A Stay-Dry Prefold?

Prefolds are the diaper of choice for many first time cloth diapering mommas because of their economical price. However, I have heard time and time again, "I can't use prefolds and covers because they aren't stay-dry". A baby who is sensitive to wetness may need a stay-dry diaper, but that doesn't mean you have to head straight for pocket diapers. Instead consider one of the following less expensive options.

Stay-Dry Insert Sock- Bumgenius carries this awesome product! It is a stay-dry insert sock. You can place your prefold inside of this sock and it creates a stay-dry effect without the cost of purchasing a pocket diaper!

• Lay it inside a diaper cover and you have a stay-dry diaper!
• Have a tiny baby? Fold the extra length away from your baby. Suedecloth is a very trim fabric so this will have little impact on the overall bulk of the diaper.
• Provides an all-around stay dry layer for a baby.
• Combined with a diaper cover, the Cotton Babies Insert Sock provides the convenience and health benefits of a stay dry diaper without the added expense of a pocket diaper. 

Hiney Lineys-  Hiney Lineys are were created by a Stay-at-home mom! They are made by WAHMs and offer a unique pocket diaper alternative. Hiney Lineys have a snap-in stay dry layer. You can place a prefold or your favorite insert underneath and you are ready to go. Unlike a pocket diaper you can reuse the cover over and over again! Simply replace the snap-in stay dry liner and prefold each time the baby pees and keep reusing the cover. Less covers equal big savings for you!

So just because your baby has sensitive skin doesn't mean you have to head straight for a pocket diaper. Pocket diapers do offer a great and convenient way to diaper and will save you loads over disposable diapers, but if they are a little out of your budget range NO PROBLEM! Just try one of these options and your baby's bottom will thank you. So it can be easier than you think to have a baby on a budget!

Hiney Lineys all-in-liney's are now on sale buy 3 get 1 free!

Eczema and Cloth

Baby with Eczema

What is Eczema? Eczema is a chronic skin disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes and is most common in babies. Fortunately, most people outgrow Eczema, but what do you do until then?

The first major step is to choose cloth diapering. Cloth is must more gentle on the sensitive skin of babies with Eczema. The chemicals and additives in disposables can actually cause Eczema to flare up. Babies with Eczema are typically more prone to skin allergies and have extremely sensitive skin, so you will want to try some different diaper fabrics to see what works best for your baby. Some people have great luck with regular organic cotton, but some babies need a microfleece barrier if they are super sensitive to wetness. A pocket diaper or microfleece liners are great to try if the baby does not respond well to a typical cotton diaper. There are lots of natural remedies to help treat Eczema and most are very cloth diaper friendly.

Moisturizing is obviously very important for the baby. This can sooth some of the pain and itch and will keep the baby from irritating the area with constant scratching. Using an all-natural moisturizer is very important. The lesser amount of ingredients the better! If the baby has a particularly bad flare up and needs some immediate relief a good old fashion oatmeal bath can help dramatically. 

Anything that comes into contact with the baby's skin needs to be as simple and natural as you can find. This would include detergents for clothes, lotions, baby washes, ect. This just will help ensure any irritants are avoided as much as possible.

There are also some things that have been shown to help treat Eczema without using prescription strength medication. First thing is blueberry leaves. Blueberry leaves are a natural inflammation reliever. Vitamin E and egg white solutions can also help speed up healing. You can purchase a vitamin E oil and apply it directly to the skin or use a egg white solution applied to the skin. Simply let the egg whites dry on skin then wipe away. You can also mix ground oats with egg whites for an even more relieving treatment. Calendula cream is a common lotion used to help sooth Eczema in babies as well.

None of this should be taken as medical advice as I am not a medical professional; however, there are many mothers who swear by natural treatments and I think they are worth a shot!  

Pampers, Dioxin, and eating "super absorbent gel"

Everyone knows how much I love Pampers. (Please note a completely sarcastic tone). Many of you have read their response to my simple request for an ingredients list. However, when I was looking at their site there were a couple other things that caught my eye, so I did some research and here is what I found.

In their FAQ section there is a question about bleaching. Here is a small excerpt from their response:

Our suppliers use elemental chlorine-free processes that do not result in the formation of dioxin or other pollutants from the former pulp-making process. In fact, in the U.S. pulp industry, elemental chlorine technologies were completely phased out by 2001 so most, if not all, disposable diapers are made in the U.S. with pulp bleached without elemental chlorine.

At first glance I first wondered if all their plants use this process, but I know not to ask because I am certainly not going to get a response. (Maybe if I have a doctor's note??) So what is an "elemental chlorine-free process"? (ECF) is a technique that uses chlorine dioxide (instead of elemental chlorine) for the bleaching of wood pulp. If they do use this process it does considerably reduce the risk of dioxin being produced; however, it is not 100%. The chemistry of the ECF process shows that the main bleaching agent, chlorine dioxide, is still capable of producing dioxins. Research by both the pulp industry and the EPA demonstrates that chlorine dioxide bleaching does not ensure total elimination of dioxins. Therefore, they can not say it DOES NOT result in dioxin production because in fact it still can and even small amounts of dioxin have been linked to numerous health effects such as cancers. This is a really good step in the right direction as far as health effects are concerned because the likelihood of  producing a dioxin is diminished considerably!

However, there is another layer to the bleaching process as well! The environmental impact of the process. Traditional elemental bleaching was horrific on the environment, so many companies have claimed that by switching to an ECF system they have eliminated the issues. This is only half true. They have taken great stride; however, they have only gone halfway! To be the most environmentally friendly AND the healthiest. these companies would need to adopt a COMPLETELY chlorine free process.Chlorine dioxide (which is still used in their bleaching process) is ranked in the top 10 percent of harmful chemicals. The substance has been found to harm all forms of life and disrupt ecosystems.(a good article to read on the subject is from GreenPeace-read it here)

The next thing that caught my eye was this statement when asked about the gel inside the diaper:

This super absorbent gel, which is used in most disposable diapers, are the small beads that turn into a gel-like material in order to hold the large amount of liquid. This has been shown to be non-irritating, safe for skin and even safe if ingested. 

 I know in my article on sodium polyacrylate I had provided an MSDS sheet (material safety and data sheet). So I took a look at it. Sure enough, not a hazard if swallowed. Hmmm....I thought this was curious so I did some more research. I found an updated MSDS. The original one I posted was from 2004. I found a new one updated in 2006. It states: "May be harmful if swallowed. May cause irritation. Avoid breathing vapors, or dusts. Use with adequate ventilation. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, and clothes. Wash thoroughly after handling". So I had two conflicting MSDS sheets. What next?

Called poison control! I asked if a baby were to ingest any of the inside of a disposable diaper could it harm the baby. They said typically the baby does not ingest enough for them to be worried about and they typically do not see many issues with this type of incident; however, what they would worry about is INTESTINAL BLOCKAGE! He said that normally this is not an issue but CAN BE! He said to watch for the baby vomiting, having difficulty passing bowel movement, blood in stool, or any changes in bowel movements. This can be a sign of an issue.

So my conclusion, not "safe" as Pampers states to ingest. Also per the MSDS sheet is a KNOWN skin irritant. That was consistent on both MSDS sheets.

And check out the blatant lies they are spreading in their Recycle Bank "earn and learn" quiz. Seriously, come on Pampers!! I understand Recycle Bank wants/needs their money and support but as a "green" organization they should not allow this. (Pampers a serious question on social responsibility)



Oh and on a side-note- Have you seen Pampers new "prints collection" Anyone know why they are hanging on a clothesline???? Not too smart since there have been reports of low-income families REUSING disposable diapers. 

Cloth Diaper Safe Creams

I have recently had a lot of people ask me about which creams are safe for cloth diaper use. Here is a list of creams that I know work well with cloth.

Angel Baby Bottom Balm-  Earth Mama Angel Baby
CJ's BUTTer - CJ's BUTTer  
Garden Dreams Baby Bum Butter- Baby Bum Butter 
Hylands Diaper Ointment- Hylands Diaper Ointment 
Three Sisters Magic Salve- Magic Salve
Coconut Oil

 It is always nice to have on hand a bottle of diaper rash cream just in case. Good luck!!!

Cloth diaper No-nos

There are some things that I have learned the hard way when dealing with cloth. I have compiled a small list of cloth diapering no-nos.

1. Always use a wet bag. I have been without my wet bag on numerous occasions and just put my dirty diapers in a plastic bag. Not a good idea for a couple reasons. First, it doesn't hold in smell very well. Second, you will inevitably forget about one of the plastic bags and leave it in the car. When it is hot outside I promise you that is one surprise you DON'T want to find waiting for you the next day.
2. Don't use regular diaper cream. You want to use a cloth diaper safe diaper rash cream. CJ's BUTTer makes a great one that smells really good! Basically if you use a cream that is not safe for cloth it will make your cloth repel and then you have to strip them. No fun!
3. Don't be lazy. Don't wait till you are down to one diaper to do laundry. That will be the one time your baby decides to poo three times in one hour. 
4. Don't put microfiber inserts next to the baby's skin. These inserts are made to go inside a pocket diaper or under something else. They will make your baby's bottom red.
5. Do not use fabric softner. This can cause the diapers to repel and you will have some major stripping to do!
6. Only boil the inserts when stripping diapers. Don't boil the covers or anything with a snap. It can melt the snaps! You can still strip them, just wash them on hot several times in the washing machine and dry.

Luckily for everyone out there, it is actually really hard to "ruin" your diapers. Even if you accidentally leave a dirty diaper in the car in 90 degree weather for a couple days (oops) it can be fixed.  Don't stress out too bad if you happen to find yourself in one of these predicaments. Most likely it is nothing a little bit of TLC can't handle :)

Double Time: Cloth diapering two!

 I have so many people ask my "Why on Earth would you choose to cloth diaper when you have two babies! That just seems like too much work!"

I thank you all for your concerns; however, because I have two in cloth it makes it an even more practical choice. So here are the top ten reason that cloth diapering is a better choice for me. A cloth diapering momma of two!

1. Saves tons of money! Because I have two in cloth I am able to double my savings. I paid for my cloth diapers once and will be able to use them twice!
2. No size confusion! If I used disposable diapers I would be fiddling around my diaper bag trying to be sure I grabbed the size 1 diaper instead of the size 3 diaper which look incredibly alike aside from one being a bit larger. With my cloth I use a one size diaper. So doesn't matter which cover I grab. IT FITS!
3. No smelly garbage! I don't have the guilt of having an entire garbage can full of ONLY diapers each day. A typical child will use about 11,000 diapers. That means I would be disposing of approx. 22,000 diapers in just a short three year span of time. That really would have stunk!
4. No dreaded up the back poos! It was horrible when my oldest was a baby. The dreaded up the back poo could strike without notice! Then you would be stuck washing not only clothes and bedding. You would be rushing to the bath tub to rinse the poo out of your child's hair (because inevitably it would get there when you ever so gently tried to pull the onsie over her head). Then of course the self sanitation that follows. What if this phenomena struck both of my children simultaneously! I can't imagine the horror.
5. No diaper rash! No slathering diaper rash ointments on two baby bums to no avail. Disposables contain numerous chemicals and dyes that are irritating to the skin. I know what is on my babies' bottoms. And no there is nothing in them that I can't pronounce. 
6. Extreme Cuteness! Because I have two in cloth, all those cute gender neutral patterns that I find will get to be used OVER AND OVER again. No silly cartoon prints on their bottoms. 
7. I get to indulge in some guilty pleasure! Because I have saved so much money using cloth diapers and because I have two in diapers I can justify spending a little extra money on that ONE SUPER CUTE diaper that I just can't live without seeing it on my child's bum. Not to mention the occasional splurge on myself. (It's ok honey! Remember all that money I saved since I started using cloth)
8. I touch less poo! Yes, believe it or not, I touch far less poo! With disposable diapers I had many more blow outs that would get everywhere! I don't have this issue with cloth.
9. Super Easy to use! They are no more difficult to use than disposables and I don't have the guilt of knowing I am creating 2 tons of landfill waste OR the guilt of putting chemicals against my little babies bottoms.
10. Environmental impact! I already touched on the fact that just my two children would create 4 tons of disposable diaper waste, but that is not even the half of it! Disposable diapers consume many non renewable resources such as wood pulp and petroleum. For example, 3.5 billion gallons of oil are used to produce 18 million disposable diapers each year. That is just a small scratch on the service. This doesn't include the energy and water consumption used to produce the 2 tons of diapers per child or the packaging of the diapers!

So as you can see, I am very happy with my choice to cloth diaper and NO it is not hard!

One a Day Challenge!

Click the photo below to purchase your diaper and to begin the challenge today!!!!
Use code: TWOK5 at checkout for an additional 5% off!

Cost of Disposables?

Check out the post I did for whyclothdiaper.com

Check it out here!

Sodium polyacrylate

What is Sodium Polyacrylate?
It is the granular polymer inside of the disposable diaper that absorbs wetness. This is the polymer that allows disposables to hold so much liquid.

From the Material Safety and Handling Sheet:

SECTION 3 – HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION
Emergency Overview
Sodium polyacrylate is a white, granular, odorless polymer that yields a gel-like material with the addition of water. It is insoluble in water and causes extremely slippery conditions when wet. Although not regulated as a hazardous material, the respirable dust is potential respiratory tract irritant. The manufacturer recommends an eight-hour exposure limit of 0.05 mg/m³.
Potential Health Effects: Eyes
Dust may cause burning, drying, itching, and other discomfort, resulting in reddening of the eyes.
Potential Health Effects: Skin
Exposure to the dust may aggravate existing skin conditions due to drying effect.
Potential Health Effects: Ingestion
Although not a likely route of entry, tests have shown that polyacrylate absorbents are non-toxic if ingested.
However, as in any instance of non-food consumption, seek medical attention in the event of any adverse
symptoms.
Potential Health Effects: Inhalation
Exposure to respirable dust may cause respiratory tract and lung irritation and may aggravate existing
respiratory conditions.


Doesn't sound too terrible, but when you consider it was once present in tampons, but was removed for causing Toxic Shock Syndrome sounds a little scarier.

It is a known skin irritant! Because it is able to absorb so much liquid it actually can dry the skin out. This is the most likely culprit for diaper rash in disposable diapered babies. It can strip all the natural oils from the skin causing irritation.

Ultimately it is unknown as to what long-term effects it can have on our children. 

Tributyltin (TBT)

So what is Tributyltin (TBT)?

in short, it is a highly toxic biocide.The European Union has decided to specifically include TBT compounds in its list of priority compounds in water in order to control its fate in natural systems, due to their toxic, persistent, bioaccumulative and endocrine disruptive characteristics.

Greenpeace toxics expert Thilo Maack said "Fact is that TBT is one of the most toxic substances ever made, and it is being spread through the environment. It can be absorbed through the skin and contaminates the environment as well as people," he noted.This environmental pollutant has a hormone-like effect. The smallest concentrations of TBT can harm people's immune systems and impair their hormonal system.

Tributyltin compounds are moderately toxic via both ingestion and dermal absorption. The tributyltin compounds may be strongly irritating to the skin in humans, especially the hair follicles, and skin exposure may result in chemical burns in only a few minutes if the concentration of tributyltin is high enough. Shipyard workers exposed to TBT (occupationally exposed to dusts and vapors) developed irritated skin, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and flu-like symptoms. Other mucous membranes such as the eyes and nasal passages may also become irritated upon exposure. Tributyltin compounds are listed as endocrine disrupters by the EU and as a "known" endocrine disruptor by the Illinois EPA.

Is this something we want on our babies skin??

I know I don't! What is scary to me about this particular chemical is that it is known to be absorbed via the dermal tissue. So that means that if this is in our baby's diapers which touch their skin, they are absorbing some of this toxic substance. It is an endocrine disruptor with hormone-like effect. It can impair hormonal and immune systems as well as cause chemical burns and rashes. 

Why are companies still allowed to distribute a product like this?? 

Because the companies are downplaying its significance. Greenpeace did a study on disposable nappies in the U.K. in 2000 and found the following:

The new test, during which several parts of "Pampers Baby Dry Mini" were analysed, found the highest contamination in the belt section of these nappies. "Pampers Baby Dry Mini" contained up to 38.4 micrograms of TBT per kilogram, a much higher level then in the first tests of a pool sample published last Friday. (1) Furthermore the inner and outer layer were found to be contaminated. Greenpeace also found other organotin compounds in the Pampers, including DBT and MBT. If all discovered organotin compounds were added, a total of 53.2 micrograms per kilogram were found. 

Greenpeace's scientific test results contradict a statement by Procter & Gamble, in which the company denied that its nappies were contaminated with organotin compounds. Greenpeace toxics expert Thilo Maack said: "The reaction of Procter & Gamble is a scandal. The company is downplaying the danger instead of actively searching for the source of TBT in Pampers. It is absolutely irresponsible to expose babies to these extremely toxic substances".


Conclusion: 

Parents need to be aware of the "ingredients" that are in everything that they put on their child's skin. The companies are not going to be forthcoming with the information (see previous article Pampers Response to ingredient request ) so please do your research! I personally am very disappointed with Proctor and Gamble's irresponsible actions with regards to their products. I feel that we as consumers have a right to know what goes into these products and what potential harm they could pose to our children. They can get away with putting a number of toxic substances in their diapers without having to release that information to the public because it is a "trade secret". So consider using cloth diapers if you are not already! At least then you will know what is going on your baby's bottom.

Vaccination Schedule

The wonderful Dawn Papple wrote a great article on the Everything Birth blog about vaccination. I totally agree with her that parents need to be more informed on what is happening to their children during "routine" vaccinations.

Read her article HERE!! 

I provided my response to the article in the comments section, but here is a repeat because I think this is an important topic. 

Response to article: 
1) Singapore has the lowest infant mortality on the chart and they have a vaccination rate above 93% for the infants in that country.
“The routine vaccinations currently recommended to children here in Singapore include BCG, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTP), Poliomyelitis (Oral Polio Vaccine), Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR). The coverage of these vaccines in Singapore is above 93 per cent.”
2)Sweden who is number two on the list also has an incredibly high vaccination rate “The DTAP/IPV/Hib coverage is 98% or above and the MMR coverage has been roundabout 94-95%, with a temporary drop during the autism debate” -The Swedish Institute of Infectious Disease Control
3)There are a number of things that affect infant mortality. In the United States premature birth increased 20% from 1990-2006. Premature birth leads to higher rates of infant mortality (This has a lot to do with so many medical intervention during birth- epidurals, inductions, c-sections–but that is another topic altogether. I am a strongly anti c-section unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary)

**There are so many factors that come into play when looking at infant mortality. The biggest thing here to me is be informed on which vaccines are needed! Infant mortality is highest in countries with incredibly low vaccination percentages. So if one looked solely at the countries with highest infant mortality they would say “Wow, immunizations really save some lives”, but then if you look at just the countries with the lowest infant mortality you will see a direct correlation with the infant mortality rate and number of vaccines. This leads me to believe there is a happy median. In Sweden they all take 12 vaccines during infancy as opposed to the 26 we typically take in the U.S. So I would strongly urge everyone to do their research and decide what is best for them. No vaccination has high risk as does full U.S. recommended vaccination schedules. So find your happy median.

Conclusion: 
When looking at the statistics as a whole. Those countries with HIGHEST infant mortality do not vaccinate. From what I have read and seen on the information 12-17 vaccinations seems to be the PRIME. Anything above that has negative affects and anything below that has negative affects.

Dioxin

• Dioxins are a group of chemically-related compounds that are persistent environmental pollutants.

• Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer.

• Due to the omnipresence of dioxins, all people have background exposure, which is not expected to affect human health. However, due to the highly toxic potential of this class of compounds, efforts need to be undertaken to reduce current background exposure.

• Prevention or reduction of human exposure is best done via source-directed measures, i.e. strict control of industrial processes to reduce formation of dioxins as much as possible.

Dioxins are environmental pollutants. They have the dubious distinction of belonging to the “dirty dozen” - a group of dangerous chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants. Dioxins are of concern because of their highly toxic potential. Experiments have shown they affect a number of organs and systems. Once dioxins have entered the body, they endure a long time because of their chemical stability and their ability to be absorbed by fat tissue, where they are then stored in the body. Their half-life in the body is estimated to be seven to eleven years.

Dioxins are unwanted by products of a wide range of manufacturing processes including smelting, chlorine bleaching of paper pulp and the manufacturing of some herbicides and pesticides. Short-term exposure of humans to high levels of dioxins may result in skin lesions, such as chloracne and patchy darkening of the skin, and altered liver function. Long-term exposure is linked to impairment of the immune system, the developing nervous system, the endocrine system and reproductive functions. Chronic exposure of animals to dioxins has resulted in several types of cancer.

The developing fetus is most sensitive to dioxin exposure. The newborn, with rapidly developing organ systems, may also be more vulnerable to certain effects.

Is this something we want on our babies bottoms? I know I don't!

**info found on WHO website 

Pampers Response- What is in your diapers?

So I recently wrote Pampers asking them if they could give me a list of the ingredients in their diapers. This is the response I got:


Thanks for contacting Pampers.


We generally only provide ingredient information on our products if it is in relation to an allergy of some kind. If this is the case, we ask that you have your physician get in touch with us listing the ingredients you’re allergic to and the product you use that might contain them.


Please have your doctor send a written request on office letterhead to: P&G, P.O. Box 599, Cincinnati, Ohio 45201. Or, if you prefer, fax it to us at: 1-513-983-2881.


Thanks again for writing.


Heather
Pampers Team


So basically they aren't going to tell you! So this would lead one to believe maybe there are some things in there that one could conceive as "bad". This seems incredibly wrong to me. Food companies have to list all ingredients in their products, but diaper companies can fill their diapers with all types of chemicals and label them as (fragrance, dyes, preservatives, ect) and not have to disclose them. That is just wrong. Obviously if they had nothing to hide they would have simply provided me with a list of commonly used chemicals or ingredients.    
  

Pampers...bending the truth.

I was looking over the Pampers website just to see if they addressed the cloth vs. disposable issue. They do! Check out their FAQ page and see what they are telling consumers. 

Pampers FAQ page

Why this is bogus. The environmental impact study that they say showed no difference between cloth vs. disposables actually did cite a difference IN FAVOR OF CLOTH! Not to mention they left out some very important issues in the study. Check this out! 

Flawed impact study!

I also like how they add in some "cost comparison" study (surely done by them) shows that Pampers are right on par with cloth costs! 

I know personally I have saved a bunch of money by switching to cloth! My water bill has increased by only about $6 a month since I started washing my diapers. I spent approx. $250 on diapers (for both my babies who are in diapers at the same time). I have already saved money and I have another at least half year for my son in diapers and another two years for my daughter! I would like to see the math from that cost comparison study!