Lessons Learned: Cloth Diapering Tips

OK, so I've been doing cloth diapering for almost 3 mos now!! I wasn't really sure that I would make it that long. Being so lazy and all ;) It's really not that bad.

I started out with a bunch of prefolds that I had been given during various pregnancies for use as burp cloths. I had to purchase 2 packs of rubber pants (one for each little one). At that point in the game I didn't know anything about PUL or wool or fleece covers. I was in a big hurry to just jump in there and go for it - see how it went before I got all addicted to diaper sewing ;)

Tip #1: you have to wash and dry the prefolds about 5 times before they really become as absorbent as they need to be.

Tip #2: Don't bother with those really thin prefolds. Unless you want to use them as doublers. They are useless on their own, even at maximum absorbency.

Tip #3: Rubber pants suck. I bought a size up for each child, and still they were too tight in the legs and cut in :( And they also tend to make it all hot in there - not breathable at all. Not good. And they make a horrible swishy noise ;)

Tip #3: If you plan on making your own diapers, do as much research as possible BEFORE you go out and start purchasing materials.

Tip #4: If you are thinking about cloth diapering because of budgeting, check out this website here which tells you how to do it with stuff you have at home or for $30 or less! Wish I would have happened upon this site before I went and bought a bunch of stuff!

Tip #5: Wool soakers (covers) kick ass. And fleece comes in a close second.

Tip #6: If you are only going to be purchasing diapers (not sewing your own) buy from work at home moms on Etsy. They are probably just as good as the name brand ones that you can buy for twice the price. I couldn't believe how much the name brand diapers cost!!!

Tip #7: Even if you have done little (to no) sewing in the past, sewing diapers and such is relatively easy! I knew very little about sewing before I made the plunge.

Tips for those who are thinking about making your own:

Tip #8: Recycled wool sweaters!!! You can find tons of patterns online for using recycled sweaters for "longies," regular soakers, bum sweaters, and wraps! (And if you knit or crochet there are tons of great free patterns out there).

Tip #9: You must use 100% polyester thread.

Tip #10: If you want to go the PUL route - either buy prints (even more expensive than plain) or buy polyester printed fabric to use outside the PUL. Don't go buying a bunch of cute cotton flannel with the intention of using that outside the PUL ;) You'll end up with leaky diapers. Though I've seen some say that they worked fine for them, I'm just not willing to risk wasting the money I spent on PUL. I made one with cotton flannel on the outside and it did wick out the legs. But of course I used it on my heavy wetter...

Tip #11: Fleece pocket diapers are awesome. The fleece on the inside keeps baby's butt dry!! It's almost weird. The mistakes I made with my fleece pocket diapers: chose the thinner fancier printed fleece for the outer layer - which was not as water resistant as the plain thicker inner layer... so have to use them either as covers or inside out... The other thing is that you should use velcro or snaps for closures, as it's very frustrating to get diaper pins through 4 or more layers of fleece (the snappis work on some, but not all)!!

Tip #12: All pocket diapers are pretty awesome. And if you're looking to save money, make these awesome one size Rita's Rump pocket diapers!! The best things about the pocket diapers is the stuff-ability for overnights and the drying time (seriously, an all in one [aio] or fitted diaper with the soaker all sewn into the diaper takes FOREVER to dry!!).

Tip #13: there are tons of patterns out there - some for free and some that you have to pay for. This lady here has posted a tutorial on how to make your own fitted diaper pattern! I have 2 suggestions: 1 - though she likes to have her crotch area 5", it's a little too thin - especially if you're making a pocket diaper and will be stuffing it. 6" is about standard and seems to work the best for me and mine. 2 - if you are going to be using the diaper for overnight and stuffing the heck out of it add an inch to the waist. I made it with my daughter's exact waist measurement, and when I stuff the heck out of it for night time use it's at the boundaries of not being able to velcro it closed ;)

Tip #14: There are tons of diaper sewing tutorials online! So once you find or design your pattern go browse through some tutorials!


Additional info on using fleece:
Fleece comes in all different weights and types...some more water resistant than others. The cheap Wal-Mart fleece works great. The "anti-pill" fleece from Jo-Anne's is too thin, so you will need to double it (maybe just in the "wet zone"). The "ultra cuddle" fleece from Jo-Anne's works great. The most water-resistant fleece is Malden Mills, but it's kind of pricey - so I am sticking with the cheap Wal-Mart fleece ;) If you're not sure it's probably best to just double it in the wet zone ;)
The other thing to keep in mind with fleece is that it will wick into cotton. Especially if the clothes are too tight. So if you are going too long before changes or baby's britches are tight, may not be the best choice. But I'm pretty hooked on the fleece :) (funny story: last night when I was changing Baby Sister, she had a fleece pocket diaper on - she had soaked through to her cotton pants - but the fleece on the outside and inside both felt dry - but the inner soaker was totally soaked!)

--Another thing to keep in mind is that cloth diapers tend to be bulkier than disposables... so keep that in mind while clothes shopping... I realized that one pretty quick ;) all my boy's pants were a little too small in the booty area ;)

And a word about the laundering... Grrrr. And Ugh!! ;) Not for the nastiness factor - I have that one pretty much under control. I had a rash issue. So I immediately jumped to the conclusion that it had to do with my laundering. I did all kinds of crazy laundry crap - switched detergents a couple of times (btw: do NOT use free & clear detergents - they can cause horrible burn rashes on babies with sensitive skin) did things unimaginable (by that I mean, yes I actually boiled my prefolds in a stew pot on the stove to make sure I had everything out of them!). It turned out to be a food issue!! My daughter hadn't eaten anything new - she'd had strawberries in moderation plenty - but had recently started pigging out on strawberries, which caused a re-occurring awful rash (as can tomatoes)... so before you go switching up your laundry routine, think about food issues and teething issues first... and start out with the simplest laundry routine and make adjustments as necessary. There are TONS of sites out there with TONS of info on cloth diaper washing!

Trading Off the Greens

OK, so I've gone a little green with the cloth diapering... and it's going fairly well. I've had to use disposables on Baby Sister quite a few times because she keeps getting a rash... After doing all sorts of insane things with laundering - of which I will spare you the gory details - we finally figured out it was a reaction to strawberries! She's not allergic, but she just can't have too many otherwise she'll get a horrendous diaper rash... crazy. But glad to have figured it out.
But now... Lazy Baby is all out refusing to nurse except for in the middle of the night. It's been a constant battle to get him to nurse. He's distracted by everything and just doesn't want to sit still. So, what I'm saving in disposable diapers I am now spending on formula :( Wondering how close to 1yr they have to be before starting regular milk... I know Doctors will say not before the day they turn one year... but ugghhhh! It's so typical of my life ;) saving in one area only to be spending more in another...

Tweenie is now a Teenie!!!

I have a teenager in the house folks. 13 was a much anticipated happy, happy milestone for tweenie! Who now I must refer to as Teenie. Or maybe something more clever and telling? Maybe tween-dult. She thinks she is an adult around here. Which is what leads to most of our issues. She tries to take charge of everything around here like she's the parent. And it is driving me completely bonkers!!!

I suppose I have let the situation go on for too long. I'm not that take charge kind of person, so a lot of times I just sit back and let her go and only say something when she goes too far. But it's irritating. And frustrating.

She's been really awful at the dinner table. Constantly nagging Little Man to eat. His dinner eating antics are almost out of control. And the big thing is that she insists on doing the whole nagging thing while the husband and I are sitting right there. The thing is - one day last week she had some event which kept her from eating dinner with the family. Little Man ate like an angel.

Since then, the husband and I have told her that WE are the parents and that it is our job to reprimand him if necessary. And that she's to mind her own business and tend to her own eating at the table.

We've had to remind her every single night. And she has complete attitude about it! But seriously, it's not her business. She's one of the kids!! She needs to understand her place and understand that her authority has limits and boundaries. And that she has NO authority when dad and I are in the room. She usually "watches" the little ones while I make dinner, but even then she takes what little authority she has to the extreme. And I constantly have to watch her watching them! It's insane. I keep talking to her about it, but it seems to do no good.

The really messed up thing was that after we have been working on Teenie for the past week or so on this issue - last night at the dinner table I was busy with Lazy Baby and Baby Sister was smearing her peach juice all over herself and the table - to which my husband looked to Teenie and said something to the effect that she should have been all on top of that!! Which totally goes against everything we've done and told her for the past week! UGH!!

Any suggestions?? Of course I will be saying something to the hus about this...

Crazy Crazy Crazy

Yep. I'm completely off my rocker.

I always take on too much.

I'm teaching a workshop starting this Friday. Do I really have time to prepare myself for it? Kind of. Especially if I give up on the sewing, knitting, crocheting, and hunting stuff down bit for the next couple of days. But I'm all obsessive. Seriously. Once I get something that I want to do in my head it's impossible for me to do anything else.

I've been so completely obsessive about everything related to cloth diapering for the past month. I have diapers on the brain. The washing, the sewing, the notions, the pins, the detergent.... etc... It's bonkers folks.

And wool soakers are the bomb. Seriously. I spent a week obsessively collecting wool sweaters from every thrift store in the area. I put them in bags in the spare room until I actually have time to do something with them. Then the other night, went out at 10pm to shake them out in the yard because I read somewhere that you should do that to shake off any moth larva. Seriously. Obsessed. But couldn't stand the thought of ruining the great finds I made before I can make them into soakers... shorties and longies and skirties and wraps and just plain soakers...

I spent a week going from store to store hunting down Kool-Aid packets to dye yarn. I'm crocheting and knitting soakers from virgin uncolored wool... and I can't just leave them white. There is only one store in the area that sells blue kool-aid packets.

There is only one small store in the area that sells diaper pins.

There is no store anywhere around here that sells diaper pail deodorizer disks. Or wool wash in any form other that Woolite - which you can't use to wash your wool soakers.

I have continually searched for a good laundry detergent... none of the stores in the area carry anything...And I just can't but it online... the shipping costs about as much as the detergent. Apparently you can use any detergent - just a much smaller amount. But of course Baby sister has developed a monstrous rash. Which her "mild" diaper rash from disposables was part of the reason I went for cloth...there is so much conflicting info online! It's crazy.

Obsessive I tell ya. But I suppose there are worse things to be obsessed about.

Busy as a Bee ;)

Just popping in to say I haven't gone anywhere... I'm still around, just busy as heck!

Busy with my new obsession of sewing diapers and such...

Busy with household crap... grrr ;)

Busy with remodeling stuff -- yanking up old carpeting (to reveal beautiful wooden floors!!), having a little roofing done...

It's all chaotic around here!!

And Lazy Baby is doing some more teething... Baby Sister is up to much shenanigans... and unbelievably Little Man has become more needy and demanding. But that's what happens when attention is diverted elsewhere...

And they are all taking turns being the one not going to sleep at night! Grrr ;)

Anyway... and have you noticed - what the heck is up with all the spam comments - especially on older posts?? How annoying!!! Time consuming to go delete them... What's the solution?? Putting the catchpa back on? I hate having to do that. Double Grrr.

Get it Together People!

So I read today that the government is going to issue a warning against baby slings (read the article here). Babies have suffocated in them. Most instructions I've seen have shown the proper way to position baby to avoid that, and have also warned against it. If they don't they should. But also, a parent should know better. I hate all these things that warn against dangers that should be common sense kinds of things!

I suppose what really frustrates me about this whole thing is that I just bought a bunch of fabric and bought extra to make some baby slings to sell. There goes that idea. Everyone will be scared of them now. Bummer. It sucks that a small percentage of the population has to ruin things for others because of their stupidity. I guess I get to keep my fancy fabric ;)

Seriously, have you felt the ultra cuddle fleece??? OMG, I'm in love! I can't quit touching it! I should have bought tons while it was on sale! I got a bunch of fabric 1/2 off and had a coupon code for free shipping! Sadly I concentrated mostly on flannel - for sewing diapers. But after doing more (constant!) research discovered that fleece is great for diapers. And can you imagine that cuddle fleece close to your skin ;)

Anyway, my big point: stupid people suck. Seriously, read the comments on the article - one person slammed baby wraps (which are completely different from slings and offer no suffocation hazard!) because they looked uncomfortable for the baby. I'm sure if that person had a baby that required constant holding, they'd be first in line for a baby sling or wrap.

Why I May Be Seeing a Little Green!

And I'm not talking about "green with envy." And I'm not talking about the special power attributed to green M&Ms. Yes, I'm talking about the "earth friendly" type of green here.

Long story, but I know you will all bear with me. In the end, it is me preparing to sew cloth diapers, training pants and overnighters... I've got some pretty good reasons.

Several weeks ago, a pull up got stuffed in with the dirty clothes. Do you have any idea how absorbent these things are?? It threw my washer out of balance in a serious way. I ran to check the washer and at first there was this unrecognizable huge white thing that looked like a pillow. I didn't remember putting a pillow in the wash... Seriously the thing was the size of a pillow!!! As soon as I touched it, it exploded a bunch of gel beads all over my clothes in the wash. Eewwww. I had to re-wash the clothes a couple of times. I was totally grossed out. They may be that absorbent, but we all know that 2 big boy pees will more likely than not soak through clothes and furniture.

After that happened I started seriously thinking about what the hell is next to my babies' skin. I mean it can't be good. So I started looking up cloth diapering info and patterns and such. Then I mentioned to my husband my plans to sew up some cloth diapers. He asked whether we could afford the disposables. Thinking that we were in some kind of financial trouble. And to be truthful, we both know how lazy I am... so the time investment required for the clean up of cloth diapers is a little beyond what I am usually willing to put in. So he said that as long as we can afford it we should use the disposables. And at first I agreed after looking up some of the washing instructions...because it does seem like quite a bit of work...

So I started really looking for a reason to justify sewing diapers. Mostly because they look like some fun sewing ;) but, also the pull up incident has been in the back of my mind... and the fact that Baby Sister has had a very mild continuous diaper rash for about the past 6 mos. It's not bad at all, just a few dots in her diaper area.

Little Man has been completely potty trained for a quite a few months now, but I still put a pull up on him at night, just in case. And that is a serious waste. Out of 10 days he might wet overnight once or twice. So 80-90% of his pull ups go unused. Sometimes I save them and put them on him a second night, but not usually, it just doesn't seem quite clean...

So, in lieu of all out sewing diapers, I thought I would sew up some overnight pull up types for little man. Then I thought, why stop there? Why not do up some potty training pants for Baby Sister while I'm at it?? And some extra absorbent ones for her overnight.

Then the big chain store that I buy my generic diapers from did something awful. They changed their diapers!! Not only did they make them hoards thinner (like paper!), but they made them smaller. And it took that change for me to realize that a while back they cut the number of diapers in a box by 10!!! I used to get 80 size 5s for 13.97 - then it was 70 for 14.97. At the moment I pay about $100 a month for diapers and pull ups for 3 kids. That's really not bad all told. But if I have to switch to name brand diapers... that's going to impact our budget. I'm guessing that the changes in the diapers will affect our budget too - as I will be going through twice as many diapers...and have to move up a size for both the little ones who are still in diapers, which means less diapers in a box... Grrrr.

So the deal with the diapers pretty much cemented my plans on going cloth.

But seriously...I still have to wonder about the health of disposable diapers. Of course that has weighed into my decision. I spent yesterday thinking about all the possible/prolonged health issues, not only with diapers, but with the combination of products that we are using with our babies... about 4 years ago there was some study that claimed some formulas could impact fertility...the BPA (which can affect fertility) in plastics (bottles, feeding dishes, sippy cups). And god knows what is really in the disposable diapers. I read somewhere an implication about fertility issues with whatever is in the disposables (but don't know how reliable the source was). I totally want grandkids.

Yes, I obsess much. And I'm probably just being completely paranoid and overly dramatic.

Now I just have to convince my husband and myself that I can deal with the mess of cloth diapers :)

And of course I have to get off my lazy ass and sew some! ;)