Interesting baby stuff!

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So here's some interesting (I think) baby stuff from my recent trip to visit BD#2 in Portland. She has some progressive ideas (like -- no tv, so they can actually sit around and talk to each other). I was very impressed with some of the things they were doing.

The first is the sling that they made. BD#2 sewed it; her husband made the hanging apparatus, and I supplied the natural fleece for the inside. It bounces. A great book is The Happiest Baby on the Block, which advocates tight swaddling, bouncing and . . . I forget what else, but it's a great method for soothing the baby. Little Auryn (pronouced RRR-yn) is just as happy as a little weiner in a bun in it.

The second is something called Natural Infant Hygiene, or Elimination Communication. Basically, it's diaper free infant potty training. When they notice cues that the baby is squirming, they hold her over the potty and make a sssssss sounds, and she goes. Sounds wacko, right? But I am completely and totally flabbergasted--it actually WORKS! It takes a lot of dedication and a very intimate awareness of your baby, but the goal is no messy diapers.