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.

Focus on Fitteds

There are so many different types of diapering systems out there that it can be super overwhelming. Today I am going to talk just a little about fitted diapers. A fitted diaper is an absorbent diaper that is used with a water-proof cover.

 

There are a couple different types of fitted diapers. First let's talk about closures. You can get fitted diapers with snaps, velcro, or as a pull on. Each closure has it's own pros and cons.

Snaps- Snaps are probably the most popular form of closure for fitted diapers. Snaps are very easy to use and hold up very well over time. They are great for bigger babies because the baby/toddler will have a harder time undoing the snaps. Snaps can be a little more difficult to close than velcro or a pull-on.

Velco- Velcro is one of the easiest ways to close a diaper. It works much like a disposable and is easy to take on and off. Velcro will wear down a little faster than most snaps or pull-ons.

Pull-On- This pulls off and on just like a training pant. It is VERY easy to use and requires no closures. The downside is taking off the diaper when the baby poos. This can be a little messy.

Fitted diapers also come in sized versions and one-size versions. 

Sized diapers will grow with your baby. You will need 3-4 different sizes (depending on brand) as your baby grows. One-sized diapers will fit from approx. 10 pounds till potty-training. 

Fitted diapers are also great for using at home as an "air out" system. You can put the baby in just a fitted diaper without a cover and let their bottom air out. If the baby is suffering from diaper rash this can help relief symptoms much faster! 

So why choose a fitted diaper over a prefold if they both require covers? Fitted diapers have a slight edge over prefolds because they hold in mess a lot better. With leg gussets and tighter fit around the legs it can really contain poo well.

I have really started to love my fitteds and use them frequently at home without a cover. (The baby will wet through the diaper so change it often or place the baby on a towel!) Here are a couple of my favorite brands.

Marvels Kissaluvs Fitteds! 

These are fantastic for at-home because they are patterned and super cute even without a cover. 

 Mother-Ease One-Size Terry Diaper

This diaper is very reasonably priced and works great. It fits my 7 month old and 18 month old perfectly. It really is a one-size diaper.

Check out lots of other great fitted options 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!

Grovia ICE and COSMOS shells buy 2 get 1 free!

As most of you know, I love my Grovia shells! I use them with the snap-in soaker pads, prefolds, over fitteds, and with all sorts of inserts. I even use these shells as swim diapers! The Grovia system is so versatile! The buy 2 get 1 free sale is going on now through August 31st (or until supplies run out). Choose from the Ice or Cosmos colors.

Hurry while supplies last!

But I don't want to! Prepping diapers!

I have had a lot of people ask me, "What will happen if I don't prep my diapers?" There are a lot of things that can happen, but the most common is spontaneous combustion. The diaper has the potential to explode while being placed on the baby! Okay Okay....not exactly true! Actually there is no danger in not prepping your diapers. The only thing that can occur is the diaper may be less than desirable in the absorbency department. 

I am guilty of not prepping some of my diapers. If they are just TOOOO cute sometimes I just can't wait. If you do not prep before use the diaper will not hold much liquid so you will want to change frequently. Each time you wash the diaper it is going to become more and more absorbent. If it is natural fibers, after about 5-6 washes it will be at its maximum absorbency potential and work perfectly. It is nice if you prep your diapers before use, but it is not going to harm anyone if you don't.

Need some prepping help? Check out my article on Cloth Diaper Prepping 101. 

Why I am glad I have a Juicer! No more pink diapers!!!!

So I made a novice cloth diapering error yesterday. A BIG ONE! I was washing my entire diaper stash. I had waited till the last possible moment to wash and had both the kids Snappied in doubled up Gerber prefolds (I have about a dozen that I keep for these moments). Therefore, I wanted to hurry. I knew the Gerber's wouldn't last long! So I threw everything in the wash and started it as fast as possible. In all the madness I did not notice the bright red dish towel that fell into the wash with everything else.

Needless to say, my diapers were all an awful shade of pink when the exited the washing machine. I wanted to cry (and will admit I think there was probably a tear or two). My ENTIRE diaper stash was pink and not even a good pink. It was a blotchy, mismatched pink. Fortunately, only one cover got the pinkies and the others were fine. So I promptly removed all the covers and knew I had to do something now if I wanted my precious diapers white again. 

We have a juicer and we had a nice big bag of lemons. We love making Green Lemonade at our house so lemons are a staple in our kitchen. I immediately juiced about 5 lemons and poured the juice directly in the washing machine. I washed all the diapers on hot twice with lemon juice and like magic they are almost back to new!!! 

 Before and After

 Before and After

Moral of the story, lemons are handy, and watch out for red hand towels!