Another Cloth Diaper Post!

So, it's been 4.5 months since we've moved 100% into cloth diapers. We have officially been solely using the Bumgenius 4.0's (no more newborn diapes!) for about a month now and I figured I would share our experience and routine.

Alrighty then, first and foremost, I LOVE these diapers! Love, love, love, love, love them! Have I mentioned that I love these diapers??? They are super easy to wash and are so much more trim on Claire than I ever imagined they would/could be {mostly because she's so slender}.

We now wash her diapers using only Nellies Laundry Soda. We still do laundry every other day. First, a cold speed wash without soap. This removes all the nasty stuff! Then we use 2 scoops of Nellies in the whites {hot} wash with an extra rinse. We bleach them once a month, which requires an extra wash with 1 scoop of Nellies. We dry them on our new drying rack overnight, though they typically dry in a few hours. I always rewash the inserts {again} with another load of laundry. This way, they aren't the only thing in the dryer, but they also get extra clean! Who doesn't love extra clean?? {side note: we have an HE machine}

Claire has been diaper rash free for a long time now and I'm so happy we chose to cloth diaper her. The coconut does it's job, that's for sure! I love the feeling of never having to run to the store to get diapers, or keep forking money over to diaper her {especially during our near financial crisis}.

*Note* We used to use Tide HE Powder as a recommendation from an online cloth diaper community, and I would not advise that you use it. I now realize that it caused her newborn diapers to pill {like how a sweater gets the balls on it after you wear it a few times}. This caused them to "fall apart" and leave cotton residue on her bottom. At first I thought it was just the norm, but after using the 4.0's for so long without the pilling {while using the Nellies} I realize it was the soaps fault, not the diapers themselves. Additionally, the fact that they were all-in-one made them hold odors and stains more easily than the 4.0's which is why I'm so happy with the latter.

If you have considered making the switch, it's never to late to start, unless, of course, your child is in the midst of potty training! I would recommend at least trying it because cloth diapering is truly so much more effortless than it seems.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me!

And here's a self-portrait from when I was pregnant with the lil miss. I found it yesterday and although it's super out of focus, I still love it. Oh how I miss that big ol belly!

Cloth continued

In continuation to my routine, here is a list of my fluff & gear!

25 Newborn Bumgenius

25 Bumgenius 4.0 

10 Hemp Babies liners

I forget to mention that we store her dirty diapers in a wet bag. I recently bought a scent port from Bath & Body Works to put next to the wetbags to chase any smells may arise, though very rare. 

For more specifics on what brands I have and where to find them, check out this post.

Here are a couple videos with how I do things :)

My Cloth Diaper Routine

Ahh the cloth diaper post I've been so anxious to write :)

I want to preface by saying that I was super excited when I made the decision to cloth diaper our baby. It was even more exciting when Matt became thrilled about the idea.

Fast forward 7 or 8 months. Right  when we came home we were using disposables. I had previously bought one pack of newborn diapers, 40 pack to be precise. I promised myslef that once those 40 were gone I wouldn't buy another one. My plan was to use the disposables only until she passed that black, sticky poop phase (which didn't last longer than 1 day). Well, the first pack lasted maybe 2 or three days, not to mention the ones I had left over from the hospital. We were changing diapers like CAAA-RAAY-ZEEE (duh)! I tried to put one of the newborn bumgenius diapers on her and I was so afraid of hurting her (they are a little more 'stiff' than disposables). That fear quickly faded and we started using them alongside her 2nd and 3rd pack of disposables. I used the cloth during the day and the disposable at night. I kept thinking that I would be happy to continue this cycle, I even once thought about completely giving up on cloth. The strange thing is that I didn't even have a reason for not wanting to continue using her cloth. I guess I was afraid of the work that would come along with all-day, everyday cloth diapering.

However...
after the 4th pack of newborn pampers swaddlers we were completely 100% committed to her cloth diapers and we are so happy :)
I will admit that I used disposables for Thanksgiving since we were staying at Matt's parents and I didn't want to have to worry about them. Once again, totally ridiculous since she ended up with a major diaper rash. Needless to say that we took cloth and only cloth to their house for Christmas and it was NO.BIG.DEAL. Like, at all.

 So here's our routine:
When we change her diaper we use regular ol wipes.
{I intially wanted to use cloth wipes but they were super expensive with some really unimpressive reviews. So I made my own, as a summer project. But then I started reading about people having creppy crawly things growing in thier wipes. Ewww!} So we stuck with disposable wipes when we stopped using the sposie diapers. When we're done with her wipes, we just throw them in her dirty diaper. I just throw them in the washer with her dipes when it's time. This makes it sooo easy, rather than having to have an extra "dumping area".

We wash her diapers every other day. With a homemade concoction. I do 1 cold "speed wash" without detergent and then 1 hot wash (whites setting) with detergent with an extra rinse.  I use the following ingredients for my detergent: 2 parts Tide powder with one part Borax, Oxiclean, Nellies, & Washing Soda. I mix it all up and use 2 Tbsp. I didn't originally plan to use this insane recipe, but through trial and error it's what works best- no stains and no stink! After we wash them we hang the dipes to dry overnight in our breakfast nook. When we get up they are ready to rock.

During the day we use her newborn sized Bumgenius diapers, but switch to the one size (Bumgenius 4.0) at night with 2 inserts.
When we put her to bed we use either Coconut Oil or Eart Mama's Angel Baby Bottom Balm, both of which are 100% cloth diaper friendly... and organic too :)
All in all we are very happy with our choice to cloth diaper Claire. We will absolutely be doing it with all of our future children. The only thing I'm going to do differently is order some size Small diapers for that in between stage. That way babe #2 wont have a huge looking booty :)

Cloth Diapering: Why & How

I would have never even had an idea or notion of cloth diapering if it hadn't been for Erin at Growing a Foosa. I followed her all throughout her pregnancy and have watched her little foosa grow since then. She provided a great amount of research and personal experience in her cloth diapering section of her blog. With her help, I decided to really consider cloth diapering.

Warning: This is going to be lengthy! 

After reading a lot of positive reviews on a lot of different websites, I started to see and truly understand the vast amount of pros associated with using cloth diapers. The obvious one, of course, is the environment. I can and will admit that I do nothing to save our environment. Nothing.at.all. I don't (for the most part) conserve energy, gas, or other resources, and I don't recycle. Shameful, I know, but I just don't. I have always wanted to start, but haven't done so yet. Perhaps I will get my butt in gear this summer and figure out a recycling system that works well for us. Even if it's just recycling aluminum cans and milk jugs. Every little thing helps, right?

Did you know that you are, theoretically, supposed to dispose of a soiled diaper by flushing the feces down the toilet before throwing the diaper away? Human waste is a bio-hazard as it can leach into the soil and contaminate our ground water. This could potentially cause disease. I'm sure it's unlikely but I'm not going to contribute to the possibility.

Babies who are cloth diapered very rarely get diaper rash, can have a lower risk of contracting asthma, and potty train, on average, a year sooner than disposable-wearing babies/children.

One thing I wasn't sure about was the price to get started. At first glance, the price of cloth diapering seems steep, but after calculating everything, it's incredible how much we are going to save.

So what's needed to get started?
a baby. DUH!
diapers.
somewhere to put said diapers once soiled.
washing machine/drying rack.
cloth diaper friendly products.

There are so many different types of cloth diapers. Prefolds, flats, fitteds, pockets, all-in-ones, etc. Prefolds, flats, and fitteds require a protective cover. They are the more 'economical way' of cloth diapering. Pocket and all-in-one diapers require less 'work'. They are most like a disposable diaper. You just slap those suckers on and you're ready to go. As baby gets older, you may have to purchase/use doublers, which help with absorbancy. You can also purchase flushable liners that go in the diaper. These are great once baby starts producing solid poops. All you do is lay it in your diaper, and lift it out and flush when they have a bowel movement. This is a great alternative to the dreaded "poop scraping" or "toilet swishing" your diapers. They also have special diaper sprayers that attach to your toilet. They are a little pricey and I've read mixed reviews about them. I have decided to go the liner route myself. 

If you cloth diaper, then you are going to need something to store your soiled diapers in. You can use a trash can with a liner or use a hanging wetbag. I chose to use hanging wetbags. I also purchased some solution to spray on them so they won't stink while hanging in the babes room. You will also need a smaller wetbag for the diaper bag.

A dying rack is helpful but not a necessity. You will have to hang a lot of your diapers to dry as the dryer may damage them (depending on which ones you use). Not to mention, putting your diapers in the sun will help eliminate any stains that may accumulate.

Using cloth diaper friendly products will help your diapers hold up over time and will reduce your need to strip them frequently. Stripping removes the stains, oils, odors, and/or minerals that build up over time. Using a safe detergents and baby bottom creams are important for maintaining the integrity of your diapers. I have made the decision to use Allens Naturally Detergent for laundering and Coconut oil for Claire's bum.

You can see what my stash includes here. I also plan on using cloth wipes. They sell "cloth wipes" but they are over priced wash cloths in my opinion. Plus, they don't seem to have very good reviews, especially for the price. I'm going to purchase some wash cloths and use them along with a squirt bottle with water in it. Once again, they make a special cleansing spray, but it's really not necessary to purchase it. I purchased a special wetbag for on the go. All you need to do is moisten some wash cloths before you go, throw them in the wetbag and you're set!

Want to read more? Here are some informative websites.
http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php
http://www.diaperdecisions.com/pages/cost_of_cloth_diapers.php
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/benefits-cloth-diapers-2459.html

Also, check out this series of youtube videos. They helped me understand the difference between all the types of diapers.

I purchase all of my cloth goodies from either Kelly's Closet, or Cottonbabies.

Have questions? Let me know! I'd be happy to help :)

Preparing Prefold Cloth Diapers

I took advantage of the beautiful weather today and prepped my prefold cloth diapers. As I mentioned before, I initially didn't consider using prefolds as they seemed like too much work. However, I did some research and became a little more enlightened on the prefold pros and cons.
Yeah, they aren't quite as convenient as an all-in-one or pocket diaper, but they a lot easier than I imagined and way too inexpensive to not give them a try. I bought 20 prefolds at $1.50 a pop. So for 30 bucks (plus the cost of the Snappis and covers) I got 20 super absorbent diapers. Granted, I haven't used them on a human but the prefold paired with the cover are much slimmer than a fitted and cover.
I put them on my stuffed animal dog.
Don't laugh.
I have to practice somehow!!

Here are the steps to prepping a prefold diaper:

1. Boil water in as large of a pot as you have- the bigger the pot, the more diapers you can fit in it (duh!).

I used 2 because it takes even less time. I had a huge pot and a godzilla pot. Needless to say, it only took me 1 round to do my diapers.

2. Take your prefolds and put them in the boiling water.

3. Let them 'cook' for anywhere from 20-30 minutes. The longer you boil them the better. (I did mine for 25 minutes.)

Okay seriously people, I felt like Charlie Bucket's mom (from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)! I was standing over 2 huge pots of steaming cloth diapers stirring them with a huge wooden spoon. All I could think about was the part of the movie when Charlie is depressed and feeling bad and his mommma sings "Cheer Up Charlie". If you don't know what I'm talking about. Get yourself out from up that rock... haha just kidding.

Anyhow, back to 'how to prep your prefold diapers'

4. When times up take each one out using tongs and be careful! Those bad boys are H.O.T hot! I used a laundry basket lined with a couple of towels.

5. Wash in hot water (I didn't use any detergent because I don't have any that is cloth diaper-friendly).

6. Dry on high heat.

7. They now look like this

If I had a baby to put these on I would be good to go!
One more thing checked off my list.

Cloth Daiper Stash is Filled!

Today I submitted my last and final orders for my cloth diapering needs. The absolute only thing that I may have to purchase down the road are inserts/doublers and maybe some liners once baby starts having solid poop.

I already got these items in my order last week:
12 Kissaluv Size 0
13 Newborn Bumgenius
18 OS Bumgenius 4.0
1 Itti Bitti Tuttu

I submitted 3 orders today in efforts to take advantage of as much free items as possible!

At Kelly's Closet I ordered the following:
2 Hanging Planet Wise Wetbags (for the nursery)
5 Thirsties Diaper Covers
3 Snappi's
2 Free OS Diapers

Then at Cottonbabies I got the following:
20 Indian Prefold diapers
5 Hemp Baby Doublers (I will own a total of 6)
2 Small Bummis Wetbags (for the diaper bag)
2 Bottles of Bumgenius Odor Remover
1 Free Swaddle blanket
(I already received 1 free swaddle blanket from my first order and it was an
Aden and Anais blanket... I am very impressed!)

Once again, I have my wonderful Grandpa H (actually Matt's grandpa) to thank for purchasing our baby's entire cloth diaper supply.

So cloth diapering mommas, what do you think? Am I set or do you see something I'm missing?

10 WEEKS :)

how far along? 10 weeks
baby’s size: about the size of a kumquat.
weight gain: I lost another 6 pounds in 4 weeks (I think total- 15 pounds).
maternity clothes? Yes, however, the size I have are still a little big. Big is better than being too tight.
stretch marks? Nope, too early
sleep? I have good nights and bad nights.
best moment this week? Ordering most of my cloth diaper stash, thanks to Great Grandpa H!
food cravings: Pizza Hut deep dish pizza. It was my first official craving. Damn it tasted good! Thanks hubby for being such a sport!
gender: Too early.
belly button in or out? In
movement? Too early.
what I miss? Being able to move my bowels.
what I'm looking forward to: Hearing the baby’s heartbeat next month
weekly wisdom: I cannot think of anything… lame I know.

I went to my monthly appointment this week fully anticipating that we would get to listen for the baby's heartbeat. I wasn't just conjuring these ideas in my mind- it's what the receptionist told me to expect for my appointment when I called the day before. She also mentioned that if they couldn't hear the heartbeat then they would do an ultrasound. I was looking forward to seeing/hearing my precious little baby, and gaining a little bit of confidence that he/she is still tucked healthily inside me. Boy was I disappointed.

I didn't get to do either of those things.

It's not that I'm not happy about the appointment, because I'm so incredibly thankful that it was a good visit. However, I think it's safe to say that most first time moms experience a little bit of nervousness and anxiety in the beginning because we've never been through this before.

It doesn't help since the bleeding escapade that occurred at the beginning of my pregnancy. Because of that experience, miscarriage is always in the back of my mind. Needless to say, I am a prayer machine!

I am very much looking forward to next month's appointment when we will finally get to hear our baby's heartbeat.

In more exciting news, Great Grandpa H has gernerously purchase about 95% of my cloth diaper stash. After MUCH research I decided to purchase the following diapers:
12 Kissaluv Size 0
12 Newborn Bumgenius
18 OS Bumgenius 4.0 (I got a steal on these! Buy 2 get 1 free)

Plus the other two my mother-in-law has already purchased (1 NB Bumgenius and 1 OS Itti Bitti)

I still need to invest in the following:
Wetbags
4 Thirsties Covers
hemp doublers/inserts

If any of you cloth diapering mamma's want to chime in on any must needed items, please feel free to give me suggestions! They're always appreciated!

Have a wonderful week!