Guest Blog: All Things Diapers

Liz Wickoren is a breastfeeding and cloth diapering mom of four who works at All Things Diapers in Blaine, Minnesota. Being at a store like this gives her a unique opportunity to observe things from the other side of the nursing world. She gets to experience and embrace all kinds of mamas that come through her store. What a treat! Thanks for sharing a peak of your world with us Liz! 

My most favorite part of working at a diaper store is being around all the moms and babies.  Sure we get some dads coming in and a grandma or auntie now and then, but the majority of our customers are moms, usually with little ones in tow.  So being at work ends up being strangely similar to being at home.  I chat about cloth diapers and baby carriers with fellow moms, kids run around and throw stuff on the floor, and poop happens.  It’s fun.  

There’s also lots of nursing going on.  You hang around babies long enough and they’re bound to get hungry, right?  I’m very proud to be working at a store that really embraces breastfeeding.  No one will be staging a nurse-in there, that’s for sure.  We have a section of breastfeeding supplies like reusable nursing pads, natural nipple balm, and nursing covers.  We’ve got a private nursing area with a comfy chair and a privacy curtain, and we’ve also got rocking chairs, an arm chair, and a couch out in the open in the store and adjoining classroom.  We’re ready to accommodate any kind of nursing mothers and we really do see it all.

Some moms are more private and quietly retire to the nursing area for some alone time with baby.  Others use the nursing area, but don’t seem to require as much privacy.  One mom in particular I remember had a very slow eater and so was nursing for quite a while.  She made good use of the time though.  She kept chatting with me through the curtain and I brought diapers over to her to look at.

Still others use nursing covers to get the privacy they need while out in the store.  Who knew they came in so many beautiful prints?  And of course there are those who just use baby’s blanket to cover up.

On the other end of the spectrum are the more casual moms.  They skip the covers and curtains and just take a load off in the rocking chair or on the bench to nurse their baby.  Some don’t even sit down but just latch baby on and walk around and keep shopping.  The most impressive though was the mom who latched baby on in her baby carrier and kept shopping hands free while baby ate!

I have been very surprised to see that there doesn’t seem to be much of a pattern or trend when it comes to how people nurse in our store.  I think the rocking chair sees just as much breastfeeding action as the nursing area does.  Lots of moms cover up and lots more don’t.  It’s very interesting.  

The big trend I do see though seems to be that most cloth diapering moms breastfeed their babies.  I often ask expectant moms, “Are you planning to breastfeed or use formula?”  No, I’m not being nosy, it makes a big difference when it comes to diapers.  Breastfed newborns have poop that is really easy to take care of.  It’s water soluble so it just dissolves in the washing machine - no diaper sprayer or liners required for a no-muss-no-fuss diaper change.  Sprayers and liners are great, but if you’re planning on breastfeeding, there’s no need to buy them for the first six months or more, not until you introduce solids or formula.  So when we’re talking about what accessories to buy or how to wash the diapers, I always ask - breastmilk or formula.  And I can’t remember the last time someone answered, “formula”.  I also don’t see moms pulling out bottles nearly as often as I see them sitting down to nurse.  

So something about cloth diapers and breastfeeding seem to go together.  I suppose it makes sense.  Cloth diapers are inexpensive and natural, just like breastmilk.

About the Author:  Liz Wickoren is a breastfeeding and cloth diapering mom of four who works at All Things Diapers in Blaine, MN.  Stop by the store to say “hi” and pick up some breastfeeding supplies, cloth diapers, baby carriers and more.

Guest Blog: The Target Nurse-in - A Vital Event

I'm a Mommy of 3 boys- Isaac is 3, Jared is 2, and Grayson is 2 months. I started a blog after the amazing home birth of Grayson (all 10 pounds, 8 ounces of him!) to have a place to get out all the feelings and thoughts I have about birth, cloth diapering and more. We are the prime example of a family who found out that the "traditional" ways of parenting didn't work for us and we are loving our exploration of a parenting style to call our own! http://birthdiapersandmore.blogspot.com/



I'll be honest, I wasn't quite sure how I felt when I first heard about the Target nurse-in. When I first heard the story it seemed almost too harsh to be true and I couldn't help but think of that old saying, "There are 3 sides to every story- yours, mine, and the truth." Then I read that the woman was actually sitting in the middle of the walkway. But then I read that the employees didn't understand the dressing room courtesy and thought it was a rule, not an offering.

Then I realized it doesn't matter.

What matters is that so many women want to breastfeed and so few women actually reach their personal breastfeeding goals. A part of that difficulty is nursing in public and any time a story comes out where a woman is or at least feels like she has been harassed, it makes other new moms take a step back and think, Is this really worth it to me?

I recently had my third son and I have finally been successful at breastfeeding. One day when he was just a few weeks old we went to Walmart. On cue, he started giving his "I'm-starving-to-death-and-nobody-will-ever-feed-me" cry right as we walked through the doors. I was wearing him in the Moby Wrap and had on a nursing top. I pulled the shirt back and latched him on. I'd like to think that no one around me even noticed what I was doing, but the fact is, I'm a pretty clumsy person and the fact that my screaming baby became a silent baby after I was tugging and pulling inside my shirt probably gave some onlookers a pretty good idea of what was going on. This was a significant moment for me. All of a sudden I had it. After all the tears, all the poor latch-ons, all the pumping, all the guilt, all the senses of failure, I finally did it. I was good enough at nursing this time that I could do it while wearing a wrap, standing up, in a place surrounded by people. I was so excited that I had my husband take a picture of me and I sent it to my mom and a friend. My dad texted me back and asked, (jokingly) if that was legal. His question threw me. Of course it was legal! Why wouldn't it be legal? Right? Hmm... was it legal? I googled on my phone (while still walking around Walmart and breastfeeding thankyouverymuch) and found that it was, in fact, legal. At least in my state. I texted my parents back and told them that since I was legally allowed to be in Walmart, and my son was legally allowed to be in Walmart, then yes, I could legally nurse him in Walmart. Success!

And then I realized something. I realized that I had taken it for granted that it is legal for me to feed my baby in a public place. I had heard so many times over and over Breast is Best! that I assumed that meant Breast is Best Everywhere. But apparently, to some people, it's not. And that's really sad.

My hope is that I'm part of a new generation of breastfeeding mothers. My hope is that I'm a part of a generation of women who can afford to take it for granted that I can breastfeed in public. But the fact is, I'm not. And that's why the Target Nurse-Ins were such an important event. As long as all 50 states do not have laws protecting breastfeeding mothers, and as long as breastfeeding goals are not reached, things like the Target Nurse-In need to happen. We need to stand together and show that nursing in public is not an inappropriate act. It's a necessary act. So many women quit breastfeeding because it's "difficult" to nurse in public. We need to show women that it doesn't have to be difficult. We need to show stores and restaurants that the breastfeeding community will not tolerate when one is mistreated.

To all the women who attended the Target Nurse-Ins, thank you. Thank you for ensuring that the law I was taking for granted will remain. Thank you for showing the public what it really looks like to nurse in public. Thank you for showing support to nursing women everywhere that we do not deserve to be mistreated for doing what is best for our children.

Who knows, maybe someday we will have a generation of women who can take it for granted that they can nurse in public. And let's hope that we raise those women to respect their right to breastfeed and make sure that it never goes away.

*Author's Note: Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the nurse-ins. At 10 AM that day I was in our van, traveling with my family to see grandparents. I'll be there at the next one. ;)

Normalizing Nursing in Public - The Movie

As soon as I realized that making Xtranormal movies is free... I started dabbling with making one of my own. It's an anti-nursing in public woman having a back n' forth with a woman who is in support of breastfeeding. I thoroughly enjoyed making the movie and I hope you'll be amused too. Please share with your like-minded friends. Sharing is caring.

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/12795226/normalizing-nursing-in-public-league

Normalizing Nursing in Public League
by: TheGoodLetdown

NIP: Support from strangers...it's not all insults and stares!

Today, while the ladies of The Good Letdown were playing at the park with our 6 kids, I sat at a bench and nursed Ella (pointing myself at a VERY pregnant mama to be so she could see that it's okay to nurse in public!). It's been hotter then hell here lately and of course I always forget water ::facepalm::. I was sitting there thinking that I wished I had water and BOOM, a religious group comes over and starts handing out water bottles to people. They came up to me and the woman handed me a bottle, smiled and said "A nursing mama especially needs some water!"

Now, whether or not you're a Christian and despite how you may feel about religious propaganda being handed out at a park, I was very impressed by their openness and attitude towards me NIP. I wasn't making any effort to cover whatsoever (I never do) and my breast was exposed (as was my fluffy belly). She looked straight at me, didn't look at all embarrassed and she had children/her husband with her. I was very pleased how she acted and made an effort to talk to me about nursing.

I've never had someone approach me while I was nursing and especially not in such a positive way. I was just pleased as punch that she was so open and accepting of me nursing openly at the park (and almost as happy that they had cold water...I drank mine AND Mother Hens haha!).