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Periodically we travel
to MN for my husband’s work for about a week.
I debated for the longest time about how to manage this or if it was
just easier to buy disposables. As most
of our stash was make up of pockets and all in ones that made for at least one,
very large, extra bag to tote around. My
other challenge was what to do about having diapers sitting for more than 2
days, as I habitually have to do diapers every two days otherwise the smell is
overwhelming to me.
With an impending
trip coming up I was excited when Nicki’s Diapers had a sale on flip diaper
covers I decided to see what I thought and how they would work for being our go
to diaper bag diapers. So I stocked up
and we made with 5 covers, 17 inserts, a large planet wise diaper bag, a small
planet wise diaper bag and a planet wise wipe bag. All in our backpack diaper….
I started with
the planet wise bags and folded the large wet bag so it was about the same size
as the other two and put them in the main compartment of the backpack. Then I
followed with the flip inserts.
I finished it
all off with the covers stacked on top and was even able to manage to put my
makeup bag and burp clothes in the front small pocket! This addressed the first major issue I had of
trying to keep the bags at a minimum.
I found that
this was perfect as I had 5 covers that I could easily rinse out and hang dry
over the shower at the hotel if he poo’d and have them air dry every few
changes. But my other worry was 17
inserts for a week-long trip to MN… At
my calculations he goes through about 6-8 a day. So if I washed every day we should
survive. I measured out a tbsp. of
rocking green into snack baggies and packed them for the trip.
So my game
plan…. After every diaper change we immediately rinsed out his diaper, if we
were out and about we put it in the small wet bag and then put it in the large
wet bag when we got back to the hotel.
At the end of the night, while my hubs (who was sick for most of the
trip) walked the hotel room trying to get him to sleep, I stomped the diapers
clean. I filled the tub with water and
did my “pre-rinse” and wrung out the inserts by hand. I then filled it with luke warm water and the
soak and back in they all went. I then
proceeded to agitate the diaper inserts with my feet for at least 20 minutes
and at this point, inevitably my husband would come in with the baby; laugh at
me being goofy to entertain myself, and we would chat and talk about our game
plan for the next day. Next I rinsed,
and rinsed, and rinsed. With wringing
them in-between until I was satisfied that they were properly rinsed out. Since we typically only had 8 or so we could
lay them on the window sill to sun dry until the next day. All in all it worked well, but only because
my husband was so supportive of the whole process. For short trips, I think just rinsing them
would tide me over until we get home.
This Guest Blog post was written by Shanda. If you are interested in being a future guest blogger, please email annie@nickisdiapers.com.
This
is a topic that makes my husband blush, the forbidden aisle at the store (that
he no longer has to shop after an emergency phone call from his wife). We call it “girl week” around our house. Every “girl week” I am completely
prepared. I just take this little
purple-drawstring bag from the drawer in my nightstand. It contains my all-time-favorite
invention: The DivaCup. I whisper about it now and then to my
girlfriends…like the best-kept secret…are you leaning in? I’m not sure why we blush when we talk about
mama cloth, yet we’ll right-out-tell-a-stranger -just-what-kinda-stuff-we-wash-outta-those-sweet-diaps-our-babes-sport-around-their-tushies…
Shortly
after becoming a cloth-diapering mama, I began thinking how silly it was for me
to be pouring expense into feminine hygiene products. After all, hadn’t I saved a ton of money by
AVOIDING the disposable-aisle of diapers?
Here I was, mindlessly shopping each month for menstrual supplies.
I
purchased my first DivaCup almost 5 years ago ~ and haven’t looked back.
Never
a fan of bulky menstrual pads, I wanted something that would replace
tampons. The Diva Cup does exactly
that. It is this comfortable little silicone
cup that is completely reusable. When
positioned correctly, it cannot be felt at all--truly. The makers of the Diva Cup recommend
replacing it annually, which means that it lasts through at least 12 cycles ~
costing me a mere $2.75 per cycle.
What
about the mess of it? Well, it is
certainly not for the squeamish. It
requires rinsing and a quick wash with hot water and unscented soap at least every
12 hours. It’s very simple to do in a
private bathroom environment, right at the sink, taking just a minute or
two. That said, I would not recommend it
for public restroom use. (Inevitably, every year my menstrual cycle lands on the week that we go
camping. In this instance I opt for the
disposable products.)
When
I purchased it I was very skeptical – it seemed too good to be true. But it really is simple to care for. I have never tried DivaWash, since my family
uses natural/unscented soap on a daily basis.
I simply use what we have on hand and have never had any sensitivity
issues. Every now and then I sanitize
my DivaCup by placing it for three minutes in a pan of boiling water. A nice bonus is that it takes up the TEENIEST
amount of storage space. In my home, and
in the landfill. It has freed all this
space under our bathroom sink! One
little tiny product, one little shy secret…spread the word….
Guest Blogger, Stephanie, is a homeschooling mother of three boys and lives in Madison, WI. She began cloth diapering in 2006, stumbling
across Nicki’s Diapers back when it was online-only. She will never forget the day of her
pilgrimage to Nicki’s first retail store in New Glarus ~ having never seen all
that fluff in one place, and oh-the-joy-of-it! A happy and loyal Nicki’s customer for going
on six years.
Before we invested in cloth diapers, we asked around for the
best advice our cloth diapering friends could give. One piece of wisdom that
kept cropping up over and over was to use cloth wipes along with our diapers.
If you think about it, cloth wipes make a lot of sense. Why throw a cloth
diaper into your pail or wet bag and then have to find a separate trash can for
a disposable wipes? It made sense logically, but logistically it seemed to pose
some problems. Should we keep the wipes wet all the time? What about a wipes
warmer? How do you take reusable wipes out of the house with you? Do you really
need premade wipes solution?
In the end, we decided to keep it simple. I made my own wipes
out of 7” by 7” flannel squares that I zig-zag stitched on my sewing machine.
Then, I bought 1 spray bottle (the type used by hair stylists to hold water)
and 1 travel size spritz bottle. I made my own wipes solution by mixing 1 cup
of water with ½ tsp lavender Dr.Bonner’s soap and ½ tsp baby oil. I put the
homemade solution into the spray bottle to use at home and into the spritz
bottle to put in the diaper bag. To use the wipes, just simply spray the wipe
before right before wiping baby then put the used wipe into the wet bag or pail
with the diaper.
Not the crafty type? There are plenty of readymade wipes and
wipe solution out there to try. In general, fleece wipes are going to be softer
and flannel wipes are going to be thinner to get in all the nooks and crannies.
There are also cotton and hemp options out there for families looking for
natural fibers. Some families also choose to soak their wipes in solution or
water so they’re always ready to be used. Wet wipes can be stored in a wipes
pouch, like the ones made by Planet Wise, or can be kept warm in a warmer.
Just like with diapers, every family is going to have their
own preferences. Whatever you choose,
cloth wipes are worth the investment. They’re also great for sticky fingers,
snotty noses, and little spills, so they’ll be useful for years to come.
Guest blogger, Heather, is a work-at-home violin and piano teacher, but she considers
her full-time job chasing around her two sons, ages 3-1/2 and 4 months.
She lives in Great Falls, Montana and loves getting outside and enjoying
her incredible surroundings.
A good friend recently stopped by to
meet the newest addition to our family. I showed her all the cute stuff I had
accumulated, but she kept gravitating back to our cloth diaper stash-
especially the Planet Wise wet bag hanging from the bassinet. All she could
keep saying (over and over) was, “It’s just so cute!”
When we were initially considering how to build our diaper
stash, we debated over whether or not we wanted to have a diaper pail or simply
use a large wet bag when at home. The decision was made when I saw all the cute
prints Planet Wise had for their wet bags. It may seem frivolous to care that
much about looks, but I have a philosophy that if you have to look at something
every day, make it something beautiful. Apparently the fabric purchasers at
Planet Wise agree with me!
We started using our owl print wet bag with our older child,
and I was immediately grateful for my decision to go with a wet bag, and for
more than just aesthetic reasons. After disposable diapering our oldest child
for over 2 years, I was so tired of our house smelling faintly of dirty
diapers. Our Planet Wise wet bag, however, holds in any and all smells all the
time. It was literally a breath of fresh air (sorry, bad joke)!
Once we got brave enough to venture out with cloth, we also
started using the small Planet Wise wet bag we received as a free gift from
Nicki’s Diaper for our $225+ order. While not my favorite color , it definitely
does the job when we’re out and about. The small size is perfect to hold 1-2
pocket diapers or 2-3 prefolds or stay dry inserts; it’s perfect for a morning
or afternoon running around town.
When we stick closer to home, the large size wet bag easily
holds 2-3 days of diapers. One of the best features of the bag is that we can
fill it with diapers, carry it down to the washer, dump the diapers out into
the washer, and then throw the wet bag in the wash with the diapers. I LOVE not
having to handle the dirty, gross, smelly diapers before they go in the washer.
In fact, I’m not sure I would be so quick to cloth diaper if we still had the
old wet-pail and bleach system. Yuck!
To sum it up: we love both of our Planet Wise wet bags. In
fact, the large owl print has significantly upped the cute factor of our
nursery. They’re well made, do the job, and the price is right. What more could
you ask for?
Guest Blogger, Heather is a work-at-home violin and piano teacher, but she considers her full-time job chasing around her two sons, ages 3-1/2 and 2 months. She lives in Great Falls, Montana and loves getting outside and enjoying her incredible surroundings.
I was such a snob when I started cloth diapering. Seriously. My husband wanted something that went on like a disposable, and I completely agreed because pockets and all-in-ones seemed like the “high tech” options. At the prompting of a friend, I bought a dozen Imagine cotton prefolds in small for overnight doubling and a few covers just in case, but I really doubted I would ever use them. They seemed so “old school”. Sure enough, we used Imagine pockets exclusively on our toddler and the prefolds stayed in the drawer, but then the unexpected happened.
Our first kiddo had always been chunky, even from birth, but our second baby started out long and lean and stayed that way. My beloved, bulletproof, never-fail Imagine pocket diapers leaked out the legs with my skinny-as-a-stick newborn. I knew that he would grow into the pockets eventually, but I needed something that fit NOW. That’s when I pulled out my Imagine prefolds and subsequently fell in love. Me, the doubting Thomas of the prefolds, had a total conversion. Here’s why:
1. I love how easy prefolds are to tri-fold, stick in a cover, and be on my way. None of the complex origami and dangerous diaper pins I’d been dreading.
2. The small size Imagine prefolds fit perfectly into all my diaper covers on the large setting, no fold-over involved. For this reason, I’ve used smalls on both my newborn and my 35 pound big-boy.
3. I LOVE diaper covers! Bumkins, Blueberry, Rumparooz, Thirsties- you name it. I’m a sucker for cute covers.
4. The Imagine prefolds just get better and better and softer and softer with every wash.
5. All cotton means easy washing, easy drying in the dryer, and no stink.
6. Only natural fabrics are touching my baby’s skin, although next time I will get unbleached instead of white, mostly because it hides baby-poop stains better.
7. Prefolds are way more portable than pockets or all-in-ones. I can fit 2 prefolds, a small wet bag, flannel wipes, and a small bottle of wipes solution in my purse- no diaper bag required.
8. I can, and do, use my prefolds for way more than diapering. Need a burp rag, lap pad, Kleenex, or towel? I’m always reaching for a prefold.
9. Imagine prefolds are durable! I’m pretty sure these could go through 12 kids, if I was crazy enough to have that many (which I am not).
10. There’s no, and I mean NO, more affordable way to build a stash than prefolds. They literally fit every budget, even our single-income, state-employee budget. Imagine prefolds are heaven-sent for my tight pocketbook.
If you’re thinking about starting or stash or expanding your stash with prefolds, today’s the day to do it. We love the Imagine brand prefolds, as well as the excellent customer service that comes with them from Nicki’s Diapers. Call me “old school” but we have become a prefold and cover family!
Guest blogger, Heather, is a work-at-home violin and piano teacher, but she considers her full-time job chasing around her two sons, ages 3-1/2 and 2 months. She lives in Great Falls, Montana and loves getting outside and enjoying her incredible surroundings.
When my family made the decision to cloth diaper I was so
excited I couldn’t wait to tell my friend who had been cloth diapering for
nearly a year. She spent the next few days constantly reminding me that when
she moved to cloth I would ask her, “How’s that going for you?” I honestly don’t remember passing judgment, but
apparently I did — something I’m not proud of since I have found that I
actually love cloth diapering.
As it is, to get to this point in my children’s lives, my
family had to make the leap from disposables to cloth, and it was from an
unlikely source, in my opinion, that the encouragement came from — my husband!
We took a trip our local Nicki’s Diapers retail store one afternoon to get some
reusable swim diapers for my son, and while I was looking for the right fit, my
husband wandered off. Looking up, I see him completely engaged in a
conversation between a mom-to-be and one of the employees at the Best Bottoms Diapers
display.
Ten minutes must have passed before he came up to me and
started spewing fact after fact about cloth diapering and how he thinks he
might be something we should try with our 14-month-old son before our newborn
arrived this fall. I must have looked at him with the widest eyes, because he
responded with, “What? Do you know how
many diapers we throw away and how much trash we have every week? I actually
feel bad about it. I always have. I just never have said anything. And I didn’t
realize how easy it seems to be to cloth diaper!”
Still in shock that he of all people was a cloth diaper
advocate, I just stood there staring at him. We looked around the store at the
different styles, he picked up a brochure at the counter and we continued the
conversation during the entire drive home. We talked eco-friendly benefits,
health benefits for our son, cost efficiency. You name it, we discussed it,
because let’s face it, one child in diapers is expensive, but two? It’s been a
rough year, and we needed to make some adjustments.
The thing that surprised me the most about making the
decision to cloth was that had my husband and I been a little bit more
communicative about things, we probably would have made the decision long
before our son was starting the toddler phase. I had seen my friend cloth and
it always intrigued me, but never did I think my husband would go for it. (And
truthfully, maybe I was slightly embarrassed that cloth was on my radar. My
family would laugh at me!) And the bottom line is he had just never been around
it, he didn’t know anything about it, so had I brought him in earlier or just
mentioned it a bit more, his curiosity probably would have piqued and things
would have been different a lot sooner.
The lesson learned: don’t assume anything. For me, I assumed
my friend was crazy to cloth, and that my husband nor myself would never try
something so “unconventional.” Little did I know he was just unaware of the
diapering possibilities and that he did care how much garbage we put into the
landfill every week! I still thank him for encouraging us to cloth every time I
get online to try and find new fuzzy and squishy material to get on my little
man, and he just laughs at me.
Guest Blogger, Jenna, is a
freelance writer and editor who lives in Verona, Wisconsin with her husband
and 18-month-old son. They are expecting their second little one in late
September.
I’ll never forget the look on my husband’s face when I
announced that I thought we should use cloth diapers with our first
daughter. He raised his eyebrows, looked
at me quizzically to see if I was joking, and when he finally realized I was
serious, he said, “Fine by me. But I’m
not washing them.” Fair enough. I had researched extensively before I made
the proposal to him, and was armed with information to persuade him that I
wasn’t insane. Quite frankly, I was
shocked he didn’t put up more of a fight.
As a high school band director in a large, suburban
district, my schedule borders on insane.
It is not unusual for me to have evening commitments at work 3 or 4
nights a week. My daughter was due in
April, and I was taking the remainder of the school year off, but we knew I
would be heading back to work the following August. The fall is my busiest time of year; marching
band season means I am at work from 7am-6pm, with football games and festivals
taking up nearly every Friday night and Saturday. I guess I wasn’t surprised, then, when
friends and family questioned my sanity in adding one more thing to my
never-ending to-do list.
But, we did it. And
quite successfully, at that! My daughter
was cloth-diapered up until she potty-trained at age 2.5, including her time at
a licensed daycare facility. (They
thought I was nuts until they saw my awesome Fuzzibunz!) So when we found out we were expecting twins,
there was no question that we’d cloth diaper again, and this time, my husband
didn’t even bat an eye. The babies are
almost 6 months old now, and have been happily in cloth since around week
2. I’m still working (though I’ve taken
a hiatus from marching band—whew!) and we’re constantly telling our friends and
family that if we can use cloth, so can they!
So, can you work full time and successfully cloth diaper,
without losing your mind?
Absolutely! Here are my top 5
suggestions for any working moms who want to give it a shot:
1. Invest for convenience. I knew that there was no way I would have the
long-term desire to deal with pins, folding, etc. I wanted something that was simple and easy,
even if it meant spending more money initially.
When I started building a stash, I tried to find a good balance between
convenience and cost-efficiency. For
me, that meant fitteds and covers for the newborn stage and pocket diapers and
AIOs for beyond.
2.
Have a
routine. In order for cloth
diapering not to become a huge burden, you need to make the process a daily
habit. When I first went back to work, I
got into the habit of starting a load of diaper laundry right when I arrived
home (if it was wash day). My daughter
would generally fall asleep in the car on the way home from daycare, so I would
just plop her carseat down in the kitchen, start a load, and then get to work
prepping dinner until she woke up. I’d
do the second wash after I got her down for the night, and then put everything
in the dryer before I went to bed.
3.
Keep it
simple. It’s easy to get sucked in
by all the online chatter about the best soap, most effective wash routine, or
the latest and greatest diaper. My
suggestion is to figure out what works for you, and then not mess around
with it. While the appeal of using the
highly recommended diaper-friendly, environmentally-friendly soap was tempting,
I knew the first time I ran out and forgot to order online, I was not going to
be happy. So, I settled on All Free and
Clear, because it’s readily available and inexpensive. I do a very simple wash routine (short cold
wash with a teeny bit of detergent, hot long wash with ½ the recommended
amount, extra rinse only if there’s any remaining odor). Inserts and fitteds go in the dryer, pockets
get hung on a drying rack in our bedroom.
Once my kids start solids, I use flushable liners, because, again, I am
going for simplicity, and I don’t have the time, energy, or desire to scrape
poop.
4.
Teach
your husband how to wash diapers.
No, I’m not joking. Even my husband,
who gave the no-washing ultimatum, is a pro now. On my busiest weeks, he’s even been known to
put in a load, unprompted. There’s
nothing like coming home to your husband sitting in the middle of the living
room floor, stuffing pockets.
5.
Remember,
you are not supermom. Cloth
diapering does not have to be an all or nothing proposition. You may have times where you find yourself
staring at a diaper-less baby and a full diaper pail. So, pull out that backup package of
disposables—it’s OK, and it doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel. Every
cloth diaper you DO use is one less disposable in the landfill, and that’s a
good thing.
Guest blogger, Rachel, is a high school music teacher in the Chicago suburbs, where she
lives with her husband of 10 years and 3 kids age 3 and under. She's
loving the little years and doing her best to embrace the chaos of
working and parenting. (But she's really glad to have the summer off.)
When
it comes to all parenting decisions, it seems like there is often one mode of
thought or one avenue that is more popular than all others and most people fall
in line, without researching on their own what might work better for their
child. Cloth diapering is really no different. Many people start cloth
diapering and gravitate toward one-size diapers – that is one-size-fits-all
diapers that can be adjusted as your baby grows and typically fit babies from
7-35 pounds, give or a take a few pounds. However, just because of the
popularity of one-size diapers, that does not mean that they are the only option!
One other option is the sized diaper. As the name suggests, these diapers come in only one size: extra small,
small, medium, large, or extra large. These diapers can be pocket diapers,
fitted diapers, or all-in-one diapers. Popular sized diapers include the
FuzziBunz Perfect Size and the Charlie Banana sized diapers. Each size fits the
baby for a set number of pounds, when she grows out of them, the child just
moves up to the next size.
One of the best part about sized diapers is
the fit. While one-size-fits-all diapers can fit your baby at any weight, they may not be the most trim option. The one size diaper has to have enough to it to allow it to fit through potty training, meaning it's going to be bulkier on a small baby. A size diaper often offers a more trim and custom fit!
Of course, sized diapers can be a
more costly option for parents, because baby will grow out of each size and you will have to size up. This means a lot
more buying of diapers as the child grows. Keep in mind, though, that the
diapers can be saved for a second child or, if no more children are in the
future, the online resale value for cloth diapers is surprisingly high. Also, because you are not using the same diaper for 3+ years, the diapers will wear down more slowly! Plus,
it is a rare cloth diapering parent that does not keep adding to their stash
anyway, because everyone knows that cloth diapering can be a very addictive
hobby!
Whichever you choose, just make sure
that is a thoughtful decision based on what works for your baby and don’t just
stick to the norm if that is not the right choice for you!
Guest blogger, Jessica, lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her
daughter, husband and four cats. Although she didn't know anyone who
cloth diapered when she got started, she loves the support and sense of
community she now feels with other cloth diapering parents online.
Do you enjoying writing and sharing your passion for cloth diapering and natural parenting with others? The Nicki's Diapers Blog is looking for guest bloggers! Please email annie@nickisdiapers.com for more information or to sign-up!
 The unexpected birth of our third daughter at 25 weeks and 4 days gestation threw me into a cloth diaper frenzy. I was certain that I had three and a half more months to figure out the ins and outs of cloth diapering, what products to use, where to order from, and how to do it. The last thing I expected was to be sitting in my hospital room without a full term baby and researching cloth diapering to distract me from the stress, worry, and fear that consumed my mind as my daughter fought for her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a different hospital 40 minutes away. After all, we were supposed to be visiting the area for 3 weeks, not 3 months, I was supposed to have the baby with my husband by my side in Colorado, not alone in Connecticut, and I was supposed to have more time to get my cloth diapering act together. Amid all the chaos that ensued with my daughter being admitted to the hospital for the following 14 weeks, and my other two daughters and I taking up residence with my parents for the duration of that event, figuring out the details of cloth diapering seemed like a realistic and manageable goal to achieve in midst of the storm we found ourselves in.
Body by preemie.
Even though I knew that 24 weeks gestation was likely the minimum gestation that I needed to reach in my pregnancy in order to give my daughter a chance of survival, I never considered the physical implications of a baby that age. Sure I saw the seemingly fully formed body parts of my daughter at the 20 week ultrasound just a few weeks earlier; but the fact that I never expected my daughter to be born 5 weeks after that ultrasound caused a lapse in my thinking perhaps. Despite the fact that my daughter was born at 25 weeks and 4 days, weighing two pounds, and reaching 13 inches in length (almost the same size as a Subway sandwich), she looked like a very tiny newborn. Apart from the hairy body and transparent skin, she was a complete newborn. She had fully functioning female parts, and the tiniest butt I have ever seen. Incredibly, those little parts tried their best to work just like a full term babies’ parts.
Potting preemie style.
As cute as that microscopic butt was, the internal pipes were not mature (by full term newborn standards) and therefore were met with some challenges. It took several days for my daughter to have her first poop. Interestingly enough, the first poop from a preemie was the same sticky, black meconium of a full term newborn. She continued to poop just like a full term baby (only proportionate to her size) after that, but it was much more difficult. Even though she was on a full breast milk diet through her feeding tube, her intestines were being asked to digest food 15 weeks sooner than they should have been. As a result, she needed frequent assistance with achieving those poops. Suffice to say, the preemie poops were a highly anticipated and much celebrated accomplishment every time they occurred in the NICU.
The diapers for those preemie poops had to be specially made, so even the smallest of small cloth diapers would not fit a micro-preemie. Besides the fact, the nurses were responsible for weighing each and every diaper that had been worn to be sure the babies were peeing and pooping adequately. To ensure accuracy and continuity in the weighing of the diaper, as the measurements were taken seriously, the hospital had to use the same brand diaper for every baby every day so disposables were it.
Knowing the size factor and the hospital’s policy on diapers, I decided to order the smallest fitted diapers and covers I could find and wait anxiously for the day that I could bring my baby home to those tiny little fitted diapers. I must confess there were a few times when I was left unattended to change her diaper and I managed to sneak a cloth on her for a few minutes just to see what it would look like. These fleeting opportunities made me even more anxious to get her home and into those super cute fitteds!
Size what?
Given the exceptionally small stature of my preemie, finding the right fit of cloth diaper for her was important. Even though preemie bodies are miniature versions of a full term newborn, typical preemies don a “preemie belly”. In the hospital, the “preemie belly” develops often as a result of the extra oxygen support that the babies require. Although the medical staff tries to reduce the unnecessary over consumption of air, certain breathing supports such as CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) creates extra air which ends up passing into the belly where it can collect and create a potbelly or “preemie belly”.
As a result of this “preemie belly”, even though my daughter was barely five pounds I could barely fit the size 0 Kissaluv’s fitted diaper (which is sized for babies 5 to 15 pounds) around her waist. Whereas a typical five pound newborn would probably have the diaper snapped down in the middle to protect the umbilical stump, and on the tightest setting across the front, I had to unsnap the umbilical fold and use the snaps at the furthest setting out around her waist to make it fit comfortably across her belly.
Given the fact that my five pound baby was hardly fitting into the size 0 diapers, it was no surprise that at nine pounds she needed to graduate to the next size up. About three quarters of the way through her stay in the hospital her belly reached its largest disproportionate girth, but she continues to have that ”preemie belly” even six months post delivery. We used the Kissaluv’s fitted diapers for a while, but discovered that they were no match for her oversized belly and little skinny little legs because the size of the diaper she needed to accommodate her belly became too big for her little body. Instead we switched to the Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted diaper which provides more range in sizing and a better fit for her type of body. She is happily wearing the Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted diapers and is in line to inherit her big sister’s Fab Fitteds before long.
I am not certain as to how much longer I can expect this “preemie belly” to last, but six months into our cloth diaper adventure we have found our niche. Our daughter spent 14 weeks in the hospital, and came home to us one week before he due date weighing 5 pounds 3 ounces. She is now 6 months old, 9 pounds 7 ounces, and one of the happiest babies I could ever ask for considering all she went through to get here. Digestion and elimination continues to be a challenge for my preemie, but considering how far she has come, we are thrilled with her progress and adore the sight of her wearing cloth diapers.
By Guest Blogger Sarah
I am not going to lie, this was what I thought when I saw reusable mama pads while searching for some diapers. I didn’t even like disposable pads, why think of one you have to wash?! It was a freaky subject! Soon, a friend of mine, wanted testers as she was starting to make diapers and all the accessories. I figured why not, since it was very little cost to me just a few dollars to ship! I LOVED them! That’s right the thing that I vowed, I would never try I did and I liked them. Let me tell you, they hold amazingly well. They are soo comfortable that you barely know they are there. They fit great, and with the right soaker fabrics can be super trim and no one will notice! I was done, paying for the highest brand of pads to still be unhappy about them.
Chemicals, chemicals, chemicals! You’ve heard of all the toxins in diapers and tampons right? They are in sanitary napkins too, and may be harmful. YIKES! Those chemicals may also effect your period, and hormones crazy huh? With cloth menstrual pads you may actually make your period shorter and lighter! Just about every woman wants that correct?
Onto the money factor. Now with varying flows, still the average woman spends about $100 a year on sanitary napkins. I’ve seen cloth about 5-8 each depending the size/absorbency. You can get about 8-15 (15 for super heavy flow to just have spares in case). You can normally get a three pack for about $13-19. You will need at least three of these three packs. That is about 45 dollars for a stash of pads that will last up to seven years. By the first year, you’re already splitting your money in half! Caring for your reusable pads are fairly simple, especially if you are used to cloth diapers. Just rinse in cold water and then wash in hot with a very small amount (I use just a pinch of powder detergent or a drop of liquid) of natural/additive free detergent. They can either be hung to dry or the dryer on low for 15-20 minutes without dryer sheets. I urge you to try cloth for yourself! We need some pampering too,and you may just be hooked.
By Guest Blogger - Samantha
If there was one thing that I wish someone, anyone, had told me about when I first started cloth diapering it would be to use cloth wipes! In fact, I wish that someone had insisted that I try them. I had no problem flushing and scrubbing solid messes out of diapers but I didn’t want to deal with wipes. I think my mind finally changed when I found about three or four disposable wipes in the washer with all my velcro diapers. It took me a while to get all of the disposable wipes out of the tabs.
There are many benefits to using cloth wipes. They are an eco-friendly, gentle on baby, wallet friendly alternative to disposable wipes. Plus, when cloth diapering, you can just throw the dirty diaper and wipe/s into the diaper pail then directly into the wash. No sorting out the wipes to go in the garbage anymore. It always nagged at me that I was throwing away human fecal matter as well, knowing it was, and is, illegal.
Let’s talk about cost
Many of us in the cloth diapering world are doing so because it is more cost effective. We can definitely see that with cloth wipes as well.
That’s $382.50 for only the first year of using disposable wipes! Now how many of us use or used disposable wipes ONLY for diaper changes? I do have to admit that they are handy for cleaning little hands and faces. Cloth wipes, on the other hand, cost literally a fraction of disposable wipes. Kissaluv’s Awesome Terry Knit Cloth Wipes cost $15.00 for a 12 pack. Assuming you buy 3 packs to make it through to laundry day and then some, thats $45.00. That’s a savings of $337.50 just for the first year.
Storage Choices
There are many storage choices available for cloth wipes. Each method has it’s own benefits and disadvantages. Different people prefer different methods. One storage method just might lend itself more useful to you and your situation. I think the best advice is to try each type of storage until you find one that works for you.
- Wet Storage: A storage container such as a wipes tub, is used to hold the wipes. A wipes solution is usually poured over the wipes to keep them pre-moistened and ready to use. This does take a minimal amount of time to prepare (putting your wipes into the container and adding your wipe solution literally takes a minute).
- Dry Storage: Wipes are kept close to the changing area as well as a spray or squirt bottle full of wipes solution. When changing time comes, take a wipe and either spray baby directly or spray the wipe. You don’t have to spray the whole wipe, just the area you are going to use. The only problem I have run into with this method is deciding where to store my wipes.
- Wipes Warmer: This method is very similar to the wet storage method. Wipes are put into the warmer with the solution of your choosing. The warmer should be cleaned from time to time. I’ve never personally used this method but know people who swear by it. (Nicki's Diapers doesn't carry nor recommend these for safety reasons.)
Wipes Solution
Wipes solution are a great way to customize what you put into your wipes. Most solutions contain three main ingredients.
- Water: Cleanses; dilutes other ingredients. Also, the main ingredient in wipes solutions.
- Soap: Cleans urine and feces off baby. Most solutions contain a castile soap such as Dr. Bonner’s.
- Essential Oil: Added for the antibacterial properties of the oil. Smells nice too. This ingredient is optional.
Wipes solution is really easy to prepare. You can buy concentrate and just add water when needed, or you can make your own. There are a bunch of different recipes that are available on the internet. Simply do a search for “cloth wipes solution” and you should have an afternoon’s worth of reading to do! The great thing about making your own is you can improvise and adjust the recipe depending on you and your baby’s needs. This link has a great wipe recipe.
Alternative Uses
Cloth wipes will stay around long after you are done diapering your child. I’ve been known to grab a wipe from the pile and use it to wipe my little one’s nose. Washing up the kiddos is an excellent way to reuse wipes. Keep a pile near the sink for wiping up after meals. They are also the perfect size to dry little ones hands off. My daughter loves the independence of being able to wash and dry her hands herself. Reusable wipes make wonderful dolly blankets and pretend dishrags in a kitchen. They most likely will last for multiple children as well, increasing your savings!
By Guest Blogger Sarah
Many parents are intimidated at the thought of using cloth diapers overnight. However, Cloth at night is not that different from cloth during the day. The key is to make sure there is enough absorbency to last the night.
Cloth diapering at night can be quite the adventure as you search for the perfect diaper and cover combination that will leave your baby happy and dry after a full night, the bed staying dry it just an added bonus! At first I had rough time with night time diapering of my twins. They are both very heavy wetters and would soak through to the bed in a prefold with a cover. Quickly I discovered that doubling the prefold and adding a fleece liner and a Flip cover worked awesome at night. From there I found that Bum Genius with both inserts or a bamboo fitted diaper with a wool cover would also do the trick!
Diapers made specifically for night time tend to be more absorbent & more than likely they will be a bit bulkier than your average daytime diaper.
Pocket diapers such as BumGenius can be great for nights because the absorbency is easily customized for your baby's needs. You can use additional micro inserts to help boost absorbency even more. The fleece interior lining of Pocket Diapers are great at helping wick moisture away from your baby's skin. My babies skin is always soft and dry in the morning, not clammy at all.
Using a Prefold diaper will not usually be enough to last an entire night if your baby is a heavy wetter or frequently nurses through the night. However, if you layer in a micro insert and a fleece liner or two this will add absorbency. For a fitted adding an additional micro liner or a fleece doubler will do the trick as well! The fleece-topped doubler wicks moisture away from my babies skin and leaves them feeling more dry.
Double diapering? Well it is what it sounds like:) You simply place one prefold diaper inside another to help absorb moisture..I've got some funny looks when I have talked about using two prefolds with a snappi and a cover. It might be a little bulky but it has worked great for 3 years and 3 children.
If you want to stick to Prefolds or Fitteds at night, then the next step would be the cover. The most popular covers in our house are wool soakers. When it is cold weather I tend to stick with my Knit Wool longies. Regardless of the cloth diaper style you selected, consider fleece or wool when picking a diaper cover. A wool soaker can absorb more than one third of their weight in moisture and are water resistant while remaining breathable. They fit fantastic over most cloth diapers, helping keep baby dry in whatever cloth diapering system you choose. Fleece is really great as well, however you may find a wool soaker is better for your baby, with its natural wetness protection. Plus you can get a scented wool wash and/or lanolin, so when the wool gets wet, my twins smell like Cotton candy! Other than wool, I have found that Bummis Super Brite Covers, and Flip Covers work fantastic! However, when I use a Bummis or a Flip I always double the prefolds or add an extra liner in a fitted diaper.
I would like to add that not every system will work for every baby. It can depend on how heavy your baby wets through the night, and if you want to change them during the night.
As your baby gets older, your night time diapering routine might end up changing. Night time diapering is an ongoing process, but with a clear understanding of your options, there is no need to be afraid!
Cheers to dry nights!
Britni
Mama to 3, Cloth Diapering twins
When I first started cloth diapering my daughter over a year ago, I thought that I might be the only person willing to change her diapers. The words "cloth diapers" have a scare factor for many people. At first, even my husband was skeptical about my decision to use cloth. However, I have found that my husband, the grandparents, and even babysitters are quite willing to change cloth diapers, as long as I make it easy for them.
When I first started leaving my daughter in the church nursery in cloth, I told the nursery workers that they could just page me if she needed changed. I didn't know if they would be willing to mess with an unfamiliar way of diapering, and I knew that they had several children to watch. The ladies quickly told me that if I would tell them what to do, they would be willing to do it. They just didn't want to get it "wrong." From that point on, I realized that if changing my baby isn't really any more trouble than any other diaper change, people will give cloth a try.
So what is my routine for sitters? First of all, I make sure that anyone watching my daughter knows how to change her. I usually demonstrate a diaper change in front of anyone who hasn't seen her cloth diapers. I also keep it simple. Even though I love to use snap diapers, I know that most people are more comfortable with velcro; it is just so much more familiar, and it's easier to get the fit right on the first try. So I only leave hook and loop closure pocket diapers, like Bum Genius or Thirsties Duo Diapers, for babysitters. (And I do stuff my pockets ahead of time!) Also, I don't expect anyone to pull out the inserts or dump the poop out of the diaper. I just ask them to place it in a medium-size wet bag, and I deal with that part later. That way, a babysitter only has to take off one diaper and put on a clean one - just like any diaper change. What could be easier?
By Guest Blogger: Angel N.
When my twins were newborns prefolds and covers were all we used! We love prefolds, they are easy to use and dry extremely fast, so you don't need to have a ton. However, when it comes to prefolds, in my experience they get wet a lot faster, thus you end up using a bunch through the day. When the babies were a few months old we decided to branch out to other cloth diaper styles. After much research, we made the decision to add Bum Genius to our prefold stash.
I purchased 18 Bum Genius 3.0 - 9 boy colors & 9 girl colors! When a friend of mine (we'll call her Jane) found out that I was cloth diapering my infant twins, Jane decided that she would give cloth diapering a try with her 13 months old. We each placed our orders at the same time. Jane's diapers ended up arriving about 10 days before mine did.
When mine arrived, I read the manufactures guidelines and washing instructions. Then I did about 8 prep washes to ensure they would absorb as much as they possible could.
 But...Jane washed them once. She told me she didn't think it was really that important to prep them and all she really wanted to do was "get the factory smell" out of the diapers.
Life is busy, having kids is hectic, and living in 2 different states, Jane and I ended up not talking for a few months.
During those few months, when one of the twins would poo, I would spray it out and if there was staining I would use a scrub brush and try to get the stain out, then wash it with in 2 hours. When the diapers were wet I put them in a wet bag until, the wet bag contained a full load (12-24 dipes). My diapers were ONLY washed with other diapers. ONLY dried with other diapers. I only used laundry soap made for cloth diapers...if for some reason we were out I would use a tiny amount of a natural free and clear. I NEVER used bleach or any other harsh chemicals. I NEVER EVER would use a dryer sheet. If my diapers were not absorbing like before , I would simply do 3 hot loads with NO laundry soap, they would always be back absorbing like before, they had just a little build up...happens to the best of us!
When I finally got a chance to talk to Jane, all she did was complain about the diapers, how horrible they were, how they leaked everywhere, and how they smelled so bad. I just listened to her rant. After she was done, I asked her how she had been caring for the diapers. "How I've been caring for the diapers?" she asked me, like I was crazy. I explained what I meant. As she shared with me, I was HORRIFIED! Jane told me this: When her baby would poo, she would shake to diaper over the toilet to remove the poo...Ok, that's good! Then, She would toss the dirty diaper in a laundry basket with all the dirty clothes, bath towels, and anything else that needed to be washed. Every diaper that had been wet would be tossed into the laundry basket as well, again with everything else that was dirty. In addition to this, when Jane would do her laundry load, EVERYTHING would go in together. No separation of diapers and other items. I started to get a little concerned about the condition these diaper were in. Jane also regularly used these Bleach, heavy duty laundry soap, liquid fabric softener, and fabric drier sheets. I understood now why the diapers were leaking so badly. I gave her a few suggestions, like: doing a soak and maybe a few strip loads with no soap. I also encouraged her to stop using the bleach and fabric softener. Most importantly, I told her to wash her diapers with only diapers. She told be she would give those suggestions a try. We chatted about our kids, then hung up.
A few weeks later, the phone rang...it was Jane! She told me that my suggestions had totally transformed her diapers. They had been holding up over night, they weren't leaking & most importantly they didn't stink! Then out of the blue she said: "I need your address" -"ok, why" I asked. Jane responded "I decided that cloth diapers aren't for me and I just want them gone". I was actually really surprised by this. When I shared that I was confused, she told me "we'll they were transformed for about a week, then I decided to go back to washing the way I was, it is just so much easier that way" My first thought...UGH. I gave a few suggestions, she responded back. I knew there was no point, her mind was made up. I gave her my address and that was that.
I received a box of 5 Bum Genius 3.0's soon after. Call me naive, but I was shocked at the condition of these diapers. When I compared my BG 3.0 to Jane's BG 3.0's, I was surprised. My diapers looked like they were maybe 6ish months old, Jane's looked like they were about 5 years old. (both mine and Jane's dipes were 10 month old in the photos) On my diaper the velcro was still stiff and held the diaper wonderfully together. The velcro on Jane's was almost unrecognizable as velcro, horribly curled & pilled, and not 'sticky' at all. In addition to this the inserts were rough and almost blue from all the bleach. Note: In all photos my diaper is the Dark Green, Jane's is the Light Green.
My husband looked at these sad diapers and told me: " Well if anyone can bring these back to life, its you". On a positive note the PUL was actually in pretty good condition. So I set out on a journey of repair. After 8 washed the water was still coming out soapy, it took 12-14 for the water to be 100% soap free...whoa. The smell of harsh cleaner was still too strong. I did a over night soak, and that really seemed to help with the chemical smell. I tested the diapers out on the twins, they don't leak, honestly I am stunned. However the velcro is pretty shot, and doesn't hold at all. With a little more TLC I know these Diapers will be back in great working condition, in addition I have plans to convert them to snaps.
I share with you this story, not to bad mouth Jane, but to share the importance of proper diaper care. It takes a little extra work, but done correctly, diapers can stay in beautiful condition for years. I also understand that cloth diapering can be difficult, and may not be for everyone, but if it is something you are considering, do your homework, know the Do's and Don'ts of Cloth Diapering. Cloth Diapering can be a wonderful and even fun experience when the proper care is taken!
Loving my dipes,
Britni
Mama of 3, cloth diapering Twins
1. Do research and be Picky:
There is nothing more annoying than spending money on 12 of the new "it" diaper only to find out that the: fit is not good for your baby. The diaper doesn't absorb like it was supposed to. The fabric isn't as soft as you thought it would be. In doing the research on different types of cloth diapers you can explore all the pro and cons for each type and get a idea what is right for your personal situation, it might be time consuming, but it is worth it. There is a particular diaper that everyone seems to LOVE, I decided to get each of the twins one...thank goodness I only got 2. I ended up hating them after the very first use. Tip: Choose a number of different diaper you like, then buy one or two of each brand. This way you can try a bunch of different kind and find out the ones you love and the ones you hate. Without breaking the bank!
2. Diaper Rash Cream and Cloth Diapers don't mix:
Diaper Rash cream will cause you diapers to leak. It take A LOT of elbow grease to get it out of the diaper. I learned this the hard way. Now if I have to use a rash cream, I either use a 100% cloth diaper safe cream ( like Earth Mama Angel Baby) or a just simply put a fleece doubler in. That way, my babies are getting the relief they need but is isn't hurting the diaper!
3. Never under load or overload the washer:
I have a top loader, and I have learned my lesson! A underloaded washer results in a HUGE waste of water, and time. A overloaded washer results in the diapers on top not getting completely submerged in the wash, thus leaving them stinky because they were not properly cleaned. I have found it is best to have a load that consist of 12-24 diapers, that way they still have room to rub up against each other to get a nice deep clean! Hint: Don't have enough diapers for a full load but MUST do the load? It simple toss in a clean hand towel or two!
4. Organization is key:
Having twins I wash a average of about 50 diapers a week! There have been nights when I have just been too tired to go and get them out of the dryer to stuff and fold them. That can create a viscous cycle of leaving the diapers in the drier or on the clothes line until they are needed, and lets face it that is not convenient. With so many diapers my husband and my self have created a system. In the evening, once the diapers have been dried weather from the clothes line or the drier, we put all the diapers, inserts, doublers, and covers in a basket. While watching t.v or chatting with each other about the day, we stuff all the pockets, fold all the prefolds & snap and prepare all the diapers and covers for the next day. That way when I need a clean diaper it is quick and easy to grab one and know that is ready to go!
5. ALWAYS clean a soiled diaper as soon as possible:
There is nothing more nasty than forgetting about a soiled diaper for a day or two. Without giving details, I have too learned this the hard way. I can say I love my diaper sprayer. It cleans the diaper quick and easy, right in the toilet. All you do is flush and TA DA! The diaper sprayer quickly became a must have in our home!
Hint: Once a soiled diaper has been cleaned to the best of your ability, soak for about 15 minutes in hot water. Then with a stiff bristled brush ( like a fingernail brush) using only hot water scrub the diaper. This will help prevent stains and get the diaper even cleaner in the wash.
6. Line Drying and Sunning Cloth Diapers works wonders:
Recently I was having ummm...well a stinky issue with some of my diapers. A friend suggested line drying them! So I did. Not only did the diapers dry incredibly fast, but the stink was gone, and bonus the sun removed 99.9% of the stains some of them had.
Hint: No outside line? Me either. It's easy to make one. The dollar store sells clothes line cord and clothes pins. I made my clothes line on my deck, tying to one post at one end of the deck and the other at...yup you guessed it, the other end of the deck! You can make yours where ever you want by simply tying the cord to a tree, a post or what ever you have, then tie the other end to what ever you can! Then you are ready to line dry!!!
7. No matter how careful you are with laundry soap there still might be detergent build up in your dipes:
I opened the dryer, and YUCK a blast of stink! It was horrific. After some research I discovered it was detergent build up. I learned that adding too much soap causes this hideous smell. I started using hardly any detergent.
Hint: Can't seem to get rid of that nasty smell not matter what you do? Try this: Soak 12-24 diaper in a HOT wash for at least a hour (when doing this I do it over night). Once your soak is complete continue you was cycle with no detergent. After cycle is complete, rinse again. The water from my washer empties into a tub sink so I was able to see the water, I was shocked to see after 3 rinses the water was still coming out with suds. When the water no longer had suds. I dried the diapers...NO STINK!!!
8. A durable large wet bag can be your best friend:
When cloth diapering, it can get stinky between washes. My cloth diapering top 'must have' Item is my wet bag!! When we first started cloth diapering, I thought ' we don't need to spend money on a wet bag' Whoa was I wrong. Plastic bags don't cut it. I have amazed us how a horrible stinky room can suddenly be fresh by simply zipping our wet bag!!! Our wet bag it very large and can easily zip with 18 diapers (BumGenius) in it!
9. Prefolds and Covers are fantastic option:
For my husband and my self prefolds are indispensable! Nothing is easier, dries faster, or is as trim. Prefolds. They are a wonderful 'go to' choice. While I'm at home it's easy! Grab a prefold, a snappi, and a pair of wool longies! This is a perfect combination for fall!
Hint: Don't have Wool? First of all, I highly recommend looking into wool as a possible option for your family, you be so happy you did! But, if you don't have wool and feel wool just isn't for you. Try this: cover your prefold with a Flip cover or a Bummis Super Whisper wrap or Super Brite...or your favorite cover!
10. Cloth Diapering is Addicting!:
When I first started cloth diapering nearly 5 years ago. I had 5 AIO's, 12 prefolds, and 8 diaper pins. I had just started out and didn't know about ALL the different types, styles,and brands of diapers. In 2008 out when we found out I was pregnant with the twins we started buying our cloth diapers...The addiction had not set in yet! I started by buying 24 indian prefolds, then 24 more prefolds...enter addiction!!! My twins are now 1! I am very proud of their stash!!
We currently have:
- 20 Pocket Diapers
- 25 Fitteds
- 5 AIO's
- 10 covers
- 52 Regular Prefolds
- 48 Newborn Prefold ( I still use these as boosters)
- 20 Fleece doublers
- 10 Knit wool covers - longies - shorties - skirties - diaper cover styles
But.....I still want more....Have you seen the Bummis Easy fit Prints?? Or the BumGenius Prints! *my heart quickens!
By Guest Blogger - Britni : Mama of 3! Cloth Diapering twins!
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