Check out this awesome giveaway for a "starter set" of 6 Artsy Fartsy Foo Foo Hemp Inserts!
http://www.talesofthewife.com/2010/12/merry-fluffy-christmas-day-2-artsy.html
Check out that link for more details! Contest ends 12/4/10. Good luck :)
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Organic Ergo Carrier Giveaway!
Just thought I'd pass this on...
Takin' Care of Twins blog is hosting a giveaway from now through July 5th -
Enter the giveaway at http://takencare.blogspot.com!
Takin' Care of Twins blog is hosting a giveaway from now through July 5th -
Enter the giveaway at http://takencare.blogspot.com!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Links
Best place to buy used diapers:
http://hyenacart.com/Spots_corner/
http://www.diaperswappers.com/
Diaper store sale announcements:
http://www.diaperpin.com/forum09/announcements.asp
Detergent choices:
http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm
http://www.cottonbabies.com/index.php?cPath=62 (free shipping here with code GOODWASH)
Stores with free (fast) shipping and good customer service:
http://www.cottonbabies.com/
http://www.abbyslane.com/
http://www.sewcraftybaby.com/
http://www.pittsburghclothdiapers.com/
http://www.momsmilkboutique.com/
http://www.nickisdiapers.com/
http://www.weelittlechanges.com/
http://www.granolababies.com/
http://hyenacart.com/Spots_corner/
http://www.diaperswappers.com/
Diaper store sale announcements:
http://www.diaperpin.com/forum09/announcements.asp
Detergent choices:
http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm
http://www.cottonbabies.com/index.php?cPath=62 (free shipping here with code GOODWASH)
Stores with free (fast) shipping and good customer service:
http://www.cottonbabies.com/
http://www.abbyslane.com/
http://www.sewcraftybaby.com/
http://www.pittsburghclothdiapers.com/
http://www.momsmilkboutique.com/
http://www.nickisdiapers.com/
http://www.weelittlechanges.com/
http://www.granolababies.com/
One-size vs Sized!
Many pocket diapers and AIOs are available in sized or one-size varieties.
Sized simply means they come in small, medium, large, etc. Sized diapers are more expensive in the long run because you have to buy new diapers for each size. They are, however, more trim-fitting and less bulky on smaller babies than one-size diapers. The benefit of sized diapers is that they will usually fit a newborn-smallish baby right away.
One-size diapers are cheaper in the long run because they typically adjust to fit a baby from 8-10lbs all the way to toddlerhood (30-45lbs). They have either fold or snap down rise adjustments (snap it all the way small for newborn sized unsnap completely for large/toddler size). OS diapers usually won't fit a newborn right away because the leg holes are too big. They can sometimes look pretty bulky on younger babies, but you can always use a smaller/thinner insert to help with this. Most of our diapers are OS (one-size) because we started using cloth at 4 months.
Sized simply means they come in small, medium, large, etc. Sized diapers are more expensive in the long run because you have to buy new diapers for each size. They are, however, more trim-fitting and less bulky on smaller babies than one-size diapers. The benefit of sized diapers is that they will usually fit a newborn-smallish baby right away.
One-size diapers are cheaper in the long run because they typically adjust to fit a baby from 8-10lbs all the way to toddlerhood (30-45lbs). They have either fold or snap down rise adjustments (snap it all the way small for newborn sized unsnap completely for large/toddler size). OS diapers usually won't fit a newborn right away because the leg holes are too big. They can sometimes look pretty bulky on younger babies, but you can always use a smaller/thinner insert to help with this. Most of our diapers are OS (one-size) because we started using cloth at 4 months.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Cloth diaper accessories
Accessories are a girl's best friend. :) Here are a few essentials:The Snappi -
These candy-colored rubber tripods are essential for CDing. They can be used in the place of pins to close an flat, prefold, or snapless fitted diaper. Each of the 3 sides has a row of sharp plastic teeth that grab the diaper fabric. They are very user-friendly and reasonably priced ($3-4 each). Regular and Toddler sizes available.
Wetbags -You'll be needing somewhere to store dirty diapers when you leave the house. These are waterproof bags (usually with a cute print on the outside) that zip shut to keep all of the nasties inside for you to deal with when you get home. They range in price from around $5 to over $30 for a large sized/custom bag.
You'll probably want at least 2-3 of these to rotate in your diaper bag. I like the medium size (3-4 diapers), but if you frequently travel for longer periods of time outside of the house you may want a large or XL hanging bag (can hold 1-2 days worth of diapers).
Pail liner -
Diaper Genies and the like don't really work with CDs. I use a regular trashcan (kitchen sized, cheap white Rubbermaid with a swing top) with a Planet Wise Pail Liner. Pail liners are like reuseable, washable garbage bags. They have elastic around the top to hug the trash can. They are made from waterproof PUL fabric and are available in a variety of brands and colors. You just toss them into the washer with your diapers.
Cloth Wipes -
These are simply fabulous. A was having terrible diaper rashes in her disposables as a newborn and her pediatrician recommended cloth wipes with plain old water. I find them to be more "scrubby" and softer than disposable wipes. We have around 3 dozen wipes. Most of them are the cheap, thin Gerber washcloths. I do have some WAHM made ones from Etsy.com (softandscrubby) and Hyenacart.com (Quilter's Nappies) that are made of cute printed flannel/knit with cotton velour or birdseye fabric that is serged together. I use the cute ones for going out!
Squirt bottle -
I have a couple of the $0.99 plastic squirt bottles from the travel-sized goodies in Target that I keep with my wipes solution. When I need to use them I just squirt some directly onto the wipes. (I have heard people say that pre-moisted cloth wipes in a warmer can get musty smelling pretty quickly) You can purchase wipes solution (basically a scented soap and/or oil mixture) but I make my own because it's cheaper. I usually use plain water but if A is red down there I might mix up a batch with water and a couple of drops of Tea Tree Oil (naturally antifungal and antiseptic). When I feel fancy I might add a squirt of Burt's Bees baby shampoo/wash.
Cloth diapers - the basics
Today's cloth diapers are nothing like our parents' cloth diapers (but they can be if you want). There are so many different options out there that it is quite overwhelming and intimidating at first. I thought I'd start out by sharing some of the basic types/categories of diapers with you. I'll go back and add pictures of each later (holding A while she naps) :)
(above: we store clean diapers in A's dresser/changing table)
How many diapers do you need? Well that depends on how often you want to wash and how old your baby is. Cloth diapers need to be changed more often than disposables (we change every 2 hours except for naps/night). If you're washing every single day you might get by with 15-18 diapers. For every other day I'd get a minimum of 24. We use around 8-10 diapers a day on our 16 month old. You can always use up whatever disposables you have hanging around if you run out before laundry time.
Flats - your cheapest and most basic old-school cloth diaper. These diapers are basically a large square of absorbant fabric (birdseye, hemp, organic cotton, terry cloth, bamboo velour, etc) that you must fold origami-style before pinning or snapping onto baby. (Little Lions Flats are one example of this type diaper)
Pros - CHEAP (for as little as $36 you could have an entire stash of 3 dozen diapers minus covers), one-size (will fit from birth to potty training), easiest to wash and dry, after baby is done with diapers these make great cleaning/all-purpose rags
Cons - requires some skill to learn different folds and closures, baby feels dampness (unless you add a stay-dry/fleece liner next to their bottom), requires a diaper cover to be waterproof
Prefolds - these are the workhorse of the cloth diaper world. They are similar to the flat diaper except rectangular in shape, smaller and thicker. They are "pre-folded" and sewn to have the most layers of fabric in the area that needs the most absorbtion. These are available in a wide variety of sizes to give you the trimmest fit for different sized babies. You usually have the option of buying white (bleached) or natural colored (unbleached). Unbleached PFs generally require a few more washings to fully prep. I chose to dye my PFs so they would look pretty (will dedicate a post to this later).
Prepping prefolds entails washing the diapers with the hottest water possible in your washer (some people add a pot of boiling water) to strip the natural "oils" away from the cotton fibers. Then you throw them into the dryer where they will shrink/"quilt" up and look like they are full of tiny ridges. This is what makes the diaper absorbant. It usually requires at least 5 cycles of hot wash/dry to be fully prepped (most absorbant). BTW - Gerber prefold diapers you find in the store are NOT diapers. They are burp cloths only and are made of cotton gauze not diaper quality fiber!
PFs require minimal folding and you may use either pins or a Snappi to hold the diaper on your baby. They also require the use of a waterproof diaper cover on top. They are versatile in that you can also tri-fold them and simply lay inside a cover.
Pros - Cheap ($1-4 each depending on size/brand), easier to fold, versatile, easy to launder
Cons - some skill required to get the hang of different folds, requires a waterproof cover, not "stay-dry" next to baby's skin without a liner, will need different sizes as baby grows
Contours - I won't be covering these as they aren't very popular but they are more of a cross between a prefold and a fitted.
Fitteds - one of the most absorbant and cutest options in the diaper world. These diapers are made completely from absorbant cotton or bamboo and resemble an actual diaper. The edges of these diapers are usually serged (raw edge with stitching) or T&T (turned and topstitched). They usually have snaps or a softer version of velcro ("aplix") for closure and elastic around the legs/back.
Pros - Cute prints/colors, one of the most-absorbant options
Cons - requires a cover, can get expensive if you start "collecting" prints :)
Pockets - These look like a disposable diaper; they consist of an outer waterproof shell, an inner lining (can be fleece/stay-dry or organic cotton), and a "pocket" inbetween where you stuff an insert to customize the absorbancy to your needs. They are either velcro (aplix) closure or snap closure. Velcro is easier to use while snaps last longer. An example of a pocket diaper is the Bumgenius one-size 3.0.
Pros - easier to use; can be "stay-dry" next to baby's skin; does not require a cover; dries quickly because inserts are removed prior to washing
Cons - more expensive than other options; requires more time to stuff inserts inside
All-in-ones (AIO) - These are the easiest of all of the diapers to use; they are one-piece waterproof diapers that require no stuffing or covering. Many people like these for day-care, babysitters, grandparents, and daddy. They look just like pocket diapers. Some are even available with a pocket in case you need to add a doubler to last through overnight use. Also, you may see diapers advertised as AI2s (all-in-twos) - these diapers have a snap in soaker that sits next to baby that can be removed on laundry day to lessen drying time.
Pros - user-friendly; no cover or stuffing required
Cons - most expensive option; takes a long time to dry
(above: we store clean diapers in A's dresser/changing table)
How many diapers do you need? Well that depends on how often you want to wash and how old your baby is. Cloth diapers need to be changed more often than disposables (we change every 2 hours except for naps/night). If you're washing every single day you might get by with 15-18 diapers. For every other day I'd get a minimum of 24. We use around 8-10 diapers a day on our 16 month old. You can always use up whatever disposables you have hanging around if you run out before laundry time.
Flats - your cheapest and most basic old-school cloth diaper. These diapers are basically a large square of absorbant fabric (birdseye, hemp, organic cotton, terry cloth, bamboo velour, etc) that you must fold origami-style before pinning or snapping onto baby. (Little Lions Flats are one example of this type diaper)
Pros - CHEAP (for as little as $36 you could have an entire stash of 3 dozen diapers minus covers), one-size (will fit from birth to potty training), easiest to wash and dry, after baby is done with diapers these make great cleaning/all-purpose rags
Cons - requires some skill to learn different folds and closures, baby feels dampness (unless you add a stay-dry/fleece liner next to their bottom), requires a diaper cover to be waterproof
Prefolds - these are the workhorse of the cloth diaper world. They are similar to the flat diaper except rectangular in shape, smaller and thicker. They are "pre-folded" and sewn to have the most layers of fabric in the area that needs the most absorbtion. These are available in a wide variety of sizes to give you the trimmest fit for different sized babies. You usually have the option of buying white (bleached) or natural colored (unbleached). Unbleached PFs generally require a few more washings to fully prep. I chose to dye my PFs so they would look pretty (will dedicate a post to this later).
Prepping prefolds entails washing the diapers with the hottest water possible in your washer (some people add a pot of boiling water) to strip the natural "oils" away from the cotton fibers. Then you throw them into the dryer where they will shrink/"quilt" up and look like they are full of tiny ridges. This is what makes the diaper absorbant. It usually requires at least 5 cycles of hot wash/dry to be fully prepped (most absorbant). BTW - Gerber prefold diapers you find in the store are NOT diapers. They are burp cloths only and are made of cotton gauze not diaper quality fiber!
PFs require minimal folding and you may use either pins or a Snappi to hold the diaper on your baby. They also require the use of a waterproof diaper cover on top. They are versatile in that you can also tri-fold them and simply lay inside a cover.
Pros - Cheap ($1-4 each depending on size/brand), easier to fold, versatile, easy to launder
Cons - some skill required to get the hang of different folds, requires a waterproof cover, not "stay-dry" next to baby's skin without a liner, will need different sizes as baby grows
Contours - I won't be covering these as they aren't very popular but they are more of a cross between a prefold and a fitted.
Fitteds - one of the most absorbant and cutest options in the diaper world. These diapers are made completely from absorbant cotton or bamboo and resemble an actual diaper. The edges of these diapers are usually serged (raw edge with stitching) or T&T (turned and topstitched). They usually have snaps or a softer version of velcro ("aplix") for closure and elastic around the legs/back.
Pros - Cute prints/colors, one of the most-absorbant options
Cons - requires a cover, can get expensive if you start "collecting" prints :)
Pockets - These look like a disposable diaper; they consist of an outer waterproof shell, an inner lining (can be fleece/stay-dry or organic cotton), and a "pocket" inbetween where you stuff an insert to customize the absorbancy to your needs. They are either velcro (aplix) closure or snap closure. Velcro is easier to use while snaps last longer. An example of a pocket diaper is the Bumgenius one-size 3.0.
Pros - easier to use; can be "stay-dry" next to baby's skin; does not require a cover; dries quickly because inserts are removed prior to washing
Cons - more expensive than other options; requires more time to stuff inserts inside
All-in-ones (AIO) - These are the easiest of all of the diapers to use; they are one-piece waterproof diapers that require no stuffing or covering. Many people like these for day-care, babysitters, grandparents, and daddy. They look just like pocket diapers. Some are even available with a pocket in case you need to add a doubler to last through overnight use. Also, you may see diapers advertised as AI2s (all-in-twos) - these diapers have a snap in soaker that sits next to baby that can be removed on laundry day to lessen drying time.
Pros - user-friendly; no cover or stuffing required
Cons - most expensive option; takes a long time to dry
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