Full Hands

I often go for walks with the girls and my dog.  When I am alone and I can't handle the twins any longer, I pack them up into their car seats.  I bundle them up.  I take the stroller outside.  I put the leash on my trusty pooch.  I open the door and let the hound out and I pick up both seats and struggle out the door.  I put them down while I lock the door.  Then I snap them into our awesome stroller and get ready to go.

The twins love it in the stroller.  When they are awake they take in the scenery with wonder.  Most of the time they drift off to sleep.  I truck down the sidewalk waiting for my dog to take a dump.  Fall is a great time for walking because the weather isn't too hot, and not too cold.  I love it.

As I cruise down the sidewalks I encounter all types of people.  Most say nothing.  But those who do, seem to always say the same thing.


"You've got your hands full."  they say as I pass by.  I smile and say something like, "You're right.", or if I am feeling sarcastic, "This is a piece of cake."

I've got my hands full?  No shit people!  I am not carrying several packages home from the supermarket.  I have two infants and a dog and I am alone.

They should say, "Looks like you've got your LIFE full."  Because that is what I have.

At The Movies

Our local movie theater has a weekly promotion called Baby Reels. At 11AM every Wednesday you can bring your infant to the movies.  They keep the lights on low and provide changing tables and milk warmers.   It is pretty fantastic when you can go out to the movies after being stuck inside covered in puke, piss and shit all week.

They have a website where they post three movies and the parents get to vote on what they want to see.  It should say mothers vote here because on most occasions I am the only dude in the joint, not counting boy babies of course.

I get a lot of stares when I stroll in.  Not only do I have a penis, but I am double fisted in the car seat department. Everyone brings their baby in their car seat and puts them on the chair next to them.  We have twins, so all four of us go every Wednesday.

It doesn't matter what is playing.  I can always tell what is going to be chosen though.  If it is a chick flick, I guarrentee it will be on.  No chance of an action movie ever playing.  They don't care at all if there is mature content.  If they tried to play a kids movie there would be a revolt.

A few weeks ago we were all settled and had finished watching the previews and waited for the film to start.  It was "I don't know how she does it!"  As soon as I saw the preview I knew it would be chosen.  After 5 minutes, the screen is still black.  The usher comes in and tells us that there is a problem with the projector and they can't play the movie!  The can play "The Lion King 3D"!

What the Fuck?  Or we had the option to pack up our shit and go to another theater and watch the movie we thought we were going to see.  Almost everyone got up to go to the other theater.  My wife and I got our money back.  I didn't want to see that movie anyway.

Cloth Diaper Comparison and Review

My wife and I have made the decision to use cloth diapers. We were originally going to use a service, but after some thought, we decided it would be better to buy our own. The service diapers were two pieces. Every diaper would be like putting on two. Cloth is already harder that disposable, so we wanted to make it as easy as possible. I am the primary diaper-er so I agreed.

We went to a few workshops put on by local baby stores and my wife has done a lot of research. We have purchased several different brands of diaper to try them out and see which ones we want to go with. Since we have twins, we are going to need about 30 diapers if we want to get through one day.

I have decided to compare the diapers we have tried and let you know what I think about them. As a Dad, I might have a different perspective.

We have selected a variety of pocket, one piece and hybrid diapers. Each has the advantages and disadvantages which I will go over. We also wanted one size fits all. This has been a bit hard because our girls are still quite small. They only just crossed the 10 pound mark, so they are the size of some newborns, yet they are now 4 months old. So we actually bought a few small sizes so they would fit better.

Here are the brands we have tried thus far.

1. Charlie Banana One Size
2. Bum Genius One Size
3. GrowVia One Piece One Size
4. GrowVia Hybrid One Size
5. AMP Small
6. AMP One Size
7. Bummis Tiny Fit
8. Bummis Easy Fit
9. Mother-Ease Wizard Easy Stuff
10. Blueberry One Size

There are a lot of things that have gone into our thinking.  We want something that is going to fit well, grow with the girls and not leak.  Plus my wife would like it if they were cute.  That doesn't matter to me.  

I also like it it they are somewhat easy to manage.  I am the one putting these things on at 3 o'clock in the morning, so ease of use is a selling feature.  Velcro wins over snaps every time!

1. Charlie Banana One Size

Charlie Banana is a one size pocket diaper.  It is made of micro-fleece.  It has adjustable leg holes and uses snaps.  

 Pros: 

• Really wicks the moisture away.  Sometimes I have a hard time telling if the diaper is even wet.  
• Adjustable leg holes.  It uses a elastic band that moves to different lengths to keep the leg holes snug, but not too snug.  Most other diapers have one size leg, and depend on rows of snaps  to determine how tight the legs are.  
• Poop comes off easily.  We use a toilet sprayer after poops to get most of it off, and the micro-fleece doesn't hold on to it.  Plus you can loosen the leg holes to smooth it out in case extra fecal matter is stuck in the cracks. 
• The pocket stays closed.
• The shell dries very quickly.
• Cost effective.  We bought them in a box of 6 for $125.

Cons: 

• The snaps are damn hard to do up when you are very sleepy.  
• It is difficult to stuff the soaker pad into the pocket with large hands like mine.
• The configuration allows one side to double over the other, so when you are in between sizes it can be either too tight, or too loose. 
• The front tabs of the diaper can peak out on the sides of the legs and must be stuffed in to ensure it doesn't leak.  If any of the microfleece is showing, that will get wet.
• You must smooth out the soaker pad when you put the diaper on or else it can get folded up inside reducing it's effectiveness. 

2. Bum Genius One Size


Bum Genius is also a one size picket diaper.  It is also microfleece.  It has velcro instead of snaps.







Pros

• Velcro is easy to use.
• Also wicks moisture away well. 
• It is large, so it is easy to stuff for my big hands.
• Poop comes off just as easily.

Cons

• It is quite large and can be loose fitting on a smaller baby.  
• The front tabs are quite large, so they have to wrap around the baby, which can be awkward. 
• A little bulky.
• The closure of the pocket seems to stay open.

3. GrowVia One Piece One Size


GrowVia is a one piece diaper.  The insert is attached, but folds out so it can dry easier. It is made of organic cotton.  It uses snaps.







Pros

• One piece design means no stuffing.  That is good for me.
• Since the piece is attached, there is no chance of losing it.
• The snap tabs are very flexible and stretchy.
• It has a slim fit.  It isn't bulky at all.
• High quality construction and material.  It just feels high quality.

Cons

• The cotton is not very absorbent.  Not good if you have to leave it on long because it is prone to leakage.  
• The flap is too long for a small baby, so it must be tucked under or folded so it doesn't stick out.
• Poop stains!  The cotton is quite dense, and no matter how long I spray it with water a thick residue remains.  There were stains after washing, but they did get bleached away when dried in the sun.
• Takes a long time to dry.
• More expensive than the average.

4. GrowVia Hybrid One Size


The second GrowVia we have is a hybrid.  It has a reusable shell and a snap in liner.  The liner is organic cotton.  It uses velcro.







Pros

• Hybrid design means no stuffing.  The one piece snaps easily into place.
• High quality construction and material.
• Slim fit.  
• Easy velcro for those late nights.
• Shell drys very quickly.

Cons

• Same problem with the cotton.  But in this case the cotton gets wet and the sides touch the shell, and it must be washed. You need to change it very often if you want to reuse the shell.
• Long soaker must be folded so it doesn't stick out the top of the diaper when the baby is small like mine are. 
• Poop stains.
• Expensive.

5. AMP Small Size

The AMP is another pocket diaper that uses microfleece.  This is the small size and it uses snaps to close.

Pros

• Small size fits our small babies very well.
• Microfleece wicks away the moisture.
• Poop comes off well.
• Dries quickly.
• Snug fit around the leg holes.

Cons

• Small size, so the baby will quickly out grow it.
• The micro fleece bunches at the leg holes, so if the diaper gets too full it may leak.  If wearing pants, they will get wet.

6. AMP One Size

Exactly the same as the small size, but it has a row of snaps that allow it to change size so you only need to buy one.  We got the small size just to try it out.

Pros

• Same as small size, but also grows with the baby.
• Plenty of snaps for different sizes.

Cons

• Same as small size.

7. Bummis Tiny Fit

This is a one piece diaper that uses velcro for fastening.  It is hemp, so quite absorbent. We bought several small ones because they fit so well.  They are good up to 14 pounds so we figured we would be able to use them for a few months because of the size of our girls. 

Pros

• Velcro is easy to use.
• Absorbent, they hold a lot pee.
• One piece makes it easy.

Cons

• One piece is very difficult to stuff into the pocket.  My hand is far to large to do it, and I need my wife to do it so I don't freak out.
• They take forever to dry.
• Too small going forward.

8. Bummis One Size

This is the big brother of the tiny fit.  Also a one piece with a pocket.  It is hemp, so quick absorbing. 

Pros

• Same as Tiny, but it grows with the baby.

Cons

• Quite bulky
• Pocket is bigger, but still difficult to stuff.  The waterproof side is kind of tacky, so my hand gets stuck.
• Drying takes forever.

9. Mother-Ease Wizard Easy Stuff


This is a pocket diaper.  It has a different set up for easy stuffing.  The sides are completely open, so you just lift it up and place the insert inside.  No stuffing really.  It uses snaps.





Pros

• Obviously easy to stuff.
• Has a channel on the side to keep leakage from getting to the outside.

Cons

• Poor construction.  Started fraying after first usage.
• Very baggy.

10. Blueberry One Size


Yet another  pocket diaper.  It also uses micro fleece.  It has a fuzzy outside cover.







Pros

• Micro fleece wicks well.
• Poop washes off

Cons

• Pocket remains open, and hangs out the back.
• It is bulky and large.
• Fuzzy spotted cover makes me feel sleazy.

Soaker pads


A note about soaker pads.  These are the inserts that go inside the pocket and you can also add a second one for extra wetness protection for the one piece diapers.  They come in all different materials.  Hemp, Bamboo, cotton, micro fleece.  Bamboo and Hemp hold the most liquid, but they take forever to dry because of it.  It would be good to several options depending on the urination habits of your baby.


Conclusion


My conclusion is that it's hard to use cloth diapers.  They all have their pros and cons.  The Charlie Banana have the best sizing options in my opinion.  The Bummis One Size are my favorite overall because of absorption, pocket stuffing ease and velcro fastening.   The AMP is also pretty good.

Really, you have to gather the information and make your own choice. 

My Wife is a Champion

My wife is breastfeeding our twin girls.  It is an amazing thing for her to have that bond with them.

There are lots of benefits to breastfeeding.

• Great for the baby. They get everything they need!
• Free milk! 
• Easy milk storage. No preparation needed.
• I don't have to do anything!  
• I get to see my wife's boobs a lot.

It has not been easy.  

As you might recall from reading all my other blog posts, our twins were born 5 weeks early.  We were in the hospital for 2 weeks.  During that time my wife tried to breastfeed every three hours. 

The girls didn't do it right away.  But she said she would keep trying.  

It was frustrating for her.  She felt rejection every time.  Then I would feed them  with the bottle.

We had so much advice.  Tried every technique.  Most people said it would just work and they were too young, that they would get it eventually.  We had know many people who didn't do it, or who gave up.

During our first trip to the Doctor, we met parents of twin boys.  They were 4 months old.  We told them we were still trying to get the girls to breastfeed.  They laughed.  They said they tried it for 5 weeks, then gave up.  It was so much better they said, just giving a bottle.

Before the girls were actually born I ran into a couple at Toys R Us.  I asked them how it was going.  The father said they drank so much formula, that it was costing him a fortune. 

After 6 weeks, we saw a glimmer of hope.  Twin A started to have some success with the breast.  Then she started doing it all the time.  A few weeks later, her sister joined her.  Eventually they were only drinking from the boob.   Then my wife tried tandem feeding, and while it worked, it was hard.  But with time, they got that too. 

So now when the girls are hungry I grab them and bring them to their mother.  She straps on the twin feeding pillow and they go to town.  They are three champs in my opinion.

We came pretty close to quitting.  It was so frustrating, but we are so glad we stuck with it.  It is awesome.  

My wife is awesome.  It makes my life so much easier.  Remember this was my schedule before. 

Now I can relax when the girls are drinking.  When we go out, we don't need to take anything but my wife's boobs.  I love them even more than I used to.  And that was quite a bit.

Poop Stains Cloth

My wife and I are using cloth diapers on our twin girls.

There are plenty of reasons to do it.   We do it for the environment.  It is amazing how much garbage you generate with disposable diapers.  Having two babies pooping and peeing ever few hours makes the bags of garbage pile up quickly. With the cloth, you just have to wash them, so that is better.

Cost.  There is a large cost up front, but you make that back with time.  We have one size fits all, so each diaper will expand with the girls.  Depending on the diaper, it can cost between 15 and 25 bucks for each one. We need about 10 or more diapers per baby.  So the total cost might be somewhere around 500 bucks in the end.  But if you compare that to the cost of buying a 25 to 40 dollar box of disposables ever week or two, you see that quickly you are on the right end.

We have used disposables since we were in the hospital.  The way they bloat up and keep dry is like some sort of dark magic to me.  What chemicals do they contain and how do they work?  I don't really want that kind of voodoo next to my babies genitals.  So cloth is better, and it seems like they won't get a rash.  I like that.

You are supposed to be able to potty train them faster with cloth.  When they get wet, they know it.  The wizardly inside the disposable keeps them dry, so they don't relate pissing their pants with being wet.  We will see with time how this all works out.

Funny how all through time we used cloth diapers, then technology created disposables and that was what people used, and now we are returning to the old ways.

Well, not everyone.  It is pretty hard to do in comparison to using disposables.  When the babies poo, with a disposable, you take it off wrap it up and toss it.  For me, I remove the diaper and then go to the bathroom.  We have a little sprayer that is attached to the water supply for the toilet.  I open the diaper and use the hose to spray off all the loose fecal matter.  My wife informed me I did a shitty job the first few times.  Who knew you needed to wash the diaper before you wash it in the washing machine.

So I stoop over the toilet with the rotten diaper in the bowl spraying every inch of shit off.  Sometimes I get frustrated and just use my hand to scrape the stubborn bits off.  Lovely stuff.  Then once I am satisfied, I try to straighten out my creaky back and transfer the sopping wet diaper into the wet bag and wash my hands and go back to the babies and wait for the next poop explosion.

It can be a bummer.  But my wife things the cloth diapers are really cute.

She doesn't like the poopy diapers.  That is all me.  I guess that is why they call me the Poop Catcher.

Damn My Old Joints!

Before the girls were born, I thought I knew everything.  Well, I still do, but what I know has changed with experience.

I had heard of people getting angry at the dog for barking and waking up the baby.  Or I would visit someone with a baby, and after they put them to sleep they would tip toe out of the nursery and freak out, silently of course, if you made the smallest noise.

I thought I wasn't going to be like that.  I didn't want to train my kids to wake up at the drop of a needle.  I would be loud, and they would sleep.

Turns out I have shit for brains.

With twins it is twice as hard to get them to sleep. Sometimes after rocking and singing and cuddling, and repeating, we get them both in their crib asleep, but then one might start to cry, and it triggers the chain reaction leading us back to the starting line.

Actually, I shouldn't complain, because the girls are actually great sleepers.  I thought they were amazing at first, but it turned out to be jaundice.

Now when the are asleep and I manage to transfer them from my arms to the crib without waking them up I stand over the crib for a few minutes to make sure they don't wake themselves up with crazy arm movements.  I am also ready to pick one up if they are about to wake the other.  Then when they both seem to be sleeping, I get ready to creep out of the bedroom as quietly as I can.

I am not a young father.  I'm not a senior citizen, but I am in my late 30's.  So as I start trying to creep away, without fail my ankles will crack.  Every time that happens, the girls jump.  It isn't enough to wake them up, usually.  But every now and then it does.

Then I get murderously angry, at myself.  So now I try to walk out, quietly and stealth-fully and without bending any of my joints.

Parental Leave Can Be So Unfair

I am on parental leave. It is pretty awesome to have the opportunity to spend nine months with my twin girls. I never have to worry about getting up for work. I don't even need to shower. Sometimes I do, just for fun.

 While I am grateful for our government giving me the opportunity to take a nine month "vacation" I have two serious issues with the system.

 Issue number one: Why do I, as a man only get to take nine months off of work, while my wife, were she not a freeloading student, can take a full year off with the girls? Why must life be so hard for the educated, employed straight white males in this world of ours?  What are those extra three months for?  Could it be recovery time?  As if it wasn't hard on me being in the delivery room.  I needed some recovery time after that.  I guess life just isn't fair.

Issue number two: There is no difference in the amount of time you can take off if you have more than one child.  I phoned EI and asked if I got any benefit for having twins.  They laughed at me.  I wasn't trying to be funny.  Imagine if Octo- Mom actually had a job.  She would only get one year of maternity leave.  That is nuts.  We only have two babies and I could really use two years off of work.

What if I just hid the birth certificate?  And then applied for a second 9 months right after the first one ended?  I could never get away with it these days.  Too many electronic trails I guess.  The 60's would have been easy.  But not today.

If a woman has a baby, then takes her year, and immediately starts trying to get pregnant, then has another baby within the next year, does she get to take another year of maternity?  Does that seem fair to you?  If you are still reading this now, you are probably insane, and have no concept of what fair is.

Or you are another enraged Dad.  Who's with me? Do you think we could sue the government and get our three months?