Written by Mama Monday

I’m going to forewarn you…this is not for the faint at heart. I also wouldn’t suggest reading this over your breakfast of perfectly poached eggs and fresh fruit. (Wait! You don’t eat that either? Okay bowl of cereal when you are able to eat, right?) That being said…

When I decided to get pregnant back in 2008 I knew that things would change when it came to my appearance. I anticipated the stretchmarks on my belly, breasts and thighs. I even expected that my hoo ha would most likely never be the same especially if I had a vaginal birth. I even expected to be somewhat sleep deprived for the next ten years. What I did not expect was the lack of control my pelvic floor would undergo once my darling son was brought into this world. I got pregnant with my second child in 2010. A little nausea here and there but overall I kept my food down unlike my first pregnancy; however, after indulging in a craving of oranges and orange juice, I threw it all up. I also completely wet my pants!

You heard me correctly, I’m baring it all today friends and talking to you about how I apparently cannot cough or throw up without wetting myself. Recently, I came down with the stomach flu. There I was, hunched over in my bathroom, head resting in the crook of my arm that was placed against the cold porcelain chamber pot praying that this would be the last time. Then it happened; you guessed it and there’s really nothing left in my tummy but that didn’t stop this nasty bug. I wasn’t prepared for this part of becoming a mother…

Not only was I feeling yucky, disgusting and spewing the little that was left in my poor stomach but I ended up peeing all over the rug! There is nothing as glamorous as having the stomach flu and nothing prettier than doing it after you’ve had two babies within four years. I was amazed with myself. I could not believe what had just happened. I mean, really? It was like my own mother’s worst fear had come to fruition; I had regressed back to not being potty trained. (Yes, in this no-holds-bar post I’m confessing that my mom used to worry that I would never become toilet trained.)

As I carried the urine soaked toilet rug down to the washing machine I chuckled to myself, “Is this really what I had thought of when I decided to join the ranks of motherhood?” My 26 year old self, back in 2008, would have been appalled with the scene that Friday morning. I think in my own immaturity I would have balked at the thought or even turned my nose up. Peed pants, urine soaked bathroom rug and all I would never trade any of this for a chance to have my pre-pregnancy pelvic floor back. I love being a mom and truly view this as the most significant job I will ever have in my life. Look at the face of your kiddos today, Mama. Kiss their sweet cheeks and tell them you love them with all of your heart; pee soaked pants and all!

Hi! Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Elizabeth Anderson. You can call me “Bert” though; it’s a nickname that stuck since the age of ten. I live in the frozen tundra that is Minnesota, at least that’s what it feels like since Spring is nowhere to be seen at the moment. Then again, I know everyone else is feeling that way too wherever they may live. I’m married to my college sweetheart, Ben, who is my other half. What I mean is that we complete each other in areas where the other is weak. Recently, I took up running as a way of getting back in shape. Actually, I participated in a 90 day fitness challenge through a local gym here in the Twin Cities. I was about 70 lbs overweight with a very sedentary lifestyle. I changed my eating habits and started enjoying working out. You’ll probably hear about this part of my life since it’s so important to me both as a woman and as a mother.

I have one fur baby, a beagle named Chula, who is eight years old. And the most significant job that I will ever have is being a mama to two wonderful littles, a four year old boy named Brennan and a 21 month old girl named Kendall. Both of my kiddos were cloth diapered and although I’d love to tell you that I was the genius behind that decision I, sadly, cannot take the credit for that one. After a friend decided to cloth diaper her first child, Ben started investigate the benefits and he was hooked. I really had no choice since we wanted to save money while I stayed at home.

What has amazed me about cloth diapering are the other cloth diapering parents that I’ve met over the last four years. The cloth diaper community is unique; it’s friendly, helpful and very kind. While there’s a vast array of crunchiness from staunchly crunchy to semi-crunchy I have found most everyone to be welcoming of all viewpoints. My little sister is pregnant with her first and she is also going to use cloth diapers. She’s commented to me on the same thing: the cloth diapering community is so helpful and nice. I’m thrilled to be writing “Written by Mama Monday” for Thirsties. I am very excited to be blogging for them because I think it’s Thirsties has the best cover ever!!!!!!

You can read more about me and my adventures on my personal blog, FirstTimeMom, where my motto is no matter how many kids you have you’ll always be a first time mom. After all, there’s a first time for everything! So tell me a little bit about yourself and really, I’m pleased to meet you!

We are very sad to be saying goodbye to Elizabeth (Liza), who has been the Mama of the “Written by Mama Monday” category on our blog for about the past 2 years.   She is an incredibly talented writer who always made her posts interesting, enjoyable to read, often informative, and generally humorous.  Based on how many comments her blog posts typically generated, we know that our readers also appreciate her writing style and find the topics of her posts to be relevant and relatable.   So, thank you Liza for all of your hard work and significant contributions.

 Below is a list of a few of Liza’s more popular posts:

Cooper and I Try Out New Thirsties Duo All In Ones!

A Day in the Life of One Stay-at-Mom

How Disposable Diapers Have Changed Potty Training

Potty Training in Cloth Vs. Disposables:  an Intro

One of My All Time Favorite Baby Products

Why I Love My Booty Love

Growing up in the seventies and eighties, disposable diapers were something that I took for granted. In the late 1940s crude paper disposables first made an appearance and in 1961 a major brand of disposable diapers was launched. Disposable diapers were originally made of paper pulp with a thin plastic covering. Over the past 50 years, disposable diapers have changed and evolved into what is currently on the market today. But what exactly is in these diapers? I was surprised when I found out.

Have you ever wondered what makes modern disposable diapers so super-absorbent? It’s a chemical compound called Sodium Polyacrylate. This compound binds to liquids and can hold 200 to 300 times its weight, turning from a powdery substance into a gooey gel. It is also used in some potting soils to help the soil retain water. If you’ve ever changed a diaper and found small gel balls on your child’s skin, it is most likely the Sodium Polyacrylate crystals. Have you ever seen a child who has gone swimming in one of these? It almost look like the child is holding a balloon between his or her legs and the diaper looks ready to burst. Sodium Polyacrylate crystals were once used in tampons until they were later removed due to their relation to Toxic Shock Syndrome. Read more