The New Fall Line-Up

With the change of the seasons also came the announcements of some changes in styles and colors for many major cloth diaper companies. Here is the low-down on some of the newest items and colors in the fall line-up. 

New Styles:

Fuzzibunz One-Size ELITE-

• If you thought the FuzziBunz® One Size Diaper could not get any better—think again! FuzziBunz® has re-engineered their already popular One Size to be trimmer fitting, more comfortable, faster drying and easier to adjust than before! And best yet—with NO increase in PRICE! The FuzziBunz® One Size Elite gives you even more bang for your buck. Some features of the FuzziBunz® Elite are:
• Quick Dry Fleece: Baby feels dryer faster and fleece stays nicer longer
• Easy-Replace Elastic are all internal—no buttons next to baby’s skin
• Minky Inserts: 2 Minky Inserts adding the following benefits
• Less odor than microfiber
• Less staining
• Trimmer fitting diaper with same amount of absorbency
• Streamlined front panel and snap design provides better fit with less leaking 

These will be shipping around 10/20 but you can preorder now!

Bumgenius FREETIME One-Size AIO-

BumGenius Freetime All-In-One One-Size Cloth Diapers feature a patent pending butterfly closure system to provide a comfortable, trim fit. This simple design makes cloth diapering as easy as using disposables. The "no-stuff" system with semi-attached inserts is an ideal solution for families with a child in day-care or family members resistant to cloth diapers! Using the snaps on the front of the diaper, adjust the size if needed, put the diaper on your baby, wash, dry and re-use. No extra steps. No stuffing. No cover required.

These diapers also feature 3 new Bumgenius colors and two new amazing prints! You can preorder now! Shipping is expected at the end of December.


New Colors:

 Thirsties Duo Diapers and Duo Wraps-

Thirsties is now offering a new color and new print. Mud is the new thirsties color. It is a "muddy" brown color and will be available in the duo wrap and duo diaper. The new print is "hoot". Hoot is a white diaper with multi-color owl print.  Order yours today!


New EVERYTHING! 

Grovia-

Grovia will be offering two new colors- Cloud and Surf. Cloud is a smoky gray and Surf is a turquoise blue. The new colors are available for order now! They will ship starting on 10/21/11. Order yours today!

Grovia will also be offering a new Stay-Dry soaker pad. I had the opportunity to test out this product earlier this year and it is one you won't want to miss. Grovia is also coming out with a My-Choice Trainer. This one-of-a-kind cloth trainer lets your toddler be truly unique. It lets them mix and match colorful panels and create their own stylish look. The GroVia® My Choice Trainer features a unique pull up design with interchangeable Side-Flex™ panels, a hidden layer of hemp/cotton blend with a pocket for adding extra absorbency and our exclusive GroCool™ lining. Lastly, Grovia has improved on their already amazing cloth diaper detergent, Tiny Bubbles. These products will be available mid-December! Everything Birth has been designated to receive one of the first shipments! So if you want to be one of the first to own these amazing products check back often for product updates.


So if you are looking for something new, check out the options above! Anyone planning on purchasing any of the new diapers?

The Laundry Slave

When talking about cloth diapering I usually get some strange looks from the non-cloth mommas out there. I don't blame you! When I diapered my first child I did the "normal" thing and used disposables. I figured there was no reason to have to do "all that laundry" when I could just buy disposable diapers. I mean, who REALLY wants to do all that laundry anyway?

So mommas when you ask me, "Geez, doesn't it suck to have to do all that laundry?". I have to respond, "Yes, it does". However, would I go back to disposables? ABSOLUTELY and resoundingly NO!!

The truth is I DESPISE laundry. It has been and will probably remain one of the most dreaded household chores I do on a regular basis. The folding is the part that really gets under my skin! The question is though, does using cloth diapers require me to do THAT much more laundry? No, not really. I do 2-3 extra loads of laundry a week from my diapers. I am by no means a slave to the laundry room like many mothers seem to think I MUST be since I use cloth diapers. In fact, of all my laundry my diaper laundry is the only laundry I don't hate. I love when all the diapers are clean and you get to "see" all your pretty diapers all together in one spot. May sound crazy, but if/when you cloth diaper you WILL understand.

Disposable diapers cost more money, create loads of garbage, and are much harsher on your babies' precious bottoms. They also are not THAT convenient. With disposables anytime you are running low you have to run to the store to buy some more. With cloth I can stay in my PJs and throw a load in the laundry and go back to doing whatever I want to do. No hassle. No rushing around grabbing kids trying to get to the store. I also don't have to tote the 3 trash bags full of dirty diapers to the curb anymore. Instead I have a hanging diaper pail that I leave in the laundry room. I simply dump it in the wash three times a week. End of story. I also don't have to spend my hard earned money on that poopy garbage (aka. disposable diapers). For my tiny investment I get cute, stylish, reusable, and ultimately resaleable diapers.

I wouldn't pay someone $15 bucks a week to throw three loads of laundry in the washing machine and dryer for me, so I am not going to pay a disposable diaper company to do that either. Fact is, I can put the items in the washing machine, go about my business till the cycles are over, come back and throw them in the dryer, again go about my business till they are finished, then I simply scoop everything out and separate them into piles of likeness- prefolds, fitteds, covers, inserts. I don't bother to fold anything I just throw them each in their own basket. This amounts to approx. 15 minutes of my time ALL week for my diaper laundry. I would spend more time than that just loading kids in the car to go to the store to purchase disposable diapers. Therefore, I stand by my decision to cloth diaper and suggest to you non-cloth mothers out there to give it a shot before you bash it. You just might end up like me, a full-blown clothaholic.

Touching Poo

I think all cloth diapering mothers have heard as some point or another, "Don't you get sick of touching all that poo?". 

 This is the face of a mom sick of "touching all that poo!"

It is a scenario that is all to familiar for me. I enter a public establishment and take my fluffy bum baby into the restroom to change his diaper. A oblivious and hopefully well-meaning mom approaches and asks, "Are those cloth diapers?". I respond, "Yes they are." The reply can be one of two things. The first (and my favorite), "Wow! Those look really neat." Then I can give a tiny tidbit of info and back off. Now the second response goes like this, "Oh. Don't you get sick of 'insert any various negative statement about cloth'". 

My absolute favorite "negative" that these mothers give is "Don't you hate touching all that poo!". I think I most likely give a complete look of disbelief and then usually just say "I bet I touch far less poo than you do!". That makes a great rhythm!

You touch poo.
I touch poo.
But I bet I touch less poo
than you do!

Cue images of two children (aka mothers) fighting on the playground over a silly toy. 

As you can see, this is not my response. I do not start the "argument" over who is right and who is wrong. I honestly just feel bad for those mothers not having had the opportunity to experience the freedom (Yes I went there!) that cloth has to offer. I am not a slave to laundry and poo. I rarely touch poo and when I do it is honestly because I don't want to take the time to rinse my diaper off properly. 

When my first was in disposables poo was my middle name. It was constantly on the bed sheets, on her clothes, and even in her hair!! I can say that since I have been cloth diapering I have not had a single case of "up-the-back" poo. This is a big relief to any parent that has dealt with the dreaded UTB poo. It is the worst!! 

So try not to hold it against the well-meaning bathroom mother. She means no harm. Just know, you are awesome and you are saving yourself some money, some garbage, and keeping your baby's bottom happy. 

(love my awesome poem- check out my other poetic cloth works here)  



  


 

Daddy Boarding Passes

Is your dad on board? With cloth diapering that is! I know many mommas have an issue getting the daddies on board with cloth diapering. Here are some quick tips to help you make that dad a cloth diaper champ (or at least not your enemy).


First, there are a couple key "pros" that dads tend to really listen too: Money and Health. Money is an easy one. What dad wouldn't want to save a bundle on baby expenses (we all know they add up fast). So outline the cost savings to the dad or dad-to-be in an easy to understand way. Better yet, find a product that you know dad has been eying for a while and equate it to diapers. For example, if you hubby was wanting a new fishing pole that cost approx. $100. Let him know that with ALL the money you will be saving on diapers in only x months you will be able to buy that new pole. Then follow it up with "if we buy disposables it will be about 3 years before we recoup those costs".

Your baby's health is another big kicker for dads. What dad wouldn't want the healthiest and safest products for their babies? Point out all the chemicals in disposables and health concerns you have. Also let them read what some disposable diaper manufacturers have to say ( or more exactly what they don't say) about their diapers.

Lastly, if they still seem skeptical, tell them you will start with a hybrid system. Tell them you will use the cloth and they can use the disposable inserts. Once they see how easy (and cost effective) it is for you they will be on board!

Most dads are just scared of the unknown. They don't know what will happen with the poo or how you will wash them. If they see you do it their fears will fly to the wind. Good luck!!

And watch this funny video on talking with your loved one about diapering. ;)

GoAnimate.com: Talking to your loved one about cloth diapering by graciemom1025

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

Diaper Rebellion 2011

My 17 month old has decided he wants to be a nudist. Within minutes of putting his diaper on, he has taken it off and run away in the buff. This has happened consistently for the past three days. What is a mom to do? Do you force the diaper on him, or just let it go? 

I prefer to not have to clean up pee all over the house, so I have opted for finding a way to keep the diaper on his little booty. First, I switched from aplix to snap closures to see if his little fingers would have a harder time getting those undone. It worked briefly. He then began picking and picking at the snaps until he figured out how to undo those too!

Fear not though! I figured out the trick. Backwards diapers!! I have been putting the diapers on backwards, with the snaps or aplix in the back instead of the front. No more nudist! He doesn't see the closures so he doesn't try to undo them. Now we have a slightly funny looking diaper, but not pee on the floor. All-in-all I think it was a success.