Newborn Cloth Diapering at Four Weeks

My little boy is now a month old and life is starting to almost seem normal…well, a new kind of normal…okay maybe the word normal is stretching it!  I have been so excited to explore this world of newborn cloth diapering and I can finally start branching out now that his umbilical stump has finally fallen off and he has started to pack on some pounds.
 
Four Weeks: The little man is now 10 lbs 8 ounces and 22 inches.  Because they are just so adorable and seem so comfy-cozy I am still putting him in the Rumparooz Lil Joeys, being careful to change these more frequently to prevent leaks.  I have unsnapped the umbilical snap-down and the fit is still very good, but the leaks are hit or miss. 

After much anticipation I have been able to pull out my BumGenius All-in-One X-Smalls, my Fuzzi Bunz X-Smalls (snap and aplix) and my Happy Heinys Mini One-Size Pockets.  I absolutely love the BG AIO and the Fuzzi Bunz pockets.  The BG’s and FB fit well, are very trim and haven’t leaked at all.  I definitely prefer the aplix with a newborn because I feel like I can get a really custom fit, although the snaps on the FB have worked nicely as well.  My only complaint would be the aplix on the FB (a fairly new feature for FB).  It’s super strong, which normally wouldn’t be a complaint, but there’s something very difficult about fully detaching them from the laundry tabs.  The aplix also seems to be curling a bit.  I would still consider buying more FB with aplix, however, because I love the diaper and relish the ease and fit of aplix.  I will definitely be purchasing a couple more BG AIO and Fuzzi Bunz Perfect Size diapers, sizing up to Smalls to help bridge the gap between newborn and One-Size diapers.

I have always thought Happy Heinys were somewhat boxy by design on my daughter and I have found these Mini pockets to fit the same with my son.  This fit, however, doesn’t seem to affect their performance thus far.  They fit nicely on the legs and because I can overlap the aplix on the waist I can get a good snug fit there as well.  I haven’t had any leaks either.  The nice thing about the Mini Pockets is that the different size options will allow them to grow with the baby.  He is currently on the smallest of three settings which will give us a lot of wiggle room as he grows.

I still have a couple of diapers to test out as my little guy grows.  I bought one or two of several different diapers to try because I just didn’t know which ones I would like and what his body-type would be.  As I have said before my preference is a trim diaper so I don’t plan on breaking out my one-size diapers until about 3-4 months (although at the rate this little one is growing it may be sooner).  Until then I have a couple more “newborn” diapers to test-drive.  I have yet to try the Applecheeks in Size 1, the Tot Bots Tiny Fit and the Thirsties Cover in Size X-Small.  These are all slightly bigger than the others so I have waited a bit to put them on him.

Newborn Cloth Diapering at Four Weeks

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Newborn Cloth Diapering

After months of hypotheticals, estimating, researching and best guesses I finally get to put my newborn cloth diaper stash to work!  My little guy arrived in early February and my first go at true newborn cloth diapering has begun (my daughter was already 4 months when I first started cloth diapering her).  Since there have been a lot of discussions and questions about newborn cloth diapering on this blog and on the Diapershops’ Facebook page I thought I might try to give you my real-time, as-I-go experiences to give moms of newborns (or soon to be) an idea of what they might encounter in the first weeks and months.  To give you as much info as possible, my little man was 7 lbs 12 ounces and 20 ½ inches at birth.  I put his first cloth diaper on him at two weeks.  My hat is off to all of you moms that start right away (even in the hospital!) but I gave myself a little leeway and waited until life started to have some sort of normalcy before going all cloth.

Two Weeks Old: At two weeks he is now 8 lbs 10 ounces and 21 ½ inches.  His umbilical stump is still on so the only diapers that I have that will go under his stump are the Rumparooz Lil Joeys and the Imse Vimse Organic Cotton Cover.  I love the snap-down of the Lil Joeys, the softness and the look.  They aren’t bulky at all and the fit is just PERFECT on him.  However, I have had quite a few leaks with these.  I will say, this little guy seems like a heavy wetter (as compared to my daughter) but I just don’t like a diaper that I can’t rely on.  The other con to these diapers is incredibly long drying times.  I understand that AIO’s will always take longer, but these take a frustratingly long time.
I bought the Imse Vimse cover in the Preemie Size after reading reviews about their sizing and weight range.  It is a perfect fit: nice and fitted on the legs with no gaps, dips below his stump and is comfortably snug on his belly with room for growth.  I first used the preemie prefolds but they just weren’t enough to handle him.  I stepped up to the newborn size prefolds and they worked without any leaks.  I gave prefolds and covers a shot after a lot of prompting from moms on this site.  I understand that they are a great economical option for newborn cloth diapering and lots of moms out there love using prefolds, but they just aren’t my favorite.  Whenever I change him the entire prefold is soaked which means his whole diaper area is wet.  I just don’t like all of this wetness against my baby’s skin and, personally, I much prefer handling pockets or all-in-ones than a sopping wet prefold.  Again, just my preference, but I will say they didn’t leak and certainly are a huge cost savings.

I am looking forward to his stump falling off when I can dive into the rest of my newborn stash and try out more fluff.  I’m most excited about the Bum Genius All-in-Ones and the Fuzzi Bunz Pockets and, after two years of using these brands on my daughter, I have the feeling they won’t disappoint.  Stay tuned for more of my real-time test drives

By Jennifer

Newborn Cloth Diapering

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Bemoaning Ammonia Part 2

This post is continued from Bemoaning Ammonia Part 1 posted on February 1st, 2011.

I have also tried some other tricks and solutions to fight the dreaded ammonia smell that I’ve gleaned from my research and/or conversations with other moms.  With my new routine I really don’t feel that any of these are necessary, but if I have the time or the notion I will play around with them occasionally. 

1. Spraying diluted Bac-Out on diapers-I made a solution using distilled water and Bac-Out in a spray bottle to spray on particularly stinky diapers and inserts when they aren’t going to be washed immediately.
2. Rinsing every diaper after a change-Let’s face it, this might have been possible when my daughter was immobile, but she hits the ground running after a diaper change so this really isn’t something I could stick to, nor do I believe it’s that effective.
3. Adding water to front loader-I certainly don’t want to be a slave to my laundry, but if I do happen to catch it I will add some hot water to my wash cycle to allow the diapers to really swish around in there.

I am a true, self-professed cloth diaper lover and addict, but the idea of ammonia being an inescapable  part of cloth diapering was very unsettling to me.  Furthermore, the painstaking routine of weekly or even monthly soaks, stripping and bleaching just didn’t sit well with someone about to have a newborn and toddler in diapers. I can truly say I am in love all over again.  I refuse to get cocky or rest on my laurels because ammonia has tricked me before and I’m sure it will trick me again.  However, at this time I feel adequately prepared to tackle it with two very good solutions and several tricks of the trade.  In sharing this I hope it will help other moms out there, frustrated with the smells, rashes and time-consuming solutions. 

Disclaimer: The opinions are of the blog contributor and not of The Cloth Diaper Whisperer. We recommend reviewing the manufacturer’s washing instructions before using any product on your diapers.

By Jennifer

Bemoaning Ammonia Part 2

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Bemoaning Ammonia Part 1

Several months ago I was struck with some terrible ammonia stink in my diapers and my usual routines were not working.  It’s amazing how much this stressed me and occupied my mind.  I am terrified that something unfixable will come between me and my cloth!  My typical solutions (bleach soak, hot water stripping, Rockin Green soak, etc) just weren’t cutting it because they either weren’t working, were too time-consuming and/or were only temporary fixes.  I was desperate to find something that was easy and worked, not temporarily, but all the time.  I didn’t want a band-aid; I wanted a real fix.  In my research I found countless numbers of moms struggling with ammonia so I know I’m not alone, but in this case misery does not love company.  I didn’t want to hear other horror stories; I wanted to hear that this is something I can overcome easily and quickly. 

In my trial and errors I think I have come up with some solutions.  Two of them seem incredibly reliable and, dare I say, easy.  I am eager to share my findings because I know other moms out there are struggling with this.  We love our diapers, but the ammonia smell and rashes just aren’t acceptable.  I feel confident in the new routines, but I have to tell you, I’ve always got my eye out (or rather my nose) for that evil stink.  Every diaper that comes out of the washer gets a search and pat-down that would rival any airport security measure!

1. BioKleen Bac-Out:

I have had Bac-Out sitting in my laundry cabinet for months, but I was wary of trying it. I don’t like additives or complications in my wash routine because 1) I relish simplicity and 2) the more involved the wash gets the more room there is for error, build-up or the like.  I started with a good, overnight soak in hot water with ¼ cup of Bac-Out.  Now, I don’t want to have to do this all of the time.  Since I have a front loader, doing soaks (in bleach, Bac-Out, Rockin Green, whatever) is annoying, messy and difficult, but I wanted to tackle this problem head-on so I figured a soak would get me on track.

After the overnight, a full washing and lots of rinses I figured my diapers were back to square one, smelling fresh and free of odor and build-up. Now I started experimenting with a daily routine to maintain this freshness, avoid having to do any big soaks and, most importantly, avoid ammonia.  I started by adding ¼ cup of Bac-Out to my initial rinse (which I do on the “Quickwash” cycle on my front loader with warm water).  I then washed with my normal routine (hot wash with 1 tablespoon detergent, and another Quickwash for my rinse after that).  When things seemed to do well with this routine for a week or two I reduced the Bac-Out to about 1-2 tablespoons.  So far this has worked perfectly and my diapers haven’t had any odors coming out of the washer. 

2. Rockin Green Funk Rock:

At about this time Rockin Green was launching their new product, Funk Rock, aimed to combat ammonia.  I decided to give this a try as part of my wash routine as well.  Instead of my Bac-Out I used the recommended 1 tablespoon of Funk Rock in my initial Quickwash rinse and then washed as normal.  Using only this method (no Bac-Out) for about a week or two the results were equally as good.  My diapers smelled perfect coming out of the washer and we haven’t had any strong ammonia smell when my daughter is wearing them. 

Months later, I am still testing out these two methods by using one or the other additive, exclusively, in my rinse cycle for a week or so and believe they are just about equal in terms of results.  However, I have found Funk Rock to be a bit pricey to use with every wash and the bag is quite small.  If I poke around online I can find Bac-Out on sale for less than $6 for a 32 oz bottle.  If I use 1-2 tablespoons per wash I end up getting several months of washing out of one bottle. 

Stay tuned next week for Part #2!

By Jennifer

Bemoaning Ammonia Part 1

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What Would I Buy More Of?

I was recently asked by a friend just starting to cloth diaper, “What would you buy more of?”

When it comes to cloth diapers the easier question is, what wouldn’t I buy!  I am always on the look-out for the newest innovation or a style I haven’t tried or a brand about which others rave.  However, this made me take a good, hard look at my stash.  If the only diapers available were the ones in my stash, what would I definitely buy more of?  What could I live without?  What would I be devastated to lose?  Thankfully she didn’t limit me to one or even two because I don’t know if I could do that, but I know that several quickly popped into my head as my absolute favorites.  I’ve narrowed it down to my top three:

• Fuzzi Bunz Perfect Size-To be quite honest these took me a while to fall in love with, but now it is a full-on affair.  The fleece on the inside of the FB is unlike any other diaper.  It is plush and soft, resists stains and wears beautifully.  They are my go-to naptime diaper because they are leak-proof and cozy, but I will reach for them anytime, anywhere. I have not tried the FB One-Size and, honestly, don’t feel any need.  My daughter has fit in the Perfect Size medium from the time she was 4 months old.  She is now 20 months old (and certainly not a petite 20 month old, by any means) and still fits them very comfortably with room to spare.
• Bum Genius 4.0-I have been a huge fan of Bum Genius from the moment my daughter started in cloth.  The BG 3.0’s were definitely a staple, but now that the 4.0 is here with snaps they are nearly perfect.  They are durable, leak-proof and very trim.  I have no worries that the new, larger sizing will definitely last until potty training.  I could go on and on about their amazing attributes, but the bottom line is that these are one of the diapers that I rely on for a trim-fit, trusty leak-proof protection and dry overnights.
• Blueberry Pockets- My first Blueberry diaper seemed like a big splurge to me.  They have now come down in price making them comparable to most other one-size pockets on the market.  Most of my Blueberries have the microterry/hemp-combo insert which is unbelievable in absorption, rarely retains any odors and is remarkably thin considering how many layers of protection you’re getting.  The colors and prints are beautiful, the sizing has always been perfect and the materials are top of the line.

These are hands-down the three diapers I couldn’t live without.  I have many others in my stash that I use daily and, truly, they all have their strengths.  I always thought my end goal would be to find one diaper that would make up my whole stash and buy a ton of them, but I would really miss my mish-mash variety.  In the end, if pressed to have a stash made up of one diaper only, I could choose any one of these three and have a very dependable supply. The real question, however, is why would I ever want to limit myself!?!

Could you choose one or two favorites or, like me, do you love having more options?

By Jennifer G.

What Would I Buy More Of?

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One Reaction to the Erica Jong Op-Ed Piece

My reaction to the Erica Jong op-ed piece was not as angry or insulted as many in the cloth diapering community have communicated.  It gave me pause as I thought about the choices I make as a mother: how I arrive at those choices, what my motivations are behind my choices, what I believe those choices can and cannot influence and how I feel about others who choose differently.  My take-away from the piece was an agreement that society, advocacy groups and even other mothers tend to put pressure, place blame and pass judgment on how we are mothering our children.  Her criticism seemed less about the actual parenting practices she mentions and more about the misperception that if we do not follow these practices we are bad mothers.  Admittedly, she gives her opinion about certain parenting styles that she did not find appropriate or workable in her lifestyle, just as anyone of us has opinions about parenting styles that we choose not to practice.  My opinion was that she stopped short of attacking, making precisely the point that we are all too quick to attack and judge one another as mothers and parents.

I wholeheartedly agree that there is inherent societal pressure on mothers.  In today’s world of evolving families, fathers are indeed more active and equally as important, but I believe there is an incomparable standard for mothers and by mothers, much more so than with fathers.  However, taking away the judgment of anyone else, we are still faced with the enormous task of guiding, nurturing and molding another human being from infancy, essentially into adulthood.  It is almost impossible to escape our own feelings of guilt as we try with all of our might to make the right choices for these little beings in our care.   No parent, therefore, should have to feel any additional pressure or guilt from the outside world.  The clichéd battles of the working mom vs. the stay at home mom, breastfeeding vs. formula, co-sleeping vs. a crib should not exist among those of us simply doing our best, with the resources we’re given, to love and parent our children.  And yet they do.  What Ms. Jong is saying, along with a few personal opinions of her own, is that there is no one way, no perfect solution to parent a child and the idea that a mother should feel guilty or inadequate is detrimental to all involved. 

I do not want to be made to feel unloving, selfish or guilty for how I am raising my children.  Furthermore, I would be saddened to think that my choices could make someone else feel a lesser parent.  Certainly, when we make a choice, we are actively choosing to NOT do it another way.  Our opinion, obviously, is that our choice is the better choice.  However, to stop these battles and comparisons, that thought needs to be finished with the words “for me and my family.”  Cloth diapers are the better choice…for me and my family; making my own babyfood is the right choice…for me and my family; breastfeeding was the right choice for me and my daughter, yet formula was the right choice for me and my other daughter.  That which separates us from all other creatures is the ability to perceive and judge, and that is a beautiful quality, until that perception is used to feel superior or make someone else feel inadequate.  It is our responsibility, when we make a perception and consequently a choice, not to judge others who chose differently.  There is no perfect way to raise a perfect person and what a boring world that would be if there were.

I would hesitate to place labels on myself as a person, and even more so as a mother.  My parenting style changes, reacts and evolves as my children do the same.  My decisions as a mother, along with all of the other mothers out there, are motivated by the health, happiness and safety of my children.  Period.  Personally, I rely heavily on my own good old-fashioned instinct, sprinkled with bits of information gleaned from the experience of my mother, doctors, clinical studies, teachers and my peers, among others.  That being said I believe in some of the practices that Ms. Jong mentions in her article and in reading it, never once felt the need to defend my choices.   Rather, I felt a bit relieved and humbled.  I agree with her in that “nothing is more malleable than motherhood,” meaning there is nothing so guaranteed, nothing so fixed that tells us there is a right way and a wrong way to raise our children at any given time.  I would never be so bold as to believe I have all of the answers and my children will be perfect as a result of my parenting.  Furthermore, I would be remiss to think that my neighbor’s choices will subject her children to a life of failure, insecurity or ill-health.  We can’t control “society’s” judgment on what we are doing, but we can make an effort to fight it by agreeing not to do it to each other as mothers.  As challenging as it might be, I strive to live guilt-free as I navigate this ever-changing, challenging, yet beautiful task of raising my children, at the same time remaining judgment-free as all other mothers do the same.

By Jennifer G.

We thank Jennifer for her wonderful contribution to our blog. The Cloth Diaper Whisperer does not take a stance on this issue but would like to offer our reader's one person's view point on this subject.

One Reaction to the Erica Jong Op-Ed Piece

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Newborn Diapering

I am looking for some been-there-done-that advice. I am pregnant with my third baby, but only my second to be in cloth diapers. I started my daughter in cloth at about 4 months and feel as if I have tried just about everything under the sun when it comes to cloth diapers in the 16 months that she’s been in them. However, I’m anxious to get this new little one into cloth as soon as possible and the newborn cloth diaper thing is brand new to me. Therefore, I’m looking for some advice and input when it comes to your experience with newborn diapering. I’ll fill you in a bit on my preferences:

1. I definitely prefer pockets.
2. Although I know so many others who really couldn’t care less, a huge bulky diaper on a little baby drives me insane. Obviously there’s no getting around it with a little 6-8 pounder, but I want to reduce the bulk as much as possible.
3. I’m not a huge fan of fitteds and prefolds with covers, because of the convenience factor, as well as the aforementioned bulk.
   
4. I love my Bum Genius, Fuzzi Bunz, Blueberry, and Smartipants diapers; they are all at the top of the list for me.

With all of that being said I have made some early purchases (okay, VERY early, but hey, I just found out I’m having a little boy after two girls so I’m excited to get some blues and little boy prints). I bought a couple of different varieties and brands and have done a preliminary assessment.

Kissaluv Size 0: The first bit of advice that I received was that the Kissaluv Size 0’s are wonderful for newborns, so I purchased a couple of those and a Thirsties cover. But I thought I just said I’m not a fan of fitteds? Exactly. These diapers are soooo super soft and adorable, but they seem like they will be so bulky with a cover on top of them. I am most skeptical about these, but wondering what moms’ experiences have been with just fitteds and no cover on a newborn? Is this possible or do they leak right through immediately?

Lil Joeys: It was love at first sight with these little beauties. So tiny, so soft, so adorable. I’m tempted to buy twenty of these and call it a day, but I’m not sure how long they will last being that they are so small. I’m also a little wary of AIO’s. I have had bad experiences with sewn-in AIO’s and odor retention.

Tot Bots Tiny Fit Easy Fit: This is another really cute diaper, slightly bigger than the Lil Joeys so I don’t think I’ll be using it immediately. Love, love, love the design of the AIO with the insert that comes out, but stays attached. The inside seems like it will be so soft against the little guy’s bottom.

Fuzzi Bunz X-Small: Fuzzi Bunz have been a staple in my cloth diaper stash since the beginning. Contrary to many other opinions, I find FB’s to run a little bulky, particularly in the rear and lower back area, but they are soft, leak-proof and wear well. Again, this one is slightly bigger so I think I’ll have to wait a little while to get it on him.

I would love to hear what other moms of newborns think of the purchases I’ve already made and/or what other diapers they think I might like for the very beginning. I’m also thinking of trying a Blueberry Mini Deluxe and have heard wonderful things about Flip Organic Cotton inserts so wondering if I might be willing to try those with a cover or in a smaller pocket??? What advice can you guys give me? Just as I was ready to shed my Newbie title I’m feeling lost all over again. I will keep an eye on the comments and thank you in advance for any and all suggestions!

By Jennifer

Newborn Diapering

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Coordinating an Outfit To Match Your Cloth!

This is not something I readily admit in mixed company, but in this forum I can let my cloth diaper obsession shine: the clothing I choose for my daughter is heavily influenced by her cloth diapers. I’m not talking sizing and fit, that’s just normal common sense, no I’m talking colors. Does this item match her diapers? Are there multiple diaper color options to go with this item? Will it only match the solid diapers or will it work with her patterns as well? Crazy? Maybe. Fun? Oh, yes! So you can only imagine how excited I was with this find…I have found, what I call, the Bum Genius dress!

If I didn’t know any better I would have thought this dress was designed, manufactured and sold by Bum Genius. It has stripes of four different colors: light pink, dark pink, green and orange, but they might as well be called Blossom, Zinnia, Ribbit and Clementine. The stripes are exact matches for the Bum Genius colors. I so look forward to the warmer weather when she can wear just a sundress and a diaper and this dress is exactly why. I am guaranteed throughout the day with multiple diaper changes that she is always going to match perfectly and adorably. I wonder if anyone at Bum Genius has noticed this dress and the striking color resemblance.

I know this sounds incredibly silly and ridiculous, and I admit it is, but it makes diapering fun. Before I used cloth, diapers were obviously necessary, but incredibly boring. Now I just love putting them on her and showing them off. On a more practical note, though, showing people how cute they can be is a great stepping off point for talking about cloth (something of which I never tire). I’m always so surprised at people’s preconceived, old-fashioned ideas of cloth and love dishing out the truth. Having them in plain sight shows people how user friendly, modern and adorable cloth diapers are now. And it doesn’t hurt to make a fashion statement while saving the planet one diaper at a time!

By Jennifer G.

Coordinating an Outfit To Match Your Cloth!

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The Decision to Have a Third

Did my love of cloth diapering influence my decision to have a third baby? Hmmmm, is this something I want to admit? Was my first thought upon imagining a son after two girls that I would be able to buy so many boy-themed diapers? Maybe. Do I love cloth diapering so much that my option was to either delay potty training my daughter for 5 or so years or have another baby? Okay that’s going a bit far. My daughter is only 18 months old, so for better or worse she still has quite a bit of diapering time left in her, but the idea of retiring or giving away her stash is right up there with packing away her cutest clothes or most beloved toys. My love of mothering, cloth diapering included, made me realize that I might have had another go ‘round in me. I adore being a mother. I love nurturing my children, whether that means making sure they have the best on their bottoms or they’re exposed to the arts or they have a neck to burrow into when they’re sad or scared.

Actually it was when I first started cloth diapering her, around four or five months old that I started thinking about another baby. Of course the timing is probably coincidental, but it does make you wonder. We had emphatically declared that we were done at two children. Two was practical, manageable and even, dare I say, easy. I had two girls, which thrilled me to no end. Two sisters, awash in pink, that brought us so much love and happiness, who could dare to ask for more? But at about this five month mark I realized, I dared to ask for more. More of this love, this joy, this laughter, this chaos, this fluff. Oops, did I say that? Thinking that my husband would declare me nuts and start reminding me in gory detail about how much I loathe pregnancy (as I had instructed him to do if this ever happened) I sheepishly mentioned the idea. He shocked me by saying he had been thinking it too and hence began the destruction of our logical, perfect, well-thought-out plan of two children. Maybe the diapers had no direct influence, but I think they could have been a bit of red flag for me, a little heads-up that this mom thing hadn’t quite run its course with just these two runners on the track.

Of course I say this all with a bit of tongue in cheek, but with every joke there is a little truth, right? In the end I would say the diapers did play a role in my decision to have a third baby. Not in the sense that I couldn’t part with cloth diapering so I decided to have another child, but more in the sense that I realized just how much I love taking care of my children and how much I love being a mother. Every decision I make, every item I purchase, every activity I plan is all done in the best interests of my children. I take this role very seriously and I enjoy every living moment of it. The decision to have another child is a complex and personal one, made for so many different reasons. Quite simply for me, I love being a mother, I love watching my children grow and evolve and I love the life that my family has created around me. And yes, I love the fluff.

In essence, this is my coming-out to The Cloth Diaper Whisperer community that the newbie, who is no longer a newbie, is expecting. After much contemplation and decision-making we are thrilled that we will be a family of five. And as an update, at 14 weeks and still feeling awful with morning sickness, I still loathe pregnancy!

By Jennifer G.

The Decision to Have a Third

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How I Made Cloth Work for Me

Cloth diapers can be a tough adjustment for anyone, whether you started with your first child immediately or changed to cloth after using disposables. Our world is set up for quick, easy and disposable. Everything has been manufactured with convenience and ease of use nowadays, making the reduce, recycle, reuse concept difficult for the majority of society. However, like so many of the other changes I’ve made in my life to become a greener, more earth-friendly person, I’ve adapted quite easily to cloth. I’ll admit that in the beginning I was overwhelmed by information, methods and options, but very quickly cloth diapers became just a part of my daily routine, something I don’t have to think about, plan around or figure out. I have made cloth diapers work for me.

In the beginning I took an “all or nothing” approach. This quickly became very frustrating. I realized if I wanted to make this work I was going to have to embrace the parts that I loved and do away with certain aspects that made my daily routine more difficult. Cloth wipes made things difficult. For a lot of people they’re an easy no-brainer; for me they were a struggle. I loved the idea of them, but ran into several problems with my daughter and the diapers. My daughter has very sensitive skin so she reacted to every wipe solution I tried. I also found that the solutions left a bit of residue on her skin which, once it got on her diapers, caused some repelling issues. I didn’t like the idea of only using water. And I was still using disposable wipes for her messy poop diaper changes. In the end, I ditched the cloth wipes and my life (and cloth diapering) became a lot easier and worrisome. At first I considered it a defeat, but soon realized that whatever makes cloth diapers work for me is a victory.

Then, I was struggling to find “the perfect” diaper and frustrated when I would like the fit of one, but the look or absorbency or ease of use of another. Sounds silly, but if you’ve read my previous posts you know I’m all about simplicity and streamlining, and sorting those different inserts was just too much for me. For all of these reasons I determined that the plain ole microterry were the inserts for me. They are trim, absorbent and so easy to care for. I have now shelved my triple-fold Blueberry inserts and even my trusty, thin hemp for all microterry inserts. I can bleach them occasionally, I don’t have an extra step of sorting when stuffing and they make all of my diapers pretty trim under my daughter’s clothes. This simple insert change has made my routine work so well for me.

My diaper change and laundry routine now is such a snap, I’d argue that it’s easier than disposables. After a diaper change the diaper either gets thrown immediately into an open-top basket in my daughter’s room (just wet diapers) or I dump the contents into the toilet and throw the diaper into an identical basket in the bathroom. The open baskets mean no fumbling with a cover, no awful smell when I have to reach in on laundry day and no wet bags. Laundry day (every other, or even every third day) is incredibly simple with a streamlined, tried and tested routine.

When I began cloth diapering I thought I would like it and feel better about doing it both for my daughter and the environment, but I assumed and accepted that it was going to be harder and more work than disposables. However the day-to-day usage quickly became old hat. The diaper changes are easier because there’s no garbage bag to haul out and no stinky diapers to bring immediately outside to the garbage. Sure the laundry routine adds work, but I’ll take that over the constant back and forth of running out of diapers and schlepping big jumbo packs from the store on a weekly basis. I can honestly say that, much to my delight, I find cloth easier than disposables now that I’ve made them work for me.

By Jennifer

How I Made Cloth Work for Me

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Why I Love My Clothesline

Growing up my mother never used a clothesline. Actually that’s not entirely true. In our basement my mother had a crude line strung from one wall to the other. I know she occasionally hung stuff on it, but I don’t recall why or under what circumstances. We never had an actual clothesline outside, however, and the general consensus was that my dad would never have allowed such an eyesore in our backyard. He’s a very picky man when it comes to his home and surroundings and takes a lot of pride in everything being orderly, pristine and well-kept. I do, however, have fond memories of running through the fresh-smelling, slightly damp, crisp sheets of neighbors hanging on their clotheslines.

Fast forward a couple of years (okay, decades) and I found myself a cloth diaper newbie, renting a house while on vacation at the beach. I discovered, with much excitement, a clothesline in the backyard, drenched in sun, blowing in the ocean breezes. Thus began my love affair with the clothesline. I immediately installed an umbrella style clothesline in my own backyard upon return from our vacation and still, to this day, love hanging my cloth diapers on it.

There are practical reasons to love a clothesline. It saves energy, making it a greener, more earth-friendly way to dry your clothes. It saves money. It takes advantage of the wonderful, natural properties of the sun. The suns UV rays naturally bleach your diapers helping to rid them of stains and brighten them overall. The ultraviolet radiation also kills bacteria, thus disinfecting your diapers as well. And this isn’t only on sunny days. Just as your skin can tan or burn on cloudy days, the effects of the sun on your diapers can be achieved on cloudy and even chilly days. Of course, the fresh breezes are the icing on the cake. Nowhere else does nothingness smell so good than on freshly washed and clothesline dried cloth diapers.

Just as important to me, however, are the emotional benefits of using a clothesline. It may sound silly, but I really love the act of taking my freshly washed diapers out to the clothesline on a sunny day and hanging them to dry in the bright sunshine and warm breezes. Like most of you my days are filled with all of the necessary evils that we’ve all come to love and loathe at the same time: cell phones, computers, iPods, things that beep, things that need to be charged, things that demand our immediate attention and things that inevitably break-down leaving us helplessly paralyzed without them at exactly the wrong time. Stepping outside with my very simple cloth diapers, to my even simpler clothesline, grounds me ever so slightly. No matter what may happen when I step back inside, for that five minute break I am forced to breathe in the fresh air and perform a very simple, but very rewarding task. The only thing better is when I come back out to pull my fresh, clean diapers off the line.

And in case you were wondering…yes, my father thinks the clothesline in my yard is an eyesore, but he thinks the same about the sandbox, the swingset, the toys…

By Jennifer G.

Why I Love My Clothesline

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Attack the Ammonia

I’m pretty sure that no matter how perfect the washing routine, how powerful the detergent or how frequent the washes, eventually we all end up with the dreaded ammonia smell in our diapers. I truly thought I had figured out the perfect combination to avoid the ammonia, but I, too, got hit with what I consider to be one of the two major pitfalls of cloth diapering; the other pitfall being the usually sometimes related repelling/leaking. The following are the methods that I use to rid myself of the ammonia odor and otherwise freshen and restore my cloth diapers.

Stripping is usually the first stop. Stripping involves several very hot washes without detergent to wash and rinse away any detergent build-up. After about 2-3 hot water washes I do a check of the water during the wash cycle to see if the agitation in the washer is resulting in any suds. Once I get perfectly clear, sud-free water I do an extra cycle for good measure.

There is a term that has become quite well-known recently in the cloth diaper circuit. It is “Rock the Soak” and all the kids are doing it! It is actually a very simple procedure of soaking your cloth diapers in Rockin’ Green Soap for a minimum of 1-3 hours and a maximum of overnight. Depending on how much build-up, stink or stains your diapers have, this soak can yield some pretty dramatic results. I prefer to do this in my bathtub overnight with enough water to cover the diapers and about 4-6 scoops of Rockin’ Green. I then hand rinse and follow with a full laundry routine cycle, adding an extra rinse or two to be sure everything is rinsed out.

I have also used OxiClean to give my detergent a boost. I use it after the initial rinse of my laundry routine and before a full wash. I will do what’s called a “Quick Wash” on my washer with 1-2 tablespoons of OxiClean. I always make sure to add some extra rinses at the end of my wash to be sure the OxiClean is out of my diapers completely. I’ve found that the OxiClean helped brighten and freshen up my diapers.

The microterry inserts are definitely the workhorses of my diapers and they bear the brunt of the damage in my opinion. Their purpose is to absorb, right? Well, as they absorb the moisture they also absorb the bacteria and odor. Bleach does a great job of getting rid of all of this yuck. I always do at least 3-4 rinse cycles after a bleach soak. This gets rid of any bleach or bleach smell, while giving my inserts a nice strip in the process

Probably the best method for getting rid of the ammonia smell is the cheapest and most tried and true: line drying in the sun. After using one or a couple of the above methods I will always finish with a line dry to insure that I have wiped out smells and stains. The UV rays naturally bleach while the fresh air works its magic. Oh, what my neighbors must think when they see me smell each and every one of my diapers as I pull them off the line. Little do they know this obsessive mama does this every single time my diapers come out of the washing machine, whether they’re headed for the dryer or the sun.

by Jennifer G. - Blog Contributor

Attack the Ammonia

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Advice for New Parents (Part 2)

Continuing is my advice for my friends Marissa and Jeremy who are expecting their first baby any day now… They have asked me what my advice, tips and tricks are for first-timers thinking about cloth diapering.

I think the two looming questions that parents diving into cloth diapering have are:
1) What do you do with the poop?
2) How do you wash these things?

As simple as people tried to make it sound for me it still seemed overwhelming and difficult. Looking back I’m so surprised at how quickly it all became routine. You will be too. Hopefully my experience and trial and error will save you some time and get you started on an easy day-to-day routine.

A diaper change results in two options. Option number one, wet diapers, go in the diaper pail/basket/bag. Simple. Done. Option number two, poop diapers. I love when people or websites say “Just shake it off and flush.” I remember looking at my 4 month old’s breastfed poops wondering what I was supposed to “shake.” Before solid foods the poops…aren’t so solid. My best advice for these is a diaper sprayer, a handy little device that attaches to the water feed of your toilet. I’m writing this post for Jeremy, whom I have witnessed firsthand being a little stymied in the handyman department (before you balk, Jeremy, recall the deck painting, cabinet doors, etc).

Even Jeremy can install a diaper sprayer and, let me tell you, it is a lifesaver. Down the road you will be able to shake the solid poops right into the toilet with little to no residue left on the diapers, I promise. However, in the early months, you will use the sprayer. I always removed the insert (you can either just toss it in your basket or rinse and toss) and just spray the pocket diaper itself. With pockets nothing ever stuck or stained. Then just toss it in your basket for laundry day. Not so bad, right?

Laundry Day. Forget the fear. Ignore the complicated additives. Start with a basic routine. Cold water rinse and spin. Hot water wash with Rockin’ Green. One more rinse and spin. Done. Down the road you might run into some stains or build-up or some smells from time to time. At that point you can troubleshoot or do some research (this blog has it all!) to figure out what might be your best solution, but honestly, with Rockin Green (no, I do not own stock in the company!) you will probably have some smooth sailing.

I have simplified things quite a bit, but cloth diapering really doesn’t have to be complicated. I have laid out my best advice based on my experience as a recent “Newbie.” I believe the simpler you keep it the more likely people are willing to try it and stick with it. The beauty of cloth diapering is that there are so many options, styles and brands to suit every family’s needs. One person will swear by a method or style that just doesn’t work for someone else. Once you get into the swing of things you will figure out what you love and what you could do without and make your decisions accordingly. I can almost guarantee that you will find a system that works for you and you will truly love cloth diapering.


By Jennifer G.

Update: Marissa and Jeremy welcomed their beautiful little boy, Hayden James, soon after this post was completed. Congrats and good luck, guys. Can’t wait to get my hands on him!!!

Advice for New Parents (Part 2)

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Advice for New Parents (Part 1)

This post is my personal advice to my friends Marissa and Jeremy who are expecting their first baby… TODAY! Ironically, they were at my house when my very first package arrived from Kelly’s Closet. All four of us looked at these adorable little bundles of fluff with interest, intrigue and more than a little intimidation. The following week they got a positive pregnancy test! I was their own personal guinea pig as I became the “Newbie” for them and everyone here. Now that I have been cloth diapering for about 9 months they have asked what my advice would be for them to begin cloth diapering their new baby boy. I figured I would share my thoughts here, based on my experience, so other people who are considering cloth diapering might have a look.

My first piece of advice for a new parent may be a little controversial in the cloth diapering world. In my humble opinion I am advising my friends not to start cloth diapering for the first time until the baby is at least of couple of weeks, maybe even months, old.

Now if you are super-enthusiastic, have support from family or friends and feel that you’ll be ready to dive in, by all means, go for it. It really isn’t that tricky and if you’ve done the research ahead of time you could start with cloth diapers right off the bat and never look back. However, I am giving this advice to my friends, who will be brand new parents, with the hopes of minimizing their stress and frustration and maximizing their wonder and bond with their new baby. In the end, I would rather see them start cloth diapering a little later and succeed than have them frustrated and overwhelmed and end up quitting.

Though the physical act of diapering the baby isn’t that much different with cloth vs. disposables, cloth diapering does add a little extra work with clean-up and laundering and a sleep-deprived, possibly overwhelmed, new mom doesn’t need anything extra on her plate. Also, waiting a little bit will give you time to develop some sort of schedule, and an understanding of your baby’s routine, habits and needs. You will feel much more in control, relaxed and open-minded once you’ve gotten into the swing of things with your new little one.

I personally think pocket diapers are the easiest diapers with which to begin cloth-diapering. There are many who swear by the cost-effectiveness, functionality and versatility of fitteds and prefolds. However, when I first started I found pockets to be extremely user-friendly. Everyone has their personal favorites, based on their own needs and expectations. My advice would be to start with bumGenius, FuzziBunz and Blueberry One Size pocket diapers only because I have used them myself and found them to be all-around excellent diapers. There are several different brands at different price points to try out (Smartipants, Happy Heinys, etc) but I can only vouch for the ones I’ve tried and loved. I wouldn’t get too caught up in snaps vs. velcro when just starting. Velcro is the easiest for new parents, but you may find you prefer one over the other once you’ve had a chance to use them both. As far as quantity, I started with about 6-8 total diapers consisting of a couple different styles and brands. That’s a good number to try things out and not commit too much money, however once you fall in love with cloth diapering (and you will) you will want to quickly buy more of your favorites to ease up your laundry duties.

Once you have your diapers you’ll need a simple laundry routine and a few accessories to make the whole process easier. Check out Part II of my post as for the rest of my advice to the new parents.

By Jennifer G.

Advice for New Parents (Part 1)

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Why bumGenius are Genius!

bumGenius were the very first diapers I bought and put on my daughter. I purchased them because they seemed like an easy transition from disposables, their performance had rave reviews and the design, style and colors were adorable. After seven months of using them they still hit each of these points and have impressed me with even more outstanding qualities. Since that first purchase I have been on a quest for the perfect diaper for our family. I am always anxious to try the new design, fabric or brand in search of the diaper that will make me abandon all others. In truth, that diaper might already be in my stash and I just cannot give up the thrill of the hunt! If I could no longer justify buying and trying the latest and greatest, here’s why I could be very happy sticking with only bumGenius One Size diapers:

Performance: These diapers are the gold standard, the old faithful in my cloth diapering world. I’ve never had a leak with bumGenius unless it was complete user error on my behalf. I stuff them with the basic micro-terry insert and they are good to go. Double stuff with a hemp insert and the micro-terry insert and they are “bulletproof” for overnight.

The inner liner keeps the skin so dry while the pocketed insert absorbs all of the moisture. The elastic around the legs holds everything in without leaving any painful red marks on my daughter’s chunky legs. Some people have had trouble with the hook and loop (Velcro) closure weakening over time, but I haven’t had any issues with that thus far. Furthermore, the hook and loop is completely replaceable if it becomes a problem so I have no worries there.

Style: I love the styling of these diapers. They are adorable. The intensity and depth of the colors is beautiful. However, it is the trimness of the diaper that gets me. These are the easiest diapers to get a pair of pants over and look the trimmest on her. Prints or patterns would put them over the top for me.

Ease of Use: The design of these diapers is the closest I’ve seen to disposables. They go on and fasten just like a disposable, they’re easy to adjust and a breeze to stuff. They are simple to clean and wash up beautifully day after day. The micro-terry insert can be bleached or dried in the sun and brought back to almost original condition. To this day not one of my bumGenius diapers have stained.

Each diaper in my stash has one or two qualities in which they might be superior to the others. One might be softer inside, one might have a prettier exterior, one is super-absorbent, one is trimmer than the others. For me, though, the diaper that hits the mark most consistently is the bumGenius. They hold the largest majority in my stash and are usually the diaper I turn to most when getting my daughter dressed for the day.

Does this mean that my quest for the perfect diaper has ended? Maybe, but I’ll never admit it outright. What fun would that be?

By Jennifer G.

Why bumGenius are Genius!

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Cloth Diapering Dad Interview

After the bragging, boasting (embarrassing) post about how great my husband is with cloth diapering I received some questions about how he might be able to help bring some other, more reluctant, dads over to our side. So I decided to set up a little interview to get his perspective, in his words, about cloth diapering. Once we got over the initial awkwardness of “wife interviewing husband” it was actually pretty fun. I was able to hear answers from him that I otherwise wouldn’t have known. Some questions he answered as expected, but others kind of surprised me.

• What convinced you, other than your wife, that you should cloth diaper?
I was very open to giving them a try when you first mentioned buying some, but reading the environmental impact information about disposables that was included in our first order was eye-opening. That sealed the deal for me.

• Were you intimidated? Is there anything that still intimidates you?
I was definitely intimidated at first, but quickly figured out that bumGenius were my friends! They eased me into it. Prefolds still frighten me! (Side Note: wife not all that psyched about prefolds either!)

• Why do you prefer cloth diapers over disposables?
First and foremost they’re soft and cozy and so cute on her! Seriously though, they’re the responsible choice, environmentally.

• I think I know how you will answer this, but what’s your favorite brand and why?
Hands down, bumGenius. Best combination of ease of use and functionality. They’re easy to put on; there’s nothing complicated about them. As far as functionality, they go a long time without leaking. A close second is Blueberry, but the snaps still get me sometimes! (Note from wife: despite his quick answer of bumGenius I’ve noticed that whenever he changes her diaper he almost always uses Blueberries! My theory? It’s the cute patterns!)

• What would you tell a dad who’s skeptical of cloth diapering?
It’s much easier than anticipated, there really is no mess, wet diapers are no-brainers and cleaning poops is simple. As long as you have a good laundering wife (I’ll take that as a compliment, I think?) there’s not much mess. I will say clean-up is easy, especially with a sprayer. In my opinion it’s so much better than a trash can full of smelly disposables.

• What’s the best part about cloth diapering?
How happy it makes my wife! And using them as her “pants” in the summer. She just looks so cute!

• Do you find them harder, easier or the same to use as compared to disposables?
About the same from my end. You (meaning me) do more work with the laundry than with disposables, but as far as changing the baby they’re the same.

• If you could design a new diaper what features would it have?
Oh, come on, I don’t know!
Hey, you agreed to this! You have to give me something.
Okay, definitely velcro, a pocket diaper and it has to be soft inside like Blueberry.

• Would you do it all over again?
Absolutely!

By Jennifer G. (and hubby Ben)

Cloth Diapering Dad Interview

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Cloth Diaper Fashion

I am giggling to myself that I am about to write this post. Dressing your baby sounds like a silly, little thing to think about, but there are some major differences in clothing a cloth diapered bottom vs. the standard sposie bottom. Beyond the fun and frivolity, there are some practical issues to consider; in particular, knowing what to look for so you don’t spend money on clothing that just won’t work.

When I first started cloth diapering my daughter I quickly realized that clothing choices were going to involve a little more than just simply picking out what I liked. Cut, fabric and sizing play an important role when dressing the cloth diapered babe. There’s no denying the cloth diapered bum is a little fluffier or more padded than its disposable-clad counterpart.

I, like most cloth diapering parents, happen to love that big, round bottom, but it can be a little awkward with certain clothes. My first reaction was frustration with what I thought were limitations. However, after some trial and error and creativity on my part I’ve come up with some great clothing options and guidelines for my baby girl. Instead of her cloth diapers being a hindrance they have now become part of her fashion statement and we particularly love the outfits that allow us to show them off.

Moms of boys, bear with me. This is definitely geared towards girls, but hopefully there are some tips in here that will help you and/or inspire you to fill in the blanks in my clothing research with some advice for boys. With that being said…

Dresses, dresses, dresses. Dresses are key. They are my go-to outfit. In the summer, she wears her diaper and a dress; that’s all. Simple. Easy. Adorable! We love showing off that fluffy bum with bright colors and cute patterns. As the cooler weather approached we paired her dresses with leggings or pants, though I was sad to see the diapers get covered up.

Tunic Shirts. Not that an 11 month old pays much attention to the latest trends in fashion, but tunic style shirts are very popular right now and I love them. The slightly longer, flowier style of a tunic shirt looks so adorable with pants. And the bonus is that as both of my girls have outgrown some of their (and my) favorite dresses they can wear them as pseudo-tunic shirts with pants and get several more months out of them.

Pants. Pants require a little more thought. They need to be stretchy, giving and forgiving. Tight isn’t a problem, as in the case of leggings, as long as they’re stretchy. If the material has some sort of spandex they should be fine. There have been certain pants without spandex that I just couldn’t resist; with some I could simply buy them a size bigger and they work, but with others sizing-up doesn’t always work. I LOVE yoga pants because they look cute with t-shirts, tunic and dresses and she just looks so comfy in them (truth be told, Mama prefers to wear yoga pants, too). I’ve found that overalls are tough to fit over her fluffy bum and once they’re on, they look kind of, eh-hem, bulky.

I can’t believe how seriously I think about these things…please tell me I’m not alone! Alas, I must continue.

Sleepwear. This was a trial and error thing. I found that when I put her in two-piece pajamas she ended up with leaks up around her belly. This was because the waistband on the pants would go up over the diaper and end up curved around the top of the diaper. We now only do one-piece jammies and they work perfectly without any leaks. Plus, they’re roomy enough to go over the slightly bulkier overnight diapers and it’s okay to size-up if necessary.

I have to admit, choosing clothing for a baby in cloth diapers took a little getting used to. I had a couple of trips back to stores to return items that either didn’t fit or looked a little silly on my girl. However, much like choosing clothes for myself, when I find what works I try to stick to that type of style and sizing. Because of this she definitely has her own unique, signature style and even family members walk into stores and say, “oh that’s so Natalie!”


By Jennifer G.

Cloth Diaper Fashion

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Perfection Challenged!

Just when I thought I had perfected my overnight cloth diapering system (a bumGenius One Size 3.0 pocket diaper stuffed with a micro-terry insert and a BabyKicks Hemparoo Joey Bunz) I ran into yet ANOTHER stink issue. Of course, overnight diapers can be a bit challenging when it comes to odor build-up, but I thought as long as I had a routine to deal with the washing challenge of the micro-terry inserts I would be okay. Then my hemp inserts became the problem child! I couldn’t get them completely odor-free with my regular washing routine. When my micro-terry inserts start to act up I can resort to bleach, however bleach is not recommended for hemp. I started to panic...maybe my overnight system isn’t so perfect. Now what do I do?

Call Serena?!? Normally, yes, but I decided that I would give this a full trial run on my own to see what I could come up with. Worst case scenario, I knew that Serena would be there if I needed her!

My first idea was to just strip the hemp inserts. I did several washes with hot, hot water without any detergent. I never saw any suds coming out and they were still pretty stinky.

Then I eyed my bag of Rockin’ Green (Grape Soda, in case you’re wondering). Now, I am a huge Rockin’ Green fan and sing their praises whenever possible, but even this fan really didn’t think a “mini-strip” using the detergent would actually work. Shame on me for doubting! Since I have a front loader that uses a very small amount of water (great for the environment, tough for cloth diapers) I decided to do my soaking in the sink. Side note: I had to plan this when my firstborn, Olivia, was in school because she loves to use my diaper-soaking in the downstairs bathroom as her perfect excuse not to wash her hands!

I filled the sink with super hot water and about 2 ½ Tablespoons of Rockin’ Green. I set my timer (don’t laugh, this is a serious experiment and I’m known to lose track of time) and left them alone for 30 minutes. After they soaked I ran them through a normal wash with 2 extra rinse cycles to be sure all of the detergent was rinsed out. The result? They came out of the dryer absolutely perfect. No smells, good or bad. And like a corny, laundry detergent commercial my husband remarked, “They’re brighter and whiter now, too!” I promise you, he’s much cooler in person!

Relief, my overnight system is perfect again. And I didn’t have to contact Serena!

-By Jennifer G.

Perfection Challenged!

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Snafu Solutions

One of the things I love the most about cloth diapering is the simplicity of it all. No harsh chemicals, no waste, no last-minute scrambles to the store for more diapers and wipes. Even the laundry routine is simple, repetitive and predictable. However, there are times when I run into little snafus with my routine. Whether human error, product error or just plain bad luck your diapers can start to give you trouble and these troubles can be very frustrating. Thus far I have encountered repelling, lingering smells, build-up and any combination of these three. Through trial and error I have found simple solutions that solve these issues quickly and easily.

Repelling: At one point I had an issue with my diapers repelling. I’m still not sure what the culprit was, but my diapers were leaking when they weren’t even really that full, a sure sign of repelling. I filled my kitchen sink with very hot water, 2-3 drops of Dawn* dish soap and my pocket diapers. I hand scrubbed them and rinsed like crazy. Once I really felt I had gotten the soap out almost entirely (dish soap can be very bad for your washing machine) I then put them through multiple rinse cycles in my washer.

Build Up: Now that I’m using Rockin' Green (love it!) I really don’t think I will have to strip my diapers much, but in the past I have stripped them. To me, stripping sounds harsh, and maybe even a little risqué! Really it is just rinsing…A LOT…with hot water. The theory is that you should continue to rinse until you don’t see any suds in the water. I never really have a ton of suds with Rockin' Green, but with prior detergents I saw a lot of suds coming out of my previously “clean” diapers so this step was necessary.


Stink/Stains: My mother taught me to never use the term hate, so I will say I loathe bleach. And it’s not the green side of me that ha…I mean, loathes it so much. I’ve actually found that it’s not as incredibly bad for the environment as one might think. The truth is I can be careless and sloppy at times and bleach is just too permanent a mistake for me! I always try stripping first and drying out in the sun to “bleach out” stains and freshen smelly diapers.

However, sometimes those micro-terry inserts can really hang onto smells and stains, especially the ones from the overnight diapers. When necessary I fill a sink with hot water and just a splash of bleach (see anyone who uses the term “splash” in association with bleach really shouldn’t be using it!) to freshen them up. Again, I rinse, rinse, rinse so there is no leftover bleach anywhere near my little girl.
During my trial (and errors) I have used some other suggestions involving additives like baking soda, vinegar and Bac-Out, but I haven’t found them to be that effective and/or I don’t want to worry about the potential side effects either to my daughter’s skin, my washing machine or my diapers. Thus far, my tried and true laundry routines, along with my “snafu solutions,” have kept my diapers in perfect working order.

-By Jennifer G.

NOTE: We do not recommend the use of Dawn dishwashing liquid to strip your diapers unless you know the problem is due to an oily or waxy buildup (and these recommendations are very few and far between and only on a case-by-case basis. Dawn dishwashing liquid can damage your washing machine! So, if your worse case scenario warrants the use of Dawn then you must hand-wash/scrub the diapers in a sink or basin and rinse thoroughly before running the diapers in your washing machine.

Snafu Solutions

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My Cloth Diapering Man

This post is a little shout-out to my hubby, the father of my two precious girls and my cloth diapering partner in crime. There are plenty of husbands out there whom completely resist cloth diapering or go along with it because they have no choice. Yes, my husband “went along” with it, but he was also a large part of the decision-making process. When I first sheepishly mentioned that I wanted to try cloth diapers, he encouraged me. When I complained that I couldn’t give it a true try without buying a couple, okay several, well, let’s just say many different styles and brands, he was on board. Whenever I have been frustrated to the point that I’m almost ready to throw in the towel, he tells me he’s hooked and there’s no way we can go back to disposables. This guy is the real-deal, true CDD (that’s Cloth Diapering Dad).
How do we know he’s a true CDD?

Let’s ask the tough questions…

Does he change diapers? Pah-lease! I don’t even think he asked for a tutorial. He just went for it. No whining, no issues. He’ll use any diaper, any time. I will say he prefers Velcro over snaps, but that’s only because his big, strong hands (you’re welcome, Sweetie) have a tough time with the delicate little snaps. He changes the baby, rinses the inserts and even secures the laundry tabs before putting them in the hamper.

Okay, but does he change poops? Heck yeah. And it gets better…he has been known to walk in when I’m changing a poop and offered to dump it and spray it off with the diaper sprayer, which he installed, by the way. Ya drooling yet ladies?!?

Let’s take it a step further.

Does he color-coordinate? This guy goes out of his way to dress the baby in his own, unique styles and the diapers always match the outfits. In fact, he has been known to suffer through the awkward snapping if a certain diaper is required to complete the look.
Does he do the laundry? This is a tough one. The question is more, do I allow him to do the laundry? In general, I just can’t relinquish control of the laundry room. It’s not really a trust thing; it’s more about my control issues. I’m working on it. However, I have left him in charge of running a couple of cycles and he handles it perfectly. He wouldn’t hesitate to tackle the laundry, but I think there’s a little fear and apprehension…of me! He knows the cloth diapers will be forgiving, but his wife? Not so much.

Does he make purchases? Technically, no. But, he has waded through incessant research with me to determine the next fluff buys based on colors, styles and needs. He may not be the one to press the “place this order” button, but he is the one that says “let’s buy both” when making a tough decision. That’s when I fall in love with him all over again!

By Jennifer G.

My Cloth Diapering Man

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