Fun Days in the Summer Sun (and and a Giveaway)

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With summer time just around the corner pretty much here I figured what better time to showcase my must haves for the cloth diaper baby in your life.  So to start with what to I recommend doing diaper wise while traveling.  If you know you have laundry facilities, you can just cloth diaper like you normally would.  But if you aren't sure how available a washing machine will be, you can always try out a hybrid option with disposable inserts.

I would recommend Grovia hybrids.  The shells are reusable if it is only a wet diaper and could be easily hand washed.  The disposable inserts are quite absorbent and I have had good luck with them in the past.  They also biodegrade a lot quicker than a disposable diaper would and are bleach free.

Photo via:  Kelly's Closet

So say you have a vacation at the beach planned.  What does your little fluff butt aficionado need now?  Well a swim diaper and rash guard of course!  

I have used Bummis swim diapers since Destructo was three months old and am still loving them.  They are one of the few swim diapers I found that have velcro and come off like a diaper as opposed to underwear.  I love that for poop messes so I don't have to slide them down, but can lay Destructo down and change him like a regular diaper.  Even when he was exclusively breastfed, I never had a poop leak.  

Photo via:  Kelly's Closet

Modeling his Bummis swim diaper at 3 months old

Helpful hint:  In a pinch, you can use any cloth diaper cover as a swim diaper

To keep your sweet baby from looking like a lobster, I highly recommend getting a rash guard. I had no idea what this was until last year when I read about it somewhere. They work well. No matter how long we stayed on the beach last October in Destin, he never got the slightest bit tanned let alone burnt.

Another summer must have is sunscreen.  I have used Badger and California Baby and of the two I prefer Badger.  But the one I am planning on trying this year is Episencial sun screen.  I have read many reviews on it and people really seem to like it.  They say it rubs in and doesn't leave a white residue which I like and it is also a few bucks cheaper.  When I order some and try it, I will report back!


Finally a sun hat to protect your sweetie's head since if they are anything like Destructo they have fine hair and would easily get burned.  I have a huge wide brimmed hat that Destructo refers to as his zoo hat that is amazing, but it is a heavy jean like material that wouldn't dry quickly.  So I plan on ordering a My Swim Baby hat. I could say it is because I read reviews, or had one last year that was similar that I loved, or the price is right.  But it would all be a lie (even though those facts are true.)  I am ordering this one solely because it has a turtle on it.  

Oh and two more things I thought of after I originally published this post are bug spray and also a wet bag of some sort to store the wet clothes in after water play.  

So now that you have all the summer essentials, what are your plans for this summer?  I have created a bucket list for summer this year.  I want to go to the beach (which we will on vacation), take a night time walk, get ice cream on big waffle cones (and try really hard not to think of the sugar Destructo is ingesting), go canoeing, camp for at least a night or two, go to our local splash playground a few times, swim nearly daily in our pool (assuming we ever get it fully opened), and draw on the sidewalk with chalk.  I am sure I will come up with more things, but those are the first ones on my list.

Oh and for those of you that want to get these summer essentials and want a coupon code, check it out!  It isn't available on the Kelly's Closet site, but is here for my awesome readers to use!  Yay for saving money and getting adorable summer gear.

All you have to do is use coupon code SUNANDFUN over at Kelly's Closet to save 5 dollars on 25 ore more.  They are also giving away a 100 dollar gift certificate.  You know how much fun it would be to go on a shopping spree with that?  I could get all my summer gear and the tiger striped Fuzzibunz for my Daniel Tiger fanatic!  You can enter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Breastfeeding Advantages A to Z

As I mentioned on the blog's facebook page, I was going to compile a list of breastfeeding advantages for each letter of the alphabet with help from my lovely followers.  I have been attending La Leche League meetings and this was one of the activities that we did at the last meeting.  So here they are.  And feel free to comment if you have any ideas that I need to add to the list.  A big thank you to everyone who chimed in on this.

A--antibodies, asthma (less chance of), alone time (mama and baby), always available

B--bonding, breast health, built in (nothing to pack for travel), bones (shown to decrease osteoporosis later in life), beneficial to baby, mommy, and the environment

C-- colostrum, cuddle time, comfort (for both mama and baby), calorie burning, complete nutrition for baby, convenience (always the right temperature and ready when you need it)

D--digestive health, delicious (for babies), digestively efficiently fresh, easily digested (less waste), decreases risk (of obesity, cancer, etc.), does a body good

E--easily digestible, easy to prepare, ear infection reduction, ecological, economical, eats on feets

Yay for breast milk!

F--free, fresh air to the boobies, frustrating but worth it, (always) fresh, favorite of babies

G--germ prevention, guaranteed hormone induce production, getting to cuddle, good for the whole family, great for you, great source of nutrition

H-- health of mother and baby, happy hormones, hot and fresh, helps fight illness, helps reduce risk of breast cancer, healing (can help eye and ear infections)

I-- immune system booster, irresistible to a cranky baby, invaluable to both baby and momma

J-- (Getting out of) jury duty, job (because it is one in its self), just you (no bottles, no brushes, no bottle warmers, no hassle)

K-- kangaroo care, kids, knowing it's enough (not too much, not too little milk), lactation consultants (can walk you through any feeding issues)

L--lactation, lactose (and soy) intolerance fix (if you give up those parts of your diet)

M--maternal breast cancer reducer, "miracle" cure (from cancer, to ear infections, to dry skin etc), multifunctional (nutrition, comfort, etc)

N-- natural, no making middle of the night bottles, nearly perfect (Mom may have to modify her diet), never toxic

O-- ouchie fixer, oxytocin (pleasure hormone)

P-- postnatal weight loss, prevention of disease, perfect temperature, pacifier you can't lose, power food, prepared automatically

Q-- quiet time for mom and baby, quality, quality time with baby

R-- reduction of breast cancer risk, relaxation (that oxytocin rush is amazing), ready in a flash, required relaxation

S-- served at the perfect temperature, snuggle time with baby

T-- tasty for baby, higher (test) scores in school

U-- uniquely made for each individual baby's needs, uniquely designed for your baby's development, usual form of nutrition (in all mammals)

V-- very easy and convenient, valuable nutrients, vitality

W-- wholesome, waste free, weight loss

X-- X rays (greater bone density in breastfed children)

Y-- yummy

Z-- (a) zillion times easier when traveling

Be sure to comment and I can add any you guys think of to the list!

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Wordless Wednesday-- Captain Destructo is in the House