I have been in a very introspective state for the last week.  I am reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.  I don’t love his writing style, but enjoy the message of the book.

I loved Inspired Birth Pros post on The Power of Words in Visual Form.  That inspired me.

I found that there are a lot of qualities I want to have.  I narrowed it down to 20.  Here is my wordle of who I want to be!

The thing that jumped out to me, is what I most wanted to be was “zen” Content, peaceful, still.

I have started doing Yoga and that has really helped with me being this way.  I have also slowed down on posting on my blog.  I was posting almost every day, now I am about 3 times a week.

Taking a Two Week Break

Micky’s book Keep the Fires Burning, has also inspired me and I realized I need a little break.

I am going to slow down even more for the next 2 weeks as it is the last week of summer and then the boys head back to school.  I know this is a busy time of year and don’t want to feel frantic about getting posts up.  So I don’t know if you will see any posts for a few weeks, but I promise to be back the week of the 12th!

How about you?

Who do you want to be?

And what kind of changes do you need to make to become that person?

I was so excited to get this book in my hands! I was even more excited when Micky gave me a copy for me to give away on my blog! Keep reading to find out how you can win!

5 Stars

Keep the Fires Burning by Micky Jones

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a MUST READ for any of my MBP friends (Mother-Baby Professionals)

I love how Micky gives really useful and easy to apply tools to help MPB’s deal with stress and help prevent burnout. I admit there are times in my “career” where I have felt burnt out, where I want to throw in the towel and just walk away. But I feel called to this “job” and I love it in so many ways.

I have worked hard trying to find a balance that worked. Micky’s book has given me more ideas to reduce my stress. I am sure as I apply them, I will be able to enjoy my work even more.

The book is easy to read and has so many easy to apply ideas, that you will find quite a few to use in your life!  It will help make you a better MPB and more importantly a more balanced and happier person!

You can win one!

There are a few ways to get entries to win.

• 1 entry by leaving a comment saying why you want to win a copy of Keep the Fires Burning
• 1 entry by blogging about this give away and letting me know.
• 1 entry by adding the Enjoy Birth Blog to your RSS and letting me know.
• 1 entry by posting about the give away on e-mail groups or bulletin boards or Facebook and letting me know.
• 1 entry by liking my Facebook Enjoy Birth Page and letting me know.
• 1 entry by following me on Twitter and letting me know.
• 1 entry for re-tweeting this post and letting me know.

Let me know which things you have done, leaving 1 comment for each action you took!

Good Luck!

Contest will close on September 15th at midnight.

This is a guest post by one of my doula clients, Shannon.  You may remember reading my version of her birth story, which spanned several posts.  It was just that good of a birth story!

•  First I told her she couldn’t hire me!
• Then after seeing how hard she was fighting for her VBA2C, I nervously let her hire me.
• Then she had an awesome VBA2C.

Here is her version of the birth.

I first met Sheridan Ripley when I signed up for her Hypnobabies classes in the spring of 2007. I was expecting my second child and wanted to make sure I had a successful VBAC birth after a C-section with my first child, who was breech. From the start my husband and I were extremely impressed with Sheridan’s caring and supportive nature. It was clear that she was there to truly help you by giving you as much information and support as possible. Her classes were informative, relaxing and enjoyable. Never once did we feel pressured into a birthing choice but instead left each class empowered by the information that had been shared with us.

1st Attempt at VBAC Thwarted

I was set to deliver by VBAC with a Dr. that seemed supportive of my decision, but as the time grew closer, I was “scared” into delivering via C-section again. My Dr. informed me that my fluid was low and that the baby would be larger than my first baby. At this point I was exhausted, I had been working full-time and I was ready for the baby to arrive.

I had my husband call Sheridan’s co-doula, who was assisting us with our delivery, and let her know the developments. Again, never were we made to feel like this was a bad decision, or that they were disappointed in any way. She was extremely supportive and understanding. By the way, our second son who went a week longer in the womb was born an ounce less than my first. Don’t believe the claim of bigger babies when your Dr. says it.

Determined to have a VBA2C

Three years later when I found out I was expecting my third child, I was determined to get my VBAC, especially since I knew this would be my last pregnancy. I desperately wanted that natural birth experience. I immediately contacted Sheridan. She was hesitant at first. I’m sure she didn’t want a repeat of how the previous birth ended.

She informed me that if I found a Dr. willing to do the VBA2C, she would consider it. (At the time my Dr. had said she wouldn’t allow it.) I began to call Dr. after Dr. Any Dr. that was mentioned as a possibility was called. I knew this was just half the battle, as I really wanted my son born at the same hospital as my other two and this hospital was well known not to be VBAC accepting.

After no success in finding a Dr. willing to perform the VBA2C, I figured I would switch Dr.’s regardless. This is where the turning point occurred. Once my Dr. discovered I was switching to another OB, she suddenly changed her tune. I decided to stay with her after she promised to allow me to try a VBA2C, but I had to go into labor on my own.

Sheridan continued to follow up with me during the entire process and constantly forwarded me incredible articles and insights to our situation. I’m sure she was still a bit apprehensive, but continued to be supportive. It was also at this time that ACOG published the new suggestions for VBAC and VBA2C. This definitely helped us and added needed ammunition to our fight.

Always get a 2nd opinion

Twice I was told by my OB that my fluid was low, but this time I had learned enough to ask for a second opinion. Both times the fluid was found to be fine. I was told I would be allowed to go to 41 weeks but no longer. We had a C-section scheduled for Friday morning at 9 am. Did I mention we also moved this week? I was packing/unpacking like crazy, hoping it would trigger something, no such luck.

Cesarean is Scheduled for Tomorrow

The day before the scheduled c-section arrived and I was determined to get that labor started. I went to an 11am pregnancy massage and then proceeded to Rite-Ad to buy any and everything I could find with a lavender scent. This is supposed to relax you enough that labor starts. I hate the smell of lavender, by the way, but was willing to try anything.

I arrived home at 2 pm and immediately after, my water broke and contraction started. I began timing them and called my OB and Sheridan to let them know. This was the first time I had even felt contractions. We arrived at the hospital by 4pm. Sheridan had asked to meet outside before we went in, but I was panicking that I’d deliver this baby in the parking lot. I had no idea how long labors lasted and my contractions were coming every 5 minutes consistently.

Once we were in the room, Sheridan began coaching me and offering suggestions to help keep the labor going. It was comforting to know I had someone in my corner. Hospitals are intimidating enough, and it helped to have her knowledge, support and advice. At around 10pm we were given permission to walk laps around the halls. The nurse said we had to “really” walk (almost a powerwalk) if we were going to be off the monitors. We had to make this count. As we walked the contractions began to come closer and closer. Sheridan pinched my ear during each one to help with my feeling of nausea. I know it sounds crazy, but it helped tremendously. Another affirmation of how great she is! We walked for 20 minutes or so and it was enough to do the trick.

What is my real desire?

At that point the contractions were getting pretty intense for me. I was really having a hard time focusing on my scripts and practicing my meditation techniques. I was debating receiving an epidural. I was so exhausted at this point. I remember Sheridan asking me, what was the more important factor to me, having a vaginal delivery or a completely natural delivery. I will be forever grateful to her for that question. I realized I didn’t have to be some “superhero” and try to do it medication free. I was having my baby vaginally, I was in LABOR, something I’d never made it to or gone that far before. I chose to have an epidural and have never regretted it. And Sheridan never made me feel bad about that decision. She truly wants the best for her patients and respects their choices. I was able to take an hour nap after that, pushed for an hour and delivered my son 5 hours before our c-section was scheduled.

I will be be forever grateful to Sheridan for her endless support, compassion, knowledge, suggestions and care. I know without a shadow of a doubt I could not have had that outcome without her guidance along the way.
Shannon

I had Postpartum Depression for 10 months and did not even know it!

In response to my post last week about this, I got many comments and e-mails from other moms who had similar experiences!

I really wish that someone had helped me figure out I had PPD.  Then I could have made some different choices, which could have helped my transition to having 2 kids be so much better.

That is why I want you to know what to look for.  If you do have PPD, the sooner you get help the better.

How do you know if it is the Baby Blues or PPD?

It is pretty common for you to feel overwhelmed right after your baby is born.  You are sleep deprived and there are so many new things you are learning.  You are also having huge hormonal fluctuations.

However the Baby Blues lasts for a short period of time.  Also with Baby Blues you still feel like yourself,

maybe overwhelmed, but still YOU.

So if you are more than 3 weeks after the birth and still feeling blue or overwhelmed that is a sign it could be PPD.

PPD not only hurts you, but can hurt your whole family.  Get help, the sooner the better.  One of the first steps is to figure out if you have PPD.

Symptoms of PPD

Keep in mind there can be so many different symptoms of PPD.  It isn’t one size fits all.  I didn’t feel “depressed” rather I was angry and overwhelmed.  I didn’t know those 2 things were symptoms of PPD.  I assumed the only symptom of PPD was depression!

• Inability to sleep OR sleeping a lot.
• Change in appetite.
• Extreme concern and worry about the baby OR a lack of interest or feelings for the baby.
• Feeling unable to love the baby or your family.
• Anger toward the baby, your partner, or other family members.
• Anxiety or panic attacks.
• Fear of harming your baby. These thoughts may be obsessive, and you may be afraid to be left alone in the house with your baby.
• Irritability.
• Sadness or excessive crying.
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering.
• Feelings of doubt, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, or restlessness.
• Lethargy or extreme fatigue.
• Loss of interest in hobbies or other usual activities.
• Mood swings marked by exaggerated highs and lows.
• Feeling emotionally numb.
• Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs.
• Hyperventilating.
• Frequent calls to the pediatrician with an inability to be reassured.
• Recurrent thoughts of death, which may include thinking about or even planning suicide.
• Obsessive-compulsive features, including intrusive, repetitive thoughts and anxiety

An Easy Screening Tool

There are screenings you can take online, which is an easy way to start.

If the results say you possibly have PPD, then please tell someone!  Get some help.

Your main support person (birth partner) is a great person to tell.  But they may not know what to do to help.

Resources for help

A great website for you (or your support person) to start your research is Post Partum.net  They have great information for moms and dads.  They also have resources to find trained therapists in your area!

A great book is PostPartum Depression for Dummies.

Please if you think you may have Postpartum Depression, get some help.   (Make sure you get help from someone who is trained to help moms with PPD!!!  Don’t make the mistake I made.)

Some moms are worried that drugs are the only answer.  They don’t want to be medicated and so they try to deal with it on their own.

There are many different ways you can deal with PPD.  Using medication is one option, but there are many others as well!

Finding the right help to deal with it is going to make your parenting journey much easier.

On Sundays, I like to bring to you the best articles out there regarding, pregnancy birth and babies!

Enjoy your Sunday Surfin’

Birth Links

• The lie about low fluid levels
• Handy Guide demonstrating how to use a Rebozo during birth
• Pushing your baby out – what does the research say?
• What does station mean?    Here is a great video to show you.
• How can you tell how dilated you are without a vaginal exam.
• Why do so many women need pitocin?
• This is a lovely series for moms who have had a still born baby.

Parenting Links

• No one is keeping track of crunchy points.
• Make Kid Friendly Cleaners 
• Promoting Early Bonding with Your Baby
• Kids acting up?  Remember HALT! Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired?
• Having Sex after having a Baby
• Reading and nursing – one of my favorite things to do.

Visit other surfers for more Sunday Surfing:

One Rich Mother, Karen’s Healthy Lifestyle, Becoming Crunchy, Adventures of a Thrifty Mama, Touchstonez, The New Mommy Files, Fabulous Mama Chronicles, Blacktating, Adventures in Mommyhood, Greener Cleaning Mums, Child Organics, I Thought I knew Mama, Monkey Butt Junction, Motherhood Moments, Wife, Mom And More, Mama and Baby Love, Gems of Delight, Enjoy Birth, Breastfeeding Moms Unite, Domesticated Women, This Adventure Life, Maman A Droit, Hobo Mama and Baby Dust Diaries.

I was excited to get a Diva Cup to try, now that I am having periods again!

I love the idea of the Diva Cup because

• It is greener(less waste then pads and tampons)
• I don’t love tampons
• I don’t love pads

This video sums up why I want to be a Diva!

I wish I could say I loved using the Diva Cup right away

- I have grown to love it, but there is a bit of a learning curve.

I found the first few times I tried it, it wasn’t great.

• The stem kept poking me.
• It also seemed to keep falling out.

I did some research and

• Trimmed the stem
• Realized I needed to do my kegals (knew this already, but was too lazy before)

So I trimmed the stem and did kegals for a month, wondering if it would make a difference for the next time.

I started my period again and was excited to try again.

• I realized I needed to trim the stem more – I did and finally it was comfortable
• My kegels had helped, but I realized I needed to do more, it would still slip down in certain positions.

I had worn the Diva Cup about 5 times now and it seemed to get better each time.  I was feeling more comfortable putting it in and out.  I had only worn it when I knew I was going to be home.

I downloaded a kegal app on my phone and am doing lots of those a day.  Hoping it will pay off next cycle.  I am actually looking forward to my period, so I can try again.

4th Times a Charm?

My kegals paid off!  I can put in the Diva Cup fairly easily now.  It is comfortable.  It also stays in.  Yay for kegals.

I slept with it one night.  It was nice to not have to worry about leaking at night.  I wore it out for normal activities and didn’t really think about it.  You only have to change it every 12 hours, so that is liberating.

I am glad I kept trying.  I am also glad I finally found the motivation to do kegals.    I loved that I could “see” a difference from doing them.

So overall, I would say that if you are tired of tampons and pads, it is well worth trying a Diva Cup, or any of the other options out there for menstrual cups.  Just be prepared it may take a few tries to  make it work for you.  But don’t give up! 

This is a Guest Post by Scott. 

According to a recent study in Nurse Midwifery, the average homebirth that doesn’t have any complications costs about 68% less than a comparable hospital birth! When you add this to the fact that a homebirth with an excellent midwife is much less likely to land you with an unnecessary cesarean delivery, and the savings of a homebirth can be quite significant.

However, financing a homebirth is quite different, often times, from financing a hospital birth. Here’s what you need to know:

Average costs

If you didn’t have insurance, a hospital birth – uncomplicated and vaginal – would cost around $7,600. With insurance, most people pay about $1,500 to $2,300 out of pocket. This, of course, depends on your actual insurance coverage. It also depends on what area of the country you’re giving birth in, which medications you end up using, how long you stay in the hospital, and many other factors.

The average midwife-based home birth costs about $2,000 to $3,000. For some midwives, this fee covers all of the pre-birth consultations, as well, which can present significant savings. With a hospital birth, keep in mind that you must pay not only the hospital but also your practitioner for services the day of the birth as well as services in the months leading up to the birth.

Insurance coverage

One of the many reasons some couples choose not to go with a home birth is that they assume insurance will not cover it. This isn’t always true, though! Some insurance providers – including major providers like United Healthcare – now provide at least some coverage for midwives. Your insurance provider may pay part of the pre-birth fees, even if the actual home birth itself isn’t paid for.

However, never assume that your insurance won’t pay simply because homebirth is still rather unorthodox. Many insurance companies are coming to grips with the fact that midwives tend to offer more cost-effective care than traditional obstetricians! If it’s more cost-effective for you, then it’s more cost-effective for them, too.

Payment plans

When your insurance covers a hospital birth, you may be required to pay the fees up front before your due date. Many hospitals these days will check the insurance coverage of the pregnant woman and provide her with a payment plan leading up to the birth, and they’ll require that the fees for a regular vaginal birth be paid in full in the last month or two of pregnancy. If a c-section is required, the patient will have to pay even more out of pocket afterwards.

Midwives who work in homebirth may do something similar. It depends on the practice, though. Some will give you a monthly payment plan so that all your fees will be paid by the time the baby is born. Others will offer a discount if you pay in full up front, and still others will allow you to pay after the baby is born. This is definitely something to think about when you’re talking about financing homebirth, and you may want to compare midwives in your area for how they require patients to pay.

If you have to be transferred

One more thing to think about when financing a homebirth is what happens if you need to be transferred to the hospital. With top-rate midwives dealing with low-risk pregnancies, transfers rates are very low, but you still need to consider the possibility. Chances are likely that your insurance will kick in if you do need to transfer to the hospital, but then you’ll have to pay both the midwife and the hospital. Talk to your midwife about what will happen financially in a situation like this, just so that you can be prepared.

Figuring out how to finance it

If you don’t have enough money in savings at the moment to pay for a homebirth (or even a hospital co-pay for an in-hospital birth!), you may be able to finance your homebirth with a credit card. Consider applying for a low-interest credit card, or one with a limited-time no-interest option. Pay your fees in full up front, especially if this will score you a discount, and then pay off the credit card a little at a time. If you can pay off the card before it starts accruing interest, you’ve basically got a way to finance your homebirth without paying any extra fees.

Costs are only part of it

Many people who don’t have good insurance coverage choose a homebirth in part because it’s just so much more affordable than an uninsured or underinsured hospital birth. However, make sure that cost isn’t the only reason you’re choosing a homebirth. Instead, Jamie Scott from CreditDonkey recommends you get as much information as you can about homebirth, and make your choice based on what’s best for you and your family.

Thing 1 was 2 years 9 months when Thing 2 was born.  I had a healthy baby and a normal birth experience (quite a treat after T1’s traumatic birth).

I was certain I would adjust to having 2 kids just fine.

I was wrong.

The first 10 months were SOOOO hard.

I was

• Angry
• Overwhelmed
• Unable to do normal tasks (imagine dirty church clothes from Sunday still on the living room floor on Thursday)
• Lonely and felt I had no support
• I felt very detached from those around me

I went Looking for help

I went to a therapist when T2 was about 6 months old because I was so angry and losing my temper with T1. Spanking him and yelling, something that is not congruent with who I am.  The therapist was not helpful at all, saying, “It is normal to lose your temper and sometimes spank your kids.”  I thought I must be a bit crazy if he was telling me I was normal, because I felt anything but normal!  I never went back to him and tried to help myself.

I didn’t know what was wrong with me.  I got some books on anger management.  I started doing Fly Lady to help me get some routines and get control of my environment.  The simple routines I set up helped me to feel less overwhelmed and better able to deal with daily life.  Some of the anger management tips helped too.

Waking up and Finally Realizing

Then one day when T2 was 10 months old I “woke up” and suddenly the sun was shining and I was happy.  It was at that point that I realized I had been depressed, that I had had Post Partum Depression.

I was still angry.  This time with the stupid therapist!  He never did a screening for PPD, he never asked about anything related to that.  Now years later I realize that most therapists have NO training in PPD.  There is maybe a footnote about it under depression, but no real training.  If a mom is having issues after having a baby, she should see someone who specializes in or at least has training in PPD.

I am not sure what exactly brought me out of PPD.  I was still nursing T2, so it wasn’t a hormonal change.  I know that the routines from Fly Lady helped me feel more power in my home and that may have helped.  I will never know, but I was so happy to be myself again. 

Why did I get PPD?

Looking back I can pinpoint a few things that may have contributed to it.

Disconnection may have started during the birth?

•  I got nubain while waiting for my epidural and felt very disconnected from myself from that point on.
• Once I got my epidural I was even more disconnected.  I felt like I didn’t even need to be there.
• I sent the baby to the nursery and in the morning I wasn’t that anxious to see him.
• It all felt so surreal.

I didn’t have the support I needed

•  My mom was only able to stay for about 3 days after he was born, so I didn’t really have the extra support I needed as I transitioned to having 2 kids.
•  One of my best friends moved a few weeks after he was born, again leaving me with little support.
•  Rob was VERY BUSY working starting his own business and was not really able to help me.
•  Rob also went out of the country when T2 was around 3 weeks old.

Basic Health

•  I wasn’t eating very well.
•  I wasn’t exercising.

Could I have avoided PPD or had it go away quicker?

If I had some extra support after the birth, would  I have been able to avoid getting PPD?  Maybe.

But more importantly, why didn’t anyone notice once I had it? 

• Why didn’t my OB screen for PPD at my 6 week appointment?
• Why didn’t the therapist I made the effort to go to screen for PPD?
• Why don’t spouses get informed of symptoms, as they are first in the line of defense?

I can only think that if I had gotten the help I needed, I could have been myself so much sooner. I am sure that would have helped our family so much since I was not able to be a very good mom or wife during that time.  I know that T1 and I started some negative patterns during that time.

I wish I had known and that is why I am sharing my story.  To help moms out there who may be wondering if they may have PPD.

When I got my IUD out a few months ago, I asked for birth control ideas.  I was surprised how many Moms recommended a BOOK as birth control!  I had to check it out.

A Book as Birth Control?

I bought Taking Charge of Your Fertility from Amazon and was excited when it arrived in the mail.  At first I was overwhelmed, because it is pretty thick!  That is a lot of information, but I only needed some of it.  A mom trying to conceive would read some parts I didn’t read.  So I am reviewing this more of a preventing pregnancy standpoint.

Knowledge is power!

I am all about how knowledge brings empowerment.  Well there was a whole lot I didn’t know about my cycles and how bodies let us know what is going on.

I had charted my temperatures before getting pregnant with T1 and T2 (I was shooting for boys – it worked!)  But I didn’t know about cervical mucus or positioning.  That adds this whole new level of information.   Suddenly I understood what all my vaginal fluid/cervical mucus was about.  It MEANS something.  It is actually really cool.

So I started charting.  I had ordered a basal thermometer when I ordered my book.  I started taking my temperature every morning.  It takes less then 30 seconds.  The first month I paper charted.

My DH wasn’t sold at first.  He wasn’t about to have unprotected sex EVER!  But after about 3 months of tracking and showing him my charts and telling him about my temperatures and mucus, he believes in the process.  At least enough that we have had unprotected sex once during a “safe” time.  Maybe he was just happy not to have to wear a condom and was willing to be risky.  But I didn’t feel it was risky at all.  Because I knew I had ovulated 8 days earlier. 

Going High Tech

Charting on paper wasn’t hard, but I thought an APP would be funner.  So I did a little research and downloaded the FemCal App.  I did the lite one first, because it was free.  But have since moved up to the paid one.

It is so fun to go in and mark your temperature.  Your moods, your mucus and if you had sex.

Seriously, you get a little heart on the days you have sex!  It is almost as great as earning a sticker for brushing your teeth!  (My boys do, not me.)

Now, don’t go thinking you can just download the app and not read the book.  You won’t know what eggwhite mucus is vs sticky.  These are important things to know.  I think the book and an app are a great team, but I wouldn’t trust one without the other.

Sharing my charts!

The super cool thing about the paid app is it saves more than 3 cycles and you can download your charts.  In case you want to share them with the world on your blog!  There are other reasons you may want to download them too.  Maybe to share with your doctor at appointments, or friends at book club.

Here is my first full cycle chart.  You can see it was pretty “normal”

Then here is my really weird cycle, that was 42 days long.  My body kept trying to ovulate, but took forever!  Seriously, if I hadn’t been charting I would have been so worried I was pregnant.  But I knew I didn’t ovulate until day 28.

Look at all those heart stickers I got!

MMM, I forgot my Mom reads my blog!  Oh well, at least DH’s mom doesn’t read it. 

I would say this is a MUST READ book for ALL women!

If women could understand and appreciate their fertility cycles it would be SO empowering on so many levels.  I think it would filter down (or filter up?)  into their births.

I automatically thought, we need to teach teenage girls this!  Not for birth control – but for empowerment.  Just knowing this stuff makes me realize even more how amazing your body is!  I was happy to see that Toni has written a book for teens and I will review that in a few weeks.

Buy This Book!

• if you are trying to get pregnant.
• if you are trying not to get pregnant.
• if you are female.

There you go.  A Review and a Peak into my Cervical Mucus.  Probably much more then you ever wanted to know!

Enjoy!

Last week I showed how I used to have to do a Dump and Organizing.  Because if the boys didn’t clean up during the day, things would get shoved in random baskets and buckets.  When I finally made them clean up after a few days or even a week we had to figure out whose stuff was whose!

So for this weeks challenge (which I actually did a few weeks ago, but am only posting now)

I came up with a new system.

I wanted to buy an organizer with 3 sections, one for each boy.  I thought I could put it next to my hutch.  But then I remembered!

Because I organized my Entertainment Center,

I had empty cupboards . (a small miracle)

So I organized the baskets in the bottom of my hutch so I could have the boys organize there instead of buying another storage system, use the one I already have!

before - random school things and placemats

and was able to clean them out.  I got 4 baskets of stuff down into 2.  1 is school supplies and the other is things we had saved from school last year.  I need them to go through that and decide what they want to keep and put it away.  Until then, those things are going into 2 boxes in the cupboards.

Leaving 4 empty baskets!

The big boys are not bringing tons of toys downstairs.  So they each get a basket.  If I find things laying around while I am cleaning, I put it in their baskets.  Then at the end of the day (or every other day) I say, “Empty your baskets”  and they do.  No more needing to dump and sort first!

 Big Basket for T3

Since T3 has the most stuff, I have a bigger basket for him next to the hutch.  We try to bring it up each night, but sometimes it is every other day.  I have a bucket in the basket for legos.

Time to empty the basket!

We have been doing this a few weeks now and it works GREAT for the big boys. For T3 it would work better if we actually brought things up each night instead of letting the basket get so full it is overwhelming. But it is an improvement and I didn’t need another piece of furniture to do it!