Second Time's a Charm

My name is Erin and I live in sunny Florida with my hubby and two little lovelies: Leonard (nearly 3) and Isabela (20 months).  I am a SAHM and a full-time Elementary Education student as well.  I am also the author of a little blog called The Hesitant Domestic.  I blog about everything under the sun, but mostly crafting, faith, and healthy living.

My first experience with cloth diapering was when I was pregnant with my son and I got it in my head that I really wanted to cloth diaper.  I wanted to find an affordable option so I purchased a prefold kit from Bummis.  Once my son finally got here, I kinda freaked out about using the cloth diapers.  He was a few weeks old when we started with them and I was completely unsure about the fit, how I put them on, would they work right, were they comfortable, etc.  They seemed so bulky on him and I just didn’t know what to do.  Being the only person in my group of friends who cloth diapered and with no one to ask for help, I sold them on Craigslist and continued on with sposies feeling pretty defeated.

When I was pregnant with my daughter I was really fortunate to be a part of a really great mommy message board and it seemed as though many of the moms were going to be cloth diapering their babies.  With the thought of buying sposies for TWO babies looming over my head, I figured some serious research was in order.  I would no longer be working once my daughter was born and anywhere we could save money would be a good thing.  After much research, questions, I tried out a couple used Haute Pockets from a mom on my message board, I was HOOKED!

I am not going to lie, cloth diapering two children is NOT easy at first, especially when you are just starting out and building a stash.  I didn’t have a ton of money to buy fancy diapers so we bought a lot of Kawaii pockets.   I really love them and recommend frequently to CD newbies.  We also use Bumgenius pockets and I even bought some prefolds and covers as a desperate attempt to expand our CD supply on the cheap.  I actually LOVE my prefolds now and am so thankful for a little contraption called the Snappi!  It’s a little overwhelming at first, but after a month or so you get the hang of it.

Here are some tips for the mommy with two bums (or more, yikes!) in fluff.

• Build a stash.  You will be doing laundry every single day if you don’t have an adequate stash.  My kids were a bit older when we got started so they weren’t going through a ton of diapers a day so we were able to get by with a stash of 50 diapers, maybe a bit more.  Decide how many you use a day for each child and multiply by 2 or 3.  That’s how many you will need.  We had to CD part time for a little while to build a stash, but it still made a huge difference.
• Keep up with the wash!  Nothing worse than 5 days worth of stinky diapers.  I washed every 3 days when mine I had two in cloth.  Try not to stress about all the stuffing, just separate the pockets from the inserts and be on your way if you are too busy.
• Try prefolds!  Even if they scare you now, give them a shot once you are comfortable in your routine.  They are cheap and so much easier to use than you think!  Plus, no STUFFING!
• Get connected!  Keep up with blogs, message boards and websites where you can learn from other CDing moms and get tips and encouragement.  

Now that I only have one in diapers, it’s a breeze!  My stash is half the size and while I still wash every 3 days (it’s just a good idea to prevent stinkies) they are much smaller loads.  Cloth diapering has been such a special experience that I am a little sad that my daughter is starting to show signs of wanting to potty train!  What will I do with no fluff?!?!  I guess I will just have to keep spreading the word and hopefully help other mommies choose fluff.

Second Time's a Charm

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Keeping Me On My Toes

I started cloth diapering over 10 months ago.  My children were about 6 months old and 30 months old when we switched.  We started with prefolds and covers, and we got some hemp for over nights and pockets for my husband/errands.  Within two months, we were using cloth 99% of the time.  And within another two months, I only had one in diapers as my daughter decided to finally potty train (herself).  Life got easy – I had a routine, and things were working great. 

Then one day I decided to strip our hemp and prefolds because they were starting to smell.  It took longer than I thought, so I just used two microfiber inserts at night and hoped for the best.  And well, I learned he didn’t even need that.  I had noticed the prefold/hemp combination hadn’t been completely soaked before, but I was afraid to try less.  And having to use two microfiber at night proved to me he didn’t need all that stuffing.  So, I got to try some new options.  I settled on Econobums at night if I was changing, and a bumGenius 4.0 or KaWaii pocket stuffed with an Econobum prefold if my husband had our son that night.  I was actually happy about this.  It meant I got to use the hemp and more pockets during the day.  They are cuter than our covers and are trimmer.  All was going well, and I had a new routine.

And then I ordered some flats.  We are expecting #3 this summer, and I knew these would be great for the baby.  I also thought that would be good for a trimmer option to prefolds for our son.  The first day went fine.  I had to remember to change more often, but it wasn’t a huge deal.  I expected this since I had a few less layers of cotton on him.  Then came the second day – a day I learned my son had changed his habits!  I first put him in a flat with a Snappi.  My plan was to change him about an hour later, just before we went to church.  Within 20 to 30 minutes, there was a puddle!  He had leaked straight through the flat on to the floor.  I thought it was just because I hadn’t used a cover.  So, I snappied another flat on him and put a cover on top.  Less than 45 minutes later, he had leaked.  I thought he might have sat in something (like water from the bath tub since he likes to pour water on the floor).  But, by the time we got to church, it was clear that he had soaked the flat.  I changed him into his hemp pocket, and thought we were through with leaks.  Less than 3 hours later, he was leaking again!  The hemp combination had lasted us at least 4 hours in the past (when we are out and about without a good spot to change him). 

On the way home from church, I started thinking.  His night time diaper hadn’t been soaked.  But, he hadn’t drunk too much in the afternoon.  Instead, he drank a bunch that morning.  He was becoming more like his sister – able to drink two sippy cups of milk or water in a short period of time.  This is what had made her a heavy wetter, and now he is following in her footsteps.  So, now I have to rethink all of my diapering again.  I have to “monitor” his drinking and consider that when I diaper him.  On normal days, I can go with one flat pad folded for two to three hours.  I can go with a hemp insert for 3-4 hours.  But, other days I know I need to “double up” on his stuffing.

The challenge can be fun, but sometimes it is just easier to “overstuff” just in case!

By Stephanie U
Stephanie is a soon-to-be mom of three, all under the age of 4 years old.  She switched to cloth diapers of money reasons, and now is addicted to them.

Keeping Me On My Toes

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Dealin' With Diaper Rash

Diaper rash is one of the worst things in my opinion when it comes to diapering.  I’m willing to bet there are other moms out there who are frustrated with diaper rashes also, and as a fellow cloth diaper-er I wanted to share a few tips.

First off, my experience with diaper rash has been extensive.  My middle child, and now youngest also, are wheat-gluten intolerant (still going through inconclusive tests for Celiac disease).  There are diaper rashes, and then there are allergy diaper rashes.  You’re dealing with a whole other monster.  The rashes with our oldest lasted almost an entire year while we tried to find the culprit.

Whenever either of my children ingest a wheat or gluten product, there is massive diarrhea within 24 hours, and a large open blistering rash follows, usually with the first awful diaper.  Most people  can’t believe we choose to cloth diaper through diarrhea…but honestly it helps SO much.
 
We don’t have the “up the back” blowouts with our diapers, especially our bumGenius 3.0s.  It all stays contained nicely.  Using our own cloth wipes and homemade wipe solution saves money as we go through many in a short amount of time.  Our house also doesn’t stink (take your average stinky diaper and multiply it by 10 for an allergy diaper) because we use our diaper sprayer to put the entire stinky mess down the toilet, not into the trash.

Another thing we love about using cloth diapers is when the rash is so bad it starts to bleed (about day 2) we put on a flat or a pre-fold with a snappi and no cover.  They breathe nicely while still protecting our furniture/carpet.  As soon as they are wet/dirty we can tell and change them.  Nothing sits on their skin more than a few seconds.  This also helps dry the rash out so it can heal faster. 
A lukewarm bath with lots of baking soda in the bottom of the tub/sink helps heal them up.  We use Grandma El’s diaper cream after to help protect the rash area.  It smells nice and does a decent job protecting them.

Although we hate to do it, and it is hard to admit, there are times when we have to use disposables.  I know, I know.  Their rashes have gotten bad enough though that we have to put prescription cream on them because of infection.  Our diapers are an investment and I do not recommend using any diaper cream on your cloth that isn’t CD friendly.  Even with Grandma El’s we use a disposable liner to help protect the build-up on our diapers.  Along with that, we do what is medically necessary for them-bleeding blistered bottoms are nothing to mess with.
 
Thankfully our two year old is now potty trained and has learned to not eat every little thing he can get his hands on!  But now we’re starting the journey all over again with our 11 month old.  We’re just so glad we have cloth diapers and CD accessories to help us get through!

By Jenney
Jenney is a home daycare provider and mommy of three.  She has been cloth diapering since October, 2008.  www.thedraystoday.blogspot.com

Dealin' With Diaper Rash

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The Magical Material of Hemp

When I first though about cloth diapering, I looked into all my options – I checked out prefolds, flats, pockets, all-in-ones, fitted, covers, liners, and more.  I loved the idea of using prefolds or flats and covers but I was not in love with the Indian prefolds I checked out – it seemed a little too bulky for me.  Thankfully, someone suggested I look into hemp – I was fortunate to have a local diaper service here in Charlotte that had organic hemp flats as an option for weekly delivery and she gladly brought some over so I could check them out.  Up to that point, I had heard a little about hemp but had no idea what an important role it would play in my cloth diaper routine. 

Hemp has become such a popular choice in cloth diapering for a variety of reasons.  I initially chose to use hemp because it seemed far trimmer than comparably sized cotton prefolds.  I quickly learned that the trimness did not at all limit its absorption – in fact, hemp is far more absorbent than its cotton counterparts.  Estimates are that hemp can be three times to seven times more absorbent than cotton!  Hemp is also a more sustainable crop than cotton – it grows quickly on less land and requires little or no pesticides or herbicides.   This is a win-win for me!

I began my journey with hemp using Willow Sprout organic hemp flats and Babykicks hemp flats secured with a Snappi and covered with a Bummis Super Whisper Wrap or Thirsties Duo Wrap cover.  The combination worked great for my little guy during the day.  However, as my baby got bigger and slept longer, I needed a better nighttime solution than a hemp flat and a cover.   I started using pocket diapers at night – mainly Bumgenius or Fuzzibunz – but that wasn’t doing the trick either.  Hemp to the rescue… I took my hemp flat, folded it in half and stuffed it in the pocket as a doubler.  Perfect.  This worked so well but I kept a lookout for other hemp doubler options that might be a little less bulky.  I found that there were a variety of hemp doublers and inserts available so I began to try them out.  Hemp Babies Diaper Doublers provided a smaller alternative for stuffing into my BG or Fuzzibunz pocket.  These doublers are super thin – I could even add two – and they don’t add much bulk to the diaper at all. 

As my 7 pound baby tripled in size and became a 21 pound, five month old monster, I decided to test out hemp flats folded in half and used in a Flip cover.  Beautiful!  This option was super easy and was easy to execute – fold in half, tuck into the flip cover, put on baby.   With the success of hemp on my baby, I quickly realized that hemp would probably be a great addition to my toddler’s nighttime diaper.  We have Happy Heiny Trainers, Mother Ease, Green Acre Designs, and Fuzzibunz  in our toddler’s stash – adding a hemp doubler to these diapers has completely eliminated any “overflow” issues that we would occasionally experience at night.  No more wet sheets! 

Using hemp has worked out really well for us.  Hemp is naturally anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, I haven’t had any residual odor issues like I have had with some of my microfleece inserts.  Hemp washes well but it can take quite a while to dry!   Having spoken to other moms, the other downsides to hemp seem to be that if your child is a quick and heavy wetter, the hemp might not absorb the liquid fast enough so you might experience some leaking if you are using hemp alone.  Also, when you first add hemp to your stash, the prep time might take longer than you are used to!  Hemp requires 4 or 5 prewashes – washing and drying – before you can start to use it.  Don’t be surprised if the hemp shrinks a bit as well – and becomes softer with each wash.  Truthfully, the hemp might not even be fully absorbent for another 4 or 5 washes.  Of course, the final downside for some might be the cost.  Hemp definitely costs more.  But, in my experience, it is worth every penny.  Add some hemp to your stash and test out the magical mysteries of this material for yourself!

By Erin Brighton, MPH, M.Ed. – Charlotte, NC

The Magical Material of Hemp

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Feeding the Addiction & Paying the Bills

I hear this from mom’s all the time, at Twitter parties, on Facebook, and even in the comments of The Cloth Diaper Whisperer: “I really wish I could buy more cloth diapers, but we just don’t have the money.” Maybe it’s because they want to get started in cloth. Maybe it’s because they want to wash less frequently. Maybe it’s they are just addicted to the cuteness and NEED more! Whatever the reasons for wanting to buy more cloth, finances can have a serious impact on the size of your stash. As a full-time college student, I know as well as anyone how tight a budget can get. But after a few months navigating the cloth diapering world, and drooling over everything I wanted to buy, I’ve found a few tips and tricks to grow my stash and still pay the bills.

My first trick is to expand your stash with prefolds. Even if you prefer pockets diapers or All-In-Ones, prefolds work great around the house, when you have more room for diaper changes and can slack on the convenience factor somewhat. Then your pockets or AIOs are available for going out and about. If you have an older baby you can just fold the prefold in thirds and lay it in the cover. (I prefer Thirsties Duo Wrap Diaper Covers.) If you have a smaller baby, you will want to use something to fasten the prefold around the baby to prevent leaks onto the cover. Diaper pins are very cost effective, but some parents prefer not to use them. Snappis are T-shaped fasteners with teeth that hold the prefold on the baby. They are not quite as cost-effective as pins, but still a very good option for families on a budget that prefer not to use pins.

Next stash-growing strategy: sacrifice. This one should be somewhat self-explanatory. You have to give up some things to get things that are more important. It’s all about priorities. For me, my sacrifice is my morning bagel before class. A bagel at the bakery I frequent is about $2.30 with cream cheese. When I get a bagel there, I must have a smoothie, which is about $4. Yes, it is outrageous, but it is SOO good! This breakfast ends up being about $7 with tax. I usually got a bagel & smoothie 1 morning a week. When I cut it down to only on test days (about once a month) it saved me about $21 a month! There is one OS pocket diaper (my diaper of choice) a month right there! This same principle could be applied to whatever you like: brew your own morning coffee, eat out less, or don’t buy that pair of shoes you “just have to have.” Your baby’s bottom will thank you!

My last tip is to use the Kelly’s Closet coupon codes! My favorites are the free one-size diaper coupons. Usually the minimum purchase for these is only $25! So buy the diaper you have sacrificed for, and grab a free one too! To get an email with all the new coupon codes, subscribe to the Kelly’s Closet Newsletter.

I hope this post helps you realize a small budget doesn’t have to mean a small stash! There are many ways to expand your fluff inventory without taking out a second  mortgage!

By Keshia W.

Feeding the Addiction & Paying the Bills

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Things I Have Learned about Cloth Diapering a Newborn

Things I have learned about cloth diapering a newborn. When my son, HB, was five months old, I had to put away all his newborn diapers. As I did this, I kept thinking about all the trials and errors that I’ve had with cloth diapering. Here are some of the things that I’ve learned:

1. Gussets are awesome! Because breastfed stool is so runny, it can easily squish out of a diaper.
2. Your Birdseye prefolds aren’t really prepped until there’s very little lint in your dryer.
3. You don’t have to fold diapers but you might want to so that you can put them on the baby correctly in the middle of a long sleepless night. You avoid lots of accidents and get more sleep that way.
4. Prefolds must be all inside the diaper. Any part of it sticking out leads to leakage. And make sure that all-in-ones or pockets haven’t folded over in the back. This can also cause leaks.
   
5. Get a supply of inserts or doublers, which are really the same thing. I had heard you needed them at night for older babies, but never realized that because newborn stool is so watery it can seep through the prefold into the cover.
6. All-in-ones don’t seem to dry completely in the dryer so they may still be wet in the evening. It maybe worth it to use prefolds with a cover or prep a pocket diaper for night time instead. They dry better.
7. You are not a horrible parent if you diaper pail stinks when you open it. The odor will only get worse.
8. Babies can outgrow newborn sizes so quickly. Investing in an adjustable diaper or diaper cover is a good idea, but many will only fit babies 10 lbs or more. Thirsties duos are the exception.
9. If it says it will fit 8 lbs plus, go ahead and buy the smaller size (5lb-10lbs) because they will fit better and leak less. Refer to number 8 if money is tight.
10. Snappis are great! HB managed to wiggle his prefold out of place if it was laid inside the diaper cover.
11. Read the fine print on detergent. I didn’t realize that it had a built in fabric softener.
12. Even though newborns grow at lethal speeds, you will still need a lot of diapers in the smaller sizes because you will go through a lot of them in the course of a day. They can always be used on another baby or can be resold if they are in good shape.
13. A good rule of thumb for buying covers is that you buy a cover for every three or four prefolds you purchase. Since you will probably need three dozen prefolds to get started, that means you need 9-12 diaper covers. This is if you are washing every other day. If you have a small budget, you can buy less and wash more. If you have a bigger budget, you can buy more and wash less, but I would not go more than three days without washing diapers.
14. Men can learn how to change a cloth diaper. My husband can use prefolds very quickly now. You just have to show them how and be very patient.
15. Make sure you remember to put on a diaper cover. Keep it close to you while changing the baby, and you might have a better chance of remembering it when your really really tired.
16. White diaper covers do get dingy. The inside of diapers or prefolds will stain. Don’t stress yourself over having a bright white look on your baby’s bottom. Get diaper covers will colors instead and hang the prefolds outside.
    

By Laura W.

Things I Have Learned about Cloth Diapering a Newborn

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He Was the One...

When I was pregnant with our darling son, my husband and I had discussing our finances and planning for buying a home as well as having a baby. We wanted to know what we could reasonably afford for a mortgage after the baby was born. As we started talking about the cost of diapers, my husband suggested we use cloth diapers to save money and help establish a more predictable budget.

While I had given some thought to the idea, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to deal with them and feared if we did use cloth diapers, the responsibility would be all on me. I needed my husbands help and I did not want to alienate him by going the route of cloth diapers. After all, he has never changed a diaper in his life; I could not imagine him wanting to do the “hard” stuff.

However, after my husband made the suggestion and ultimately expressed his complete willingness to change (and clean) the cloth diapers, I began researching how much they would cost.

Oh my... I did not realize how many options were available. I mentioned to a friend about our investigations into cloth diapering and to my surprise she shared with me all the joys of their cloth diapering experience.

Ultimately I purchased a few different types of diapers. My goal was to figure out what type of diaper I wanted to use. I also purchased a couple dozen prefolds, a few diaper covers and some Snappi’s. When our son arrived we were a little reluctant to get started... There was an unspoken fear that we couldn’t handle the cloth diapers.

Slowly we started using the prefolds/diaper covers and occasionally the other diapers we bought. Thankfully, my husband never complained and he changed his share of diapers. After a few weeks we weren’t very satisfied with the diaper we were using. Rather than spend more money on diapers that we wouldn’t be sure of - I bought some Goodmama seconds.

The first time my husband used the Goodmama One Size diapers he exclaimed, “Hun, these are win! We need more of these.” I took that as the green light to buy some more. I’ve been a cloth diaper advocate/addict ever since.

I have a huge wish list of diapers I would like to try next. Our most recent win are the Flip diapers. We tell everyone cloth diapers today are NOT our “parents’ cloth.” I continually learning about new styles of cloth diapers. When I have an urge to buy more fluff I have to remind myself why we started cloth diapering in the first place- to save money. My husband is great about using cloth, but he still rolls his eyes with each diaper I order. He probably wonders what sort of monster he created by suggesting cloth to begin with.

By Tasanee C.

He Was the One...

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Unexpected Beginnings

Of course we met the usual opposition from every one we knew. Remarks like “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into!” or “Have you even thought about how hard that will be?” were among many that we heard, but that didn’t stop us. We purchased our pre-folds and covers and began preparing for our baby. In order to ensure that my experience was successful, I bought newborn prefolds and pro-wraps. I felt confident that I was going to be a cloth diaper master from day one.

Things have a way of not working out the way you think they will, and sadly, that was the case for me. My birthing experience was the exact opposite from what I wanted. I wanted a completely natural delivery, but what I got was a transverse baby who would not budge, and a complicated c-section followed by over medication. And then on top of that, I had severe allergic reactions to all of the medicine and depression. I guess when your pediatrician says "Oh, you're the girl who reacted to all those medications! You were the talk of the hospital," at your baby's six month checkup, you know that things probably did not go according to plan. Needless to say, it was not the ideal situation that I had so naievely desired and dreamed of.

When we came home from the hospital I was so overwhelmed with the new role of motherhood and adjusting to nursing that I couldn’t even think about using the cloth diapers. I had no idea how to fold the prefolds and I was so afraid of somehow hurting her. Even though I had spent countless hours researching detergents, folds, different diapers, and covers, I was not prepared for actually using them. One day when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed I just burst into tears. Later that day I said to my husband amid a flood of tears “I’m so stupid. I can’t believe that I thought that I could actually do this. I can’t believe that I wasted all of our money on these diapers and I can’t use them”. He calmly said “Liz, don’t even worry about it. I’ll use the cloth diapers and you can use disposables until you’re ready”.

And that’s what he did. He looked up on-line how to fold prefolds and began using them at every diaper change. He tried different folds until he found the one that he liked. He washed the diapers, made the wipe solution, used cloth wipes; he did everything. Then when our baby was 1 month old, I felt well enough and brave enough to give them a try myself. He taught me how to use the Snappi and fold the prefolds. I can honestly say that if it weren’t for my husband I would be using disposables right now and I would be so disappointed in myself.

Unexpected Beginnings

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Video Tutorial: How To Use a Snappi

Video Tutorial: How To Use a Snappi

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Why Didn’t I Think of This Sooner?

When I announced that I was switching to cloth diapers, my second child was nearly 10 months old. It seemed odd to my friends, since I had used disposable diapers for three years. I’ve been asked by many people why I switched to cloth, and I don’t have a simple answer. Yes, there’s cost savings, and yes, it’s great for the environment. It’s also healthier for my baby and an investment in the diapering needs of future children.

No, it’s not hard and no, I don’t scrub nasty diapers all day. The laundry isn’t time-consuming and it’s so much easier than I imagined.

For me, using cloth diapers started as a passing thought, and grew over several months. It cropped up as I carried a putrid plastic bag full of disposable diapers and wipes out to the garbage can. It reared up when I stood in a checkout line, ready to fork over $50 for another box of brand-name disposables. It nudged me as my son battled diaper rashes every few weeks, which in turn caused me to buy more diaper cream to treat it. It popped into my head as we reviewed our monthly budget, looking for ways to cut our expenses.

When you think about it, every disposable diaper used is money straight into the garbage can. It’s hard to find information about what’s really in disposable diapers and how it might harm our children in the long run. They are slimmer than ever, and urine turns into a gel upon contact with … something inside the lining. The ultra-absorbancy, through the magic of chemistry, is designed for the convenience of parents, so they can go as many hours as possible without changing a diaper. Keeping my children healthy and being a good steward of the environment ranks much higher on my priority list than stretching out the hours between diaper changes.

I was afraid that my son’s room would stink with cloth diapers in the pail, and I bought a special room spray in anticipation of that. Surprisingly, due to flushing solids and washing every two days, his room smells less like a dirty diaper than it did before the switch. Our large garbage can in the garage no longer holds 3-4 bags of dirty diapers leading up to garbage day, eliminating the horrible stench that used to escape when the lid was lifted.

I don’t have a huge stash of cloth diapers for two reasons: a) I wanted to try out a few types to see what works best, and b) I don’t want a big pile-up of stinky diapers in the pail. I have eight prefolds, three covers, one fitted, three all-in-ones and eight pocket diapers. The two types of pocket diapers I use are FuzziBunz and bumGenius. I thought I would like the AIO more, but they take too long to dry. FuzziBunz are by far my favorite. Prefolds are surprisingly easy to use with a Snappi, and I love the fun covers.

My son goes to daycare two days a week, and his center has been very supportive of using the cloth diapers. I send five pocket diapers in a clean pail liner each day with him, and I add a flushable liner (LOVE these!) to each diaper. I never have to worry about running out of diapers at home or at daycare, I don’t have to search for coupons and I don’t have to factor diapers into my budget anymore.

The most surprising thing for me has been that cloth diapers do not leak. I’m sure some kinds do, but so far, I’ve never had a leak – day or night. When my son was in disposables, we had to buy the expensive “overnight” diapers and he still woke up with a wet stomach every morning.

Many of my friends are expecting babies, and I’m trying to talk each of them into using cloth diapers. I wish I had done it years ago.


- By Kristin

Why Didn’t I Think of This Sooner?

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Product Focus: Snappi Diaper Fastener

Introduction to Snappi®:

The Snappi® is a PINLESS diaper fastener that offers a practical and reliable way to fasten a cloth diaper. It is a T-shaped fastener made from polyurethane, with grips on each end. These grips hook into the diaper fabric in a triangular shape, enabling a snug-fitting diaper that helps prevent leaks, but with enough natural movement for the baby's comfort. Snappi®s are available in a variety of colors and come in two sizes. Many parents, who are nervous to cloth diaper using pins, can now opt for this healthier diapering choice using this "pinless" and easy to use diaper fastener.

History:

The Snappi® fastener was invented by a father, Hennie Visser, in South Africa over 25 years ago. Hennie was actively involved in raising his daughter, which included his fair share of cloth diaper changes. Hennie commented:"I simply became frustrated whenever I had to change my baby's diaper because I most often ended up pricking my finger with the diaper pin, and left with a diaper that didn't fit securely!" He knew there had to be a better, safer and easier way to fasten diapers instead of using the old fashioned pin method. This was when he thought of a diaper fastener with rubber bands and tin grips, which marked the birth of the Snappi® fastener. After many prototypes and adaptations, the Snappi® was commercially available in 1987. It was launched at a large trade show in South Africa, proving an immediate hit with retailers and pharmacies. In 1990 the international market took notice of this product with exports to Australia, the United Kingdom and Brazil proving a consistent seller.

In 2001, Kate Braithwaite, co-owner and marketing director for Snappi® Baby, was approached by a friend, one of the patent attorneys of the Snappi® diaper fastener, to become their official distributor for North America. Having used and become reliant on the Snappi® when she cloth diapered her daughter Jordan (now 17), she knew the value of this incredible invention that could improve the lives of many.At first, selling the Snappi Cloth Diaper Fastener in a disposable diaper dominated market was a daunting challenge, but as the market became more health and environmentally conscious, the demand for cloth diapers increased and Snappi sales started taking off. Kate recalls: "I remember the first few months we could hardly give the Snappis away! Now, 8 years later, Snappi has become a cloth diapering essential with sales growing exponentially. We have new stores calling and ordering almost every day, saying that customers are asking for Snappis! We are very encouraged by this growth in our sales. Patience, perseverance and belief in a wonderful product are starting to pay off. We are also grateful to our wonderful, loyal retailers who do an outstanding job of marketing our product, and also the cloth diapering parents who use our product, for it is their word of mouth advertising that has given Snappi the success and credibility it now enjoys."

Snappis have revolutionized cloth diapering worldwide, and they have become one of the most important cloth diapering accessories. Over 65 million Snappis have sold internationally to date. Hennie is still involved in Snappi® Holdings in South Africa serving as managing director. Through his invention he changed not only the course of his own family's life, but also millions of other families around the world.

Why Choose Snappi®:

The benefits of this fastener include:

• Reliable - a snug fitting diaper to prevent those dreaded leaks
• Economical - affordable fastener that works well with the less expensive flat, prefold or contour cloth diapers
• Safer than pins - no more pinpricks for baby or parent!!
• Easy to use - allows first time parents, grandparents and people with arthritic problems to cloth diaper with ease. It is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3

Product Focus: Snappi Diaper Fastener

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Time for a change!

While I was pregnant with my beautiful daughter Elenore, a few people would ask me if I was planning on using cloth diapers or disposable diapers. Having grown up only exposed to disposable diapers I would quickly rattle off my reasons why I would only ever use disposables. My main argument was that I didn’t have a washer and dryer. The truth was, I knew nothing about them!

I remember the day that I was first introduced to BumGenius. Elenore was 6 months old and I had found a You Tube video that explained exactly how they worked. I was amazed that they were no longer my grandmother’s diapers. From that moment I was hooked! The moment my poor husband came home he was bombarded with information that he really had no desire to ever know. It took me about 48 hours of obsessing before he finally relented and told me that I could have 50 dollars to spend on starting my self a stash. For any of you who know anything about pocket diapers you know that 50 dollars doesn’t get you very far. But like I said before, I was clueless.

I strapped Elenore in the peanut shell and walked the few blocks to my local Eco-Friendly baby store.

Because of my budget I ended up walking away with two dozen prefold diapers at 22.00 a dozen, one Snappi, one Wonder Wraps diaper cover, and a wealth full of information. The clerk tried to convince me that I would need more then one cover but I had a budget! (Little did I know that I would come crawling back to the store only the next morning to buy another Wonder Wraps and a Bummis cover after my darling one decided to have a blow out).

My total expenses to date on diapering are around 85 dollars as opposed to my budgeted 50 dollars a month. We would have spent over 350 dollars in the past 6 months we have been cloth diapering.

Cloth diapering has changed the way I think all together. Where as I would have previously distinguished things like cloth nursing pads and mama rags as “yucky” I now see them as tools to enhance the things I encounter every day! I have no idea how I used disposable nursing pads for so long those things are so scratchy! Using cloth diapers has also opened me up to a whole new group of wonderful mommies I never would have met.

It is amazing how when you step out of your comfort zone you can be opened up to a world of opportunities and friendship.

My advice to anyone thinking about using cloth diapers is to not be afraid! There are so many wonderful moms and dads (!) out there who would just love to answer any questions you might have. Making the change is possible and well worth it!

Time for a change!

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Against the Grain

You know I've always been the weird one in our family when it comes to doing certain things. I tend to go against the grain I suppose because sometimes it feels so good. My dream was to be a wife and mother (I know to some it seemed ridiculous because what would I do with the rest of my time?), I would rather sew something for half the price it would cost me to buy it, I decided to breastfeed (why wouldn't I just bottle feed?), I just am starting to home-school (what am I doing to my poor child?) and now I cloth diaper?!?!

One day when I was opening registries for my baby shower I came across disposable liners for cloth diapers and got me thinking. I started reading and reading and reading and boldly told my husband I would give it a shot, I don't think he was optimistic. All I we heard about cloth was negative and I had even been told that babies get more rashes with cloth! I sat there thinking about how for 3 years we had just thrown money away over and over with each diaper change just because its what you do, you just buy disposable diapers for your baby. I was flabbergasted when I read that to diaper one child from birth to potty trained can cost between $1500 to $3000 and it made me determined to try.

Shortly after my son was born I ordered some really inexpensive prefolds and diaper covers. They were thin and leaked if I didn't change it quickly but I liked it for some reason. I didn't seem like the burden everyone claimed it to be. I started doing more research on diaper quality and couldn't believe the variety there is and at the same time the prices of some of the diapers! For budget purposes I decided to go with Chinese prefolds and Wonderwrap one size covers. I bought my snappis and some Kushie disposable liners and was set! I haven't had a leak or rash with the cloth except for the time I put him back in sposies for an outing. I like to do the newspaper fold and the snappi makes it easy to clip securely, then I just put the cover over it and no leaks ever! I've since also gotten 3 one size BumGenius that we use at night and a thirsties cover that is wonderful because its so thin and roomy over the prefolds. The best part is that since my stash consists of premium size prefolds and one size covers and BGs my almost 2 year old can use them too.

Since I was on a roll with the diapers I thought about the wipes too and made myself a few dozen out of our older towels and receiving blankets and they work so much better than the disposable wipes especially with the aloe and caress soap mixture I use. They get so clean and are so fresh and their bottoms never dry out. It makes me feel like a super mom, lol.

It really makes me proud to be a part of a group of families that have decided that its important to be informed and do what is best for our children and ourselves. I just love holding my little son in his cloth diped bum. For right under $200 I got everything I would need to diaper him and my middle daughter until they learn to use the potty. There are so many other diapers I want to try but if I don't get a chance it still feels so good to say that I'm not taking thousands of dollars and putting them in the trash anymore.

My advice for anyone who thinks its terrible would be to try it for 2 days, you won't go back!


- by Tani

Against the Grain

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Works for our 2

I have three kiddos and two of them are in dipes, am I ready for my 2 year old to potty train? Well she is trying and I'm not going to push, she will get it before I know it. My son is 3 months now and since I ventured into cloth diapering because of him I figured why not with my daughter also (especially because her sposies are so much pricier).

Since I was buying to save money I decided to buy prefolds (PFs) and one size covers and some one size dipers. I have bleached chinese PFs (12) and unbleached chinese PFs (12) 4 snappis and 4 WonderWraps which I love, no leaks ever! I also have 1 med Thirsties cover and 1 small. My BumGenius OS 3.0 I reserve for overnight (my daughter is a heavy wetter), I have 6 in gender neutral and just added a blossom AIO for my daughter, just figured I could splurge on one girly dipe and I am hoping to add a few GroBabys into our mix.

Our stash works really well for 2 in diapers that are different ages because with the pfs you can fold them for each child depending where they need the most absorbancy. For my son I use the newspaper fold and for my daughter the jelly roll works great and then the BumGenius you can add the amount of inserts each kid needs for absorbancy. The best part is not having to make sure I have enough of each size in my diaper bag for outings or running to the store because I'm out of dipes. I do laundry every 2 days but I don't run out of clean ones because I have plenty of PFs. I can't imagine going back!


- By Tani

Works for our 2

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Back to Basics with Prefolds!

All too often we talk about how “easy” and “modern” cloth diapering has become… no more folding diapers and using pins and rubber pants. And, while I genuinely appreciate the advances in cloth diapering, I also appreciate the simplicity of prefold diapers too!

Now, I know some of you are a little intimated by prefolds… I, myself, thought there was no way in the world I would like prefolds; so much so I bought a couple dozen used prefolds so I could save my money for other diapers I liked better. However, after having experimented with them, I fell in love with their overall versatility and, believe it or not, their ease of use!

Prefold diapers, typically made from 100% cotton twill, are very absorbent, easy to clean and VERY multi-purpose! They can be fastened with either good old-fashioned diaper pins, a Snappi, or don’t fasten them at all – simply tri-fold the diaper and stuff it inside a diaper cover for a super quick and easy diaper change!

Oftentimes I recommend prefolds and covers to parents for the early weeks, especially when babies are little poo factories! Honestly, it never fails; just as soon as you put that fresh new diaper on, you hear the gurgle and the ensuing explosion! While Pocket diapers and All-in-One diapers are convenient, it is a lot of wear and tear on a diaper, especially if you’re using One-Size diapers which you intend to last for a few years! Prefolds are a perfect solution.

Prefolds are a wonderful staple in the cloth diapering world. It’s the only cloth diaper, Flat diapers aside, which can not only be used as a diaper, but as an insert for a Pocket diaper, a burp cloth, a household cleaning rag, and they do wonders for polishing furniture or even your car!

Prefolds can easily be dyed or tie-dyed for a splash of color too. Able to withstand more vigorous washes, these diapers last for years giving you the greatest value for your money!

Additionally, prefolds provide you with a plethora of diaper covering options! PUL covers such as Thirsties or One-Size Wonder Wraps diaper covers are wonderful, relatively inexpensive and long-lasting covers. Depending on how frequently you are doing diaper laundry and what prefold method you use, you can get by with as little as 4-6 covers; making prefolds the most economical cloth diapering options!

Other diaper cover options include fleece (which naturally repels and wicks away water) such as the Bummis Polar Fleece Diaper Wrap or wool (which naturally absorbs up to 30% its weight) such as the virtually bomb-proof Imse Vimse Wool Diaper cover. Fleece is the easiest to clean and can even be tossed in with your regular loads of laundry. Wool, quite surprisingly, isn’t difficult to care for at all (just takes a little while to dry). Wool is also a wonderful night solution for those of you with little super soakers!

Not interested in the “second step” of putting on a diaper cover? Then Shorties or Longies are a wonderful option to eliminate the need for pants altogether. Simply put on a pair of fleece or wool shorts or pants and voila! Instant, stay dry diaper cover and clothing solution all in one!

Crafty? Sew your own fitted or contoured shaped diapers for dollars less with prefolds…

Cloth diapering on a dime can still be fun and easy with prefolds! So consider getting back to the basics today!


- By Serena

Back to Basics with Prefolds!

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Everything Has Its Place…

Growing up I was messy. My sister and I shared a room for the majority of our childhood and it always looked as though a hurricane threw up in it. Thankfully, however, I blossomed into a detail orientated neat freak. I even recall rearranging and reorganizing the entire student government office in college, by myself, after I was elected Vice President because it was a disaster zone. Even my kids playroom is tidy and organized; there’s a place of everything and everything has its place! Organizing my cloth diaper stash was no different.

I purchased an awesome changing table on Craigslist years ago for a great price. Equipped with a drawer, two shelves and baskets – this was ideal for organizing my cloth diapers. However, as my addiction with cloth diapers grew, so did my stash. Consequently, my changing table had absolutely no available space and I needed to find a solution!

I already had an idea what I wanted/needed, however, one afternoon I walked into my local Wal-Mart and it was my organizing destiny – the perfect solution was not only on display, but on sale! Ah, love at first sight! A simple, white and see-through plastic storage chest with 3 drawers. This was the exact size and shape I had imagined and I knew exactly where I would put it! Needless to say I was very excited to get home and begin reorganizing.

Here are my pictures and a breakdown of how I have organized/stored my cloth diapering stash.
Introducing my lovely changing table!

On top: I have my handy dandy wipe warmer box. I have a waterproof pad and prefold on top for diaper changes.

Drawer: I keep a half dozen doublers, washable liners, a dozen prefolds, my Thirsties Covers, my Snappi's and diaper pins.

I keep these items in the drawer since I use them most throughout the day. For the last three months I was predominantly using prefolds/covers during the day and pockets for trips outside and at night. However, just recently I’ve been enjoying my pocket diapers more and more – depending on my “diapering mood.”

First shelf is home to our baby toys and dolls.

Second Shelf: I keep my pocket diapers in baskets. Originally, I started with a hearty stash of bumGenius One Size diapers so I had a dedicated “BG” basket – but I branched out and incorporated other brands/types of diapers so I now organize according to color. The first basket features shades of green and blue diapers. The second basket features my yellow, orange, and red diapers as well as a few prints and brown diapers. I usually keep at least two of each color stuffed and ready to go with the extra diapers folded and placed in the bottom of the baskets.

On laundry day, the clean ones usually get folded and placed beneath the newly stuffed-and-stocked diapers (unless there aren’t any extra of that particular color stuffed and ready to go). This process has helped me evenly rotate through my stash and also saves me time as I don’t have to stuff all my diapers at once.

Next to my changing table I keep two diaper pails; one large pail and one small pail. I store all the soiled prefolds, inserts, and washable liners in the larger pail and I store soiled covers, pockets, and wipes in the smaller pail (although I’m probably going to upgrade to another large pail). I know it may sound silly, but even with my diapers I like to sort/wash the whites separately from the colors (which is predominantly why I have the two pails).

Only a few feet away is a closet where I have conveniently fit the plastic storage dresser which I lovingly call my “fluff cart.” This is where I store all my extra prefolds, doublers, extra inserts, liners, clean wipes, extra diaper pail liner, waterproof changing pads, etc…

On top of my fluff cart I have 3 organizer bins; the larger bin contains my son’s nighttime diapers, and the two smaller bins are used for storing my daughters’ nighttime diapers/trainers. Each drawer serves a specific purpose; – the items I am likely to need more often are stored in the first two drawers (inserts, washable liners, wipes, and prefolds) while the less needed items are stored in the bottom drawer (larger sized prefolds and covers).

I know I have more than enough cloth diapers and supplies to cover multiple babies – but I am seriously in love with all the different types and styles of cloth diapers. Also, Kelly is constantly offering such amazing deals at Kelly’s Closet I truly can’t resist – seriously, I order something every other week (I’ve given myself a monthly diaper allowance)! At least now I have a wonderful way to store and organize it all!

- By Serena

Everything Has Its Place…

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