On Friday, I began this series (When Cloth Diapers Leak Part 1) by discussing 4 causes of cloth diaper leaks.  To remind you, here is the list:

1. Poor fit.
2. Soaker material vs. pee speed incompatibility.
3. Poor construction of the diaper.
4. Heavy Wetter.
5. Over saturation.
6. Compression leaks.
7. Repelling either from rash cream or fabric softener (& occasionally some detergents).
8. Wrong size.
9. Inserts need to be replaced.

Today, I will discuss #5-#9.

Leaks due to over saturation

Every soaker has it’s limits. This isn’t always time dependent. Just because you change a diaper every 2 hours doesn’t mean you won’t have leaks. Sterling loves to go dry for multiple hours then let it all out when I’ve just put him in his car seat. Of course I don’t discover it until we arrive at our destination and he’s soaked along with the car seat.

The best way for me to prevent the scenario above is to make sure the diaper he’s wearing is super absorbent.

Making sure to change your baby often will save you from a wet mess.

Leaks due to compression

Microfiber is known for compression leaks. If your child sits in a car seat and pees, their weight can press the liquid out of the soaker. This is most often seen when using an all-in-one with a sewn in soaker.

Again, making sure baby is wearing an absorbent diaper when in the car seat is a simple fix. You can also buy a piddle pad for the car seat for the unexpected accident.

Leaks due to repelling

Don’t use fabric softener. Yes, there are cloth diaper safe brands but if you want to be extra safe just skip it. Same thing with dryer sheets. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets will coat your machines so it is best not to use them on other laundry as well.

If a slip-up does occur you can strip with Dawn, as you know Dawn breaks down the oils. You will need to rinse like crazy to get all the suds out.

The more common cause of repelling is from diaper rash creams. Here are a few cloth diaper safe rash creams for you to choose from:

• Grandma El’s Diaper Rash Remedy and Prevention

• Earth Mama Angel Baby Angel Baby Bottom Balm

• California Baby Diaper Rash Cream
• Magic Stick
• Northern Essence Diaper Salve and Better Butter Cream

You may also use liners in your cloth diapers when using diaper rash creams for extra protection. Mother-Ease disposable liners are highly recommended.

If you mistakenly use a diaper rash cream that is not safe for cloth diapers, don’t panic! 99% of the time you can fix it.  It will take some heavy duty elbow grease.  In severe cases, moms have had to take each diaper and individually scrub them with a toothbrush and Dawn.  Time consuming. Frustrating. Worth it. You certainly won’t make the same mistake twice though!

Leaks due to wrong size

This one actually goes right along with poor fit. When your baby is too big for a diaper, leaks similar to compression leaks occur. When the diaper is too big for your baby the pee slips right through the spaces.

Wrong size can also apply to the size of the insert in a pocket. Make sure the insert fully fills the inside of the pocket. You don’t want space between the elastic and the insert, because naturally that’s where the pee will go

Leaks due to old, worn out inserts

An insert won’t last forever. Microfiber lasts about a year. Hemp and other natural fiber inserts (like prefolds) after prolonged use will become ratty and thin. Inserts are inexpensive to replace and can make a world of difference to your diapering.

Sometimes the inserts just need to be stripped. An overnight soak in Rockin Green Hard Rock or RLR is a simple solution.

There’s no doubt that you will have fewer leaks with cloth diapers than with disposable diapers. One of my least favorite memories of diapering my 1st child is her DAILY yellow poopy blowouts. Ugh! Most days it was more than once. Not only was it a mess to clean but the clothes were stained.

I was so joyful not having any blowouts with my 3rd and 4th babies, who were cloth diapered from birth.

Although leaks are frustrating, they can be fixed. Like every other problem, it takes time, effort and patience but the solution is always worth it.

Questions and comments always seem to come in groups. One week it’s rashes, the next it’s cloth diapering a newborn.  Recently, I’ve had a string of questions dealing with leaking.

Leaking is no fun- ever. It never fails that your child is dressed for church or a play date in the cutest outfit, then you feel wetness. Isn’t that supposed to be one of the benefits to cloth diapering, no leaking?

Here are the main causes of leaking:

1. Poor fit.
2. Soaker material vs. pee speed incompatibility.
3. Poor construction of the diaper.
4. Heavy Wetter.
5. Over saturation.
6. Compression leaks.
7. Repelling either from rash cream or fabric softener (& occasionally some detergents).
8. Wrong size.
9. Inserts need to be replaced.

Fortunately, all of these can be remedied. Unfortunately, some of them will cost you.

Today I will address the first 4 causes.  Part 2 will follow on Tuesday, August 31st.

Leaks due to poor fit

Every baby, just like every mama, is built different. A shirt that fits me perfectly will probably bunch, gather or sag somewhere on another mom. We’re all slightly different.

It’s no different when it comes to cloth diapers. Some cloth diapers fit better on long, skinny babies, others are better for chunky thighs.

In my experience, side snapping diapers work really well for chunky thighs.  Paisley (our 3rd child) was well endowed in the waist and thighs.  After many diaper brands, I finally found Blueberry side snapping pockets (which they no longer make).  Comparable to the Blueberry side snap would be GADs or Grasshoppers (aio).

Side snapping diapers work well for skinny legs, as well.  Sterling wears Grasshoppers occasionally and I can get a super trim, very snug fit on his long, skinny body.

Cloth diapers that velcro in the front are the most leak prone. Without the added adjustability of 2 rows of snaps (one for the waist, another for the legs) you aren’t able to customize the fit.  Most often the diaper is velcroed to the tightness best suited for the waist.  If the adjustment is loose to accommodate a round belly then the legs are often left with space.

It’s important to ensure that the diaper is snug on all sides.  Gaping in the back will cause the worst of all leaks–blowouts!

Leaks due to soaker material

The incompatibility of soaker material to your child is most often seen when hemp is used.  Hemp is a slow absorber.  One solution is to not use cloth diapers made of hemp.  Another is to combine it with microfiber. If you are using hemp inserts in your pocket diapers, add a microfiber insert on top.  Microfiber absorbs quickly and as it fills it slowly drains down on the hemp.  A great nighttime combination.

Remember, microfiber cannot be placed next to your baby’s skin.  So if you are using a hemp fitted like Baby Beehinds Hemp or BabyKicks you may have to switch systems.

Leaks due to poor construction

This is the most disappointing.  To spend your money on a diaper that is poorly made is like a slap in the face.  Most of the time this occurs when you buy from someone who makes cloth diapers on the very small scale and you are trying to save money.  There have been a couple of times where I’ve questioned how a big brand made it as far as they have.

I love supporting start up WAHMs but I will always be honest with them.  Sometimes a design they had in theory does not translate well into the manufacture.  Reading reviews and asking other cloth diaper parents their opinions is a great way to get a feel for a diaper before you buy.

And never buy an entire stash before you see it and try it. That goes for small or big name brands.

Leaks due to a heavy wetter

Every child is a heavy wetter at some point.  Usually between 3-12 months at night every mom describes their baby as a heavy wetter.  This is normal.  However normal it is though, we all want a dry night.

In December of 2009, I listed several nighttime solutions.  You contributed with some great suggestions in the comments.  Check out Best Cloth Diapers For Nighttime if you are need of help with nighttime cloth diapering.

Nighttime leaks can aren’t isolated to one diaper system.  It can take multiple attempts before you find what works best for you.  The simplest for me is the double layered Flip. It’s not my favorite cover (because it gaps in the legs a little) but the inserts are super absorbent.  I like that I can toss the inserts in the pail without unstuffing. My other go to nighttime solution is a Pooters hemp fitted.

Sterling isn’t a heavy night wetter since he weaned so really I don’t have as much to worry about.

Next post I will go through #5-#9 above.  My hope is that if you are having leaks we can work through it together and cloth diapering will again be a joyful experience for your family.

Ahhhh. Picture me napping on this huge, comfy, all white bed, covered in pillows and not a sound in the room except for the occassional ding of the elevator down the hall.  I did that for 3 whole days!!

This past weekend Michael and I were blessed with the opportunity to travel to Boston (alone) for our 12th anniversary.  I would have taken a nice hotel in Anywhere, America but Michael was asked to speak at a seminar in Boston. As we left, Michael asked me what my favorite part of the trip was, he was surprised by my answer…you won’t be.

My favorite part about Boston? No cooking, no cleaning, no responsibilities at all. All the dessert I wanted, uninterrupted naps and shopping and showering.

Despite all that we still didn’t think the trip was worth it when you consider how much we missed our kids.

Changing Sterling’s diaper this morning was the first one I’ve changed since Thursday night!  Although I missed him like crazy I can’t say I’m looking forward to that next poopy diaper.

Grandma with the help of Haley, I hear, didn’t have any problems with the cloth diapers.  I guess it’s like riding a bike, you never forget how to do it.  Of course, the cloth diapers I use are much more user-friendly than the ones that she used on me 32yrs ago!  If Grandma didn’t have a million and one things on her to-do list I’d have her write about her experience.  Maybe sometime soon.

I also wanted to use this post to update you on a few things:

1) You may notice random strike-throughs throughout the blog.  This is due to broken links that need to be fixed.  Like one commenter pointed out, I am NOT unrecommending Bum Genius Organic AIOs! Just some house cleaning I need to do.

2) Always make sure to check the date of the blog post you are reading. Often times a blog post from 2 years ago has become outdated (like recommendations or what I use).

3) Always read comments.  I know there can be a ton at times but there is a wealth of information in the comments.  I answer every question personally and with much thought.

4) Thank you for faithfully supporting this blog by your readership and through your support of my advertisers.  I am very blessed by our “friendship”.

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.

But they certainly aren’t the only way to diaper your baby.  That’s sort of a no-brainer statement but I wasn’t always so graceful about it.  I once wrote a post about only using cloth diapers that now makes me cringe.  I used poor judgment and turned away readers I’m sure.  Not that what I said was untrue, but it was not written from love.  However, God always has a way of humbling me.

For me the big turn in my “high and mightiness” came with the birth of Sterling.  Before Sterling, I snubbed my nose at births in a hospital.  I had birthed 3 children at home, if I could do it why can’t everyone else. *sigh* How prideful.

Sterling ended up being born in a hospital with the help of the vacuum.  I gave it everything I had but the kid was not coming out.  Pretty much any pride I had over birth choices flew out the window as we drove up the the ER at 5:30 in the morning.

After that, I had friends tell me how they went through the same humbling experiences. One in particular told me how she was a breastfeeding nazi with her first.  She would shoot you down if you dared bottle feed near her.  Then came baby #2.  Despite everything she found to do, she wasn’t producing milk. Talk about eating your words.  Now she’s the one bottle-feeding.  She was just as grateful for that experience as I was with Sterling’s birth. (article that inspired this post)

I’m in no way excusing the parents that make bad choices out of laziness or convenience.  **ETA: Although quite clear to me, I need to explain this statement. Without this statement there are many parents who would see all that I said as a free pass to do whatever they want behind the reasoning “it’s best for me/us”. That is not what I would want people taking away from this post. Just because one wants or has to formula feed doesn’t mean they are innately bad (or lazy! Breastfeeding is much better for that route, or so I always say ). I am simply stating a fact that the choice to formula feed is not as healthy as breastfeeding. I’m not stating an opinion or judging or being mean. In an ideal world we would all accept our decisions for what they are and move on but instead we are so ready to ponce on someone for insinuating that they did something “wrong”. I would have loved for all my readers to read this post knowing that my heart was filled with love as I wrote, not condemnation. I am not hurt that some have chosen to attack me but it does hurt that some saw this as an attack. I pray others who read this post will have a different perspective.**

The same perspective can be applied to diapering your baby.  Yes, cloth diapers are healthier, better for the environment and your budget, but there times when disposables must be chosen.

Recently, I attended a baby shower.  The mother received more packages of disposable diapers than she could possibly use.  When I saw this (honestly, I still cringed) I thought how hard it would be to choose cloth diapers when you have free diapers right here.  I know this mom and I know financially they didn’t need the diapers but what about those that are financially in a bad place?

There are families, many families that couldn’t buy a single prefold without sacrificing a necessity.  Organizations like the Cloth Diaper Foundation do their best to help these families but can’t help them all.  I know these families have to buy diapers of some kind but many places will donate disposables.

As cloth diapering parents we have a choice: we can be snobby about cloth diapers vs. disposables, potentially turning friends and family away because we’ve become so dogmatic about it or we can be loving and educate those around us why we choose to cloth diaper.  People respond so much better when they learn why you do something as opposed to being told that they need to make a change because they’re harming their baby.

Really, how can anyone resist the cuteness of cloth diapers anyways if you present them in a gentle, non-obsessive, non-forceful way?

That’s my public service announcement for the year Every time you are in a situation where you can present cloth diapers (I’ve done it in a public restroom while changing Sterling on a counter!) to others, remember that most have bizarre preconceived ideas.  Education is most effective when presented in a non-offensive way.

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!

What?

Who in the world would get attached to a cloth diaper?!  Not me.

Neeeeeever.

Okay, so maybe one time I had a teeny little obsession but I matured past that.

And now I may have reverted just a little bit. But, it’s not my fault! It’s completely the fault of Goodmama diapers.  I was doing just fine with my very plain stash for Sterling.  Then, I began buying cloth diapers for the new baby.

They’re all cute, don’t get me wrong.  How could a minuscule diaper not be?  But, Goodmama Newborns are beyond delicious.  I’m not exaggerating.  Ask my kids (they won’t stop stealing them!) or my friend Grateful for Grace.

She came over one day to let our dogs out and her eyes beheld the beauties tossed like rags in the lounge chair.  I wouldn’t normally toss them around like rags but they came in the day we left for a weekend conference.  I barely had time to ogle them.

All squishiness and cuteness aside, it doesn’t really matter if they don’t work well, right?  I’ll have to wait 4-5 months to test that out.

Before this episode though there was one other time that I just could not part with a diaper.  It was one of Paisley’s.  It was a terribly UNabsorbent diaper but the print is the most precious I’ve seen. It’s the softest cotton knit with tiny little bunnies on it.  Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever use the diaper again but I kept it for sentimental reasons.

Do you have a diaper that you’ve held on to?  I’m sure not. Only I would suffer from this terrible disease

I said need.

I am often asked this question from moms of children of all ages.  The number will vary depending on the age of your child.

During the newborn stage, regardless if one uses cloth diapers or disposables, babies go through a lot of diapers.  Which is yet another obvious reason why one would choose cloth diapers.

A newborn poops a lot therefore absorbency isn’t as big an issue (except at night).  Since the majority of newborns eat on average every 2 hours, you can count on them pooping during or after the feeding.  This comes out to roughly 12 diaper changes a day.

If you did laundry every day you’d need 18 cloth diapers.  However, that can be cutting it close for most.  I recommend at least 24.  Often I will suggest 20 to readers but the safe side is 24 if you are washing every other day-ish.

During the night you may or may not choose to change your baby. It’s your call and you’ll know what is best for your baby.  For our 1st and 2nd babies I changed them a couple of times at night.  For our 3rd I wanted a cloth diaper that would work all night.  I had a few systems but it wasn’t until our 4th that I found the best.  Sustainablebabyish bamboo fitteds are excellent nighttime diapers even from the very beginning.

Again, your baby might need to be changed every time they pee which would mean a couple (or a few) changes at night.  You have to make that decision.

As your baby grows closer to a year they will poop less (usually) and can go without a nighttime change (usually). 

From 10m to 15m, they may only need 10 diapers a day at most.  If they only use 1 for a 12 hour night stretch then you’d really only need about 8 per day.  Most parents don’t like to cut it that close but if money is tight you can make it work.

When we began cloth diapering in 2005 our funds were very limited.  I bought 2 dozen prefolds and 6 prorap covers for my 15m old son.  I don’t like prefolds but they work well for a newbie who knows nothing else.  These diapers were wonderful.  I soon learned of other diapers and saved up to buy 4 Happy Heiny’s.  These were the bomb! (to a newbie going from prefolds )

I was not interested in using anything but those 4 diapers…so I washed them a LOT. At night I would still use a double prefold/prorap combo.  So you can get by with a very small stash.

When your baby is a full-blown toddler they often poop a couple of times a day (again usually) and diaper changes can stretch to every 3-4 hours. I say this, which is contrary to what is “recommended”, because if I change Sterling every 2 hours I’d find a dry diaper most of the time.  At 16m, I go through maybe 5 diapers a day.

I use Bum Genius Elementals during the day and usually the diaper is wet but not soaked.  To relate this to fluid intake, Sterling drinks about a full sippy cup of goat milk in the morning and throughout the day water as he asks for it or sees it and wants it.  He weaned last month (sniff, sniff).

My friend (Grateful for Grace) had just 13 Rumparooz in her stash for a long time and this was enough for 2 days (her son is 2). She says it was tight sometimes and found 15 to be better.

There is no magic number of cloth diapers you will need in your stash.  It really depends on your baby’s preferences and how often you desire to do laundry.  Some moms wash only once a week, obviously they have a large stash.

I’ve found though that even if you have 40+ diapers (which I’ve had), you really only use your favorite dozen over and over.

Over the past couple of months cloth diapering has undergone some changes in our home.  When I posted about having to buy Huggies when camping I shocked a reader in the comments by saying I didn’t use cloth wipes.  This got me thinking…why don’t I?

When I wrote about not using a diaper sprayer and then proceeded to read about all of your success with one, it got me thinking…why don’t I try one?

When I continued and continued and continued to have ammonia problems despite trying every suggestion I could find, it got me thinking…why don’t I try Tide?

So, I tried them all.  And guess what?

I LOVE THEM ALL! The diaper sprayer is fabulous (installation details in a minute), cloth wipes are amazing!, and ALL the stink is G.O.N.E after one wash with Tide.

bumGenius Diaper Sprayer:

Installation was not a simple 5 minutes for me as many reported.  But, after 20 minutes it was working.  I had some leaking but fixed it easily.  The diaper sprayer has cut down drastically on the wet bag smell and reduced the “debris” I clean from my washer.  It is in my bathroom so it’s not a focus for the children, however they’ve never shown any interest in playing with it anyways.

Oh, and if you read the diaper sprayer post I linked above, I’ve yet to be splashed with poop

Cloth Wipes:

I purchased the Prince Lionheart Warmies Wipes Warmer along with the Prince Lionheart Warmies Reusable Cloth Wipes. I wanted to compare different wipes so I also bought Thirsties Fab Wipes 6 Pack and Punkin Butt Bamboo Velour wipes.  My favorite so far are the Warmies.  They’re soft, but not too soft, and easy to maneuver. RagaBabe wipes. Warmies began falling apart shortly after writing this post   RagaBabe is a new company that generously sent me some wipes after reading this post. Their wipes are simple and durable! I’ve washed them many times to make sure.  They are one layer of organic cotton. Smooth on one side, sherpa-ish on the other.

The biggest benefit I have found to using cloth wipes (aside from the money saving aspect) is that it takes so much less to clean up a poopie.  I was using 3-5 disposable wipes per change.  Now I use 1 cloth wipe.

For a wipe solution I dug out a sample I received a while ago.  I’ll soon be trying out different brands in search of my favorite.

Tide:

You’ve read of my relentless efforts to naturally solve the ammonia problem.  You know I’ve tried Rockin Green Hard Rock, Clean B, RLR, vinegar (which is not recommended in hard water) and even bleach.  Nothing would even begin to lessen this very frustrating issue.  I was tired of soaking and soaking and washing and rinsing.  I was tired of my son waking up crying from the burn. I was tired of using Flip disposable inserts every night.  I wanted to use cloth at night and for it to smell like PEE in the morning.  Is that too much to ask?

Right before vacation I purchased a bottle of Tide.  Mainly because I knew I’d need it at the beach where the water is ridiculously hard.  I tried it out on the inserts before I left and could have cried when the morning diaper smelled only of urine.  I’m not happy that I’m using Tide.  I hate the smell and I don’t like that it’s far from natural.  But, I had to compromise somewhere or disposables at night was where we’d stay.

Is there possibly a natural solution out there that will work for my water type? Most likely. But, I hate to continue to use Sterling as a guinea pig.

There’s my update in a nutshell! I’m most excited about the wipes warmer and cloth wipes.  Wiping Sterling’s hiney with a warm wipe makes me smile.

This post has been written by Julie Holland of Little For Now.

There are several cloth diapers sold under the BumGenius brand – and the differences are often confusing, especially to those who are new to cloth diapering. Here are some of the common questions I get about BumGenius diapers.

What is the difference between a BumGenius all in one (AIO) and a one size BumGenius?

This one is really confusing since the term “all in one” is sometimes used for pocket diapers. However, an all in one refers to a diaper that has a sewn in soaker and a waterproof outer layer. An all in two or AI2 is a diaper with a removable soaker, usually one that snaps into the cover. Since everything is together, it is truly an “all in one” diaper that has no extra pieces to find. The BumGenius all in one is a sized diaper, it comes in sizes to fit from very tiny babies to about 35 pounds (though they do run small). The soaker is sewn in and there is a pocket opening so you can add extra inserts if needed. They are very absorbent, though they do take a long time to dry.

The one size diaper (formerly the 3.0, now the new 4.0) has two inserts that can be stuffed into the pocket opening. The diaper itself has no absorbency until something is added to the pocket. It has snaps on the front so you can adjust the rise from newborn to about 35 pounds. The outer is still waterproof, so no cover is needed.

What is the difference between the 3.0 and the 4.0?

The new 4.0 diapers will be arriving to retailers (including my store) in a week or so. The 3.0 diapers often did not fit larger or taller babies. My daughter was not able to fit in hers from about 15 months to 20 months, then slimmed down enough to use it again. The 3.0 was definitely one of the bestselling one size diapers, but it also had it’s detractors due to sizing and the hook and loop sometimes wearing out. I am excited about the new 4.0 since BumGenius says they have made some significant improvements, including:

* Better hook and loop tabs, so they will last longer

* Now available in snaps, which is good since snaps are now more popular than hook and loop diapers

* Larger sizing, so it should now fit most babies until potty-training

* Replaceable elastic. This is really good news since elastic and hook and loop are often the first two things to wear out on a cloth diaper over time.

What is the difference between the organic AIO (now called Elemental) and the regular AIO?

The organic all in one, or Elemental, is a one size diaper. The sewn in soaker is made from organic cotton and the design is actually quite innovative. It is a little more expensive than some other all in ones, but is a good value if you consider that only one size is needed. If you need more absorbency you can tuck a soaker under the sewn in soaker. The standard all in one has a microfiber soaker sewn in, as well as a pocket for extra inserts and is sized, so you will need to buy more as your child grows.

What about the Flip and Econobum?

Flip and Econobum are also made by Cottonbabies, the makers of Bumgenius. These are both one size diaper systems that are a basic two piece system. The Flip also has disposable inserts available. The Flip cover will hold the organic prefold, the stay dry microfiber inserts, and the disposable inserts. I really like the stay dry insert, but not the cover.

The Econobum is designed for those who are looking for a cheap way to start cloth diapering. It includes a one size cover and a one size prefold. I am not personally a fan of the Econobum, as I think standard diaper service quality prefolds and high-quality covers will serve most families better in the long run. However, for those who are really looking for an inexpensive system to get started, the Econobum is an option.

Julie Holland started Little for Now cloth diaper store in early 2006. Since then she has tested over 100 different diaper brands and styles in her continuing pursuit to learn everything about cloth diapers. You can find BumGenius diapers at http://www.littlefornow.com.