Homemade Diaper Cream and Spray!

Have you ever considered using a diaper spray? Having a spray bottle ready when you're diaper changing helps loosen what's dried on the baby's bottom and cleanse their skin.

For cloth wipe users like myself, it's essential to have something to moisten the cloth wipes. However, even when I've used disposable wipes in the past, I like to clean my baby and then spray the solution on her bottom and wipe her clean again. This ensures she's 1) clean and 2) helps us to avoid rashes caused by ammonia buildup from urine or bacteria from solids.

My diaper changing routine is basically 3 steps, I can say that since I've implemented it we have not had any bad diaper rashes (except for when my kids have suffered diarrhea - changing that often makes babies prone to raw skin on their bottoms).

Step 1) Spray and wipe, spray and wipe. Two times is sufficient, sometimes 3 with toddlers. I don't want my child's bottom to just be 'visibly' clean. I want them clean- most of us use water in the bathroom so it makes sense that I would ensure they're just as clean.

Step 2) Wipe dry, air dry if possible. This isn't always an option when we're out and about but I always have 2 cloth wipes on hand when we are so that I can clean and dry their skin. If you use disposables, perhaps carry around a pack of tissues to blot them dry. Moist skin trapped in a diaper is one of the leading causes for yeast rash.

Step 3) I ALWAYS use a barrier on my baby. Unfortunately a lot of diaper creams are not suitable for cloth use, so we have had to resort to disposables during sickness so I can use Sudocreme. That all changed when I found out how to create my OWN easy diaper cream!

I've used products that I know you can get in the KSA!

Homemade Diaper Spray:
What you will need:

• 1 Small Spray bottle
• 1 tsp of coconut oil. We used Nirmal which we found at LuLu Hypermarkets. White bottle. 18 Sar.
• 5-10 drops of tea tree oil (depending on the strength) we used one from the Body Shop. 20ml costs 58 Sar, a bit pricey- but well worth it considering you're not paying shipping. 
• 60 ml of boiled water, lukewarm OR distilled water at room temperature. 
• Some people use an all natural soap, a couple of drops. I have never found that I needed a detergent to clean my baby's skin. I don't like the idea of having it sit on their skin for long periods of time. A great option is castille soap, if you choose to add it.
• 2 Tsp Raw Organic honey, no wax. My father in law is a beekeeper mashallah, so I get it for free. Find the best quality you can. 

Add the room temperature honey and water to your spray bottle. Add the coconut oil and tea tree oil. Shake vigorously. 

Honey, Tea tree, and coconut oil all have anti bacterial and anti microbial properties. Honey never goes bad. All of the ingredients will help decrease changes that your baby will develop a rash while moisturizing her skin.

Homemade Barrier Cream/ Diaper Cream:

What you will need:

• 1 Pump bottle
• 60ish ml of coconut oil, melted.
• 20 drops of tea tree oil 
• Bee's wax and Honey- approximately 2 tbs melted. 
• 1 tbs cornstarch (I use a no talc baby powder that uses cornstarch)

In the microwave heat the honey and wax together for 20 seconds, until melted completely. Run it through some mesh and add it to 60 ml of Coconut oil. Add 20 drops of Tea Tree oil. Heat again for 15 seconds. Shake the bottle very well for 2 minutes. The ingredients will emulsify. While the mixture is still warm I add the baby powder/ cornstarch. Mix until it is completely dissolved into the cream. You will notice the cream will become slightly thicker. 

When this barrier cream goes on it will heal the skin and moisturize, while also creating an effective barrier on the baby's skin. It dries to a satin finish on the baby's skin eventually. The mixture is never sticky and smells a lot of honey and coconut. 

What's In My Hospital Bag?

This is MY hospital bag. I'll detail what's in D3's bag in a later post.

On YOUTUBE I have put up a video of my Hospital Bag!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO7d5cZO7T8&t=15s

So, I'm almost 34 weeks and I like to be prepared. There are some advantages to prepping your hospital bag early. I don't think there is such a thing as being 'too prepared'! As we all know, labour can happen at any time. Having your hospital bag ready early means, god forbid you go into labour early, you can find comfort in knowing you have what you need when you need it.

To start, I'm packing everything in my Betty Johnson floral bag, it's large and has a variety of straps. I chose a bag that is easily identifiable and will stand out, it has a zipper inside as well as some inner pockets. I really like it!

Lets start:

Toiletries:

•  Toothpaste 
• Toothbrush
• Floss
• Soap
• A face scrubber
• Travel sized facial cleanser (I got some great free samples at The Face Shop which are the perfect size!)
• Nail Clippers for me and baby
• NOT pictured: Sanitary Pads! Get the biggest menstrual pads you can find!
  
• Face Masks
• Tweezers
• Compact Mirror
  I love having little things to pamper myself with when I'm staying overnight at the hospital with the baby, it's important to feel good after birth.
  
• Hair Elastics
• A hairbrush
• Something to move the hair from my face during the labour.

  
  

Medicine and 'help':

• Hand Sanitizer
• Alcohol swabs
• 2 Tylenol (Acetaminophen) or Advil (Ibuprofen)- (just in case, I like to have them on hand overnight or if I'm getting discharged and I need some help. I suffer from terrible hormonal headaches, Tylenol is safe, Advil is safer for nursing mothers.) If you've been given painkillers already, consult your nurse if you can take them.
• Nasal Saline Drops- helps to clear up a congested nose and help prevent sickness in the hospital. If you have a dry nose from dry air, these help. 
• Eye drops, same as above. Hospitals are very dry, labour does a number to your body. It's good to find comfort where you can. 

• My Pigeon Manual Breastpump, very cheap, easy to use. Found at most pharmacies. I use it to bring on labour (nipple stimulation releases hormones that help with the progression of labour), and to bring in my milk after the birth. 

• Samples I got from Iherb.com to put in my hospital bag, for nutrition. I have a protein bar and powder, I will take some dates. They sell these samples for approx 3 SAR, which is excellent for travel/in the hospital bag. If I haven't had a chance to eat, at least some of this will give me a boost!
  
  
  Some extras:
  
  
• 
  Ear plugs, because hospitals are noisy at night. 
• A good quality sleep mask that I kept from Saudi Airlines! Haha.
• Socks!
• Not pictured: Cheap flops/sandals/slippers.

  
  

  
  

  

  
  
• Some wireless headphones, charged.
• A novel
• Not pictured: My phone, chargers, possibly my laptop if I have to stay at the hospital for a prolonged time. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  The basics (not pictured):
• 3 black underwear, high waist. 
• A black nursing bra, bandeau, something that isn't wired, structured, or tight. 
• Nursing pads
• 2 night gowns
• A robe
• A cheap towel
• My glasses
• My ID
  
  
  
  On YOUTUBE I have put up a video of my Hospital Bag!
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO7d5cZO7T8&t=15s

  
  

  
  

32 Week Pregnancy Update

Hello, all! I'm 33 weeks, I'll be talking about week 32.
This was a pretty eventful week! I had a long awaited appointment with my ObGYN. It went perfectly well, alhamdulilah! The baby looks great, my blood pressure is under control. In 2 months I gained about 2 kilos, which is normal at this point. It was a little shocking, I forgot how rapidly we gain weight towards the end! They mentioned that baby was measuring large, which is no surprise. She has consistently been 2 weeks ahead since I was 20 weeks, as were all of my babies!

Symptoms have died down quite a bit. I have some sleepless nights, shortness of breath. Otherwise, I have no other complaints. I'm actually feeling a lot more energized now that I've recovered from Ramadan and the dreaded night-time Ramadan schedule.

One thing I do want to make note of is how hard it is to keep cool in Makkah right now. It is hot, and only going to get hotter! I have been sitting under the air conditioner, strategically placing myself in the coolest spot in the room. Fruits and cold water have been my best friend, minimal clothes and refraining from going out has helped a bit. I really need to walk more.

Despite the heat, I'm surprised that I've not experienced any swelling. I usually feel that's a good sign!

What am I doing now?
I've been taking Red Raspberry Leaf Extract, 2 softgels at night. They've certainly been working. I don't usually experience Braxton Hicks Contractions, but these have given me some every night- around 5 hours after I take the pills. I will increase the pills to 4 by 36 weeks. 

What have I got this far?
We recently invested in some new bed sheets and blankets before baby comes! It's so refreshing! We bed share so having a few extra sets means a lot. Other than that, we haven't been successful in our search. 

When They Aren't Babies Anymore...

When they aren't babies anymore, you tend to let out a sigh of relief.
They no longer need you to eat or sleep.
Nap time isn't a struggle, D2 pops into my room and kisses my head. 33 weeks pregnant, and I'm the one who needs naps.

In the morning she wakes up on her own and I stir, I remember my baby who would climb on top of me and drool on my face. She would blabber about being hungry, pull at my nightgown for the breast. I'd be forced to get up, unless I wanted to wake up to a mess.
Now, instead, I hear her wake up and run into the playroom. Her sister follows her silently, they close the door over.
I get up, and the house is quiet. They're playing in their room, they're dressed. Cups of water sit on the table and the sink is wet from them washing their faces. My heart swells with pride. They did that? One less thing to think about. But, I am thinking about it. Behind the joy is a bit of sorrow, my babies have recently turned 4 and 6 and they aren't babies anymore. 

Motherhood is hard in the beginning. You are the universe for that tiny baby, it's overwhelming. You don't sleep unless they are, you can't eat unless they have. It's a major adjustment, and the thought of independence regained in a few years time gets you through it.

Then that time comes, and it comes all too fast. I spent the first 6 years of D1's life teaching her to be the big sister, the eldest, the wise one. I taught her how to take care of herself, to be patient when I was with her little sister. She was hurled into being a 'big girl' much sooner than D2. I look at her now, she can make a sandwich, she turns on the bathroom light for her little sister. 'Put on your underwear' she reminds her. It makes me proud, but it hurts. She loves to exclaim 'I am D1 and my father is (Baba) and I am a Saudi-Canadian.' She has an identity and owns it. She's a talkative and friendly little girl, sensitive yet logical. This year she'll go to school, she'll make friends and assert more independence. She'll come home with stories of her day, things I wasn't there for. Problems I wasn't there to solve. Joy I couldn't share. She'll not be a baby anymore.

D2 is independent whether I like it or not, she bounces from room to room collecting her toys without me asking. She helps me set the table before Baba comes home. She tells me her nails need to be cut and that she wants her hair done so she can go play. I remember her baby-talk as if it were yesterday, but she randomly runs into the room with full sentences, stories, and ideas. 'Hey, Mom. We can go shopping, we can make dinner together and get some ice cream. Yallah, mama.' Yes. We could. How many years did I wait to hear what was actually going on in her little head, the frustration on her face turning into full blown tantrums. At the time I wanted to scream, too. Now I know she just wanted to play, have her hair brushed, get some ice cream. She tells me. English? Arabic? Both? She's not a baby anymore.

Cherish the baby days. I'm embracing them this time. D3 will have the full baby experience, and I will still have hard days. I will probably still have to cry in the bathroom when I haven't slept enough, wish someone else could change her diaper while Baba is at work. Then I'll look at the other two, sigh, remind myself that it'll be over and the stress I feel is nothing compared to the sadness when this is all over.

I still let them in the family bed, feed them with my hands, cut their food. I still hold them and kiss their aches and pains away. I am desperately holding on to my babies. The tears flood my eyes, every time.
They wipe them away.

We have a community!

When I moved to Saudi Arabia, I got pregnant with D2 in a month and remained alone for almost a year and a half after she was born! I learned two very important things,

1. It's hard being an expat/immigrant, it's harder being a mother in a foreign country! 
2. We all need friends. We shouldn't be doing this mothering thing alone! In lieu of our own families, we have to be each other's villages! 

I was frustrated, with nowhere to turn. Often I had questions but I had no one to discuss motherhood with! Saudi Arabia can be very inclusive, or very isolating, depending on how you go about making friends and what your situation is! 

For myself, it was hard to relate to women who didn't consider Saudi Arabia their new home. I also found it hard to relate to women who have always been here! I needed resources, I needed to meet women like me.

Whether you are married to a Saudi or working in Saudi Arabia, born in Saudi Arabia, or you're just passing through, I want you to know you are not alone. We have each other. 

We have created a small community online for Mothers of Saudi Children and Mothers IN Saudi Arabia alike where you can post and share whatever you want, from concerns, tips, to funny stories. We want to hear from you. 

COME JOIN US!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesandydiaper/about/

Group rules:

• Answer the 2 short questions to be accepted into the group. 
• You have to be a woman! This blog and facebook group is a safe space for women. 

29 Week Pregnancy Update

Better late than never! I wish I had started this much sooner, mostly because I enjoy watching and reading other women's pregnancy updates. I'm not a super sentimental person, I don't keep belly shot pictures or do anything in regards to documenting my pregnancy.

That being said, I love talking about being pregnant and my experiences, and I love love hearing about everyone else's.

This pregnancy started beautifully and the first ten weeks zoomed past. Alhamdulilah. This was the first pregnancy where I've dealt with morning sickness and that seemed pretty bad from eight to thirteen weeks. I mean, in retrospect, there are women who suffer much worse but nothing prepares you for how irritating and unrelenting morning sickness can be until you are afflicted by it.

I've been on watch for my blood pressure after my second child where I developed PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension). Aside from that, up until now this pregnancy has gone without a hitch alhamdulilah. I've had some scares in my two past pregnancies, and in terms of drama- this one has been pretty drama free. I have been experiencing a lot more pregnancy symptoms, in fact, almost everything by the book this time around. Morning sickness, tummy upset, headaches, tiredness. Is it because it's my third or because I'm older now? I'm not yet 30, but there is a huge difference between my first and my third in terms of my health and energy.

So, what's going on at almost 30 weeks? Well, not much. Aside from the baby moving like crazy and feeling a bit worn down, I feel great. Bending over is hard.

What am I doing now?

I'm eating 6 to 7 dates a day, I'm currently fasting for Ramadan and breaking my fast with half of the dates and eating the rest at Suhoor (meal before sunrise). There are many studies that show that 6 dates or more a day have a great impact on the duration of labour. I have had 43 and 18 hour labours, respectively, so I'm hoping the dates can help me speed things up!

Gentle squat workouts, 3 reps of 15.

Eating light! With the lack of space between the baby and my actual stomach, indigestion has been pretty bad. I'm eating a lot of carb-low fruits and smaller meals. Lean chicken breast has been my main source of protein and lots of yogurt.

What have I got this far?

I'll be doing a pre-review on my Evenflo Hiro 4 in 1 stroller and carseat soon! I have also recently repurchased my favourite (very affordable) breast pump: The First Years single electric pump.

I also just received my new cloth diapers and wipes in the mail! I'm over the moon about the quality and how easily they came. That will be a post on it's own.

I still have a lot to get ready and shop for, but I'm all about saving money and getting great deals.



So far so good!

That's all this week, let's hope things stay uneventful and easy inshallah. If you're pregnant, share how far along you are and what you're experiencing! 

Hello and Welcome!

Salam!

This is my first post, so I thought I'd introduce myself and what I'm all about.

My name is B.C and I'm a Canadian woman living in Saudi Arabia with my Saudi husband and 2 adorable daughters. I am about 30 weeks along with my 3rd daughter inshallah.

I'm passionate about natural living, which poses as a challenge here in Saudi Arabia because the availability of sustainable products is rare. I want to change that and show people how I've managed to save money and look after my girls for the past 6 years in the Middle East!

I love reviewing products and talking about ways that I make my life easier.

I'm reaching out to lovely moms everywhere in the Middle East so we can share and connect.

I hope that my experience here can help new moms or newcomers to Saudi Arabia get comfortable and find the best quality items for their children. I want to bridge the gap and offer all I have to help you feel a little less stressed and overwhelmed. Being a mom is hard, but it's so rewarding. If we work together we can achieve so much, motherhood is a sisterhood and I believe the key to surviving it is having friends.

I have a youtube channel and a facebook group, I'll be starting an instagram and a snapchat very soon.  I'll update you on all of that as we make this happen.

Here's to humble beginnings and great intentions.

Much love,
B.C at the Sandy Diaper.