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...).

What's in my cloth diaper 'stash'?

I do not particularly care for the term 'stash' popular in the cloth diaper world for your wardrobe of diapers, but that is what 'they' call it so... Also, know that I just picked up about 4 or 5 new diapers, and some new inserts in anticipation of our baby girl arriving in February. We got along perfectly fine with about 26 diapers (4 of which were overnight pockets... plus our prefolds and fitteds for backup) until M was potty training.

Also see below for a little crash course in the different types of diapers used for cloth diapering.

So, in case you want to know what we have on hand...

All-in-One's (AIO) - one piece, literally, so this is as close to the disposable experience as you can get. This one blew the mind of our daycare director when we first brought up cloth diapering...

BumGenius Elemental (7-39 lb) - 9 (Clementine, White, Grasshopper, Butternut, Noodle, Sweet, Twilight, Albert, artist series blue)

BumGenius Freetime (8-35 lb) - 2 (snap, Albert & Blossom)

Tots Bots Easyfit ('old' version, aplix, 8-35 lb) - 4 (orange, green apple, cosmo, teal )

Swaddlebees One Size Simplex (10-35 lb)- 2 (swirls, tweets)

GroVia Organic One Size (10-35+lbs)- 4 (vanilla, airplanes, trees/birds, teal)

Thirsties Duo - 1 (aplix, size 2, 18-40 lb, Scottish storm)
Ragababe 'Easy' All In One - 2 (size S, 9-20 lb, pink leopard; size L , 23-40+lb, Pinwheel)

All-in-Two's (AI2) - a two-piece system of a cover that can be reused before washing (if not soiled, can be aired out if wet) several times by changing a (usually snap-in, proprietary) insert.

SoftBums Echo (6-35 lb) - 2 (yellow Aliens, Pink giraffe)

GroVia - shell (aplix, "birth to potty" for weight - blackberry) + 2 stay-dry soakers (we lost one of these diapers very early on - it was thrown away by accident... but it was in the cutest bird pattern that is now discontinued... :(  It had the organic cotton soaker, and I didn't care for how crunchy it was starting to get...)
little gPants (Medium, 13-28 lb.) - 1 (graceful rose)

Pockets - a two (or more) piece system of a cover that cannot be reused until washed because the insert(s) goes inside a fabric tunnel in the diaper.

Little Bee Co Bee Changed Microsuade (8-35 lb) - 1 (Mexican Sol)

Rump a rooz G2 One Size (6.5-35 lb)- 3 (aplix - rootbeer, platinum, lazy lime - the dog ate one of these we had in white...)

Kawaii Goodnight Heavy Wetter One-Size (8-36 lb) - 1 (black/white cow)

GoGreen Champ (6-45 lb) - 1 (toady)

Total: 31 diapers

PLUS....

Prefolds - the 'old school' diapers many of us know to be burp cloths nowadays

Unbleached Indian prefolds - (3 infant, up to 15 lb; 6 Premium, 15-35 lb)

Snappi (3)

Fitted - a self-closing diaper that is not waterproof, so requires that a cover go over it.

Thirsties Fab Fitted - 1 (size two, 18-40 lb., mango)

Ecoposh Recycled Oraganic OneSize (6-35 lb) - 1 (ginger)

Covers - PUL - the waterproof layer that goes over a non-waterproof diaper, like a prefold, flat, or fitted.

Thirsties Cover (size x-small 6-12 lb. , baby bird lavender)

Thirsties Duo Wrap (size 1,  6-18 lb - mango, size 2, 18-40 lb., ocean blue and meadow green)

Covers - Wool -  the waterproof (seems crazy, i know, but sheep stay dry in Ireland, right?) layer that goes over a non-waterproof diaper, like a prefold, flat, or fitted.

Sustainablebabyish Knit Wool Cover - 1 (Large, 30+ lbs, falcon)

Swim Diapers - basically just a diaper cover, usually with a mesh layer closest to skin and gussets. All that's required of a swim diaper, disposable or cloth, is that it contains poop. Even if you aren't into cloth diapering, save a TON of $$ using these instead of disposable swim diapers!!
iPlay Swim Diaper - 2 (Medium, 18-22 lb.,  white)
Swimmi by Bummis - 2 (Large, 22-30 lb, turtles and clownfish)

Extra Inserts - for boosting absorbancy in a standard-from-the-manufacturer diaper. Especially handy for nighttime and napping.

Thirsties Fab Doublers

Rump a Rooz (hemp and microfiber, two sets each)

Little Bee Co (hemp)

other - i've forgotten how these others turned up... but i seem to have about 4 extra, plain, microfiber inserts...

Liners - for keeping moisture from touching baby, especially for diapers without a microfleece layer closest to baby (including prefolds). The disposable version are a big help in dealing with poop, especially in what I call 'stage 2' - beginning solid food.

microfleece - 4

disposable bummis biosoft (small)
disposable Tweedlebugs (small)

WetBag - handy for storing dirty diapers (and their smell) until you get home to your diaper pail. I like wet/dry bags to keep the clean ones in one side, dirty in the other. Also handy for bringing home wet/dirty clothes for kids, grownups, and after the pool/beach. A must for transporting such things home from daycare.
Planet Wise wet/dry bag - 2 (Meadow tweets & lime cocoa bean)
Planet Wise pail liner - 1 (white)

Cream - you need to use a cloth-diaper-safe cream. Sadly, A&D and Desitin are not cloth-safe. But coconut oil is (yes, next to the olive oil at Trader Joe's) and is preferred by many.
CJ's BUTTer (Irish Tweed, Lavendar, Bluberry Crumble)
Lansinoh lanolin (not for babies - for me... and for lanolizing wool)

Wipes - you can use cloth wipes just as you can use cloth diapers. Up until now, I admit that I haven't really started using these... I just felt like they would get more poop into our wash, but I wanted to try them with Baby Sister on the way, thinking of cutting up a few receiving blankets we have and don't need, too.
Green Elephant Co - 6
baby washcloths
Seventh Generation & Honest (disposable, yes, but they are what we use!)

Detergent - most manufacturers recommend that you use a detergen they approve of. For a long time I used All Free & Clear, but eventually moving in with hard water made me change my strategy. I also found a detergent that can be used for stripping diapers - for a periodic deep clean.
Rockin' Green
Mighty Bubbles (stripping treatment, do even one more rinse than they suggest... just for good measure, and don't overfill the washer!!)
free samples for traveling (seriously, whenever you buy from your favorite retailer always check to see if you qualify for a free sample of detergent! They are so convenient to pack for travel. I tend not to be picky about brand on this, as they are all cloth diaper safe, and washing in something different every now and then probably helps prevent build up, right?

Training Pants
Honest Training Pants (eco disposable, but for now we are using these as we potty train for naps and nightime)
Gerber Training Pants - 12 pair (3T, white and boy patterns)

... starting on a tangent at this point... potty training is a whole other topic!!


QUESTION: I added the weight ranges that the manufacturers claim their diapers will fit (so I remember when to break them out for Baby Sister), but I am skeptical at a few claims... can anyone attest to the lower weight ranges of any of these?

QUESTION: Which of these would you like to see reviewed first? I have already reviewed the elemental since its the one we have the most of in our 'stash', though not necessarily our favorite.

Review of the BumGenius Elemental

Overall rating: 4/5 stars.
The bumGenius Elemental is our workhorse diaper, mainly because it makes up the bulk of our stash and seems to be one of the easiest to grab, since its all one piece. It's also a pretty good option for grandparents and daycare and husbands, but they all have to have a few tips on getting the right fit (see below).

This is a one-size diaper, which means it will fit your baby from about 10 lbs to 35+ lbs. BumGenius claims a range of 7-35 lbs. I can't speak to the low end, since our guy didn't start wearing cloth until he was three months old and well past 7 lbs. However, he's now 33 lbs, and has plenty of room to grow.

The many combinations for rise and waist settings help get a good fit. Before hitting toddlerhood we were on the highest rise, and I was concerned we would outgrow these, but he has since slimmed down and we are on the medium rise again and still have plenty of snaps on the sides, too. There aren't any gussets, so its key to make sure there is no gaping at the legs. Also, you do have to take care to make sure all the cotton at the legs is rolled inside the diaper or you will get wicking (meaning the wet fabric will touch baby's clothes and get them wet, even if the diaper isn't full). The elastic in the back keeps in what disposables typically wouldn't with an explosion.

This diaper is really trim! Another mom once commented about just how trim they looked in jeans! In all honesty, though, a one-size diaper will be bulkier when your child is on the smaller weight range. The extra fabric that is folded under or otherwise hidden when in the smallest setting does take up space, and for a while we just sized up our little one's pants. But now he is in his regular size and these don't take up any more space than a disposable.

The Elemental does take a while to dry, and I have found that no amount of time in the dryer will really get it all the way dry in the seams where the inner is sewn in. Our general routine is one cycle in our (gas) dryer, and then hung up to dry outside for a day. This does mean they are out of commission until after the obligatory drying period, but this doesn't cramp our routine style, since we have about a day's extra worth of diapers in our rotation.

This diaper comes in a wide range of solid colors (half pastel, lighter colors, and half more vibrant options) and a only a few patterns at this time (but the Albert pattern is worth having in your stash even if you want to just try this diaper).

This isn't the cheapest diaper out there, but its pretty typically priced for an AIO (all-in one) at $24.99. Again, they fit for a solid two years, and my estimate (while there are other things to consider, I use a rule of thumb that a disposable diaper is about 23 cents, and that you would use a cloth diaper about twice a week) is that they pay for themselves in about a year.

Pros - easy (nothing to figure out for dads, grandparents and daycare - most like a disposable)
Cons - take care getting a good fit around leg openings, takes a while to get dry, especially near where the inner is sewn in.

Use for daycare: 4.5/5 - have to have good communication with them about getting the fit right, and the edges rolled in.

Daddy rating: 4/5 stars - "These could be better if they had the velcro of my favorite diaper [TotsBots EasyFit]. I really like the all-in-one part, though."




Front view: unsnapped (highest rise setting)

Inside

Front view: medium rise setting

On a 31 lb, 37" tall toddler (24 mos)

On a 31 lb, 37" tall toddler (24 mos)

Current Nighttime Diaper Fix

So here is the epilogue to our nighttime diapering dilemma in this previous post:

So far the new setup has worked. I would still like to add a staydry/fleece liner just so the wetness isn't against his skin all night, but he is comfortable enough to stay asleep all night!

I got a comment that this seems 'complicated'. Well, it certainly has been trial and error, but I am not sure its any different from figuring out how much coffee makes the perfect pot in a new coffeemaker? And in comparison to using a disposable, even one specifically designed for nighttime, they didn't hold in all the wetness either, and M woke up with wet jammies and little gel beads all over his diaper area.

Hopefully this suggestion saves you some time in your trial and error process!

Oh - the best thing about this 'new' set up is that I already had all the parts! I highly recommend having a cover or two, and some prefolds (we have six) on hand for backup. They are always the fastest drying and are very versatile. [I have a friend whose son needed several days to recover from a terrible diaper rash due to illness. While at home, she would put a prefold on him with just a snappi, so that he could still get air circulating, but not make a mess.]

So here are the details:



all the 'ingredients': a Thirsties duo wrap, an indian prefold, both inserts from a Rump a Rooz pocket, plus a bamboo insert.



Step 1, looks just like how I'd put together a prefold/cover combo (usually i am lazy and skip the snappi, and just tuck the prefold into the cover, folded just like this)



I snap together both of the Rump a rooz microfiber inserts. then I double over the bamboo insert and situate it toward the snaps, which I'll put towards the front of the diaper... which is where most of our wetness occurs...



I can't even add up the total layers of absorbency here! This combo is just tall enough that the gussets on the cover cover the insides. If they didn't we might still have a leak issue through any open gaps.



Top view. um... i think my diapers need some sunning... hope this isn't a turn-off for future cloth-diaper-ers!



Whether you cloth diaper or not... find a cloth diaper retailer near you!

borrowed from Granola Babies' Facebook page - thanks!

If you are expecting or just received I highly recommend seeking out a cloth diaper retailer near you...

And I don't even want you to buy a cloth diaper there!

I was recently emailing with a friend who happens to be interested in cloth diapering her bun-in-the-oven, and mid-epistle, I thought, "She should just go to a cloth diapering store and ask them... better yet ask the moms that hang out for those mommy groups... more importantly go to a mommy group!"

Having your first baby is hard! And I don't mean the labor and delivery (that is a whole different post). I mean there is a blissful week or two where you are running on adrenaline and being super mom and dad dynamic duo. Your new baby has barely realized he is outside the womb and is so content. You go see a movie (yes, really, do that) and go to a trendy restaurant for whatever meal occurs at 3PM because you've just remembered to eat. Yay, parenting is easy! Then Hubby goes back to work and Grandma goes home and you are there with junior all. day. long. One on one.

Its awesome and its overwhelming. You had all these plans of all these things you were going to do while home with him, but somehow you can never even make it out the door! Insert mommy group here. I don't mean meeting up at the playground with a tight knit group and drink Starbucks while the kiddos dig in the sand. You are not there yet. I mean a place you can go where there are other moms at your very same overwhelmed stage, and some a few weeks or months ahead of you who can offer sage advice. And you'll feel like everybody knows your name.

This is the place where you can practice trying to be somewhere on time, with all the required supplies. Because if you are 'late' no one will mind. You will want a place to practice breastfeeding in public (even if that's not the route you're going, they probably won't mind extra's!). You will want to know its OK if your baby cries in public (hubby and I used to be mortified by M's tiny wails... ) and that tiny baby cries are nothing compared to the bigger varieties. You will want to know how exactly other moms do it... and survive in general. You will want to ask the occasional question and be comforted by others' questions and enjoy being around grown ups (that don't mind talking about poop all the time and have spit up on their clothes, too). You will want to come every week... at least...

Here is another post I wrote about the fabulousness of Mommy Groups.

And here are some resources to find one near you:
La Leche League there are meetings held all over the world, and there is bound to be one near you and at a convenient time... and probably in a cloth diaper store, but I also went to one that was in the cafe area of a grocery store, and one that was in a church meeting space.
BumGenius (they are probably the most popular cloth diaper retailer, so any brick and mortar store that carries cloth diapers, probably carries theirs... and probably also offers mommy groups. )
The hospital/birthing center where you gave birth or saw your doctor - the usually offer lots of prenatal classes, and many offer ways to connect with other new moms after giving birth, too (see... there is science behind this mommy group idea)

Google it. I bet you will find one. In fact, I have a friend in Virginia who swears there is never anything fancy going on in her town and there is a cloth diaper store that, in fact, has mommy groups. I just checked :)

Can I get an AMEN on mommy groups?

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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.