We Found Our Doula at a Pig Roast....

Yes, that's right, a pig roast, in a ski resort.

Casey (Daddy) and I had just moved to the area and we were lucky enough to end up living in a Ski Resort called Massanutten (I'm going to be really sad when we move again). A few weeks after we moved to Massanutten there was a Pig Roast/Pot Luck for residents of the resort and we decided to go. 

As we were walking into the lodge we were slightly worried we had moved to a retirement home. Everyone that we saw was about 50+ years older than us. We walked through the door and got in line to sign in. Standing behind us was the first young couple we had seen! I immediately struck up conversation with the woman, Maria. After signing in, everyone was filing to the back to grab a table. I scanned the room and saw that young couple again and immediately Casey and I looked at each other and walked over, without saying a word to each other.

We sat down and introduced ourselves. Of course the first question when you are nice and round is "How far along are you?" Maria and I started chatting about babies, as Casey and Maria's husband Ron, started chatting about......well, man stuff, I suppose. 

Maria and I got on the topic of occupations and she told me she was a Doula. Without taking a breath I said, "No Way! I've been looking into hiring a Doula!" We were instantly connected. After filling up on delicious food, we exchanged phone numbers and said our goodbye's. 

It was a complete act of fate meeting her that night. Now I don't suggest this as a method of trying to find a Doula. You'll have much better luck checking out the DONA International website or asking your Doctor or Midwife for recommendations.

Currently Reading: "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International & "Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide to Money" by Dave Ramsey and "French Kids Eat Everything" by Karen Le Billon

My #1 Pregnancy Necessity

Our Doula!

"What is a Doula?", you may ask. My description of a Doula is as follows: "An amazing woman who provides support and strives to be a Mother, Sister, and Friend to a woman during her Pregnancy."

Other descriptions I have found sound more like this:

"The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period." (http://www.dona.org/mothers/)

Hiring a Doula was an easy decision for Casey (Daddy) and I. We live about 12 hours from the majority of our family. In combination with moving frequently, and this being our first pregnancy, we knew we could benefit from the extra support we would receive from a Doula.

If we were surrounded by family during this time, we might not have hired a Doula, but I can't say for sure. Doulas do usually come with a price tag. Unless, you are able to find a Doula who is still training to become certified by an organization such as DONA International or a Doula who is linked through your hospital or birth center, those Doulas might come to you at little or no cost. The average cost of a Doula is between $200-$400. The more experience a Doula has will be reflected in the price they charge. 

Birth Doulas (which is what we have) often schedule a few meetings before the birth of your baby to discuss your birth plan and you and your partner's fears, hopes, and anything else you would like to discuss. 

Postpartum Doula; a Doula who is there for you, your partner, and baby, to help with baby blues, breastfeeding, and any questions you may have. Our Doula will be visiting us after baby is born, which is why we don't feel the need for a Postpartum Doula. You can certainly have both or one and not the other, it's completely up to you! 

If you have interest in finding a Doula, ask your Doctor or Midwife, or you can search online yourself! You can do a search in your area on the DONA International website.

Currently Reading: "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International & "Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide to Money" by Dave Ramsey & "French Kids Eat Everything" by Karen Le Billon

The Great Diaper Debate

Disposables vs. Cloth.

That is the question.

Congratulations! You have been given the great decision of how to handle your munchkin's poo!

This past weekend I attended a seminar on Cloth Diapering at a local natural baby store, Over the Moon, here in the mountains of Virginia. Prior to the seminar I had done my own research via the Internet and awesome cloth diapering friends, but I still managed to learn quite a bit at the seminar.

There are Pros and Cons to both sides, but I can't help but be a little biased toward cloth because that is what we've decided to do. So here it is!

Cloth Diaper Pros:

• Money saver
• Less waste/Environmentally friendly
• Better for baby's bottom
• Less stink!

Cloth Diaper Cons:

• More laundry
• Some daycares won't accept cloth diapers
• You have to rinse the poo out before you wash
• More labor-intensive than disposables

Disposable Diaper Pros:

• All daycares accept disposable diapers
• Super easy
• Don't have to rinse out poo
• No extra laundry

Disposable Diaper Cons:

• Stinkier than cloth
• Large amount of garbage
• More expensive than cloth
• Chemicals in diapers than can irritate baby's skin

When we decided to do cloth diapers a large determining factor was how much money we would be able to save. And you can save even more than just 2-3 years worth. You can hang on to those cloth diapers if you plan on having more children and double the savings, or maybe even triple them!

The typical Cloth Diaper stash will run you about $500, give or take, depending on the style of diaper you choose to buy (which I will dive into in a separate post). And there are plenty of websites to buy used Cloth Diapers to cut that $500 initial cost even lower.

Some websites where you can find used cloth diapers:

Here.... Craigslist
Here....... Diaper Swappers
And Here.... Cloth Diaper Trader

(I have not used Diaper Swappers or Cloth Diaper Trader, but I'd love to hear your experiences if you have!)

Happy Diapering!

Currently Reading: "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International
& "Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide to Money" by Dave Ramsey