Six myths about vaccination and why they’re wrong

Six myths about vaccination and why they’re wrong. 

Vaccines are one of the most effective public health measures ever introduced.

Recently released government figures show levels of childhood vaccination have fallen to dangerously low levels in some areas of Australia, resulting in some corners of the media claiming re-ignition of “the vaccine debate”.

Well, scientifically, there’s no debate. In combination with clean water and sanitation, vaccines are one of the most effective public health measures ever introduced, saving millions of lives every year.

Those who claim there is a “debate” will cite a series of canards designed to scare people away from vaccinating, but, if you’re not familiar with their claims, you could easily be convinced by anti-vaccine rhetoric.

So what is true and what is not?

Let’s address just a few of the common vaccine myths and explain why they’re wrong.

1. Vaccines cause autism

The myth that vaccines are somehow linked to autism is an unsinkable rubber duck. Initiated in 1998 following the publication of the now notorious Lancet paper, (not-a-Dr) Andrew Wakefield was the first to suggest that the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine might be linked to autism.

What he didn’t reveal was that he had multiple conflicts of interest including that he was being paid by lawyers assembling a class action against the manufacturers of MMR, and that he himself had submitted an application for a patent for a single measles vaccine.

It eventually unravelled for Wakefield when the paper wasretracted in 2010. He was struck from the medical register for behavior classified as “dishonest, unethical and callous” and the British Medical Journal accused him of deliberate fraud.

But once the idea was floated, scientists were compelled to investigate, particularly when it stood to impact public health so dramatically. One of the most powerful pieces of evidenceto show that there is no link between vaccines and autism comes from Japan where the MMR was replaced with single vaccines mid-1993. Guess what happened? Autism continued to rise.

We currently don’t know what causes autism.
But we do know what doesn’t: vaccines.

After this door closed, anti-vaxers shifted the blame to thiomersal, a mercury-containing component (not be confused with the scary type that accumulates in the body). Small amounts of thiomersal were used as a preservative in some vaccines, but this never included MMR.

Thiomersal or ethyl-mercury was removed from all scheduled childhood vaccines in 2000, so if it were contributing to rising cases of autism, you would expect a dramatic drop following its removal. Instead, like the MMR in Japan, the opposite happened, and autism continues to rise.

Further evidence comes from a recently published exhaustive review examining 12,000 research articles covering eight different vaccines which also concluded there was no link between vaccines and autism.

Yet the myth persists and probably for several reasons, one being that the time of diagnosis for autism coincides with kids receiving several vaccinations and also, we currently don’t know what causes autism. But we do know what doesn’t, and that’s vaccines.

2. Smallpox and polio have disappeared so there’s no need to vaccinate anymore

It’s precisely because of vaccines that diseases such as smallpox have disappeared.

India recently experienced two years without a single case of polio because of a concerted vaccination campaign.

Australia was declared measles-free in 2005 by the World Health Organization (WHO) – before we stopped being so vigilant about vaccinating and outbreaks began to reappear.

The impact of vaccine complacency can be observed in the current measles epidemic in Wales where there are now over 800 cases and one death, and many people presenting are of the age who missed out on MMR vaccination following the Wakefield scare.

In many ways, vaccines are a victim of their own success, leading us to forget just how debilitating preventable diseases can be – not seeing kids in calipers or hospital wards full of iron lungs means we forget just how serious these diseases can be.

3. More vaccinated people get the disease than the unvaccinated

Although this sounds counter-intuitive, it’s actually true, but it doesn’t mean that vaccines don’t work as anti-vaxers will conflate. Remember that no vaccine is 100% effective and vaccines are not a force field. So while it’s still possible to get the disease you’ve been vaccinated against, disease severity and duration will be reduced.

Those who are vaccinated have fewer
complications than people who aren’t.

With pertussis (whooping cough), for example, severecomplications such as pneumonia and encephalitis (brain inflammation) occur almost exclusively in the unvaccinated.

So since the majority of the population is vaccinated, it follows that most people who get a particular disease will be vaccinated, but critically, they will suffer fewer complications and long-term effects than those who are completely unprotected.

4. My unvaccinated child should be of no concern to your vaccinated one

Vaccination is not just a personal issue, it’s a community responsibility, largely because of a concept known as “community immunity”. This describes a level of vaccination that prevents epidemics or outbreaks from taking hold and spreading.

Some people question the validity of this concept, sometimes referred to as herd immunity, but the impact of it breaking down can be easily observed in places where vaccination levels fall dangerously low – take the current measlesoutbreak in Wales, for example.

The other important factor about community immunity is it protects those who, for whatever reason, can’t be vaccinated or are not fully vaccinated. This includes very young children, immunocompromised people (such as cancer sufferers) and elderly people.

5. Vaccines contain toxins

A cursory search of Google for vaccine ingredients pulls up a mishmash of scary-sounding ingredients that to the uninitiated can sound like “franken-science”.

A pear has 600 times more formaldehyde than a vaccine.

Some of these claims are patently untrue (there is no anti-freeze in vaccines), or are simple scaremongering (aborted foetuses – in the 1960s some cells were extracted from a foetus to establish a cell line that is still used in labs today). Some of the claimed chemicals (and remember everything is made of chemicals) are present, but are at such low levels as to never reach toxicity.

The simple thing to remember is the poison is in the dose – in high enough doses even water can kill you. And there’s 600 times more formaldehyde in a pear than a vaccine.

Also, if you ever read the claim that “vaccines are injected directly into the blood stream” (they’re not), be skeptical of any other claims made.

6. Vaccines will overwhelm kids’ undeveloped immune systems

The concept of “too many too soon” was recently examined in a detailed analysis of the US childhood immunisation schedule by The Institute of Medicine. Experts specifically looked for evidence that vaccination was linked to “autoimmune diseases, asthma, hypersensitivity, seizures, child developmental disorders, learning or developmental disorders, or attention deficit or disruptive disorders”, including autism. The researchers confirmed that the childhood vaccination schedule was safe.

The amount of immune challenges that children fight every day (between 2,000 to 6,000) in the environment is significantly greater than the number of antigens or reactive particles in all their vaccinations combined (about 150 for the entire vaccination schedule).

So the next time you hear these myths about vaccination, hopefully you’ll have some evidence up your sleeve to debunk them.

You can find this article here.

Baby Walkers are Banned in Canada!

DID YOU KNOW?!?!

In Canada, the sale of baby walkers was banned on April 7, 2004. Canada is the first country in the world to ban the sale, importation and advertisement of baby walkers. This ban extends to modified and second hand baby walkers, including those sold at a yard sales or flea markets. The Consumers Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) changed the items that were allowed to be sold at such sales. Owners of baby walkers may be fined up to $100,000 or sentenced to up to six months in jail.

Yet the US still sells them like crazy... I hope at least one mom reads this and does NOT buy walker but maybe an activity station like the around we go or an excersaucer. I recommend the "around we go" as it teaches the child to walk around the table to each toy station. It is also not considered a walker as it is still a stationary toy that stays in one place (just rotates around the stationary table in 360 degrees). To find out more about the around we go, view yesterday's blog click here. It's a product review on the around we go by bright starts.

Here's an article from the NY Times to let you know a little bit more.

Q: D. J. from New York City asks the Consults blog:

I know some people use baby walkers to help young children learn to walk. Is it true that this may actually be harmful to developing bones and muscles?

A: Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene responds:

It’s so exciting to see a baby take the first step! When wheeled seats arrived on the scene that would allow babies to move around with their feet on the floor, parents and babies alike were delighted. Some parents still use these baby walkers to help their children learn to walk or to give them some exercise or mobility. Some use baby walkers almost like pacifiers for the legs: many babies seem happier when they are propelling themselves across the floor.

And let’s face it, sometimes parents need to get things done. Sometimes parents use walkers as a baby-sitter, to keep their baby occupied and entertained so they do other things.

Parents should know that walker use typically delays motor development – and that it delays mental development even more. Beyond this, walker use is dangerous.

Back in 1994, when baby walkers were still extremely popular in the United States, the Consumer Products Safety Commission declared that baby walkers were responsible for more injuries than any other children’s product. The types of injuries included head injuries, broken bones, broken teeth, burns, entrapment of fingers and even amputations or death.

Walkers allow mobility beyond a baby’s natural capability, and faster than a parent’s reaction time. Most of the injuries involve falls down stairs, but injuries can also come, for instance, from allowing reach to hot, heavy or poisonous objects. Today’s walkers are safer, but they are still hazardous – and of no benefit to the baby.

Canada banned baby walkers in 2004. Possession of a baby walker can lead to fines up to $100,000 or six months in jail. But in some countries, more than 75 percent of babies still use walkers– and the injuries continue.

Sometime in the second half of the first year, healthy babies develop a strong urge to move across the floor. At first, this is a struggle for them as they work their arms and legs, stretching, rolling, scooting or crawling. They find delight in accomplishment as they achieve their goal of a toy out of reach. Later, the focus of their work will turn to pulling themselves upright.

Babies who use a walker skip some of this magnificent developmental journey. With their toes in an unnatural position, they glide across the floor with ease, moving upright before their time.

What’s the outcome?

Besides the added dangers of moving faster, falling farther and reaching higher, babies who use walkers learn to crawl, stand and walk later than they would have otherwise, and continue to show delayed motor development for months after they have learned to walk. The delay seems to be a little more than three days for every 24 hours of total walker use.

But the biggest delays – and the biggest surprise to many parents – are delays in mental development and lower scores on mental developmental testing, still present 10 months after initial walker use.

Stationary activity centers for babies can provide many of the benefits parents are looking for from walkers, without the serious problems.

I’m so glad for your question. Almost every week I still come across a parent who is using a walker in the mistaken belief that it will benefit their children, unaware of the risks and the costs of walker use.

Alan Greene, M.D., is the founder of the Web site DrGreene.com and the author of “From First Kicks to First Steps.”

Product Review: Bright Starts Around We Go Activity Station

Bright Starts: the Around We Go Activity Station (Doodle Bug theme)

This is my second time getting one of these! Why don't I have my first one still you may be asking? Well, that's simple. I do! It's just in storage back in Miami, FL and we are currently living in Toronto, ON, Canada. I will have it down there when I travel to visit. The new one is slightly better than our 4 year older model too, with newer toys and a "doodle bug" theme. The older model was ocean animals and included a water section which needed to be refilled and was a bit of a pain. I'm loving this newer version of the product and wouldn't change a thing!

With Seat (4-18 Months)

Without Seat (12-24 Months)

Product Description

• Electronic piano with flip book has 3 modes of play: fun songs, piano keys, and silly sounds
• Pond station with bead chaser, popping fish toy, spinning dragonfly, and sliding fish character
• Frog popper toy with swirling beads plus a large mirror
• Ratcheting bee toy, spinning ball toy, and bendable bug stalk toys
• Seat is easily removable so toddlers can enjoy as a play table
• Seat is easily removable so older babies and toddlers can use the activity table standing up
• Removable toy/snack tray

Starting at 4 months old some babies go through a little bit of a stage that they don't know whether to sit up, roll over, or just be held. They are still too young to stand or even sit unassisted. That's where this comes in. You simply seat your child in the seat and show them how to reach for toys and turn the seat side to side. The walking part comes later. Once they realize they can move, they never stop!

This product is designed for ages 4 months old to about 24 months. I personally think it's a little more for 5/6 months and up. My son is four months and his feet still don't reach the floor at the same time. He's only about 26 & 1/2 inches tall and one leg will touch but not the other. Therefore, he won't be walking in it any time soon. However, when my daughter was about 5 & 1/2 months old she was given this item for Christmas and took right to it! She LOVED the toys, music, and little snack tray for her yogurt melts. After about 2 or 3 days she started scooting backwards thought it was the greatest thing! She would giggle as she went around and around the table. It was adorable, we filmed it and showed everyone (as most first time parents do). Soon after she learned how to move forward as well, and once that started she was walking NONSTOP around the table to each station.

Now what's the average price of this item? In the US, they are about $89.99 at most places like Walmart, Target, Babies R Us, and even Sears/Kmart. They are not sold in Canada. However I did purchase mine through Sears.com and they shipped it here within only 2 days for under $20 in shipping! Definitely worth it!

Here's a short and very basic review on the product from a customer. It's simply to show how easy it is to remove the seat and have the table for older babies.

Product Recall: Step2 Recalls Ride-On Wagon Toys

Step2 Recalls Ride-On Wagon Toys Due to Fall Hazard; Sold Exclusively at Toys R Us

Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Recall date: NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Recall number: 14-020

Name of product: Step2® Whisper Ride Touring Wagon™

Hazard:

The removable blue seat backs can detach and allow the child in the wagon to fall out, posing a fall hazard.

Consumer Contact:

Contact Step2 toll-free at (866) 860-1887 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.step2.com and click on “Product Recall” for more information.

Units

About 14,000

Description

This recall involves Step2® Whisper Ride Touring Wagons. The two-seat plastic wagon is 25-inches wide by 41.25-inches long by 20-inches high with blue seats, a tan wagon base and a red canopy. The Step2 logo appears on the canopy and on the side of the wagon base.

This recall involves Step2® Whisper Ride Touring Wagons. The two-seat plastic wagon is 25-inches wide by 41.25-inches long by 20-inches high with blue seats, a tan wagon base and a red canopy. The Step2 logo appears on the canopy and on the side of the wagon base.

Incidents/Injuries

Step2 has received 29 reports of the seat back detaching, 28 of which resulted in children falling out of the wagon. Fourteen of these resulted in bumped heads and nine resulted in bruises, scratches or lacerations. 

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the wagon and inspect it to determine if the seat belt is attached to the removable blue seat back. If so, the wagon is included in this recall. Consumers with the recalled wagons should contact Step2 to obtain a free repair kit. 

Sold exclusively at

Toys R Us stores nationwide and online at ToysRUs.com from February 2013 to August 2013 for about $130.

Manufacturer

The Step2® Company, LLC of Streetsboro, Ohio

Manufactured in

USA

You can find this article here.

What's the Difference Between Limits and Consequences?

This was a MUST share article from Aha! Parenting.

"Dr. Laura, How do you set loving limits, when you do not give consequences? For example, my son's bouncing a soccer ball inside the house. I try to give him a choice: "You remember balls are for bouncing outside. You may take it in front of the house or into the backyard. The choice is yours." Sometimes it works...sometimes he ignores me and continues to bounce the ball...I repeat again, and he does not listen. Should I take the ball away? He did not listen and there should be a consequence, no?"

Mom sees behavior that is against the family rules. She sets a limit, in this case by giving her son a choice of two alternate, acceptable, options. He ignores her. She repeats herself. He ignores her. Shouldn't there be a "consequence"?

Let's take this a step at a time.

1. Your son is bouncing the ball in the house, which he knows is against the family rules. You're worried about the walls getting scuffed. You need to set a limit. 

If you're doing daily preventive maintenance -- connecting with warmth and empathy, spending one on one time -- your child will always be more cooperative. So you can usually just set a clear, kind limit: "Michael! Ball bouncing is for outside. Thank you!" and hold open the door, and he'll comply.

What do I mean by connecting with warmth and empathy? Your basic 24/7 response to him is seeing things from his perspective, with compassion. In other words, what comes out of your mouth sounds mostly like this (in a warm, heart-felt voice):

• "You don't want to stop playing and take a bath. I understand. I bet when you're a grownup, you'll never take a bath, will you?"
• "Sometimes it's really hard to share your parents."
• "You sound really mad!"

2. Do you need to give him a choice? 

Some younger kids feel overwhelmed by choices. But strong-willed kids, even more than the rest of us, react badly when they feel backed into a corner. I would generally recommend giving your child the choice of continuing his activity in an appropriate place, or finding a different activity.

"Michael! No ball playing in the house. You can bounce the ball outside, or you can find another activity."

3. He ignores you. 

Maybe he's not being defiant; he's just really focused on his ball skills and doesn't even hear you. Or maybe you haven't been connecting with him much lately, and this is your red flag that you need to spend some dedicated special time with him daily, starting tonight. Or maybe he knows from past experience that there's a good chance you'll give up and leave him alone. Or maybe he's just a strong-willed kid, who needs to push on a limit 100 times to see if it holds firm. So he ignores you.

Do you repeat yourself? No! 

If you've asked once and not gotten a response, don't just repeat yourself. You don't have your child's attention yet. Instead, you get in his face in a friendly way, so he gets that you mean it. 

So in this case, you walk over to your son and -- hopefully with a smile on your face, but at least with a neutral expression -- you intercept the soccer ball. You hold the ball in one arm, putting the other arm around his shoulder. He looks up at you, aggravated.

4. You connect before you correct.

How do you feel when someone implies that you're wrong? A little bristly? An urgent need to prove you're right, or to fight back? That's not exactly a recipe for cooperation.

You can avoid your child feeling that way by reconnecting. He's much more likely to really hear you, and to care what you want, which means he's more likely to cooperate. You do that by seeing his perspective, even as you set your limit.

"Hey, Buddy...I guess you were so focused on those ball skills that you didn't hear me. Your ball skills are looking good. AND where do we play with balls? Right! Outside!" 

As you speak, you are walking him towards the door. You open it, and as he goes out, you give him the ball, and a smile.

5. Find a win/win solution. Usually, that's the end of incident. You've enforced your limit. If you do this regularly, your son will skip the inside bouncing and head straight outdoors, because who wants their mom interrupting when they're practicing ball skills? 

But maybe you only have a lawn outside and the ball doesn't bounce there. Maybe your son needs a hard surface to bounce the ball. In that case, he will almost certainly keep using your hallway. Time for a win/win solution.

"Hmm...I hear you that the lawn isn't good for bouncing the ball....and bouncing it in the house doesn't work for me because it damages the wall....What can we do?....You think the blacktop at the school would work? Great idea! I can't go with you now, but if you help me chop these veggies, we can go over for half an hour before dinner. Let's work together." 

Notice your child has to delay gratification. That's not easy. But if you're maintaining a positive connection, he'll be a lot more motivated.

6. Should you take the ball away? If your child is using a toy in an unsafe way, and does not respond to your redirection, then of course you take the toy away. "Balls are not for bouncing in the house. I hear you really don't want to go outside, so let's put the ball away and find something you can do in the house. It looks like you need something active to do....Want to jump on the trampoline in the basement? Or throw your stuffed animals over the railing and then rescue them?" Notice this is not a punishment. You are simply redirecting your child's energy. 

7. Teach Your Child to Repair. Let's say you come upon your son bouncing his ball in the hall, and you notice scuff marks on the wall. You say say "Whoa! Look at that wall! We need to clean that up. Sweetie, let's go get the cleaning supplies, and I'll help you. You know we always clean up our own messes." If you do this cheerfully, without blame, from the time your child is little, he will comply. And he will also start taking the ball outside without your intervention, because who wants to clean the walls when they could be outside doing soccer drills?

8. Shouldn't there be a "consequence"? Of course! Look at all the consequences of what happened here! Your son has learned:

• When mom tells me to do something, she means it. There's no point in trying to ignore her.
• Bouncing the ball in the house scuffs the wall and I'm responsible to help clean up the scuff marks...I'd rather just go outside with the ball.
• I make mistakes, but Mom always understands.
• I repair my mistakes and clean up my own messes.
• My mom really cares about what I want. So I care about what she wants.
• If I don't like what Mom tells me to do, she listens and tries to find a good solution for both of us.
• I'm good at finding solutions.
• If I use a toy unsafely, I have to find another activity.
• I don't always get what I want, but I get something better -- a mom who understands.
• Everyone in our family takes our family rules seriously. The most important one is treating each other with respect and kindness.

By contrast, if you had punished him -- which is what parents usually mean by "consequences" -- what would he have learned? 

• She's always yelling and punishing me. Why should I do what she wants?
• When I bounce the ball in the house, she takes it away and punishes me. But not until she's yelling. So I don't have to listen until she yells and takes the ball away. I know just how far to push it before I get a consequence.
• She took my ball. I'm going to annoy my sister. In fact, I'm going to make this afternoon miserable for everyone.
• When she's not here, I'll bounce the ball in the house as much as I want. 
• No, I don't know who made those scuff marks. I'm getting good at lying.
• She can't make me.

The truth is, we can't make another human being do what we want. We can only help them WANT to. Loving guidance and empathic limits help your child WANT to follow your guidance, so those good habits become part of who he is, whether you're there or not. "Consequences" that are designed to punish? Just the opposite.

The difference between loving limits and consequences is that there's no room for punishment in loving limits. If you'd like to learn more you can find this article here.

Baby Formula: Thirty Billion Dollars and Counting

Luckily very few people (outside those who work with formula companies) argue the devastating effects of a lack of breastfeeding in developing nations where preventable diseases run rampant and we’re losing approximately 830,000 children a year who should still be alive[1]. Child mortality runs rampant and families spend precious money on formula when they could be saving their money and their child’s health by breastfeeding. But the story is different in the West. We have clean water, disease is rare, and so many argue that there really isn’t a cost to using formula. People use their own children as examples of how wonderful it can be. And there are valid and real reasons a mother can’t or won’t breastfeed. Absolutely. But we have to stop pretending there are no costs to it.

Back in 2010, some doctors published an article in Pediatrics looking at the cost of suboptimal breastfeeding rates (“optimal” defined as 80-90% of women exclusively breastfeeding for six months) in the United States[2]. I’ve covered this elsewhere but let’s remind people of the cost in the United States, a Western country with clean water and few diseases (relatively speaking). The authors found that the US health care system would save $13 billion a year and we would lose 911 less children, most of them infants under 1 year of age.

Sit on that for a moment.

Now, the joy of fixing this one is that it doesn’t mean mothers have to breastfeed. It simply means we need to make breastmilk more readily available to women who choose not to breastfeed or who can’t breastfeed for myriad reasons. And this is the big push I always try to make – it’s about getting babies the milk they are biologically designed to have and saving formula for the absolute worst case scenarios where it’s needed.

But we also have to talk about the effect of this suboptimal breastfeeding on moms, because we know that not breastfeeding increases the risk of a variety of ailments including cancers and heart disease. Recently, the same researchers who looked at the effects of suboptimal breastfeeding rates on infant and child mortality looked at the same question but for women’s mortality and the economic cost associated with it[3].

In this study the authors used statistical modeling to map out the rates of five diseases (i.e., breast cancer, ovarian cancer, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and myocardial infraction) in a cohort of women who were 15 in 2002 based on what we know of prevalence of the disease (including race, age, etc.) assuming the rate of breastfeeding we currently have and then again assuming an “optimal” level. (Of note, there are other diseases linked to breastfeeding for women, but they were not included in this analysis.) For this analysis optimal became 90% of women breastfeeding at all at a year given the relationship between this duration and the research on various disease outcomes in women. Notably, because of the uncertainty in modeling, the authors rightfully used many (2000 to be exact) imputations of the model to average out the results.

The authors found that, based on current rates of diseases and treatments, we are losing over 72,000 women a year prematurely (before age 70, or 10 years below the national US average for women) because of a failure to read “optimum” breastfeeding rates. Medical costs associated with this is $734 million in direct costs and $126 million in indirect costs. But the biggest financial cost is the economic cost to society due to premature death and at the rates we have, suboptimal breastfeeding is resulting in costs of $17.4 billion a year. (Oh – and did I mention that part of the cost analysis is that it included costs of interventions to get breastfeeding rates up to “optimal” levels? Yeah, they thought of that.)

When we consider mom and babies together, we’re seeing a variety of costs to society that are over $30 billion. Every. Year. So much for breastfeeding not having any effect on our society, eh?

But now we must ask: What’s the solution?

Let’s first talk about the fact that most women who use formula don’t do it because they started out wanting to do that. There are women who made that choice, but they are a minority. The vast majority of women tried breastfeeding and even had goals about what they wanted to achieve and it didn’t work out. And THIS is where we need to focus efforts.

One study looking at breastfeeding intentions and successes in the US found that 60% of mothers wanted to breastfed exclusively for some period[4]. Of this group, 85% wanted to breastfed exclusively for 3 months, but only 45% of them did; 58% wanted to go for five months, but only 25% of them made it. Only 1% of those moms who planned on exclusively breastfeeding said they planned on it for less than a month yet 42% of them stopped within that month.

We have a problem. And it’s not fair to the women or babies who are bearing the brunt of our inability to support moms in reaching their breastfeeding goals. Looking at the numbers, we see that it’s not fair to them to have an increased risk of dying prematurely or suffering cancers or heart disease. It’s not fair for babies to die before they are year. And if life doesn’t ring true, it’s not fair to society to bear such an enormous cost. $30 billion a year. That’s just under half the budget for the entire Department of Education. It’s just $8 billion shy of California’s budget to educate all children from kindergarten through grade 12. In short, it’s a heck of a lot of money that our society is losing in one way or another and that could be prevented.

Isn’t it time we put our money to good use? To get the programs needed in place to support mothers and babies and their breastfeeding goals? Even if we ignore the life costs, there are far too many women running into far too many barriers and not meeting their breastfeeding goals and that has to stop. In a society where we seem to be on a mission to tell moms that formula is just fine, we are ignoring that we should have been supporting these moms from the get-go so that when they chose to switch to formula (if they did at all), it would be on their terms.

[1] http://www.savethechildren.org/atf/cf/%7B9def2ebe-10ae-432c-9bd0-df91d2eba74a%7D/SUPERFOOD%20FOR%20BABIES%20ASIA%20LOW%20RES%282%29.PDF

[2] Bartick M, Reinhold A. The burden of suboptimal breastfeeding in the United States: a pediatric cost analysis. Pediatrics 2010; 125: e1048-e1056.

[3] Bartick M, Stuebe A, Schwarz EB, Luongo C, Reinhold AG, Foster EM. Cost analysis of maternal disease associated with suboptimal breastfeeding. Obstetrics & Gynecology 2013; 122: 111-9.

[4] Perrine CG, Scanlon KS, Li R, Odom E, Grummer-Strawn LM. Baby-friendly hospital practices and meeting exclusive breastfeeding intention. Pediatrics 2012; 130: 54-60.

Six Ways to Allow Your Child to Become a Responsible Adult

Lately there seem to be many parents yelling about how much they hate our current generation of entitled children or young adults who can’t function on their own and don’t take responsibility for their actions. They seem to argue that it’s parents who are responsive that are a problem, something I’ve heard first hand (because didn’t you know that letting my child breastfeed at 2 means she’ll be a spoiled, rotten brat??). They often push for things like bullying being okay or leaving your child to cry because the real world is harsh: The problem is that we just haven’t been harsh enough with our kids and that’s why they can’t cope. I think it’s bullshit. You want to raise responsible adults? Here are six things you should allow your child to do if you want them to grow into adults who understand responsibility, will work hard, and be self-motivated…

Allow your baby to be totally dependent on you. Our society focuses far too much on trying to make babies independent but quite simply, it won’t work. Think of your child as a house or tree, without the right foundation or roots, you will have problems. Attachment is absolutely necessary to children’s well-being. Although historical or evolutionary practices are very easy ways to get this attachment (because of the constant proximity between baby and a caregiver – typically mom but certainly not always given the high prevalence of alloparenting in these societies), as written about before it’s really all about responsiveness. Whereas leaving your baby to cry or refusing to feed or comfort at certain points is non-responsive, you simply cannot spoil a baby with too much love and you will not create “bad habits” or “clingy children” by responding to them. You just won’t. In fact, you’ll raise children who feel secure enough to go out and explore the world on their own, knowing they have a safe place to return to if necessary.

Allow your child to grow into his/her independence. You see, we have it backwards. We force independence in babies and then restrict it as our children develop and are yearning for independence. Does this mean we hand our 2 year old a knife and wish them luck? No, it means that we allow them to explore. In the younger years, it may be as simple as just letting them climb on the play structure themselves. In the older years, it’ll be letting them go on bike rides or walks to friends’ houses by themselves. You can always make sure your child is doing something as safely as possible but if you remove the chances for them to practice their independence out of fear of anything happening, you will stunt them.

If they have the secure foundation of responsive parenting in their early years, they know they can come to you if they run into problems and they most likely will. They may face problems that you wish they didn’t, but you’ll be there to see them through it, from cuts and broken bones to broken hearts and lost dreams. Remember that each child will grow into their independence in their own time – you can’t actually force independence. You can force independent-like behaviour, but if a child isn’t ready, it will be done with extreme anxiety which is not good for future exploration. (Also remember that a child who is set on being independent will find ways and if you make it too difficult for them, expect them to start doing it behind your back and probably not in the safest or sanest of ways.)

Allow your child to play, and play rough (if she/he wants). Until the age of around 6 or 7, children should spend most of their time playing (and still a lot of time after that). Outdoors when possible, but at least playing. In our world of daycare and preschool and kindergarten readiness tests, we are so focused on trying to teach our children, I’m not sure that there’s any room for them to learn. Will they memorize things? Sure. But are they learning about their interests, the world around them, and how to engage with it? I don’t think so. Play is key to this process of learning and we need to allow them to cultivate it far more than we currently do.

One more thing, many kids (yes, girls included) will want to play rough – toy swords, toy knives, wrestling – and we should let them. Every bit of play is learning, including roughhousing, and from it they can learn a lot about safety, respect for others, and the appropriate ways to use tools. I know many people panic when their child shows an interest in rough play, especially those that identify as “gentle parents”. Remember: Gentle parenting is not about restricting play to gentle play, it’s about how you respond as a parent to your child.

Allow your child to take responsibility for his/her actions. There are two different problems in our society in this realm. Either parents, in an effort to avoid seeing their child in pain or suffering any type of punishment, cover for them or they offer harsh punishments that don’t fit “the crime”. In more traditional societies where groups are small and people have to work together, it is common for people to know how to make amends and if they don’t, allow the group or the elder to decide what actions should be taken while all accept the outcome to move forward. As we don’t have such small groups, we’re not used to that type of awareness of how our actions influence or affect other people, thus parents are used to either doling out punishments or hiding their child from responsibility.

What does taking responsibility look like? Well, at the basic level it’s letting your child take part in figuring out how to make amends if they’ve hurt someone, fix something they’ve done “wrong”, own up to any behaviour that hurt someone, or accept the natural consequences of their own behaviours. It’s bringing them into the fold and having them come up with solutions with you (to help guide them, but not tell them what to do). You should also be giving them things to be responsible for, whether it be a chore in the house, cleaning up after themselves, or being in charge of whatever toys they bring out in public. If they don’t have ways to practice responsibility, they can never learn it. Children as young as 2 or 3 can help come up with ideas and the more they do, the better they get at it and the more they learn to be responsible for themselves.

Allowing responsibility does not mean never helping them when they ask for it out of fear that they will not learn to be responsible. You also want to teach them to help others if they can and when the request is reasonable, so be prepared to do the same for them. It does not mean covering for them or fixing their problems without their input and work or helping when the request is not reasonable.

[My own personal take is that when we instill this, we are helping reduce bullying. If you are consistently aware of how your actions affect other people and become used to having to take responsibility for that, you don’t intentionally hurt others and certain apologize when you do.]

Allow your child to say “no”. If you were to actually step back for a day and observe your interactions with your child, how often do you think you’d allow them to say “no” to you? How often do you allow yourself to say “no” to them? It’s inherently going to be unequal, but in our society it is so skewed that we might as well be honest that we seem to have the primary goal of obedience, not raising children to think for themselves. Sometimes allowing them to do what they want will lead to failure for them (something I know we hate seeing) and that’s okay. They need to fail. We all do. With failure we learn: We learn what doesn’t work and we learn we need to change our plan if we want to reach our goal.

We also need to allow them to say no to develop their own voice. If they can’t feel safe saying “no” to a parent and having it be respected at least once in a while, how can we expect them to feel confident saying it to someone else? We worry about our kids running off with the wrong “crowd”, doing drugs or drinking too much, saying “yes” to sex when they aren’t feeling truly ready themselves. Although these behaviours stem from a multitude of issues, part of it comes down to kids who just don’t believe their “no” has a voice. It’s up to us as parents to give that “no” a voice.

One last thought on it: how can we expect them to respect our “no” when we don’t respect theirs?

Allow your child to be a child out in public. I have to qualify this by being clear that I’m not talking about all places, as there are areas where we need to be aware of how we all act and kids need to learn that too; however, we seem to look askew at anyone with a child who is being a child anywhere. Folks, public is public and it’s for everyone, children included. I don’t like the behaviours of many of the adults around me, but I acknowledge their right to behave that way in these spaces. My child has the same rights to behave like a child (arguably more because they don’t have the neurological capacity to always behave as others’ might like). That may mean being a bit too loud, running around, squealing with delight, and yes, sometimes breaking down. These are all normal behaviours. It’s how we handle things when they go too far that we must be aware of.

A child who is screaming at the top of her lungs should be reminded that it hurts other people’s ears and to be quieter or to find a place where that won’t bother people. Running around and crashing into people without regard is also something children need to learn not to do. And breaking down often requires gently removing a child from the situation until he or she is calm and figuring out what happened while offering comfort and understanding. Adults in our society need to be exposed to children as children are. Children need the exposure to public places and adults to learn how to behave, while also being allowed to be themselves in a respectful way. When we hide them from it or force them to behave in ways that aren’t aligned with their developmental level, we are making it harder and harder for them to learn to consider others (because they’re too focused on their own behaviour) or to take responsibility and learn about thinking of others. It also tells them that they are not worthy of respect (but others are) and frankly that’s not a lesson that’s going to serve anyone well if we want them to grow up to feel confident and secure in themselves.

*******

There we have it. Six things you can allow your child to do that will help them be responsible, independent, caring grown-ups. You don’t need to force them to toughen up or even force them to be independent because they’ll get there on their own. The problem isn’t that we haven’t been “harsh” enough, the problem is that we’ve been harsh when we should be gentle, permissive when we should encourage responsibility, and driven by fear to restrict our children’s growth into independent beings. Let’s end that. If you'd like to learn more on the topic you can click here.

Rock and Buy Baby launching Summer of 2014!

It's official, for those of you who didn't already know, we're opening up a store online! After business picks up then hopefully a small store front (not sure yet of a location).

The website has been purchased and our name secured!

www.rockandbuybaby.com

We've also got Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and our email address! Will be working on a logo and page layouts over the next few months while gathering inventory and listing that online as well. Keep following the blog and like/become a fan of our other social media pages. Each one will be having their own giveaways and coupon codes. An example would be a free diaper on Facebook, free wet bag for instagram, or gift card on twitter. I wouldn't want to miss anything!

Big things coming soon... stay posted for more updates. Soft opening estimated for summer 2014.

Cloth Diapering 101: FAQS

New parents have a lot of questions about all sorts of topics. When researching about cloth vs disposable diapers, many questions are brought up. For centuries using cloth was the way of the world for new parents. It's only been about a half century that disposable diapers have been available.  Parents may want to use them for many reasons: to save money, be environmentally friendly, or maybe they just don't want all those chemicals, that are in the disposables, touching their baby. Regardless of the reason why you would like to use cloth, you will definitely have a few questions about the subject. I would recommend seeing if you know anyone or maybe a friend of a friend that uses cloth, and ask them a few questions or what kind of advice could help you. Moms who use cloth LOVE to share their knowledge because it can really help you see how easy and wonderful it really is. Personally my best advice could be buy one diaper and just use it/look at it/actually see it. Once you start, whether it's your first or fifth child, you won't go back!

Q: Aren't cloth diapers more difficult to use than disposables?
A: Nope! These days, you can buy cloth diapers that go on and off your baby just like disposables. Then, instead of throwing your disposable into your Diaper Genie, you simply place it into a lined diaper pail. And instead of running out to the store to buy more disposables, all you have to do is walk into your laundry room and place your diapers, liner and all, straight into your washing machine. No need to touch any dirty diapers!


Q: Do I have to use safety pins?
A: These aren’t your parents’ cloth diapers! Don’t worry; you won’t need any safety pins for any of these products, even with pre-folds. Most cloth diapers secure to your baby with velcro or snaps.


Q: What are all these different types of diapers? Covers, AIOs, Pockets, and Prefolds?
A: Prefold diapers are rectangular pieces of absorbent cloth that have several layers. Most prefolds are either 4x6x4 or 4x8x4, which indicates the number of layers on each side and in the super absorbent thicker strip down the middle of the diaper. Fitted diapers are contoured cloth diapers which generally have elastic leg openings and either snap or Aplix (Velcro) closures. Fitted diapers are not waterproof so they do require a cover. Pocket Diapers consist of a waterproof cover outside and stay dry liner inside with an opening in between in which parents can stuff absorbent materials (such as an insert or a prefold). Pocket diapers are available with Velcro or snap closures, depending on your preference. All-in-one diapers are exactly that: A waterproof outer and absorbent inner all in one! These are available with snaps or Velcro fasteners. For more details on the types of cloth click here.


Q: How many cloth diapers do I need to get started?
A: You need to consider the age of your baby. Newborns and infants use about 10 to 12 diapers per day while toddlers may need 6 to 8. Ideally, you would have about 24-30 diapers for a newborn, and 18-24 diapers for a toddler. Many parents use only one system of diapering (like prefolds with covers or all in ones), while others like to have a few of each type for different situations. For example, a family might use prefolds at home during the day, all-in-ones for outings and/or babysitters, and a fitted diaper with wool cover for overnight.

Other items you may need are:

· Snappis for securing prefolds (if using them).

· Diaper covers if you intend on using prefolds or fitted diapers

· A Diaper pail liner or Large Hanging Wet Bag – this is a waterproof liner or bag that can be thrown in the wash with your diapers on laundry day. Most families have two of these for when one is in the wash.

· Wet bags for outings – these are waterproof zippered bags that are used to transport your soiled diapers home to be washed. You may want to have more than one depending on how often you go out and how often you launder your diapers.

· Cloth wipes – these can be washed right along with your diapers. I like to pre-moisten mine and keep them in a disposable wipes container. Just as easy as disposable wipes!

· Laundry Detergent for Cloth Diapers – Specially formulated detergents like Rockin' Green or The Laundry Tarts keep your diapers free of residues, which can cause leaking or smelly diapers! Personally we use Tide Original (Powder for HE).


Q: What is the most cost-effective cloth diapering system?
A: Prefolds and covers are the least expensive way of diapering your baby, especially if you want to use them for more than one child. However, if folding doesn't appeal to you, the next option we recommend would be the one-size diapers. The only downside to the one-size cloth diapers is that they tend to be quite bulky on small newborns, so you may have to invest in some sized cloth diapers for the first month or two.


Q: How do I clean my cloth diapers?
A: You don’t need any special equipment to clean cloth diapers. For newborns and infants, you can throw the entire bag of soiled diapers into the wash, bag and all. Just turn the bag inside out into your machine and wash as usual. When your child’s stool becomes more solid you will need to dispose of as much as you can in a toilet before you put the soiled diaper in the diaper bag. For more on washing please click here.


Q: Why would I use prefolds and how do I use them?

A: Prefolds are the perfect workhorse diaper! They are relatively inexpensive, very versatile, easy to wash and put away, and easy to get stains out of. They are also great burp cloths, change pads, car rags, and the list goes on!


Q: What is the difference between inserts, doublers, and liners?

A: Inserts are used inside pocket diapers and are usually made of microfiber or hemp. Many pocket diapers come with an insert included already, but extras can be purchased to add absorbency (for example, adding a hemp insert to the pocket for overnight). Microfiber inserts are meant to be used inside the pocket of the diaper only and not intended for use next to your baby's skin. Doublers are great for adding more absorbency to all-in-one diapers or fitted diapers (they can be placed next to baby's skin). You can also use them for extra absorbency inside pocket diapers. Liners help keep messes off your diapers making them easier to clean and preventing stains. They are also great for keeping creams off of your diapers since creams can cause cloth diapers to repel liquids. Microfleece liners create a stay dry liner between your baby and the diaper, keeping them feeling dry and comfortable. Liners can be cloth or biodegradable/flushable.


Q: What are Wool diaper covers?
A: Many people decide not to try wool because they think it is difficult to care for. No, wool can’t be tossed in the wash with the rest of your diapers but the washing and lanolizng process is certainly not difficult or time-consuming, and only needs to be done if the cover is soiled, retaining a urine smell, or losing its waterproof properties. Click here for wool care instructions.

Wool makes a wonderful diaper cover for many reasons:

· Wool is a natural fiber

· Wool is breathable and an amazing insulator as well. It keeps baby cool when it is hot and warm when it is cold. Wool also prevents diaper rash by allowing the skin to breath.

· Wool can hold up to 1/3 of its weight in moisture, yet it doesn’t feel wet. Wool begins evaporating moisture into the air as soon as it is absorbed.

· Most parents agree that wool is the most leak-proof system, especially for night time when leaks happen most often.

· Wool contains natural lanolin, which creates a natural waterproof barrier.

· Wool is naturally anti-bacterial, which means it does not need to be washed if only wet with urine.


Q: Do I have to pre-soak soiled diapers?
A: For infants this isn’t a concern, as their poop is water-soluble. If you wash your diapers within two days, they will come out perfectly clean. When your baby starts solids, you should try to remove as much poop from the diaper as possible before putting it into the diaper pail. Remember, you must do this with disposables as well!


Q: What about day trips? Do I have to use disposables?
A: Not at all. You just need a wet bag in which to put your soiled diapers.


Q: Do I have to use a special detergent for washing diapers?
A: You should use a fragrance-free detergent in order to avoid any potential skin reactions. We offer some environmentally responsible alternatives that you may find interesting.

Q: Is it unhygienic to wash soiled diapers in the washing machine?
A: Nope. Your washing machine was designed to keep itself clean. And the drain water goes into the sewers with all the rest of the dirty water.


Q: Doesn’t a bag of soiled diapers smell really bad?
A: Not necessarily, as long as you don't keep it air-tight. You can also minimize odours by putting a couple of drops of tea tree oil onto a small cloth wipe or washcloth, and dropping it in with your diapers.


Q: Do cloth diapers leak a lot?
A: All diapers leak occasionally. This may be due to your baby moving around, or an over-tired parent who puts a diaper on backwards! In our experience, cloth diapers leak less often than disposables when used properly.


Q: What is PUL?

A: PUL (polyurethane laminate) is fabric that has had laminate applied to the back. It is what most diaper covers as well as pocket diaper and all-in-one outers are made from. PUL is waterproof, not bulky, and easy to care for.


Q: What about “green” disposable diapers?
A: There are a few disposable products on the market that use bio-degradable materials and are made without bleaches or chemicals. These products still contribute greatly to landfill and fossil fuel usage, but we think they are some occasions where they provide a good alternative.


Q: I've decided to use cloth diapers. Should I choose snaps or Aplix (i.e.velcro) versions?
A: In general, snaps last longer than velcro. However, you may at times not get as perfect a fit if your child is "between" snaps. The other disadvantage to snaps is that the diaper change takes slightly longer, since velcro is much easier to fasten and unfasten. However, this is also a disadvantage since older babies love to pull velcro tabs off!


Q: Don’t you think this is all a bit preachy?
A: We certainly hope not! Ultimately, using cloth or disposables is a personal decision. But we want everyone to know that cloth, in our opinion, is a great choice from all perspectives. We can all do a lot more to live a more sustainable lifestyle, and this is just one way we can all help.


Q: Am I doing enough to reduce my impact?
A: Remember that all diapers have an environmental impact, but the way you use cloth diapers can make a big difference. Use an Energy Star washing machine, reduce your washing temperature to about 60 degrees, Celsius, and line dry your diapers when appropriate. Always remember to avoid small loads of laundry which waste water and energy.


Q: What can I do with my used diapers?
A: There are lots of options. First of all, if you or anyone you know are planning on having more children, your diapers can be safely re-used. Alternatively, you can sell your diapers or donate them to someone in need. Some cloth diapers make great rags as well.


Q: Aren’t cloth diapers bulky?
A: Yes, cloth diapers tend to be a bit bulkier than many disposables. Consider this a bonus when your child starts walking and falls on his/her tushie!

Cloth Diapering 101: Washing

Washing cloth diapers is really no more difficult than washing regular laundry! Here are some tips to get you started on the right track.

Prewashing

Prewash all new diapers at least once in hot water with a small amount of detergent before use. Unbleached cotton, organic, hemp, and bamboo diapers must be prewashed at least 5-10 times (for at least the first few times, they should be washed separately from your other diapers). Diapers will not be fully absorbent until prewashed adequately. 

Washing your diapers

• Before placing in pail, remove any solid poop using a diaper sprayer or flushable liner. The poop of an exclusively breastfed baby does not need to be rinsed - it will be rinsed away in the first step of washing.
• Set your machine to the maximum water level.
• Run your diapers through a cold pre-wash or rinse cycle.
• Wash diapers in hot water with 1/2 (top loader) to 1/4 (HE machine) of the recommended amount of detergent. Detergent should be free of dyes, perfumes, fabric softeners, and enzymes. We recommend Rockin' Green or The Laundry Tarts Detergent.
• If desired, run your diapers through an extra rinse to avoid detergent buildup.
• Tumble or hang dry. Hang in the sun to remove stains naturally. Many people prefer to hang their covers or empty pocket diapers to dry to extend the life of elastics, water-proof materials, and hook-and-loop closures.

Detergent and Urine Residue

Detergent or urine residue can cause your diapers to lose absorbency, cause diaper rash, and/or cause your diapers to retain an ammonia odour. If you are experiencing these problems, wash your diapers normally, then run your diapers through a few hot wash cycles without detergent, with your machine set to the highest water level. Adding a couple of squirts of Original Dawn dish liquid or Calgon Water Softener to the first detergent-free cycle will help remove residue. Continue hot wash cycles until you no longer see bubbles in the wash water.

Using a zero-residue detergent such as Rockin' Green and using lots of water will prevent residues from causing problems with your diapers.

You may also need to adjust the amount of detergent you are using. Too little detergent can result in urine residue (diapers not getting clean enough), while too much can result in detergent residue. When your diapers are clean, they should smell like nothing! If they smell like detergent or like urine, adjust the amount of detergent you use accordingly.

Storage of dirty diapers

Most cloth diapering families use the dry pail method, which involves storing dirty diapers in a waterproof diaper pail liner or hanging wet bag (which are machine washable), then just dumping the diapers into your machine on laundry day along with the laundry bag. We recommend owning two pail liners or hanging wet bags so that you have one to use while the first is in the wash. To use a pail liner, simply use a large garbage bin or hamper with a lid, line it with the diaper pail liner and you are ready to go!

When you change your baby, simply toss the used diaper into the dry pail. An exclusively breastfed baby’s poops do not need to be rinsed or removed in any way. If your baby has solid poops, shake the excess into the toilet, and then place the diaper in the pail. The washer will take care of the rest. For the "in between" stage of poops, consider using flushable diaper liners or a diaper sprayer to remove solids from the diaper before washing. Both are easy to use and you never have to touch ANY poop!

If using a diapering system with covers, the cover can be re-used until soiled, and just the flat, prefold, fitted, or soaker pad can be tossed in the pail. If you are using pocket or all-in-one diapers, remove the insert (if there is one), fasten the laundry tabs, and throw it all in the pail. If you are using a wool cover, see below for wool care tips.

Buying a wet-bag for when you go out makes taking cloth diapers along easy! A wet-bag is a waterproof bag with a zipper that you can stick in your diaper bag and use to store your dirty diapers while out. Just toss it in your pail when you get home and wash the wet-bag along with your diapers on wash day!

Laundry day

Most people wash their diapers every 2-3 days. Usually 2 dozen diapers is a good sized load, without being over-full. Too many diapers in a load may not come as clean and can cause friction and pilling of the fabrics. After a few loads you will figure out what works for you in terms of length between washes and how full to fill your machine.

Dump your diapers and the diaper pail liner/wet bag into the machine. Do a cold or warm rinse cycle before washing to avoid setting stains or smells. Then do a hot wash cycle with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of detergent you would normally use for clothing. After washing either tumble-dry or line dry. Line drying outdoors in the sunlight will save energy, plus remove stains and make your diapers look new! Try it and see for yourself! To avoid stiff diapers, set them out on the line during early morning or late afternoon hours when they will not dry as fast. Line drying your diapers will also extend their life - although everything can be thrown in the dryer together as well if you cannot line dry or just don't have time!

Many people like Rockin Green, Allen’s Naturally detergent, Original Tide, Country Save, Sunlight, other biodegradable detergents, and many others. Find what works for you!

Avoid using detergents with whitening agents as they can break down diapers and cause skin irritaion. Also avoid using baby detergents such as Ivory Snow or Dreft, and avoid ultra concentrated detergents as they can cause build-up..

If you find your diapers are holding a bad odour, try doing an extra, hot rinse cycle after washing to remove detergent build-up, which is often the cause of odours. If odours or rashes persist, consider switching to Rockin' Green Detergent which is free of residues which cause laundry issues! Visit our Smelly Diapers FAQ for more info!

Avoid using bleach on your diapers as it will eat away at the fibers of your diapers leaving holes and affecting absorbency. It also can irritate your baby's skin.

Avoid using fabric softener as it can cause your diapers to repel liquid rather than absorb. Really, when it comes to washing diapers, keep it simple! Using more than one product can lead to buildup or other laundry problems, plus it can make it hard to troubleshoot if you do have issues down the road.

Wool Care Instructions

Using and caring for wool diaper covers can seem intimidating but is quite simple in reality! Using wool has many advantages which you can read about here. Most wool covers will come with washing instructions from the retailer, however here are some general instructions for wool care.

Wool covers only need to be washed when they are soiled – wool has natural self-cleaning and anti-bacterial properties due to the lanolin it contains. If your wool cover is wet after use, just hang it to air out before using it again. If the urine smell does not fade when dry or if the cover is soiled, then it’s time for a wash. Plan to wash your covers about once a month.

Wool covers also need to be lanolized about once a month (with regular use). You can wash and lanolize at the same time. Follow these instructions, but omit the lanolin if you want to wash only.

• Rinse your wool cover in cold water if you need to remove any poop.
• Run your sink water until it is HOT.
• Plug the sink and put a small glob of Lanolin at the bottom along with a small glob of wool wash or baby shampoo. Lanolin is available in most baby stores/Walmart in the section for products for nursing moms. You can also purchase Eucalan no-rinse wool wash which replaces both products.
• Run a bit of hot water over the Lanolin and soap to melt it. Mix well.
• Fill the sink the rest of the way with lukewarm water. Add the wool, gently squeeze the water through the wool, and then let it soak for 15-20 minutes.
• Drain the water and roll the wool up in a towel to squeeze out the excess liquid. Then hang or lay flat to dry. That’s it!