Some Answers... and a Question


First of all, thank you SO MUCH for all of the prayer, as well as the emails and comments asking about Faith Clare and how we are all doing. I wanted to wait to update until we had talked to our pediatrician and knew what direction we were heading in... so, here are a few answers to questions about the "episode".

What happened on Wednesday night?
Thankfully Dusty, his mom and I were all up late watching a movie when I noticed her breathing start to change. I was sitting up on the couch and she was laying on my chest so I sat her up and told her "come on baby, breathe" just thinking that she was in a deep sleep. I had mentioned to our doctor before that she seemed to gasp for breath while and after eating and he said that as long as she didn't turn color or go limp that up to 15 seconds of non-breath is normal for newborns. With that in mind, I wasn't overly concerned early on when this happened Wednesday night. However, we quickly realized that she wasn't regaining breath. For about 5 minutes we were trying to stimulate her (as we anticipated having to do with Maddox... never thinking we would have to do it with her)- blowing in her face, rubbing her feet and rubbing her back. However, at one point she started turning blue around her mouth and went limp, arms falling to the side without much response. Thankfully we never had to consider CPR because we could see could see that although the stimulation wasn't getting her to breathe normally, it was keeping her up and gasping when she did try to breathe.

After a little back and forth, Dusty called 911 and we were on the phone with the paramedics for about 8-10 minutes until the ambulance arrived. By time they made it to the house though, she was breathing pretty regularly. We discussed with the paramedics what we should do and they actually didn't think that a transport to the hospital was necessary because she was breathing normally at that point (a recommendation that was much to the dissatisfaction of our doctor I later discovered). After some time the paramedics left and we sat in the living room processing what had just happened. We were both pretty shaken and took turns staying up with her for most of the night to ensure the event didn't repeat itself.

Did you go to the doctor? What did the doctor say?
I was able to get in with Faith Clare yesterday morning to see the pediatrician. Obviously the office wasn't open Thursday for Thanksgiving and I did call the office on Friday to talk to his nurse, but our physician wasn't in and Monday was the first available time to speak with him.

After walking through all that had happened, emotionally I might add, we both agreed with many of you that commented saying it was probably reflux. In addition to mentioning the breathing issues to him last week, I had also discussed my concerns about her probably having reflux (Deacon had reflux and was on Zantac for about 6 months), so this wasn't a new topic of conversation. He said that according to the way things happened, the episode was consistent with a pretty severe presentation of reflux.

Our pediatrician is awesome and responded wonderfully as I broke down about what happened. He knows our history and had met with me about Maddox and the possibility of him coming home last year, so after I relived Wednesday night for him, he led me through what we should do if it would ever happen again. I am SO thankful for his care and concern for my children. Ultimately, he prescribed two medications for her (Prevacid and Bethanochol) and ordered a chest X-ray to confirm that there was no infection or anatomical issue causing the breathing lapses. Thankfully the X-ray came back clear and we are now praying that the reflux is the only issue and the medication will take care of that.

What about an apnea monitor?
I didn't ask about an apnea monitor when we went to the doctor yesterday. My parents bought us a breathing monitor a few weeks ago called the Babysense V, very similar to the Angel Care Monitor. We didn't plan to use it while she was in the bassinet in our room, but obviously we are using it now. To us, although they aren't "proven", it gives us a peace of mind that we didn't have without it.

So.....
We are now hoping that all of these breathing issues will be behind us. She got a cold with major congestion a little over a week ago and is still trying to get over that, which also contributes to her breathing struggles, so we are also praying that the cold will resolve soon as well.

Now... well, now hopefully we can all breath a little bit easier and start to adjust to our new normal.

------------------------------------------------------
Okay, above are some answers and now for the one, totally-unrelated-to-anything question... or maybe one topic & several questions.

If you have used/are using cloth diapers for your little ones, how did you go about deciding which type to use? How many did you start with? How do you feel about the time involved? Do they ever leak? Do you feel that it is cost-effective? ... Oh, and how do you feel about rinsing poopy diapers out in the potty? I might be able to convince Dusty to do cloth diapers, but I don't think he will go for the rinsing. What about the disposible/flushable liners? Anyone use those?

Thanks for the help and perspective. I've been thinking about doing this for a while... so we'll see how inspired I get!!

"Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand."- Psalm 20:6

Comments

FourBlackSheep said…
I wanted to tell you that I started using cloth about a year ago - and think they are amazing!! They are certainly cost effective if you get some good ones.

I did ALL the research and found that I like the AIO's (all in one's) the best for daytime use. They do leak now and then - cloth will never hold as much as that chemical stuff in disposables. I think it is totally worth it.

I COULD NOT do cloth without a Pooty Pail - it is worth EVERY PENNY and MORE!!! www.pottypail.com - buy the sprayer and the whole pail - you will have no problem whatsoever spraying poop.

I buy my AIO's from a friend who sells them online. She des a top notch job (I have washed my a zillion times and have ordered from her over and over). www.crazyclothshop.com ... her name is Sarah and she is super sweet and VERY helpful. E-Mail her - you will not regret it!!

For overnight use I have heard that is a whole 'nother story. I just use a disposable at night - since my little girl could sink a ship with the amount she wets at night.

Good Luck and GOD BLESS!! Ashley :-)
Greta said…
A friend of mine has a blog dedicated to cloth diapering - imagine!!
http://clothdiaperdiary.blogspot.com/

There's a TON of "getting started" info in the August posts.
Emily said…
Girl, I don't know a thing about cloth diapering, but I know I held my breath just reading what happened with your sweet baby! I am praying for your peace and for Faith to never, ever struggle to breathe again. I am so sorry that happened. You're amazing as ever and we love you!
Anonymous said…
First, I am thankful that you got some questions answered and little Miss Faith is doing well.

I think cloth diapers are a good investment. I used them with my now 5 year old up until he was potty trained. I used the "pocket" type diapers where you fold up a cloth diaper and stick it in the pocket. The diapers are adorable and in the summer she can just wear a diaper and a t-shirt and be quite stylish. There are many kinds/styles of cloth diapers and covers and I'm sure there are even more designs available now.

I mostly used Fuzzi Bunz and Happy Heiny's and loved them both (they are pocket diapers). I also used some of the all-in-ones and they were great too. I was able to use them even overnight, but usually used disposables while on the road.

I hope this helps a bit. There is a ton of info out there about cloth diapers.

Oh, another good thing. You can sell your covers and all-in-ones for a great price. I got close to what I paid for them originally. Plus the inserts make great cleaning rags!

Good luck!
Anonymous said…
So happy that everything is okay! Reflux was terrible for our first as well (zantac and reglan both failed... had to go to prevacid). The second had a strange presentation of reflux... a barking cough that would not go away. Sorry, working mom with a stay at home dad here... no cloth diapers for us...
I don't know much about cloth diapers and like you was interested, but lost interest fast when I didn't have the time to do the research, so I'm loving everyone's comments here!

Let me just tell you, I think my heart skipped a beat as I read that post!! My goodness Faith Claire, she knows how to give you a scare, doesn't she?? You addressed my biggest fear with our little guy Fionn, I'm so afraid that he will stop breathing one night, and we'll never know...He is not getting the Synagis shot monthly, but he gets so congested easily.
I also wanted to mention that our friends down the street have issues with reflux with their little girl as well, and on top of the medication they have found something called "gripe water" It's sold at Toys R Us and works great for them. Since they have started using it, their daughter Hope is hardly spitting up anymore, and has stopped screaming all together. I don't know if you have seen or not, but Mylicon has been recalled!! I know that is a newborn mommies best friend sometimes...
Praying that all continues to go well!
-Ginger
So glad for a great update.

That picture of Faith is adorable.

Blessings,

Elaine
Unknown said…
I am so glad to hear that little Faith is doing okay and that you've gotten some answers as to what happened. Continuing to pray for you family during this holiday season.
K said…
I love cloth diapers, always have. I had drink and wet dolls and would lay their little cloth diapers (that I made) over the heater vents to dry when I was a little girl, well, even a pre-teen.

I am a licensed home daycare provider and advertise that I accept families using cloth diapers so I've been able to try a lot of different styles. Years ago, I designed a pattern for sewing your own cloth diapers and it's a huge seller worldwide today.

Of all the diaper systems, I prefer fitted diapers with velcro covers. I think that they wash cleaner than all-in-ones and are much more affordable. I prefer the diapers I designed, PooPockets, but there are many great diapers available these days. A good compromise is a pocket diaper, but they are expensive!

I like to keep things simple. I use a sprayer attached to the back of my toilet and it's great for rinsing out the training potty, too. Flushable liners with cloth diapers are great, too, but a little costly unless your baby goes regularly and you can sort of predict it. That way you don't waste a liner in every single diaper.

I don't like bulky prefolds - never have, but I've used them plenty and they work just fine. I'm a pro at folding anything into a great diaper and prefer anything cloth over disposables any day.

I feel much more nuturing when I use cloth diapers on a baby. I hope you do end up using cloth diapers. They are so much better than disposables all the way around.
Unknown said…
Hey Kenzie. Oh my goodness - Faith pulling that stunt on her own is scary, but adding your history into it - ... yeah, I know...

I'm afraid that this time around I'll be so much more paranoid than I ever used to be. I don't know. But thank God that she's okay and that you have the problem (hopefully) sorted out.

As for diapers - I'm probably going to do cloth diapers with this baby. I have prefolds, so I don't want to spend the money on new diapers. I used those ugly, awful vinyl covers (1980s all over again) with Oceana. Never again! I'm looking into Bummis Whisper Wraps (value for money, and I've heard they're good with leaks).

With prefolds you can cynch them tight, which helps prevent leaks (IMO). I hope that's helpful. If you have any more questions/ideas - please email me!

Oh, and I second the first commenter about the poo sprayer! If I had the $$$ I'd totally invest in it. It looks like such an easy way to go. But I'll be doing disposable liners once the poo is "consistent". I'm assuming newborn squirts won't be helped by disposable liners.
Me and my Gurl said…
Alright, I'm from the old school. :) My son was a preemie and had the breathing trouble with reflux also. I know how scary it can be. I'm so thankful that little one is ok.... (next time.....I would go to the ER for my own sanity to make sure all is right in her world.) As for disposables.... My son was allergic to disposables so we had to use cloth. (The NICU nurses were not happy. lololol) Trying to figure out how to fold them small enough was a challenge and he had the nickname of "power peer" in the hospital. He would shoot across the room. I quickly learned how to change his diaper in a flash. :) Cloth diapers with front thick panels and rubber outer covers were all I had so we made do. As for dunking dirty diapers.... again that was my only choice. Unless my husbandchanged a dirty diaper. (Not often thank goodness) He through them away! Having a diaper pail in the bathroom next to the sink with a bit of borax was a saver. Washing daily kept the smell down and I washed in Dreft. Thats just how the old one did it. Just let me know how things go for you.

God Bless your little one.
Laurie in Ca. said…
Kenzie,

I am so sorry that you and Dusty had to experience that scare with Faith. My heart was pounding just reading it. Praying that it was a "one-time bump in the road" for you guys. Faith is absolutely amazing, a little mini Deacon, and her hair is just the cutest. Praying for you my sweet friend, asking God to calm your fears. I love you all!!

Laurie in Ca.
Michelle M. said…
First of all, I have to say how gorgeous Faith Clare is! She is so beautiful!

I am glad that your doctor has been so attentive and that she is doing well.

As for the cloth diapers, I mostly use All in Ones, which I really like. I have some covers with inserts as well, but I think those leak more. I haven't had much trouble with leaking except at night. I just double or triple up at night and that usually works fine.

They are definitely cost effective! I made my money back in just two months of no longer buying disposables.

The rinsing is not bad. They do make little hoses that you can attach to your toilet to spray the dirtiness off of the diaper. Maybe your hubby wouldn't mind that as much.

Good luck! I love using cloth diapers :)
Anonymous said…
I would recommend www.cutietooties.com. She is a sweet mom in our area that has opened a little cloth diaper boutique after the birth of triplets. She could answer all of your questions.
boltefamily said…
On the topic of cloth diapering I am clueless. I don't think I could get past the rinsing! :-(

Anyway, we are praying for Faith Clare. I cannot imagine how scared you must have been. We will continue praying! Love you!
Laura said…
I'm so glad that Faith Clare is doing well. A friend of ours suggested that we use Mommys Touch all in one--I prefer using the snaps because velcro seems to lose its ability. My son is 5 months old so when he has a dirty diaper I just throw them in the wash--I heard that people don't use liners until they get a little more solid. They do leak at times but so do disposable. I also put a disposable on at night and if we go out. I do think that we are saving money though. We could only afford to start with 7 so I wash them every day. We started using them when he was about 4 months old--I think any younger may not have a tight fit. We use kellyscloset.com She usually has some extra coupons on the weekend--she has a blog!! Hope this helps even though it is very long winded!!
zanesmommy said…
I am so glad that everything seems to have worked itself out. Praying for more peace. Our Dr. said that a little caffine in my diet can help with the issue also. Like a cup of coffee or a soda. This is what they gave our son in the NICU for his reflux.

As for cloth diapers, I did not start right away with Z but I got about 24 Fuzzy Bunz from the seconds store. This was great because he never out grew the Mediums. However, with M, I had bought 24 Bum Genius 2.0 One size, pocket inserts. I chose these because they fit 8 to 35 pounds. So I would not have to buy any more. Unfortunately, I never got to use them. My friend really likes the one she kept. As for rinsing, have D put the poopy diapers face down in the toilet to soak, then there is very little clean up. A friend also uses scape microfiber cloth that she just tosses when there is a yucky poop. I highly recommend a large wet/dry bag. I liked thanksmama.com and fuzzibunzseconds.net
Good luck with cloth diapering. I know it saved us a LOT of money in the long run.
Continuing to pray.
Christine
bri said…
Oh my goodness Kenzie... what a dramatic experience to have to relive. I will continue to pray for you, Faith Clare and your family for complete restoration and healing.

I wanted to do cloth diapers for a long time but they were so expensive. especially when you have a DAY to prepare for the arrival of their tenant. You can't get diapers if you don't know what size baby you are getting (foster care, remember). My friend was using the Fuzzi Bunz diapers. Those are the same ones that I was going to use but found that they were $17 (could be cheaper other places) a diaper and to buy more than one all at once that was overwhelming to us. But now we have time to stock up on some before our "next" baby comes so we can go that route. Maybe then you can answer some of my questions about cloth diapering Ü. I do know that babies don't get half the terrible rashes with cloth diapers and it is said they potty train quicker in cloth diapers. hmmmm oh the joys!

Best of luck and Many, many Blessings!
Glad to hear that she (and the rest of you!) are doing well. 2 of my kids had reflux-does she have to sleep on an incline now? One of my twins slept in a bouncer the first 4 months of his life, but it sure seemed to help him, along with medication. Sorry, can't help you with cloth diaper questions though!!
Jen in Al said…
i am so thankful Faith Clare is doing better!! my heart hurt for you when i read about what happened! We have actually walked the reflux road to varying degrees with 4 out of our 5 so far. With our 5th, she had frequent breathing trouble and i found Colic Calm http://www.coliccalm.com/ . Absolutely was so incredible!!!! We also found with our 4th that switching our milk to non-homogenized organic milk seemed to help with the pain. if i drank the regular milk it would cause him pain (from my breastmilk) Our first had some reflux but not bad Just messy:), now my 3rd had it pretty bad and was in quite a bit of pain. i didn't know about Colic Calm or switching our milk so he was on Zantac and Reglan until he was about 14 months. Our 4 and 5th were pretty much through the worst of it by 6 to 9 months without needing prescriptions. I wish I could figure out how our 2nd didn't have it at all and that we could somehow repeat that!:) I can remember so clearly how scary Corinne's(5th) breathing episodes were. Yikes! I would love our 6th to not have to struggle with it. Your ped. sounds so great!!!!! That is such a blessing! Thank you so much for sharing about your little princess! Praying for you all!!!

I wish i had some info or experience with cloth diapers but alas i have yet to take the plunge. i do know that everyone that i know that does that really really recommends it! i have really enjoyed reading the great comments about it. Maybe i will take the plunge with our precious number 6?:) Blessings, jen in al ----love her picture!!! What a cutie!:)----
Anonymous said…
My almost 16 year old was a cloth diaper baby at day care. I never considered it while I worked full time, but when my 11 year old was born, I signed up for a diaper service. They gave us a diaper pail and once a week they dropped off 80 clean fresh diapers. We dropped the dirties, poop and all into the pail and the morning the delivery was made, I stuck the bag on my porch. Frequently that 4am diaper change was diaper number 80. Whether you used them all or not, they counted what you sent in and gave you that same number the next week. This child never had diaper rash, unlike my pampers baby! I felt it was a great way to do something good for her and the environment without the extra work and worries. I don't remember the cost, but it was similar to buying disposables. Good luck!

Lisa in NC
Jenny said…
I am so so happy to hear that Faith Clare is ok. I was really worried when I read your post about her episode, but as He always does, the Lord came through and answered our prayers.

I hope the medicine works and she continues to thrive. :)
Madaline Jane said…
Kenzie, email me and I'll tell you about cloth. I'm glad Faith is doing better now. I hope that you don't have another episode.
Hannah said…
I'm so glad to read this news about baby Faith. Many prayers are answered!

I did what I call partial-cloth-diapering with G. I didn't start until he was about 8 weeks old--you know, until we had "settled in" a bit. And then I still used disposable if we went out of the house and often over-night. My approach is that I will use cloth diapers as long as it is as easy or easier than disposables.
And I love them. I have a mix of prefolds that my MIL bought for $3 at a thrift store ($3 for 34 diapers!) And I have beautiful diaper covers that are Kooshie's, I think.
I used disposable liners, which worked amazingly well, and never had a diaper soaker. I just had a pail with a really good lid, and then I made sure I washed the diapers every other day. Sometimes I'd let them soak in the washer, but not always.
And, I tried to line-dry them outside as much as possible. This saved energy and money, and is the best way to get stains out.
I can't wait to use those diapers again!
I hope it works out for you!
:)
Tamara said…
Cannot tell you how thankful I am that Faith Clare is all right...I've been waiting on pins and needles for you to post so thank you ;) Totall weird, i am sure to have some random lady in Tennessee concerned about your child...but I am the mother of 4 kiddos...so I can only imagine what was going through your mind on Wednesday night...

God is GOOD!

As for cloth diapers...I have a friend who recommended Gdiapers.
Anonymous said…
Kenzie,

Glad to hear Faith Clare is doing good!

My mom used cloth diapers on all the kids and recommends them very highly! My grandparents gave the gift of a 1 year service to my parents and she says it the best gift she received...

Nicki
Unknown said…
I've been sending many, many prayers your way...especially since I read about Faith's episode. The 1st thing that popped into my mind was reflux since we dealt with breathing issues because of reflux with my daughter.

Hoping that the meds are helping and that you don't have to go through that again...so scary!
Anonymous said…
I use fuzzibunz, they are all in one cloth diapers and are so easy to use, I also buy the diaper liners from walmart you get 200 for $10 and if they poop you just pull out the whole liner and flush it. It looks like toilet paper. I have to say there have been a few times the poop didn't stay in the liner and that is pretty gross but it's not bad. good luck
karen
Andrea said…
Hi Kenzie-
It's so good to hear Faith Clare is doing better! I didn't read the post until Monday and you've all been in my thoughts since then. It's amazing to hear how God has used your past experiences to prepare you (as best as can be expected) for what you are facing now. The phrase "Breath of Heaven" (like the Amy Grant song) kept coming to mind after I read your post...I don't know if it means anything or not but figured I'd share it since it kept coming back to me.

Anyway...re: your question. I've been using cloth diapers for about a year and LOVE the cost savings and environmentally-friendliness of them. We chose Fuzzi Bunz based on a recommendation from a friend. They are "pocket diapers" and are very easy to clean and unless the poop is really mushy, it's really not a big deal. Sounds gross but that's the reality. You can get an attachment for the toilet that prewashes off the mesh - we don't have this but most cloth diaper sites should have info on it. If you are considering getting these, see if you can get some "second hand" as they're cheaper and still like new. I did this with some of ours and the cost savings helps. Since it seems like the guys are most sqeamish about this...I think Fuzzi Bunz has a 30 day money back guarentee so if you want to try them out and find it just isn't for you, there's not much risk. Finally, the detergent that has been recommended for keeping the cloth diapers at their best is Charlie's Soap - you can get it at www.charliessoap.com. Once a week they recommend using OxyClean.

If you want more info or had more questions, email me at bea813@cox.net. I could look up the suppliers I used and pass the info along if you like.

Praying God's peace over you,
Andrea
Kathy said…
Dear Kenzie,

Thank you so very much for sharing the great, great news that reflux is the issue. Praying that the drug and dosage is the ticket! Do you also raise the head of her bed(crib/bassinet)?

I am so sorry that you had to go through the episode but glad that your MIL and Dusty were there with you. Glad you knew just what to do. All parents need to.

Thanking and praising the Lord that you were able to get answers and that her xray was normal!!!

Please give Faith a big hug and kiss for all of us in the blogosphere!

Love that you are considering cloth dipes. I loved what Lisa in NC said. She talked about her almost 16 year old. Yes, the kids do grow up... My oldest just turned 30 - yikes! - and both he and his sister (26) were cloth diapered babes. I used a diaper service and thought it was great! No rashes!!! Yipee! We did use disposables for going out, just easier than dragging the dirty ones home.

We now have a year old grandson, who is so, so adorable :~) He is in disposables but does get rashes even though he is changed frequently. He is not mine, otherwise I would have him in cloth as well. Always try to be supportive and sensitive, but not bossy.

Wondering if there still are diaper services out there? I had THE nicest Dy Dee delivery guy.

Please keep us updated on your diaper decision. I may pass the info on to my wonderful daughter in law... and I have some young friends still having babies.

May God continue to hide you safely under His wings.
Kate said…
I've been lurking and reading (and praying!) your blog for a while. Thank God Faith is okay--our son wasa preemie and suffered from bad reflux, as well...it's very scary when they have color changes. My thoughts are with you.

Check out GDiapers if you want a "bybrid" cloth/disposable. They have disposable (flushable) liners that are 100% biodegradeable. Good luck!
Anonymous said…
Hello. So glad to hear that she is doing better. I am a paramedic and also was very disgusted to hear that they did not reccomend transport. And 8-10 minute response? That seems long in my opinion. Please call the supervisor at the EMS agency and report them, please. I hate think that the next parent they talk into not going to the hospital, does not have the same outcome as your beautiful little girl. I would also ask to see a copy of their report, I imagine they worded stuff, to keep themselves out of trouble. I work in one of the most progressive EMS agencies. Even we still call doctors to basically cover our butts on baby breathing non transports. Did they do that? I still am in shock they did not transport her. That is lazy EMS in my opinion that basically blew you off with what they thought was "new mom syndrome." Anywho, call their supervisor please! You can also ask to see thier protocols on breathing emergencies for babies. As you can see this is passionate for me, it makes me sick to think about what could have been. I am so,so happy she is okay. Sorry for my ramblings.

~Patricia~
Anonymous said…
People have left you SO MUCH information about cloth, it's got to be overwhelming! I switched to cloth for my baby girl about 4 months ago, and it was so overwhelming for me at first, too. There are so many options out there, it's hard to know what to do!

There is a local cloth diaper store called Nurtured Family that has a cloth diapering info session on Dec 13th at 11am. I wish I went to something like that before I started with cloth. They can give you all the info you need there and have EVERYTHING you will need to get started with cloth. They have the Fuzzi Bunz, bumGenius and Happy Heinis others have mentioned, the diaper sprayer toilet attachments and wetbags. It's nice to be able to take your baby to an actual store and see what will work best for her instead of just guessing and ordering online. It's a big investment! But you will save SO MUCH MONEY over time.

I'd recommend buying twice as many diapers you use in an average day so you only do laundry every other day. Cloth diapering is really so easy once you know what you're doing. And I love that my daughter won't be sitting in chlorine for 2+ years until she's potty trained (read that the chlorine in disposable has been linked with cancer and female infertility). Good luck!
Thanking God for your good Dr. and that Faith Clare is doing better. That makes me sick to think about you having to go through that episode. Allison had reflux to and zantac did the trick. I will keep praying for sweet Faith.
Okay - YOU let ME know about the cloth - I never considered it but man seems to be popular. I will take your lead!!:)
Love you girl
Kim
Thank you so much for the update. I was freaking out over here. I'm so glad it was nothing serious. I can not imagine how you must have felt in that moment seeing her lips blue. Praise Jesus is all I can say!

She is simply beautiful...I just had to throw that in.
secarden said…
http://prayerofhannah.blogspot.com/

they have lots of great blogs about using cloth diapers:

http://prayerofhannah.blogspot.com/search/label/Cloth%20Diapering
Thank you for updating on little Faith Claire's condition! I was so worried after reading your last post!

Praise the Lord for an attentive and sensitive pediatrician! I really hope and pray that the reflux medicine will keep her from having more episodes.

Hope you all can get some better sleep.
Sorry, don't know too much about cloth diapers except there are a lot of cool websites giving every detail you could every want about them.

-Patty
Heather said…
I use cloth diapers with my 18 month old. I love them. We have saved so much money. All in ones are great for Dads but cost the most. I use a lot of pocket diapers and at night I use prefolds with a cover. Mine will leak sometimes (usually when he goes a lot and it can't absorb quick enough). I just dump the poop in the potty and toss the diaper into the diaper pail. With babies that are strictly breastfeed you just rinse them in the washer before washing them.
snap-ez.com has a lot of info and good deals. I work for the family sewing the diapers. She came out with a wholesale line earlier this year.

Good luck in your search.

Your children are adorable, thanks for sharing.
connie said…
Hi Kenzie. We use cloth in the daytime, but disposable for travel and nighttime. (Well, we do this on days when I'm off work, but I suspect more disposables are used on days when I'm at work!) We had some great liners from Sears from years ago when I stocked up, and have cut them in half because they are just so long, so they've lasted twice as long. They weren't flushable ... in fact, I often ended up tossing them in the wash with the diapers and reusing them several times, if they weren't really soiled. But recently, when I realized we were getting to the bottom of the supply, I started realizing that the liners are important really when you have a lot of stinky solids in the diet. Well, not stinky solids; stinky poopy. With a mostly or exclusively a breastmilk diet, you probably don't have a serious need for the liners, because that loose poop just washes/rinsed away in the wash. It's just extremely satisfying to peel off a liner and, poof! The poop is tossed.

If I had a ton of money, I'd invest in fitted diapers, but we use regular prefolds with nice velcro liners. The best diapers I see these days are at Target. They sell a few types, so open a pkg and feel for the ones that are really smooth ... and a tighter weave. They don't shrink as much as the looser (gauzy) weave and stay smoother/softer.

Glad to read that things are less scary with the breathing issues.
connie said…
Forgot to tell you, my sister taught me that if you put some Borateem or Borax in the diaper pail, they tend to not stain and the water doesn't smell badly ... and you can just dump it all in the washer when you're ready to do a load, spin it out, and then wash.
Megan Brueseke said…
I'm glad to hear Faith is okay - what a scary experience for you all! You've got a lot of info about cloth diapers so I won't leave too much - we've been using them on our son for 16 months and love them (even my husband who was skeptical in the beginning). We used a variety when he was little, but now use BumGenius pockets. www.cottonbabies.com is where we get all our cloth diaper supplies.

Have you considered chiropractic adjustments for Faith's reflux? We did that with our son when he suffered from reflux (he was about 5 weeks old) and it made a huge difference in my opinion. Just another idea to try
Janis said…
We have a new baby girl and have had similar experiences with her. The worst were while we were still at the hospital - praise God - but have had a few moments here at home where we have held our breaths until she has regained hers. I've never had reflux mentioned as a possiblity...how does one know? Are there other symptons?

Glad all is okay with Faith!

Janis
Kirsten said…
What a blessing to read an update about Faith Claire. We've been praying. I can't imagine how scary that was - my mind can't go there. Wow. So glad to know that it under control.

Faith sure does have a lot of exciting events to keep her parents on their toes. Maybe all this means she will be super easy as a teenager? :o)

Her latest picture is so cute!!! All that hair cracks me up. She is precious.

Praying for you and thinking about you and your family often. Blessings to each of you.

Kirsten
angela said…
I have cloth diapered all 4 of my babies and through trial and error, I now only use Fuzzi Bunz...they are reliable, tried and true, leak proof, easy, and last for a long time.

I def. feel it is cost efective! My last purchase of second quality diapers (they were brand new but had some stitching errors but otherwise work perfectly) cost me $100 for 12 diapers and they will last me until my youngest potty learns.

I have about 20 diapers and I wash every other day. I have a HE washer and dryer so time is very minimal other than folding the diapers together.

My baby is completely breastfed so I don't have to dump poop because it is already liquid. When he does eat solids, I just shake it off in the toilet, never really have to dunk into. I use a sterlite trash can with a lid to hold dirties and just toss them all in the washer on washday. It is all really very simple and I couldn't image life with disaposable diapers!
Twinkletoes said…
I loved the cloth diapers - but not for poops (sorry). I didn't use them until my daughter was older and was a little more predictable with her habits. What I did was ordered one of each of the pocket types (because you can add layers for more absorbancy) and I had certain favorites (fuzzibunz for sure). I can say, though, I ended up with disposables more nights b/c even with several inserts, I would often have leaks.
Something I learned was to use the best soaps (such a limited amt. b/c they are concentrated) so they do not negatively affect the absorbancy of the diapers. I also learned to wash, wash, wash at least every other day to avoid odors.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!
Unknown said…
Kenzie,

I'm just getting caught on blogs tonight - Lexi our 14 yr old was in the hospital for days and we just got home tonight.

I'm so sorry what you went through with Faith. I'll be praying for her, the doctors wisdom and for your heart to have peace as you figure out everything that is causing her to struggle in the tiniest bit to breath after eating!

Praising God for the love and care of your Pediatrician.

Hugs and blessings,
Jill
Anonymous said…
I'm so glad that Faith is doing OK now. What a scary thing for you all. I think if something like that happens again, I'd go directly to the ER and let them handle it. Praying that all will go well from now one.
katrynka said…
I am so happy that it seems that the cause of the problem has been found, and that you have the monitor thing.

I do not have children, but I read too many blogs, and here are the diaper "tutorials" that I have seen!
http://www.twosheep.com/blog/?p=674

http://www.twosheep.com/blog/?p=681

http://ourlittlefootprints.blogspot.com/2008/05/theyre-not-your-grannys-cloth-diapers.html

http://ourlittlefootprints.blogspot.com/2008/05/cloth-diaper-part-ii-s.html

Good luck on your quest!
MamaBear said…
It looks like you've gotten lots of advice already so at first I hesitated to add my thoughts to the mix. I'll try to keep it simple and include my experience with some of the diapering products that have been mentioned.

The first thing I thought of was, "I wonder if she reads Brittany's blog?"

Brittany is a mom of six (4 boys and identical twin daughters). She uses cloth and raves about them. Check her out at
www.4littlemen.blogspot.com

Also, I have used the Bummis Super Whisper Wraps a few times. They always leaked. (MY daughter was off the growth charts until she turned 2 so maybe that played a factor, but I did get their largest size)

If you go with a wrap diaper the Snappi closure thingies are great and cheap. (They are used instead of pins)

I love my Kushies wraps. They are cute, not expensive at all, and hold everything in.

I use Kissaluvs diapers and have a combination of the contours (you'd use a snappi to "pin" these) and the snap ones which are bulky.

The diaper liners are a life saver. I don't have to scrape poop ever. I put a liner in every time. If she doesn't p**p I simply toss it in the bag with the wet diaper and reuse it once it has been washed and dried.

I use a large Wammies dry/wet bag at home (I throw the bag in the wash with the diapers if it gets too soiled). I also have two small bags so I can have one upstairs in Julia's room and one in the diaper bag. The small ones also come in handy for when the big one is in the wash. You'll find many uses for the small bags besides for cloth diaper needs. They work for wet clothes when you're out and about, when it's not practical to use cloth I use a clean bag to keep the disposables, wipes, and sanitizer all contained. No more digging in the diaper bag for all the necessities. I see that cute pattern on my wet bag and grab it.

Keep in mind that her pants will fit differently. My 6 month old was wearing 12 month clothes and even some 2T pants.

Kissaluvs also sells cloth wipes. I'm not sure if you've considered that option or not. There are many "recipes" online for making a wipe solution (to avoid the harsh chemicals in regular wipes.

The most important thing to remember is that you know what's best for your family. If you decide to use cloth some of the time but not all - don't sweat it. My diapers have paid for themselves long ago and it's nice to know that when we are running low on disposables I don't have to run out to the store.

So much for keeping it simple. :)

Oh - one more thing...you don't have to commit to a certain kind right away either. I ordered one Bummis Wrap and one Kushies wrap to start out with. Once I knew which worked better for Julia, THEN I stocked up.
kari.jackson said…
Oh Kenzie, I'm so sorry for you guys that you had to go through such a scare!
But praising God that you have such a wonderful and supportive Ped! Not always the case!
Continuing to pray for little Faith, that the meds take care of the reflux issue and that nothing further develops!
Love and hugs,
kari
Anonymous said…
To each his own, but I never regretted using disposable diapers. I know, I know - the environment, chemicals, etc., but consider the amount of chemicals used to clean the cloth diapers, the water that has to be heated using fossil fuels, etc., etc. My children had LESS diaper rashes using disposable diapers. I think this is because the moisture is pulled away from their body, and they don't sit in it. The time I saved with disposable diapers was valuable to me. It gave me more time for my husband and kids. Sorry, for all the people who disagree with my choice, but like I said, to each his own.
Joy said…
I started cloth with both kids when my younger child was about 2 months old. After trying several brands and types, I chose mother-ease one size diapers and "fitted" breathable covers. I wanted to use cloth for economic reasons. I absolutely loved the fitted diapers but it was not cost effective for me to buy fitted diapers AND covers. If I had to do it over again, I'd choose one-size all-in-one diapers (bumGenius 3.0), but mother-ease washes and wears very nicely (though a bit bulky). They only leak due to installation (parent) error. I shake solids them into the toilet and put them in a bag till wash time. It is very easy and not much extra time as long as I remember to actually get stuff in the wash then out to dry. I have 26 diapers for 2 kids and wash them every 2 days (allowing 2 days to finish the load before I run out LOL!). I use disposables for days away from home and 2 disposables at night because it's the best system I've come up with for nighttime.

I hope all of our bits and pieces of information help you to make a good decision! [And so glad you have a plan and hopefully a reason for Faith's breathing difficulty!]
Anonymous said…
I don't think anyone mentioned that you don't use just regular laundry detergent for cloth diapers b/c there are so many additives, it leaves a residue on your diapers and will affect the absorbency. I know some people use Free and Clear detergents and are happy with that. I think some people even make it work with the original powder Tide. But I use Charlie's Soap. It's safe for diapers, biodegradable and only $15 for 80 loads of laundry. You only use a Tbsp/load. I actually use it for all my laundry now. You can order online and they don't charge shipping. There are several other similar options out there. Please, please, please don't think of using a diaper service. They use harsh chemicals that are bad for the environment, but more importantly, not so good for your sweet little girl's delicate bottom!

While I'm talking about laundry, a big plus for cloth diapers for me is that I never have blowouts like I did with disposables. SO I never have to worry about getting poop stains out of baby clothes. I actually have stopped bringing that extra backup outfit around like I used to have to do when using disposables. I swear, Fuzzi Bunz are bullet proof! BTW, my 8 month old is in a size small (has been since 4 months) and I'm thinking they will fit until 12 months. Then the medium size should last through potty training.

While I'm talking about potty training, your cloth diapered child should potty train sooner. My cousin's daughter who was cloth diapered from birth pooped in the potty after 12 months and was completely potty trained (underwear 100% of the time, even nights) by her 2nd birthday. Pretty good!

Whew! Didn't mean to be so long winded! When you ask a question about cloth, all us cloth diaper addicts get a little over-excited!

(Go to diaperpin.com for ratings of every cloth product under the sun and a HUGE list of online and local retailers.)
Jennifer said…
http://ourlittlefootprints.blogspot.com/search/label/cloth%20diapers

megan has 4 posts on cloth diapering.
Carla said…
That episode must have been terrifying! Hopefully it never happens again.
One the diaper topic. I used cloth with my middle child (mostly because we were really broke and couldn't afford diapers.) My mom found a huge pile of the velro style cloth diapers at the second hand store....I know that sounds gross ..but they didn't look used at all. Likely someone bought a bunch and gave up on the idea. I can say that I never rinsed a diaper in a toilet. The thought makes me gag and seems so unnecesary. I didn't start cloth diapering until he was a few months old and over the explosive new born poo. I used liners...sometimes just cloth cut into strips to line the diaper that I would throw away. About the smell I just washed a load of diapers everyday so they didn't have time to smell really. I used a mild natural detergent and a little tea tree oil product to help with any odor and bacteria. I hung them out in the sun and voila ...cheep, eco friendly diapering. My last baby I planned to do it but we had two young foster kids at that time...way too many diapers! Good luck.
Susan said…
And now I'll breathe better too.

Your daughter is BEAUTIFUL!!

I used cloth diapers on my first. It was lots of work, but worth it.

You are such a great mom Kenzie, I'm so proud of you♥
Anonymous said…
I have not personally used cloth diapers as I have no children. However, my sister, who had her first baby about six weeks ago, is using them. I thought she was crazy at first for using them, but now that I see them actually in use, I will probably use them for my children. She is one of those people who does all the research on EVERYTHING, so it was no suprise to me that she did so much research. FOr now while my niece is very small, she is using Kissaluvs. They are fuzzy... almost fleece like. They have adjustable snaps and then she uses a plastic like cover over them. She has not had a single leak or a single blow-out as the back of the diapers have some elastic in them. She also is using the cloth wipes. She keeps a plastic trashcan under the changing table and does a load of diapers every other day. She is starting to phase in BumGenius diapers now that the baby is getting bigger. They have insertable liners and with a velcro closure. I have changed my nieces diaper in both and they seem to work great. She carries a special bag in the diaper bag that has a cute stripped fabric on the oustdie and a plastic liner to put the dirty diapers in when she is not at home. When she was pregnant and said she was going to do the cloth diaper thing, I honestly thought she was crazy. But now seeing them, they are great and they dont cause diaper rash or have other harmful chemicals in them that disposable diapers and wipes do.
Queen Mommy said…
A good friend of mine has cloth diapered both of her kids. She has several different types, fitted, pockets, AIO's, etc. I *know* she has saved money by using them. Her favorite pocket diapers are Fuzzi Bunz and KCK One. For fitted, she uses Kushies, which I gave her (we'd wanted to cloth diaper with our first, but I found it too much while living in an apartment and not having my own washer and dryer). She tells me they are the most absorbent thing EVER! Unfortunately, they're not holding up as well in the wash. They are 7 years old though, even if they weren't used very much prior to this. She loves them so much, she would love to reuse the fabric to make more diapers! LOL I know they did mostly prefolds when their dd was a newborn though. If you haven't already, I'd recommend going to Diaper Swappers website. I think the ladies there are pretty good about answering questions too.

For a diaper pail, my friend uses a lidded trash can lined with an old pillowcase. She just tosses soiled diapers in their and chases it with 1/2-1 tsp of Hippy's Diaper Dust (a product she came up with to help combat the stinky diaper smell...it's amazing stuff...I use it to clean out my sink, actually!). You can find it on Etsy or Hyena Cart. I don't think she really rinses them at all. (Another friend of mine CD'd, and she just used a plastic spoon to scoop the solid poop into the toilet.)

For laundering, I'd recommend Crunchy Clean Cloth Diaper detergent. It contains absolutely NO soap, as soap contributes to build-up and leaking. I use regular Crunchy Clean on all of our laundry, and I LOVE it. You can also find that on Etsy. So many cloth diapering moms swear by it.

I hope Faith Clare is doing better now! That's such scary stuff! When you first mentioned blue spells, I started thinking about tracheomalacia. One of my twins was born with esophageal atresia (esophagus not connected to her stomach and tracheomalacia (soft, easily collapsible cartilage in her airway). Her twin sister used to also get a little dusky sometimes while I was feeding her. It was fairly mild, but just something I was always aware of.

Still keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck with the cloth diapering. I'd be more than happy to put you in touch with my cloth diapering friend as well. Oh, and about the G diapers (I believe that's the brand with the disposable liners), from my understanding, most people feel they aren't worth the price. Also, that disposable liner will not decompose inside of a garbage bag. It has to be exposed to the elements for it to decompose, as does anything else. If not exposed to the elements, it will take up landfill space just like anything else we throw away. HTH!
sumi said…
Wow, Kenzie, that must have been so scary. I am glad you have some answers and that your doctor is such a great guy.

HUGS...
Yikes! I hope miss Faith doesn't have any more episodes like that! My second did that..well..not for quite that long and ended up being diagnosed with GURD just like her big brother. She grew out of it much quicker, though. As for cloth diapers, DoodleBunz are great, you should check out their site. www.Doodlebunz.com. She is a SAHM and started the biz when she couldn't fine a diaper she loved.
Megan said…
hi...i actually have nothing to offer you in the cloth diaper dept. i wish i did.

i just wanted to tell you thank you for an email you sent not too long ago. my name is megan, my son macsen is now with the Lord, and you were very sweet in encouraging me and lifting me in prayer.
thank you.

i have added your link to my blog, and hope you will visit again. i am just weeks from having an actual web site and store so people can make doantions to recieve memory boxes when the need arrises. i hope to chat with you again soon.

your little lady is so dreamy. God is good....

the lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.....and through it all, HE IS GOOD!
Jennie Bender said…
I just stopped by your blog. I have found a few trisomy 18 moms through internet travels. I have a sweet T18 with the Lord. Her name is Elaine, she has been in heaven since 2006. I miss her. The Lord is always so good to us, though.

I wanted to tell you both my girls have had this trouble. My suggestion is to keep doing what you are doing--keep her with you until she is big enough to sit up and handle it on her own.

We woke up in the night ( my babies are small 5.10/5.14 oz--so they have always roomed-in for a while.), and I heard Sabrina making strange noises in the bassinet beside our bed (I feel if she hadn't been there, she would have no doubt died). We got her up and in arms and were noticing she was really struggling with breathing/barely breathing.

It took her forever to clear the mucus and get her breath and when she finally did, she was frightenend/exhausted and slept on my chest without stirring for the rest of the night. She had numerous episodes over the next 4-5 months.

My third daughter, Darcy had a more frightening episode with reflux. I was feeding her bottle--half upright/the very normal position, she seemed to be struggling with getting the fluid down. I sat her up and tried to burp her, let her swallow, or something-- she was still struggling.

I noticed her nose was stuffy. We got the syringe out to clear her nose, when I did that tons of fluid started coming out her nose, and mouth. Thick mucus. She could not breathe at all. The mucus fell out of her mouth onto our bed. I couldn't believe how much was there!!!

Shane, my husband working with her to clear her air passage. By the time it was over, she had drainage coming out her eyes...it was unreal. I still panic when I think of it.

It was all quite overwhelming, especially after the death of Elaine. All I could think was, "Dear, God, I can't do this again. I just got her!!!"

Shane finally got her breathing. Needless to say, she slept with us FOREVER in her bassinet and then her pac'n'play! She outgrew it by 7 months.

The doctor said it was reflux. I am so glad she outgrew it; it was very frightening.

I hope she doesn't have anymore episodes. Have you elevated her bed at all? Our doctor told us to do that to help force the drainage down. She also suggested cereal to weight her milk down.

I know everyone has a suggestion. I am no exception=)

I am sorry for the hard times you have faced. I am so glad the Lord has blessed you with this sweet one. She will never replace, but she will, indeed, comfort and heal hearts--
I know...

Choosing to rememember,
Enjoying today,
Embracing tomorrow,
Jennie Bender
Anonymous said…
Have to be honest, tried cloth diapers and I think I had more problems than ever! I did the Fuzzi Bunz kind and it was much more time consuming than ever--I don't know if I was doing what I wanted or my ego because it seemed like the "in thing" to do. In my click of friends, if you breast fed, cloth diapered, made your own baby food, etc..etc...you were considered to be the best mom. Well...guess I'm not.
I hated cleaning them out in the potty but I did it for quite a while. Got my son potty broke by 18 mos so it really wasn't a big deal and yes 18 mos--and it was a boy!
Keisha said…
So thankful she is okay.
sorry, I'm no help on the cloth diapers.. I was Huggies all the way! LOL!
blessings,
Keisha
Anonymous said…
So glad your sweet baby girl is doing well. I am a mother who lost her first born daughter to SIDS and must comment on the pic of your sweet baby girl sleeping on her tummy...please reconsider. Not trying to stir up anything...just a very nervous nellie am I!
Anonymous said…
Hi!
I found your site through Nate's, and thought I'd comment regarding your questions on cloth diapers.

I love Thirsties Pocket AIOs for daytime use. At night we've been using one-size bumGenius diapers, but as Aidan grows we will probably start using them during the day as well. They are very absorbant and still aren't leaking after 12 hours of overnight use. When Aidan was born I probably bought every possible type of diaper to try, though it took us less than 2 weeks to figure out what we liked and didn't like.

We have a sprayer attached to our utility sink, so we shake the poop into the toilet with toilet paper and then spray the remainders off in the sink before storing dirty diapers in a wet bag. I wash every other day, and so far no stains!

I actually like using cloth diapers, which was very surprising to me! I'm also blessed in that all of Aidan's caregivers are willing to use cloth also. After they saw how easy it was, they were hooked!

I very rarely have leak issues, but I'm used to changing diapers fairly frequently (I've also yet to have diaper rash as a result). We normally change him about every 2-2.5 hours during the day(except on a rare occation when he takes a 3 hour long nap for us...bliss!). He gets his last diaper at 7pm for bedtime and doesn't get changed again until after first bottle 12 hours later :).

Good luck!
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