disposable diaper + washing machine does NOT = clean diaper.

I will call today, the day of the great diaper disaster. In case anyone was curious, you really can't wash disposable diapers in the washing machine. They weren't lying to us. And no, if you wash a disposable diaper, it does not give you a clean diaper you can use again. Too bad. I am sharing, in hopes that you can learn from my mistakes, and know what to do if this should ever happen to you.

Really though, that's not what I was doing, or trying to do. My guess, is that a certain small person, snatched a diaper out of the clean diaper basket when no one was watching and dumped it into the laundry basket, because he loves to hide things in other things recently. Of course, I don't inspect every piece of clothing before tossing it in the wash, I check the pockets of things that sometime have things in them (Like Jay's work pants) Other than that. Nope, it all gets tossed in there together for the most part! Never had a problem before.

EEW

But, much to my surprise, today when I opened the washing machine to switch the last load of laundry to the dryer, there was a big, slimy, pile of goo, on the inside rim of the washer and all over the door. At a glance, it looked kind of similar to when you run a piece of paper, or a tissue through the wash, but there was a lot more. Then, I decided to touch it. Gross. I don't recommend doing that. Thankfully, it's not toxic or anything, (obviously, since it goes in diapers) but it was slimy and gross. Blech! As I began to pull the clothes out, I started to realize the huge amount of this goo that was covering absolutely ev-er-y-thinnng! 

My first reaction was to pull everything out onto the floor so I could find the cause of this goo. (this was a bad idea, as it caused the goo to go all over my kitchen floor.) Of course, as I dug, in the very back, bottom edge of the washer, there sat a huge, exploded, wet, disgusting diaper. I knew it. So I tossed it out. then panicked again, because how does one get sticky diaper goo out of a full load of laundry AND the washing machine?! So I came over to my handy Internet machine, and luckily one of my fellow Mama-friends, knew what to do. She told me to put salt in with the load, and run a cycle through, then an empty rinse cycle with salt to make sure it's all out of the machine.

So, I tried this. I was running out of time since Joshua was in his crib talking to himself, on the verge of a screaming fit because he wanted out. And Jay wasn't home to distract him for me while I cleaned up the goo off the floor and myself. So I (stupidly) shook the clothes out onto the floor, then reloaded. when it was about half full, I dumped in about a quarter cup, I'd say of plain old table salt. (I have a front loader so I didn't want to put it in the soap area or anything. then I also put about the same about inside of a sock that was going back in, in case the loose stuff didn't cut it. I also threw some more detergent in, since I felt like i was going to have salty clothes if I didn't and I didn't feel like washing everything 3 times if I could help it. 

Happily this worked! While it was washing through, I cleaned my floors with a wet paper towel, then the swiffer wet jet to make sure I got it all before I brought the human vacuum back upstairs. 

Everything turned out OK in the end. Floor is clean, laundry is clean, baby is clean... And I guess lesson learned. Always check the baby's laundry before tossing it in the wash. And if I do miss a stray disposable diaper ever again, I will know how to fix it, and you will too! SALT! 

My helper

The "goo"

poor, poor, floors.

Pacifiers... for the baby or the parents?

Now, I don't think any parent enjoys listening to their little human crying. So we do many things, from funny faces, to singing horribly, to giving pacifiers to calm them (and us.)

This week, since I am home from work all week, we decided to wean our little human off of his pacifier. He only really used one when he would sleep, or on long car rides anyways before. But among the many things we were told, and the jubilee of advice we were given, we were told by many that getting rid of the pacifier before he turns one is the way to go.

I think part of the reason is because of the fact that babies younger than one don't really remember things once they can't see them anymore, objects anyhow. I've had friends tell me this, and our pediatrician as well so we figured we'd give it a go. 

The first day he cried for awhile before he could settle himself down to sleep. But on the second day he took his naps no problem, and we still have him one with a cut off tip (another thing we were told to try) and he went right to sleep then too.

However, last night, he fell asleep without it, but then woke up a couple hours later screaming and could not settle back down unless he was being held (after hours) we decided to give him the tipless paci for the night time. I know people say to let them "Cry it out" so we have been trying. But Joshua has never been the kind of kid who has been able to calm himself down easily without help so I am trying to figure out how long we are supposed to let him cry, or if he is even really ready to be rid of the pacifier completely. As I write, he his screaming in his crib, refusing to take a nap, even though he is clearly exhausted. As much as I hate to hear him wailing and crying so hard he is coughing . . . part of me thinks, if I let it go, after a couple days, he will have forgotten all about the pacifier and found a new way to comfort himself back to sleep again (I hope)

Once of the things I heard somewhere is that pacifiers are more for the parents than the babies, because babies will eventually find other ways to fall asleep, and sooth themselves. But, there is not much that can sooth a parent when their little one is wailing and there is nothing really wrong, and nothing you can really do to make it better besides giving them that little piece of plastic.

What's a mother to do? I think I am going to be strong and let him cry. He DID fall asleep yesterday without, so I know it's possible. 

What advice do you other parents have with pacifiers? And letting kids cry it out? When did you start letting them wail and not running in to save them at night?

The quiet time between wails is getting longer now, Perhaps he'll be asleep soon . . . time to get some coffee!