Cloth Diaper Carnival V - Daddies and Diapers

Cloth Diaper Bloggers and Kim from Dirty Diaper Laundry is hosting her monthly blog carnival and this time the theme is Daddies and diapers. I already participated in Beth from Happily Domestic's Fluff Talk Thursdays with this same topic, so I am going to recycle my post again.

Josh wrote this and I totally appreciate him for it.

So without further ado, my amazing husband's take on cloth diapers:

My wife likes cloth diapering, therefore I like cloth diapering, the same goes for chocolate. Now you would think that I like 'Sleepless in Seattle' by this pattern of thinking, you would be wrong. I like Die Hard and Braveheart. However, I do like cloth diapering partly because my wife likes cloth diapering and partly because it is the best way to diaper.

Not only is cloth diapering wonderfully environmentally friendly, it is easy to do (as long as the wife does the prefolds and I get to use the fitteds - j/k) and it is cost effective. Although I did like to teasingly give my wife a hard time about being addicted to purchasing $30 diapers, I did understand that it will be used over and over and over. That just makes good sense. In fact, if a regular disposable costs $0.25, then a $30 diaper only has to be used 120 times before it has paid for itself and as a bonus has not done anything to hurt the environment. There is certainly a double win there. Already, with just two of the dozen or so children we plan on having most of the $30 diapers have made their money back, just think of having them on 3 or even 10 more children. That's almost like winning the lottery every day. Sometimes there really is even a prize.

There is also a fantastic community around cloth diapers. I know that if there ever comes a time that information is needed on some diaper fact, there are people ready and willing to answer whatever question might arise. If a person needs to buy or sell a diaper(s), there are fantastic people out there that are looking to trade. To date there has not been a single bad experience with exchanging diapers for diapers or diapers for money. Everyone in this community is respectful and looks out for one another which makes cloth diapering truly fantastic on those merits alone.

Blowouts. I have yet to have to change my kids clothes because the cloth diaper failed to hold it all in. I loathed having to change my kids' outfit after they had been wearing a disposable and had an up the back disaster. Bless you cloth diapers, bless you.

If you would like to join in or just read some other blogs in this topic, here is the linky to hop around or sign up!

Drying Cloth Diapers

I did a post awhile ago on washing cloth diapers, but what about drying them? I am so fickle when it comes to line drying. I love to do it when the sun is shining, but if it gets cold my dryer is my best friend!

Here is some info I have gathered about drying cloth dipes! Please feel free to read and then comment if I left something out or if you have a question!

There are only two ways to dry your diapers - hooray for simplicity! Now that you are turning greener with your eco-conscious diapers you are probably toying with the idea of line drying - right?

It really is a good idea to line dry - you get exercise, the sun is a natural stain remover, you can’t beat the smell of wind blown diapers, and it will save electricity. But if you line dry your diapers be prepared for your diapers to feel like 2x4’s when you take them off the line. They also have a tendency to take all day to dry if the weather is just right - so have enough back up diapers to use.

The stiff diaper problem is easily remedied with a few minutes in the dryer on the fluff cycle. Oh, and for really soft diapers, throw in a wool dryer ball (you can buy these online from a work at home mom) or even a tennis ball or 2! Sure it is loud but your diapers sure come out fluffy! On the days that line drying isn’t feasible, use an indoor drying rack. This won’t get them totally dry very fast but you can throw them in the dryer for a few minutes to finish the job - this will still save energy.

These dryer balls above are from Krazy8Cat on Etsy! Aren't they adorable? They also save you 30% drying time! Plus, you can use them for pin cushions, as decorations, kids toys, BONUS!

Other tips and tricks to line drying: Diapers can be very heavy when they are wet, so be prepared for some serious drooping in the middle. You can remedy this by making your clothes line doubled and purchasing a line tightener - or you can purchase some nice clotheslines that are better than my rope-between-two-trees technique. But I love my rope and I am not about to change! If you know the day is not the best for line drying you can pre-dry your diapers on low in the dryer and then hang them outside for the rest of the day-this will also cut down on how crunchy they feel afterwards!

If line drying just isn’t for you, then use your dryer. Actually, it is recommended for you to dry your PUL on high heat once in awhile to keep it sealed. If you are worried about elastic and PUL being worn out faster from repeated high heat dryers, you can put those on an indoor drying rack and dry your fitteds/inserts/whatever else in the dryer. When it comes to drying, do what is right for you. I personally love seeing my diapers on my clothesline and smelling the fresh country air, and seeing the lack of stains on my diapers cause the sun bleaches so well! But I don’t live near the equator and it does get cold/rainy here, so my dryer is very well used and I haven’t had any troubles!

Disclaimer: I didn't receive anything from Krazy8Cat but her dryer balls are so cute I had to put them in here!

Fluff Talk Thursdays - Goin' Shopping!

Thank you Beth @ Happily Domestic for hosting this fluffy Meme!

Where I live, there is only one place to buy cloth diapers - our local baby boutique "Hey Baby!" I love the owner, she is super sweet. She said the demand is so low that she will only carry one brand, and she chose Bum Genius. I love Bum Genius, but I also love fitteds...Goodmamas, Thirsties Fab Fitteds - and I love variety. One brand is not going to cut it with me.

So I buy all my cloth diapers online. Wanna know my favorite shops?

The mama that owns this online shop offers free shipping! This is a very big deal for someone that shops totally online. That means it is actually cheaper to buy from her than to drive to my baby boutique :) She has a wonderful variety of cloth diapers and baby items, including baby leg warmers (aren't those the cutest things ever?)

Purple Hippo....It's the Happybottumus! This is the local cloth diapering/natural mothering store for the Kansas City area. They rock! The owners are super fun and stay on top of the hottest items in natural parenting. They are one of a handful of retailers for Goodmama too (drool!) Since I can't drive to them all the time I am so glad I can support them buy shopping online. And because of me, they are now retailers for Rockin' Green Soap (yeah I know, I totally rock) Oh, and want one more reason I love them - besides totally making cloth diapering hip in KS/MO? They have a calendar of events on their site for local babywearing/La Leche League meetings and they host local cloth diaper swaps!

And finally, were would I be without my favorite cloth diapering resource and online forum for buying/selling/trading cloth diapers? I wouldn't be as in love with cloth diapers as I am today, that is for sure! If you are a mom or a dad, there is a message board on this site for you. And there are boards on here to buy lightly used or even brand new wool for discounted prices. I also love the WAHM listings since I am an avid supporter of a mother staying at home and still earning some money. How many other diaper swappers members are reading this right now? This site totally rocks!

So now you have my top three shops - go spend some money!

Fluff Talk Thursdays - Accessories

Beth@Happily Domestic is hosting Fluff Talk Thursdays! Check our her post for a super list of all the different cloth diapering accessories that are out there. I didn't even know about the Diaper Duck till she posted it.

Me - I have never been an accessories gal. My only jewelry is my wedding ring....I don't carry a purse since my diaper bag can hold my wallet. I only have 10 pairs of shoes (and this includes slippers and flip flops!)

So when it comes to cloth diapering I am no different. I'll post a quick list of the accessories I have tried....but there is only one that I use regularly!

Snappi - This is used to hold a diaper together in the place of pins. I don't like it very much since the little teeth have been known to claw my fingers...I'd rather use pins or just trifold the prefold and lay it in the cover.

Diaper Sprayer - Don't have one. I just dunk the diaper in the toilet and swish. EWWW...I know! But diaper sprayers cost money and frankly if I just wash my hands thoroughly it doesn't matter. (I am looking forward to Beth @ Happily Domestic's upcoming diaper sprayer giveaway! I would love to win one!)

Diaper Pail Deodorizer - For this I just use Baking Soda. I know that Rockin Green has some very yummy scents, but I money is too tight for that right now...(and that stinks! hahaha)

Wetbag - I do use this. I have 2 medium sized ones and 1 small. These are waterproof bags that zip up or sinch up with a pull string and you put your dirty diapers in it while on the go. I love mine! I have a Vihn Thi Designs wetbag and Lesli's Boutique. I love them equally, but I enjoy the handle on the Lesli's boutique cause I can snap it to the outside of my diaper bag!

What about you? Do you use accessories with your cloth diapers? Maybe I forgot one...I probably did. Is there one or two you just love using?

Fluff Talk Thursdays - Josh's View

This week on Fluff Talk Thursdays, Beth at Happily Domestic wants it to be all about the Dads! A dad can write the post (like mine did) or the mama can write a funny story (or 2) about her husband and cloth diapers.

This should be a really funny one and I am so excited to read what others post! It is going on for 2 weeks, so head on over and check it out!

My wife likes cloth diapering, therefore I like cloth diapering, the same goes for chocolate. Now you would think that I like 'Sleepless in Seattle' by this pattern of thinking, you would be wrong. I like Die Hard and Braveheart. However, I do like cloth diapering partly because my wife likes cloth diapering and partly because it is the best way to diaper.

Not only is cloth diapering wonderfully environmentally friendly, it is easy to do (as long as the wife does the prefolds and I get to use the fitteds - j/k) and it is cost effective. Although I did like to teasingly give my wife a hard time about being addicted to purchasing $30 diapers, I did understand that it will be used over and over and over. That just makes good sense. In fact, if a regular disposable costs $0.25, then a $30 diaper only has to be used 120 times before it has paid for itself and as a bonus has not done anything to hurt the environment. There is certainly a double win there. Already, with just two of the dozen or so children we plan on having most of the $30 diapers have made their money back, just think of having them on 3 or even 10 more children. That's almost like winning the lottery every day. Sometimes there really is even a prize.

There is also a fantastic community around cloth diapers. I know that if there ever comes a time that information is needed on some diaper fact, there are people ready and willing to answer whatever question might arise. If a person needs to buy or sell a diaper(s), there are fantastic people out there that are looking to trade. To date there has not been a single bad experience with exchanging diapers for diapers or diapers for money. Everyone in this community is respectful and looks out for one another which makes cloth diapering truly fantastic on those merits alone.

Blowouts. I have yet to have to change my kids clothes because the cloth diaper failed to hold it all in. I loathed having to change my kids' outfit after they had been wearing a disposable and had an up the back disaster. Bless you cloth diapers, bless you.

Thank Heaven for Cloth Diapers

I am so glad we invested in cloth diapers when we had the money, you know, back when the economy didn't totally suck.

It makes me giddy with laughter -ecstatic - that I don't have to worry about how to afford diapers or wipes for my baby.

I can stay home and actually avoid the store for as long as we have food in the house. No emergency runs to Target or Walmart where I go in with a list of 2 things and end up spending $100. (I am why they place things in "marketable" areas of the store)

Seriously - I am thrilled to death with our decision to cloth diaper. It has paid off immensely, and the best part - my husband was thanking me tonight for talking him into it.

"Honey, thank you for spending all that money at the beginning. We sure don't have a dime to spend on a disposable diaper right now." - this coming from the best husband in the world :)

In a time when there is so much stress on us it is a torrential relief to not worry about the needs of my beautiful babies.

Washing Diapers

Dirty Diaper Laundry is having another CLoth Diaper Carnival! This is my first ride on the "carnival" and the topic is washing diapers.

It is a super fun topic cause it is a SUPER FUN past time...

...but that didn't used to be true...there was a time when we had ammonia stink and it was NASTY!

I would take Lizzie's diaper cover off and be nearly knocked on my face by the horrid smell. It was embarrassing. I didn't want anyone else changing her diaper for fear they would look at me and say "so why do you do this cloth diaper thing again? it STINKS!"

The culprit...

I had read that this was the best detergent for cloth diapers - rinses clean, no residue, no baby skin reactions. But only if you don't have hard water.

And we live in the country, no water softener.

So after reading about TIDE (shock and awe) I tried it.

First I had to strip my diapers - in other words super duper clean all the nasties off. I have heard of other ladies using Dawn dishsoap, I used Ivory. It took a BUNCH of rinses but my dipes were super clean!

Now all I have to do is put my diapers in the dry pail then wash them on washing day.

One cold wash no detergent, one extra long hot wash with 2nd rinse and 1 scoop Tide! Then I dry on full power.

But I always pull out the PUL

Drying any covers or pocket dipes on high heat will wear them out faster....so I lay them flat to dry

Simple, fun, no stink!!

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What got me started on Cloth Diapering?

I am joining Happily Domestic and talking about my fluffy experiences! :)

My mother cloth diapered my younger siblings for the year or two that my grandmother paid for the diaper service. I remember learning how to pin the diapers on and pull the plastic pants on the babies at 6 years old. Then, it was sposies from then on out.

The diapers looked something like this:

Fast forward to 2006. Lizzie is 9 months old and my close friend tells me she is cloth diapering her son. She too was using the prefolds with pins and it brought back so many memories. I was like "that is so not for me!"

Then, later my other friend introduced me to DiaperSwappers- an online message board/community for moms to talk about and buy/sell/trade cloth diapers and other parenting things.

My friend Jessica showed me her cloth diapers and I was amazed! They were so much more adorable and easier to use than prefolds. I went online and was instantly hooked.

And this is my stash today!

Actually, this is the pre-baby stash. Now I have a lot more prefolds, Bum Genius pockets and some one size fitteds.

I heart fluff!

Fluff Talk Thursdays

I saw this blog and thought - wow! What a coincidence!

I had been dying to blog about my cloth diapers and it is Thursday - the exact day that Happily Dometic decided to devote to cloth diapering. Woohoo!

So I am blogging one week early. Her Fluff Talk Thursdays start next week...oh well :)

My foray into the world of homemade cloth diapers didn't last long. I kept reading about how to make your own, how fun it was and how much money you could save. So I tried. I even rallied the support of my mother in law and aunt. We spent a couple weeks buying fun fabric and a weekend making fitted diapers for my daughter. They really turned out quite cute!

Here is a photo of Josh's favorite - he is an avid Star Wars fan so I thought of him when I saw this fabric!

But after putting them on Lizzie I noticed I didn't like the lack of absorbancy. I can't work with cotton knit fabrics since I don't have the expertise and had no idea where or how to get a snap press.

Eventually I just bought diapers from Work at Home Moms. I loved the fact that I was helping a mom stay home with her children. And let's face it - their diapers were 10 times nicer than any I would ever make! So after making 6 diapers I gave up the dream and let other moms live it instead :)

Then my mother in law got a serger. I started to make cloth wipes - woohoo! That was fun! Sergers are quite the adrenaline rush :)

Then my mother in law helped me make some prefitteds. I bought some Tinkle Traps prefitteds and thought "I can do this!" So I tried to copy the design - putting elastic in the legs and extending the tabs so they overlap in the middle, thus eliminating the "I can't snappi cause my baby is too chubby" prefold syndrome. These worked alright, but sure didn't stand the test of time like those wonderful Tinkle Traps.

I am simply not a seamstress. I'll just stick to what I am good at - writing and making my kids laugh - and let the talented hardworking WAHMS make the diapers for me!