We haven’t picked out colors, or bedding, or painted a fairy mural on the wall.  In fact, our second child has no claim to any wall–or even a room for that matter.

Why have we allowed this to happen?  After all, with our first we decorated with homemade curtains, a rocking chair and a new dresser.  What we quickly found, however, is that our son was rarely in his room.  He co-slept for the first five months and during the day spent most of his time lounging in the living room with us.  He wouldn’t nap in his crib so we wore him in a sling for snoozing or plopped him down on his baby blanket.

We’d happily move everything out to make space for our newborn if we thought she would actually use it. Our spare room is currently our office. Since we’re not sure what kind of sleeper she’ll be and how her crying will affect our two-year-old, we’ve decided to just keep her in our room for a few months and then decide what to do once we get to know her.  We’ve set up a changing table on the dresser and she’ll rest in a co-sleeper that some friends have generously lent us. 

I’m sure our decision would seem strange to some, but luckily my sister, the mother of five children, has pioneered creative accommodations in my family.  It’s impossible for most families that size to afford a six bedroom home, so she’s had babies sleep in walk-in closets, in the bathroom, and in several other creative nooks and crannies over the years.  Now that they’re older, they are all using bunk beds and sharing rooms. 

The great benefit of being more flexible with space, is that it’s possible to live in a smaller house, have less of a carbon footprint and more financial freedom.  I explored this topic quite awhile ago here.  So, if you’re expecting a little one, think outside the box about your baby’s nursery, or lack thereof.  The honest truth is that your baby won’t be aware enough to give the slightest care to where he or she sleeps.  Why not keep it simple at this stage and save up so that you’ll be able to have fun with décor later on?

How did you set up your nursery on a budget?  Or did you opt out of the nursery altogether?  I’ll keep you posted on whether I’m thrilled with our decision or think it was a horrible mistake. 

You may recall my dish soap saga of last fall: First I wondered if eco-friendly dish soaps were any better than conventional ones, then I tested several greener dishwashing liquids, then I perfected my hand-washing method to use as little dish soap as possible. Finally, I offered a few alternatives to liquid dish soap.

During this quest, Green and Clean Mom contacted me, telling me I had to try the Shaklee dish soap she sells at her online store. She insisted that this dishwashing liquid would last a very long time. I was skeptical, considering some 32-ounce bottles of other brands lasted just six weeks. The Shaklee soap was in a 16-ounce bottle, which is smaller than average.

Last November, I started using the Shaklee soap. Over half a year later, I squeezed out the last drop. It lasted a whopping THIRTY-ONE weeks–almost three times longer than Planet , which I had deemed the top performer. It costs $8.10 (or $6.90 for members). This may seem like a lot, but if you look at the chart in this post, you’ll see it wouldn’t cost much more per year than Planet or Trader Joe’s dish soaps, considering how long it lasts. The best part is, you’d have to recycle just two small bottles of Shaklee soap each year–you’d go through nine bigger bottles of some other eco-brands in the same amount of time!

In addition, here are the “clean credentials” of this product:

• Nontoxic
• Natural
• Hypoallergenic
• Biodegradable
• No phosphates

In short, I would recommend the Shaklee Get Clean Dish Wash. It’s eco-friendly and super-concentrated. It also smells good and leaves dishes squeaky clean.

Do you want to try this wonder-product for free? Green and Clean Mom is giving away a bottle of the Shaklee Get Clean Dish Wash Concentrate along with a microfiber sponge. Just post a comment by Monday the 22nd and you’ll be entered to win!

This post is a part of Works for Me Wednesday. For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, head on over to We Are THAT Family.

I hate pumping.  That’s the truth.  Even the sound of the pump reminds me of just how much I feel like a milk-cow when I’m hooked up to that contraption. 

With my older son I went back to teaching part time after just six weeks off.  Every day I pumped at work and carefully toted bottles of milk home to be stored for future use.  It was tough during my workday to sprint down to the small pumping room, relax enough to be able to produce milk, and rush back to class all within ten minutes. 

It was especially heartbreaking when anything happened to those precious bottles of white gold we call breast milk. One day after hand pumping for an hour while trying to do paperwork, I was thrilled to have produced six ounces of breast milk.  I carefully screwed the lid on the bottle, not realizing that the milk would leak through the nipple.  When I arrived home, the bottle had tumbled onto its side, the floor of my car was covered with breast milk and the bottle was nearly empty.  I cried and seriously considered throwing myself on the floor for a full blown hysterical fit. 

This reaction sounds a bit extreme now—even to me.  But we can’t underestimate how much sleep deprivation adds to the challenge of working, pumping, and motherhood. 

Now with my second child, I’ll have a good two and a half months home before I’m ever back to work.  When I do go back, my husband will be able to bring the baby in so that I can breastfeed at least a few days a week.  Plus, I’ve arranged to take one day per week off so that I can spread my leave over a longer period of time.  I’ll work two days, take a day off, and then work two more days to complete the week.   For more on creatively arranging your work schedule with baby, tune into next week’s post.

Still, I’ll have to pump.  I’m hoping I can do more of it over the summer and stock up, but I’ll inevitably have to pump at work too.  This time I’m thinking about bringing a picture of my baby, a bunch of dried lavender, or something else homey into that horrid little room to make it a bit friendlier.  I’ll also be more versed in milk storage and hopefully more relaxed about the whole ordeal.   Do you have any other tips on making pumping a bit better?  How have you handled the challenges of pumping at work?  Thanks for your advice!

I’ve heard rumors of parents hunched over boiling cauldrons of water, sterilizing everything from bottles to rattles. I’ve also listened to working moms who pump at work complain about the fifteen minutes they spend each day sterilizing their equipment. Now I have to ask: Is this necessary? If you have a dishwasher, you can use that to sterilize your gear. But is hand washing really so bad? I worked part time during my daughter’s first year and used a manual pump that I just rinsed out afterwards. We had a bottle, which we hand-washed along with everything else. Is sterilizing essential to your baby’s health–or is it just a waste of time and energy?

When I first read Dr. Alan Greene’s Raising Baby Green, I found it strange that he devoted an entire chapter to gardening. What does gardening have to do with a baby? I wondered. Now I think my view of green parenting was a bit limited. Sure, we should reduce, reuse, and recycle, but it’s also important to avoid polluting the environment with chemicals–chemicals your baby will be exposed to if you plan to spend time in the yard this summer.

I’ve been a homeowner since 2004, and my organic lawn has always looked like something off the cover of Better Homes and Gardens. (Slight exaggeration.) How do I do it?

Use a push mower. I have fear of power tools–and they use energy to run. My yards have always been small enough to mow without gas or electricity. The clippings decompose on the lawn or go into the compost bin. I also have manual clippers, edgers, and other tools.

Prevent weeds. Applying corn gluten (available at nurseries) in the spring and fall keeps weeds from growing, though it does nothing to the weeds already in existence. I’ve never used anything to kill weeds–I simply pick them myself with my handy weed-picking tool.

Use organic fertilizer. Instead of buying chemical fertilizers, buy organic ones.

Believe me, I am no gardening guru, but I’ve managed to maintain a pretty decent patch of grass without resorting to chemicals or power tools.

Are there any organic lawn tricks I’m missing? Let us know!

We’ve had a great time hosting Thrifty Green Thursday for almost a whole year. Thanks to everyone who has participated, inspiring us with eco-friendly tips and advice. Because I just gave birth on Monday, I’ve decided to put our Thrifty Green blog carnival on summer vacation. While we’re gone, we hope we can sort out our issues with Mr. Linky. Have a wonderful summer break, and please return on September 3^rd, when Thrifty Green Thursday will resume.

We have Mr. Linky up today (if it’s working correctly!) if you want to link to your Thrifty Green posts one last week before summer break. Read here for instructions.

When Audrey was just five months old, I met another mother of a same-aged baby. Of course we started comparing notes. Does he do this yet? Does she do that yet? I found myself surprised when she asked me this question, though: “Do you find you go through a LOT of batteries?” Now we’d steered clear of battery-operated toys, swings, and other contraptions (mostly because they drive me nuts), so the answer was no.

However, many parents find battery-operated gizmos save their sanity in those early months. The problem is, batteries aren’t so great for the planet. They contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel. If you toss batteries in the trash, these metals can contaminate our water supply. The responsible thing to do is “recycle” them by taking them to someplace like Radio Shack. Unfortunately they do not really recycle the batteries, but they do dispose of them properly.

What’s a simple solution? Buy a battery recharger! If you plan on using baby swings, bouncers, or toys that require frequent battery changes, you’ll save money and the planet with this purchase.

This post is a part of Works for Me Wednesday. For more handy WFMW tips, head on over to We are THAT Family.

I’m pleased to announce that Joy’s baby girl was born today at 12:05!  After a couple weeks of contractions and nine hours of actual labor, little Jovi finally made her grand entrance into the world. She weighs in at 8 pounds, 11 ounces.

My baby’s impending birth has me thinking of those early days with our oldest child.  Even though everyone told me about the exhaustion I would experience, my husband and I were truly humbled by the fatigue we faced in those first few weeks.

The only thing that kept us going was food, provided by friends and family who knew more than we did about having a newborn baby.  I was amazed how much I needed to eat to keep up with nursing demands and also astonished by the immense challenge of showering, getting dressed or leaving the house, let alone shopping for groceries.  Cooking seemed entirely impossible. 

Luckily my mom loaded us up with fresh fruit, ready-made meals, and hand-held snacks that I could grab while nursing at 2 a.m.  Now, whenever a friend or family member is having a baby, I prepare food for them with or without being asked. 

So, if you’re expecting a baby, go ahead and ask for meals before your little one arrives.  Also, you might want to freeze some casseroles for future use.  If you know someone who will have a newborn, don’t hesitate to volunteer a meal or even set up a meal delivery schedule for them by contacting their family and friends. 

Did you have a similar experience in your first few weeks with baby?  How did you manage to stay fed?  Some of you may be far more resourceful and organized than we were!  

If you’re not willing to invest the money or gasoline to drive to the gym a few times a week, is it possible to drop those post-baby pounds?  Absolutely! (Rebecca wrote about free post-pregnancy workouts here.)  But it’s great to hear the creative ways that you’ve found to drop weight without breaking the bank or hurting the environment.  How have you cut calories and found free ways to exercise?  I’m packing on the pounds this pregnancy and already looking forward to being able to be active again so I’m looking forward to your tips!