In honor of Christmas week, I have decided to channel my inner talk show host, “Gran-Oprah”, and present my own list of:
A Crunchy Mama’s Favorite Things
- Hyland’s products – Sniffles and Sneezes, Calms Forte, Honey Cough Syrup – I love them all. They’re natural, safe and they work! The sniffles and sneezes will dry up Little D’s nose in fifteen minutes flat!
- Thirsties Fab Fitteds – In my three years of cloth diapering two little ones, I have tried a lot of diapers. Thirsties are my absolute favorite. I only have one, but it is the royal blue velour star of my stash. The velcro stays put, the gathers hold in messes, while the velour is super soft and cushy and never leaves a mark on baby’s skin. I do wish that they had an organic version, but that would be just TOO perfect.
- Mei Tais – I have an Ellaroo, a Babyhawk, a Ball Baby and a OMT Didymos silver waves wrap conversion. For those who are a bit wrap challenged, like me, mei tais provide the best option to keep your baby secure and close to you. With a little practice you can get baby in and out in under a minute, and most mei tais wrap up small enough to fit in a diaper bag. The long waist and shoulder straps are infinitely adjustable and fit all different body types. Plus, I’ve finally figured out how to nurse in it without flashing the world.
- Diva Cup – To be honest, between nursing and being pregnant, I’ve only had about five periods in the last four years, but I did get a chance to try out the Diva Cup before Buds gave me the plus sign last yeat, and I really liked it. That you rinse out and reuse. I would not have pushed this a few years ago, but I think that American women are starting to get over their silly aversion to touching their bodies.
- Vinegar – It cleans everything and doesn’t give me a headache like every other household cleaner out there does. Just dilute it with water and a few drops of tea tree and sweet orange oil in a reusable spray bottle and you have a cheap and easy solution to everything from spotty windows to toilet gunk.
- Cod Liver Oil – I’m pretty comfortable talking about my ongoing struggle with depression, and I’ve even referred to myself as the poster girl for Prozac. (I’m available if you want me, Eli Lilly.) But despite being an RN, I did not realize what a toll breastfeeding would take on my psyche until Little D was four months old and I was a blathering mess. The DHA that boosts baby’s brain development was being nabbed from my own personal stash. I’m a bit wiser the second time around and I now chug about two tablespoons of the good stuff (I like Carlson’s) straight from the bottle every morning after breakfast. It is amazing how much clearer and more rational it helps me feel.
- Breasts – I held some grudges against my breasts before I became a mama, namely for not being able to wear a button down shirt or go without a bra, but motherhood made me appreciate why God made me with a generous bosom. They nourish and comfort. They’re portable and convenient. They make me feel like a walking miracle.
- Baby washcloths – I wipe everything from bottoms to faces to counter tops with these. Just not all at once.
- Any book by Dr. Sears – He’s my hero. Seriously. I can say that I would not be as gentle and nurturing a mama without his Baby Book and Nighttime Parenting Book. And I love that I can point to him (and his sons) and his decades of experience when the naysayers come out against my parenting choices. At the core of his philosophy is the fact that babies have needs, and our job as parents is to learn how to recognize and respond to those needs. Who can argue with that?
- I asked Todd if there was any sort of invaluable parenting item that he could not do without that he wanted to add to my list.He said “Work.”Then we laughed together. I can’t fault him, because I know that I would go insane if it wasn’t for the two days a week that I work outside the home. His job however takes him away from home five days a week and many evenings. But it makes it possible for us to “live in a house and eat food” as I tell Little D when her cries follow him out the door. And even more than that, his choice makes it possible for me to raise our children. And so I think that a loving husband and father is truly this Crunchy Mama’s most favorite thing.(I rent him out on the weekends, in case you’re interested…).
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Good stuff!! I love the Hyland honey cough syrup too. I have been fiddling with the diva cup idea for years, never gave it a go, but now feel like I can do it! And I’m right with you on the vinegar cleaning front. I’ve been phasing out my traditional cleansers and not replacing them, but did score some Seventh Gen stuff super cheap. When that runs out, it’s vinegar for me!
I’m glad I’ve insprired you to try the Diva. It is a bit daunting at first, so go slow and maybe only use it for one or two of your heaviest days for the first few cycles and then gradually build up to using it more as you get used to it. As with many other things in life relaxation is the key! (And it helps if there aren’t any kids banging on the bathroom door…)