born. Plus every noise will wake me up or keep me only half asleep. I read that women in general have a hard time falling and staying asleep because we are hard-wired to listen for tiny noises (i.e. BABIES!). Anyways, recently I came upon this item while searching for a solution. I think it might help – if the iPod goes bust, or if you need it yourselves in the master bedroom. I have never slept so quietly. It’s life changing, seriously. Hope this helps! Congrats again, and thank you for sharing :)
http://amzn.com/B000J1UJWE (the dual speed)
Ashley Lovett says
I am nowhere near having a baby, but this was a fantastic post. I love love love your DIY posts, but I love the more personal posts just as much :)
Barbara says
Your diapers look like the ones on Fuzzybuns. Are they the same?
http://www.fuzzibunzstore.com/
As for baby’s first word…I think it will be a version of “Burger”.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Barbara,
They’re quite similar but BumGenius is the maker of ours (and Fuzzibunz is a different company). Hope it helps! And we’d love video of your baby saying Burger. That would totally make our year!
xo,
s
Heather says
Your too cute! Just discovered your blog and love it.
Monica says
Hi Sherry and John,
I’ve been following your blog for over 3 years… and just now have posted something!!! EEK! :)
I was wondering if you could upload the pages that you made for you custom baby book. My daughter is now a year old and I STILL haven’t a book that I like for her first year.
My goal this summer is to get all her dates and first in a book!
Please help! Congrats, your little girl is going to melt your heart!
Monica
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Monica,
We’ll see if we can figure out how to upload a PDF of our word document (that’s all it is, we just typed up each page, printed it all, cut things out, and added them to our little scrapbook). We found the content by googling around for “free baby book” stuff and just looked kept what we liked and tossed out what we didn’t. That way you can create something totally customized! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Sheila b says
Not that I wasnt already thinking about having baby #2 but you guys are so sweet and cute that now I think its a must. Good luck with the prepping. I did everything to my sons room and forgot to pack a bag for me and my new baby. So as my water broke my husband and I were frantically running around the house trying to gather everything I could think of only to realize that when we finally got to the hospital I forgot the cord blood kit. Thankfully though they had more. :) I wish I were as organized as you two and Im sure my husband does too. Cant wait to see pics of the new baby. :)
CasaCullen says
ADORABLE!
look at that growing bump!
i SOOOO hope i win the guessing game for due date
i knew she’d be a bit late cause girls usually are
hugs y’alls way…what a sweet post and john’s pic is HILAR!
xo – the CasaCullen crew
erica says
you are so cute! you make being pregnant look like a breeze! i love all your ideas and preparations…especially that pillowcase cover…so cute!!!!
SO excited for you two (and burger! he’ll be a great big brother!)
rhiannon says
did you take a picture of each month? what are the months pictured?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rhiannon,
We didn’t take a picture every month, we just snapped them when we remembered. The first one was taken around 8 weeks right when we found out and the last ones (of me and John) were taken last week (38 weeks) but everything in between is a little blurry. Actually we know the one of me in pink holding the paint chip was right after we found out it was a girl at 20 weeks, but other than that the rest of them were taken somewhere between 20 and 38 weeks, probably a few weeks apart (and definitely in that order). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Teresa says
I really like the pillow idea for the hospital…I’ll have to do that for the next one. :) PB has some great items. Is your pillow Standard or Euro Sham? I know it’s a silly question but I’m not really sure what the difference is. Maybe that can be your next blog.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Teresa,
Hmm, they were gifts but we’re thinking they’re the standard shams. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Charity says
I’m reading your post with my 9-month-old baby sleeping in my arms, and I just wanted to tell you what a sweet experience it is to have a baby. I know you know that and are anticipating all the joy and wonder but I just wanted to affirm that and let you know you are in for some wonderfully happy times. Thanks for all the blog prep as well, my daily dose of YHL always makes my day.
Lindsey says
We are in the process of moving to a new home in the next few days so I am so anxious to get started on my first little girl’s (first girl but 3rd child) room. She is due to arrive at the end of July and we need to get cracking! I have already stolen the curtain for a closet door idea and will be keeping my eye out for some great fabric. I too am cloth diapering and have ordered BumGenius one size fits all diapers along with some Gro Baby organic diapers. If you haven’t checked them out you should. They are designed to cut back a little on laundry. I found mine at diaperjunction.com. Good Luck! Can’t wait to finally see the baby!
laurajane says
I just love you guys! I have been reading your blog for what seems like forever & feel like we could definitely be bffs (you know, if I lived in Richmond, or you in Toronto). I just wanted to say, before it’s too late, I am very excited for you both & I’m sure you’ll be amazing parents (and Burger a great big brother).
That’s all I had to say! :)
RJ says
The mattress cover is a great idea- but I recommend leaving it on even after your water breaks. Diapers leak and babies spit up A LOT and OFTEN and having something to protect your mattress is a great idea- epsecially if you do any snuggling in your bed with your baby. I learned this the hard way.
Katie says
I had a colourful pillowcase just so my comfy pillow didn’t get mixed up with the hospital pillows!
I’m in the process of switching to cloth and I’m definitely learning a lot on the way. I’m an editor over at BoutiqueCafe.com and I’ll be doing reviews of many different companies over the coming months. If you find some post-baby time, click on over and check it out.
Katie B. says
:)
I just had my baby girl 2 days ago! No kidding. Yes, and I’m on here reading blogs. Crazy, right? Well, babies sleep a lot and thats the great thing about them! haha.
I just want to wish you well. It was the BEST, most amazing, divine, beautiful and emotional experience of me and my husbands life! Get ready to fall completely head-over-heels in crazy-love.
Oh, and we just brought baby home to our dog today. He has managed to sleep as close to her as possible all throughout the day. He ADORES her, and we were kind of worried! Burger will do great.
Good luck! :)
You can see our little peanut here:
katieballa.blogspot.com
(you know…as you’re sitting there wishing the days away so you can meet your sweet angel! trust me–been there!) RECENTLY, hehe.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Katie B,
It’s so good to hear that your dog loves your baby already! Our fingers are crossed that things will go just as smoothly here at Casa Petersik!
xo,
s
heather s. says
Looks like you are ready! Can’t wait for the big announcement of Baby P’s arrival!
Jackie says
First of all congrats on your little girl! I have a 19 month old little girl and she is the light of our lives! If I had known that being a parent would be this much fun, I would have done it sooner :). And don’t let anyone tell you their horror story about their labor. I had no problems, no pain and no issues (but I guess I was lucky). It will be just fine :).
I am an avid gardener and proceeded to work in the garden my entire pregnancy. My husband was worried, but I did just fine…just needed some help getting up and down off the ground :).
In the last few weeks before my daughter came, I became obsessed with washing all of the windows in the house outside and in. So I recruited my mom and aunt to help me. Nesting can make you kind of nutso…haha.
Good luck! Congrats! and enjoy the ride!
Lisa says
That white noise download from the iTunes store is genius… so glad you found it so that now my hubby and I can download it for our little one, due June 27! We have an iHome dock in our bedroom and a Vers Audio wood dock in our living room, but I love the idea of this ambient light dock you found for the nursery. AND, I’ve got enough Amazon.com gift cards to cover the cost. Yay! Now we just need a working CD drive to plug into our laptop so we can rip some lullaby CDs and start a baby play list…
Rae says
So exciting! Its hard to believe I was just there five short weeks ago, we welcomed baby #3 April 5th. One of our baby must haves is a Moby. It AWESOME! you can use it from newborn to 35lbs, its super comfy to wear and baby can be close to you while you get things done. Hoping a you a speedy and safe delivery!
Ms. Amy says
Sounds like you are very prepared. My only suggestion is to stock up on Oxiclean. Although it probably doesn’t mesh perfectly with your “green” sensibilities, I have found it to be one of the greatest stain removers available. And boy, do babies make stains! Best wishes to all of you.
Kelly says
I love the belly pics of you both!! lol!! I also had to get a matress cover, and it is still on our bed 2 yrs later. (My water broke in the hospital, so we will save it for baby #2). Cant wait to meet baby P!!
Best of luck with labor and delivery!! You will do great!!
xo,
Kelly
Jamie says
We’re expecting baby #2 in December (so I’m still in the pale and green stage!) but there are a few things I learned the hard way with our first:
If you like a heating pad for muscle cramps, take a rice bag (or even a sock filled with rice will do) to the hospital. Ours had no heating pads, and it was the only thing that eased the cramping of my contractions. They can heat up a rice bag for you, and they are divine.
Paper plates and bowls! I know it isn’t the most eco-friendly option, but in the first few weeks of having a brand new how-does-this-thing-work baby, any way to cut back on household chores can be a sanity-saver. And I second everyone who said to stock up on food (or recruit family and friends for meals)–you will not want to be cooking, and you WILL be hungry–especially if you are nursing!
Finally, go easy on yourself. Keep the main room of your house clean and neat for guests, but let some other things slide. New parenthood is wonderful and difficult, so focus on the sweet moments instead of how disorganized your drawers have become–there will be time for re-nesting when you’ve established a sleep schedule. Nap when your baby naps, and don’t feel guilty if you have to stop dusting for a week or two.
I loved your quote! Here is an excerpt from a poem I love, too:
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
(Ruth Hulburt Hamilton, 1958)
Enjoy baby P, and take lots of pictures and video–it goes by oh so fast, but each stage has beauty and wonder. My first is almost 2, and it just keeps getting better. Congrats!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the advice Jamie! And for sharing that sweet poem with us.
xo,
s
Kat says
Is your overnight bag all packed and ready by the door?? Exciting times! Good luck with everything! xo
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, it’s actually in the trunk of John’s car so it’s always with us (that’s one of the perks to being a one-car household). Can’t wait!
xo,
s
Amy says
I just ordered the iPod dock!! We’re expecting our first baby next month and were also thinking about a white noise machine to help her sleep. This is a great solution! And I was so excited to see that it works with the 1G nano, since I have an old one just laying around. Perfect! She has her own iPod now! haha!
I was also wondering if you would mind sharing which white noise cd you got from iTunes? Thanks!!
angela says
Would you guys mind posting the pages of prompts you made for the baby book? Would love to make my own, too!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Angela,
We’ll see if we can figure out how to upload a PDF of our word document (that’s all it is, we just typed up each page, printed it all, cut things out, and added them to our little scrapbook). We found the content by googling around for “free baby book” stuff and just looked kept what we liked and tossed out what we didn’t. That way you can create something totally customized! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Kate says
I’ve enjoyed your blog for about a year now. My husband and I love projects and always have something on the horizon. It’s fun to have glimpses into your lives, and to be reminded of the wonderful things to be done with a vision and a budget!
Shortly before my daughter was born, I had a friend tell me about a wonderful little contraption you can buy at any home improvement store that instantly turns a regular lamp into a ‘dimmer’ lamp. It’s a little thing you plug into the wall, and then plug the lamp into it. Having a dimmer switch on my bedside lamp was invaluable during the early days of mixed-up schedules.
Best wishes in these days to come. Having a child is the most challenging yet rewarding venture. I look forward to ‘meeting’ your little one sometime soon!
Whitney says
I am a new YHL addict! You guys are amazing with so many great ideas for the budget conscious, and it amazes me how organized and prepared you always seem to be! I am also pregnant and due in August with our 2nd girl. I’ve been loving all of the nursery ideas and I’ve been very curious what your baby girl’s name will be! Good luck on the home stretch to mommyhood!
stephanie says
Besides a pillow, it is also nice to bring a blanket to the hospital. I brought a comfy fleece one and was really glad I did. One thing that I would re-do next time is keeping guests to a minimum. I felt like I spend the whole time waiting for people to show up and entertaining instead of resting and bonding with my baby. GL!
abriana says
We didn’t prepare… not by choice! My little man came two weeks early, and I am a procrastinator so nothing was done- I figured it was two weeks til my due date, and all through college I waited until just hours before a due date to get ready for some assignment! :) Maybe the baby was trying to teach me a lesson?
That pillowcase trick is good advice– I’m gonna have to use that same idea for baby #2!
Jessica J says
I love your baby album idea! That’s adorable. I second Angela’s request for the PDF version of your inserts. My baby boy is due in August and I would love to make one of these for him instead of shelling out the dough I did for my daughters. :) And I can’t agree enough with the white noise machine. It was a godsend for my daughter!
Emily says
Ditto the other comments about white vinegar. I add it to every load in the rinse cycle (our washer doesn’t have a dispenser, so I use a Downy Ball, which works great). This helps the detergent rinse really clean, and also gets rid of any stinky smells (works great for towels that stayed wet too long, pet odors, workout clothes, and I’m sure baby smells, too!) We use a home-mixed detergent (washing soda, borax, fels naptha bar), but I’m sure it would also help neutralize a commercial detergent, since it’s acidic and detergents are alkaline. You can also put a few drops of essential oil in the vinegar for a nice, chemical-free scent.
catherine says
I LOVE Bum Genius– we have used ours for both babies– love them– although I have the pocket diapers– not sure if you have thought of this– but we also use cloth wipes– it is way easier I think–
you look well prepared and of course uber cute and chic as well— all the best– my first waited until 12 days after due date– so don’t hold your breath!
Alissa says
Here’s another great thing to add to your made-it-yourself baby book: signature evolution! A friend of mine found this online. How neat will it be to check this out when your beanette graduates high school?
http://walkwhilereading.tumblr.com/post/92425354/f-scott-fitzgeralds-baby-book-i-may-do-this
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so cute! Great idea.
xo,
s
Bev says
You guys are incredible. Sherry you seriously are the most gorgeous pregnant woman ever. You are such an inspiration and have definitely made me think about switching to cloth for baby # 2 (due in about 7 weeks). I have a stupid question about the vinegar- do you just use vinegar or use it along with detergent? Also, for baby washings I used 7th generation baby and loved it!
Thanks and all the best to you on this home stretch!
Bev
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Bev,
We actually just did one load with a cup and a half of vinegar without any detergent and plan to use detergent for the rest of the washings from here on out (Fragrance Free Seventh Generation, by the way) . Apparently the first spin through the washer with just the vinegar strips them of those extra chemicals that tend to cling to the fabric (which aren’t normally removed by detergent). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Megan says
Sherry and John,
I’m so happy you guys are using cloth as well! We’re doing the same for our first, due the 23rd. I hope you can update a bit after a few weeks or months as I’d love to hear how it goes for you as well. I know it doesn’t have much to do with the blog, but try and work it in somehow.
and, I haven’t read any other comments, but if anyone says something negative about them, PLEASE PLEASE don’t listen.
:)
Megan
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Megan,
Much to our surprise everyone has been raving about cloth diapers and there are so many supportive and encouraging comments. Wahoo! We’re even more excited about them now (if that’s possible). We definitely can do our best to work in some updates about them as we go!
xo,
s
J says
Congrats to you both! Can’t wait to see photos of your little bundle of joy. May she come into this world happy and healthy!!
I love your diy baby book. I have 2 kids (2 and 4) and my biggest mistake was not having a baby memory keepsake or journal. Now it’s the one project I want to take on and don’t even know where to begin. Do I make a scrapbook album and attach photos and keepsakes to it or do I purchase those ready made baby memory books that have the most ridiculous entries?? So good for you having started one!
Two items that I couldn’t live without (well, I could’ve but you know what I mean) were the sound machine that my 2 year old still uses and my food processor to make the baby food. Oh and someone mentioned swaddling. Have the nurse show you how to do it the right way, and for the first couple of months, it’ll be a godsend. Once the baby starts wiggling around, it won’t really serve its purpose ’cause she’ll wiggle her way out of it.
Keep up this wonderful blog that has inspired so many of us to live a simpler and more abundant life!!!!
Robin says
We are due in 4 weeks and I’m seasoned as this will be my 4th. Luckily I’ve been able to remake the covers to a lot of our older baby items for a new and fresh look. Good luck and save what you have because you will love it the second (third and fourth for me) time around too! So exciting. Best wishes for a healthy delivery and if you don’t already have a doula it is a good thought in case you should choose to use pain meds that don’t always work. Hooray for babies.
Barbara says
I have a friend who just had a baby, and I think a cute gift would be a copy of that drawing of Burger. Have you ever considered asking your friend if she’d sell copies of that on your website? I think it would be wildly popular.
YoungHouseLove says
A drawing of Burger? Really? We know he’s cute but we thought we were the only ones who wanted his face plastered all over our house…
xo,
s
J (NY) says
oh and i forgot…my electric breast pump!!!! I used that sucker for both of my kids until it finally broke down. So if I ever decide to have another baby, I’ll have to dish out another 300 bucks..ugh..but well worth it!!!!
Tracy says
I’m five months pregnant and I really want to have my baby using cloth diapers. I heard from one friend that they tried and hated it and then went straight to regular diapers. So I want to invest in the cloth, but I would really like to know…
How many did you buy? After the baby comes, if you need to get any more? What do you like about them? What do you hate about them? It could make for a good post, maybe?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tracy,
We have definitely considered sharing an update once we’re actually using them for a while, so stay tuned. Of course we like to keep things super focused on home improvement and decor so it might just be a p.s. here or there. But you can read back through the comments on this post for lots of helpful cloth diaper tips and even a few links to check out.
xo,
s
jbhat says
What a fun post. I am on the edge of my seat for you, because I don’t think that baby is going to be late. Your photo album frenzy makes me think that Baby P is good to go. In fact, I decided to iron napkins the day or so before my little one was born (and she came ahead of her due date)…wrinkly aqua-colored cotton napkins that had been sitting on top of the dryer for months– months I tell you! It was that nesting instinct. The next thing you know I was having contractions.
jbhat
christy says
My suggestion to you in terms of your water and Target. Wear leggings. I lived your dream, baby. Fortunately there was a cold snap when my water broke with my middle child- it was Good Friday and I was trying to exchange a couple of things I didn’t have a receipt for. God knew I needed the 27 degrees outside because the shorts I had been wearing up to that point would have done no good and probably would have been pretty embarrassing.
My husband brought a baby blanket from the hospital home before ‘we’ came home for Pucci to smell and get use to before the real deal that cried really loud made it home. Worked out great for us.
And one more piece of advice – because EVERY SINGLE mother you see when you are pregnant gives you advice, even when you have absolutely no desire to hear it- bring music for labor. I listened to everything from Frank Sinatra to disco. You think pregnancy gives you mood swings? During hard labor I danced to disco for all three, free of pain meds. I am a wuss about any kind of pain or illness but kept telling myself (and had my hubby remind me) that I was made to do this and that it why I was put on this earth. It is only temporary pain and worth every single second. Dance your heart out. Lean on your husband and sway and hum when you don’t have energy left, but dance.
There you have it. My advice that you really never asked for. I couldn’t help it. Even though I know in my heart you are so over advice you could spit. I feel your pain but I just can’t stop myself. 3 births in 3 years and 3 months. Perhaps it is insanity at this point that keeps me rambling. Good luck!!
EvaBabeDesigns says
I always thought my water would break in the swimming pool or the ocean since I’m a swimmer and did aqua aerobics right up til the end (12 days late)! My favorite white noise for the baby was sleep sheep on-the-go (from amazon.com). You can take it anywhere and it has a bunch of sound options. Now at 18 months, the air purifier seems to work best. At any rate, you’ll have a wonderful time figuring out what baby wants/needs and enjoying parenthood. Remember, “Real Men Change Diapers” ;)
Livi says
Water breaking: I’ve had two babies and when my water broke each time, it was just little bits of water that came out here and there (the baby’s head acts as a plug)…not a big gusher…and I was all down with the mattress pad, towels in the car, on the sofa…etc too.
Congrats!
Chanda says
I’m giggling at your worries over your water breaking Sherry! Mine actually broke when I was standing up and I swear to this day I heard a pop! Of course the fact that I was telling my coworker that I was going home to bunny hop around the neighborhood and did a few bunny hops probably helped too. Thankfully I worked for my OB at the time so no one was grossed out that my water had broken at work.
One thing to make sure you have is a calendar just for baby moments. Hang it in the kitchen so you can jot down every little thing. I did this with my first and somehow didn’t with my second which I seriously regret. I wrote down everything from his first time at Target to his first cold. It made things so much easier when I had a chance to go fill in his baby book.
YoungHouseLove says
John’s mom actually got us a little baby calendar to write down all her milestones a few days ago. We’re so excited to use it!
xo,
s
Melissa says
love this post, so sweet! =)