Diaper Laundry

We finally had a perfect day for hanging out diapers!

Don't you like my makeshift clothes line?  :o)

This of course made me think about washing diapers.  Personally I have found washing diapers to be one of the hardest parts of cloth diapering.  Not because I have any problem with the poop or the laundry but because it can be soooo difficult to find a washing routine that works.  There is no one way to wash diapers.  The best method for you will depend on the type of water that you have, the type of washer that you have, and the type of diapers that you have.  Not to mention factoring in how often you wash, what kind of detergent to use, whether to soak or not, whether to bleach or not, stripping, and the list goes on.

I *think* that I have a good system now.  Granted I thought this several times before and had to switch it up.  But for the last few months things seem to be going well.  Along the way I found a lot of advice from other mommy bloggers about what worked for them, so I wanted to post what has finally worked for me.  Hopefully this will help someone else figure out their perfect routine!

Some of the basics about my stash and washing routine:
-  The majority of my stash is made up of pocket diapers with pul covers and bamboo inserts.
-  I have a top loading washer.
-  I wash less frequently than many other mommies.  Typically once every four days.
-  We have a well with hard water, however it does go through a large filtration system.

Regardless of what is in the diaper (whether it is wet or dirty) I always give it a good rinse with the diaper sprayer and ring it out (sometimes it is easier to do this in the sink if the diaper is just wet).  Typically I will do this at least twice before putting the diaper into the dry pail.

When it is time to wash, everything goes into the washer.  (If I have been using any type of diaper cream, I will wash all inserts and wipes separately).  I set the washer to the largest load size in order to get as much water as possible.  I do a full soak (~45 min. on my machine) in warm water.  During this soak I will add Bac-Out (I don't have a real measure for how much I use.  Basically I squeeze the bottle and do three rounds about the washer.) to help remove any organic stains.  Following the soak I do a full 16 min. cycle wash in hot water with a cold rinse.  During the wash cycle I use ~ 1oz. of Country Save powdered detergent.  I then run a second cold rinse.

Typically all inserts and wipes go in the dryer while all pockets go on the line (in the basement if its yucky out and outside if the weather permits).

As for some of the other sticky questions...  I do not like to use bleach.  I have bleached my pockets and inserts one time in an attempt to get rid of some ammonia stink.  Fortunately with my new routine I have not found a need to do this again.  I have also not stripped my diapers.  I probably should give that a try. When I do, I will be sure to let you know how it goes.  And as far as stains, I stick to the sun and a little lemon juice!

I tried several detergents and a variety of washing sequences to get to this point.  So don't be afraid to try something new if you aren't satisfied with your current washing routine.  And don't worry if this routine doesn't work for you.  Everyone needs to figure it out for themselves.  But once you do - you'll love your fluff that much more!

I love Bamboo!

When I first started cloth diapering, I thought that microfiber was the most amazing insert material.  Since then I've realized that microfiber has its benefits but also its drawbacks and I have started trying out some other fabrics.  I've tried hemp, cotton, bamboo and zorb.  And my new favorite - Bamboo!  I love it!  

After buying and trying a variety of inserts I have come to the conclusion that bamboo is now the most amazing insert material (in my humble opinion).  It is very absorbent, naturally antimicrobial, doesn't get the stinkies and it is soooo soft!

I actually decided that for my first sewing project, I would make a set of new diaper inserts for Little Bear out of bamboo fabrics.  I ordered bamboo fleece, bamboo terry and bamboo velour so that I could try a variety of combinations.  When the order arrived I literally just sat and held the fabrics.  They were so soft that I didn't even want to cut them up to sew!  Crazy, I know.

Eventually I did cut them up and sew the inserts.  And although they aren't the prettiest looking inserts (based on my sewing abilities that is) they are now the first ones that I grab to stuff my pockets.

Fortunately I ordered extra fabric, so now I get to use it for other projects.  I am thinking of making some prefolds with it next.  And then... who knows?  But I want to move outside of the diaper realm - maybe I'll make a nice cozy blanket for little bear... or one for me!

Review: Thirsties Duo Wrap

Typically I am a pocket diaper mama.  However there are times that I use fitteds and prefolds and I was looking for a good waterproof cover.  I've heard a lot about the Thirsties Duo Wrap, so I figured that it was time to give it a try.

Here is the Thirsties Duo Wrap in white with aplix.  It is set on the smallest rise setting.

The Duo Wrap is an adjustable rise cover made of PUL that comes in snaps or aplix and a variety of colors and patterns.  As a snap cover it has a single row of front snaps.  It is available in two sizes:

Size 1: 6-18lbs. (0-9 months)
Size 2: 18-40 lbs. (9-36 months)

Each size can be adjusted to 3 different rises by using the three rows of snaps on the front of the diaper.

Largest rise setting - all 3 rows of rise adjusting snaps are visible.

Little Bear fell into the bottom of the size 2 range, at ~20 lbs.  The diaper just fit Little Bear on the smallest setting.  At this point, he may have been able to fit into the size 1, but I like that the size 2 had plenty of room to grow.  Typically I left the Duo Wrap on the smallest setting however when I added a doubler, I needed to move to the second setting in order to allow for the additional layers and get a high enough rise for my preference.  As the Duo Wrap is a very thin cover, it still kept the overall diaper system very trim.

Regardless of size and thickness, the important fact was that Little Bear had NO leaks!

The PUL on the Duo Wrap was soft and flexible, which made for a comfortable, quiet cover.  It also seemed fairly breathable for a PUL cover.  With the leg gussets I did not have to worry about leaks, even when Little Bear was wearing a thick diaper underneath.  The binding was nice and soft and I never found red marks or irritation on Little Bear's legs or waist.

Leg gussets are excellent for preventing leaks!

I ordered the Duo Wrap with aplix (I find that I am able to get a better fit and diaper a moving toddler much faster this way) however I did not feel that the aplix was as strong as I would have liked.  Several times Little Bear was able to open the wrap and take it off.  The snaps for adjusting the rise seemed very strong.  At some points, I was actually afraid that I would rip the PUL because I had to pull so hard on the snaps.

The inner is easily wiped clean and has fold over laundry tabs.

One of the great things about the Duo Wrap is that it can easily be wiped out and reused, as long as it has not become too soiled during wear.  Personally I always washed the cover following a poo but in a pinch, it could have been wiped and reused.  I also chose to air out the cover in between uses, to avoid any urine smell.  Washing was easy - I threw it in for a hot wash with the rest of my diapers and then line dried.  The fold over laundry tabs worked well and I only encountered one instance of the dreaded laundry snake.

As someone who does not use covers on a daily basis, I like the Duo Wrap because I do not have to buy newborn through large sizes.  While  one size cover is ideal for saving money, it does not always give the best fit.  The two size system used by Thirsties seems to be a great compromise that allows parents to save money yet still get a great, trim fit.

Check it out for yourself at Thirsties!

Disclaimer:  This is my personal and honest opinion of this product which I purchased independently.  I was not provided with any compensation or products for this review.

My Biggest Fluff Mistake

I have been covering Little Bear's bum in cloth for over a year now.  Before I was pregnant, I thought of cloth diapers as the folded "towels" that my mom put on with pins and gum pants - And there was NO way that I was dealing with pins, gum pants and worst of all - poop!  While I was pregnant though I started doing some research on cloth diapers because I figured that (1) it could save me money and (2) it would be good for the environment.  When I learned how different cloth diapering had become and how good it could be for my wallet, the environment and baby's bum, I was convinced!

Unfortunately here is where my biggest fluff mistake occurred.  And I want to put this out there to save other new fluffy mommies from making the same mistake that I did...  I was sucked in by the commercial advertising.  If you go to google and search for cloth diapers, of course it brings up the "name brand" diapers and when you go to their sites they do an excellent job of selling you not only on cloth diapers in general by their brand specifically.  Being completely new to this fluffy world, I had NO idea of all of the OTHER options out there.  BumGenius had me hooked!  The statistics, the pictures, the videos, the info, the reviews they posted...  It all sounded so amazing!  I bought into it - literally.  I got the 24 pack starter kit (all white of course - boring, I now know), the pail liner, the diaper sprayer...  And that was it.  My order came and I was ready to go.

Several weeks later Little Bear arrived and I morphed into a zombie mommy.  I had decided to wait until I made it through the first weeks before jumping into cloth diapering.  I figured that I would have enough on my mind learning how to care for a newborn, breastfeed, and get some sleep myself.  Washing diapers was one less thing I wanted to think about.  And although I LOVE my fluff, I am so glad that I didn't overwhelm myself with it right away!  So when Little Bear hit ~6 weeks, I was ready to take the dive into cloth.

I loved his little fluffy bum, the very first time I saw it in cloth!  It was so cute and I thought that I was the best mom!  I was saving money, saving the environment, saving his bum!  And I had diapers that I could reuse with future children or sell to another momma.  For awhile this was the case.  Then I started to discover some of the cloth diapering challenges...  overnight diapering, ammonia stink, stains, rashes.  I got online and started doing some research and this is when I truly discovered the world of fluff!  There were so many types of diapers and manufacturers of diapers (including all of those WAHMs that I had never heard of!) and so many accessories and opinions.  It was overwhelming but addicting at the same time!  I wanted to try everything (and I still do!)  but I had a basket full of white bumGenius diapers and I couldn't bear to waste a bunch of money.  

Slowly I have started expanding my horizons and trying some new things out whenever I need something or get a chance.  I have discovered that I do love pockets but that I hate microfiber.  I have found a washing routine that seems to be working for me.  Most importantly I have discovered that the best advice comes from moms (and dads) who have been there and I wish that I had spent more time researching blogs and discussion boards before I dove into cloth.

Now don't get me wrong, I do love BumGenius diapers and most importantly I LOVE using cloth!  But they aren't the only thing out there and they weren't necessarily the best choice that I could have made. So if you are thinking about cloth, don't get sucked in my all of the big name diapers.  Take your time and talk to those who know.  Be sure to explore the options and experiment with lots of brands and types to find what's right for you and your baby from the beginning.

Cottontail Babies Fleece AI2 Review

Our go to diapers have always been bumGenius.  Unfortunately the last few months have required some changes to our typical diapering routines.  It's a long story (that I'll tell another day) but one of the things I finally figured out was that Little Bear needed some more airflow during the long night.  I've tried wool in the past (again, another story for another day!) but I wanted to try something new and decided to give fleece a go.  Interestingly fleece diapers (not soakers) are not as easy to find as I thought.  In my search I discovered Cottontail Babies and decided to try out their fleece AI2.  I ordered a custom fleece cover/AI2 with 2 additional snap in soakers (the diaper does NOT come with a soaker, they must be ordered separately).

Blue and green argyle cover

The cover is sized and comes in small, medium and large.  According to the site, the size guidelines are as follows:

Small: 8-15 lbs.
Medium: 12-22 lbs.
Large: 20-30 lbs.

Since Little Bear is hanging right around the 20 lb. mark I decided to go with the large in the blue and green argyle pattern.  As I expected, Little Bear is currently wearing the large on the smallest setting.  Most likely he could also have worn a medium but since he would be outgrowing it soon, I decided to go a size up.  Even with the larger size, there are no gaps around the legs or the waist and we have not had any trouble with leaks.

Rear view with snap for soaker visible

Side view shows that the diaper is somewhat bulky with the soaker snapped in.

Front view

A nice feature of this cover is the elastic on the top back - this has been key for preventing blowouts.  Personally, I prefer velcro to snaps because I find it easier to do fast changes on a squirmy toddler and I tend to get a better fit.  With snaps I have to try and remember what setting to use each time I change diapers and its different for every style.  However as far as snaps go, the side snap is a nice feature because it is easier to snap than front snaps without pinching baby.  Also having the double row of snaps allows for a slight adjustment between waist and thigh measurements.  Using the smallest snap setting does create a somewhat thick overlay in the front of the diaper when using the snap in soaker but it has not created any problems, as long as I am sure to tuck the excess flap material behind the soaker.

This is the cover with the soaker attached and set on the smallest setting.

The Cottontail Babies store website describes the diaper as follows: "The outer print is antipill fleece, and the inner layer is matching blizzard or antipill fleece.  There is a snap in the back for attaching a snap in soaker (Snap-in soakers are not included - they are available here.  Just snap the soaker out, replace it with a new one, and reuse the shell!)"  The fleece has been excellent for containing wetness while still allowing airflow.  I have not had any issues with wicking even after a full night.  With the increased airflow that the fleece provides compared to PUL, Little Bear has also avoided the rashes that were plaguing him.  In addition, the fleece tends to clean up well and avoid stains.

Inside of cover shows back elastic and snap for soaker.

Snap in soaker

Cover being used as an AI2 with soaker attached

I chose to use the diaper as an AI2.  The soaker was nice and squishy.  The Cottontail Babies store website describes the insert as follows:  "This contoured, snap-in insert is constructed of two layers of Zorb, sandwiched between two layers of bamboo fleece, and topped with a layer of ProCool wicking jersey (keeps baby dry!)."  I personally love bamboo and zorb for my inserts, so I was thrilled!  I was also very pleased with the stay dry layer as Little Bear does not like the irritation caused by a wet feeling against his skin and the ProCool did an excellent job of maintaining that stay dry feeling, even overnight.  The soaker is contoured and snaps into the cover.  The snap is completely covered by the soaker and did not come in contact with Little Bear's skin.  For daytime and even naps, the single insert worked well and was very absorbent.  I was also able to swap out the insert for a new one without having to wash the cover, however I did let it air out and typically I think that I would prefer to wash it  (but being fleece, I was even able to throw it in with a regular load of laundry!).  For nighttime I added an additional bamboo soaker and we were good to go for 12 hours.

Overall I found the diaper to be an excellent nighttime solution when used with an additional soaker.  While it is not as trim as the pockets that I would typically use during the day, a bulky diaper is expected for overnight.  If I were to use the diaper as an AI2 for daytime use, I would probably size down (since Little Bear was in between sizes).  The construction was excellent and I loved that it was so easy to care for!

Disclaimer:  This is my personal and honest opinion of this product which I purchased independently.  I was not provided with any compensation or products for this review.

Blowouts and Black eyes

Little bear had a rough morning...  a diaper blow out and a black eye....

So when I opened the door to little bear's room this morning, my nose was assaulted - you know the smell...  Major poop.  Typically little bear is always in cloth but yesterday I made an oops and was behind in my diaper laundry.  Everything was washing but there was no way that it would be dry for bed time.  No biggie - I had some left over sposies and I figured that this was an opportunity to get rid of one.  So my first thought this morning was "Great!  No diaper spraying!"  Little did I know, I was in for much worse.  In the past 12+ months that little bear has worn cloth, we have only had 1 diaper blowout.  On the few occasions that he has worn disposables, the record is not nearly as good and this morning was a disaster!  He had poop up his front, down his leg and up his back - we headed straight for the shower.  Ugh, what a mess!  Just another reminder as to why I prefer cloth!

Little bear's first black eye.  Poor boy!

Later this morning...  I was hanging up his diapers in the basement to dry and little bear was upstairs with Papa.  He was walking/running around playing with the dog when he took a pretty good spill.  He managed to somehow land on his face and has his first badge of independence - a black eye.  Of course a mama feels horrible to see the growing bruise around his eye but it was just a reminder of what's to come.