Try Cloth Diapers Risk Free

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Like Tweet

Missing my Diaper Sprayer

Earlier this month my family moved across country to join my husband in the city where he began a new job four weeks earlier. With a long two day drive between our old home and our new one, I admit that the thought of trying to cloth diaper during the transition was daunting. I would not have use of a washing machine and drier for an entire week, let alone have room in my packed minivan for my entire diaper stash. I ended up making the decision to use disposables for the move, and it all worked out well. However, after seven days in disposables, I was anxious to unpack Brendan’s fluff and start cloth diapering again. The same day our box of fluff came off the moving truck, I unpacked it and immediately began using it again.

I’ve been back on the cloth wagon for over a week now, but am doing so without the conveniences of one of my favorite cloth diaper accessories, my diaper sprayer. I did remember to unhook it from the toilet at the old house, but we haven’t had the opportunity to hook it up in our new home. Right now it is sitting under the sink in the boys bathroom, safely wrapped in moving paper (moving companies wrap virtually everything these days). Meanwhile, at every dirty diaper change I find myself sitting in front of the toilet doing the old dunk and swirl. For all you cloth diapering mommas who do this all the time, WOW – that’s dedication! I admit, after cloth diapering for a year and a half now, a poopy diaper doesn’t bother me, but I still feel somewhat disgusted when I’m actually dunking the diaper in the toilet. Furthermore, all the comments my husband makes about it doesn't help much either! All I can say is thank goodness for antibacterial hand soap!

To help contain some of the mess until we get the diaper sprayer installed again, I’ve been using Bummis Disposable Liners when I am expecting Brendan to make a messy diaper. Of course, the few times I skip the liner he seems to surprise me and makes such a mess I can’t help but wonder if there is nothing but poop inside my toddler! When I do use the liners, they don’t always catch all of the poop, but in most cases they catch enough to make the task of cleaning off the diaper a bit easier. Now if only I could accurately predict when those messy diapers would happen, but then again, if I could I suppose we’d be working on potty training. In the meantime, I really need to get that diaper sprayer hooked up again!

By Katrina W.

19 comments:

Diana said...

I've been CDing for almost a year, and am still longing for a sprayer! I don't dunk and swirl, I scrape with a spatula which can leave me pretty disgusted at times! I'm gonna have to revisit this as a purchase with DH, (or at least attempt to enlist his help at washing time :)

Minnie said...

We don't have a diaper sprayer but, I have hardly ever had to dunk a diaper into the toilet. We always dump the poo into the toilet (flushable or re-useable liners work great for this) and then any remaining yuck on the diaper is rinsed off in the sink. Then we roll up and squeeze out the diaper/insert and toss into the wet bag. Then I spray the sink down w/ my homemade disinfectant and we are done. I think its much easier and cleaner than dunking and swirling around in the toilet where everyone else goes potty.

Amanda G.

Megan said...

I can totally relate to this post. I honestly don't understand how people cloth diaper without sprayers. I'm at my parent's house for Christmas, and brought flushable liners. I'm hoping I don't have to dunk any diapers.

♥ Joanna said...

I am hoping/wishing/praying for Santa to deliver me a diaper sprayer!

WingedK said...

I had to laugh at Diana's comment about using the spatula! But now the more I think about it, that sounds like a pretty good idea! I have a sprayer and LOVE IT, but if it every breaks down, I might have to try the spatula trick!

Cari said...

I love my diaper sprayer! DH just made one and I don't know how I waited so long.

Kim said...

I'm pretty knew to cloth diapering and was up in the air about getting a diaper sprayer until I read your post. The description of dunking and swirling did it for me. I'll be placing an order soon.

Hannah said...

Once my little guy starts solids in the next months, I'm going to have to try out flushable liners, since I already have some. A sprayer would be my next solution to try.

Alesha @ Full Time Mama said...

I can't imagine cloth diapering without a sprayer! Hopefully it will be hooked up soon! Maybe for the holidays you should "ask" for that! LOL!

Yara said...

yes you need to hook up that sprayer!
I just got one last week, and I'm wondering how I lived without it before.
It's so nice to have : )

the monkeys' mama said...

I just bought a diaper sprayer but we're moving in a few weeks so i'm waiting to install it until then. I cannot wait to use it!!!!

Attila & Tamara said...

Ah, this is the strory of my life! We don't have a diaper sprayer yet and I have to admit the dunk and swirl is YUCKY!

Upstatemamma said...

The old piping in my house does not take well to the diaper sprayer. :( I don't really mind dunking in the toilet. I di mind while we were in Ethiopia. The toilets have less water and the toilets can only handle flushing once every ten minutes or so. It was interesting.

Jill said...

WE don't have one but could really use it sometimes. We're using the kleenex 'scrape' method with yucky messes from time to time. Not pleasant!

Christina said...

We're still doing the dunk & swirl method...and yes it is yucky! Originally I didn't feel I could justify spending the money on it, but I am definitely starting to rethink my position on that! One toddler was bad enough, but soon my 10 month old should hit the nasty poo stage and I don't think I want to be doing double the dunking.

The Howard Bunch said...

I received a diper sprayer for Christmas and I can't wait to use it!!

Emily said...

I toyed with the idea of getting a diaper sprayer but I don't really understand how it works - won't minute droplets spray out onto everything around me? Anyway. Once my boy went on solids I started using flushable liners. Pretty good deal there - still need to wipe occasionally on the outer edges or upper back area with TP when flushing to get what missed the liner. And, we discovered when in a pinch and no liners - bounty (or other) paper towels! Have to throw in can - no flushing - but actually hold more than the liners! A bit wasteful but better than a full disposable!

Arizona Girl said...

We don't own a sprayer. Everyone talks about how they couldn't live without theirs. I'd like one, but first things first.

Jessieee said...

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I didn't actually need a sprayer. My shower is right next to my toilet, and the removable showerhead reaches the toilet enough for me to spray off diapers! :)