The Cloth Diaper Whisperer: aio diapers

Showing posts with label aio diapers. Show all posts

This week's Fluff Friday winner is diane p.!

She will receive:
2 Thirsties AIO Cloth Diapers

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Please, contact us ASAP so we can get your winnings out to you!!!

Fluff Friday 166 WINNER

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Fluff Friday

2-Swaddlebees Simplex AIO Cloth Diapers

Question of the week:

How do you dry your diapers (dryer, line dry outside, drying rack) ? Please respond by Thursday, September 1st at 7pm EST. (You can only answer the "Question of the Week" ONCE PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY.

Other ways to enter:

Head on over to the Swaddlebees Facebook page. Leave a comment on their wall that The Cloth Diaper Whisperer sent you.
Being a follower of our blog or subscribing to our blog, gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a follower.
Commenting in other posts during the week will give you ONE EXTRA comment PER EACH comment that you make. Simply post a comment on this one saying the title of the post where you wrote your comment. So, what are you waiting for?? Participating in other posts pays off!!! You must have your Blogger profile accessible to be selected as a winner.
Advertising the giveaway in a forum or other blog gives you ONE extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a advertising and where.
Using our button on your blog (or starting to) gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are using it and where.
Being a fan of our Facebook group gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Post a comment with your facebook id as a comment to this post.
Being a follower on Twitter gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a follower and your Twitter ID.
One entry for signing up for our newsletter at Kelly's Closet. Post a comment when you sign up or if you are already signed up.
Tweet Swaddlebees fluff friday #clothdiapers giveaway Enter at http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com/. Then come back and comment that you tweeted AND the exact tweet (not tweet id status).
Tweet any unique tweet with @kissaluvs #clothdiapers. Cut and paste your tweet (not tweet id status) and post as a comment. You can get 1 entry for EVERY unique tweet!
Being an affiliate of Kelly's Closet. Please post your affiliate id in your comment.
Place an order at any DiaperShops store between 8/26-9/1. Post your order # and order date in the comments.
Leave a product review at Kelly's Closet and return to the blog and comment which product you reviewed.
Start a thread about our giveaway or comment on a thread that is about or giveaway on any chat room (http://www.diaperpin.com/, http://www.diaperswappers.com/, etc) . Post the name of the thread AND the url of your comment.
Start a new discussion (or respond to a current discussion) on either DiaperShops Facebook or The Cloth Diaper Whisperer Facebook. Come back and leave a comment with the title of discussion AND which Facebook page you posted on as a comment to this post.

Have questions?? Visit our FAQ's.

How? We will draw one winner randomly with an "Online Number Generator" and will make a post with the winner on Friday, September 2nd. It is the responsibility of the winner to contact us to claim their prize.

Good luck, and don't forget to tell all your family and friends about the giveaway! In case that you don't win, what a better person to win than a friend of yours!!

Fluff Friday 145

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We have accomplished two big trips with our daughter so far, a plane trip to visit my sister, and a seven hour car trip to visit friends. We knew there would be a washer and dryer at our destination, so we just planned on diapering like usual.

For the plane trip, our daughter was three months and we had one day’s worth of diapers with us, all of our AIOs and pocket diapers). We packed her diaper bag liked we would pack for a long day out, and then packed extra diapers in my suitcase. Her clothes are so little that the diapers taking up space was not a big deal. What was more of a big deal was the carseat! My sister didn’t have one, so we had to bring ours, a bucket seat with base at the time. Our first flight ran a bit late, so our connection was tighter than it was supposed to be. The flight attendants were awesome in letting us (seated in the back) off the plane first! Looking back, strategizing about the fastest way to get to the next gate seems kind of funny, and I’m sure I looked ridiculous with that carseat over my shoulder running through the airport! Dad and baby hurried ahead to check in while I waited for our gate checked carseat.

We changed her in airport bathrooms, in a quiet spot near the ticket counter, in the airplane bathroom (that fold down thing is way too tiny!), and on our laps on the airplane. The diapers were never the problem. The problem was someone spelled my name wrong on my boarding pass and the security guy sent us back to get a new one (I should have checked before leaving the counter, I know, I know). I learned that security will make you take off your perfectly wrapped Moby holding your sleeping baby, leaving you on the other side of the metal detector holding your now unhappy awake baby with no hands to grab your stuff and now crumpled Moby after its trip through the x-ray machine as you scramble to get to your gate.

For the car trip, she was five months and we had about two days’ worth of diapers. Packing was much less strategic for this trip. We took our big wet bag for the diaper pail and put all the clean diapers in that and put it in the car. Again, the diapers were easy. It was keeping baby entertained when she wasn’t sleeping that was difficult. We planned on stopping a bunch for changing and feeding breaks, and things went smoother with me sitting next to baby to give her the dropped toy or pacifier she wanted.

While it may sound intimidating, traveling with cloth diapers really isn’t that hard. The diapers are not the hard part at all. What I really like about using cloth diapers while traveling is that you don’t have to hunt down a trash can when you are done with the diaper change. The pack in, pack out aspect appeals to me. This is rather convenient when you can’t make it to the airplane bathroom due to turbulence or not enough time left in the flight, or you are at some random highway off ramp.

Bio: Melissa is Mom to one little girl and she enjoys talking about baby gear. She is also the fiber artist at RainyDayArt.

Traveling with Cloth Diapers: The Diapers Are Not the Hard Part

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Fluff Friday
2- GroVia One-Size AIO Cloth Diapers

Question of the week:
What is the cloth diaper you grab the most from your stash? Leave your comment before Thursday, June 23rd at 7pm EST. (You can only answer the "Question of the Week" ONCE PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY.)

Other ways to enter:

Head on over to the GroVia Facebook. Leave a comment on our wall letting them know that The Cloth Diaper Whisperer sent you. Leave a comment in response to this post by letting us know you commented on their wall.
Being a follower of our blog or subscribing to our blog, gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a follower.
Commenting in other posts during the week will give you ONE EXTRA comment PER EACH comment that you make. Simply post a comment on this one saying the title of the post where you wrote your comment. So, what are you waiting for?? Participating in other posts pays off!!! You must have your Blogger profile accessible to be selected as a winner.
Advertising the giveaway in a forum or other blog gives you ONE extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a advertising and where.
Using our button on your blog (or starting to) gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are using it and where.
Being a fan of our Facebook group gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Post a comment with your facebook id as a comment to this post.
Being a follower on Twitter gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a follower and your Twitter ID.
One entry for signing up for our newsletter at Kelly's Closet. Post a comment when you sign up or if you are already signed up.
Tweet @GroViadiaper fluff friday #clothdiapers giveaway Enter at http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com/. Then come back and comment that you tweeted AND the exact tweet (not tweet id status).
Tweet any unique tweet with @diapershops #clothdiapers. Cut and paste your tweet (not tweet id status) and post as a comment. You can get 1 entry for EVERY unique tweet!
Being an affiliate of Kelly's Closet. Please post your affiliate id in your comment.
Place an order at any DiaperShops store between 6/17-6/23. Post your order # and order date in the comments.
Leave a product review at Kelly's Closet and return to the blog and comment which product you reviewed.
Start a thread about our giveaway or comment on a thread that is about or giveaway on any chat room (http://www.diaperpin.com/, http://www.diaperswappers.com/, etc) . Post the name of the thread AND the url of your comment.
Start a new discussion (or respond to a current discussion) on either DiaperShops Facebook or The Cloth Diaper Whisperer Facebook. Come back and leave a comment with the title of discussion AND which Facebook page you posted on as a comment to this post.

Have questions?? Visit our FAQ's.

How? We will draw one winner randomly with an "Online Number Generator" and will make a post with the winner on Friday, June 24th. It is the responsibility of the winner to contact us to claim their prize.

Good luck, and don't forget to tell all your family and friends about the giveaway! In case that you don't win, what a better person to win than a friend of yours!!

Fluff Friday 135

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Fluff Friday

2 - bumGenius Elemental Organic AIO One-Size Cloth Diapers

Question of the week:
How to you dry your cloth diapers (dryer, liner, other)? Please respond by Thursday, June 2nd, at 7pm EST. (You can only answer the "Question of the Week" ONCE PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY.)

Other ways to enter:

Head on over to the bumGenius facebook page. Leave a comment on their wall that The Cloth Diaper Whisperer sent you.
Being a follower of our blog or subscribing to our blog, gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a follower.
Commenting in other posts during the week will give you ONE EXTRA comment PER EACH comment that you make. Simply post a comment on this one saying the title of the post where you wrote your comment. So, what are you waiting for?? Participating in other posts pays off!!! You must have your Blogger profile accessible to be selected as a winner.
Advertising the giveaway in a forum or other blog gives you ONE extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a advertising and where.
Using our button on your blog (or starting to) gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are using it and where.
Being a fan of our Facebook group gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Post a comment with your facebook id as a comment to this post.
Being a follower on Twitter gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a follower and your Twitter ID.
One entry for signing up for our newsletter at Kelly's Closet. Post a comment when you sign up or if you are already signed up.
Tweet @bumgenius fluff friday #clothdiapers giveaway Enter at http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com/. Then come back and comment that you tweeted AND the exact tweet (not tweet id status).
Tweet any unique tweet with @diapershops #clothdiapers. Cut and paste your tweet (not tweet id status) and post as a comment. You can get 1 entry for EVERY unique tweet!
Being an affiliate of Kelly's Closet. Please post your affiliate id in your comment.
Place an order at any DiaperShops store between 5/27-6/2. Post your order # and order date in the comments.
Leave a product review at Kelly's Closet and return to the blog and comment which product you reviewed.
Start a thread about our giveaway or comment on a thread that is about or giveaway on any chat room (http://www.diaperpin.com/, http://www.diaperswappers.com/, etc) . Post the name of the thread AND the url of your comment.
Start a new discussion (or respond to a current discussion) on either DiaperShops Facebook or The Cloth Diaper Whisperer Facebook. Come back and leave a comment with the title of discussion AND which Facebook page you posted on as a comment to this post.

Have questions?? Visit our FAQ's.

How? We will draw one winner randomly with an "Online Number Generator" and will make a post with the winner on Friday, June 3rd. It is the responsibility of the winner to contact us to claim their prize.

Good luck, and don't forget to tell all your family and friends about the giveaway! In case that you don't win, what a better person to win than a friend of yours!!

Fluff Friday 132

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Fluff Friday
2-itti bitti d'lish All-in-One Diapers

Question of the week:
When you have someone watch your baby what cloth diapers do you leave out? Leave your comment before Thursday, April 14th at 7pm EST. (You can only answer the "Question of the Week" ONCE PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY.)

Other ways to enter:

Head on over to the www.ittibitti.us website. Leave a comment in response to this post what product(s) you would like to try.
Follow @ittibittius on Twitter. Come back and post a comment that you are a follower of itti bitti us.
Being a follower of our blog or subscribing to our blog, gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a follower.
Commenting in other posts during the week will give you ONE EXTRA comment PER EACH comment that you make. Simply post a comment on this one saying the title of the post where you wrote your comment. So, what are you waiting for?? Participating in other posts pays off!!! You must have your Blogger profile accessible to be selected as a winner.
Advertising the giveaway in a forum or other blog gives you ONE extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a advertising and where.
Using our button on your blog (or starting to) gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are using it and where.
Being a fan of our Facebook group gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Post a comment with your facebook id as a comment to this post.
Being a follower on Twitter gives you one extra comment PER GIVEAWAY, NOT PER DAY. Simply post a comment saying that you are a follower and your Twitter ID.
One entry for signing up for our newsletter at Kelly's Closet. Post a comment when you sign up or if you are already signed up.
Tweet @ittibittius fluff friday #clothdiapers giveaway Enter at http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com/. Then come back and comment that you tweeted AND the exact tweet (not tweet id status).
Tweet any unique tweet with @diapershops #clothdiapers. Cut and paste your tweet (not tweet id status) and post as a comment. You can get 1 entry for EVERY unique tweet!
Being an affiliate of Kelly's Closet. Please post your affiliate id in your comment.
Place an order at any DiaperShops store between 4/8-4/14. Post your order # and order date in the comments.
Leave a product review at Kelly's Closet and return to the blog and comment which product you reviewed.
Start a thread about our giveaway or comment on a thread that is about or giveaway on any chat room (http://www.diaperpin.com/, http://www.diaperswappers.com/, etc) . Post the name of the thread AND the url of your comment.
Start a new discussion (or respond to a current discussion) on either DiaperShops Facebook or The Cloth Diaper Whisperer Facebook. Come back and leave a comment with the title of discussion AND which Facebook page you posted on as a comment to this post.

Have questions?? Visit our FAQ's.

How? We will draw one winner randomly with an "Online Number Generator" and will make a post with the winner on Friday, April 15th. It is the responsibility of the winner to contact us to claim their prize.

Who can participate? US Residents are welcome!

Important note about the winner: If we haven't heard from the winner by the closing time of next week's giveaway, we will choose another winner that will be published TOGETHER with next week's winner.

Good luck, and don't forget to tell all your family and friends about the giveaway! In case that you don't win, what a better person to win than a friend of yours!!

Fluff Friday 125

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I found a new favorite cloth diaper. It is very absorbent and I never have leaks. It is affordable and easy to use.

No, it's not the latest pocket or all-in-one diaper. It's not fancy. There's not even a whole lot of science behind it. In fact, it's a little bit old fashioned. What is it, you may ask? It's the prefold.

Scary, yes, I know. When I first started cloth diapering my newborn four months ago, I scoffed at prefolds. Why use those ancient things when there are so many awesome new diapers on the market? But then I found out their dirty little secret: they are cheap and effective, and not nearly as difficult as I imagined them to be.

I decided to try prefolds one day because my rapidly-growing son had hit a point where I was struggling to get his diapers to fit him properly. He changed so much day to day and I was getting frustrated. I was also getting lots of leaks. And, with so many great, convenient diapers on the market, there just had to be a reason that some parents still prefered to use prefolds and flats. What did I have to lose? If I didn't like them I wouldn't be out a ton of money, and I could always use them as rags or burp cloths. I placed an order for half a dozen prefolds, a cover, and a Snappi, then searched the internet to learn the best ways to fold them.

My package arrived a few days later. I prepped the prefolds right away, so I could try them the same day; I am impatient like that. Then, skeptically, I put one on my two month old son for the first time. It actually looked like the ones I saw online! I was pretty darn proud of myself but I knew I had won the battle, not the war... how would it hold up when my son peed? Or, worse, had an explosive poop?

Perfectly, as I soon found out. I have not had a single leak since I started using prefolds. I had a couple instances where I had some slight wicking and his onesie got a little damp--my own fault, for not being more careful when putting on the covers--but never a real leak. Over the past two months I have fine-tuned the art of putting on a prefold. Not to sound too full of myself, but gosh darn it, I am good at it. I can jelly-roll those things like nobody's business.

So yes, I love my prefolds. They are much easier than I ever could have imagined, and very versatile as well. I like that I can let my son go coverless to let his skin breathe. I like that I have the option of using a fleece liner to help him feel dry. I like that I can still have fun with them, and can find prefolds in fun prints, or embellish them myself, or even dye them if I want to. And I love that, with the help of a hemp insert, my son wake up every single morning with dry sheets and jammies.

I still love (and use) my pocket diapers, and I know my likes and needs may change as my son grows. I am already learning how to deal with a very squirmy four month old, which presents a new diapering challenge. I am so glad that modern cloth diapers have made more people (myself included) hop on the cloth diapering bandwagon... but, sometimes, it's okay to be a little old-fashioned.

By Shanon O.
The Up North Writer Mama

Call Me Old Fashioned: Why Prefolds Are Better Than You Think

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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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All your stalking of the mailman has just paid off- your Fluffy Mail has been delivered! Oh joy! Oh rapture! Oh wait! .....How do I wash all of this? If your box contains more than one kind of diaper, it can get confusing. What can be washed together? What can't? Some diapers come with prepping instructions, so follow those if they're included. If not, read on for some general guidelines.

Cotton prefolds. They're awesome pocket inserts, they're great pinned or Snappi'ed, and they're nice for tri-folding in a cover. But when they come to you all flat and stiff, they sure don't look like the soft, absorbent diapers you were expecting. They need to be washed 4-5 times before you use them. Do they need to be dried between every wash? Not in my opinion. Wash them twice, dry the once (on hot) then wash them 2-3 more times and dry them again. Now they're ready to go! They'll reach full absorbency after 8-10 washes, but the initial 4-5 washes will get the natural oils out of them that you don't want coating your other diapers.

Hemp inserts/prefolds. They're the most absorbent diaper inserts, but not when you first get them. They need a good 5-6 washes before the natural hemp oils are out of them. If you've purchased a good stash of them, you can run them through your washer three times, then dry them. Then wash 3 more times, then dry them. If you only have a few hemp inserts, you may want to shorten the process by boiling the hemp on the stove. Stick it in a pot of boiling water, and boil for 15-20 minutes. Then run it through your washer once and dry.

Microfiber inserts. Wash them once and then dry them- now they're ready to use! (There had to be an easy category, right?)

Pocket diapers/covers. Pocket diapers that have fleece or suede cloth linings in them and most covers just need a single wash and dry before using. You can wash these with your microfiber inserts, too.

All-in-one diapers. If the AIOs have microfiber as their soakers, you can wash them with your pockets and covers. If they have natural cotton, bamboo, or hemp fabrics in them, then they'll need 3-4 washes before you use them- and they should be prepped separately from your other diapers.

Yes, Fluffy Mail Day can turn into Prepping Day if you have a variety of diapers in your package, but following the prepping instructions can help your diapers function at their best- and that's what you want from new diapers! Once everything is prepped fully, you can thereafter wash all of your diapers together in big happy, fluffy loads. :)

By Stacy F.

It's Prepping Time

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I started my cloth diapering stash with a good cross-section of styles, fits and brands to determine what I liked and didn’t like about cloth diapering. I felt that even if I wasn’t crazy about any of the diapers I tried, I would at least have some direction as to what I liked and didn’t like and could then go from there to find “the perfect diaper.” However, in my experience thus far, there is no perfect diaper because your (and your child’s) cloth diapering needs change with each stage. I have found what I thought were the perfect diapers only to have something change with my daughter that sent me reaching for something different in my stash or a new purchase all together. Allow me to take you on my journey.

I started with a Perfect Size Fuzzi Bunz, a Bum Genius 3.0, a Bum Genius Organic AIO and a Happy Heiny. From the very beginning the Bum Genius 3.0 was my absolute favorite. It was easy to use, didn’t leak and was trim and adorable. The Bum Genius Organic AIO worked well and was easy to use, but I didn’t like the fact that the moisture stayed close to my daughter’s young, tender skin. The Fuzzi Bunz was cute and didn’t leak, but seemed bulky and the Happy Heiny, though I really liked it, leaked often.

Fast forward about 6 months (my daughter was then about 10 months old), I had introduced some new diapers to the mix and shifted my go-to choices around a bit. The Bum Genius 3.0’s were still a heavy favorite. Fuzzi Bunz became her naptime diaper because they don’t leak and their inner lining is a soft fleece that just seemed like something I would want to be wrapped in while sleeping. Since my daughter was a bit older and a little more rough-and-tumble the moisture against her skin bothered me less so I really came to love the ease of use of the Bum Genius Organic AIO. I introduced a couple of Blueberry diapers with snaps which I loved because of their designs, fabrics and bulletproof wear, but I still really preferred aplix over snaps on a squirmy baby.

By the time my daughter was about 16 months things took a dramatic turn! She discovered the fun of aplix and diaper removal! Even with pants on over her diaper she would undo the aplix resulting in either the best case scenario of Mommy discovering a diaper peaking out at her ankles or the worst case of leaks and messes when I didn’t discover it soon enough. Thus began the search for any and all diapers with snaps. I added a Smartipants and a Kissaluvs Marvel AIO. At this point Bum Genius hadn’t come out yet with snaps and I was eagerly awaiting them! I sadly shelved my BG 3.0’s and relied solely on my snaps stash. I really like the trimness and functionality of the Smartipants and they have a great price point, but I would love more color options and prints. The Marvel AIO is a solid diaper, but it can be a little bulky in the rear and, though minor, I just don’t like the tag sticking out in the back. What I will say about these two diapers, however, is that I LOVE the fact that I can toss them in the wash without pulling out an insert. The laundry feature of the Marvel AIO, in particular, is incredible. It combines the best of a pocket and AIO, by turning itself inside-out in the wash eliminating the need to remove the insert to wash AND having the insert still attached so you don’t have to search for it when it comes time to stuff. In the beginning this seemed like it wasn’t so much of a big deal, but a year and a half later, and who knows how many loads of laundry, this seems like sheer BRILLIANCE!

A year and a half later my cloth diaper journey continues. I have just ordered the new Bum Genius 4.0 and I will be trying a Rumparooz G2 for the first time. I’m excited to see what they have to offer, but my laziness has me searching for that diaper with the easy wash-toss and re-stuffing capabilities. I haven’t tried it because it only comes in aplix, but if the Tot Bots Easy Fit came in snaps could it be the one? I’m still hopeful that I might just find “the perfect diaper” to take us through the various stages and issues that can pop up, but in the mean time I have built a very diversified stash that can handle just about any obstacle that comes my way.

By Jennifer G.

My Cloth Diaper Journey

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We received really cute submissions for this month’s theme, “Mama’s Helper.” Looks like your little fluffy butts are helping busy mamas lighten the load everywhere!

It was excruciating to decide among so many creative submissions. A BIG congrats goes to Andrea Hamilton for submitting the winning picture of her adorable daughter, Elaine, helping with the window flowers while wearing her Kissaluv Marvels AIOs. Andrea and Elaine get a $15 coupon to Kelly’s Closet! Please email Sarah@diapershops.com to claim your prize!

Check out all the babies helping around the house in this fun video.

Next month’s theme is: “Baby BOO”. Share with us any pics that show your little Halloween ghouls! One picture submission per family, please! Submit photos to sarah@diapershops.com by Thursday, September 23rd. Winning submission gets a $15 gift card to Kelly’s Closet.

Note: By submitting a photo for this contest, you consent that Kelly’s Closet and Diapershops.com has the right to use the photo of your child and his or her first name in future newsletters.

Cute Baby of the Cloth

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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:

Gussets are awesome! Because breastfed stool is so runny, it can easily squish out of a diaper.
Your Birdseye prefolds aren’t really prepped until there’s very little lint in your dryer.
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.
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.
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.
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.
You are not a horrible parent if you diaper pail stinks when you open it. The odor will only get worse.
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.
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.
Snappis are great! HB managed to wiggle his prefold out of place if it was laid inside the diaper cover.
Read the fine print on detergent. I didn’t realize that it had a built in fabric softener.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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Well, it was a long time coming, but the day has finally come. I am a cloth diapering mama. *Bows during applause*

Okay, in the grand scheme of things, I guess it wasn’t really that long. My son is 3 ½ months old, so that’s all of the time and money we’ve invested in disposables. But once my husband realized how much we spent on disposables in that short time (even with having so many as gifts), it was easy to sway him towards cloth. This was at 2 months old. Because I had a good-size arsenal of disposables, I had plenty of time to research all the different types and brands to figure out what would work best with our tight budget and lifestyle.

It was completely overwhelming to research the world of cloth diapers. I had no clue what any of this jargon meant. AIO, prefold, RNG, stripping??? AGHHHH!!!!! It was harder to learn about them than it was to decide if I wanted to use them. But after about a week of drowning in information, I finally began to understand what it all meant. I have the most interest in using hybrid systems, so I have invested in the bumgenius flip system. Easier laundry since there are two pieces, so it’s quick drying. They are one size, so I won’t be purchasing new diapers ever few months. They are reusable covers, so I don’t need as many of those. Also, a big appeal was that they have a disposable option if we need it.

And most surprising of all, it was an even bigger money saver than I had originally thought. I thought I was going to have to shell out $500+. This didn’t seem like it would be that huge of a savings spread out over 2.5 years. My son can use almost any disposable (some better than others), so I was able to find great deals using coupons and sales since I wasn’t limited to one brand. I calculated I would spend about $1000 on disposable diapers. My biggest financial reason for wanting to use cloth was the multi-baby factor. It was for baby number 2 that I expected I would be saving money. But once I found the right compromise of quality, reusability, and cost, I realized I would be spending less than $300. Um, yes please, I would like to pocket $700 (and another $1000+ for each subsequent baby). Especially when you think about how sposies mean you’re basically just throwing money into the trash!

I also liked the “green” factor of cloth diapers. I am not a particularly green mama, I don’t recycle 100% of the time, my car is average on gas mileage, but I absolutely hate how many disposables I’ve thrown into landfills. Approximately 550!! In 3.5 short months! Ew.
I still have a small stockpile of disposables, and I still have a good number of cloth diapers to buy before I can go full time. But this new world is so much more fun and addicting than I ever thought it would be. I think I will end up buying a few one size all-in-ones or pockets, even though the majority of my stash will probably remain flips or other one size hybrids. Honestly, I think I’ll end up spending more on cloth than I would on sposies (shh don’t tell my husband!), but it’s not MY fault that there really are no cute options in the sposie world.

By Marianna G.

It’s a Whole New World

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My husband was all for cloth diapering, mostly because he's just as much of a cheapskate as I am. Keep in mind that he had NEVER changed a diaper. EVER. I think that helped. :) Of course, he was even more in favor of potty-training from Day One, but that's another story.

We started out with a few bumGenius AIO and one One-Size, plus an odd assortment of used fitteds (Snap-to-Fit along with some others) and covers (Bummis) that we found locally. I quickly gravitated to the all-in-ones, loving the ease of changing, while he preferred (still does!) the fitteds with a cover. I think he liked the plain white, and of course I loved the cute colors. :)

Recently my daughter had a bout with diarrhea, and it was my husband's (self)-assigned task to rinse out the poopy diapers. Yuck. I was so incredibly grateful, as a pregnant stomach just cannot tolerate some things. Though he complained, he very sweetly took every last diaper out in the woods (yes, seriously) and hosed them all down. Did I mention he was a country boy? No fancy indoor sprayers for us, thank you very much. But however he did it, those diapers got clean, and I'm so thankful. (And I wish I had a picture of him with the hose, just to prove it to you).

All that said, yes, I do the bulk of the cloth diapering around here, but it wouldn't have been nearly such an awesome journey without the support -- and selfless help! -- of my sweet husband. Go daddy diapering!

Audrey is married to a Marine who actually helps with cloth diapers, mothers a 17-month-old baby girl who wears them, and can't wait to meet the newest addition in November who will help her try out some new brands. :) She also blogs at www.trugars.com, creating a platform for older women to share their wisdom with those of us who just aren't there yet.

By Audrey

He Had NEVER Changed A Diaper. EVER.

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When I had my first child, fourteen years ago, all I knew about cloth diapers were that they were gross - I remembered the crisp, bleached white prefolds my mom received from the diaper service when my sister was a baby and, surprisingly, I remembered how uncomfortable rubber pants were from my own toddlerhood. However, as an adult, I became more and more focused on sustainable, natural living and five years ago, while preparing for the birth of my second child, I became aware of the changes in the cloth diapering world. I stocked up on various types of diapers and had a collection of nearly everything available at the time. My son was born at home and we used cloth from day one. I was such a fanatic that the thought of a paper diaper touching his little bum was too much, I just couldn’t do it. I quickly learned that I wasn’t too fond of the polyester fleece linings found in most AIOs and pockets and my favorite diapering combination became a nice, organic (or at least all natural) fitted with wool.

During his diapering career I swayed a few times and tried various AIOs or pockets when I wanted to switch things up. For a time, AIOs lined in organic velour worked well but I decidedly became a fitted snob and felt that even the synthetic nature of PUL was not as admirable as putting the most naturally luxurious fabrics on my child’s rear.

Enter Baby #3, who was born shortly after my second son turned three. It may have been that he was born early, in a hospital, rather than at home, as planned. And the hospital, of course, sent us home with preemie Pampers. And I used them. And of course I’d like to blame the hospital for all manner of things, but I’ll take some personal responsibility here – they were easier. While caring for a newborn and toddler, especially while running errands, they were my first choice. I still used my organic fitteds at home but soon realized that caring for wool became the very last thing on my list of to-dos. Aside from letting my little one go coverless around the house, I relied on disposables about half the time and I kept telling myself “it was easier” and “there was less laundry” and “it was only temporary”. Then my son turned a year old and I thought, “Enough already!”

I asked myself why I was using disposables every few days and the only thing I could come up with was how convenient they were. I reminded myself why I chose to use cloth in the first place and it had very little to do with convenience. I was not happy about throwing away a diaper that would never “go anywhere” but rather, sit in a landfill for hundreds of years. I was not happy that I had somehow lost sight of my ideals for the sake of a little convenience as soon as my life became busier.

I had to find a way to make cloth worth for me again and decided to stock up on some AIOs and pockets. I wanted to know what the big bumGenius deal was, as so many of my friends can’t seem to get enough of them and I’d never tried them. I also purchased plenty of one-sized pockets and it didn’t take long for a full-on conversion! As soon as the first load of PUL lined diapers came out of the dryer, I packed a few in the diaper bag, along with a wetbag and we went about our business. Making the switch back to full-time cloth was easier than I’d anticipated and even at home, I find that I grab a pocket or AIO before a fitted, these days.

I no longer have any qualms about putting synthetics on my little one – because, when it comes down to it, they keep him drier than fitteds, they’re as easy to use as disposables (but way cuter) and this should go without saying, but they’re much better for the environment than using even just one or two disposables per day. Once I let go of the self-imposed wool and fitted standard I was able to find a cloth solution that provided the convenience I so desperately needed, as well as the sustainability our planet so desperately needs.

By Valerie B.

Former Fitted Fan Turns Pocket Convert

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Have you ever asked yourself- "What in the world is PUL?" PUL is one of those "diaper lingo" terms which stands for Polyurethane Laminate. It is a type of coating that is applied to different fabrics to make them waterproof. PUL is primarily used in pocket type diapers (example: Fuzzi Bunz or Happy Heiny's). PUL is primarily used on polyester knit fabrics. If PUL is used on cotton there is a tendency for the fabric to wick moisture. PUL fabrics are 100% waterproof and able to withstand washing in hot water and a medium heat setting.

Here are some types of PUL (note- wording in italics is taken directly from Neptune Fabrics website):

1) Regular PUL is a single layer of soft polyester knit with a thin film of non-breathable polyurethane laminate (PUL) applied to one side. It is lightweight and drapes well, yet is waterproof and extremely durable.

There are 2 thicknesses: (1 mil and 2 mil)

A mil is one-thousandth of an inch. Both 1 mil and 2 mil laminates are equally waterproof, but in general the 1 mil has a more elegant drape and softer feel, and the 2 mil has a thicker, more durable feel. The 1 mil laminate is ideal as the waterproof layer for all-in-one and pocket-style cloth diapers, reusable menstrual pads and bibs. The 2 mil laminate is well suited for waterproof items requiring greater durability, such as lightweight jackets, diaper pail liners, pocket-style cloth diapers, diaper covers, wet bags and changing pads.

2) Breathable PUL is same soft polyester knit used in regular PUL, but laminated with a 1 mil layer of waterproof, breathable co-polyester film. The micro porous coating allows for dispersal of moisture vapors, which helps keep the body cool. This fabric is excellent in waterproof mattress pads, sleeping bags and all styles of waterproof cloth diapers, diaper covers, and reusable menstrual pads.

3) Sandwich PUL is formed when a 1 mil or 2 mil layer of non-breathable polyurethane laminate (PUL) is sandwiched between two layers of polyester knit fabric. Both sides of the fabric have the soft feel of the knit, but the resulting fabric is waterproof.
This is the durable variety of PUL. Perfect for diaper covers.

The major source of PUL comes from a company called Fabrite. Many manufacturer's use this company to laminate their diaper fabric. Fabrite does require a minimum of 50 yards to be laminated so a consumer is unable to buy the laminated fabric direct from Fabrite. There are many online cloth diaper fabric resources. (I will be doing a post soon on "Making your own cloth diapers" so stay tuned.)

Whether you use pocket or all in one diapers most likely your baby is staying dry thanks to the PUL!

The Whisperer Answers: What is "PUL"?

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