Poll: Link between Cloth, BF and Co-Sleeping?

[Smoz]

Ok So i've noticed during the general chatter thread that most peoples sigs state they are BF and Co-Sleeping and im interested to see if a certain style of parent that leads towards using cloth.

Do you BF/Formula?
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)?
Use Disposables or Cloth?
Co-Sleep?
Baby Led Solids?

Also......

Why Did you start using cloth?

What did you start doing first?

Did you find one thing led to another?

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try?

[Smoz]

Do you BF/Formula? BreastFeed
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? At Least 12months is the goal and will see what happens after that
Use Disposables or Cloth? Cloth
Co-Sleep? No
Baby Led Solids? yes, we're trialling it atm

Also......

Why Did you start using cloth? My friend (long term BF and cloth user) was showing me the ones she made for her little girl and i got curious and when she offered to lend me all her old ones how could i refuse and well now im hooked

What did you start doing first? BF was my first priority cloth just sort of happened when T was about 4months

Did you find one thing led to another? Yes very much so, I had never considered using cloth b4...put it in the 'too hard' basket but as i reached out to BF mums for support i found more and more of then were carrying on about this Fluff so i decided to give it a try.

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? Yes see above

[BellyBelly]

There is a definite link with cosleeping and breastfeeding. Heard a very interesting talk/study at the ABA's Hot Milk Conference a couple of years ago. Bottlefeeders are extremely less likely to cosleep.

[Smoz]

Yer i've found that....i think part of it being its easier for bubs and mum to get a better sleep....

It's just i've noticed as i've joined the cloth and BF communities that most do all three of these things and many more "hippie" type parenting methods (and i say that in the most supportive best intentioned way possible) like contact soothing

[Nai]

Do you BF/Formula? Breastfed
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? DD1 14months, DD2 still going
Use Disposables or Cloth? Mainly cloth but have sposie for emergencies and travel
Co-Sleep? Never with DD1, did for first 3 weeks with DD2 and still do from time to time when she is unsettled
Baby Led Solids? Not with DD1 but will investigate for DD2

Also......

Why Did you start using cloth? Mainly environmental and cost reasons

What did you start doing first? Breastfeeding

Did you find one thing led to another? Not really

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? Not really - I just went with whatever felt right and worked for us.

[Rouge]

Do you BF/Formula? DD BF & FF DS only BF
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? DD 4 weeks, then about 2 months pumping then full time FF. DS till 12 months (baby led weaned)
Use Disposables or Cloth? Disposables for both
Co-Sleep? DD on and off but nothing solid DS Mostly cot but co-slept in early weeks and he still comes into our bed now on and off Unfortunately for me co sleeping & feeding didn't work for us as I had overactive letdown
Baby Led Solids? DD No DS yes (started at about 10 months)

[Antheia]

Do you BF/Formula? Both
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? Still going
Use Disposables or Cloth? Cloth
Co-Sleep? Most nights
Baby Led Solids? Not yet

Also......

Why Did you start using cloth? I found out about MCN through bellybelly. Ever since then i have been hooked.

What did you start doing first? Cloth nappies

Did you find one thing led to another? Not really, i have always wanted to BF and co-sleep.

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? Not really.

[alioops]

Do you BF/Formula? DD1 Was BF then FF, DD2 was a bit more complicated. DD3 we plan to BF
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? DD1 4 months, DD2 we THOUGHT was BF for 5 weeks. Turned out she was not doing so well DD3 will be until she self weans
Use Disposables or Cloth? We used sposies until DD1 was about 20 months and DD2 was 6 months then switched to cloth. DD3 will be cloth unless we are travelling
Co-Sleep? DD1 sometimes, DD2 never would settle with us. DD3 will be sidecar style with the drop side of the cot removed
Baby Led Solids? No, but plan to try it with DD3

Also......

Why Did you start using cloth? Mainly cost factor

What did you start doing first? BF

Did you find one thing led to another? No

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? BB is what got me interested in cloth, then I went to a baby expo and saw some in real life and the curiosity increased and then I went to an IRL shop and bought my first one after having read a bit on here.

[teruteru]

Do you BF/Formula?bf
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? from birth til now
Use Disposables or Cloth? cloth
Co-Sleep? yes
Baby Led Solids? no

Why Did you start using cloth? to reduce chance of NR, better for the pocket & environment

What did you start doing first? pretty much everything at the same time, but couldnt co-sleep in hospital

Did you find one thing led to another? bf & co-sleep yes cos it was easier than getting up to feed baby every few hrs

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? ive tried BLS but he's not that interested. i do give him a piece of fruit/veg every so often. he seems to be happy abt that

[[M]umma[M]ia]

Do you BF/Formula? Formula
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? 6 weeks
Use Disposables or Cloth? Sposies
Co-Sleep? yes
Baby Led Solids? yes

[Daffodil Mumma]

Do you BF/Formula? Formula feed
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? I breastfed for only about a week and switching to formula was for many reasons
Use Disposables or Cloth? Cloth all day every day.....still hunting a good night cloth system tho (so sposies at night for now)
Co-Sleep? Rarely
Baby Led Solids? a long way off that yet so I havent really looked into the options

Also......

Why Did you start using cloth? For me it was mainly a cost choice at first...then I discovered the threads here and now its for the cuteness too

What did you start doing first? While I was pregnant my plan was always to cloth bum and breastfeed...I am happy that I am still able to do one of the two atleast!

Did you find one thing led to another? Not really, but being a part of this community opened my eyes (and is continuing to do so) to see all the options and freedom of choice I have in every aspect of my parenting.

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? None of the people around me cloth bum...and only one breastfeeds, but after seeing my nappies I think I will be the one to convert afew of them....they were shocked that there is so much more than terry squares available to them

[catherinemoses]

Do you BF/Formula? Both.
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? BF until 7mths then started FF during the day, BF till 8.5mths overnight.
Use Disposables or Cloth? Sposies recently switched to cloth. Hopefully we will do cloth fairly quickly with the next bub
Co-Sleep? Up until about 3 mths. If he is sick or really unsettled sometimes we still do it.
Baby Led Solids? Both BLS and spoon weaned.

Also......

Why Did you start using cloth? Environmental factors and MUCH more cost effective (esp with 2 in nappies)

What did you start doing first? BF, I was kind of interested in cloth but it seemed too hard at the start.

Did you find one thing led to another? Not really.

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? Not really. I was encouraged by seeing mums on BB who were doing cloth.

[butterfly_warrior]

We use formula and sposies, but co-sleep whenever possible. For a multitude of medical reasons BF and cloth just isn't an option for us - but we still co-sleep when we can and would wear Sam more often if he tolerated the sling (we tend to end up carrying him everywhere instead).

As for solids - not started yet and not sure which way we'll go.

BW

[Cassius2]

Do you BF/Formula? Breastfed
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)?weaned at 16 months
Use Disposables or Cloth? cloth
Co-Sleep? No
Baby Led Solids? No
Also......

Why Did you start using cloth? environmental reasons...also why we kept the twin tub.

What did you start doing first? kinda at the same time. although DD breasfed long before her first nappy was put on LOL!
Did you find one thing led to another? no, they were mutually exclusive

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? no. we did our own thing...although i did look into the 100% biodegradable disposables, but they were too expensive LOL!

[Jellyfish]

We breastfeed and co-sleep but use sposies because without a washing machine, cloth isn't a very viable option for us.

[fionas]

Do you BF/Formula? Huge problems BFing so EBM/Formula until 2 months, then FF
Use Disposables or Cloth? Disposables
Co-Sleep? DD was in our room till she was 18 months old and spent many nights until she was 8 months old in our bed (then refused to sleep in our bed and would only settle in her cot, also in our room)
Baby Led Solids? A bit of everything.

I didn't really look too much into cloth nappies TBH. The first two months were so hard anyway because I was expressing all the time and had major physical problems so I didn't want to add more research into the mix! Also, nappy changes for me, were the only thing I thought I was really good at (as BFing was such a disaster) so I didn't want to mess with something that was working.

[berrme]

Do you BF/Formula? BF
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? DS1 BF until just over 12 months, DS2 almost 5 weeks so far, aiming for 12 months again.
Use Disposables or Cloth? Cloth only for about 12 months. Now I use disposables at night for DS1. DS2 entirely cloth atm.
Co-Sleep? Occasionally when couldn't be bothered getting up for 5am feed, or if unwell. Don't know how anyone sleeps with those noisy little things all the time.
Baby Led Solids? Yes.

Also......

Why Did you start using cloth? My husband and I are both scrooges, and I just don't believe the people who say cloth is just as bad for the environment as disposables are. I don't use bleach or a clothes dryer... factor that into your calculations. Plus babies look cuter in cloth nappies.

What did you start doing first? Always intended to BF and use cloth. Neither came first.

Did you find one thing led to another? I suppose BFing led to occasional cosleeping, would have had to get up and make bottles if FF so no point in bringing bub into bed.

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? No, but I think I have made other friends of mine consider cloth nappies as an option.

[Pretty Butterfly]

Do you BF/Formula? B/F all 6
If BF, how long for (or self wean?)? Average of 12 months for each
Use Disposables or Cloth? Cloth on 5, 1 with sposies
Co-Sleep? Yep, all 6
Baby Led Solids? Yep

Also......

Why Did you start using cloth? I used terry flats with first 3, but just couldn't do it all with #4.. found MCN with #5, so back to cloth

What did you start doing first? Umm, all of it!

Did you find one thing led to another? I planned on doing it all the most natural, "hippy" way I could!

Did you find that by doing one you spoke to other mother doing the others and were encouraged/inspired to try? Not really, I had set out to do it that way anyway. I am considered strange to some family and friends...But I have converted a few!!