If I could cloth diaper all over again...

As a part of their series "If I could cloth diaper all over again..." Padded Tush Stats has invited me to share with you my thoughts!

First, let me give you a little insight into my life. I am a mother of two (an amazing three year old boy and an adorable 6 month old girl), and married to my fantastic husband/best friend for 7 years. We've been cloth diapering since our son was 3 months old (my idea, but hubby is gracious enough to go along with it as long as I do the washing). We both work full time (40+ hrs) outside the home. Both of our kids attend a childcare center while we work our 9-5's.

Given our situation and experience with all kinds of diapers over the years here's what I would do if I could cloth diaper all over again:

1. I would stick with disposables for the first 6 weeks to few months. I prefer one-size AI2's and AIO's (more on that later) and those didn't generally fit either baby until they were almost 10 lbs. Also, as a new mom (especially as a first time mom) I didn't need another new thing to put pressure on myself about. The points about needing to figure out something new or having laundry to wash are debatable (because disposable diapers were new to me, too, and my son generated plenty of laundry from blowouts in disposables).
   What I really did: this. I wanted to do a cloth diaper trial, but more towards the end of my maternity leave when I was feeling settled (and recovered from stitches!) and ready to take on a little experiment. So in the meantime we used the diapers from the hospital and the diapers gifted to us from our baby shower. And then some more diapers :) We emptied that diaper genie 2-3 times a week!

2. I would do a diaper trial. I'd look around for a trial that appealed to me (like those from Modern Cloth, Jillian's Drawers, and Kissed By the Moon) while I was still pregnant, and contact them to set up a trial for when baby approached 10 lbs. but also (hopefully) I'd still be home on my maternity leave to get acquainted with the process. I would get enough diapers to really try this full time (24 or more diapers, to get me through two days before doing laundry).
   What I really did: a mini cloth diaper trial. I was fortunate enough to live a short drive from the then-home-based Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique. Beth helped me choose a small sample of diapers to cover the basic types (prefold+cover, pocket, AIO) but I was only willing to fork out the cash for 4 diapers. Most diaper trial state up front that you get all or most of your money back at the end of the trial, so there is really no risk even in the event that you find you don't like cloth diapering at all. It's key to note that you really need a pretty full 'stash' of diapers to get a feel for the real diapering process. I only had 4, so that only got me through half a day, and then I felt like I was wasting water and energy(even with a small load) to wash those four diapers and get them dry to use again. And it seemed like I couldn't really fall in love with one type or another because of how infrequently I used them. Luckily I was still hooked on cloth and decided to move forward with it.

3. Stock up on your favorites. But not too much. After the diaper trial, I would look for upcoming sales or discount deals to get 20-24 diapers (many stores offer store credit and discounts from their trials). You'll need this many to keep on with the routine you developed from your trial. I stress favoriteS because you and your partner may like different types of diapers - get both if you don't want to have to change all the diapers. You may like one type for at home, another for out and about and still another for naps and nighttime. Get a small variety.
   What I really did: added a few here and there when there were deals ands sales. At one point I did buy 10 of the same diaper through a website with a pretty good deal. They were our favorites for a while, but I am finding that with baby number two they aren't (or at least right now they aren't...).

4. Know ahead of time that you WILL want more. It just happens. Your second baby is a girl, so you need more pink and feminine prints! Baby is now walking or having solid poops, so a style you used to like now isn't the best choice. A new diaper or print comes out that you just HAVE to try or need for a special event or holiday. Figure out where to sell off or trade in or donate your least favorites.
   What I really did: slowly add to my initial collection of 4 diapers. Painstakingly slow. It is hard to pony up that much money all at once, but retrospectively, I knew I was going to use cloth, and could do the math to justify it. I still add here or there, but have promised my husband I will only do so if they are free... from winning a contest or using store rewards points).

5. Get a few 'extras'. Get some CJ's butter in your favorite scent (Irish Tweed for a boy, and I am still deciding my favorite for a girl - probably lavender). Get a few wetbags (see below for my picks). Cut up a receiving blanket to make 16+ cloth wipes (we dont' send these to school, so this is plenty for evenings and weekends). Get at least one swim diaper for each size, but buy these as you go, since you won't know how big your baby will be each summer. My favorites are the bummis swimmi and the Little Bee Co Aqua Bee. But even a spare diaper cover works, too (just beware that chlorine may wear on the PUL, and ocean water may discolor anything white!)
   What I really did: pretty much this. I went with only one medium wetbag and one pail liner until my second baby was born, but now I have a couple more. I still use one for water day at school for my toddler or to keep a spare set of clothes in the car for my mostly-potty-trained toddler.


Maybe you were expecting me to say, "I would buy x diaper" so then you could go buy it. OK, then. After having tried more than 13 different types of diapers, I feel like I do have some favorites. If it were up to just me, I would probably buy 10-12 Softbum Echo's or Grovia AI2's with 15-20 or so extra inserts (so 25-32 total inserts). And I would be done with diapers (unless I found I had a heavy wetter, in which case I'd add a few bamboo inserts for nighttime. Also I would get two Planetwise medium wet/dry bags, and one large hanging wet/dry bag (ours hangs just right off one of the bedposts on the crib, near the changing table). I'd also cut up a receiving blanket to make some cloth wipes (I did finally do this about 6 months ago - but I could have been saving tons of $$ if I'd done this sooner!)

If you are asking my husband, he would just as easily use disposable, but if he had to choose a cloth diaper, he likes the TotsBots EasyFits the best. He doesn't like to mess with matching pieces together, and likes that he knows how to easily add an insert to it for nighttime.

And if I was a SAHM (and/or only used cloth at home) I'd go with prefolds and covers. They were intimidating to me at first, but now I find them really simple (read about them here). And they are cheap! I recommend everyone keep at least three prefolds and one cover around... just to have.

If you want to more about what diapers I send to daycare see this post: Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: What I send to Daycare.

** This post contains affiliate links **

Cloth Diapers: Going Simple

photo credit Diaper Junction

If you are interested in cloth diapers because you want to save money above all other reasons, then think prefolds. Prefolds are pretty much the least expensive way to cloth diaper ($1-2 per diaper + a few covers that start around $11 each). Though you will need a couple of sizes to cover your baby from birth to potty training, you can still get everything you need to diaper your child for 3+ years for less than a couple of packages of disposables. If you are only cloth diapering part time, this is still a great option to save $$, too.

So what do you need?

1. Prefold Diapers - before I started cloth diapering, I knew these as burp cloths, but really they are the 'old school' diapers you see on baby posters. Some good options are Thirsties Cloth Diapers -hemp prefolds, or the very inexpensive but effective Indian Prefolds.  For full time diapering you probably need 20-30 of these, depending on how often your baby 'goes' and how often you want to do laundry.

photo credit Diaper Junction

2. Diaper Covers - Thirsties Diapers makes two great options - either a sized cover, or the Duo Wrap, where two sizes will cover your baby's diapering lifetime. There are lots of cute patterns and options out there to choose from, so check out Blueberry and can be very inexpensive, like Econobum,  For full time diapering at home you probably need 3-5 of these in each size, depending on how often you do laundry, or how often baby poops. Covers can be reused several times between pee diapers, but need to be washed after poop gets on them.

3. Snappi (optional) - the snappi replaces the need for pins in this 'old fashioned' way of diapering. It works like the gripper on an Ace bandage to hold together your folded diaper. I say this is optional, because I often forgo the snappi and fold the diaper Angel Wing style and just lay or tuck it into the cover. You probably only need one or two of these for full time diapering.

THAT'S IT. That is really all you need.
... Of course it is easy to go crazy with a collection of covers, and maybe you will get a few accessories (like a wetbag for storing dirty diapers, detergent specific for cloth diapers, cloth diaper safe diaper cream, to name a few)

I admit that I don't send these to daycare (I am so grateful that our teachers are willing to cloth diaper, that I want to minimize any potential intimidation), but I frequently turn to these myself at home. They take up very little space when packing the diaper back for a whole day out - and we seem to always have some handy. That big stack of burp cloths? Those can double as a diaper in a pinch, too (after all, that's what they really are...).

Cleaning cloth diapers: New rules!

So I may have to go back on what I said in my previous post about cleaning cloth diapers.

I just had this nagging feeling that something was happening that wasn't getting them fully clean and ready to full absorb the next round of fire.

So my favorite online retailer (I get no compensation from them, by the way) is Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique. They always have a good selection, free shipping and give free samples. So when I qualify, I usually get the trial size of one of the cloth diaper detergents they carry. Mostly because they are great for traveling, since even if your host is gracious enough to let you wash baby diapers in their washing machine, you can't be sure that they'll have the kind of detergent you'd like to use... or if you have to hit up a laundry mat, you'll need soap. But also partly because I always secretly wonder if I should be using real cloth diaper soap.

Recently I requested a sample of Rockin' Green's Hard Rock, thinking this would be a great opportunity to 'strip' our diapers. Another sample we tried was a new cloth diaper-friendly diaper cream, CJ's BUTTer and after two uses we haven't needed again since it came in. Both of these products come in some pretty awesome scents, which is probably reason enough to use them, but if you read the reviews on the site, I bet you'll be sampling them, too.

And, full disclosure, we also moved recently and are using a different washing machine in our apartment. The new machine doesn't have an 'extra rinse' cycle, but it does have a 'prewash' cycle. So the new strategy is that I put detergent in with the prewash (warm) and then run a regular cycle with no added anything. 

I think somewhere among these three changes our diapers are getting really really clean now. And they feel more absorbent.

I honestly feel justified the switch for detergent when I did the math on Rockin' Green and how it translated to just about a penny per diaper per wash, and technically I was already paying for a detergent to wash them, albeit a slightly less expensive option. The diaper cream is pricier than the $2.50 tube of A&D we were using, but since we started using it, we have hardly needed it.

I felt like I had to share these changes with you, since I feel like I was a bit high and mighty in my previous post, thinking I didn't have to play by the cloth diaper rules. Now, I think these two products are worth the investment. And though I've said it before, we are now really feeling the effects after a conversation with a colleague having her third child and fearing the upcoming cost of disposable diapers. We have long since rounded the mark where our diapers have paid for themselves (about a year), so now we wash them and diaper our kid for basically free. And now that we are in an apartment, I am grateful for every trip to the trash room I can avoid.

All that said, our guy has been hydrating like nobody's business and has been going through some diapers. So many, in fact, that in one day he used all the ones at school and had to go to our disposable backups, and the one he came home in one was packed to the brink. Is this some sort of growth spurt-related event? Has anyone else's kid suddenly become a super-soaker?

The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2012

I just started to hear some buzz about The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2012.

I missed this event last year (we were out of town, with the nearest hosting location an hour away), and was really bummed. But this year it's already on the calendar! And there are at least two locations to choose from near us!!

If you are a cloth diaper user, or are interested in using them, I encourage you to go!! If you dont' have a cloth diaper, they'll loan or give you one to use.

The website shows the locations currently registered, but if you don't see one keep checking back, or check with your local cloth diaper boutique.

I'll come back and post any new details I find out!!!

So... you gonna go? :)

Precious sleep

Etrade Baby

The one truth we all know about kids, whether we have many, one, or none, is that you get less sleep with them in your life. If you don't know this, and are expecting, here is your news for the day. Even if you don't sleep all that much, you will sleep less. And forgive this rambling post because of, well, lack of sleep.

With a new baby, I actually fully anticipated this, and was looking forward to finally getting to cuddle my bundle of joy at every opportunity, once I met him in person. And after he was born, the adrenaline kicked in, and we regularly had milk dates at 10 and 2. But then we were fortunate and the little guy started sleeping through the night. This continued beautifully until he was about 15 months or so (give or take the occasional growth spurt). And then he started seemingly random jags of getting up an hour early.

Now, I forgot to mention that once M was sleeping through the night, and we were constructing our morning routines when we were both working, we decided the best strategy was to get up about an hour before him, get ourselves ready, and bags packed, so we could fully attend the chaos that would ensue, and still end up at work with most of our belongings and clothes. So naturally, losing this hour of peace and privacy really bummed us out. Not to mention we somehow ended up mostly ready to go early... like before daycare was even open. Which means there is that much more time that we have to keep our work clothes protected from banana hands and toddler fluids. This hour early wakeup could last a week or two, then go back to normal for a week or two.

I tried to comb through the details of our lives to see what could have been the catalyst for the change, but came up empty handed. Sometimes we suspected teeth, or later an illness of some kind would be sprinkled in, but nothing truly clear cut. For about a week straight, he was waking up soaking wet, and I was losing faith in cloth diapers (thought they were doing their share of heavy lifting, the kid just had high output - he even outsoaked overnight disposables, such that we found little gel beads on him when we changed him in the morning). We even made a trip to a local cloth diaper boutique for suggested and they offered switching to the souped up nighttime solution, fitted bamboo diapers (such as sustainablebabyish or Sandy's fitted) + wool covers. These were a little pricey for us (especially this late in the diapering game), so I went the cheap route and bought some trim bamboo inserts to add to our overnight setup. They seemed to have helped some.

http://www.amazon.com/Newborn-Baby-Tracker
%C2%AE-Childcare-Journal/dp/9729375011

As I mentioned previously, just a few weeks ago, we moved our family from the East Coast to the West one. We adjusted to the 3-hr time zone shift over the customary 7-10 days. But still had this nagging 30 minutes-to-an-hour that we couldn't get him to sleep in. I consulted my What to Expect, the Toddler Years, and my Baby Whisperer, and Googled. Basically, if he was sleeping at least 10 hours (which he was hitting right on the nose), then they had no suggestions. ... except maybe to push bedtime back. Again, this feels like a milestone, but we are starting small, to make it seem less so.

So after about a week of going to bed 15 minutes later, I think we are mostly getting our hour back. He has legitimately had the sniffles, which gave us one rough night, but at least he slept in afterwards.

I'd love to hear what things worked for you! And if you suspect a cause I am overlooking!!

One last tip that I firmly believe has minimized the effects of this phenomenon: the Wait Just a Bit rule. When baby cries, if you know s/he is not wet or hungry or in pain (so new mommies of newborns, this probably doesn't apply to you) WAIT. Wait, like 10 minutes. It seems like a reeeeaaaallllly long time. But sometimes that is how long baby needs to figure out how to settle back down. You may hold your breath for this 10 minutes but will be rewarded!

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Diapering Deals for "Green" Friday :)

Black Friday can also be your Green Friday!
Take advantage of some good deals and stock up on cloth diapers and supplies!

You can get "buy 2 get one" GroVia diapers, get a free infant insert for your Ergo carrier, buy 4 get 1 Rump a rooz, and more!

Notably:

Jillians Drawers - gift certificate giveaways, "green toys"
Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique - 10, 15% off, plus free gifts (which include free wetbags!) with your purchase!
Diapering Doula - their store is closed but they are open online, and are offering deals on their diaper service (if you are local), and more deals to be announced tomorrow!

A friend in Charlotte passed along this shop's sale at jack be natural (15% off! + other special deals)
Do you know of other good deals coming up? Share them please!!

Pool fun with Swim Diapers



Surf's up!
via AppleCheeks

 I was recently asked about swim diapers...

I know it may not seem like swim weather, but if you have access to an indoor pool (or are in the southern hemisphere) you might think about cloth diapers for water fun, too!!

First, I would recommend checking with your pediatrician about what age they recommend for first water play (a quick call to the nurse line should do the trick). Even though M was born in the heat of August, our doc suggested waiting until 6 months old both because babies are better able to regulate their body temperature by then (which is why also we are advised to dress them in one more layer than we would dress ourselves given the weather) but even more she was concerned with the risk that M might swallow water (since baby bodies don't really know how to digest water until 6-12 months old)

That said, we bought a couple of the iPlay brand to try out. They were relatively inexpensive, especially if you think daytime disposable prices can add up, they go for about twice the price ( see this package of Little Swimmers on amazon). The iPlay came in gender-neutral white which was fine with us since it was going under a swimsuit anyway in our case, though I personally think babies in swim diapers + rash guards look super cute!!! The iPlay was readily available at our local BuyBuyBaby, and even said on the tag that it was approved for public pools, because, I admit, even I wondered if it was going to keep in poop, I certainly didn't want others questioning me. However, I am now firmly a believer and look forward to employing a cute print next year. Some popular brands include kushies, Imse Vimse, apple cheeks, bummis, and several others!



Here's what a swim diaper looks like
via kushies



One tip I might offer, for those who plan to get their wee one suited up and then walk to the neighborhood pool or local beach: put a prefold cloth diaper in the swim diaper for the commute. The cloth diaper has some absorbency when dry, but not a lot, and when we tried this trick, M made me glad I did! I hadn't packed a backup swim diaper (which was silly really, since the whole point is that I expect the first one might get soiled, right?)
In full disclosure, for water play days at daycare they still recommend a disposable (regular daytime one), so usually we send him in with a 'sposie and his swimsuit, slathered in sunscreen, and they change him back into cloth after Splash Day festivities conclude.

Also, in full disclosure, I have actually yet to experience the cloth diaper, er, doing its job, in the pool. I still have confidence in ours, and will continue to use it, since I can't see how a disposable version could possibly do any better a job at keeping solids in... I still worry. If you have put your cloth swim diaper to the test, can you share here?!

Baby Registry Musts!



Links!
via dooyoodotcodotuk

I have several friends expecting (or recently received) bundles of joy and they asked about ideas for their registries. I was so excited to put all the cool shiny objects on my registry, but I would have really appreciated someone telling me to focus my funds on the crucial things. Sure, registries are the place for both the 'nice to haves' and the 'must haves' but no one needs to end up with 6 strollers because each was slightly different then the other.

So here is my suggested list:



SUSAN diaper bag
from 1154 Lill

diaper bag  We initially bought a pretty big one (we designed our own SUSAN from 1154 Lill ... they have good deals out occasionally that we waited for). The side pockets were the perfect size for my nalgene bottle. However, now that we don't need to carry so many 'baby' things around (our guy is 1) we pretty much only use the free one we got from the hospital with formula samples. It's a one-shoulder black bag with side pockets that hold M's nalgene bottle and the camera perfectly. The diaper bag makes a pretty good carryon for me now, though.

breast pump  Medela Freestyle. It comes in its own relatively discrete bag (except for the dried milk droplets mine acquired, as one pal pointed out) and hands-free attachments (you can fondly refer to the whole getup as your 'robo-boobs'). If you go with this one, it mates well with the Gerber brand bottles (because you will need more than the 4 it comes with, and the Medela bottles are more expensive). Also you'll probably want breast milk freezer bags and our favorite were the Gerber brand as well.


Soothie
via examinerdotcom

pacifiers we actually really only used the one they gave us in the hospital (a Soothie brand, which we bought a couple more of)... and we didn't think we even wanted to use one at all before he was here. He used it about 3 or 4 months and now occasionally finds it in the toy box, plays with it for a second and throws it back. But you'll probably want to have one or two handy when baby arrives.

swaddle blanket: I recommend your favorite pattern of the ones from aden & anais and you probably don't need to register for any other 'swaddle' or 'receiving' blankets, if you ask me.

miracle blanket this may be the exception to the swaddle blanket rule, but we only used it at night (though, thinking back on it, he may have been a better napper if we had used it during the day, too). It looks like a baby straight jacket, but it works like a charm (it was a gift to us from from a family member who also raved about it).
Halo sleepsacks  So for when baby outgrows the above (around 4 months) you'll still want him/her to be warm, but loose blankets are not allowed in the crib for a while. Our guy still sleeps in one at 15 months (in fact, any suggestions for transitioning to a blanket, now that its safe?)



Ergo Baby Carrier
via babyearthdotcom

baby carrier  So far, the ergobaby (with infant insert). I wish this was the first carrier I'd bought because I LOVE it now. I actually can't speak to how well it does with the really wee ones, since we just recently got it, but it is so comfortable for the wearer (really). We tried a Moby wrap (ridiculously too hard to manage a 10-foot piece of fabric), an Infantino carrier (just awkward to put on, and only holds up to 25 lbs) and a sling (which actually was great for a while, good for naps on the go, since baby can lay down, but M has outgrown it, too)

travel changing pad - we liked this one from First Years which holds everything you need, and we keep it stocked with wipes and a couple disposable diapers (we carry them around, 'just in case' though we primarily use cloth diapers.Tthe wipes and pad are always handy!).

video monitor - any brand is probably fine (we have the Summer Infant), but being able to SEE baby is so helpful, especially when you go the 'cry it out' route, you'll need the reassurance that they are OK. Plus, we've learned, if he's crying and not standing up, he'll likely go back to sleep. Once standing, nap is officially OVER.

car seat (+Snap n Go stroller) - All new car seats on the market pass crash test requirements, so this is mostly about style and budget, in my opinion. If you have the funds, go as crazy as you want. You definitely want the kind where the carrier can snap out of a base (which means you'll have to upgrade to a stationary one at a certain age/height/weight - around a year or so, and then to a booster seat even later - like 3 or 4). We went with the Chicco because it came in orange (the color of our alma mater). Also we got the matching stroller, but I wish we hadn't. It is cheaper and equally as functional, in my opinion, to get a Snap n Go that the carrier can fit into. When baby has outgrown the carrier they are officially big enough for an umbrella stroller, so spend your extra money on a more stylish, souped up one of those.

First Years travel changing pad + wipes case
via diapersdotcom

boppy for nursing, and helping baby sit up, and for tummy time, etc. boppy link some people swear by the 'my breast friend' brand.

diapers (disposable and/or cloth) we didn't do cloth until our son was about 3 months old. I think it is one less thing to have to master in the first few weeks (not to mention that even one-size cloth diapers are too big for newborns, so you'll need a different size for the new one) so you'll probably want some size N and 1's at least. Pampers brand (we tried an off-brand and they were awful). I have to say that cloth diapers actually held in big messes better than disposables, so that is reason enough to use them, as many times as I was pooped on...

crib bedding  At least sheets, 2-3 of them, the bumper isn't necessary, but is usually the cutest part of the set, though you don't use it very long. Maybe a crib skirt? The other parts in a set (including pillows) are really suffocation hazards until after baby can roll over, and has good head control.

crib mattress  This and bedding is pretty standard size, so I don't think you have to pick a crib first, and surprisingly they don't usually come with the crib.

car seat mirror  so you can see him from the front seat, since he'll be rear facing for a while?

changing pad and covers  You know, those curved foam pads you'll keep on the changing table in the nursery? The covers are like sheets for those... you'll probably want 2-3 covers.

umbrella stroller  as I mentioned above, Umbrella strollers fold down really small, and you can use them without the carseat/carrier as soon as baby has good head control. Baby can't really sleep in one (a toddler may, if you get one that reclines enough... the one we have - doesn't... but it DOES have cupholdlers)



Onesies!!
via twoshirtsdotcom

clothing  Even if you don't know your baby's gender, you'll want some pjs for sure  and some onesies! At least a few in basic white. I'd put a few newborn sizes, 7 of them? You'll go through probably 3 per day, but also probably doing laundry once a day, and many 3-month sized ones, 10-15? I guess folks will give you some they picked out, too, so maybe just register for the basics and anything you absolutely fall in love with. definitely socks and hats.
high chair/shopping cart cover  if you fear germs, and I would for the tiny ones!

high chair booster seat  We have used this one from Fisher Price since his first food. I feel like its economical, and allows our son to sit at the table with us. It travels with us, too.
pack n play/play yard if you have a two-story house, this is nice to keep on the opposite floor as your real crib, for naps. And, of course, this is great for traveling to Grandma's or even just over at a friend's house while you watch a football game. here's one from Chicco, that may match your carseat :)

night lights  put them in the nursery, and the bathroom and the hall... for middle of the night navigation. (ones with autosensors)

bottles and nipples  Whatever bottles you chose, have the next flow-size up on hand. I never even thought of this until we got to this stage, but once babies get good at feeding, they don't want to wait on it. Bottles usually come with slow flow nipples on them. There's also medium and fast flow, and then you go to sippy cups. We bought the Gerber nipples to go with our Gerber bottles (see above). They aren't fancy, but you need a lot of them, and these are inexpensive, work great, and work with our breast pump directly.

bottle brush  for getting those nooks and crannies clean

baby bath tub  worth the backache for an inexpensive tub, for countertop baths

baby wash and lotion We have enjoyed Aveeno and Burts Bees

diaper ointment  we like the A&D ointment - not cream its more like vaseline than a lotion/cream, and is medicated. for cloth diapering we love CJ's BUTTer.

baby wash cloths and towels it's nice to have baby-sized versions of these, and the towels usually have a little pocket for junior's head. its cute, and useful :)

nursing cover  Can use to cover up when pumping, too, if you choose. I used one from Bebe Au Lait.

Also add on any favorite books from your childhood. You can start reading to him/her now if you want (like, 'Guess How Much I Love You)! And textured links are the best $3 one will spend (you can attach any toy to the diaper bag, stroller, carrier, or make great toys themselves). Any keepsakes you especially want?

Maybe also a baby book? For recording milestones? We loved this baby tracker for minding our pees, poops and sleeps for the first couple of months home (it was a great gift).
You could think ahead, too, and put some sippy cups and toddler spoons/forks/plates on your registry. Our favorite first sippies are the Born Free, without the 'spill proof' parts in them (we just take them out, which is a shame since that is probably what makes them pricey... but all the other ones leak or are in some other way impractical). But after that, the Take n Toss are most practical, and what they use at daycare.

Have I left off anything essential, Mommas?

Cleaning Cloth Diapers

via raisingarrowsdotcom

So, besides poop (my husband's top concern), the next natural concern with cloth diapering is laundry.

You may ask: how should I wash my diapers? I will preface my response with this is what work for us. Keep in mind that each diaper brand has their own recommended washing instructions and not following these instructions may void any warranties those companies offer. Also keep in mind that every brand we use has different washing instructions, and I personally do not find it feasible to wash them in separate loads. So, this is what works for us:

Type of Soap: We use whatever dye/perfume-free detergent we use on the rest of our clothes and our baby's clothes (which is usually the cheapest and can change from month to month - this month, I think we are using All Free and Clear). Some folks swear by Charlie's Soap or Rockin' Green and even BumGenius (the maker of my favorite diaper) makes their own soap. I have tried samples of all three (free with my online diaper purchases!), but could never bring myself to spend the money on a full size product of them. I could just see this being one more thing to explain to my husband (how much to use per load, "remember, this is just for the diapers"...). And not to throw him under the bus, but I still have to remind him to adjust load size and temperature on our regular laundry loads. I do, however, squirrel away these samples to take with us when we travel, since you never know what kind of detergent will be available. You will want to avoid anything "oxy" or with anything extra included, since the former can break down the diaper materials and the latter can build up on the diapers, reducing their absorbency.

via naturalparentsnetworkdotcom

The load: You will use about a quarter of the detergent you would use for the same size load of laundry. Lots of brands recommend a cold rinse, then a hot wash, then an extra cold rinse. Again, I can't bring myself to do use that much water, or wait around to add the detergent, etc. I wash my diapers on warm, with an extra rinse. I generally round up the load size, too, just to make sure everything gets rinsed clean. You'll want to make sure the laundry tabs are secured. On aplix (Velcro) closure diapers, there is a place to stick the diaper tabs onto themselves, so you don't end up with one long chain of diapers all stuck to each other after a wash (this can make the tabs less sticky). Also, for pocket diapers, you'll want to make sure you have removed the insert before washing. Some diapers will claim that the inserts will agitate out during the wash. I haven't found this to be the case.

Extras: A couple of times a month I add a generous splash (</= 1/4 cup) of bleach to the water in my load of laundry to help with the smell when my nose starts to detect a wet diaper. I haven't seen any damage or fading. Also I have heard (and plan to employ this soon) that a couple drops of dish soap in the wash is one method for 'stripping' diapers. Generally, diapers become more absorbent the more you wash them, but depending on your water and what you are washing them in you may need to 'strip' the diapers of any build up (much like when you can tell you need to switch shampoos for a while...).


This is pretty much exactly what our laundry room
 looks like on diaper day.
via clothdiaperblogdotcom



Drying: Most of my diaper components can go in the dryer. The four Rump-a-Rooz pocket diaper outers (that I use for overnight) don't. Those I lay right on the drying rack. The inners do go in the dryer with all the other diapers. This is one rule I play according to the manufacturers' suggestions, since I don't want any precious pieces to melt (and, honestly, because it doesn't require any extra work to move some of the pieces to the drying rack versus the dryer as I unload the washer). I will say, that though the BumGenius Elementals are my favorite diapers to use, they do take the longest to dry (I think the FreeTime diapers coming out this December may be better on this point, but I'll elaborate on pros/cons of diaper types in another post). Depending on how much time I have I may run a second dryer cycle, or I may just hang up the diapers to air dry the rest of the way. If the weather is nice you may choose to do this outside in the sunshine, which will speed things up and take care of any pesky stains, too.

Frequency: We currently wash twice a week (usually Sunday and Wednesday). We washed 3-4 times per week before M was one, and going through many more diapers per day.

Trash can with a loose-fitting lid
via PlanetWisedotcom

Other equipment: To manage your laundry you are going to need a diaper pail with liner, and a wet bag. For a pail we use a 'dry' system which consists of a liner (like this one from Planet Wise) in an open top trash can (the alternative is a 'wet' system where you soak diapers until your next load. I can't think of a reason why this is actually necessary?). If I were starting from scratch I probably would get a trash can with a loose-fitting lid, but we sometimes put a drop of tea tree oil on a burp cloth and lay it over the top. You'll need the wet bag (like this) for when you are out and about (if you leave a wet diaper in a plastic bag for very long, it is likely to mildew). Perhaps you will want an extra of either of these, but we make do with one each.

Warning to any expecting moms out there: babies require a LOT of laundry, whether you are using cloth diapers or not. The first few weeks we had our little guy home we must have done a load of laundry every day as we all changed outfits often (which is probably the next best thing to the showers we didn't have time for). And its true that cloth diaper laundry is additional to do a couple times a week. I would say that we really have it in our routine at this point, and don't notice it at all. Occasionally, we forget to do it, so we use our back-up disposables with only minor guilt.

Wow: looking back on the length of this post, you might think that caring for cloth diapers is difficult, but really it isn't. Spending a few minutes on mini-research for how to care for your diapers up front is worth it... as it similarly would be for any new garment you purchase. They'll last longer and perform better. And once you know, you won't spend a second more on this load than you would any other load of laundry.

The Real Poop: Diaper Liners

roll of liners
via AppleCheeks.com

So let's face it: the most daunting thing about cloth diapers is the thought of having to deal with poop any more than you have to with disposables. There are lots of reasons that this isn't really an issue, but the biggest is the use of diaper liners.

Diaper liners are biodegradable sheets, much like a dryer sheet, that you lay between diaper and baby (our favorite is the AppleCheeks brand). If she poops, it mostly sticks to the liner and the combo can easily be plopped in the potty, and flushed. If the diaper is just wet it has been suggested that you can reuse a liner. I don't, unless I am in a pinch and don't have a new one to replace. It gets wet. Some people wash and reuse. I have washed them by accident, and they don't seem like they would lend themselves well to reuse, but leave a comment here and let me know if you do this successfully!


Just lay the liner on top of your diaper
photo via SomedayIlllearn.com


Liners are made by various companies, and come in different sizes and prices. I think price is key, since you go through a good number of them. Also you want a size and shape that will collect the majority of the diaper's contents without sticking out the sides. And you definitely don't want to add anything scratchy or rough to negate the softness of the cloth against baby's sensitive skin.
Another option for dealing with poop is a diaper sprayer. In the long run, I suppose, this is the cheaper option since a roll of 100 liners can cost $5-10. I think I prefer the liner option, though since the idea of poopy water ricochet doesn't sound fun, and you really can throw more in your washer than you might think. In fact, for exclusively breastfed babies, everything is water soluble so you can just throw it all in the wash, no liner needed. I don't actually know what the rules are for formula fed babies... I searched online some, and my conclusion is that you should use your judgement based on, well, consistency and volume. I welcome feedback on this subject as well!!

A friend recently raised concern about putting poop in the washer. I replied that I didn't think it was really a big deal, but I could understand the concern. I justified it in my mind, because we frequently put clothes with poop on them in the wash. In full disclosure, though, we do find blueberry skins and corn in the washer after a diaper load but there is usually a rogue diaper liner in the wash that I use to scoop them all up and toss in the trash can.

One final thought: don't forget the power of the sun! I mentioned in an earlier post how surprised I was at how well the sun bleached out any stains that lingered on diapers. I've stuck other organic stains on regular clothes out in the sun, too!

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: Perhaps at Daycare Afterall

So... I mustered up some courage and took advantage of our most recent monthly Parent Call at our Daycare to ask about cloth diapers again. I sent an email to the director, who hosts the call, ahead of time to ask if that was the appropriate forum for such a question. I wanted to probe for any definite no's first. I also included a few links to some of the types of diapers we were using from the website we ordered from. I am not sure that she looked at them, but she replied to my email saying that I could bring it up, but she was pretty sure that the state of NC didn't allow child care centers to use cloth diapers. I replied by saying that other facilities in the same chain, in our same city were using them right now.

So I did log into the call later that day. At the end of the agenda, I got my chance to ask if the center had reconsidered their stance on cloth, restating that other centers in our area were using them. The director again said that for a fact, NC had outlawed them in the past, but that she would look back into it. One of the other moms said that another nearby center ONLY used cloth, and changed kids into them when they got there, and would put on a disposable to go home in, if the parents wanted. Wow!

Also, one of the other staff said that a possibility in the meantime would be to pack one cloth diaper for our little one to change into as his last for the day, to come home in. At first I thought this wasn't really only a drop in the bucket, but that to show that I was interested I should at least make the effort. And the next day, his teacher had no problem with it, and said that in fact at least one other baby (and her older brother before her) did the same thing. I felt relieved, and excited that this was catching on! And later I realized that he is only going through 5 or 6 during the day there, so 1 more to be cloth would be a 15-20% improvement. And what a great way to see if we can keep up with laundry every other day.

AND to top it off, while we were discussing this during pickup, one of the other moms asked, "Oh are you doing cloth?" which sparked a conversation about how we were doing them "after hours", and how she had bought some before her daughter was born, but hadn't really gotten around to using them yet.

Needless to say, I feel relieved, and not like a crazy hippie (at least not the only crazy hippie). And actually a little hopeful that we can do this more. We have at least a year's worth of diapering to go (or two, if my mother is right about boys and potty training...) so that would at least break even. I am shopping around for deals now!! I am going to need some of those travel wet bags...

Cloth for a working mom: Follow up on diapering part time...

photo by Thirsties

Part-time cloth diapering is going well for us, I think. By part time, I mean that during the week, we are using a cloth diaper at night (rump-a-rooz). We upped our "stash" of these to 3 right after I returned to work. Occasionally there is a need for an additional diaper between coming home from daycare and going to bed, and then we use a cloth diaper here, too. Also we moved up a size in the Thirsties covers and prefolds. The latter are quite a bit bigger than the newborn-size ones we started with, so this has been a bit of a challenge. On the flip side of that, though, they certainly hold more moisture before needing to be changed. So now on the weekends, we have enough diapers to last all day, so we go all cloth starting Friday afternoon with his early pickup from "school".

The laundry situation is not all that daunting. Monday we start with all clean diapers. By Wednesday we are on the last overnight diaper, so we wash the two other dirty ones with a load of baby clothes that evening, and an extra rinse cycle on the end. The overnight diapers are usually only wet ones, so this work out perfectly. Then we hang them up to dry overnight (or the next morning if we forget). We are now in the winter months, and we keep the drying rack near an air vent, so they definitely are dry by the time we need them the next night. This was more of an issue in the warmer months, when we didn't have the heat going. But then we could hang them up outside without fear of diaper-sicles! Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings (after the babe's in bed) we generally do an entire load of diapers and dry overnight for the next day.

The husband involvement is going well. I can't say he is as into the idea of cloth diapering as I am, but he is resigned to the fact that I really want to do it. AND he has more confidence in a cloth diaper for containing poopy messes than a disposable. AND he actually defended the "ease" of diapering in a conversation recently. He is still skeptical about how to flush "real" poops, but we think they will be fewer over the course of the day when we get to that point, so maybe it won't be as inconvenient as initially thought...

Here is what I think cost-wise: cloth diapering is like going to Vegas with $5. if you don't have enough, you are surely going to loose. It does cost money to run the washing machine, so you want to have a full load when you wash (no pun intended). We only have enough to meet the smallest load setting (on an old-school washing machine). So when I have fewer than that to do, I try to sneak them in with some baby clothes, with an extra rinse. Also, there is a trade off in what kind of diaper to buy if you are only going to be doing this part time: the fancier types (all in ones or twos, pockets) are generally a little easier (if you aren't getting a ton of practice during the week, but they are also a good bit more expensive than prefolds and covers. For costs sake, we are holding onto all the ones we have tested, we purchased some additional, aforementioned, nighttime diapers and bigger covers/prefolds, and for the time being, not planning to order any more.I anticipate that they all will have paid for themselves over the course of a year. If we could get the daycare to use them, we'd be miles ahead of that (though we'd have to double the supply). For more on this idea, see this handy dandy cost spreadsheet I came across. Assuming the inputs are relevant to you, you must be able to wash at least 9 diapers at a time, to see a cost savings over disposable, so be able to go at least that far in.


Lastly, I have pondered investing in a wet/dry bag for evening and weekend outings. However we are currently using plastic baggies that we keep in the diaper bag for disposables anyway. I think if cloth outings become more of an issue, we'll make the leap. The bag is advertised as handy for carrying many other things as well.

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: The Pivotal Point...

So, they key issue here on these cloth diapers is can a working mom keep up with these. Thus far, I haven't really been working but a couple of days a week, and those have been from home. I am going back to work in a week or so full time. This means that my time here at the house (little one or no little one) will be greatly reduced. I anticipate this will make it more difficult to squeeze in a load of laundry (cloth diapers or otherwise), so we are nearing the moment of truth.

So far, I have really been impressed with the diapers. Each has endured being soaked and soiled to the max, and I can say that we've had no poopy leaks, just one wet diaper seepage where the thing was FULL and the contents reached out of the top of the waistband. I think that is pretty darn good compared to the messes we've cleaned from the disposables, whether we've needed to go up a size or not. I have been more than impressed with the sun's ability to remove stains from the diapers, and laundering is relatively quick (though I have had the luxury to just pop over to the washer any time, even mid-blog-post). I would feel better if I could run a more full load. And I've not tested having to cart these out-and-about with me much, as I haven't invested in a travel wetbag just yet.

Also, We have 4 diapers total. One of which is an overnight, and one is a pre-fold/cover combo, so that can last up to 3 diaper changes, depending on if the cover gets soiled since we have 3 pre-folds to swap out. This almost nearly has us covered for one day outside of daycare. At the moment, the hubby and I both agree that we like them enough not to send them back as we near our 30-day trial. However, we are going to give it a couple of weeks after I go back to work to evaluate the laundering situation (and the real crux of the working mom issue, in my opinion) to decide if we are going to order more to cover us more days of the week/weekend. We'll consult the math on the Dollars and Sense post to decide how many more we'll get if those weeks are successful. I think I would still like to order one more overnight diaper, regardless of the outcome, since I just feel so much better about the little guy hanging out in a cloth diaper as he is sleeping through the night more and more, rather than a  bloated disposable (I changed one pretty full disposable diaper recently, to find a few little gel beads on his skin, which rather freaked me out).

So stay tuned: in a couple of weeks we'll have our verdict!

ps: My husband has reminded me that there is another pivotal issue involved in all this cloth diapering, that we will not be able to evaluate for another 6 months or so: solid poop. At the moment, our breast milk-soiled diapers go right in the cloth diaper pail. I am unsure of the diaper changing logistics when there is solid poop to be disposed of (seeing as how our changing table is in the nursery which is an entirely separate room from where we keep the toilet...). I suspect that by then, our little guy's bowel movements will be fewer, and more predictable (and perhaps all being taken care of at daycare on weekdays), so we may be able to strategize a bit to minimize this issue, if it really is an issue. I'd be interested in feedback on this if you have it! And you can look forward to another post as we get to that point!!

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: Dollars and Sense

So, I did some quick math:

One disposable diaper is about $0.20 to $0.25.

A cloth diaper (not including pre-folds and wraps) is about $23-$25. So a hundred uses, makes it pay for itself (not including the cost of washing). The cost of washing is about $0.60 per load.

So I REALLY like the rump-a-rooz diaper for overnight. If I bought 2, to rotate evenings, They would pay themselves off in about 6 months. So 3 or 4 pay off in less than a year.

For the day diaper types (except pre-folds), if I am just using them in the mornings and afternoons, I would use about 3-4 a day, and maybe 6-7 a day on weekends. So if I invested in a dozen of one kind (or some combo of a couple kinds), That's about $300. So they would pay for themselves in just under a year (assuming a couple weeks of vacation in disposables, perhaps).

So... still the cost of the laundry, but that's $400 up front cost for nights and weekends, so if the little guy doesn't potty train at age one we'll be benefiting. If he does, well then, that is worth any difference in cost for sure!!

Also, if I could convince the daycare to use cloth... using the same numbers... I know my day care has to change him (by law) at least once every two hours. So let's assume (conservatively) 5 diapers during the day. 25 per week. So that's 55 diapers changes per week total (combined with those above), minimum. If you were willing to do laundry every other day... you could have, what? 12? 18? in the queue? Even if you bought 24, they would pay themselves off in a year! If you could get by with fewer (which if we say yes, we'll start on the low side, and add more as needed), then even sooner!

Now I say "excluding" prefolds, because at this point, my husband still thinks they are going to be kind of tough. However, they are definitely the least expensive, so if I can change his mind on them, those will be the best decision fiscally!

Additional items - other things to consider include wetbags (one for the nursery and one for the diaper bag, at a minimum... maybe a spare while washing?), snappi's (if you go with prefolds), and you can even go the cloth wipe route! Now that's advanced. Also, cloth diaper-ers recommend certain diaper creams when pairing with cloth to prevent affecting the absorbency of the diapers.

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: Day 3

So I had some good experiences today!

Laundry: I was worried that more poop had stained these brand new diapers. I wondered if I was washing them incorrectly? Or waiting too long before washing (1-2 days)? Then I remembered something I'd read a lot about in my research, that lots of mom's praised the power of the sun to fade staining. The rain had finally let up and it was sunny (though chilly), so I let them dry outside on the porch. Only a few short hours later they were dry and stain-free. Even the thirsties cover whose white piping had stained on the first wearing, and I thought was already a lost cause. And the best part - drying outside was faster and cheaper than running the dryer for 3 cycles!

Reusable cover! Finally M only had a wet diaper in the Thirsties duo. Even though he was wet after only an hour, I finally got to try my hand at changing only the prefold. It really wasn't much different from changing a regular diaper, except I am not so graceful with the snappi yet, and I am super-paranoid about making sure all the edges of the prefold are tucked in. Also, I can't help but wonder if he wouldn't have felt wet in such a short time in a disposable, but then again, this is supposed to be the aspect that helps with potty training, right? This left me with the promise of a longer stretch of using cloth for the day!

Soon, I will sit down with the math to see how long it would take for a stash of cloth to pay for itself (in part time usage, that is)... this could be the real pivotal point for us...

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: Day 2

First dirty wash: Last night we threw all the diapers, and the liner right into the wash. We ran a small load, with a small amt of detergent with the extra rinse cycle. All the poop was gone! Sadly, the prefold, showed a little staining, as did the gusset on the Thirsties wrap, and a small spot on the BumGenius. I ran those through again on a warm rinse. Still a little staining on the wrap and prefold. Threw everything in the dryer (except the cover, which I let air dry). After one dryer cycle,  the inserts and AIO were still damp, so I left them out to air dry overnight again, and again they needed another short cycle in the dryer. The AIO is still a little damp.

Yesterday evening, we used the wrap, a prefold, and a snappi and went out for dinner with a friend. We had an hour stop to make on the way, and again, we must've caught the little guy at a good time, because by the time we made the restaurant the cloth diaper combo was FULL. Again we couldn't reuse the cover, so we put a disposable on him.

For overnight, the Rumparooz insert was still damp, as I mentioned, so he was in a disposable. Again, M slept through the night (!), which means it wasn't cloth magic the previous night. But we are still happy.

This morning, after his regular post-breakfast poop, I put on the GrowVia. It only took him about 15 minutes to wet this one. It wasn't dripping wet, but it was wet, and he was fussy, so we changed him into a disposable as we waited for the AIO to finish drying. The cover was still spared (no poop though), which is a plus, since if we had an extra insert we could have just changed that part.

So far, I am not feeling overwhelming love for cloth diapers, but I do think that having more of them would make it better. I feel a little wasteful doing a whole laundry cycle for 4 diapers, and then having to keep switching back and forth from cloth to disposable. Also they don't seem to last quite as long as disposable (between changings) but to be fair, most mornings we go through 3 disposables in an hour, depending on how we time them with his digestive cycles. And disposables hold so much pee because of the chemicals in them, which is a bit of a bummer. Also, we haven't had any blowouts in them (but we haven't tested poop in all models yet, either).

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: Day 1

So, after I got home from SweetBottoms, I washed the Thirsties Duo wrap, prefolds (which had already been "prepped" and washed several times), the Rump-a-rooz parts, and the diaper pail liner (did I mention this yesterday?) with some towels from the dirty clothes basket (I figured this was OK since we haven't been using fabric softener or dryer sheets since the new addition to our family. I point this out because Beth wanted me to be sure not to contaminate the diapers with softeners because it can diminish their absorbency). I hung the cover and liner to dry, and threw the rest in the dryer. Next, I had to "prep" the Grow Via and the BumGenius AIO. This means you have to wash them on hot several times (since they are new natural products) to up their absorbency. These two had to go by themselves. I was home for the afternoon, so this wasn't too much of a pain. When the small load on the washer stopped, I just turned it on again. After 4 or 5 goes, I put them in the dryer (not the GrowVia shell... but the other parts). Now this took a while. One dry towel, and two diaper pieces. Two dry cycles. Then I threw them on the drying rack (inside) overnight. THEN in the AM I threw then back in the dryer and they were FINALLY dry. This could be a turnoff if it is going to take this much time. We shall see.

Meanwhile, the first two diapers were ready to use by the evening. M and I were headed to a mommy group, so I braved using a new cloth diaper. Just before I fed him, I put on the prefold with a snappi (using this rolling technique), and the Thirsties cover (size 1, on the largest setting). He ate (starting at about 5:45), and we headed out (6:15). He got fussy during the group around 7:00. I went to change him, as I'd packed an extra prefold. His diaper was LOADED up. In a couple of hours the prefold was soaked through, and he had pooped. It was all contained in the cover, but unfortunately the cover could not be re-used, so I had to put on a disposable. What did I do with the soiled cloth? I put in in a gallon ziploc bag, and then transferred it to the cloth-liner lined trash can back in the nursery when we got home. My opinion after test one: not sure if I have a "heavy wetter" or if I just got him at the right time to load up the diaper, but my hopes of just changing the prefold are a little bruised.

After we got back from the meeting, I sat down with the hubby and showed him the 4 diapers I'd gotten at Beth's. He (also very patiently) listened, and was genuinely interested. Good sign.

We fed the little guy for the last time before bed, and went to change him into the Rump-a-rooz for bed time. This was comical. The diaper was huge!!!! Beth had recommended this one for night time (since I think we'll primarily be able to use cloth for nights and weekends, this was a pivotal piece of the equation). It has a double soaker insert that adds a LOT of volume. But supposedly can hold a lot of volume, too. And the fleece lining should wick away moisture to the insert for storage. We adjusted to the middle row of snaps, for the best fit. We swaddled him up for the night, and I planned to see how well this was really going to work at our usual 2AM feeding. However, our baby slept through the night for the first time (!!!!), so he had a good 8 hours to really put this thing to the test. I picked him up, and I thought I felt moisture on his blanket, so I was worried. But it turns out all the pee was contained!! The inserts were pretty soaked, but the lining wasn't sopping, so I didn't feel like he had marinated in it all night. And clearly he was comfortable enough to go all night. I got him changed and undressed. I pulled the insert out and put both it and the cover in our diaper pail. I have to say that I am pretty pleased with this one so far. No poo in this one, so I am not sure yet how a poopy night would factor in. I did notice this morning that there were some red lines on his thighs, and they seemed to linger to the next day. Perhaps we put this on too tight?

The next morning, the other two diapers were dry and ready to go. First I tired the BumGenius. Put it on at 10, was pretty wet and ready to be changed by 12:30. Again no large dose of poop, but I was pretty happy with this one, too. Pretty easy to toss the whole thing in the diaper pail.

I wasn't changing him in the nursery, so I didn't have the last diaper handy, so I put on a disposable. But at the next change, I put the GrowVia on him. In just over an hour the insert was pretty wet up front, but there was some dry space in the back. In this case the cover was clean, so we left it out to reuse for next time. Beth recommended alternating covers of this type during the day, letting them air out between wearings, so this should work out.

So let me tell you about our make-shift diaper pail. We got a liner from Beth. Washed it. Put in in one of those retro metal trash cans. Over 24 hrs, 4 soiled diapers in. No lid. Not much smell. The contents are only breastfed poops and pees, but I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of odor.

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom?

Today, the little guy and I met with Beth at Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique to discuss a cloth diaper trial. I have been interested in cloth diapers since we found out we were pregnant. Yes, for the environmental benefit (in my research I found it is actually illegal to throw poop in a landfill! Yet that is exactly where disposables go! How do we all get away with it?), but mainly for the benefit to my wallet, and my baby's bottom. And also because of the promise of fewer-to-no blowouts and easier potty training (when that time comes) AND, honestly, because they are so darn cute!. With all the positives, the glaring negative, elephant in the room, is that surely they are more work, and potentially more gross, to deal with -- right? Especially for two parents who work full time outside the home? (For more pro's and con's see What To Expect's list)

As I mentioned, I scoured the internet in my research to see what this cloth is all about, but I couldn't find anything that proved that two working parents could successfully use cloth diapers to their benefit. So this is what I am setting out to test.

Beth's business offers a cloth diaper trial for 30 days. At the end of the trial, I can return the diapers (so long as we haven't destroyed them) if cloth isn't for us, or if it is, I can swap any particular ones I didn't like for ones that I preferred. Sounds like a deal to me. And also, even though I had looked everywhere online, I couldn't actually put my hands on any of the different models to get a feel for how they would attach to the baby, etc. So Beth also offers a demo at her place for the type-A's of the world. I took her up on both of these things.

I went over to Beth's this morning and she (very patiently) explained the different types of diapers to me, after she (very patiently) heard about my diapering situation. "The situation" is as follows: My husband and I both work full time, and in about a month, I will be returning to that full time job and sending my little guy off to daycare (also full time). So far, day care has said that they will not deal with cloth diapers, so I am really only looking at nights and weekends for this (unless I can convince day care to change their perspective...). Also, did I mention that my husband is not into this at all? If this trial can convince him, it should convince anyone. He thinks that afore-mentioned elephant is a deal breaker just thinking about it. My guy is 8 weeks today, about 12 lbs, and pretty tall, I think (his official stats from the pediatrician will be out next week).

After an hour with Beth (again, she was so patient with me!), to start we are trying one of each of the following:

Grow Via shell set
Thirsties duo (size one) + infant sized prefolds + snappi (or not)
BumGenius organic one size AIO (Elemental)
Rump-a-rooz G2 one size pocket