Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: What to Send to Daycare?

Thanks for asking, " What kind of diapers do you send to daycare?"

I have all kinds of diapers, but only so many total, so I eventually have to send whatever I have on hand. However, when they are all clean and I can choose here is what I like to pack in baby's bag:

1. AI2's - these are my favorite diaper to use, period, at the moment, but I really like them for daycare because at school they function as an AIO (see #2), but at home, I can just snap out in the inners and snap in new ones. Boom. Ready to go for the next day. [This is for wet diapers. Poop diapers usually require that the cover be washed, too]

my favorites: Grovia hybrid AI2s, Softbums Echo

2. AIO's -  these are all one piece and function most like a regular disposable diaper. I feel like this makes the transition for my baby's caregivers easier (the are changing lots of other disposables over the course of the day) and there is nothing to get lost or confused. They are also easy for me on the back end to just toss in the wetbag at home or wash.

my favorites: BG Freetimes, Grovia AIO, Thirsties AIO, Swaddlebees Simplex AIO (one size).

3. Pockets - I send these when all the other options are dirty. I think pockets are bulky for daytime and kind of a pain. At home, I prefer a prefold/cover combo to pockets. But I think they are easier than prefolds at daycare, so occasionally I'll send these.

my favorites: little bee co (love their mission!), Rumparooz

What else I send:

cloth-safe diaper cream - i only send a sample-sized jar. my kids don't seem to use much, and i am sure to give her a good slather in the morning with her first diaper. I can easily refill the small jar from my bigger one at home. But I think its fine to send whatever kind you prefer (spray, etc.) as long as its cloth safe. I like CJ's BUTTer (especially in the Irish Tweed scent!).

a wet bag - actually we send a medium sized wet/dry bag that seems to hold 4 or 5 diapers. We take it home each day with the dirties and send it back the next day with clean-ies. We have two of these in rotation (and 1 large bag at home to collect all the diapers until wash day). I like the ones from Planet Wise.

back up disposable diapers - I think this serves three purposes. a) there are extra special days where my baby goes through more than the 6 diapers I send (especially when teething!) and these are easy to just keep at school so I can make sure most of my diapers are in regular rotation. b) the kids get to do special art projects sometimes and school, and usually are only in a diaper or have on a smock. event though the materials are usually washable, I'd rather risk a 'sposie just in case. But also c) I think it lets the teachers know I am not THAT crazy (no offense to anyone that disagrees with me!) that I think disposable diapers are the devil (however the disposables I do send are eco-friendly... (and these Honest diapers are SUPER cute).

* when baby starts having solid bowel movements, you may choose to use disposable diaper liners (I like the smaller version of these TweedleBugs brand). If so, I recommend you pre-line the diapers you send with them. The goal is to make this process as easy as possible on the caregivers as we want their attention on the right things (safety, etc of all babies in the room).

What I DON'T send:

prefolds/flats + covers (unless I put one on as the first diaper of the day at home. Beware of the snappi though. We've been skipping it lately, but I know it can be tricky for those who aren't familiar with it, and I have seen little cuts occur with them). As I said, I really like to use these at home, but I don't think they are a good fit for daycare.

regular diaper cream. NOT EVER. Unless you have a really bad diaper rash or your doctor has prescribed it (in which case you are using disposables along with it), just don't even go there and let there be confusion about what to use with your cloth diapers. Regular diaper cream can ruin cloth.

Side note, some feedback from the occasional "grandma-care" is that she prefers velcro diapers because the snaps are harder for her to work with and hurt her hands.

A great cloth-diapers-in-daycare resource: http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/daycare/tip-sheet.php

* this post contains affiliate links *

One Hot Mama Challenge - Month 1 Week 2

Month 1, Week 2: Money Talks

toddler's version of our 'gulf fish in papillote'

We decided to keep M in preschool during my maternity leave. Well actually, it was more a given between us - we never considered not keeping him there. Even though I am only partially paid for some of my time off (we can cover this hot topic later...) I wanted to give Baby Sister my full attention, realistically be able to take naps if I need them, and really take the time to go to things like a lactation group and Mommy and Me Yoga. We were fortunate enough to have some savings to help us keep covering the cost of daycare (and the regular bills) during my time off.

This week's focus in One Hot Mama is coming to terms with your new budget, be it temporary or permanent, and all the ways this might come into play.

Of course, when you aren't working, you're pretty much spending money (why does it seem there is no middle ground?) So, I wanted to get a good jogging stroller, a key to making a work out, and even just getting out of the house, more realistic. But I couldn't come to terms with a $600 price tag, especially when we already had strollers that technically worked just fine for their purpose. So I found the one I wanted gently used on Craigslist and saved half.

I mentioned my weekly meal planning before in regards to saving my sanity and time during the week, but it helps in the $$ department, too! Having a plan for our groceries keeps wasted food to a minimum. I find that meat is the priciest item in our food budget, so planning at least one meatless meal per week helps here. Also I can plan to split meat between meals, like using half a rotisserie chicken for Monday's meal, and the other half later in the week, or buying a bulk package of ground beef, etc. and doing the same. Feel free to look at some of my weekly menus by clicking on the recipe key word on the side.

If a class at the gym or a Stroller Strides group isn't in your budget, you can still get some good, regimented fitness. The book gives a suggested workout schedule for a full three months, that allows you the flexibility to choose what you like to do (for example, one day's prescription is '30 min walk, 20 min jog, or cardio class at the gym'). I downloaded a Free 'Couch to 5k' app on my phone that gives me three walk-to-run workouts per week, and even gives audio cues on when to start/stop running, and can incorporate music from my own phone. Additionally, Erin's book gives some great strength and yoga routine ideas. I even started to dig up my old workout DVDs that I haven't seen in a year!!

Some of my favorites:
Yoga for Surfers, Peggy Hall
Postnatal Rescue, Erin O'Brien (has some gentle stretches you can do as soon as you get home from the hospital)
The Biggest Winner series, Jillian Michaels
Yogini Workout, Ellen Barrett

Erin gives some other examples of what she thinks are worth splurging for - and how you can set a goal to get the cash for them.

Erin is graciously giving away a *FREE* signed copy of her book - for a chance to win it, answer this question -

*** Question: What ways have you made room in your budget for your new addition? ***

Find the other One Hot Mama posts here.

Potty Training Progression

The convenience of the travel potty seat!!
This is in the back of our car!

I've been trying to record some notes from our potty training saga. This is rather lengthy, but I want to share it with you to demonstrate that I think potty training is very much a process. For us we made little steps forward a bit at a time, and with each one I would still say we are training (and are today, since he wears a diaper for naps and bedtime), but more and more I would say we are 'mostly trained'.

So:

When M was about 20 months (May, 2012) we bought a plush potty seat, just to try, just in case, and happened to notice his poop face, and got lucky, every now and then. But then something happened and the potty became intimidating for a while. We were frequently declined when we offered him the chance to go, even though he clearly had to go, and was uncomfortable in poopy diapers, and refused to sit in a high chair or carseat when soiled.

Around 23 months (July), I actually got a yes one morning when I asked if he wanted to sit on the potty. Given his recent pattern, I knew I was going to change a poopy diaper before we left for school, and I was dying to avoid it. And we indeed caught it!! In the freestanding grown up potty. I rewarded this with the first thing I thought of and happened to have on hand: chocolate covered pretzels. The kid probably would have gone for more healthy REGULAR pretzels, or even stickers... But this started a trend I was afraid to mess with. For the next two weeks he was doing his morning business on the potty with only one exception.

Even on our weekend trip to LegoLand (September). We took a travel potty with us, and carried the removable seat around with us when we were out and about, just in case.

The next weekend (October) was a long weekend, and we decided to give the 3-day method a try. Sort of. I couldn't bring myself to really stay home for 3 days straight, without leaving. We went out some, but mostly he wore big boy underwear at home. This was they key to getting pees regularly in the potty (as prior to this we were only catching his daily poo). He finally figured out it was OK to pee in the potty, and we were much more successful.

The Tuesday after the long weekend, we told school, and they agreed to be more vigilant and encouraging, and added him to the list of potty-goers. He went 3 times that day (where previously he's declined or sat with no results)!

The next week we went on vacation, across the country, and he actually made significant progress!! We visited all the bathrooms in the airports and planes and restaurants and friends' houses, again mostly with the handy travel potty seat. On our day traveling back, he stayed dry all day!

His first day back to school he had a couple of wet diapers, but also lots if successes! The next day he was dry all day and they asked if we could send in underwear or pull-ups! I couldn't bring myself to send in Pull Ups, since we'd been using cloth diapers for so long. So we did send in several pair of underwear and lots of extra pants. And we kept offering the potty at home (especially before we left for things) and on the weekends. Only going through 3 diapers per day!

A couple weeks later (November), he finally started going to school in big boy underwear full time (gerber training pants). He still had about one accident per day. That weekend we went to an event outside the house in underwear ( to see Thomas the Train)! He had one accident while there (he was too busy playing with toy trains they had set up to come get us for a potty break), but was not a big deal at all. we have used hardly any diapers this whole weekend. M started getting blisters on his birdie, so we switched to disposables and night/nap time :( Got to use our portable potty in the back of the car before heading home...

During the next month (December) he twice stopped playing all on his own, went into the bathroom, raised the seat, moved the step stool, pulled down his pants and went all by himself, without even telling us! He was already at little wet and needed new underwear and pants but... yay! Once, Daddy and I snuck up outside the bathroom and when he turned around we cheered. He was SO PROUD of himself.

After traveling home for the holidays (Jan 2013), I think we had some regression. could be partly due to the shifting schedule, or the excitement of all the new toys, or the lack of schedule until school started again. Either way, for a day or two every potty opportunity was an accident. Then just a few accidents. And when he started at his new school, he had one accident per day, all three days, and on the weekend, only in the evening. By the next week, he was staying dry all day. whew.

***Mostly we find that accidents happen when WE forget to ask. I found that being pregnant helped me remember to invite him to go with me during each of the many visits I was making. And something my mom said really made me relax about it though and feel like we are 'there'. I was telling her that we still have some accidents and she said, 'Oh hon, you'll have that 'til he's 5...' and I thought, 'OK, maybe he's pretty trained then.'***

It is only recently (Feb, 2013) that he reliably tells us when he needs to go, with enough time to get there, and can actually hold it until he's made it.

- All of this said, look for another post with the summary of what I think has worked best for us. - 

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)

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?!

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom: in action

So I realized that I have left you hanging in the saga of the Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom:

When I last posted (about 10 months ago), I mentioned that daycare was warming up to cloth diapers. The director called me back 2 weeks later and said she had checked in with their sister location to get the skinny on cloth diapers in the daycare setting. She said also that the director there told her how cool and "modern" cloth diapers have gotten. Even they can't resist the cuteness.



PlanetWise Wet/Dry bag
(via PlanetWiseInc.com)

It turns out that all we needed to do was provide a place to keep the soiled ones, "double-sealed," and take said dirty diapers home every day. For us this meant we would buy a plastic container a little bigger than a shoebox (like this one, but with a handle, which seems convenient, though we don't really carry it around ever). We would also get a wet/dry bag (we use one from PlanetWise), which we bring empty every day and keep it in the plastic container at school, and then bring the full bag home at the end of the day and empty into our pail in the nursery (or right in the washer, if it is diaper-washing day). And I also bring a fresh load of diapers a couple of times a week.
Of course there were some issues, too: they were worried about space in the classroom. The plastic container is stored on a shelf behind a locked cabinet (it was required that dirties be stored out of reach of babies) where there just happened to be extra space. Since each child has an allotted amount of space to keep their diapers, extra clothes, etc., if all the kids wanted to do cloth diapers, there just wouldn't be enough space. However, we have since changed daycares (for a totally unrelated reason) and they just ask us to keep the box outside a door that opens to a courtyard (side note here, too: when we previously asked our current daycare about cloth diapering before our baby was born, they'd said no, but by the time we transferred over they didn't bat an eyelash at our question).

Another drawback to cloth diapering full time is that there are more opportunities to forget stuff. We no longer just bring in a jumbo pack of diapers and wipes and forget about it for a few weeks. I have to keep tabs on how many clean ones are left each day, and wash when I need to. If I forget, we keep a handful of disposables there, too, for backup. However, I no longer have to work in a trip to the store on a school night, or have an emergency order shipped to the house, stat. I just do a load of laundry.



How clean diapers are stored at daycare
(via ClothDiaperBlog.com)



Now that our boy is 1, he seems to use fewer per day, which means our bare bones "stash" (I'll elaborate on this in a future post exactly what our working stash contains) lets us just wash on Wednesday and Sunday. It isn't recommended to go much longer between washings, since the dirty diapers can start to mold.

A short time after we started using cloth I started noticing another little box next to ours on the shelf at school, and another basket stuffed with candy-colored diapers. Yay!

Of course We still use some disposables. As I mentioned, we keep 5-6 as backup at daycare. They are so infrequently used, however, that I just noticed this week that they are a size behind what he currently would wear. I was checking, because we had brought in disposables that day, because M was going to spend an extended weekend with his grandparents, and would be using disposables with them. They feel more comfortable with it, the visit was longer than a fully clean stash would last, and I didn't want to worry them with washing instructions.

PS. I don't want to scare you that I haven't posted in 10 months because cloth diapering is so overwhelming :) At a friend's suggestion, I decided to follow up where I'd left off!

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...