A Swift Doula Blog, Chicago

Green Diaper Babies Visits A Swift Doula!

7/31/2015

I am so excited to share a conversation with Shannon Griffith, owner of Green Diaper Babies, Chicago's premier cloth diaper delivery service.

I used disposable diapers with my daughter when she was a newborn, but was happy to convert to cloth diapers when she was about a month old. Using cloth diaper with my daughter I fell in love with their ease, baby-friendly fabrics, and how well she was able to convert from diaper to using the toilet. What was most surprising for me getting started is that they can be just as simple as disposables.

There is something out there called an All-In-One which was the selling point to get my husband on board. Green Diaper Babies knew this kind of diaper would make a tremendous difference for families, and she is happy to offer this option as well as traditional pre-fold diapers.

But don't get bogged down with this lingo - Green Diaper Babies offers a class for parents looking into diaper use.

Green Diaper Babies takes all the good qualities of using cloth diapers for your family and none of the bad, meaning, cleaning the soiled nappies!

Shannon has a love for families and the environment, and this venture is an extension of those passions. Feel free to visit Green Diaper Babies for more information or - get this - call 773 - DIAPERS. Love that.

Interview with Shannon Griffith

What led to the creation of Green Diaper Babies?

An adventure! :) I am originally from Colorado but living in Oklahoma at the time the seeds were planted in December of 2012. I moved to Chicago in the summer of 2013 to get things started. It will be 2 years in August and I'm so happy I took the leap to try Chicago, try cloth, and I can definitely say I found a passion!

What have you learned your customers are concerned about?

Our customers are concerned about usually a few reasons. First, the environment; even making a small change, one cloth diaper a day would say 365 diapers from landfills! The numbers add up. Another reason would be baby health: rash is slim or non existent, as well as skin sensitivities are eliminated because of the natural fiber. Plus a baby in cloth diapers on average potty trains 6 months sooner!

Can you speak to the level of education that may be involved to encourage people who may not know this diaper option exists?

Parents overall are becoming better at looking at options, trying to be open minded and find what parenting styles and techniques they want for their family. Cloth is one of those choices. Cloth is not as mainstream yet as it ought, but certainly has progressed over the past generation and we can only hope this continues. Most families who are looking into better, holistic, healthier options for their family often turn to cloth.

What is your favorite part of the cloth diaper business?

Oh my, my favorite part? I have given a couple of years of my full attention and passion to the the cloth diaper business and really love it. I have experienced every part of this company and I wouldn't trade it for anything! My favorite part is that at the end of the day, the long week, and the load of laundry, I know that I've had a positive impact on my friends, city, and earth. I'm making a difference in a small way and I sleep well at night knowing that one less diaper is in the landfill and one more baby slept well in cloth. I wouldn't be in the business if it wasn't for the wonderful families I work with daily!

The cloth diaper market has many different options and brands. How did you come to your decision on which brands you would use?

I knew we would carry the traditional cotton pre-fold as it is the most basic, traditional, yet approachable and affordable. Our All-In-One diaper decision was a bit harder because we knew we would be standing out. The All-In-One diapers are often not offered in services across the nation and I chose to give them a shot. I came into the industry with a fresh eye and saw the modernization of cloth. I knew my company needed to be on that page to offer the best for our customers.

How do you offer ongoing support to families who use your service?

One of the best things I think we offer in our service is our free in-home consultation for each of our clients. Though this technically happens before they begin the service, it sets every new client up for success! We take time to meet with each family individually to practice putting diapers on, review products and policy, and to have a face to a name. This helps us in our relationships going forward because we know siblings, pets, babies, and parents names and environments. Now that the weather is nice we also coordinate Meetups for our customers and other cloth diapering families in and around Chicago. We meet in parks and cafes to talk and share stories and mingle. It's a real blast!

What have some of the responses been from customers?

I'm thankful to say that most customer responses have been positive. Over the course of the couple years I've had the opportunity to watch little ones grow and I am thrilled to have been a part of their lives! The families are terrific and allow us to be succeeding. Often we hear good reviews on our service, which for me is most important, so I am thankful for that!!

What parts of Chicago do you service?

We service every zip code of the city of Chicago; we go North through North Shore to Highland Park, West to Elgin an Aurora, South to Tinley Park, and of course everything in between!

What is the best way for people to learn more about cloth diapering through a diaper service?

We offer free Cloth Diaper 101 course usually twice a month. We have classes in the suburbs, West Loop, Lincoln Park, Ravenswood, and Evanston. We try to meet in spaces that are relevant for our customers such as prenatal gyms, chiropractor and acupuncturists who workwith pre- & postnatal, and birthing centers and studios. Our workshops discuss options of washing at home or cloth diapering with a service. And as mentioned before, we also offer the free in-home consultation for our customers, which is a great one-on-one. And if schedules don't allow or class doesn't work out, call us: 773-DIAPERS. We are happy to talk about cloth diaper with you!

Thank you so much to Shannon and her team that makes this incredible service possible! If you are looking for more information about Green Diaper Babies, visit their website at www.greendiaperbabies.com

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Forced Affection: Why I won't Make My Child Hug You

1/12/2015

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There are a lot of people that keep tabs on my daughter. She is loved by her family of aunts, uncles and grandparents, naturally. But she also has an army of affection from the extended friends, and friends of friends that are a part of our world.

My husband is a part of a close group of people, some of which have know each other since nursery school. My mother in law is a force of connected energy and was into social networking before the internet existed. Plus, my daughter is awesome, so there's that. (That's her in the photo above.)

And as much as I love these people and they love us, sometimes there are hurt feelings because my daughter does not always participate in the cultural exchange of hugging goodbye. And I won't make her.

I didn't always feel this way, but here I am, un-apologetically saying goodbye to friends in my own way, and letting my daughter say goodbye in hers, hug, handshake, wave, or blank stare.

See, she is watching. She doesn't understand everything, (obviously, as a 3 year old) and I want her to watch. I want her to engage in the behavior that feels comfortable, and I want her interactions to be genuine.

Most importantly, I want her to feel like she is the master of her body and what happens with it and to it.

And this goes for me to, as her mom, of a sometimes-raging toddler. When we are in the middle of a tickle attack, and she says stop, I stop, even if it is totally obvious that she wants to keep playing the game. I want the word "stop" to mean something. I want her to know I respect her space and her body. I want her to have control.

Granted, she is learning. When she is thrashing on the floor because life is freaking hard, sometimes I need to pick her up and put her somewhere safe before she keeps on thrashing.

But thrash on girl. Get it out.

Sometimes, she has so many feelings that she doesn't know what to do, and I ask if I can scoop her up and hug her. I don't always hear her say yes, but I scoop her up and hug her until her tiny body isn't taken hostage by All The Things, what ever they are. And she takes a big sigh, she puts her head on my shoulder, or she looks at me with huge tears on her cheeks, and she can tell me what she is feeling.

If I teach my daughter that she has to hug people even if she doesn't want to, what am I really saying? Am I telling her that other people's desires are greater than her own? Am I telling her that her embrace is something that adults get to direct, rule over, and dictate?

What I can show is that when we are spending time with people we love, hugging is a way to share our joy of being with that person. I can show that being close to other people isn't scary, and that touch has meaning.

Touch has meaning.
Touch has meaning.
Touch has meaning.

If I can get this message across to her through examples of love, then it also reasons that she will understand why hitting is hurtful, that people's feelings are connected to how they are treated, and that feelings are valid.

*Disclaimer: I'm making this up as I go along.* I've not read any books that tell me this is how one should parent. All this comes from watching my daughter interact with loads of (what I know to be) wonderful people, and my daughter trying to interpret the situations.

Self esteem. It starts early. So just as I say with my daughter, "I am smart, I am brave, I can do anything!" I also tell her that she is the boss of her body. That she gets to take herself where she wants in life, and she gets to take care of it for the rest of her life.

Does this resonate with you?

Authored by A Swift Doula.

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She Already Hates Me

1/11/2015

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"She's acting like I just dipped her in acid. Is that normal?"

I had just showed up for the night's postpartum visit, and bath time had just ended. The baby was not calm, relaxed, and ready for bed, like the book said she would be.

"Is this how this is supposed to go?"
"The book is telling us to set up a routine. Do we have to go through this every night?"

Mom and dad and trying to do the right thing. It is evident in every move and every choice they are making.

The baby gets dried off. A diaper is put on. A bottle is given. Baby is bright red from the night's activities.

Dad looks down at her and looks horribly worried. "She already hates me."

This is part of the trials of being a parent. Making choices, seeing how they go, and adjusting. There are no manuals for how to care for your child. Sure there ARE manuals, but no guarantee it's for your model of baby, if you get what I mean.

I can show you how to swaddle your baby. I can talk about easier ways to bathe and dress your child. I can help you understand how to help calm a fussy baby. But you get to be the expert in your child.

It doesn't feel like though, does it? Some days you are banging your head against all those parenting books. Some days it's almost impossible to remember that you are the adult and you are supposed to have the answers.

What I've learned in the short time I've been a parent, is that making choices and trying are what are important. Being a safe place for your child to rest and be loved are important, but as I'm learning from some wonderful parents out there, being deliberate and consistent are important as well. Here is a blog post that was shared by Northeast Doulas, and I want to share it as well.

Rules Without Relationship Breeds Rebellion

I encourage you to read this post and sit with it. Does it resonate? Does it make sense?

The family with the baby that was screaming like she was dipped in acid are a long way off from having daily conversations with their adolescent or teenaged children. But what translates to infants just as well as older children is Jenni and Jody's statement that kids need quality time together, and in large quantities.

You've heard parents complain, "My baby wants to be held all the time!" or "She is asleep, and as soon as I put her down she starts screaming."

Building trust, letting your baby know that you will be there to provide and care for their every need, even if it is just to be held, is the beginning of an open relationship.

So no, your baby doesn't hate you. She just hates being apart from you.

What about you? How have you built trust with your children as they grow?

Authored by A Swift Doula

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Magic Doula

12/29/2014

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Knock, knock, knock!

"We're so glad you're here!"

As a doula, I get to walk into some pretty amazing situations and give support. Help that makes some parents believe I work some incredible magic into their lives.

As a birth doula, I can push on the right spot, I can anticipate needing that drink, I can look deep into your eyes as you feel the bit of yourself unlock that you weren't sure was there.

Oh, it's there alright, I'm looking right at it. *magic*

As a postpartum doula, my "magic" looks different.

I walk into a client's home, and it may look like this: the baby is crying, and mom or dad is walking, bounding, shhhhshing trying everything they can to get that baby to be calm. The Netflix on, the dish washer is running. Notifications from their cell phones won't stop because, "OMG, You guys! You're parents! Congrats! This is so awesome!"

Meanwhile...bouncing, shhhshing, walking...

Let's flip this to the adult world. Imagine you have never been to a casino. You have no idea that you will be bombarded with sounds, lights, noise, smells, and people. There are constant bells going off with a new winner just beyond that row of flashing lights. The clink, swoosh, clink, swoosh, of slot machines. And the floor plan is huge - you feel like you have been walking for days through the maze of machines, tables, tvs, and people. Someone is coming to you about every 15 minutes to see if you want to order food or a beverage from the bar.

Clink, swoosh. Clink, swoosh.

You go to the bathroom to get a break and there are commercials playing on the (appropriately named) loud speakers.

By the time you leave and get to your car, you need to sit there for a minute and let all that noise, all those lights, all that stuff to just fizzle out of your head. It is totally overwhelming! Think of Disney Land. Think of your mall around the holidays. Think of a rock concert. All of these examples give an inkling of what your infant is feeling.

You may not think that your home, with it's comfy pillows, quirky art, and delicious meals is anything close to a hoppin' casino, but to your new baby, you are living at Caesars Palace!

But the difference between you and your baby is you have had time to learn how to cope with the busy world. You can leave if you want. You can turn things off. You can say, "Hey! Knock it off over there!"

What can babies do? Cry. Cry, cry, cry, cry, cry.

But you're holding them, and shhhhshing them, and walking with them! What gives!

You may be trying to help, but unfortunately, it's backfiring.

So I show up and I work my "magic."

I change the babies diaper.
I grab a cozy blanket that smells like mom.
I go to a dark, quiet place.
I wrap the baby around with smells of mom, and nestle him or her right in the crook of my neck.
I make make a calm, low, shhhusing sound, and I lightly pat his or her bottom, over and over.

No bouncing. No Walking. No lights. I'm giving baby time to step back from that scary, confusing place, and replace all the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings with very, little else.

It will take some time. Put a comfy chair in the spot you will use to calm your baby.

If this is you, Mom, reading this post, start all this with a big breath, and let your self relax too. Baby will feel your stress, so if you need to put baby is a safe place for a few minutes, that's okay.

Go back refreshed, realizing that for 9-months, all baby knew was you. You were the world your baby belonged to.

As you get to know your baby better, you will begin to recognize signs that baby is getting over stimulated. You will then be able to plan how to keep it from happening.

You already have the magic that comes from being the parent to this wonderful human. With some insight into your baby's world, you will develop your own "magic" and the evenings with fussy baby will become easier and easier.

Hang in there. This get better.

Authored by A Swift Doula
Special thanks to HelloDoDoshop on Etsy for use of their adorable image. Visit their page for other adorable items.

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Dear New Mom

12/15/2014

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Dear New Mom –

Your baby is here! You are probably holding him, or her, right now, wondering if it is normal to feel so much love. How is it possible that a person can feel so much for someone that has just arrived?

You are getting to know your baby today. Smelling her head, looking at her perfect finger nails – each yawn and scrunched face is perfect and a remarkable moment.

When he cries, your heart leaps out of you. When your feed him, it is as though you can see your energy and strength pouring directly into his tiny body, because he is already bigger than yesterday. Stop growing little baby! Your changes are coming too fast!

Dear New Mom, you are tired today. The hours no longer tick by in the same, reliable way they used to. You seem to be in a new world, where minutes drag, and the wee, early bits of the day are now so familiar as you sit to feed and comfort your new child.

Did you remember to eat? Are you thirsty right now? The idea of going to the grocery store is unbearable. I know that car seat looks deceptively light. I know it is the most awkward contraption. I know the idea of taking your new baby in and out of it is terrifying.

Dear New Mom, do you miss yourself? Does this new person in your reflection surprise you? Are you confused about when so much of yourself disappeared? Has it only been a week or two? Are you worried in a few months you won’t know yourself at all?

Dear New Mom, have you noticed your strength yet? Have you stretched out your arms and back and felt a pause when your baby is not there in that cozy crook? Have you seen how you are able to sooth pain and discomfort in a way that no other person can? Have you recognized that magic?

Dear New Mom, everything is going to be all right. You are learning, your baby is learning, and everyone in your life is learning that you are a new person. How could you possible prepare for something like this? Each day will help to mold your resolve, embolden your instincts, and give you courage to make the decisions that no other person can make.

When it gets to be to be too much, please know that your friends want to help you. Please know that asking will feel like a huge hurdle, but people aren’t sure what you need. Please know that you won’t be left in the cold with unbearable weights to hold. You are loved. Please ask.

Dear New Mom, sooner than can be expected, you won’t be a new mom anymore. You may see other new moms trying to figure out how to get in and out of the store. You may see other new moms needing just a few minutes on her phone to zone out or be “normal.” They may be unsure of how to talk to you and the world. And it will hit you, you have figured some things out, all on your own. Some things aren’t scary anymore! You are on to learning older, different mom things!

We are all in this together, New Mom.

Love,
A recently Not-New Mom

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Leaping Babies

12/2/2014

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This blog has been moved to our main site, www.DoulasofChicago.com

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Unplug, Explore - Chicago in Winter

11/17/2014

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This is my first full winter as a parent living in Chicago. We moved in a snowstorm, but we weren't here for the first flakes. So here we go! Snow!

We were invited and happily accepted an invitation to get out of Chicago for a day and take part in our friend's community harvest dinner. It was both the first time I had gone to the Harvest Dinner, and the first time I had left Chicago with the intent to go to Michigan! Oh lovely, pure Michigan!

It was great to take Harper to explore the trails, weeds, and space. She was happy to crunch the leaves beneath her feet and brush off the thin layer of snow to see what it was hiding.

This lovely day of outdoor cold adventures got me thinking about how we could enjoy what is now our own back yard.

Where do Chicago Parents go in the winter? Well, this is what I found from word-a-mouth and some poking about:

Sledding in Chicago:
    Sledding at the Midway
    Sledding at 18th, the folks on yelp think it's the bee's knees!
    Sledding at Cricket Hill, it's on Chicago Tribune's list of best hills in the city

Ice skating in Chicago:
    Ice skating at the Midway
    Ice skating at Millenium Park, this seems so lovely and romantic to me..ah...

And I'd love to learn more. Where do you go? What should we do?

If you get the itch and head to the Midway this winter after a fresh snow fall, hopefully I'll see you there. Bring your kids and some warm cocoa. Hopefully we won't be kept inside by another polar vortex!

And, if all the outdoor plans get laid to waste, Harper learned how to play canasta with the kids in Michigan, so just ask. She'd love to teach you. (photo below)

Author: A Swift Doula

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We're Surrounded: Keeping Parents Healthy In A House Full of Sick

11/3/2014

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Hmmm...is this the dirty crumpled up tissue, or the clean crumpled up tissue? No! Don't use your sleeve!

If I didn't want to admit we're in the throws of Fall, last night's daylight saving's time adjustment did the trick. The trees are losing their leaves even faster, and now a coat is a MUST if leaving the house. But as a parent, a coat also means pockets full of tissue. Gross.

Kids get sick. It's just life. If your kid is in daycare or school, they probably have been in some state of "sick" for some time already. When I drop H off at daycare (more so when I pick her up), it's just a sea of smiling snotty faces.

So here is a friendly reminder that our mom's knew what they were talking about, and some tried and true methods for keeping ourselves healthy this season.

Wash your hands. Stock up on a soap you like and use it. Our hands are usually the ones holding the tissues and instructing them to "Blow!" but that also means we are in the trenches. So wash up when ever you can.

Disinfect the hot zones. Not all cleaners are created equal. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you should use a cleanser with an EPA registration number and the word disinfectant on the label. Areas to be sure to clean regularly:

Door knobs
Sinks and counters and toilet handles
Refrigerator handles
Telephones, other devices, and remote controls

Laundry on hot wash. If your clothes can survive a hot wash, put them through and let that water and some bleach (or color safe bleach) do the heavy hitting. Disinfect the basin in between loads with an empty hot wash with bleach. And again, wash your hands after loading - you were just handling the shirt your kid used for a tissue all day long.

Tip from the Peditrician, as soon as your child comes home, they should change their clothes. When H was starting daycare, our doctor suggested getting her out of the "contaminated" clothing as soon as possible. It may result in more laundry (on hot), but it means school germs aren't mixing with the entire family.

And some ideas that just feel good:

Buy some tea that you'll want to drink. The warmth and fluid will both be good for you
Get your snugly pajamas out. We all function better with more sleep.
Stock up on tissues
When in doubt, eat some chicken noodle soup.

Authored by A Swift Doula

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Favorite Picture Books

10/8/2014

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Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of one of my favorite books, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It is such a wonderful classic and beloved by so many! I don't know what books will be hitting that publishing milestone in 50 years, but here are some that have come out recently that I love! Perhaps they will make your little one happy too!

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywelt

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker

Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea

Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle

What are some of your favorite picture books? I would love to hear what your kids enjoy!
Happy reading!

-Authored by A Swift Doula

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leaving the house with A Toddler

7/5/2014

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You had somewhere you needed to be? Sorry. There is currently a No Pants Rebellion being staged in the foyer with no end in sight. With Lego bombs.

Oh you really want to go to the beach? Sorry darlin'. You need to pick up your (strewn about toy or object) before we go. (Deploy clean up song. Offer back up and support. Resist raising tone and temper.)

So how do we get out of the house? How do we ever leave?
Here you go. I'm not an expert, but this is how we do it.

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Green Diaper Babies Visits A Swift Doula!

Forced Affection: Why I won't Make My Child Hug You

She Already Hates Me

Magic Doula

Dear New Mom

Leaping Babies

Unplug, Explore - Chicago in Winter

We're Surrounded: Keeping Parents Healthy In A House Full of Sick

Favorite Picture Books

leaving the house with A Toddler

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