My Diaper System

Question:
In reference to THIS
Do you have a cute way of storing your cloth diapers?

Answer:
As you'll read in that post the lady mentions that she had a system... but it got a little more lax over time. That's pretty much how it happened for me.

When I was first doing my research on diapers, I came across something that stressed how important it was to rotate regularly through your diapers. So, when I was laying out Jude's nursery, I decided to set up a system to make it easy to do this. We do not have a changing table, but instead used the top of his dresser as his changing station. So, the top drawer to the dresser was all of his changing supplies.

After washing his diapers, I would line them up nicely in his dresser drawer with the most recently clean diapers in the back so that we would use them all an equal number of times.

Over time I needed the top drawer for one thing or another and moved them into the side cabinet on the dresser. There is a convenient little shelf that I have a red canvas tote on. I would then line the diapers up in the tote regularly circulating through them.

Eventually I realized that, unlike some mothers, I didn't have a surplus of cloth diapers. The need to rotate was apparently for those women who had more money than they knew what to do with and so they bought a bajillion cloth diapers. I had just enough for 2 days and so I really didn't need to fret about equal usage. There are some families out there with more cloth diapers than I'd know what to do with. They have different sizes, styles, etc. We don't. We have 15 Bum Genius 3.0 pocket diapers. Period. There's no reason to worry about circulating. By the time the dirty diapers get through the wash and back into Jude's room, what was put away had already been used.

So, our current system consists of me pulling them out of the dryer, tossing them into the red canvas tote and putting them together as we use them. Sometimes... if I'm feeling really fancy, we'll go through a whole load of diapers straight from the dryer.

Short Answer: no.

Stinky Diapers

I recently posted about my experience so far with my cloth diapers. I think I was jinxed. I had never had an issue with overly stinky diapers, but the past few day, I have. To clarify, I'm specifically talking about the actual diaper having an odor, not the poop in the diaper having an odor.

I have heard before this, that there are three common ways to get them back to normal:

Option One: Wash them as usual and lay them out in the sun to dry. the sun's healing power would make it all better.

Option Two: Wash them as usual (which consists of one wash cycle and two rinse cycles) and then do two extra rinse cycles without detergent.

Option Three: Wash them with Dial soap

Typically, the smell comes from a build up of detergent and all of these options apparently aid in stripping the diapers of excess and get them fresh again.

Regardless of whether they smelled or not, I had plans to air dry them in the sun when a nice spring day rolled around, but I didn't make it to spring. One day last week I woke up to a smell that I just couldn't place. It was clearly coming from Jude. It didn't smell like poop, it didn't smell like pee... it just smelled... funny. I immediately determined that the smell was what other cloth diapering mothers had been talking about. I wasn't going to just wash the 2-3 diapers that were currently in the dirty pail, so I had to get through them all. Some had the odor, others did not. When wash time came around, I washed them as normal and then turned the washer back on for a couple extra rinse cycles.

So far, it seems to have been effective, but I did an extra rinse for the last time I washed them also. I figured if I add an extra rinse regularly, it would be effective in keeping them from getting the odor in the future.

In addition to this apparently being 'normal' for them to get a funny smell every now and then, I was recently presented with some information that basically says the two types of detergent I use are probably the worse you could use on cloth diapers. Go figure. I specifically use "Bright Green Free and Clear" or homemade detergent. Both contain soaps that cause a build up which can cause leaks and stinky diapers. Considering I've been using these detergents for over 8+ months now, I'm hesitant to believe it's as bad as they say, but I am currently considering alternate detergent options for our diapers (and possibly our clothes).

My Bum Genius Baby

Question: Do you find that your one-size bum genius diapers are adjusting well to your ever-growing son? How many did you start out with? Have any been ruined and if so, how were they ruined? How are they holding up overall?

Answer:

I started with 15. At first, I'd say this was enough for 1.5 days. Now, we get more like 2.5 days. I was very hesitant at first to buy all of one brand since I had no experience with them, but I just jumped into it. I remember I considered a couple of other brands and almost bought 1/2 Bum Genius and 1/2 of another brand. However, I remember that every chat board I went on, at least one mother was raving about how much she loved her BG's, so I just went for it.

They are adjusting well to my growing baby. There are three size options with these one-size-fits-all diapers. The small, medium and large sizes can be achieved with a series of snaps. I believe that they fit babies from 7-35 pounds. I know it seemed like we zipped through the first two sizes and got to the largest setting very quickly. I remember being really concerned and thinking we had invested all this money into diapers that were supposed to last forever and here we were less than a year in, and on the last setting.

Then I did some research. Mothers on chat boards said they had the same fears. Some said they even adjusted up to the largest setting and as their little one changed shape, they had to adjust back down to a smaller size. I still wasn't 100% convinced. Then, I found that Pampers wasn't too far off from this. Their size 3 covers 14-22 pounds and their size 4 is 22-37 pounds. If the leader in disposable diapers can cover 15 pounds with one size, I felt confident that BG could too.

Plus, they have an elastic-type back and elastic around the legs. In addition, the velcro version of the diaper has a strip of velcro all the way across the front and velcro tabs. So, you can make it as tight or as loose as you need to. All of this can be summed up by saying: every part of the diaper is adjustable - whether with elastic, snaps or velcro. Sometimes I currently look at them and consider going down a size to see how they fit. They sometimes look a little lose around the leg, but so far we haven't had any problems, so I haven't really had a reason to do it.


At roughly $17.99 a diaper I would be very upset if any of them were ruined. I remember when I got my 'instructions' from the company on how to care for them and was VERY overwhelmed! However, knowing these were the diapers that would hopefully get me through until my son was in underoos, I read it and paid extra attention to the wash instructions.

Basic Care:
- wash a few times before you start to use them (you know when you get a new towel how it doesn't absorb that well? same thing with these, it takes a couple of washes to get them to absorb well - and after a few more, they absorb like a champ)
-wash frequently - don't let the diapers sit more than two days (the urine and poo can harm the fabrics if they sit too long, too often)
- don't store in a sealed container (for same reason as above - it's best to let them breathe)
- use 1/4 of the amount of laundry detergent you usually would (the loads are much smaller, so there's no need for massive amounts of detergent. Plus, a build up of detergent can cause them to start to stink. If you an HE washer and dryer owner, this is especially important b/c your machine will be using considerably less water)
- wash on a double rinse cycle (this helps in getting excess detergent out)
- if they DO start to stink, you can put them in on a rinse cycle without detergent or lay/hang them out in the sun to get them back to normal (I have never had to do either of these although I've considered doing it for precautionary measures this spring when it gets nice out)
- always fasten the laundry tabs (this keeps the laundry tabs extra velcro-y, which keeps them on your baby's bottom)




I follow the instructions and by doing so, have not had any problems with them. I have however heard the most common problems are that they start to smell (even after they've been washed) and the velcro runs out of stick. After reading BG's web page it seems this is the result of people not caring for them properly. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS

In addition, I spoke with a mother who said half way through baby number two her velcro was loosing some stick. She contacted the company and they sent her new velcro. After she stitched it on, they were as good as new.

I am not at all an expert on cloth diapers. I have never tried anything other than bum genius, but either way, I still say they are great. I'm sure there are others out there that are just as great and maybe others like them more, but my baby is without a doubt a bum genius baby.

Diaper Free Progress II

Question: are you still EC'ing? If so, how's that going?

Answer: I think the safest and most honest answer would be no. I do not track his pees, I don't time him, look for cues or go extended periods of time without a diaper on him.

If he's having some naked time, then I will plop him on the potty to see if there's anything happening. If I have him ready for a bath or something, I'll plop him on the toilet to see if he's got anything going on. But that's about it.

I really think if it were warmer out, I would have been much more successful. I wouldn't have felt as bad about having Jude hang around in nothing but a t-shirt all the time and I might have been a little more inclined to try ECing outside of the home. But really, taking off all his layers just to find that he's already peed in his diaper is a real hassle. Our time at home always went pretty well. I had his timing pretty down and it worked well for us, but of course the 'misses' sucked. I'd have to spot clean the rug and that just got old. Towards the end I just felt like I was raising a puppy again.

I think that we were so successful at first because I wanted it to work! I was all into it in the beginning and so I was on top of him all the time to make it work. But slowly it lost it's luster.

Then in addition to wet diapers, there are dirty diapers. Jude was never a really constant pooper and when he did release, I think he may have been mildly constipated. Recently though he's come out of that a bit and seems to be going the same time every day (at like 7:00 in the morning - ugh). If he continues with his regular poos, I might try to make a regular potty trip out of it. I really don't know...

All of that being said, I am considering trying to potty train him at one. Again, this will all depend on how he accepts it, but it's another thing that has struck me as a possibility. But really, we're in no huge rush to get him out of diapers. There's no cost (aside from the laundry) for us having Jude in diapers, so it's not like we need to rush through the diaper phase to save a bundle of money. But of course - not washing diapers is a very nice thought.

...the end of cloth diapers as we know it

I will say that tonight was not the first... but it was the most significant "solid" poop we've had.

Since Jude really only plays with his solid foods, we haven't had to deal with many of the really solid poops. In the very beginning of him eating solids, he had consumed a good bit at one sitting and the next morning I heard a very distinct "thud" and knew I would be changing a solid diaper.

Tonight I was in the kitchen cooking dinner and he was flapping around on the ground having a good old time. Then all the sudden he got very quiet and then I heard this sound coming from him I'd never heard before. It was like a choking/straining/concentrating sound. I honestly thought at first that he was choking on something. I quickly went over an inventory of items that may have been on the floor around him as I ran over to scoop him up....

Then I smelt it. The undeniable scent of baby poo. But not the baby poo we had come to love and appreciate... the other kind. The kind that is almost human, but for the sake of keeping yourself sane and not getting grossed out that you're in fact touching human poo, you still consider it 'baby poo'.

Since I had scooped him up mid-grunt, I was under the impression he wasn't finished. He seemed to be between grunts, so I took that opportunity to strip off his diaper and sit him on his potty. Jack Pot. He lets out a little groan and boom - a loose log in the hopper!

Luck for me, Ryan was just walking in the door. He had run out to grab a drink while this whole episode was taking place. I quickly came up with a reason why I just HAD to get out of the bathroom (I rambled out a sentence about ravioli and boiling water and left the boys to be). It didn't take him long to realize that there was in fact poo in the toilet and a dirty diaper not too far away.

After Ryan got Jude cleaned up, he was putting the dirty diaper in the laundry room pail and I caught him and explained that we had reached the end of cloth diaper as we know it. He couldn't simply toss the diaper into the pail, log-style poos required scraping. They required a tool. They required him to take said tool, stand over the toilet and plop the goods into the bowl. He was less than pleased. Ryan has a very strong phobia of all things that come OUT of the human body (blood, poop, pee, vomit, etc) and just was not ready for this - which is why I passed Jude off.

Really I only told him to do it because I wanted to get a good laugh. Reluctantly he grabs the diaper and heads into the bathroom with a scrapper in hand. Before I even hear a plop, there's a series of gags, some spiting and a "I give up! I'm throwing it away! We're getting disposables!" Meanwhile I'm in the kitchen with tears in my eyes I'm laughing so hard. When he comes in seriously ready to throw Jude's $17.99 diaper into the trash I tell him I'll take care of it and that I just wanted to see how far he'd get. I was proud that he even gave it an honest effort and hope that he has a new appreciation for his wife who has no problem scraping and cleaning poopy diapers.

In addition to all of this, we BOTH have a new appreciation for our efforts with elimination communication.

You SHOULD be embarrassed!

Airing Out

Without a doubt, this is the one post that Jude could look back on years down the road and hate me for. But I'll share anyway.

As I may or may not have mentioned, with the cloth diapers I use, you're not supposed to put any kind of ointment on your baby's skin. Desitin, A&D, etc. Basically if you do, the ointment can build up and stain the material or even create a funky smell. This really isn't a big deal for us right now though, because there's a much lower chance of diaper rash in breast fed babies.

However, you can imagine my concern a few weeks ago when I go to change Jude's diaper and there's a small red rash. It was relatively fresh and not too large or irritated looking, but I still was concerned. Where would I go from here? Get a few disposables until it's healed? Ruin the diapers???

Of course the most obvious answer I had to find online from other mothers - put something between the baby's bottom and the diaper. A cloth of some sort that would both absorb and protect the fabric. DUH

But before I took that step I decided to let him air out a little to see if it healed up on it's own (maybe it was just a little heat rash). So, I cleaned him off with his wipes real well and plopped him down on the floor with a rag under him to wiggle around.

HE LOVED IT!

He's a real wiggle worm anyway, so without the diaper in his way, he was able to kick and squirm to his heart's content. He loved it so much in fact that I do it much more frequently now. Somewhere around every other day I'll take off his diaper and let him breath a little, last night I happened to catch a couple of pictures that I'm sure he'll appreciate when he's older.

... oh - and the diaper rash was pretty much gone the next day.

reviews

You hear all the time that all babies like different things. Some parents never use some items that other parents seem to swear by. Likewise child #1 may hate something that child #2 (in the same family) loved. For anyone who’s interested, he’s a little comprehensive list of things I loved/hated and just found to be useful in the last 2+ months with baby #1. I’m sure over time my opinion of certain items may change – next time around I might hate it, but as of right now, here’s where it stands.

Also, some of this I may have posted previously in random posts, but here it is, all together and perhaps with a little detail.


Never Used/Use:

Bottle warmer – Never came out of the box. I just put it in a storage box the other day. His milk comes out at the right temperature and when I use pumped milk, it’s just as easy to run it under warm water.
Swing – I’ve heard this is one of the big “my child loves it/hates it” items. My child disliked it. Recently we used it a couple of time for a few minutes, but it never gets used for long periods of times – it was not worth the price.
Dishwasher baskets – another item that was thrown into storage recently unopened.
Bumpers – When creating the nursery, we didn’t buy one of those large bundles from babies r us that has the whole bedding set. I found a quilt at potterybarn.com on clearance with airplanes and we coordinated the room around it – I was really trying to avoid a cookie-cutter nursery (same wall art as every other nursery, same border as every other nursery, etc) that he’d outgrow too quickly. They had matching bumpers that we bought also, but they came out after 1 or 2 nights of Jude sleeping in his crib. Considering they were pretty cheap I don’t regret buying them too much (as I have recently seen you can make a million things with them!) but in the future I would skip them and just get a quilt again or some other item to have as the inspiration for his room.
Rocking Chair – This I was hesitant to put in this category. Our rocking chair was passed down to me from my grandmother… it apparently was my great, great grandmother’s and so has a little special meaning (not that I knew her, but still). It fits well in Jude’s “reading corner” and I’m sure down the road it may get used more, but currently if I had put money out for it, it would have been a total waste.
Spit Up Sheet Protector – these apparently are made so that you don’t have to wash your sheets as frequently. I had it on before Jude was born, he spit up on it and I never put it back on. It was just as easy in my opinion to change the sheet. These tie onto the crib rails and so if your crib is up against the wall, you have to move the crib out from the wall every time you change them.
Bibs – No matter how practical, I never used them. His outfits are too cute to cover up sometimes. Plus, he has so much clothing I didn’t mind costume changes mid-day if they got messy.


Couldn’t Live without:

Bouncie seat – He loves it. It’s light and small enough that we take it outside when we doing yard work, move it in the kitchen while cooking, sit him in it when he’s awake/looking around, etc.
Bum Genius Diapers – This is really a personal opinion, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE using cloth diapers – specifically the BG 3.0’s. I got so much kick back when I told people I was using them about how it wouldn’t last, etc., but it had to have been one of the BEST decisions we made. They seem like they’d be much more comfortable, much smarter financially, etc. After my experience I don’t think I would EVER use disposables again. To this day I love when people who once thought it wouldn’t last ask me how “using those cloth diapers is going” and I can reply “great!”.
Medela Pump in Style Breast Pump – Another big ticket item that I couldn’t live without. Especially now that I’m back to work, this is obviously one of the most handy and regularly used items. Even before pumping at work though, it was very handy for full breasts in the morning or just to pump some extra to have in the freezer.
Hip Hugger Clothes Basket – A non-baby item that I had pre-baby, that I still couldn’t live without. Mostly in the first few weeks when I hated the idea of having to climb up and down the steps and didn’t feel comfortable leaving Jude on one floor alone – this was super handy. Most others would slip off, but this one hugs the hip so I could have clothes basket in one hand, baby in the other.
Burp Cloths – specifically the cloth diaper burp clothes. They sell them at BRU. They’re basically like white rags, but are highly absorbent. The ones I use are tri-fold with a slightly more absorbent center. Very hard to explain, but super handy! Plus they’re MUCH cheaper than the fancy decorated ones in weird fabric that don’t absorb.
Tummy Time Play Mat – This was super convenient before we had an area rug in the living room. When we put Jude on his back to kick around it kept him off the hard floors. Now that he’s getting a little older, even though we have the rug, he’s able to focus on the objects and likes looking at his little toys that hang.
Home Made Laundry Detergent – With all the wash, it’s nice to not pay high dollar for detergent!


Odds and Ends I might recommend:

Avent Bottles – another one of those to-each-their-own type items.
Pack N’ Play – Specifically Graco, it seems very well made.
Pack N’ Play Sheets and Changing Station Covers – much easier to swap out a sheet or a cover than to clean the whole thing.
Sling – See below on my rant about travel systems. This was a nice alternative when making a quick run into a store, going for walks around the neighborhood, doing stuff around the house, etc. (brand I used: hot slings)
Boppie – This was extremely convenient when I first started breast feeding. Jude, Ryan and I had a system when I would feed, legs crossed, boppy on top of legs, baby on boppy. Ryan would gently hold his hands while I got the latch right. I consider this system of ours the reason why he got the whole process so quickly. It was very routine and consistent. Thanks Boppie!
Medela Nipple Cream – I never got the dreaded sore nipples while beginning, but it was still nice and soothing while adjusting to the whole process.
Bottle Drying Rack – I usually hand wash all of Jude’s bottles – for some reason they would never get 100% clean in the dishwasher, so this was incredibly handy and allowed for easy access to them (instead of shoving them in a cabinet).
Nursing Wrap – Peanut Shell w/ Wire peep hole – perfect for nursing on the go – or just sitting around the house when you’re not sure who might walk in.

Take it or Leave it:

Infant Car Seat/Travel System – there are times when the infant car seat/travel system is the most convenient thing in the world and other times that it’s the biggest pain in the ass. For the cost… I would venture to say if I didn’t have it, I wouldn’t get another one. But considering I do and it was a gift, I love it more than anything? I feel like it’s a staple item on any baby registry – which is maybe why I went for it, but might be wise to just get a regular car seat and some sort of front carrier/umbrella stroller in the future… It’s really hard to say.

Big Boy Clothes

When Jude came home from the hospital he was just too small for his 0-3 month clothes. We have been getting by with what newborn gear we had and it's been working fine. Well, once he got into his 'big boy' cloth diapers, they added just the right amount of extra bulk to make his 0-3 month clothes not look too terribly large.

Since we discovered that the cloth diapers fit him, we've been using them on and off. We still had a few days worth of disposables and I figured it'd be better to throw them away dirty than throwing them away unused (if they're going in the trash either way, why not??). I've been using the cloth diapers a little though and so far it's been a breeze!

When he's wearing the cloth diapers his newborn gear just does NOT fit him. He's already getting a little too long for some of them and the added bulk just makes it worse. So, I figured now was a good time to transition to 0-3 month clothes for good. I started going through his cloths last night and boxing up anything that doesn't fit along with my maternity clothes.

It's so sad that already he's out growing so much and that part of our/his life is over. I'm so anxious for him to get bigger so we can actually DO things with him, but at the same time I know time will fly by and he'll be all grown up before we know it. I'm just trying to treasure every moment I can while he's still tiny and simple.

(but he looks ADORABLE in his batman shirt and khakis)

A Big Weekend for my Big Boy! (and Mommy)

Late Night at K&B's

After Ryan got off work on Saturday we headed over to Kevin and Barbie's for a family-friendly BBQ. We got there late, but it was still a grand time as always. They had a slip-n-slide set up and even though the water was chilly Ryan made a couple of slips down.

Other than that, we mostly just hung out and chatted and just generally enjoyed ourselves. Bryan and Katy were also invited and so the six (plus 2 youngin's) had a good 'ol time - everyone else had gotten there much earlier than us, so they headed out not too long after we arrived.

Jude was a trooper the whole time and of course, slept.

Cloth Diapers

When we brought Jude home from the hospital he was too tiny for his cloth diapers. I had read before that typically they fit babies around 10lbs and up, so I expected we'd have a little lag time before we'd be able to use them. We had gotten quite a few packs of disposable diapers from family members who assumed cloth diapers wouldn't last for us. While it was annoying that they assumed we'd never stick with it, it was convenient that we didn't have to buy disposables of our own!

Today when I went into Jude's drawer that holds all of his disposables, I noticed that he was running pretty low - he still has enough for a couple more days, but not too much. I was dreading having to go out and buy diapers so thought "why not just TRY the cloth diapers?". Holding them up to the disposables they looked huge and I just assumed they'd never fit. Much to my surprise they fit him fine (he's not 10lbs, so I'm guessing that was an estimate)! There's a bit of bulk since there's enough fabric for them to grow with him, but they fit the curves of his legs and waist great!

Jude must have noticed the change in underoo's because he decided to make some extra work for mommy. Every time I put a diaper on him he's start pooing and of course that meant swapping out to a new diaper. I'm still adjusting to figuring out how to tell if he's wet or not with the cloth diapers (with disposable, it's very obvious!), but I just keep checking them (see "mommy melt down" on how my frequent checking back fired) and I'm sure I'll be used to it in no time.

Just a side note: the fact that Jude doesn't have "solid poo" is comforting and reassuring that this should be a breeze as the "scrapping" of the chunks is the scariest part!

My First Mommy Melt-Down:

Since Jude has come home (and even in the hospital) I have felt so lucky about how well behaved he is. He sleeps well, rarely cries for "no reason" and is just a great baby! I enjoy every minute with him and have only spent about an hour away from him during my first week home when I went to the grocery store - I just hate the idea of leaving him (obsessive??). I hear stories all the time about hormones and adjusting to being with the baby and I felt so lucky that I just didn't experience any of that!

Without getting too far into it Ryan's been working a lot at Lowe's and so really, even if I wanted time a lone it's pretty much impossible. Today I was frustrated that he was working and really just wanted a little break (not to mention I didn't want to spend the day a lone and go to the b-day party - below- solo). So, already annoyed I head for the party. I was already out and about and instead of going home to feed Jude before heading to the park, I figured I'd stop in a parking lot to feed him in the back seat. It was hot out and the car wouldn't get cool, so he didn't eat very well. Concerned that I'd have to feed him again later at the party, I got a little worried about how that would play out, but went with it anyway.

I figured since he had his new cloth diapers on I should check and see what was going on. I take off his diaper and it seems a little wet, so I decided to just change him so he'll be fine through the party. I have him sitting on my lap (remember I'm sitting in the back seat) and as I take off his diaper he lets out a little gas. I chuckle and sweet talk him and as I lift his bum to put the new diaper underneath the worst thing ever happened. Like a hose he shoots poo all over my shirt. I was mortified and disgusted. I contemplated just driving home, closing myself in the room and staying there forever - I was frustrated. On top of my previous frustration, I was done.

I take a few breaths and ran into the store I was parked in front of to buy a new shirt. Problem solved.

Fast forward through the birthday party. Ryan and I are supposed to head over to Bryan and Katy's. I look down at the t-shirt I had bought and I have a HUGE milk spot on my right boobie (the extra leaky one). Apparently the nipple pads just weren't enough. I told Ryan I wanted to go home and stay there all night. Without bawling like a baby, I shed my first few post-baby tears and we went home.

After getting myself cleaned up, feeding Jude a REAL feeding (to empty those milk bags) I felt much better. Looking back I feel a little lame (none of it is THAT big of a deal), but I can officially say I've had my first mommy melt-down. I survived, I feel fine now, but hope tomorrow is much rosier.

Jude's First Birthday Party:

When we came home from the hospital, waiting in the mail box was a invitation from Ryan's long time friend, Rob inviting us to his son's 3rd birthday. I was excited because already Jude would be going to his first "kiddy birthday!". Unfortunately, Ryan had to work today, so Jude and I made the trek together. First we went to Toys 'R Us and got some nifty gifts (insert melt down) and then went to Lums Pond and got our party on.

While the party was precious, with a pony and all a yummy bbq, it was a little weird being there and not really "knowing" anyone too well. It was nice however that all of Rob's family that have known Ryan since he was just a bitty baby got to meet Ryan's baby!

Ryan ended up showing up right when things were getting packed up, but at that point we were already on our way out. Hopefully next time it'll be a little more successful.

BBQ at B&K's

Finally - Bryan and Katy's. As always a glorious time.




We played Catch Phrase (is that what it was called??), passed babies around, chatted, ate, saw Trent's first tooth (!!) and just relaxed. After it got dark there was a little fire pit action.

The night also brought out the mosquitos! After a long day I was ready to settle in at home anyway, so we scooted out around 9:00 or so. Still, a fun time!

My boys all tuckered out:

Cloth Diaper "Must Haves"

I’ve blogged before about cloth diapering, but I don’t think I’ve really blogged much past the actual style we chose and how the process works.

In preparing to be a cloth diapering mother I have come to realize some things I need that perhaps a disposable diaper mother might not need. As the time to actually cloth diaper a baby draws closer the thought of cloth diapering is becoming slightly intimidating but I’m bound and determined to make it work. I also want to make sure we have everything we need to make it go as smoothly as possible. While it’s intimidating it’s also something I’m very excited to try and can’t wait to be able to say “I cloth diapered and it was so easy!”.

Item number one is the most obvious: cloth diapers. We are covered in this area – at least with enough to get started. Not knowing exactly how many diapers Jude will use in a day or how well the diapers we selected will fit and work for us, I got the approximate number he’ll use in a 2-day period of time. Typically you need to wash them every other day to avoid having the chemicals in the poo/pee breaking down the lining. So, having more than a 2-2.5 day supply is pointless. You should rotate them all regularly and wash them as soon as possible to keep them from wearing out too quickly, etc. We currently have a 2 days supply and will probably get about 6 more if we’re 100% pleased with the style we chose (Bum Genius 3.0). Other wise I’ll do some more research and get a few of another style to see if they suit us better.

Item number two: the toilet sprayer or laundry room wash basin. Basically any time Jude pees in a diaper it goes right into the dirty diaper pail until the end of the day when they’ll need to be washed. However, in the event that the little guy poo’s we’ll have to ‘scrape’ or ‘spray’ the solids off of the diaper (the scary/intimidating part of the process!). The most effective way of doing this from what we’ve gathered is in a toilet or a laundry wash basin. I have plans on installing both options in our home. Currently we have a stackable washer and dryer so making extra space in our laundry room for the wash basin is not a problem! I’m sure that it will come in hand for much more than cloth diapers and according to Ryan working into the plumbing should be fairly simple.




The other option – the toilet sprayer – is apparently a cloth diaper mothers most have. Basically you tap into the plumbing behind your toilet and add what I would compare to a kitchen sink sprayer to your toilet. Instead of getting out the plastic scraper (the standard de-pooing item, comparable to a spatula) you spray some high-pressure water onto the diaper and get the gunk off. You can either do this at the time of the diaper change or when it’s time for you to wash them all. I’ll have to see which option works for me as the time comes.



Item number three: the wet bag. While we’re out running errands or while Jude’s at day care we’ll need to put the cloth diapers somewhere. There are a number of solutions or options – the most practical in my mind is the wet bag.

Other options include disposable bags. Basically we would be taking a plastic bag everywhere we went to throw the diapers in until we get home. Once home the plastic bag would be thrown away and the diapers would be added to the diaper pail. Daycare would also be given a plastic bag every day to put diapers in and send them home in. considering we’re trying to be eco-friendly (and cheap!) this just didn’t seem like the best option for us. Plus, you risk getting thin bags that could rip or seep the odor out into other items in the diaper bag.

Another option would be to abandon cloth diapers while we’re out and about and while he’s at daycare. We could swap over to a more environmentally friendly type of diaper made from more natural fibers and only use cloth diapers at home. Another option is a mix of cloth and disposable called the G-diaper (disposable liners, cloth outsides). This just doesn’t seem like a good option either (but is something I'm more willing to try than other options). Basically you’ll be spending the cost of cloth diapers, PLUS the cost of disposables making it almost pointless (in my opinion).

So, I’ll be buying a couple wet bags:




Basically these are waterproof bags with zippers to hold in the scent and any liquids. It can fold up into the diaper bag and either myself or our day care provider can throw all of the yuckies from the day/outing into the bag. When the diapers get washed all you have to do is toss the bag in and it too will be washed – not using any extra water/energy or causing any unnecessary waste. I haven’t ordered my wet bags yet though because it’s actually something that there are about a million options for! There are oodles of prints, sizes, styles, brands, etc. I’ve found one I like a lot but can’t bring myself to commit yet!

It’s all very exciting and interesting and should be an adventure going into! I’m sure as I submerge myself into the cloth diapering world I’ll be blogging about the journey and offer any advice to anyone who might be interested. But for now, we’ll stick with all the research I’ve done and the opinions from other mothers (as outlined above).