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Archive for the ‘Cloth Diapers’ Category

Cloth Diaper Update

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

For those interested, I found a nighttime cloth diaper solution that means NO MORE DISPOSABLES!!!  Here is the same post from before over at my review site with the updated info.  Just in case you wanted to know.

A couple other cloth diaper items of interest: If you’re interested at all, check out Mom’sMilk Boutique.  Still free shipping. Still awesome.  Still a 10% discount if you use this code: MMB10 on your FIRST purchase of $65 or more.

Also, I just signed up for the Great Diaper Hunt.  Fun way to find new places to shop (if you have the funds) get discounts and maybe win some prizes.  I’m not sure yet if it’ll turn out to be a pain and a time waster, or excellent fun.  I’m hoping for excellent fun and will let you know.

And Finally, a final site to check out. Feed Your Stash Friday!  Giveaways every Friday.  Just comment to enter.

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Posted in All About Baby, Cloth Diapers, Interesting finds | No Comments »

Washing Your Cloth Diapers

Friday, October 9th, 2009

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“Seriously mom, can you stop talking about my diapers now?”

“Sorry, Bubbs.”

I’ve had some questions about how I do what I do lately, so I thought I’d post it up.  Keep in mind that this is not the ONLY way to do it.  It’s just the way I did it.  I tried to include some helpful links to other sites in case you want to look around at other options.  This whole post is ridiculously typical of cloth diapering mommy bloggers…so feel free to come back tomorrow if it’s not your bag.  Unless you’re just curious.  Then, enjoy!

For me, diaper washing begins in the bathroom.  Where we change the child.  I have a diaper sprayer that I use to remove his gross poos, and make sure to shake any shake-able poos into the toilet.  (This is sometimes very exciting, as we say, “Goodbye Poo!” and wave.  Yes.  This is my life now.)  I even wring the diapers out to remove all excess water from the spraying, and constantly amaze myself at how not grossed out I am by the whole deal.

The diapers go into our Wahmies diaper liner (all diapers and liners bought here), which has a small square of fabric inside where you can put a couple drops of essential oil.  I use tea tree oil (you can get it at GNC) which honestly, took some getting used to. The smell is a little strong, but now it just smells clean to me. It has some natural somethingorother properties that make it great for sanitizing stuff.  For real.  (You know, before I started putting it on everything.  Including my feet.)  I only use a TEENY TINY BIT of oil, because when I throw the diaper liner into the wash with the diapers the oil gets dispersed into the diapers.  This is good AND bad.  It makes them smell kind of nice and fresh, but can eventually build up and cause absorption issues.  I’ve never experienced a problem, but I think it’s because I use such a small amount and because my diapers are mostly made out of bamboo.  Oils and detergents build up less on natural fibers than they do on fleeces and synthetics.

Now on to the washing!

The first thing that got me all muddled in washing my diapers was the fact that my pail liner would fill with water. (You know…waterproof bag…)  I fixed it by simply turning it ALMOST inside out before throwing it in the wash.  So basically you go like you’re going to turn it inside out, and then leave the job half done.  I find that the water doesn’t get trapped as much.  Everything goes in together, bag, wipes and diapers.  I wash every two or three days and use 1/4th of the recommended amount of detergent on the bottle.

I know, gross, right?

Well apparently you need to use just enough detergent…but not too much.  I use Purex Free and Clear right now.  Here’s a chart on what kinds of detergents to use and which ones to avoid. Like the oils, detergent can get into the diapers and create a gross film that makes them actually dirtier over time.  To amp up the measly amount of detergent I use, I either use 1/4 cup of Borax or baking soda added to the beginning of the cycle.  i haven’t decided which I like better.  I just throw it in at the beginning of the wash with the soap, directly onto the diapers.

So…I live in a place where water is a flat rate.  You use as much as you want. (At least, that’s what I’m told anyway?)  It’s nice, it means I can use a bit more than I would if I were say, back out west.  So I set my washer to do a cold rinse and wash, a hot wash, and then another cold rinse.  We have the basic top loader type machine. *If you have side loading HE machine *MAKE SURE THAT THE DETERGENT IS COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR DIAPERS.*  That means that during your final rinse, take a look.  Do you see suds?  You need another rinse.  Also, very important, the water MUST get HOT.  Not warm.  Make sure your water heater isn’t set too low or you WILL have smell issues.  I also poor some indeterminate amount of vinegar into the rinse cycle fabric softener container thing every so often (I hear it’s not great for the diaper covers and pail liners) to act as a natural fabric softener and to strip out any extra detergent/oils left in my diapers.  (Again, less of an issue for cotton and bamboo. If you are using non-organic fibers, you might have to do the vinegar thing more often.)

For tougher stains, you can SOAK your diapers in borax and cold water (remember, hot water sets stains in, cold water rinses them out) for half an hour or so before you wash.  It also helps to set them out in the sun.  Magical magical sunshine.  If it still won’t come out, you can try something called BacOut, which I’ve never used.  I hear it works.

I always hang my diaper covers to dry, since it takes them about 5 minutes.  I have 5 or so of them and seem to wash them each once a week.  They don’t go in with the diapers every time because really…they don’t need it.  I have no idea why but they don’t.  You’ll sustain the life of your covers by NOT exposing them to the same rigourous wash routine as your diapers.

Now for the drying…living in New England means that I can use the dryer…or I can wait three days for things to dry.  I do a bit of both.  I usually send my diapers through one complete hot dry cycle, and then hang the ones that don’t get dry.  My favorite diaper takes for super ever to dry (I was warned) and I always end up hanging them.  But my AIO’s dry really nicely.  You can hang your diapers to dry competely if you have enough to wait, or live if a dry place where they’ll dry more quickly.  Just make sure they hang in the sun so that they get the nice germ killing stain removal action.  I try to make up for the extra dryer loads by putting my other clothes in for half the time I used to.  (And um…they still get all the way dry most of the time.  Check THAT out.)

So there ya go.  That’s how I do it.  In a nutshell: cold wash/rinse, hot wash, cold rinse.  I’ll keep this updated as I find other methods I enjoy or helpful sites.

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Posted in Cloth Diapers | 1 Comment »

You smell like tea tree oil. Hippie.

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

So.  I’ve decided…kind of all of a sudden…that I care about the planet.  It started when we moved back to New England and had the option to recycle again.  (I know, I always had the option.  But my parents are actually pretty good at it.  Good job parents! And I recycle almost all of the time now.  Except when I’m in a bad mood.) And then I went all cloth diaper on my baby’s butt.  Mostly it was about the money issue.  And the cute butt issue.  But I started to feel a weird, warm glowy feeling inside about the fact that I was contributing less trash.  Every week when I brought the trash downstairs and it was one small bag instead of three big ones, I had a moment standing in the garage thinking, “Go me.”  And to tell you the truth,  it was the first time I’d felt that way since I stuck the 25 cent plastic ring of the week in the air and yelled, “Earth!” or “Fire” or “Heart!” Yes.  The last time I felt anything significant about saving the environment was back in the days of Fern Gully and Captain Planet and planting Earth Day trees.

I’ve been muy, muy wasteful since then.  It was like someone would offer me something organic or recycled and I was like, “Don’t you have something new with chemicals? Please?  Happy Feet?  Come on. What else you got?”

I don’t know why I care all of a sudden.  I find myself dreaming about solar panels and cloth napkins and steam mops.  So what am I going to do about it?  Well.  I’ve been trying to make a list of small things to do to try and be greener, but I keep making them and losing them. So now I’ll revert to this here blog.  Because apparently when I say things out loud to the Internet they get done around here.

So here’s the plan.

Wait, before the plan, it’s important to note that my husband, child and I are currently residing with my parents.  This means I can’t just randomly turn us into a hippie household overnight.  I must be stealthier.  We went a whole week without paper towels, but I don’t think anyone around here is going to let that happen again. Even though I DID move the plates nearer to the toaster oven to encourage their use in sandwich/toast construction.  But truth told, I do a lot of the cleaning (owing to the fact that everyone else here works a lot and I kind of like doing it, I know, ek) so I can probably be greener there.  Because no one cares how I do it as long as I don’t make the house smell like curry or something.  And really…you can’t get rid of all paper products.  Toilet paper, for instance, is very very important to me.  And one man’s paper towel is another man’s toilet paper.  That didn’t come out right.  Anyway.

Back to the plan.  There is NOW plan, and there is future plan.

I’ll start with future plan.

1) More cloth.  More CLOTH you say!? How can you do it?  WELL…we already use cloth on our kid’s butt.  And cloth in the shower.  I actually don’t know anyone who uses paper towels in the shower.  Silly.  Um…so I guess that leave napkins.  And I think paper towels are sacred to other members of my family.  Like, all of them except for me.  So I’ll have to leave this one off for the future.  But seriously, how cute are these napkins? (And then I think to myself, but I’d have to get a sewing machine.  Or use one.  And that takes energy.  IS THERE A SOLAR POWERED SEWING MACHINE??? Calm down, Erin.)(And also, we actually do use a lot of washcloths/drying cloths around here.  Again, good job parents.)

2) That’s it for the future plan.  I just wanted to make sure that got in there.  But I guess I’ll also go ahead and add in the whole green lunch box thing.  For Camper.  When he goes to school.  Sniff. I just hope he doesn’t get beat up for his cloth napkin.

NOW Plan

1) Steam mop.  I don’t know how I’m going to get you, but you’ll be mine.  And I will steam our floors clean.  With steam.  And hotness and germ killing watery freshness.  And it will be beautiful.

2) Homemade cleaners.  Again, thanks to Jonah Lisa for her help with this one.  I’m going to try the all purpose cleaner first.  Just to see how it goes.  And then move on from there.  Toilet cleaner, mirrors and window, tub…the possibilites are endless with a small list of things to buy.  This means instead of replacing my cleaners, I’ll be buying some plastic spraybottles and things like vinegar and borax and castile soap.  Once I figure out what those last two are we’ll be golden.  I intend to use this cleaner on things and see if anyone notices.  I don’t think they will.  Except for the fact that I just wrote this here.  And the fact that, like usual, things will be clean.  I’m thinking about just continuing to get my essential oils from momsmilkboutique, since I already use tea tree oil for our diapers.

3) Green air.  Coming on this winter I think I’m going to try to do a whole eucalyptus steam fresh thing for Camper in his room.  I think I can use the vaporizer we have now, until he gets old enough to try to dump in on himself…at which time we’ll have to get a cold air one…and stick some essential oils in there known for cleaning gross toxins out of the air.  Like eucalyptus.  And tea tree oil.  I know.  HIPPIE.  If we start to smell please tell me.  (Unless you like it.  I guess you can tell me either way.)

4) No no to plastic.  When possible.  John already digs wood furntiture, which inspired buying a wooden highchair and a real wood crib, etc.  I simply

don’t remember the rest of that setence.  I was mid thought when Camper rolled over on his glowworm, ignited its firey wrath and then freaked out.  He usually loves that thing.  Apparently not when it’s a surprise.

Moving on.

5) I WILL ACTUALLY USE THE GREEN BAGS AT THE SUPERMARKET.

6) After all the stuff I’ve read lately about plastic water bottles and their effects on…er…(rhymes with mesticles) I don’t think I’ll ever buy bottled water again. (And I don’t even have mesticles.) I’ve gotten pretty good at using my other metal-y water bottle that John got me.  Now if I could only wean myself off of the Diet Coke…

7) The travel factor.  I’m going to really, really try to limit my car trips this winter.  I know it’s hard, since my husband COMMUTES to work, but I think if I can plan shopping beforehand and think up fun things to do AT HOME, I can save gas and car time.

8)  Safe crap for craftiness.  Are you eyeballs falling out of the sockets onto the floor yet?  Do you know that there are ENTIRE WEBSITES about what to do with empty toilet paper rolls?  I’ve started secret squirreling trash away in the most organized fashion I know how to try to turn into treasures for Camper.  I think this will result in a) less buying of Crayola craft supplies b) more using up things we already have and c) ways to keep busy at home (and with friends) to avoid taking “drives” just for the heck of it.

Ways I already rock:

1) I use a laptop.  Apparently they use less power than desktops.  GO ME.

2) I use cloth diapers and wipes.  (In hindsight, this might be the reason I’m all about the green clean now.  I’ve seen how relatively small amounts of non-strong soap clean the grossest thing I wash.  After that, sure I can’t ditch the chemicals on the kitchen counter.  Because I just cleaned up some poo with SUNSHINE, HOT WATER and BAKING SODA. Ok. So I used a little bit of soap, too.)

3) I’m super awesome about turning off lights.  And we’re watching less TV during the day.  And maybe I’ll start going to bed with the sun.  Just kidding.  I wish.

Ok Internet, that’s it.  I’m going to try and become a Greener Me BEFORE January, so that I’ll have a running start on this whole resolution thing.  Because it’s our only earth.  And apparently I need more challenges in life.

What’s your favorite thing to do to be green?

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Posted in Adventures, Cloth Diapers, Day to day, Green Me | 3 Comments »

Cloth Diaper Review

Monday, September 28th, 2009

I finally posted my cloth diaper findings over at my review site.   Feel free to stop by and add your favorites and recommendations!

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Camper’s Trip to the Doctor

Monday, September 21st, 2009

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first band aid, which he tried to eat half an hour later.

John was able to go to Camper’s 1 year appointment with me today.  I really, really didn’t want to fly solo on this one.  I just like having extra arms to help, someone there to witness the doctor’s glowing praise of my only boy.  As usual, I wasn’t disappointed.  In some ways I feel like this is some kind of midterm for mommyhood.  Am I doing the best I can in developing and loving my child?  Is he healthy, safe, and happy?  Is he progressing?  Yes.  Passed.

I was a little nervous about this visit.  Camper still uses his pacifier…and really…John and I have no issues with it.  None at all.  Some days he’s got it in his mouth on and off all day long, others he takes it only at night.  We let him take the lead.  I expected to get some flack for it.  I gave it to him when he got fussy and told her she could take it out if she needed to.  She said,  “Oh that? He can have that for as long as he wants.”

Have I mentioned that I love her?

He wasn’t able to get all of his shots today because of my medication (live strains and immune suppressants don’t mix), so we have to wait a month to go back and complete the series.  It’ll work out, I think, because if we decide to do the other flu shots we can get them all done at the same time.  He was a real trooper for the whole thing, and when it was time to get his finger pricked he didn’t even flinch.  Our doctor always does the vaccines herself, but a nurse collected his blood.  He sat on his Dad’s lap and watched intently as she wiped his finger, pricked him and squeezed the blood into a tiny vial.  He was enthralled, and completely calm.

She loved his diaper, which I was stupidly proud of.  I was worried that I’d hear a lecture like I found in What To Expect…all about how you can’t get them really clean (uh…yeah you can) and it’s such a hassle and WHY??? Hearing a doctor tell me I’m doing something good for my baby, for the environment and for our checking account is huge validation for me.  I eat it right up.  Almost makes me want to get back onto my new favorite site…and yet…I have to conserve my funds…

We talked about extended rear facing carseats…which part of me totally wants to do and the other part of me sees how much he loves to be part of our car rides when he can see us and interact with us.  Let’s just say riding in the car has been…less fun as he gets older.  I sat in the back a lot.  I get carsick.  He is unhappy and gets really mad.  All of this has changed since we turned him around.  He sits and watches where we go.  He holds out his hands and talks to us.  She didn’t pressure us about it, just let us know what she thinks.  She also said that we should see bottles go completely bye bye very soon, which isn’t a big deal at all.  He takes one or two a night right now, and if I gave him his formula in a cup (he doesn’t really like milk all that much) he would take it just fine.  I know.  He really doesn’t need formula at all anymore.  I probably just need to figure out an easy breakfast for him in the wee wee hours of the morning. I told her that if he’s still waking up and looking for me, it’s because I am right there waiting for him to need me.  Just like with the cry it out thing, he is within normal ranges and will probably progress just as fast as I will with the whole issue.  I don’t really have a good excuse for why I wake up and cuddle my baby whenever he needs it.  I’ve had to let him fuss a few times when it became overwhelming, but his habits aren’t unmaneagable.  I feel like it’s my job to be there when he wakes up, to go to him and love him.  And I follow my own feelings about when it’s time to cut him off in different ways.  When it’s time for the next shift, I’ll know.  It might be a good thing for me to start working in the early morning hours.  Maybe we’ll all get what we need.  Or maybe I’ll miss 4am cuddle time.  Did I mention that when I can’t sleep I lay on the floor next to his bed and listen to him breath?  Yeah.  Attached much?

We talked about the dentist and tooth brushing.  I try to remember to brush his teeth every morning and every night, and was thinking about introducing toothpaste to make it more enjoyable/typical of the real experience.  She said that it’s fine to use the baby kind.  (I have this weird hangup about doing bathroom things in the bathroom with him right now.  When he wakes up, he goes to the bathroom.  We usually brush his teeth in the bathroom.  I’ve started washing his hands at the sink.  Maybe being in the right place for the behaviors will get him used to taking care of these things himself later?)  Also, I wanted to know if he should visit the dentist.  I guess dentists say that they should go within 6 months of having his first tooth, pediatricians say by age three.  And insurance doesn’t usually cover it. I think I’m just going to let this one fly and we’ll see how things progress.  He has lots of pearly white teeth, and as long as I keep up with his fluoride drops and brushing, I don’t think we’ll have a problem.  And I’m not in a hurry to get him into the dentist seat.  Especially before he even has his first haircut.  Poor little baldy.

His height and weight are right on target.  Healthy and growing.  Lucky for our clothing bill he has turned from MONSTER HUGE BABY to simply a bit larger than average baby.  I forget the exact numbers (good mom, right?) but she said that it’s really typical for babies who are born and stay larger than average for awhile to slow down the rapid growth and become more average.  He’ll probably still be taller than his peers, but maybe he’ll grow like his Uncle Jonathan (and maybe his Daddy and most other little boys) and just get taller and taller without putting on too much weight.  Plus, since he’s not walking yet, it’s kind of nice not have to lug a 25 lb. baby around.  Sheesh.  A few lbs. is a big difference for a little kid.  It seems like most babies I know are bigger than they are expected to be right now.  Is it time to change the standards, or are we just all having mutant babies?  Who knows.  With so much variation, I hate to talk in specifics because it’s so easy to compare head size and length and forget that we’re all so different.  It’s one of my biggest pet peeves that I fall into doing, too.  “How much does he weigh?”  If only it were as rude of a question for all ages.

I love the developmental questions.  Is he pointing?  Does he understand directions?  Is he walking?  Part of me thinks that he SHOULD be doing everything on the list, but again.  VARIED.  Some babies do things earlier, some babies do things later.  Last time we went he wasn’t crawling, now he actually has really good coordination and body control, but isn’t walking.  He doesn’t like to stand up on his own when he’s thinking about it.  He’ll hold onto things and walk and is working on walking holding one hand, but not on his own yet.  Sometimes I catch him standing next to his toy box just looking at stuff, and he doesn’t even know what he’s doing.  He’s in no hurry to run around, that’s for sure.

More than those questions I love her observations about his temperament.  His calm curiosity, the direct and unhidden look of annoyance he shot her when she pushed on his belly.  How secure he seems and how his timidity can really just be an expression of the calm, quiet environment he lives in.  (We all read a lot, watch movies, talk and eat.  The most raucous thing that’s happened lately was a 30 minute game of Spoons.  Freaking hysterical.)  We’re doing what we can to expose him to the chaos of other little children, and it’s ok if he’s shy.  The way he clings to me, ventures out, comes back, clings, ventures out…apparently it’s actually a sign that he’s well adjusted.  She is just so validating.

I trust her, and it feels good. I wish she could be my doctor, too.  Sigh.

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Posted in Adventures, All About Baby, Cloth Diapers | 3 Comments »

Playgroup Day 1- Cloth on the Butt on the Go

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

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So the cloth diapers are working out SUPER well.  Thanks to momsmilkboutique for getting me a stash so quickly.  It’s hard to live in the sticks!  I still use a (1) disposable diaper at night, because I don’t think that the cloth would be comfy for that long…but Monday came along and I didn’t have to empty the DiaperChamp, and I was pretty psyched.  I actually PREFER him to poop in the cloth, because then I can clean it up.  If he poops in a disposable I can’t deal and end up taking the trash out right then.  His room smells infinitely better.  I’ve finally settled on a system that I like (after trying very few) but I figure I’ll go with what works.  When I get some time I’ll put it all up over at LKG’s Reviews.

Today we had playgroup for the first time down at the hospital.  It was from 9:30-11, and I was a little worried about the length of the program.  Turns out it’s a music time/dance party/toy sharing seminar until about 10:30, at which time the parents are encouraged to talk about “parenting issues.”  Which is code for: Let’s freak on Erin for suggesting someone put milk in the microwave.  I KNOW ABOUT THE ELUSIVE HOTSPOTS, but you know what?  7 seconds in the microwave has never hurt my kid.  (Let me clarify.  I never put my kid in the microwave.  For any amount of seconds.  I was referring to the milk, poorly.)  I used to warm his water in the microwave before adding the powder, and 11 months later I have NEVER BURNT MY KID.  But the lady in charge had to go all, “I have to say, NEVER NEVER use a mircrowave for ANYTHING related to your child.”  And I was all, “Yeah, and I bet you hate shrinkydinks, too!”  Ok, that last part didn’t make sense.  Later she asked me, “Why is your child drinking milk, anyway?  He’s not a year old yet.”  I replied, “Because I’m him mother.”  The kid drinks like….4 sips of milk a day.  I’m hoping he’ll learn to like it before we give up the formula altogether.  And if it weren’t for the fact that Camper had SO MUCH FUN (and also the forty-something dollars I paid to go to this thing) I probably wouldn’t go back.  I think Camper might be a politician one day, as he spent some time kissing the babies having tummy time.  It was actually really sweet.  I was very excited that he didn’t try to bite anyone, not one person, and that he took it like a champ when another little boy kicked him in the head.  (I took it like a champ, too, consoling the horrified mother of Chuck Lee.  Or is that Bruce Lee?  Chuck Norris? Anyway, there was no bleeding, nothing broken, tears slowed quickly, no permanent damage.)  I met a couple of moms that I was all “WOW, YOU’RE COOL, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT….” and then watched them walk away and congregate in a little breastfeeding circle talking about what to do with their older kids while nursing in the mall.  It was just like high school.  Except for the kids, and the breastfeeding…But then I found a couple of moms who didn’t shun anyone that they don’t see at their meetings (Seriously, not all of us breastfeed exclusively for one year or more.  I don’t judge you.  I say rock on to you.  I’m glad you were able to do that.  I wasn’t.  Moving on.) and don’t mind a mom who picks and chooses her mommy-obsessions, and just wants someone to chat with.

But yeah.  It was fun.  And maybe I’ll even find a friend around here that has a kid that my kid can play with sometimes.  That would be AWESOME.

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Posted in Adventures, All About Baby, Cloth Diapers, Day to day | 4 Comments »

September and I make myself sad sometimes. STOP IT!

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Nothing makes me maudlin like the smell of September.  Even the light seemed different this morning, and it made me reminisce and become a little sad.  To be precise, this is my second September with no school.  LAST September, though, I was awaiting the arrival of my Camper.  And I think that is a big enough change to distract anyone from any sort of unfulfilled scholastic longing.  I longed to give birth.  That was about it.

I’m not sure that this excess in sentimentality is altogether my fault.  I think that we have been fully conditioned to expect different changes as different times, and September has always been the time for new shoes, the time when you can run outside and play and not get too hot.  The time when the days are shorter and evenings become more cozy, and when you have things to read at night and places to go in the morning.  My first September morning as a full-fledged SAHM has made me totally and completely realize that I really do want to go to school every single September of the rest of my life.  That was nice to figure out.  So I guess it’s time to get my butt into school after all.  Someday soon.

That said, I don’t get to go to school today.  In strange Erin-land, it actually felt like a holiday I was missing out on.  I am jealous of the kids I know who have to get up, eat breakfast, and get on a bus.  I’m even MORE jealous of the slightly dazed young adults I’ve seen standing in line at Target for about a month, holding trashcans and bathroom rugs, freshly dressed in the sweatshirt they bought at ortientation.   I don’t have a new bag and I didn’t go to Staples last week.  I don’t have a schedule to print out or a campus to explore.  But sitting in the living room this morning, holding my baby close as we watched Blues Clues and playing trucks on the floor- I realized that I shouldn’t DARE wish this time away or feel like I’m missing out.  It was chilly enough this morning that I put him in one of the bathrobes we’ve had for him for forever.  Although it seemed silly to put them on him when he was a baby, sitting in his bouncy chair covered in blankets, my “baby” is almost a toddler.  And the trim little robe kept right up with him as he scooted all over the living room this morning.  I ordered him some mukluks- soft and flexible so that he can crawl in them.  I hope they fit him!  We got him some long pants and pretty soon I get to think about Halloween costumes again.

There are so many Septembers left for school- but how many Septembers will I have when my baby is almost one?

So that’s that.  I’ve cleaned up a yucky poopy diaper, glad that I bought that sprayer after all. (Thank you, applesauce.)  I will maneuver my way through naptime, figure something out for lunch.  Maybe we’ll go to the library and read books, or go for a walk and try to find some red and yellow leaves.  Work on walking holding one hand.  I’ve missed out on Fall in this part of the country for about….4 years? now?  Maybe more?  It’s going to be a good month.  I’m going to do everything in my power to make it one.

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Ending the Obsession

Monday, August 24th, 2009

diapering 017

Two nights now I’ve dreamt about cloth diapers.  Cloth diapering.  Cloth wipes.  Diaper sprayers.  Why did I buy the orange pail liner when it’s not even in his room, it’s in my bathroom?  And, “What if I can’t stop buying covers they are so cute?”  I even stayed up late working on a cost analysis chart in excel.  Let’s just say that if I use these diapers for one year, they are worth it.  Two years, definitely worth it.  But you have to be careful.  A small stash of diapers (everyday wash plus a few for emergencies) is worth it for use on one kid if you use them for one year.  A bigger stash of diapers will be worth it for one kid if you use them for two years, and definitely if you use them for more than one kid.  But if you go crazy buying diapers and covers and then use them for a year or less, or don’t use them on more than one child, you are going to break even or even exceed the money you’d spend on disposables.  Seriously.  Obsessed.

Both my mother and my husband have expressed concern over the level of interest/obsession I’m getting into with all of this.  I think it’s time to make a decision and be done with it.

The prefolds I bought are too small to fit around my baby.  Which is uber annoying and will delay full-time cloth diapering until I can get the ones I ordered today, an assortment of AIOs and fitteds, with two extra covers.  I also got some wipes.  I may, at some time, get some more prefolds, but honestly, I think I might just box up the ones I have now and save them for the next baby.  Prefolds seem easier to learn when you’re baby isn’t trying to roll over, bite you, and crawl into the shower saying, “BAP? BAP? at 6am.  Fitteds and AIO’s it is.

I had a talk with a friend of mine last night, and she helped ease the stress some.  I figured out what to get, I got the Dream-Eze AIO’s she likes, because they make sense.  I read the reviews online, and I’m SO GLAD I talked to her and found these.  I still didn’t order as many as I would have liked, though,  in order to be frugal, and to make sure they really do work for me.    Then I got some bamboo BumGenius fitteds, and I’m excited about them.  They were what I was going to get originally, and I think they will make up the bulk of my diaper stash since AIO’s are a wee expensive, and because covers are just so darn cute.   I like the BumGenius sizing better, too.  The Dream-Eze AIO’s sizes are compatible with my Camper, but their fitteds are less so.  The BumGeuius has a range that he’ll fit into for awhile, so I feel more comfortable spending the money knowing that he’ll get some good time in them.

So when they get here, I will resume the cloth diapering.  Hopefully within a week.

And that it is for now, I think all other cloth diapering info will be relegated to my review site, because YO, you are BORED OF READING THIS.  And I could go on for weeks if I let myself.

Except for one piece of advice:

If you are going to start cloth diapering, don’t take advice from someone who hates the kind of diapers you want to try.  I got my prefolds from a woman who said, and I quote, “I hate prefolds,” and wonder of wonders…she sold me some that are too small for my baby.  My friend who loves them, however, and has big babies like me, knows where to get them so that they work well.  I should’ve talked to her FIRST, but that’s life I guess. The same goes with all the other types.  Find someone who loves what they use, and ask/read about those.

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Cloth Diapers, Day One

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

First,  thanks to everyone and your advice!  I’ve reached out in emails and read some blogs and figured a few things out.  I also took a trip to the local hippie mom store to figure it out further.  I think we are now headed towards full-time cloth diapering.

I’ve done a lot of research in the last couple of days, and after months of deliberation, we went out and got the stuff we needed to get started.  But before I launch into all of that, here is some terminology. For those of us who have no freaking clue. (Like me, if any of this is wrong, let me know. I’m still figuring all of this out.)

There seem to be a few kinds of cloth diapers.

unbleached_prefolds

Prefolds: These are what our moms used, kind of. Not your run of the mill WalMart brand cloth diapers, they are usually made out of something a little more expensive (but still way cheap) so that they absorb well. They were maybe a dollar or two more for a dozen than the WalMart brand, but you can get a bigger size for bigger babies, and get nice cotton, hemp, or bamboo. Yes, bamboo. You fold them in three, place the baby in the middle and fold up between the legs, flare out the back and attach to the front with a snappy. You need a waterproof cover to go over them. What my dad calls, “plastic pants.”

You can also get something called contoured diapers, a cousin of the prefold, but shaped like a giant squash. A kind of dc0-doubler-flipped2low-medhybrid prefold/fitted. But you still need the snappy. These don’t interest me so much. Maybe they should???

thir_fitted-whiteFitted diapers: These look like disposables but are made of cloth and have Velcro or snaps to keep them closed. They sometimes come in bright colors, and are made from all sorts of materials as well. You need a cover for these as well. It’s worth mentioning that covers can cost you anything you want. You can get cheap ones for like….$3….or super amazing ones blessed by the Pope for $400. Ok that last part was untrue. And a little rude. But they do come in really cute patterns, and I think that NOT buying a dozen covers is going to be the hard part here.

tutorial-05

AI2 (all in two) or Pocket Diapers: A lot of moms I’ve read or talked to prefer pocket diapers. You simply insert a piece (or two? or a prefold?) of absorbent cloth into a pocket in a diaper that looks like the fitteds, but that has it’s own waterproof outer. No cover needed, but from what I understand you can stick however many insets in as you want. This would be good to vary the thickness at night, and other than that I don’t really understand why the AI2 would be better than the AI1. Unless it’s that it comes apart to clean, and therefore gets cleaner.

Imse Vimse White All In One

AI1 (all in one): And here comes the BumGenius, and other wonder diapers that people swear by. The most expensive option (but still much cheaper than disposable, as long as you use them at LEAST for a few months) they work just like disposables. Put them on baby, no cover needed. They usually have snaps or Velcro. And you can throw the whole thing in the wash. To amp up the absorption you add a “doubler” (which can be a small, newborn prefold or another piece of cloth designed to double your diaper) and wa-la, they last all night. As long as no one poops. You can add doublers to any of the different kinds of diapers. Although I’m not sure if you’re supposed to put them next to the baby’s skin, or next to the cover, in the case of prefolds and fitteds. Confusing.

Other CDing items:

Snappy: Here’s a picture of the snappys I alluded to before.  The days of pinning are gone, my friends.

snappithumb

Diaper liners: A veritable landing pad for poops. Simple lift out and flush away, they are usually as thin or thinner than toilet paper. Some of them are made of rice paper. Who knew? I didn’t get any of these. I am planning on getting the poop off the old-fashioned way.

Pail liners: A bag designed to sit in the diaper pail and then be used to bring the diapers to the washer. You throw the bag in with the diapers so that it’s all fresh and clean afterward. I did get one of these.

Wetbags: I think there may be a couple kinds of these…or maybe it’s another word for pail liners…but I bought a small one to stick in the diaper bag. It’s a small waterproof bag you can stick dirty diapers in while you are out. I think I read somewhere MAYBE that there exists some sort of wetbag that you can actually throw into the washer with the diapers IN IT? And everything gets clean? This sounds too good to be true. I may have misunderstood.

Detergent: You need special soap so that the diapers stay as absorbent as they need to. One of a million websites will tell you which kind to get. I got the one they had at the store where I got the diapers, because it was $15 and is supposed to last for 80 washes. When regular soap builds up, it adds a wax or something that makes it so that any diaper won’t hold as much, and leak more often than clean or “stripped” diapers. (Stripping diapers seems to be the way you super clean them. I was told to strip the prefolds I bought before use so that they worked well. You don’t have to strip other diapers unless someone washes them with BAD soap or another no-no substance that builds up, or they get stinky…or something. In order to strip by diapers, I was told to wash them on hot and dry them on high 3 times. That’ll be the extent of the crazy care they’ll need, I hope. I also read that you can simply wash them on hot and rinse on hot…or boil them…or something…)

I have not gone into the crazy world of BacOut yet, or things like that. I’m already a diehard fan of baking soda in with my clothes, so I’ll probably do that for washing. And yeah, more on all of that as I discover it.

WITH ALL THAT SAID: I started the cloth diapering this afternoon. So far, so good. They look super cute, the fitted ones I tried are easy to use…and he hasn’t pooped in one yet. So I can’t say I’ve been grossed out with the whole poop dumping situation. I wanted to use the prefolds first, but I found out yesterday (at the hippie mom store in North Hampton, yes we drove forever away to get them) that I have to strip them. This required me to wash and dry them 3 times to rid them of all traces of whatever it is that makes them not so absorbent. Each time I take them out of the washer they are fluffier and nicer looking- so I’d say it’s working. I have one more fitted to get us through tonight, and then tomorrow morning I’ll start with the prefolds (I have 12) that will hopefully be easier to fix on him than I’m thinking. We got ourselves all set up in the bathroom. A changing table mat on the floor, a box o wipes and his diaper pail. I’m wondering about cloth wipes, I mean…how much harder can they be? Just wipe the kid and throw them into the pail, as well, right? I’m also thinking about trying pocket diapers (AI2), since everyone seems to love them so much. We will see. As for now, I’m just using the prefolds and fitteds, alternating my covers (I want at least five to get me through was days) and going to see how that goes.

*Update.  I went upstairs because Camper woke up.  I got all paranoid about his diaper being wet (which is why I want to switch to cloth in the first place, I change him too dam* often) and pulled the cover open.  Sure enough, the diaper smelled wet.  So I changed him worrying that he’d be all wet already.  When I was putting his regular nighttime diaper on him, I noticed that YO, his BUTT IS DRY.  AND SOFT.  He was not clammy at all like he usually is in his disposable diapers.  I’ll have to report how this whole thing goes for the next few days.  So far, like I said, so good.

Just so you know…a lot of my info came from momsmilkboutique.com.  Check them out.  FREE SHIPPING!

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Cloth Diapering and Some Serious Questions

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

So this morning, as I was changing my child’s diaper for the third time (once at 5am, poop and pee, once at 8am…because he was actually up for the day, and once at 9am, because he pooped) I wondered: Is this why I’m going through so many more diapers lately?  Because I change him so often?  For the first time yesterday I opened up a diaper, ascertained that it was actually…really dry…and put it back on.  Usually if I go to change him, he gets a change of diaper, no matter how wet or dry he seems to be.  I am convinced that they can SEEM dry but really be wet.  Because I am crazy.

But no.  It’s not that I’m changing him more.  My diaper habits have stayed the same since he was younger, which is part of the problem.  You see, usually people change their babies LESS as they get older.  But I still change him whenever he wakes up, before he goes down to sleep, and whenever he poops or I notice that he’s a little wet.

On top of this, there are LESS DIAPERS IN EACH BOX.  The money that used to buy me 122 diapers now buys me 85.  Because they are bigger.  (My baby skipped the NB size and went straight to 1’s, which is lucky…because that’s what they sell at Costco.)  Size 5, to be exact.  This ensure that they do not leak.  Because I cannot stand leaking.

I’ve tried cheaper diapers, and I didn’t like them.  Not one bit.  They put elastic marks on his legs and gave him a rash. And with the price of each diaper changing from .19 to .30, and who knows where from there…I think I’m ready to try cloth diapering.

CRAZY, I know.  It’s gross.  You have to wash them.  They actually cost quite a bit.  But I don’t think I’m going in for the super-expensive ones, although they are freaking cute.  I think that my plan is to get some natural fiber fitted cloth diapers (velcro people) and some reasonably priced covers, as well as some plan old prefolds like back in the day and a snappy to see how I fare.  That way I can decide which I like better.  From the non-cloth-diaper perspective I have, I think I’ll like the two part systems more because a) they come apart to clean and dry and b) I don’t have to buy 20 $20 diapers.

I will have to buy:

  • diapers
  • diaper covers
  • a diaper bag
  • an extra changing mat (one for in the bathroom, where I can change him and have access to the toilet for…um…dumping needs.  Haha. I think this may actually help the whole potty training thing, in five million years when it’s time.)
  • a diaper bag for when we’re out (smaller place to keep dirty diapers while we are out)
  • special soap so that I can clean them well and not use loads of hot water and energy drying.  (My current plan is to line dry, and then air dry in the dryer.)
  • A small plastic spatula.  (Don’t ask)

I will also need to do laundry every other day.  (Oh my gosh!  I already do that!!) But I don’t think it will impact the bills too much if I can line dry them and use cold water.  Water is one price here.  Use as much as you want.

Here are my worries:

I am an absolute clean freak.  No, you don’t understand.  CLEAN FREAKING FREAK.  I’m not too bothered by stains, but if there is a smell problem, I won’t be able to use them.  I will have wasted money.  And lots of it.

I HATE LEAKING.  Camper has had THREE (count them) THREE poop blowouts in life.  First, in the parking lot of Costco.  He was still breastfed at that point, which make the poop watery.  Second, Halloween.  In his Owl Costume.  I think he may have still been nursing at this point, as well.  And Three: in bed at about 8 months old, and he was sick.  That’s it.  And as for pee leaking, I think maybe it’s happened twice. Once at church randomly a few weeks ago…and honestly…that’s all I remember.

HE IS ALL OVER THE FREAKING PLACE.  As nice as it all sounds, if I can’t get the stupid things on him, then it’s not going to work.  I wasn’t good at swaddling him, so we got a special blanket.  This might be the same situation.  My Dad said, “Oh, just get the same kinds we used on you guys.  It’s easy.”  Half of me believes him, the other half of me thinks that my Mom did most of the changing…and that he hasn’t changed Camper.  Oh wait, he did that one time.  And he was all over the bed.

Yeah.

I’d really like to know what you think, whether you’ve considered this at all or use CD yourselves, and what you you recommend???

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