Cloth Diapering "on the go" : Tips for traveling with cloth!

When I first started cloth diapering, I was scared to death of traveling with cloth. I still purchased disposables so that I would always have them when I needed to be out and about for more than just a couple of hours.

I have since come to my senses, and wanted to share a little bit of how we make it work while we travel. It would be fun to hear all of your travel tips as well, as I am always on the lookout for things to make my CD world a little easier.

First of all, having the right kind of diaper is essential. I mean, you can travel with AIOs, but it will be harder to deal with the laundry if you aren't near a washer that isn't off limits to poopy diapers (mother-in-laws house, for example).

We like to use flats and prefolds so that I can wash out diapers in a sink or bathtub easily if I have to. I don't do pins or snappis, just fold and lay in pockets or in covers.

The other essential is a very good wet bag. The size of the wet bag will be determined by how long you will be out of the house. I have been stuck before with a wet bag that only held 3-5 diapers, and needed more room. It was an ugly sight!

Finally, there are the wipes. I keep an old bottle of baby wash filled with my wipes solution. If I am going to be gone for more than just a day or two, then I try to use just water for the wipes when available, and save the wipes solution for really poopy bottoms, and when I don't have easy access to water. I just squirt/pour a little solution on the wipe right before I use it, and never have to deal with stale wipes.

On to the nitty gritty:
I bring along one rubber glove in order to wash out any sticky poo in the potty of whatever hotel or house that I am staying at. (I use a diaper sprayer at home).

I just rinse/wash the diapers (pee ones, too) in the sink/bathtub if I am going to be away from a washer for very long. That keeps the stink (even in the wetbag) down to a bare minimum. I really try to bring enough diapers with me to cover the bums until I get home and can wash the dipes in my own home with my own washer. If that isn't possible or reasonable, then you can easily wash flats out in the sink and they will dry overnight over a shower curtain.

I actually really like not having to hunt for a trashcan, running out of wet wipes, stinking up my friend's trash cans, and all of the other pains that come with using disposables on the road. Plus I know that my little one's tush is nice and comfy in her car seat!

Hope that helps someone with at least a few ideas.

Reader Contribution
by Jenny of http://wife-and-mommy.blogspot.com

*Do you have an article or submission you'd like to contribute? We'd love to hear from you. Contact us through our Blog Contribution Form.

Just Julie: The Neverending Summer

Today as I sit at the computer and look out the window it looks sunny, breezy, and inviting, it looks a lot like Fall outside. I'd love to be able to open the doors and windows, let the breeze in and turn off the A/C. But...we live in Florida and summertime weather usually lasts almost through Christmas. I know if I were to open the window I'd be sweating hot in no time. In fact, just yesterday we went to the beach and swam in the ocean. Today's surf report states that both the air and water are 86degrees and holding.

We've had a great summer, the kids are old enough for us to be able to enjoy the beach and not just spend every moment chasing them over the dunes. I'd hate for it to officially be over but I do long for Fall weather, the need for warm pajamas, hot tea, and lots of blankets. It's times like these when I wished we lived up on the Blue Ridge, somewhere that the leaves change and we might get to see snow. If we did I know I'd miss the ocean and the ability to wear shorts and flip-flops almost every day of the year.

I guess for now I'll be thankful for the weather that we do have and rejoice over not having had any hurricanes this season!

Awesome 1 Year Video

Ok...so I know I'm a little late posting this...that whole "launching Flip & Econobum" thing has been taking up quite a bit of time around here. But better late than never...right?

This video is just so awesome. Amber Smirnow took a picture of her little guy, Alexander, every single day the first year of his life. If that isn't dedication, I don't know what is!!! Then she set it to a really great song (that totally gets stuck in your head and has me bopping along at my desk) and here it is...so if you haven't seen it yet, you must watch:



And yes, maybe we are just a little bias since around January 24, Alexander starts wearing some bumGenius diapers ;) He is just too cute!!!!

The Cloth Diaper Geek Explains it all!

Have you got a question? Don't forget you can either post your question as a comment or submit your question using our Reader Contribution Form.

Question: How often do you need to change cloth diapers? With disposables, you could go hours between changes...just curious what the "standard" answer is.

The Geek's Answer: Great Question! This question actually has multiple answers. You can expect to get different lengths of wear out of different methods/styles of cloth diapers and everyone's babies are different, some are heavy wetters and some are not.

In general I would say that cotton prefolds need to be changed more frequently than microfiber/hemp containing diapers. Not necessarily because they are inferior but because without a stay dry liner the moisture is up against the baby's skin making more frequent changing necessary. Changing every 1-2 hours, sometimes less, sometimes more.

Pocket Diapers such as BumGenius, KnickerNappies, GAD, etc. can be customized to suit your needs. One micro or hemp insert might be sufficient for a few hours during the day, doubling them up extends your wear, and really stuffing them good can get your baby through the night without needing a change.

My best advice is trial and error. You can read about some of my experiments with nighttime diapering in an old post HERE. There are a lot of factors that go into finding the right system for you. Experimenting with different inserts, different covers, pockets vs. all-in-ones, fitteds, fleece, hemp...The possibilities are endless and there is no reason why everyone can't find a combination that works for them.

Fluff in the Spotlight: DryBees Hybrid AIO

This week's spotlight is on DryBees Hybrid AIO. DryBees were my very first new diaper purchases when I began cloth diapering. They are a true workhorse diaper, built to last through many many washings, and the PUL even for their print diapers, is truly superior in terms of length of wear before wicking and durability. For many months my sons wore their DryBees prints almost every day and often they were the only diapers I relied upon for overnight protection.

At the time, we used DryBees Pockets, soon after DryBees released their new Hybrid Pocket AIO. It's got the same great design and fit as the DryBees Pockets, including the generous pocket opening. What makes it a Hybrid is it's a pocket diaper with a built in 3-layer microfiber soaker. These diapers are as easy to use as disposables only they're much more comfortable and economical.

For heavy wetters or extended wear, simply use the pocket opening to stuff in your additional preferred choice of soaker, insert or prefold for added absorption.

All Drybees diapers, including their prints, are made from 100% polyester (PUL), and are available in Small, Medium & Large.
Don't forget to enter this week's Pimp Your Stash GiveAway for your chance to win one!

Pimp Your Stash #7-DryBees Hybrid AIO (ends 10/02)

This weeks Pimp Your Stash winner will receive a New DryBees Hybrid Pocket AIO in the size of their choice. This weeks question is "If you had a Hybrid Pocket Diaper what would you stuff it with?"

Guidelines for Entry
-In order to participate in our weekly contest and validate all extra entries you must first answer the weekly question.

-Please, be sure to be logged into your email account when you post your comment for us to be able to contact you if you win (that is with the option called OpenID). If you have a blog, be sure to be logged into the account linked to your blog for an easier way to contact you....

-Each contest runs from Sunday 12am to Friday 9pm.

-Winners are chosen using random.org, notified on Saturdays and winners name also posted on Blog.

-Winners have 7 days from contest end to claim their prize.

-Participation is open to mamas and papas worldwide! Anyone and everyone is welcome to join in the fun, however we are not responsible for lost packages and prizes that do not reach their destination will not be replaced.

-How to earn extra entries:
* Take a look at the Drybees Hyrbrid and tell us what size you'd need.
* Become a FAN of Earth Angels Diaper Co. on FaceBook
* Join our Yahoo/Newsletter Group
* Follow Us on Twitter
* Follow Diaper Discussions Blog
* Place the Diaper Discussions Animated Banner on your site or Blog
* Tweet About the Giveaway (use #clothdiapers in the tweet) comment with a url to the tweet.
* Advertise our Giveaway in your blog, forums or site (post with your comment the direct link where you posted about it).
* Contribute an Article, Product Review or relevant story regarding Cloth Diapering. 10 extra entries are given for contributions submitted during the week of the contest. (Please do not contribute articles that were already published elsewhere.)
* Comment to any post on the Diaper Discussions Blog (one entry per each comment)
* Register (or being already registered) in our Affiliate Program (please specify where you placed your affiliate banner).

--- Please post a separate comment for each extra entry and let us know which you've chosen to do in that comment ---

Good Luck!!

Pimp Your Stash Winner #6 - Andrea

This week's winner is Andrea (wife to James and mom to Clara)... Her winning entry was #102, however here is what it says the entry with the answer of the question, so you guys can see how fitting was for her to win this:
I'd love to win a carseat cover for several reasons. I much prefer having cotton next to my baby than all of the synthetic, chemical laden stuff in the carseat cover. I'd also like to give my daughter something pink, poor thing, since her carseat is distinctly gender neutral (almost boyish). And, I have had nasty blowouts etc. that were a pain to fix. This would be a nice change. Especially since we are getting to the age where she'll be eating in her seat soon! Thanks.

Im totally sure they would LOVE their new seat... We would love if they share a photo of Clara using the seat after she gets it! Dont forget to follow them on their blog.

Andrea: Congratulations! Contact us ASAP so we can get your seat cover out to you right away!

Are we a big company?

I read an awesome blog post last night from a Cotton Babies customer. Autumn Beck runs "All About Cloth Diapers". Here is a quote from what she wrote here:

Okay, I’ve always been honest with y’all so I won’t hold back. When I first started cloth diapering I strongly disliked all things made by Cotton Babies. I know, terrible, isn’t it?!

You want to know what’s worse? I had never even tried one of their products. I completely made some crazy assumption that it was “big business” with no family behind it. Um…I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Cotton Babies is family. I shamefully must admit that I don’t know the whole story of how Jimmy and Jenn started out but I did learn a little from their latest press release. Since most of you didn’t receive their release I am going to share it with you here. I look forward to trying out one or both of these when they release! [snip -- read the rest on her blog]

Autumn, I can't put into words how much this meant to me when I found it yesterday (a gift from the great Google). It made me laugh that you thought we were big business. When I think big business, I'm picturing conference rooms full of men in suits. We couldn't be further from "big business" in the way that we have built Cotton Babies. I'm writing this in my pajamas at my kitchen table. I haven't put on a suit in over a year. The business has just kept growing and we've been running along behind it trying to keep up! Like everything, we have had our ups and down. We've had our huge successes (thank you, bumGenius!) and we're off to figure out how to scale up production magically overnight - over and over again. Then two weeks later, someone is furious (because like all humans, we occasionally fail spectacularly) and rightfully blogging about their rage. Then we're off to go clean up the mess. Most days are great though. And yesterday was awesome. This journey has been worth it. Today, Cotton Babies is feeding hundreds of families worldwide - not just my own. Tens of thousands of babies are wearing cloth diapers today who would still be wearing disposables otherwise. It's been a learning journey - sometimes because of people who misunderstand us. But, I wouldn't change a thing. I'm so grateful for people like you who help me remember why.

So, all that said, thank you! I might just have someone slip you a Flip & an Econobum when they start shipping... (KC, you're on that, right?)

Thanks for reading my blog.

Sale @ Earth Angels Diaper Co. through Oct. 1st!

Take advantage of these great savings! Combine offers and save even more! Visit Earth Angels Diaper Co. between Sept. 24-Oct. 1 and receive

• 10% off your order with code RTN10 at checkout
• FREE Shipping on ALL orders over $50.00!
• All orders placed between Spet 24-Oct 1 ship with a FREE Mystery Gift!

Are Flip disposable inserts biodegradable?

How many of you are wondering if the disposable inserts that are coming with Flip are biodegradable? Plenty it seems, because our customer service email box is overflowing with this particular question.

You may find it interesting to know that Kmart got in trouble with the FTC this summer because they were advertising paper plates as biodegradable. The FTC says that the actual anticipated disposal of a product labeled "biodegradable" must be in a form that encourages biodegradation. Did you know that 91% of consumer waste ends up in landfills? Landfills are essentially time capsules for waste. No matter what your package says, your paper plates aren't going to decompose there and neither will your disposable inserts.

What about flushable? We do not recommend this disposal method for our disposable insert or for ANY disposable insert. The water treatment plant doesn't have a clue what to do with absorbent gels... and the idea of that ending up in my drinking water is just gross. Please don't.

What is the most responsible way to deal with my disposable inserts? If you want to be environmentally responsible with your disposable inserts, we recommend that you compost them and use the compost to keep your flowers happy.

Why disposable? Our goal is to provide a product that allows you to use your diapering system anytime. If you are traveling, most families reach for a bag of disposable diapers. The Flip disposable inserts are absolutely perfect for traveling. You'll get the essential parts of both worlds... the convenience of a disposable with the protection of your Flip diaper cover. We all know how important THAT is!

Just Julie: Can't they just wear cloth forever!?

Well my twins boys are about to turn 3yrs old and I think it's finally time I try and take potty training a little more seriously. I've been attempting it for quite some time but find myself saying to myself "oh they just aren't ready yet" but maybe I am the one who's just not ready. I go to reach for underwear and they say "diaper!" I am much too eager to oblige.

In a way I feel like I've just learned about cloth and now my days of cloth diapering babies is going to be over. I regret not having tried it or at least looked into it when my daughter was little. She would have looked so cute with a fluffy bum, instead our family album is filled with photos of her in disposables which I find quite embarrassing, especially since I sell cloth diapers! Now that my sons are in underwear most of the day I regret not having taken more photos of them in cloth, maybe I should have had their portrait taken with cute diapers on....oh, isn't hindsight 20/20!?

I'm so thankful to have become as passionate about cloth as I have become, to have fulfilled my dream of owning a business, and have actually tried something that I would have never imagined I'd love so much. With my daughter I can honestly say, the thought of cloth NEVER crossed my mind.

So I guess it should come as no surprise to me that I would be sad at the thought of never putting another cloth diaper on my sons, never having to fold diaper laundry, no longer needing to covet the latest and greatest diaper other than as stock for my store. I can tell my sons are close to being ready and if I stick to my guns and stay committed to following through they'll probably be potty trained in no time. Then there will be no turning back.

Cotton Babies' Cloth Diapers Bring Home 2 Golds & a Bronze!

The 2009 Practical Pre-School Awards results are in and (drum roll please)...Cotton Babies' cloth diapers were awarded 2 gold awards and 1 bronze!!!!

The brand new Flip Cloth Diaper System & for the bumGenius All-in-One Cloth Diapers were awarded the GOLD!

The Bronze award came for the bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper.

The Practical Pre-School Awards exists to identify and reward excellence in the fields of educational equipment, childcare, books and toys suitable for children aged birth to eight for use in professional childcare and educational settings. These include private and state nurseries, pre-schools, playgroups, childminders and after-school clubs.

We are soooooooo thrilled!

The Cloth Diaper Geek Explains it all!

Have you got a question? Don't forget you can either post your question as a comment or submit your question using our Reader Contribution Form.

Question: What are flushable liners and what are the benefits of using them?

The Geek's Answer: Biodegradable Flushable Liners are special dry-weave liners that are intended to catch the solid waste and help prevent the diaper from getting too soiled. When changing the diaper simply go into the bathroom and carefully place the soiled liner in the toilet and flush. The benefits are that your diapers will be easier to launder because you'll have less solid waste on the diaper.

Theses Flushable Liners come in 100 sheets per roll and often sheets can be cut in half before use allowing you to get twice as many uses out of a roll. They are very thin and soft, similar to tissue paper, and are comfortable for baby.

Question: Do I have to use cloth wipes if I use cloth diapers or can I still use disposable wipes?

The Geek's Answer: You do not have to use cloth wipes. However, using cloth wipes is more convenient, here's why...

Generally when you're changing a disposable you place the dirty wipes inside the dirty diaper, fold it up in a little package and toss in the garbage. When using cloth diapers you place the diapers into your laundry pail or wetbag and then are left with a handful of dirty disposable wipes to get rid of. If you're out, you'd need a special baggie to carry them home in until you can dispose of them.

If you were using cloth wipes you could simply put the dirty wipes in with your cloth diapers and wash all together. Simply dump the contents of your diaper pail, wet bag, or pail liner into the wash and tada! It's that simple. It's not recommended that you wash disposable wipes, they have a tendancy to break apart in the washer and can attach themselves in tiny pieces to your aplix and cause quite a hassle.

We LOVE Flip & Econobum... and know you will too!

We just returned from the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas. The show was a HUGE success! While at the show we got to debut our two new cloth diapering systems, Flip & Econobum.

Both Flip & Econobum are one-size diapering systems. They will grow with your baby - just like bumGenius. They are both made from the same PUL outer fabric that you know and love from bumGenius - they both can just wipe clean when they are messy and have snap closures. The similarities pretty much end there.

Econobum is a one-size cover & prefold, and retails for $9.95. You can also purchase a "full kit" which is 12 prefolds & 3 covers for $49.95. Generally, we tell people that you should have a "stash" of 24-36 diapers to cloth diaper your baby...so with Econobum, you can cloth diaper your baby for $100-$150. (I usually have to repeat that statement about 3 times before anyone realizes that I am not joking :)) Econobum only comes in white, and you cannot buy the cover or prefolds separately - we are just keeping things SIMPLE!

As for Flip, there was so much excitement over the number of OPTIONS! That is what Flip is all about - a cloth diaper system that is flexible. Flip has many of the same bells & whistles as bumGenius...but we heard what you were asking for - SNAPS and no more stuffing! On the outside, Flip looks like the bumGenius Organic One-Size. With Flip, you choose 1 of 3 different inserts to use, and simply lay the insert in the cover - it doesn't fasten in, it is just designed to FIT (and boy, does it!). When it is messy, you just toss the insert in the diaper pail and replace it with a clean one. It is just so easy! So let's talk about the 3 options you have with Flip:

• The Flip Stay-dry insert is more similar to what you have seen from bumGenius in the past. The one-size insert has suede cloth on one side and microfiber on the other. The suede cloth wicks moisture away from your baby's bum so it stays dryer, longer...
• The Flip Organic insert is 100% certified organic cotton...it is SO SOFT and VERY absorbent!!!! It is one-size, so it folds to fit inside the cover.
• The Flip Disposable insert is what caught the most attention. As much as we want babies in cloth all the time, we know that sometimes, life happens. And when life happens, cloth might not be a feasible option. So... we have introduced a disposable insert that is made for just those occasions - when life happens. The disposable inserts are not sold with a cover, we want to be clear that this is the alternative use for Flip, but what a great alternative to have... and I gotta tell you - this insert SUPER absorbent! The team all got to witness this as we traveled to Las Vegas for the ABC Kids Expo - some of the babes sported Flip using the disposable inserts - it handled some intense "pooplosions". The Flip Disposable insert will work with any of our products - bumGenius, Flip & Econobum.
  

There are so many awesome options, it all becomes a little overwhelming to sort out. So let me try to help. Basically, you can order Flip in 2 ways: an individual cloth diaper (1 cover & 1 insert) with either a stay-dry or organic insert OR as a day pack (2 covers & 6 inserts) - with either stay-dry or organic inserts. Oh, and let's not forget the fun colors - Flip comes in Zinnia (dark pink), Ribbit (dark green) and Moonbeam (dark blue)...right now, the day packs are only available in Boy (Moonbeam) & Girl (Zinnia).

I hope this helped answer some of the questions out there. If you have more questions - feel free to call Cotton Babies customer service at 888-332-2243... or post your questions in the comments.

So now... what are you waiting for? Get your pre-order in now for Flip & Econobum :)

P.S. For the record, there are no changes in the works for bumGenius.

Dumping Disposable Diapers, a fabulous Mothering article!

If you've never wandered over to Mothering.com then you're really missing out. Not only is it full of tons of great info from from topics like home birth, breastfeeding, vaccines and cooking to cloth diapering! The Mothering crew really has a love for cloth and they've got some great articles that are really worth reading.

One such article is Dumping Disposable Diapers, by Lindsay Evans. Lindasy shares with readers her thought process on making the switch, how the idea came about and why it works for her.

"as my stock of disposables dwindled and Amelia and I settled in to our new life together, the thought of continuously buying—and supporting the makers of—disposable diapers made me sick."

She covers the different styles of cloth diapers, their cost, how to care for them, and more in this great article. She even discusses traveling with cloth diapers and the environmental debate, cloth vs. disposables.

This is a perfect article if your a newbie, or considering making the switch to cloth. Head on over to Mothering and check it out! Come back and let me know what you think.

Fluff in the Spotlight: EmmaLu Waterproof Carseat Covers

What is one of the most time consuming, frustrating, inconvenient AND disgusting jobs a mother has to deal with? Cleaning the carseats! No matter how seemingly harmless a carseat may look on the outside, we all know what lurks beneath the cover. Cheerios, raisins, mystery goo, and pretty much some of the grossest grime you can imagine, and on top of that you have to take off all the straps and buckles, take it apart, wash, air dry and then put it all back together.

This is exactly what Jen and Rebecca, inventors of the EmmaLu Carseat Covers had in mind when coming up with the awesome design for their innovative designer carseat covers. They know moms are pressed for time and don't have time to go disassembling the carseat every time there's a spill or leaky diaper.
The EmmaLu carseat covers come in either infant or toddler size and fit a wide array of popular carseat brands. Here are a few of the amazing features:

• Machine Wash & Dry
• Fit over top of the manufacturers cover
• Velcro closures
• No need to even remove the seat from the car when installing the cover or removing the cover
• Fits most 5-point harness carseats
• Available in Designer Prints
• Made in the USA
• Perfect accessory for cloth diapered babies & toddlers

Pimp Your Stash #6 - Ends 9/25 (Emmalu Toddler Carseat Cover) *** CLOSED ***

This weeks Pimp Your Stash winner will receive a Pink Multi-Dot Toddler Size waterproof Emmalu Carseat Cover! (A $70 value). This weeks question is "what's your favorite Emmalu carseat cover print?"

Guidelines for Entry
-In order to participate in our weekly contest and validate all extra entries you must first answer the weekly question.

-Please, be sure to be logged into your email account when you post your comment for us to be able to contact you if you win (that is with the option called OpenID). If you have a blog, be sure to be logged into the account linked to your blog for an easier way to contact you....

-Each contest runs from Sunday 12am to Friday 9pm.

-Winners are chosen using random.org, notified on Saturdays and winners name also posted on Blog.

-Winners have 7 days from contest end to claim their prize.

-Participation is open to mamas and papas worldwide! Anyone and everyone is welcome to join in the fun, however we are not responsible for lost packages and prizes that do not reach their destination will not be replaced.

-How to earn extra entries:
* Take a look at the Emmalu Carseat Covers and tell us why you'd like to win one.
* Become a FAN of Earth Angels Diaper Co. on FaceBook
* Join our Yahoo/Newsletter Group
* Follow Us on Twitter
* Follow Diaper Discussions Blog
* Place the Diaper Discussions Animated Banner on your site or Blog
* Tweet About the Giveaway (use #clothdiapers in the tweet) comment with a url to the tweet.
* Advertise our Giveaway in your blog, forums or site (post with your comment the direct link where you posted about it).
* Contribute an Article, Product Review or relevant story regarding Cloth Diapering. 10 extra entries are given for contributions submitted during the week of the contest. (Please do not contribute articles that were already published elsewhere.)
* Comment to any post on the Diaper Discussions Blog (one entry per each comment)
* Register (or being already registered) in our Affiliate Program (please specify where you placed your affiliate banner).

--- Please post a separate comment for each extra entry and let us know which you've chosen to do in that comment ---

Good Luck!!
*Thanks to Emmalu Desgigns for sposoring this week's Pimp Your Stash! Prize is available in Toddler size Pink Multi Dot only, and is a "seconds" due to a fabric imperfection which is not noticeable. This item is non-returnable/exchangeable.

Pimp Your Stash Winner #5 - Tamara

This week's winner is commenter #177: TAMARA... She is a new cloth diapering mama, and Im sure this winning will be ton of help for her as she is still in the learning process... Follow her on her blog: Yancy Family.
Hope you enjoy your winnings!!! Please, contact us ASAP so we can ship your winnings to you. Write Pimp Your Stash Winner on the subject line. Thanks! :)

Using Flat Diapers with a Newborn

When I started cloth diapering our newborn the day after he was born, I had a stash of preemie sized prefolds (for babies up to 10 pounds) and infant size prefolds (for babies up to 15 pounds).

Unfortunately, the preemie prefolds were too small to fasten with a Snappi around my 7 pounds son, and leaked if I just placed them in the cover; and the infant prefolds just didn’t fit well in the extra small newborn covers.

Fortunately, I’d also bought a dozen birdseye flats, thinking that they were cheap and I might experiment with them someday. I tried simply folding a flat diaper in half, then folding it in half again. Perfect! They were so easy to use, and kept the runny poo totally contained (unlike the hospital disposables).

They were also a breeze to wash and dry. I ordered two dozen more right away, and I’m still using them almost 6 months later. I never would have guessed that my favorite cloth diapers would be flats!

Contributed by
Christy

My Case for Cloth

I'm addicted to cloth diapering for my little one (2.5 years) and am prepared to do it with #2 when she arrives. I am not someone who I thought would have cloth diapered six months ago. I'm a pretty typical stay at home mom. I am not particularly eco-conscious and I don't spend a lot of time worrying about chemicals lurking inside diapers or plastic, though maybe I should. I have pretty mainstream wants. I've found that many cloth diapering mamas seem to be right where I am. For the most part, cloth diapering mamas seem to be a pretty diverse group and don't fit my previous stereotypes. I have found that the ones I've encountered (entirely via the Internet) are friendly, accepting and willing to teach.

The Cost
There is a wealth of information online about cloth diapers, particularly through blogs. When you google "cloth diapers vs. disposables", the vast majority of results lead you to cloth diapering websites. Thus, they are heavily slanted for cloth. On the other side are articles that use information that comes from studies funded by disposable diaper makers. Who to trust? Now that I am completely indoctrinated into the idea of cloth, I agree with many of their points. I did have a lot of frustration that I couldn't find very much balanced information when I was first started researching. I used disposables happily and successfully for two years. Since I've been pregnant with my new baby I started going to pregnancy chat boards and found a lot of chatter about cloth diapers and became intrigued. Money was my main reason for looking into cloth. The attractiveness and softness of cloth diapers is what caught my attention. I've also developed an irritation for buying things over and over again if I'm just going to throw them away. I'm humored that being cheap parallels being eco-friendly.

One thing that stuck me when doing diaper research were the numbers and cost comparisons between using cloth diapers and disposables. I may be in the minority, but I'm a little dubious about the cost comparisons provided by a lot of the pro-cloth sites. Sadly, it is already hard to remember how many diapers I changed at any given stage of my daughter's life, but I am certain that I don't change her the estimated 6-8 times a day that many websites suggest I change her at this age. I don't think I've changed her that much in a REALLY long time. She usually uses about four disposables on any given day. More if her stomach is upset, less if she never poops. She rarely had a rash problem, so I feel like the changes she had were adequate. To be fair, my daughter does not seem to be a "super soaker." Maybe the estimates are based on children who pee more than my kid.

When I was buying disposables full time, I bought the Target brand for $13/ish a box and went through a big box in somewhere under a month. Before I switched to the Target brand, I went to great lengths to use coupons to save on diapers. For awhile, I consistently spent close to 13 cents per diaper change while using Pampers or Huggies. Many of the calculators put the cost per diaper closer to 20 cents. While I've spent more money than I want to think about on disposable diapers, I don't believe I've spent 2 grand or more.

In contrast, I know EXACTLY what I have spent on cloth diapers. I have spent $464 to build a pretty respectable cloth diaper stash. The retail value is closer to $950. I've bought new, used, seconds, and even won a few. I have 23 one size diapers (pockets and all in ones, one all in two), 13 prefolds, 13 Kissaluvs 0s, a handful of covers and six small or newborn pocket diapers. I'd like to have more one size diapers so that they won't wear out with frequent washing. Since I've spent more than I'd like to admit, my goal is to win them!

I plan to sell off the majority of my newborn stash to re-coup some of my costs. In the future, I plan to buy mostly new diapers so that I can care for them from the start and don't end up paying too much for diapers of questionable condition.

The Verdict
The energy output for cloth diapers is the first thing people usually mention when I tell them I've made the switch. They ask about the laundry. I launder every other day. My daughter still only uses 4-5 diapers a day, so I can easily go longer. However, I actually get satisfaction out of doing cloth diaper laundry. I don't think it is very hard. I do a cold rinse, hot wash, extra rinse, then I'm done. I line dry the PUL and use the dryer for everything else.

The energy output was there when I was using disposables, it was just in a different place. I visited websites that tracked diaper sales, I clipped coupons and made special trips just to get the best price on diapers. I dealt with check out clerks that mangled my coupon savings and dealt with the line of annoyed customers behind me who rolled their eyes because my coupon use was making the line go slowly. I spent extra money at the store because I bought more than the diapers I went in for.

If you are on the fence about cloth diapering, be prepared, there is a loss of convenience. This seems to be glossed over a lot on the "pro-cloth" sites. You can't just roll up the poopy diaper, toss and forget. You have to do something with the poop. However, the trade off is that your child has a cute, comfortable diaper on. The poop is also only once or twice a day. If you hold a cloth diaper next to a disposable, it is easy to see what is more comfortable. My daughter is very verbal and clearly prefers her "soft" diapers over her "paper" diapers.

What really convinced me...
We took a trip to see grandma out of town and took disposables. Within 18 hours, my daughter had a terrible rash on her back. Remember, this is the child who has worn disposables her ENTIRE life. After a month in cloth, disposables irritate her. I broke my baby. We had to make an emergency run and get a package of G-diapers. This makes me wonder whether disposables have bothered her skin her entire life and she was just used to it. That makes me sad. Now we use disposables in a pinch for an afternoon, but I'm a full time convert.

Contributed by
Ruth
www.mykidcenteredlife.blogspot.com

Just Julie: If you plant it they will come! re: Butterfly Gardening

You may have read in my Meet the Geek Squad post that I am interested in Butterfly Gardening. I thought I'd use today's Just Julie post to give you guys a little more in depth explanation of it and how easy it is to do.

For me my interest in butterflies started when I attended a play date at a local friends house. Outside in her backyard was a garden and butterflies were fluttering all around it. I couldn't believe how lucky she was to have them all congregating in her backyard. She began to explain how if you plant butterfly attracting plants then the butterflies will come. She rattled off the names of some of the plants and I tried my hardest to commit them to memory.

That weekend I loaded up the kids and headed to our local Home Depot. I purchased Milkweed, Porterweed, Lantana and planted them outside my kitchen window so that I could keep an eye out for the butterflies. It took 1-2 days (maybe), and like magic I began to see butterflies, especially Monarch's feeding on my Milkweed. Within a few weeks my Milkweed was covered in Monarch caterpillars and I had to go out and buy more Milkweed just for them to eat.

Since then our garden has grown and so has the variety of butterflies we attract. We're able to watch them feed, lay eggs, hatch into caterpillars, turn into chrysalis and emerge as beautiful butterflies. It is super easy to do and maintain. I do NOT have a green thumb at all yet I have been able to accomplish keeping these plants alive for nearly a year now.

If you live in the right climate for gardening then I highly recommend you try attracting butterflies to your garden. I promise you won't regret it.

Some great sites you can visit for more information on starting your own butterfly habitat are

• Monarch Watch
• Butterfly House
• The Butterfly Site
  

The Cloth Diaper Geek Explains it all! Laundry Edition

This week's edition will focus on frequently asked questions regarding laundering your diapers! Have you got a question? Don't forget you can either post your question as a comment or submit your question using our Reader Contribution Form.

Question: What exactly is a surfactant? And is it on the detergent no-no list?

The Geek's Answer: Surfactant is short for "surface-active-agent." They help reduce the surface tension of a liquid (like water) allowing items in the laundry to more easily become "wet" and they also makes organic matter more soluble in water which makes them essential to detergents.

From what I've found in my research, surfactants are vital to most detergents, making them more effective and actually classifying them as a detergent. It's the other additives you have to watch out for, the one's specifically intended to coat your laundry with fragrance, fabric softener, starch, stain guards, etc.

For this question I even consulted with Taylor, the owner of Charlies Soap, and he assured me that surfactants ARE detergents.

So, FINAL ANSWER, surfactants are ok for your diapers, they're what get your diapers clean, and naturally produced surfactants are better than synthetic man made ones.

Question: I am in need of some help. I have cloth diapered for 5 years and am totally addicted to it, plus I believe cloth is the BEST. However, my 3rd little boy is getting some serious diaper rash. It has become so bad that to get rid of a rash, twice now I have had to use disposables for a week each time. I mainly do a prefold with a cover, and I have a few old fuzzibunz. But I don't know what to do. I need some help knowing how to wick the moisture away from his bottom to prevent the rash/thrush. Are my diapers not clean enough? What am I doing wrong? I've done this for 5 years--what is my problem. Thanks!

The Geek's Answer: There are many ways to troubleshoot this problem. First I would suggest changing detergents, preferably to Charlies Soap, a gentle yet effective detergent that you can use on both your diapers and the rest of your laundry. If you don't want to change detergents yet, I would suggest changing him more frequently until the rash goes away and also use powder or cornstarch at diaper changes and then on a regular basis to keep him dry. You may also want to try some fleece liners. They serve as a stay dry barrier between your babes skin and the cotton prefold. They can help, and would definitely be worth a try.

Also, not sure on your washing routine but sometimes you need an extra rinse before your wash cycle to ensure that you're rinsing them enough. Ammonia can build up and essentially reactivate when the baby pees in the diaper causing a rash. It's also important to make sure you aren't washing too many diapers at once.

Do you have a laundry related or cloth diaper related question? Post your question as a comment and we'll try our best to find you the answers you need!

Fluff in the Spotlight: Charlie's Soap

Washing cloth diapers can be one of the most confusing and frustrating things you'll ever try to do. Just when you think you've got your routine down, here comes a stink issue, mysterious stains, rash on baby, etc. You rack your brain trying to figure out what to do. Sometimes the most obvious solution is right before you and you may not even notice.

Chances are you need to switch detergents. Many mamas think they need to have a special detergent just for their diapers that they use sparingly and alternate with another detergent for their regular laundry. What you don't know is that you don't need to do that. What you need is a detergent that's safe for both your laundry and your diapers. This is where Charlie's Soap comes in.

Charlie's Soap contains none of the commonly found additives that are found in most laundry detergents. Those additives are designed to bind to fabrics, Charlie's is residue free. What else might you need to know about Charlie's...

• Charlie's is completely water soluble and safe for HE machines
• Safe for cloth diapers, laundry and a multitude of other cleaning purposes
  
• Safe for all color-fast washables
• Eliminates the need for fabric softeners
• 1 teaspoon full is all you need per load, this means 1 bag = approx 80 loads
• Available in either Laundry Liquid or Laundry Powder
• Made in the USA
• Money Back Guarantee
  

The list of reasons to use Charlie's really is endless. Be sure to check out our current Pimp Your Stash GiveAway and you could win a bag of Charlie's Laundry Powder & All Purpose Cleaner. Also, check back in each day this week for more great info on handling cloth diaper laundry.

New! Flip & Econobum, from the makers of bumGenius

After rumors and speculation have flooded Facebook, Twitter, the Blogosphere and message boards for weeks, we are so excited to share with you what we have been up to at Cotton Babies...

Cotton Babies, the makers of the top-rated cloth diapering system, bumGenius, have developed two brand new cloth diapering systems that will make it easier than ever to cloth diaper your baby.

Flip is designed for the on-the-go consumer. One of the things we find most exciting about the Flip system is the disposable insert. This insert eases the transition into cloth diapers, makes vacations simple and helps families through times when life just demands something disposable. This system is fully supported with 100% reusable inserts as well. The One-Size Stay-Dry Insert is perfect for overnights or to keep little bums dry anytime. The 100% Organic Insert is perfect for families who prefer the more natural things in life. Whether you are at work, at home or traveling with your baby, the Flip system will be here for you with exactly what you need. We really think you will "flip" over this new diapering system (sorry, I couldn't help myself!)

Econobum meets the needs of any diapering budget. Considered the affordable choice, it is a prefold with a diaper cover-but not just your average prefold or diaper cover. The prefold and cover are both one-size - so they grow with your baby. Econobum is priced at only $9.95 making cloth diapering an easy choice for every home. Econobum has already been awarded the iParenting Media Award.

Flip and Econobum are available for purchase through Cotton Babies at www.cottonbabies.com and the Cotton Babies retail location in St. Louis, MO. They will also be sold internationally through Cotton Babies authorized retailers.

We hope you love these products as much as we do!

Pimp Your Stash #5 - Ends Friday 09-18 (Charlies Soap Laundry Powder & All Purpose Cleaner) *** CLOSED ***

This weeks winner will receive a 3lb Bag of Charlies Soap Laundry Powder & All Purpose Spray Cleaner complements of Charlies Soap! This weeks question is "Tell me how often you wash your diapers and why you'd love to win the Charlies Soap!"
Guidelines for Entry
-In order to participate in our weekly contest and validate all extra entries you must first answer the weekly question.

-Please, be sure to be logged into your email account when you post your comment for us to be able to contact you if you win (that is with the option called OpenID). If you have a blog, be sure to be logged into the account linked to your blog for an easier way to contact you....

-Each contest runs from Sunday 12am to Friday 9pm.

-Winners are chosen using random.org, notified on Saturdays and winners name also posted on Blog.

-Winners have 7 days from contest end to claim their prize.

-Participation is open to mamas and papas worldwide! Anyone and everyone is welcome to join in the fun, however we are not responsible for lost packages and prizes that do not reach their destination will not be replaced.

-How to earn extra entries:

* Become a FAN of Earth Angels Diaper Co. on FaceBook
*Join our Yahoo/Newsletter Group
* Follow Us on Twitter
* Follow Diaper Discussions Blog
* Place the Diaper Discussions Animated Banner on your site or Blog
* Tweet About the Giveaway (use #clothdiapers in the tweet) post with your comment your twitter id & url.
* Advertise our Giveaway in your blog, forums or site (post with your comment the direct link where you posted about it).
* Contribute an Article, Product Review or relevant story regarding Cloth Diapering. 10 extra entries are given for contributions submitted during the week of the contest. (Please do not contribute articles that were already published elsewhere.)
* Comment to any post on the Diaper Discussions Blog (one entry per each comment)
* Register (or being already registered) in our Affiliate Program (please specify where you placed your affiliate banner).
*Become a FAN of Charlies Soap on FaceBook!

--- Please post a separate comment for each extra entry and let us know which you've chosen to do in that comment ---

Good Luck!!

Pimp Your Stash Winner #4 - Jessica

We LOVED all the entries we got this week!! Im personally a huge fan of Thirsties, which means I know how happy will be this week's winner with this awesome prize!!

She is Jessica at Finding the Joy in the Journey.. She is a mom of 3 and have a very fun blog.

Hope you enjoy your winnings!!! Please, contact us ASAP so we can ship your winnings to you. Write Pimp Your Stash Winner on the subject line. Thanks! :)

Thirsties Diaper Cover Review

I started using cloth diapers when my first daughter was 8 months old. I love everything about cloth diapers so when I found myself pregnant with my second daughter, I knew what I had to do....call Julie! She is my good friend who knows just about everything there is to know about the cloth diapers.

With my first daughter, I was all about pocket diapers and all-in-one's, and this time around, it wasn't an option. I needed something less expensive, since I would be changing her a million times a day. So after many, many emails back and forth to Julie, I settled on prefolds and covers. Julie recommended that I try a Thirsties cover, so of course I did and I can not say enough good things about these covers! They fit great and will pretty much work with anything. I have used them with prefolds (of course), hemp stuffins and a few different inserts. Heck I even tried them with a gDiaper insert. They worked great with all of them, no leaks at all, and to me that's very important! Being able to use the gDiaper insert with the Thirsties Cover is great because I am looking for something to use on a trip to the mountains, without having to lug my stash up there with me. Thirsties work great, are way cheaper then the gDiaper covers, and if a little bit of " you know what gets on them, it wipes right off! I can honestly say that I love these covers and would highly recommend them to anyone.

Shared by Erin V.
Mommy to Gracie & Lily

Good Detergent / Bad Detergent

Choose a good detergent for your cloth diapers is easy. When you purchase from Cotton Babies' detergent selection, anything you pick is fine. Cotton Babies ships all detergents for free using the coupon code GOODWASH. No minimum order. Order as often as you want to... we want you to take care of your diapers well.

Mainstream Detergents - We're often asked if there is a mainstream detergent available that is "safe" for cloth diapers. The answer is no. The least of the evils is Tide Free. Tide Free does not contain any fragrances, optical brighteners or dyes. It does contain enzymes though and will require diligence with rinsing your diapers well or more frequent diaper changes to avoid the mild diaper rash that can be caused by lingering enzymes from the detergent.

What To Avoid:

• Optical brighteners - if the box mentions anything about making your colors brighter or your whites whiter, don't buy it. Optical brighteners remain in your clothing and are designed to "bend the light" so you see the colors brighter or whiter. They do nothing to extend the life of your clothing. Optical brighteners caused buildup.
• Enzymes - if the box talks about removing certain kinds of stains easily, don't buy it. Enzymes attack protein-based stains. Those same enzymes can react with your baby's skin and cause a mild rash.
• Perfumes/Fragrances - that mountain breeze is best left on the mountain where it came from. Really, perfumes and fragrances are oil based. Oils are left in fabrics when rinsed. Again, this can cause a diaper rash and buildup.
• Dyes - dyes can remain in your fabrics when rinsed, potentially causing diaper rash and buildup.

Behind the Scenes: Interview with Sonya of Thirsties!

I am excited to present you with a Behind the Scenes Interview with Sonya, the Customer Service and Warehouse Manager for Thirsties! She's going to fill us in on what it's like to work for one of the best cloth diapering manufacturer's and how she came to be employed with them.

Below are some of the questions from our interview.

Can you tell us a little about yourself? I am a Colorado transplant - I grew up on a farm in Minnesota. I have the freckles to prove it! My parents moved us here 25 years ago, and now I am a granola eating, tree hugging Colorado girl! My husband is Romuald, he is an amazingly logical and hard-working person. He is also good looking, and French! I have three very funny children: Julia (13), Stephan (4), and Nina(Christina)(3). We like to hike, go on picnics, take bike rides, and watch the goldfish and tadpoles in our pond. The younger ones love to do yoga with me before bed. I practice organic gardening, and in my spare time I am out digging in the dirt!

How did you come to work for Erin/Thirsties? I have cloth diapered all three of my kids on and off, trying to find the right brand that worked the way I wanted them to. Then I found Thirsties! I joined a Natural Mom's Playgroup which was put together by Erin, the owner of Thirsties. I got to know Erin, and her great kids and husband, and eventually learned about her business. Amazing family! Since her business was growing, and she needed someone to help her out, I started working for Erin in the spring of 08, and have gradually taken on more responsibility until I am where I am now - the Thirsties Customer Service and Warehouse Manager.

What piece of cloth diapering advice would you share with those new to cloth? I have tried quite a few different brands of cloth diapers, and have to say that Thirsties products are at the top of my list! There are other brands out there that I also like, and perform well, but I guess I am partial to Thirsties! My biggest blunder in cloth diapering was to wash all of my new inserts with my new diapers and covers. I had balls of cotton and lint in the velcro and stuck to the elastic on all of my new diapers and covers! So, my advice would be to wash cotton and cotton blend products a few times by themselves before washing with other products!

Can you tell us something about the Company, what makes it unique? One thing that I love about Thirsties ( beside our products) is our great team we have here. Erin has a bubbly personality and a smile that brightens your day! Sarah has a down-to-earth quality and is like everyone's little (or big) sister! Katie is our newest member, but I have already found that she is very gentle with a great heart! You just have to love them all!

What makes our company unique, I would say, is that all of our products and components are US Made. Erin has taken every step to ensure that the jobs created to make our products stay right here in the US, and as close to us as possible. Our diapers are manufactured very close to our Canon City home, which employs local people and cuts our carbon output.

What do you like most about your job? What I like most about my job - is helping people. I am the type of person that enjoys, and thrives, on making people happy. I try to do my best at what I do, and try to relay that all of our customers and retailers are important to us - because they are!

What would be your favorite Thirsties product? Of all of our products, my favorite? That is hard! I like them all - they are sooo soft! I did not get to try the new Duo Wrap before my youngest potty trained, but I have used and liked all of the other products. I guess I would have to say the AIO paired with the Hemp Insert was my favorite - no leaks!

Sonya, Thanks so much for sharing with Diaper Discussions readers. Thank you to Thirsites for making superior diapering products that actually work! Thirsties is truly a pleasure to do business with and I wish you, Erin, and the rest of the crew many more years of success. We're all looking forward to Thirsties next Fab announcement!