A few months ago, Weehuggers entered into a new phase of their business. Not only were they releasing a brand new design but they were also joining up with one of the big names in cloth diapers: Blueberry Diapers.

I had the opportunity to try out the new weehuggers™ covers – H/L with bamboo insert.  There are many things to love about Weehuggers:

• Gussets. One of my favorite features on any diaper. No matter how big the poopy, it gets held in the diaper.
• 2 sizes. This is a feature we first saw with Thirsties Duo Wraps. I really like it. 2 sizes allows you to have that adjustability for months (in some situations a size 2 could almost be a one-size) and yet not have your little baby swimming in a cover that can fit a toddler.  The size 1 option fits from 6-18lbs. Size 2 from 15-35lbs.
• Versatility. The Weehuggers covers allow you to choose between a bamboo insert, prefold or disposable insert to lay in for absorption or you could use a fitted underneath.  I have used the bamboo inserts and they are very soft and one is adequate for day time use.  The bamboo insert is very trim which is good and bad.  Good because it’s trim   Bad because sometimes the thinner the insert the easier it is for it to shift around.  Often the insert was bunched in the crotch area when I would change Sterling.
• Cute velcro tabs. I chose the velcro because of the hands. They’re cute. I find it to be strong but the con comes when you have a skinny kid.  When you close the hands close together as the child moves around the wings move down and the waist top starts to roll in.  This can cause the top of the velcro strip to rub against the belly.  I imagine this wouldn’t be a problem if your baby is a) not moving much and b) has a belly to hold the waist top in place.

Overall, the 2nd generation Weehuggers is a great improvement over the 1st generation.  The obvious changes include going from a quick dry AIO to a cover and the outer fabric change from bamboo to polyester (PUL) solids/cotton knit prints.

I wanted to get the scoop from Lisa Versaci about her partnership with Blueberry diapers (Margarita).

When I was just starting weehuggers I called everyone I could in the cloth diaper business – anyone who would answer an email or take a phone call from little ole me. And… I have to say… not very many folks (read: none!) shared their insights and gave any real advice to me. Margarita, on the other hand, was extremely forthcoming with helpful information and she even offered to share her sourcing contacts! At the time, that was unheard of. Literally everyone I “interviewed” was very guarded about their “proprietary” textiles and sewing contractors.
Several months later, I actually ended up sharing my bamboo fabric source with her even before we entered the partnership together. I don’t have any qualms about divulging these things. We’re all in this together – right? If there’s one thing Margarita taught me, it’s that “there’s more than enough cloth diaper business to go around”. The most important thing is to make a good product that will help families cloth diaper more easily… furthermore, we’re ONLY in this business to make cloth diapering more fun and appealing and to possibly inspire disposable users to try cloth – even based on the cuteness factor alone.

Once weehuggers was established (about a year and a half later), and I had the patent approved, she was the very first person I called. I asked her if she would be interested in licensing the hugging hands or even going into business together. She was intrigued and we continued our talks via email and iChats. I’ve never met her in person – isn’t that amazing? We entered into an equal partnership and I couldn’t be happier! She’s an amazing person who really cares about quality and she’s very candid and honest with me; even when I ask dumb questions, she’s been very patient and kind. I’m SO lucky and I feel very blessed to have such a great mentor in this business. She manages to hold down the fort at home with 3 children and stay absolutely on top of everything business-wise. She’s very savvy and a real inspiration to me.

Hello my name is Vilate Thacker.

I am admitting to the world that I am a cloth diaper addict.

There, I said it.  This really isn’t news to those that know me.   I live, eat and dream cloth diapers.   Well, I guess I don’t really eat them.   I do live better though because of all the amazing friends I have made and all the interesting information I have gathered.  I try to be a little more eco-friendly and help my family live healthier.  All this because I decided it would save us a little money to cloth diaper.

When we were poor college students I thought we could save some money if I made some cloth diapers.  I bought some diaper flannel and… ok I admit it… some plastic pants.  YUCK!   My first diapers were some flannel fitteds with velcro.  Oh the lamenting . . . I know so much better now.  A few years later I met a gal that had some pocket diapers.  They had snaps and a waterproof layer in them!  How awesome is that?  Then she told me how much they cost and I thought . . . wow… maybe I can make them too.  So I did.  I spent the money I would have spent on the diapers and I bought some of the fabrics and an industrial snap press and made my own diapers.

I really learned a lot from that first set of pocket diapers.  I sewed them all wrong and they leaked around the edges if they were left on too long.  So you can imagine our mornings were always wet with lots of extra laundry.  This was very frustrating!  I knew that this was not the way they should work, so I got on the internet and I did a LOT of research.  I spent hours and hours asking questions and reading articles.  I think my Hubs was getting worried.  In all my research though,  I stumbled upon wool covers.  This was a great solution to our leaky nights.  Oh how, I love wool!  With the discovery of wool covers I found that there were better fabrics out there too.  I found organic fabrics like hemp and bamboo.  I took the time to learn the qualities of these fabrics so I could know how best to use them.  Now I could have an amazing absorbent fitted cloth diaper and a natural breathable cover.  I was overjoyed!  My new cloth diapers I made worked great!  I couldn’t believe how good they were.

After all this work and effort I already had the supplies so I decided to make some cloth diapers and sell them. They worked great for my last four kids maybe other people would want a nice diaper too. I started selling my cloth diapers on etsy and eventually I was getting enough business I felt I could justify a website.  I played around with a name and decided on Nifty Nappy Cloth Diapers, because these diapers are just so “nifty”.  It has just grown from there.  I now have some active retailers and I am adding more all the time.  My Nifty Nappy fitted and Woolie Wrap combo is touted as a great night-time solution for the heavy wetter.  I also make a pretty mean PeachyKeen Pocket diaper and the most adorable SnappySwimzEaze, which is a reusable swim diaper.

So you ask, “What do I like most about what I do?”.  I love the interaction I have with other mothers.  I love that I can help them determine what is best for their families and live a greener lifestyle.  If you think I can help you please feel free to ask any questions.  I love to talk fluff and I would love to help you get started.

Having a diaper that fits and is trim but also breathes and is cute is asking a lot, right?

I didn’t think so!  I knew it could be done if I had the right materials and knowledge.  I have spent many hours on line researching cloth diapers, along with years of testing different patterns and fabrics out on my own 6 kids.  I finally found the right fabrics and with all the knowledge I had acquired, I started on a diaper.  The pattern of the diaper isn’t too difficult right?  Well, shape does matter, how soon you curve around the leg can make or break a diaper.  Then there is making it fit from newborn to potty training. I succeeded in that too!  I made the perfect cloth diaper…at least I think it is.

Qualities of the Nifty Nappy:

• Front snapping for a longer fit
• Trim fit – looks natural under clothes
• Organic Hemp and Bamboo for absorbency
• Cute fabrics for your baby’s bum

There are a few other items that are good enough to join the Nifty Nappy in our shop:

Bitty Bums – These are adorable little newborn cloth diapers.  They are a mini version of our Nifty Nappy fitted.

Heavy Doody Diaper – This is the same pattern as our fitted diaper only more bulked up!  It is a great heavy wetter cloth diaper.

Wool Covers - Upcycled wool covers from wool sweaters handpicked from thrift stores, these are practically bullet proof.

PeachyKeen Pocket diapers - These are made with the PUL qualities in mind so there is no leaking on the edges.

Snappy SwimzEaze - a cute reusable swim diaper that keeps your babies tush comfy while keeping your mind at ease, knowing that everything will stay in the diaper and not in the pool.

You can visit our new website Nifty Nappy Cloth Diapers to get to know my diapers and also to provide information about cloth diapering…all the in’s and out’s!

**CONGRATS, ELISHA & CAROLINE!**

Recently I reviewed the new Tiny Tush hemp fitted and gave it a thumbs up for absorbency and cost.  I stand behind my recommendation but I have found a hemp fitted that works much better on my skinny guy that nurses all night lately .

Pooters cloth diapers is owned by a sweet and super helpful (she answers many questions on my Facebook fan page) mama named Maj.  Maj owns and operates an online and a brick & mortar cloth diaper retail store in Carrollton, TX (not quite opened yet).  I wish she would have been there when I lived in the area!

Maj’s journey into the cloth diaper world was natural, as her and her husband were “greenies” before baby arrived.  Not sure if “greenies” is a word but it’s a compliment.

When their son was born they faced the same issues we all experienced.  A completely foreign world with very incoherent language.  To a newbie what in the world is a fitted, snappi, stay-dry, AI2- all in two, dry/wet pail…and don’t even get started with the confusing abbreviations found on the Diaperswappers FSOT (for sale or trade).

All those terms and abbreviations on top of leaking diapers can lead a new parent straight to disposables.

Anyways, I digress.  Maj knew she could come up with an easy solution for everyone.  A simple solution.

Here is an excerpt from the letter that Maj sent me:

My feature product is the Pooters One Size Organic Hemp Fitted diaper (MSRP $14.00). This diaper is a real workhorse- super absorbent, naturally antibacterial, and when paired with a great fleece or wool cover, makes for a great overnight cloth diapering pairing.

I love a workhorse diaper.  That way I don’t feel a bit sad when it gets stained or excessively used.  I also love an inexpensive diaper.  Yes, Pooters cloth diapers are made in China.  I realize that there are some cloth diaper companies that take very good care of their overseas employees.

My review details

Fabric: I’m not familiar with the names and terms that go with different fabrics. If you say hemp I think that always means the same thing.  Apparently, I’m wrong.  Pooters hemp is a course hemp as opposed to the Tiny Tush Trim which was soft.  I prefer the Pooters.  Reason is, I don’t like too much stretch and I “feel” like it absorbs more.

Fit: Really, this is silly, but I sort of want to cry that FINALLY someone made a snap configuration that is PERFECT for my child.  Can you sense that I’m grinning right now? I am.  If you have a skinny child Pooters will be perfect for you.  If you have a chunky one it’ll probably fit the same   My problem with the Tiny Tush was that I could almost wrap the tabs around Sterling’s waist.  This is great if you need the extra room.

Absorbency: Sterling has been nursing C.O.N.S.T.A.N.T.L.Y. lately. In case I wasn’t clear, I’m an open-all-night milk bar, sort of against my selfish will. We all know that the more you drink the more you pee.  A doubled up Flip works fine but is super bulky.  Pooters is trim (like most hemp diapers) and yet absorbs a ton.

I will be totally honest with you, right after (like literally) I posted my review on Tiny Tush Sterling started nursing all night.  After a night of this the Tiny Tush was over-saturated and consequently soaked the Thirsties cover.

I haven’t had this happen with Pooters yet…I say yet because you just never know what great feat my son will tackle tonight

It’s worth noting that I only washed the Pooters hemp one time before using it.

Cost: $12. Heck, I spend more than that on my family at Starbucks. Which is pathetic, I know.  At $12 it’s worth the gamble, and you know nighttime cloth diapering is just that- a gamble.

To help spread the word about Pooters cloth diapers, Maj has offered to give 1 away to you! But, that’s not all *must say in the proper commercial voice* I am giving one away to you also!

I will randomly select a name on Friday (4/16/10).  Here are the ways you can enter: **separate comments**

1) Become a fan of Pooters cloth diapers on Facebook

2) Head on over to Pootersdiapers.com and tell me your favorite brand she is currently carrying…

3) Tell me what she needs to carry!

4) Link to All About Cloth Diapers on a forum or discussion board. http://www.allaboutclothdiapers.com

Congratulations, Sonja B! You were selected as the winner via random.org.

Raise your hand if you’re ever satisfied with your nighttime cloth diaper routine?

Mine’s not raised.  Trust me I loved the Sustainablebabyish bamboo fitteds but one day I just up and decided to sell them all.  I’m strange like that.

It wasn’t until the night after I shipped them off that I realized I had put myself into a desperate situation.  I don’t know about you but I have to really trust a diaper before I’ll use it at night.  I mean, do I really want to change a diaper in the middle of the night or worse my sheets??

No.

So when I received the new Tiny Tush Trim 4.0 hemp fitted I was nervous.  There’s no sweat using it during the day.  The worst that happens is a change of clothes.  I put it to an extreme daytime test, however.

Hold that thought. Let me tell you a little bit about the Tiny Tush Trim 4.0 hemp fitted first.

• Extremely adjustable.  The Tiny Tush trim fitted is designed to be used from the newborn stage (without the snap in liner), to the crawler stage and on to toddler-hood.  The snap in liner can also be used inside a newborn cover as a diaper. No doubt that with Sterling this will be a true one-size. Plenty of room to grow and it fits in the waist. An annoyance that comes with one-sized diapers and tiny waists.
• Very soft organic cotton/hemp fabric.  100% hemp would be stiff and scratchy.  The addition of 20% organic cotton to the blend results in a squishy soft (not bamboo soft but cozy sweatshirt soft) and stretchy fabric.
• Super trim. The Tiny Tush trim fitted lives up to it’s name.  Even with the rise snapped down and the snap-in folded in the front, the diaper is t.r.i.m.  This is the beauty of hemp.You need less layers to get the job done.
• Absorbent. As expected with hemp, the absorbency is excellent.  Hemp is a naturally anti-bacterial, super absorbent fiber that is grown free of pesticides and fertilizers.  This site has some great information on hemp.
• Hidden snaps. Beautiful.
• Workhorse. Pretty cloth diapers are great but everyone needs a diaper that you could literally put through a ringer 100x and it still functions.  Hemp is the fabric for that.  Durability is a great thing for a one-sized diaper. I know a few one-sized brands that unfortunately break down well before the child outgrows them.
• AFFORDABLE!! I just noticed that my friend LeAnn of Gigglebritches is selling the Tiny Tush Trim 4.0 for an introductory price of $16.15!!!! (Half dozen for $93.90!) Guys, that is an amazing price for a one-sized cloth diaper.
• Made in the USA.

Back to my daytime use marathon.  I put the Tiny Tush trim fitted on Sterling late morning.  He took a nap, woke up during lunch preparation, after lunch we had to quickly leave the house while Daddy hosted a webinar, played at the park–oh, oops forgot to change his diaper– came home, griped at encouraged the kids to clean up their playroom and finally realized that I had not changed his diaper in a long time (long like this sentence).

I remember feeling his diaper periodically thinking that it didn’t “feel” wet.  Obviously, this is a tactic I learned from sposie days because this trick doesn’t work with a cloth diaper. Duh.

Anyways, I finally change his diaper and although very wet there was still room for more wetness.  The very back of the Tiny Tush Trim was dry.  Not bad. If it lasted all day then I trusted it for nighttime.

I have since used it every night that it is clean.  Which is about 2x/week.  Tiny Tush Trim 4.0 hemp cloth diapers will require a few washes to reach full absorption potential.  I began using mine after 1 wash and have seen a steady increase in it’s fluffiness.

These are fitted diapers so they do require a cover.  I have used So Simple, Thirsties and Flip over the Tiny Tush Trim 4.0.  Because of the uber-trimness any cover will most likely work.  You can even tuck in the “ruffles” if they happen to overhang the cover.

In celebration of the March 1st release of the new Tiny Tush Trim 4.0 hemp, Charlene (Tiny Tush creator) has offered to giveaway 1 to one of you!

Entry is simple…Just follow the rules…you can do it…SEPARATE COMMENTS.

1. What is your current nighttime diaper?
2. Hop on over to Twitter and follow Tiny Tush. www.twitter.com/tinytush
3. Become a fan of Tiny Tush on Facebook (and if you win post a picture when you receive it!)
4. Place my banner on your blog or link to me on your favorite forum (cloth diaper or other).

I will randomly select a winner on Monday March 15, 2010 and will post it at the bottom of my next blog post.  Winner will be contacted via email.  God bless!

Finding a nighttime solution that works for your baby can be extremely stressful.  No parent wants to change a diaper in the middle of the night and the last thing any parent wants to do is change sheets!

Whether your child is a light-wetter or super-soaker it doesn’t matter; 12 hours or more in one cloth diaper is a long time.

I’ve compiled a list of successful nighttime cloth diaper combinations for you.  You may have to experiment once or twice but most on this list will work great for any child.

1. Double stuffed Fuzzi Bunz pocket. Flip inserts are excellent.
2. Sbish Bamboo fitted (the Magic diaper) w/ Thirsties cover or Sbish wool (*our #1 system)
3. Flip w/ 2 inserts
4. Rumparooz w/ 6r insert + Goodmama goodfront doubler (I’ve used it w/ and w/o the doubler) This works great for baby’s sleeping in any position.
5. A Goodmama Goodnights diaper with fleece liner and a SMJAE hemp doubler inside and a Happy Heinys large insert on the outside of it. Then, I put it all in a bulletproof Disana wool soaker.  This recommendation came from a mom who’s daughter is an extreme wetter and does a lot of acrobatics in bed at night.
6. Happy Hempys for night time (fleece lined) stuffed with 1 or 2 Thirsties hemp inserts and a Thirsties cover
7. Under the nile fitted and a UTN doubler with a Thirsties cover or Motherease airflow cover
8. Clover Organic velour fitted with the insert that comes with it and a t bone doubler from them with a Lana wool soaker
9. Bububebe fitted with Aristocrat wool soaker (I’ve seen huge raves for this combo!)
10. Holden’s Landing Bedbug fitteds with a Stacinator So Simple cover (I’ve seen mixed reviews on these covers)
11. “I use VBBN from blue lake diapers and get the extra soakers but have them made quick dry style. I use a stacinator so simple cover over it and have never had a leak.”
12. Goodmama with two Zorb/bamboo doublers and a fleece soaker

Here are some sleeping position tips:

Tummy sleepers: pack the front, especially if you have a boy. All doublers should be folded and placed in the very front/top of the diaper. Don’t use pockets. They tend to leak more w/ tummy sleepers.  A nice tight fitted with a wool cover or Thirsties has always worked for us.  Paisley was a tummy sleeper and always the back was dry and front was soaked.  I love bamboo doubler because they can be folded up and not add a ton of bulk.

Side sleepers/marathon nursers : If I’ve had a leak it’s because I didn’t get a nice tight fit at the legs and most likely didn’t pay attention to the placement of his parts.  I like the security of longies and anything with gussets (Rumparooz, Thirsties) Over stuffing a pocket can create a problem as well.  The pee can come out faster than the fabric can absorb and leak right out the leg.

What about covers and breathability?

Wool breathes best.  Heat built up from the urine and tight fit can pass through the pores of the wool.  Motherease airflow covers also allow heat to flow out.  PUL covers allow air flow less than the natural wool fibers will.  Avoid plastic pants! The heat is trapped and in addition to being uncomfortable for your child can also cause rashes.

There is a nighttime solution for your child.

If you get frustrated don’t resort to disposables! From what I hear if your child pees through one of these combos you’re sure to have leaks in a disposable.  I’ve always been more afraid to use a sposie at night, I trust my cloth diapers more.

There’s no doubt that you have a hundred other nighttime solutions.  Be sure and let us all know your success combo in the comments!

Check out the links at the top right of my blog for shopping resources. Other suggestions include:

Kelly’s Closet

Banana Peels Diapers

The Stork Wearhouse

Cloth Diaper Superstore

Jillian’s Drawers

Hyena Cart

2009, has seen the release of many new cloth diaper designs.  But how many of them broke into the top 10 best sellers?

Topping my favorite stores of 2009 is Banana Peels Diapers, owned by Heather Lent.  Besides the great layout and super color scheme (which I am nerdy enough to care about), Heather carries an amazing amount of inventory.  Every time I do a post with product recommendations Banana Peels is where I look first.

Heather began cloth diapering 4.5 years ago with her daughter Liana.  Since then she has had a son cloth diapered from the get-go and is currently pregnant with #3. She revealed to me that she started her newborn stash before she was even pregnant…*gasp* I would never do that!   Anyone else wonder where the name Banana Peels came from? Banana is Liana’s nickname and she wanted a store name that was “different and original, so Banana Peels seemed to fit the bill.”

I asked Heather if she would send me a list of her top 10 sellers of 2009.  Sure I could tell you my favorites, but you’ve heard them a million times already!  It’s not a surprise though to see most of these on the list…and of course my favorites are there (I’ve added some comments in parenthesis)

My #1 seller is the prefold, good ole basic workhorse prefold.

#2 the ever popular bumGenius 3.0, the gateway diaper, the diaper that starts off many mama’s addiction to cloth diapers – and dads too.

#3 bumGenius Organic AIO – I was so excited when this diaper was released. I had been on the hunt for a snap AIO with natural fibers for quite a while and this diaper fit the bill perfectly. Trim and great fitting, one size – can’t ask for more! (I completely agree with Heather. That’s why it’s my favorite.)

#4 Gro Baby – My son potty learned earlier this year and this was the last diaper I got to “test” on him. The Gro Baby is the absolute only diaper I allowed in my stash with a velcro/aplix closure. Love it, easy to use and organic.

#5 Rumparooz – (I love this diaper! The “poop scoop” makes this diaper the most innovating in the industry, in my opinion.  I can’t wait to use the Lil’ Joey in the future.)

#6 Goodmama – My husband is not allowed to touch the goodmamas! He never seems to snap them right and no matter how many times I remind him – they need a cover! There have been many times a pair of “regular” pants have made their way over a coverless GM – hmmm wonder why the pants are wet sweetie?? (MINE TOO!)

#7 Fuzzi Bunz – tried and true favorite. I still have my original Fuzzi Bunz from 4.5 years ago.

#8 Sbish Magic Diaper – a nighttime diaper that truly lives up to it’s name! Absolutely perfect w/ sbish wool. (This is our nighttime diaper. Never a leak–even after 14 hours)

#9 SmartiPants Economical, no unstuffing, sturdy snaps.

#10 Flip – Last but not least, introduced late in the year. Sure to be at the top of the list next year. (My favorite right there next to the bum genius organic aio.)

Out of the top 10 sellers 4 of them were release in 2009!  And sorta technically you could say 5 of them because Sbish Magic Diaper was released to retailers Jan.6th (Erin had them available on her site prior to this).  That is awesome!

Congratulations to Gro Baby, Rumparooz G2, Sustainablebabyish, SmartiPants, and Flip (Cottonbabies)!

Simple. That’s all we need.  Cloth diapering is complicated all too often.

In this video, Leigh shows us how to cloth diaper with prefolds, PUL covers and a snappi.  I love her video editing! Makes for an enjoyable 7 minutes of learning.  There are many great products Leigh spotlights and I have provided Amazon links for them below the video.

Product links:

Thirsties Duo Wrap

Snappi Cloth Diaper Fasteners (3 Snappis)

Thirsties Diaper Cover

bumGenius Natural Flannel Baby Wipes – Pack of 12

Mommy’s Touch Wet Bag

Prefolds: Green Mountain Diapers, Banana Peels Diapers, Cute Caboose, Diaper Diasy

I remember how overwhelming it was when I first began cloth diapering. There were so many choices (and SO many more now!) and I had no idea where to start.

The one thing I did know was disposable diapers are gross and I needed something else. I refused to compromise my child’s health any more (the gel crystals all over his private areas was the stick that broke the camel’s back!).

I want to help you get off to a smooth start. But, plan for bumps in the road. No one cloth diaper will work for all babies. No one laundry detergent will work for all households. However, as long as you stick to your convictions (why you began looking into cloth diapers) then you’ll ensure success in the long run.

You may have noticed that there are different kinds of cloth diapers. Some need a cover, others need inserts and then there are those that need nothing added to them. The following is a condensed explanation of the different cloth diaper systems. (Click => How to Make Cloth Diapers for links on how to make many different types of cloth diapers.)

ALL IN ONES/ALL IN TWOS (AIO/AI2)

An AIO is generally viewed as a diaper that needs nothing else and is very similar to a disposable. The soaker is either sewn internally or externally (referred to as a quick dry soaker) and can close with snaps or Velcro (Velcro is a trademark but there are two other similar products: aplix (softer, long life, doesn’t roll in like touchtape can) or touchtape (stronger stick and available in a variety of colors) ).

An AIO does not require a cover. An AIO with an internal soaker will have a longer drying time because the air cannot circulate around the hidden material.

An external soaker, referred to as a Quick Dry (QD) soaker, allows for air to circulate around the soaker when drying, therefore quicker dry time. The addition of a pocket to an AIO makes it a Stuffable AIO.

An AI2 has a snap in or lay in soaker . The name All in Two arose from the ability to get two uses out of each diaper. When your child pees, theoretically you can remove the soaker and replace it with another if the shell did not get wet. AI2s also have a much faster drying time because the soaker is external.

POCKETS

A pocket diaper usually does not require a cover. The exception would be a fitted that has a pocket. A pocket can be made with a PUL (polyurethane laminate) or fleece outer.

The outer can also be any material backed or lined in PUL. Minky is lusciously soft and many makers offer this fabric for their pocket diapers.

The inner material choices for a pocket include: microfleece, suedecloth, velour, athletic wicking material, minky, cotton or bamboo. Different materials will feel different on the baby when wet. Of the fabrics listed above, microfleece, suedecloth and athletic wicking material are considered “stay dry”. This means baby feels dry after a pee.

A pocket diaper is 2 layers of material sewn together on 3 sides leaving an opening for you to insert the amount of absorbent material you desire. The insert can range from a very trim microfiber towel to a bulkier infant prefold. Another popular insert material is hemp. Hemp is a natural fiber that is antimicrobial and extremely absorbent as well. Infant prefolds do double duty as an insert as well. Simply trifold the prefold and stuff the pocket. For added absorbency wrap the prefold around one of the above inserts.

FITTEDS

A fitted diaper is a diaper that contains no waterproof layer therefore requires a cover. Fitted diapers are the easiest to make on your own because they can be made from any material you have laying around your house.

Fitted diapers can be made from cotton, hemp, fleece, velour, bamboo, knits, various types of terry cloth, kitchen towels, old t-shirts, sweatshirts and many other scrap fabrics you may have laying around. Fitteds are kind of like quiche…toss in any leftovers and out comes a great product!

Without a cover the pee will soak through and get you or the furniture wet. If you are just hanging out at the house for the day a cover isn’t necessary. Just make sure to consistently change the diaper before a leak occurs.

You will undoubtedly stumble upon fitted cloth diapers and ask yourself the same question everyone asks at one time or another, “why are fitteds so expensive and cute when you just have to cover them up?” Many factors go into the answer but just think of it like a good wine or expensive pair of shoes…you often get what you pay for.

PREFOLDS

Prefolds are an absolute staple that every mother should have in her basket. They are amazingly durable and versatile. A prefold diaper is a rectangular piece of cloth divided into 3 sections. The outside layers contain 4 layers of fabric and the middle contains either 6 or 8 layers. The middle layer is the absorbent layer. You will see the prefolds described as 4x8x4 or 4x6x4. This describes the number of layers in the sections. It does not always mean the 4x8x4 are more absorbent. It is the weight of the fabric that indicates absorbency.

You will find some variations to the number of layers especially if you are purchasing specialized prefolds made with bamboo or velour. In some cases there may be 2 layers of bamboo with an extra layer of hemp in the middle.

Bamboo is a highly absorbent material, therefore needing fewer layers than cotton prefolds. This allows for a trimmer fit as well. It comes down to what you want to pay and how soft a fabric you desire.

Prefolds generally come in three sizes-

• Preemie (4-10pounds),
• Infant (newborn to 15 pounds) &
• Premium/Toddler (15-30 pounds).

There are different types of prefolds out there and many abbreviations for them.

• DSQ simply means that it is Diaper Service Quality versus the type of diaper you would find in your discount store. They are more absorbent than the Gerber brand and are the type that you would pay money for from a diaper service company.

• CPF stands for Chinese Prefold
• Another option for prefolds are Indian Prefolds. Indian prefolds are said to be softer than the CPF and are made of gauze rather than twill.

• There is also the choice of bleached or unbleached. Bleached prefolds are not whitened with bleach but rather with peroxide. Unbleached are in a natural cream colored state. Unbleached do require extra prep time to remove the natural oils in the fibers.

Prefolds can be pinned or snappied on your baby or you can fold it in 3 (trifold) and lay it in a cover. If you choose to use a different system prefolds can still be used as pocket stuffers or doublers. They are an investment worth making.

In upcoming posts I will explain different covers and how to wash your cloth diapers. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. When you read posts always read the comments. There is a wealth of information found in the comments!

Winner chosen: Congratulations, Jennifer B!

Almost a month ago I received a very well dressed set of cloth diapers in the mail.  What do I mean by well-dressed?  The cloth diapers came wrapped in tissue paper and tied up with string and a nice note alongside.  It means so much when a wahm goes the extra step.

Little Bear Bums cloth diapers are prefolds repurposed into a snapless prefitted. They also contain a soaker similar to the bum genius organic in look.

If you aren’t familiar with the term prefitted, it is a prefold with elastic added at the legs to create more of a “fitted” fit.  Little Bear Bums can be fastened with a snappi or pins.  I wasn’t able to use the gorgeously dyed LBB cloth diapers for almost 2 weeks because I had donated my snappi!

Sterling 7months in Little Bear Bums

When I finally got a snappi in from Leslie (Cloth Diaper Superstore) I started using the Little Bear Bums diapers.  The first time to use them I was not able to get a snug fit for a few reasons: 1) Sterling is skinny 2) I never use prefolds or a snappi 3) I probably got the wrong size.

However, once I went to use the set for the second time I got a much better fit!  I folded down the back and the front then snappied to get a tight fit.

The absorbency was a bit more than just a prefold because of the added soaker.  But don’t expect to leave your baby in it for hours at a time.  Promptly changing your baby’s diaper after they pee will prevent any leaks.

The main benefit to me for using Little Bear Bums cloth diapers is the trimness.  I use an sbish wool soaker as a cover and with pants on it is like Sterling is wearing underwear.

Little Bear Bums cloth diapers are an EXCELLENT choice for your baby and your wallet.  They are affordable ($8 or $9), simple, cute, trim, and are almost one sized.  I have a size 2 and it could easily fit a baby 6months – potty training.

One of my favorite parts of running this blog is getting to know the moms behind the diapers.  I have spoken with Addie via email and she sent me this bio about Little Bear Bums diapers:

My sister-in-law, Amy, and I started using cloth diapers at about the same time.  And we both had started with Prefolds/Covers.  Over the first few months, I decided to try a few pocket diapers and fitteds, but wasn’t very happy.  I wanted a simple laundry routine where I didn’t have to treat some things differently than others, but I wanted an economical solution.

I liked that the prefolds were cotton but I had a VERY chunky-legged daughter and could never quite get the prefolds to fit right around her thighs and it wasn’t unusual (even with different folding techniques) to have poop leak out around her legs.

So, I started brainstorming about how I could turn my prefolds into an economical, durable, WORKING solution. I cut and sewed a few of my diapers, showed Amy, and she decided to make some changes to my design and make some herself.  Over time, and MANY changes the Little Bear Bum diaper evolved.  After using them ourselves for a while, we thought maybe other people would like to try them out too!

We also make cloth wipes and “Mama Cloth”.  We’ve recently had a lot of locals say that they wish we carried all the things they would need to cloth diaper (which we don’t yet) but we’ve recently joined up with a local soap/bath product maker and she’s created some wipe solution cubes and a cloth-diaper-safe diaper rash balm.

As for US, we’re sisters-in-law, married to 2 brothers.  I, Addie, have 1 daughter, Hailey who’s 17 months old.  Amy has 3 children, a 4 year old boy, a 2 year old girl and baby girl who’ll be 1 in a week.

Addie and Amy are living the cloth diaper journey.  They saw a “problem” and created a solution.  If you can get me to like prefolds you know you’ve done something right!

Little Bear Bums would love to bless one reader with a set of 3 diapers.  Submit one comment for each entry requirement.

• Become a fan of Little Bear Bums on Facebook
• Tell Addie and Amy what you’d like to see them carry
• Tell me the secret on how to get more sleep…hehehe

We just got back from our family camping trip to Garner State Park (TX), our first camping trip in our new camper.  Despite the many “speed bumps” (forgetting many necessary items, dog being sprayed by skunk, weenies rolling off into fire, evil gnats, winds that rocked camper, sleepless nights, rain) we all keep asking…

Can I please go back?! Please

When packing our clothes for the trip I didn’t think twice about grabbing the cloth diapers.  Of course, I should have thought twice about how many I needed.  I think I took enough to cloth diaper 4 children!

Along with cloth diapers, you’ll also need a rockin’ wet bag to hold in ALL odors and moisture and it must look good.  I received my Leslie’s Boutique wet bag just in time for the trip.  If you didn’t win one from the recent giveaway, I highly recommend you get one before you’re next trip!

You’ll see in the video the two cloth diaper brands I use almost exclusively: Sustainablebabysish bamboo fitted and Bum Genius AIO Organics.

Using cloth diapers on this trip was extremely easy.  The key is having a system that works  before you go.  If you’re having leak issues or stink problems already, they will only be multiplied when you travel.  Sleeping in a small space tends to show all our weak areas

Oh and sadly we did not have S’mores.  I just couldn’t bring myself to buy marshmallows and graham crackers!  But, we did eat chocolate