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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Making The Load A Little Lighter

6/30/2015

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Making choices takes a lot of energy.

What I'm talking about is being proactive. Being forward thinking. Investing time into planning instead of wasting time reacting.

I have talked a little bit about reacting and responding, and some of the differences in a post last December about decisions in labor. It can be hard to feel prepared for something that you didn't know would happen, so having the B.R.A.I.N. tool ready can be a huge help!

But that's the game of life right? We never really know what is coming next in the big picture, so we do the best we can. We budget our money, we allocate our energy, we prioritize our schedules.

And then we have kids.

And nothing is ever really child-proof. Time ceases to operate as we thought. Emotions are fickle. We are caught unable to plan for dinner, let alone the week, month, or next 18 years.

There is so much time for planning when you are pregnant. There are parties, books being read, thoughts about going-home outfits, car seat selection... all that time will feel luxurious compared to what happens after your baby arrives.

There is a term that circulates: baby brain. It is the feeling of having lost one's ability to think logically, or remember events or facts once your baby is born. Some of it comes from being woken up every 2 to 3 hours. Some of it comes from being bewildered by this new little love in your life, and some of it is complete unexplainable.

(Some moms tell me they feel like part of their brain was actually sacrificed and given to this new human. They hope their old self will come back!)

The eerie passing of time, the new responsibilities, the reality of your expanding family can make all the plans you had fly right out the window. Responding turns into reacting. And events regress into meeting the needs that now come hour by hour.

This is hard for many parents, but this is totally normal.

What I hope for new parents is that when there are able hands near to help, and that the loads will feel lighter instead of heavier.

Sometimes visitors who are trying to be helpful end up being a burden or making a bigger mess. Sometimes family that is there to support instead inflicts judgement. Sometimes there is no one else.

When you are in your planning stages for you expanding family, keep in mind that a person you can count on to help ease your load is a postpartum doula.

Your postpartum doula can help with new infant care or help nurture your family with meals. Your postpartum doula can support your breastfeeding journey and help you get sleep. Your postpartum doula can listen to your concerns and help you feel better prepared for what is next.

A postpartum doula will not do one thing - and that is make your new normal harder for you or your family.

I invite you take some time, while it is in so much abundance, and consider if bringing a postpartum doula into your after-care plan is a proactive step you can take to help with all of the unexpected situations a new infant brings to your family.

You are everything your new baby needs. A postpartum doula can be there to ensure you feel up to responding to your new role.

Question: Have you used a postpartum doula? What was the more unexpected benefit? What would you share to families thinking of this service? Share your advice!

Authored by A Swift Doula

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5 Reasons to Have a Night Doula

2/26/2015

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Sleep with peace. You can't help but jump out of bed with each new sound your baby makes. An overnight doula will be right there to tend to your baby so you can sleep peacefully, knowing your baby will be looked after.
Support with night breastfeeding. Night feeding can be difficult if you aren't aware of a baby's early cues that hunger is mounting. Your night doula will be present to attend to your baby, take note of early hunger cues, and bring your baby to you before she is frustrated. Your night doula will take care of all the burping, changing and soothing baby back to sleep, so you can return to rest.
Companionship in the wee hours. If you are awake and need emotional support while you and your baby are learning how to breastfeed, having a non-judgmental person there to encourage you can be incredibly helpful. A night doula can also help with positioning and getting a great latch for comfort and feeding.
A night doula will have up to date information on all things "baby", and what might be best for your parenting style. With new information and products being released all the time, your doula will help you be confident in the choices you are making for you child.
A night doula will be present and available for you as a safe and judgement-free witness to your introduction into parenthood. As you learn what is best for you and best for your baby, you can have hands on support encouraging you to develop confidence at your own pace.

And finally...because you deserve this! Being a new parent is difficult and having a night doula is one more tool in your kit that can get you started off on this journey with success.

How could a night doula help you?

Authored by A Swift Doula

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Jill of All Trades: Making a baby Carrier

1/28/2015

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*** Edited to include photo of my 3 year-old and I using this carrier at the bottom of the post. She is currently about 35 pounds.

This is the first installment of Jill of All Trades. A look into the other things I do in my life that aren't doula work.

Today, I'm very excited to share with you a project I have made several of, including one for myself when I was carrying around a wee one: a sling style baby carrier.

*NOTE - I am just a mom who knows how to sew and wanted to make something I couldn't afford to buy when I had a baby. If you are not confident in your ability to produce something that your child will be carried in, then by all means, don't try this at (your) home.

So! A sling style carrier. I was first introduced to these by following some baby wearing mommas on Instagram. I was curious about woven wraps and would have loved to try some more intricate ways to have my baby on my body, but in reality, I needed something fast and easy. A ring style carrier provides simple operation, and quality snuggles.

Step 1 - Get some fabric. Get some rings. Get some thread.

You will need between 2.5-3 yards of fabric, depending on your size. I got 3 plus, because LOOK HOW ADORABLE THIS FABRIC IS. So yeah. I'll be adding a chunk to my swollen fabric stash.

There is no reason to spend millions of dollars on the fabric you want, if only because JoAnn's gives out 40% coupons like they're dirty napkins. So, if you don't have a specific pattern in mind head on over there after grabbing a coupon online and visit their cotton section. (If you care about coordinating thread, while you're there, pick that up too. I recommend Gutermann Brand)

Materials that work with ring slings:

cotton
silks
linen

Materials that I do not recommend:

jersey knit - it is too stretchy and you don't want that babe sagging and not snug to your chest. Jersey is great for a wrap around your body style (such as a Moby), but it is not great for cinching tight and not slipping, which is what we want.
Thick fabric - this includes outdoor decorative fabrics, tweeds, heavy wool (although there is some light weight wool that may work), etc. You'll see when we attach the fabric to the ring why having any extra thickness will be a headache.

Note on the RINGS -

The rings you use should have no gaps, breaks, or cracks. I can not find rings in stores, so I buy mine from SlingRings.com. Pick the size and color that will be best for your project. This site also has helpful links, a sewing pattern, and all around great ring sling stuff.

Step 2 - Wash the fabric & Iron the fabric (if cotton)

When I quilt, I sometimes purposefully do not wash my fabric so after it's completed it has a wavy, rumpled effect that can be pleasing and homey. However, I believe washing the fabric before using it will lower your stress of seems splitting, tugging, or pulling on stitches.

Step 3 - Cut length and width

Determine your desired length. You can do this by wrapping the fabric around yourself to see what is comfortable, and allow for about 18inches of tail. For me, I'm cutting it to 74 inches. I'm 5'6", and 140 pounds.

For Width, you will want the fabric to be make a nice size pocket, as that is where your baby's bum will be sitting. I am cutting it to 31 inches.

Step 4 - Hem one side of the length.

This takes some time, but get out your pins (or free hand if you are comfortable) and make a 1/2 hem. If you ironed your fabric, you can press this hem down to make it easier.

Step 5 -Make some pleats.

This may be tricky. The basic concept is to create folds that overlap.

Start with the long side that you did NOT hem. Fold it over then back on itself and pin. See image. Next, grab the fabric about 1 inch out from the pins, pinch, and fold it under. Repeat this over and over until you get to the other side of the fabric.

Step 6 - Sew the pleats.

Next, sew across the pleats with three rows of zig zag stitches about 3 inches apart. See below. when I do this, before sewing, I make the top pleats a bit closer together, then lt it gradually widen with each row.

Step 7 - put the fabric through both rings

Step 8 - Attaching the Rings

Fold over the end of the fabric back on itself, with the rings inside the fold. Then sew with zig zag stitch. THIS is where it's beneficial to not have super think fabric. I use a heavy duty needle for denim and leather to avoid breaking needles at this point (been there done that, btw.)

This should be reinforced with a straight stitch right above the row of zig zag. Reinforce this so there are a total of three lines of stitches binding the fabrics together. The photo only shows two.

Step 9 - Hem the bottom of the fabric
Step 10 - WEAR THAT BABY!

For safe baby wearing help you can visit Babywearing International.
Or you can watch some videos on YouTube like this one.
If you have trouble threading and adjusting, this video is great too.

This lovely sling is being sent to a dear family member who is expecting #2!

I didn't wear Harper all the time, but I used it often and we both loved it. Here are some photos below of our time slingin' it.

So I want to know: Do you baby wear? What did you find worked well for you?

Authored by A Swift Doula

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Now You Get to Be The Guide

1/21/2015

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We receive all sorts of guidance in life. Tour guides, guidance counselors, instructors...

A guide is (so says Mr. Webster)

a person who leads or directs other people on a journey
a person who shows and explains the interesting things in a place
a person who helps to direct another person's behavior, life, career, etc.

Now compared to the definition of a parent:

a person who is a father or mother : a person who has a child
an animal or plant that produces a young animal or plant
something out of which another thing has developed

Do you see how you are the first, and possibly, the greatest guide for your young child in this life?

There is a great post on Just Wanderlust about characteristics of a great tour guide. If you have been reading my blog, you may remember I have a fond appreciation for tours. I believe all of the points can be related to parenting but some favorites are:

From the section on time management -

"A great tour guide is aware of the start and end time but is flexible with the time and will tailor the day based on your interests and your time constraints. Great tour guides never rush you as they are on your schedule."

Children don't know about clocks or time. They don't know what being patient means. They don't know that you have a tight schedule, or even what a schedule is. As parents, keeping kids going in the direction we need them to and at a pace we need them to is difficult. But sometimes it is possible to literally, stop and smell the roses. And look at the color. And talk about thorns and bugs, and dirt, and rain, and oh look! That flower is pretty too! ...and you are now enjoying the whole garden.

Another great section is on color commentary -

"A great tour guide is a gifted story teller who is passionate about the attraction he’s showing you. His historical accounts will take you back in time. He’ll weave in personal anecdotes about what it’s like to live there including the good, the bad, and the ugly… and you’ll even laugh. He’ll not only tell you about the culture, he’ll incorporate some cultural experiences into the tour (e.g., stopping for mint tea in Morocco or sampling putrefied shark in Iceland). He’ll talk to you like you are long-time friend in town for a visit."

Kids love stories. In fact, research shows that children who are read to are more likely to remain life long learners, not because of vocabulary or content of the story, but because an emotional bond was established with a parent at an early age when being read to.

But stories don't just come from books. They can come from our minds and our lives. Tell your child a story. Any kind will do. They will benefit regardless of the topic.

And the last bit I'll share from this great post, is about the initial introduction to a group.

"The best guides spend the tour getting to know the guests on the tour that day and not in an intrusive way but in a way that shows genuine interest. It could be during the car ride, over lunch/drinks, or as you walk from site to site."

Your child is someone you are getting to know. They will change, like new things, learn new things, and change. As parents, it is important to know who your child is right now. What does you child like right now, not yesterday. This comes from asking questions, and then listening to what they say. No, not just listening, but really hearing them.

With babies, it can be difficult, as language is not a skill they are able to master until later. But they speak through smiles, they speak through curiosity, they speak through (yes, this too) showing displeasure. So, are you hearing your child?

One of my favorite times in my day is the drive to daycare in the morning, and the drive home when daycare is done. It is a short few moments, where my daughter is sharing exciting things that are in her head. Every morning, we have our rituals: we round a bend and see the Chicago Skyline and shout, "Good morning Chicago!" and off we go, talking about the color of Lake Michigan that day, if the birds are napping in the harbor or if the fishermen have caught anything. We talk about what she would like to do when I pick her up, and we sing silly songs.

She and I don't have a meeting at the table with pencil and paper to discuss these things, but they happen, in real time. I know that these little snippets will make harder conversations later in life come a bit easier. And then, I will be a guide in a different way - talking and listening about bullies in school, talking and listening about persistence, and talking and listening about about her goals.

The crazy thing about this whole guide/guided journey, is she is my guide also. It is not just give give give. And it isn't just take take take. We get to help each other, guide each other through this parent/child relationship. For her and I, it started even before she was born- her telling me through position and discomfort how to move my body so she could best travel into the world. It won't end until, hopefully, a very long time has passed.

I am so excited for this adventure!

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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Use Your B.R.A.I.N.!

12/11/2014

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Many women talk about having "baby brain" when they are going through pregnancy. They can't remember the simplest things, or things that used to be easy to recall become increasingly difficult.

As it gets closer to the end of pregnancy, some of my clients worry about it, thinking that they won't be able to remember important pieces of their birth plan as labor progresses.

If this is you, first off, you're not alone. You aren't losing your brain function, but you may lose your metal sharpness because of lack of sleep or stress, says Jane Martin, MD, director of the Neuropsychological Testing and Evaluation Center at New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center.

And I'd like to share something that should help ease some of your worries about possibly making the "wrong" decisions in labor.

A tool I share with my clients is a way to respond to questions instead of reacting to them.
Respond - verb 1. to reply, 2. to react favorably
React - verb 1. to act in response to an agent or influence, 2. to act reciprocally upon each other, 3. to act in a reverse direction or manner, 4. to act in opposition

The tool is a handy acronym called B.R.A.I.N.

B.R.A.I.N. stands for Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Intuition, and Nothing.

Here's how it works. You are asked if you would like to have a procedure, for instance, having your membranes swept or stripped, to help induce labor. You can ask questions to determine your options through the B.R.A.I.N.

Benefits? Risks? Alternatives? Intuition? Nothing?

A conversation with your birth doula about membrane sweeps may go like this:

You are past your due date, and at your last appointment, your doctor mentioned she could strip your membranes if you have not gone into labor. You call your doula before going in, because, what? What's a membrane? Is it dirty? It needs to be swept out, or something?

So talk about it. The basic procedure is explained and B.R.A.I.N. is used.

B - Benefits
You ask your doula: What are the benefits of having your membrane swept?
She answers: It is possible that having your membrane swept will bring on labor.

R - Risks
You ask your doula: What are the risks to having my membrane swept?
She answers: Some women find the procedure to be painful, and it may inadvertently rupture your membranes (break your water.)

A - Alternatives
You ask your doula: What are the alternatives to having my membranes swept?
She answers: You can wait for labor to start on its own.

I - Intuition
Your doula asks you what your intuition is telling you? How are you feeling about this? Your doula should also reiterate that you have trust and a good relationship with your care provider, and whatever you choose is the correct decision for you. (Because your doula should be supporting you with non-judgemental support!)

N- Do Nothing
You ask your doula: What if I don't have want my membranes swept?
She answers: If you don't want your membranes swept, I encourage you to tell your care provider this BEFORE you have your vaginal exam at your next appointment.

I hope this makes sense. This isn't an exercise that favors natural birth over medicated birth. It doesn't favor midwifery care over OB care. It doesn't favor home birth over hospital births. This is you. This is a way for your values to be present at your birth. There is room for facts and evidence, but also for feeling and experience.

In the example, this conversation is happening with a doula. But guess what? You can do this WITH your doctor! You can do this with your partner. You can do this anytime! If you need to make a decision, this is a tool you can use. Heck, you don't even have to be pregnant!

My daughter isn't to an age where this exact form makes sense, but I know this will be a tool I will keep in my parenting bag. Because I hate to say it, but my "baby brain" didn't go away. I need all the help I can get as I move through this complex role as parent, wife, and business owner.

Let's use our BRAINs people!

Authored by A Swift Doula

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Green Diaper Babies Visits A Swift Doula!

Making The Load A Little Lighter

5 Reasons to Have a Night Doula

Jill of All Trades: Making a baby Carrier

Now You Get to Be The Guide

Magic Doula

Use Your B.R.A.I.N.!

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