You know what you need to get started CDing, but now you have to decide what you want to do with all of those poop catchers after they come off your baby's precious bottom. There are a couple of ways of handling this, so let's go over them as I have done both and can def offer some insight on the topic!
One option is to wet pail. Wet pailing simply means that you store the dirty dipe in a container filled with water. Some people wash the diaper off first, but that's not always necessary - especially if its BF poop. When you are ready to wash, the diapers have already been "pre-soaked" so to say. Here are a couple of caveats to know about wet pailing, however, as it often gets a bad rap. Many people say wet pailing can help get rid of stains, but in my experience and in many of my friends who have tried it, if it helps remove stains it's minimal at best. It is also said that this method is dangerous for the home as a child can drown in it, but honestly who has an open bucket with dirty diapers sitting around any more? I mean, I am sure this was a more serious problem a few decades ago, but with the invention of plastic tubs by the almighty Rubbermaid Gods who wouldn't put a lid on it? I've also heard that keeping diapers soaking in water for an extended amount of time can be harmful to the elastic and cause it to break down. I have no idea if this is true or not, but it seems plausible. Still others say that wet pailing is no bueno because of the bacterial growth that can occur and ultimately make your diapers super stinky. Again, I don't know about this first-hand, but it seems reasonable.
When I did wet pail, I used a 5 gallon plastic Rubbermaid container (with a lockable lid) and filled it half way with water and added vinegar and baking soda to help contain the smell. After the bucket was full, I dumped my diapers into my washing machine and started the process all over again. Some people pour the water down the drain and just throw the soaking dipes into the wash, but some others, like a good friend of mine, dumps the whole kit-and-caboodle into the washing machine and turns it on the spin cycle to filter the poop water out. What I didn't like about this method was that 1) it uses a lot of unnecessary water and 2) you're toting poop water all over your house to take it from say your bathroom to your laundry room...that's a lot of space to have droplets of poop water all over your floor people...not to mention how heavy it was! After spilling poop water on myself one time, I decided it was time to look into alternative options and promptly decided to try out dry pailing.
With the second option being the dry pail system, you take the diaper off your kiddo and toss it into your wet bag or hamper. When it's time to do laundry, you dump those diapers into your washing machine and let it work its magic! Seriously,...that's it...easy right!?!?! This was a much better option for me since it was WAY easier and so low key...exactly what I needed after my mom went home, and I was left alone to take care of my newborn by myself. If your kiddo is eating solid foods though, you'll want to spray off the poop, wring it out, and then put the soaking diaper into the wet bag/hamper. Even though your diaper is technically wet, this is still considered dry pailing just to clarify. One complaint about the dry pail method is that your house may stink of baby poop. I use a tall kitchen garbage can with a pop lid to help contain any smell that may occur and add some baking soda to the bag just for good measure because I figured it can't hurt, right?
So, I admit that the inner science fair nerd in me did take over and I felt the need to experiment with different approaches to taking care of those dirty dipes before they went into the wash. Truth be told after experimenting with both the wet pail and the dry pail method, I didn't see much of a difference in stains and the thought of lugging that poop water around my house was just too much to take in so I decided to stick with the dry pail way. I personally LOVE dry pailing and couldn't even consider going back to the wet pail method, but that's what works for me. What works for you?
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Cloth Diapering 101 - Part 2: The Basics...What you really need to get started!
Ok so now that I've piqued your interest in the fabulous world of fluff, let's talk about what you really need. There are tons of suggestions out there as to how many and what type, but there are a few things you'll need to decide regardless of what route you take. First, do you want to cloth diaper (CD) full-time or part-time? How often do you want to wash? At what stage do you want to start CDing? Do you want to use cloth wipes or disposable? Do you want to use the same diapers as your kiddo grows? How many kids are you trying to CD? There's a lot to think about I know, but these answers will def help you decide what you'll need from day 1 and what you may want to buy later. So take your time and think about it....thinking....still thinking...
...ok, ready? Let's go!
Generally speaking, it is recommended to have 24 diapers to CD full-time. That's for one child washing about every 1 1/2 - 2 days. That being said, we all know not every rule can apply to everyone, so below are some of my thoughts on how many, how often, what type, etc... Reader beware, you're about to enter my brain...it can be a chaotic place so consider yourself warned! :)
Newborn Cloth Diapering:
If you want to start from day 1, you're going to need a rather large stash as you change those bad boys constantly...seriously, I went through 18 diapers a day the first few weeks, but my LO has always been a pooping and peeing machine! What you really need to consider for CDing a NB is how much money do you want to invest. NB diapers are smaller (generally go to about 10-15 lbs.) and sometimes have a groove to accommodate the umbilical cord. Considering how fast they can put on weight in the beginning and that the cord falls off pretty quickly you may not want to invest a lot of money, especially if you plan to only diaper one child. However, if you plan to use your NB stash on multiple children then you may want to spend more. I also want to note that NB diapers have a pretty good resale value since they are used for such a short time and have little wear so that may be something to think about too as you make your purchases and have the need to splurge a little :) . If you want to try a more economical route, I'd try flats or prefolds with covers. If you want to go with the easiest option, I'd try AIO...granted they are more expensive. If you're looking for absorbancy, I'd rock a fitted or a pocket. You just need to weigh the options and decide what type is best for you! Now, on to the number...again, that depends on how often you want to wash. The thought of washing every other day after having a C-section and trying to balance life with a NB honestly sounds miserable to me. For me, the golden number of 24 wouldn't cut it. I'd have a minimum of 36. If you're doing something that requires a cover, I'd have 6-8 on hand. We personally used disposables for about the first month, and if we had to do it all over again I'd totally start CDing from day 1. I was too scared to be honest! But now, I'm a fluff warrior so bring it on!
In regards to caring for the dirty dipes, you'll need something to store them in. I used a plastic clothes hamper and just threw them in at the end of each changing for storage. I tried both wet pailing and dry pailing and had equal results, so I ultimately stuck with dry pailing since it was WAY easier! If you BF, the poop is water soluble so you don't even need to spray or wash them off...to me BF poop was glorious. That's right, I found this poop to be GLORIOUS! I swear, it didn't even smell! So that's really it for NB CDing...several dipes and a place to store them in. See, I said CDing was easy!
Infant Cloth Diapering:
Now it starts getting a little trickier as you transition out of the NB phase and begin to enter the exciting world of solid foods which means your glorious BF poop is now becoming peanut butter. Gooey, thick, sticky, smelly peanut butter...now you know why I found BF poop to be heavenly. Given that the consistency has changed, you'll have to switch up your routine.
As babies grow, they poop less frequently so by the time my LO was 4 months, I'd go through about 8 diapers a day. BIG difference from the 18 we started out with! I was able to space out my washing to every 4-5 days at this point which was super nice since I had a pretty decent sized stash to start with. But we also had to start spraying the dipes and storing them differently since they were wet. Once your baby starts solid foods, you'll want a sprayer - trust me on this one people! Some people do the dunk and swish or they wash them in the sink, but I have found the sprayer to be the easiest and most effective option to getting that poop off. Not to mention that my FIL accidentally flushed a diaper down the toilet one time so I have a fear of doing the dunk and swish method. I don't think anyone wants to deal with that kind of mess, YIKES! Along with a sprayer, you may also want to consider some sort of device that will shield poop water from spraying all over the floor and you, because I mean, really...who wants wet poopy socks? I'm not saying you need a bio-hazard suit, but it can splash and get kind of messy sometimes. There are a couple of good options out there to purchase like the Spray Pal or the Potty Pail, but you could also buy a super cheap trash can and cut the bottom out of it. None-the-less, you'll want to seriously consider a shielding device even though it's not totally necessary. Another option for cleaning this type of poop is a liner. They have lots of different types of flushable, biodegradable liners out there that you simply peel off and flush down the toilet. (Review of liners to follow!) We don't use liners, but a lot of people swear by them so it may be worth looking into if that's something that interests you. Since you're now having to spray your diapers, they are really wet and tossing them in a plastic clothes hamper was no longer an option for us. You'll want to invest in a wet bag or a diaper pail liner. Since diaper pail liners are larger, we personally went this direction and put one in a tall kitchen garbage can and kept it in the bathroom by the toilet. We do have a small wet bag for our diaper bag too when we are out and about.
So in review, you don't need a lot to cloth diaper. All you'll really need at the begining is a number of cloth diapers (the more you'll need the younger they are) and a place to store them when they're dirty. After you start solid foods (i.e. - cereals and purees), you'll want to invest in a sprayer, a shielding device, and a place that is for waterproof storage.
...ok, ready? Let's go!
Generally speaking, it is recommended to have 24 diapers to CD full-time. That's for one child washing about every 1 1/2 - 2 days. That being said, we all know not every rule can apply to everyone, so below are some of my thoughts on how many, how often, what type, etc... Reader beware, you're about to enter my brain...it can be a chaotic place so consider yourself warned! :)
Newborn Cloth Diapering:
If you want to start from day 1, you're going to need a rather large stash as you change those bad boys constantly...seriously, I went through 18 diapers a day the first few weeks, but my LO has always been a pooping and peeing machine! What you really need to consider for CDing a NB is how much money do you want to invest. NB diapers are smaller (generally go to about 10-15 lbs.) and sometimes have a groove to accommodate the umbilical cord. Considering how fast they can put on weight in the beginning and that the cord falls off pretty quickly you may not want to invest a lot of money, especially if you plan to only diaper one child. However, if you plan to use your NB stash on multiple children then you may want to spend more. I also want to note that NB diapers have a pretty good resale value since they are used for such a short time and have little wear so that may be something to think about too as you make your purchases and have the need to splurge a little :) . If you want to try a more economical route, I'd try flats or prefolds with covers. If you want to go with the easiest option, I'd try AIO...granted they are more expensive. If you're looking for absorbancy, I'd rock a fitted or a pocket. You just need to weigh the options and decide what type is best for you! Now, on to the number...again, that depends on how often you want to wash. The thought of washing every other day after having a C-section and trying to balance life with a NB honestly sounds miserable to me. For me, the golden number of 24 wouldn't cut it. I'd have a minimum of 36. If you're doing something that requires a cover, I'd have 6-8 on hand. We personally used disposables for about the first month, and if we had to do it all over again I'd totally start CDing from day 1. I was too scared to be honest! But now, I'm a fluff warrior so bring it on!
In regards to caring for the dirty dipes, you'll need something to store them in. I used a plastic clothes hamper and just threw them in at the end of each changing for storage. I tried both wet pailing and dry pailing and had equal results, so I ultimately stuck with dry pailing since it was WAY easier! If you BF, the poop is water soluble so you don't even need to spray or wash them off...to me BF poop was glorious. That's right, I found this poop to be GLORIOUS! I swear, it didn't even smell! So that's really it for NB CDing...several dipes and a place to store them in. See, I said CDing was easy!
Infant Cloth Diapering:
Now it starts getting a little trickier as you transition out of the NB phase and begin to enter the exciting world of solid foods which means your glorious BF poop is now becoming peanut butter. Gooey, thick, sticky, smelly peanut butter...now you know why I found BF poop to be heavenly. Given that the consistency has changed, you'll have to switch up your routine.
As babies grow, they poop less frequently so by the time my LO was 4 months, I'd go through about 8 diapers a day. BIG difference from the 18 we started out with! I was able to space out my washing to every 4-5 days at this point which was super nice since I had a pretty decent sized stash to start with. But we also had to start spraying the dipes and storing them differently since they were wet. Once your baby starts solid foods, you'll want a sprayer - trust me on this one people! Some people do the dunk and swish or they wash them in the sink, but I have found the sprayer to be the easiest and most effective option to getting that poop off. Not to mention that my FIL accidentally flushed a diaper down the toilet one time so I have a fear of doing the dunk and swish method. I don't think anyone wants to deal with that kind of mess, YIKES! Along with a sprayer, you may also want to consider some sort of device that will shield poop water from spraying all over the floor and you, because I mean, really...who wants wet poopy socks? I'm not saying you need a bio-hazard suit, but it can splash and get kind of messy sometimes. There are a couple of good options out there to purchase like the Spray Pal or the Potty Pail, but you could also buy a super cheap trash can and cut the bottom out of it. None-the-less, you'll want to seriously consider a shielding device even though it's not totally necessary. Another option for cleaning this type of poop is a liner. They have lots of different types of flushable, biodegradable liners out there that you simply peel off and flush down the toilet. (Review of liners to follow!) We don't use liners, but a lot of people swear by them so it may be worth looking into if that's something that interests you. Since you're now having to spray your diapers, they are really wet and tossing them in a plastic clothes hamper was no longer an option for us. You'll want to invest in a wet bag or a diaper pail liner. Since diaper pail liners are larger, we personally went this direction and put one in a tall kitchen garbage can and kept it in the bathroom by the toilet. We do have a small wet bag for our diaper bag too when we are out and about.
So in review, you don't need a lot to cloth diaper. All you'll really need at the begining is a number of cloth diapers (the more you'll need the younger they are) and a place to store them when they're dirty. After you start solid foods (i.e. - cereals and purees), you'll want to invest in a sprayer, a shielding device, and a place that is for waterproof storage.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Cloth Diapering 101 - Part 1: The Terminology and Lingo...Say What???
Hello. My name is Victoria, and I admit to being a bit of an environmental freak....I can't help it, I've always been this way. I hate being wasteful and can't stand when people purposely don't recycle. It drives me INSANE! The thought of all of that garbage just piling up somewhere....ugh, can't stand it. So it wasn't surprising to my family and friends that when I found out I was pregnant I wanted to cloth diaper. It just made sense....no landfills were going to be filled by my kids poop! And although I had several naysayers who doubted that I would stick with it (ahem, my DH being one!), I couldn't wait to get started. Luckily, I had a couple of friends who cloth diapered too so I felt great about having my little fluffy bum support group to turn to when in need and promptly started my cloth diapering journey.
People cloth diaper for several reasons - perhaps their child has sensitive skin or they simply don't want the chemicals from disposables on their baby's rump. But it seems that folks mainly choose to CD for environmental and/or economic purposes. Yes, it definitely can be much cheaper if you stick with the basics, and you definitely can save even more money if you reuse your stash on more than one kid. This was the selling point to my DH, so if your other half is skeptical use this tactic....it SO works! As I said, for me it was the unnecessary garbage that would accrue overtime. Whatever your reason, go for it....you won't regret it!
First thing's first....you MUST learn the lingo! As you do your research to find out what type you want to use and what brand you'll like, you will come across a plethora of terms and acronyms that you have never heard of before. This was SUPER confusing and frustrating to me since I didn't know what half of these things looked like since it was all new to me, so hopefully the short list below will help you out.
Diaper types:
Flats - This is super old school...like biblical times old school. This is basically one big square piece of fabric that is about the size of a receiving blanket. This get folded and forms a diaper which must be held by a fastener and requires a cover.
Prefolds - This is a rectangular sewn fabric that has 3 panels of which the middle one is thicker. A prefold is old school too, but think more 1950's. It resembles a burp cloth and like a flat, it is held by a fastener and requires a cover.
Covers - These go on the outside of a fabric diaper (flat, prefold, fitted, contour, etc) and are used to keep the yuck in and off you! They are often made of some sort of fabric - mainly wool, plastic, TPU, or PUL. Covers are reused several times before washing as they don't become soiled every time generally speaking.
Soakers - A wool cover that often resembles underwear.
Longies - A wool cover that are pants
Pockets - Type of diaper that has a cloth cover (generally PUL) and a liner (generally fleece or suede cloth) sewn together where an opening (generally front or back) exists for an absorbent insert to get stuffed into a "pocket", hence the namesake.
All-in-Ones (AIO) - This is most like a disposable diaper...it is all one piece (liner, cover, and insert are all sewn together) and goes on and off like a disposable. Definitely the easiest route as it doesn't require thinking of any sort which is nice when you're a middle of the night walking zombie.
All-in-Twos (AI2) - Just as it states, it has two parts - cover and inserts. Generally the inserts snap onto the cover when used and then can be replaced by a different insert when soiled all the while using the same cover.
Hybrids - Like with anything called a hybrid, it's a cross between two things...in this case, it's a cross between the cloth diapering world and the disposable diapering world. It's a cloth cover with a disposable insert. You can also use a cloth insert if you so desire.
Fitted - These are made up of layers of thick fabric and require a cover but do not always require a fastener as some brands use snaps as closures. These are super absorbent and are often used as nighttime diapers. They typically have elastic waist and legs.
Contours - These are like fitted diapers, but they are generally thinner, have a more contoured shape, and do not have elasticized waists and legs.
Swim Diapers - Self explanatory...you use them for swimming and keep poop out of the water.
Training Pants - These are for older kids as they transition to the potty training phase. They resemble underwear.
Other associated terminology:
Hook and Loop/Aplix - Cloth diapering world's fancy version of saying Velcro
Inserts - These are the absorbent components of the diaper and are made up of a variety of fabric choices to include: Charcoal Bamboo Insert (CBI), Bamboo, Hemp, Microfiber (MF), or Flour Sack Towels (FST).
Wet bag - Smaller bags used to store a few dirty diapers (usually when you are out and about) and typically have a zipper closure. They are also generally made of PUL.
Pail liners - Larger bags used to store several dirty diapers (usually when you're at home since they hold more) and have a drawstring toggle closure. These can be used to line a garbage pail or hang from a door.
Fasteners - Used to keep the cloth diaper on the baby. Types include: Snappis, Boingo, and the old school never fail Diaper Pins.
Liners - These can be disposable or fabric (generally fleece or some other soft fabric). These lay on top of the diaper and act as a protective barrier between the baby's bum and the diaper itself. There are several reasons to use a liner...to easily remove poop, to prevent staining from changes in diet or medication, or even to prevent a rash cream from getting on to the diaper fabric.
Booster - This is an extra piece of fabric that is used along with the insert for added absorbency. Sometimes the can be stuffed along with the insert if using a pocket diaper or they can be placed on top if using an AIO, AI2, fitted, etc.
Polyurethane laminate (PUL) - Fabric often used for diapering as one side is cloth and the reverse is laminated to create a waterproof diaper.
Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) - Fabric that is similar to PUL, but instead of chemically laminating it, it uses a heating process to laminate the fabric.
People cloth diaper for several reasons - perhaps their child has sensitive skin or they simply don't want the chemicals from disposables on their baby's rump. But it seems that folks mainly choose to CD for environmental and/or economic purposes. Yes, it definitely can be much cheaper if you stick with the basics, and you definitely can save even more money if you reuse your stash on more than one kid. This was the selling point to my DH, so if your other half is skeptical use this tactic....it SO works! As I said, for me it was the unnecessary garbage that would accrue overtime. Whatever your reason, go for it....you won't regret it!
First thing's first....you MUST learn the lingo! As you do your research to find out what type you want to use and what brand you'll like, you will come across a plethora of terms and acronyms that you have never heard of before. This was SUPER confusing and frustrating to me since I didn't know what half of these things looked like since it was all new to me, so hopefully the short list below will help you out.
Diaper types:
Flats - This is super old school...like biblical times old school. This is basically one big square piece of fabric that is about the size of a receiving blanket. This get folded and forms a diaper which must be held by a fastener and requires a cover.
Prefolds - This is a rectangular sewn fabric that has 3 panels of which the middle one is thicker. A prefold is old school too, but think more 1950's. It resembles a burp cloth and like a flat, it is held by a fastener and requires a cover.
Covers - These go on the outside of a fabric diaper (flat, prefold, fitted, contour, etc) and are used to keep the yuck in and off you! They are often made of some sort of fabric - mainly wool, plastic, TPU, or PUL. Covers are reused several times before washing as they don't become soiled every time generally speaking.
Soakers - A wool cover that often resembles underwear.
Longies - A wool cover that are pants
Pockets - Type of diaper that has a cloth cover (generally PUL) and a liner (generally fleece or suede cloth) sewn together where an opening (generally front or back) exists for an absorbent insert to get stuffed into a "pocket", hence the namesake.
All-in-Ones (AIO) - This is most like a disposable diaper...it is all one piece (liner, cover, and insert are all sewn together) and goes on and off like a disposable. Definitely the easiest route as it doesn't require thinking of any sort which is nice when you're a middle of the night walking zombie.
All-in-Twos (AI2) - Just as it states, it has two parts - cover and inserts. Generally the inserts snap onto the cover when used and then can be replaced by a different insert when soiled all the while using the same cover.
Hybrids - Like with anything called a hybrid, it's a cross between two things...in this case, it's a cross between the cloth diapering world and the disposable diapering world. It's a cloth cover with a disposable insert. You can also use a cloth insert if you so desire.
Fitted - These are made up of layers of thick fabric and require a cover but do not always require a fastener as some brands use snaps as closures. These are super absorbent and are often used as nighttime diapers. They typically have elastic waist and legs.
Contours - These are like fitted diapers, but they are generally thinner, have a more contoured shape, and do not have elasticized waists and legs.
Swim Diapers - Self explanatory...you use them for swimming and keep poop out of the water.
Training Pants - These are for older kids as they transition to the potty training phase. They resemble underwear.
Other associated terminology:
Hook and Loop/Aplix - Cloth diapering world's fancy version of saying Velcro
Inserts - These are the absorbent components of the diaper and are made up of a variety of fabric choices to include: Charcoal Bamboo Insert (CBI), Bamboo, Hemp, Microfiber (MF), or Flour Sack Towels (FST).
Wet bag - Smaller bags used to store a few dirty diapers (usually when you are out and about) and typically have a zipper closure. They are also generally made of PUL.
Pail liners - Larger bags used to store several dirty diapers (usually when you're at home since they hold more) and have a drawstring toggle closure. These can be used to line a garbage pail or hang from a door.
Fasteners - Used to keep the cloth diaper on the baby. Types include: Snappis, Boingo, and the old school never fail Diaper Pins.
Liners - These can be disposable or fabric (generally fleece or some other soft fabric). These lay on top of the diaper and act as a protective barrier between the baby's bum and the diaper itself. There are several reasons to use a liner...to easily remove poop, to prevent staining from changes in diet or medication, or even to prevent a rash cream from getting on to the diaper fabric.
Booster - This is an extra piece of fabric that is used along with the insert for added absorbency. Sometimes the can be stuffed along with the insert if using a pocket diaper or they can be placed on top if using an AIO, AI2, fitted, etc.
Polyurethane laminate (PUL) - Fabric often used for diapering as one side is cloth and the reverse is laminated to create a waterproof diaper.
Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) - Fabric that is similar to PUL, but instead of chemically laminating it, it uses a heating process to laminate the fabric.
Diaper Service Quality (DSQ) - High quality prefolds and flats
Sized - Refers to diapers that fit a specific size baby by weight therefore providing a trim, precise fit. If you go this route, you will need to purchase a different set of diapers as your child grows.
One Size - Refers to diapers that can grow with your baby and uses either an elastic adjustment system or a series of snaps that change the rise size to create a fit that is appropriate for your child.
Hopefully you find this helpful as you begin to research the cloth diapering world. Comment below if I've forgotten one! Look forward to other posts to include further information about cloth diapering basics and reviews!
Sized - Refers to diapers that fit a specific size baby by weight therefore providing a trim, precise fit. If you go this route, you will need to purchase a different set of diapers as your child grows.
One Size - Refers to diapers that can grow with your baby and uses either an elastic adjustment system or a series of snaps that change the rise size to create a fit that is appropriate for your child.
Hopefully you find this helpful as you begin to research the cloth diapering world. Comment below if I've forgotten one! Look forward to other posts to include further information about cloth diapering basics and reviews!
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