The Cloth Diaper Whisperer

Fluff Friday 233 WINNER!

2013-05-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

This week's fluff friday winner is: Stephanie Napier Beck!

She will receive the following:
1 Rumparooz Dexter Snap One Size G2 Diaper
1 Rumparooz Quinn Aplix One Size Cover

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Please, contact us here ASAP so we can get your winnings out to you!!!

Would you like to be a contributor on The Cloth Diaper Whisperer? We're always looking for creative writers who would like to share their cloth diapering tips. To find out more Contact Us

The 'Onya' One For Me

2013-05-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, I had to throw in a silly play on words with the baby carrier brand name Onya. But it IS the only one for me. It is a wonderful (over-priced) baby carrier and I adore it! Let me count the ways:

1. It is comfortable.
I loved my sling ($20 from Target) and it was my go-to carrier with my first, but it did make my back tired. After lengthy use, I would get a little pinch in my back. I fixed it by reversing the cross of the sling, but that's no longer a problem. The Onya sits evenly on my back, so no back ache for me.

2. It fits well.
The Onya has the availability to do criss-cross straps on the back. With my slender build, some backpacks and carriers don't lay right. The Onya fits every body type.

3. It's versatile.
I carried my newborn in it and loosened the straps to carry my almost 4 year old in the same outing. Yes, the same outing. I ended up carrying the baby in my arms and my 40 pound daughter "backpack style" in the Onya (quite a spectacle). But aside from me, it's husband worthy. I don't know how I lucked out with a husband that has handled and grown with me in my crunchy momma ways, but he is supportive and adorable. Is there anything more handsome than a baby-wearing husband? I submit there is not! Plus I hear it works as a chair seat for babies that can sit up. When my lil' peanut gets bigger, I'll let you know how it works.

4. It's stylish.
I don't feel silly when I use it. Most baby carriers look okay, but the Onya was my favorite. I chose the beige and green with the waterproof fabric. It makes it a little more "outdoorsy" than the regular fabric and that's why I chose it. (And I know it's silly, but I liked the packaging as well.)

5. It's easy.
It's still a baby carrier and requires a quick tutorial. But as far as carriers go, I think it is more intuitive than most. Other brands take a video tutorial and some serious practice to get used to. This just clicks in and you're done.

I didn't buy my Onya through Kelly's Closet (I chose a local retailer instead) but I know they currently carry it. The price is steep, but I really have enjoyed it worth the price already in 4 months. I plan to use it for a long time with my son and future children as well, so it's a worthy investment. It might be right for you too.

Bio: Alicia is an 8th grade English and Drama teacher and is a pretty crunchy momma. She shares her Arizona home with a wonderful husband, energetic 4 year old, sweet 5 month old, 1 crazy dog, and 6 happy chickens.

Poop Tales: Cloth Diapering a Medically Complex Kiddo

2013-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

“Not again!” I muttered as I changed my son's diaper for the ninth time one afternoon. With that back-breaking straw, I decided to take the plunge and finally buy some of the cloth diapers I had researched for so long. From day one I was in love with everything about them! I loved not having to throw a dozen diapers away every day. I loved that I would be able to use these same diapers on baby #2 (whom I was pregnant with at the time). I loved not having to chase diaper sales and store huge boxes of diapers. It was a dream come true!

As my pregnancy progressed, I excitedly looked into newborn cloth diapers. I purchased cute newborn pocket size diapers, newborn inserts, prefolds and newborn covers. We planned to have everything we would need to cloth diaper our bundle from day one.

That fall we welcomed our second baby boy into the world. He was (and still is) beautiful and perfect, we couldn’t get enough of him. Sadly within hours our sweet baby started to get sicker and sicker. Tests revealed that his intestines had never connected to his bowels. The Doctors life flighted him to a bigger hospital where he underwent a 4-hour surgery, in the hopes that the problem could be fixed with ease. Unfortunately, surgery to connect his bowels and lower intestine was unsuccessful, so our sweet boy was given a colostomy. We were sent home; told that we would be changing poopy bags not poopy diapers. I mentioned our cloth diaper plans to the Neonatologist who told us that he didn’t see how we could make cloth diapering work. Being scared NICU parents, we took his word for it and put our cloth diapers away.

After a few weeks of using disposables we realized that there had to be a way that we could make cloth diapering still work. We started trouble shooting. It was a bumpy ride, but in so many ways cloth diapering turned out to be the best thing we could have done for our medically complex son.

What we had to do differently:
Our baby's stoma (poop hole on top of his abdomen) was much lower than most colostomy patients, so we had to put the diaper very low on his belly. Secondly, our son’s bag needed emptying; so we emptied it into the diapers. The diapers would then get laundered as “normal” poopy diapers.

What didn't work:
Most Pockets/All in Ones- We simply struggled to get them to fit low enough on his belly. As he got older we got a few brands to fit by folding down the area above the waist snaps or folding the velcro strip in half down into the diaper.

What worked best:
We finally found success with prefolds and low rise covers (flats also worked too). Below is how we folded the prefold in order to get them low enough for him.

How Else Cloth Diapering Helped Us:
Our cloth diapers not only went on our baby's bum but we ended up using them on his belly. Babies with colostomies and similar procedures often get skin breakdown around their stoma sites. We ended up occasionally using cloth diapers on his stoma to give the skin time to breathe and heal. We used a snappi to attach a prefold. It worked like a charm.

Cloth was also a blessing after our son’s colostomy reversal. He, like most children who undergo intestinal surgeries, experience bowel incontinence for weeks to years post surgery. We ended up using 15 diapers a day at least. This would have been a huge financial burden had we been using disposables.

Ultimately, cloth diapering our son did not go as we had envisioned it. But with some creativity even a child with special health challenges can be cloth diapered. Don't be discouraged by like feeding tubes, ostomies, low birth weights, older children with diapering needs etc. Every baby and family can benefit from using cloth diapers. There are enough cloth diaper brands, styles and sizes to ensure that every baby can sport a fluffy bum and a smile.

Bio: Charlene lives in UT with her adorably geeky husband and the two cutest baby boys in the Northern Hemisphere. She is a cloth diaper enthusiast, baby sling connoisseur, overall rockin' domestic engineer and avid blogger at cgmrb.blogspot.com

How to Discretely Nurse in Public

2013-05-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

Breastfeeding your child is a beautiful experience. Not only is breast milk best for baby, but there are a number of benefits for the nursing mom as well. Nursing in the privacy of your own home is one thing, but some mothers feel intimidated by nursing in public. We can't stay in the confines of our homes forever, and expressing breast milk to bottle feed during outings is both time consuming and potentially damaging to the breastfeeding relationship (such as in the development of bottle preferences).

While some mothers have no issue feeding their babies in any situation, any attire, and around any company, other mothers prefer to keep the fact that they are nursing more discrete. A modest mother may be tempted to seek privacy in public restroom stalls: a practice that is both unsanitary and uncomfortable, and serving as a detriment to the nursing relationship. Instead, nursing mothers should be able to find products or solutions to enhance their breastfeeding experience, and allow them to nurse comfortably and discretely in public when necessary.

Nursing Shawls: A nursing shawl offers great coverage while nursing, without drawing attention to the nursing mother. The shawl can be worn over any shirt for an outing, but may work best when paired with shirts that have loose fitting neck lines (or those that button up). You can wear your nursing shawl over a nursing tank top to make feeding even easier.

Nursing Tank Tops: A mother can select to wear a nursing tank top underneath of her shirt for outings. When baby needs to feed, the outer shirt is lifted to provide access to the breast, while the tank top covers the stomach and back. The outer shirt can be used to cover the breast while baby is feeding. Tank tops are relatively inexpensive, however you may need to purchase several of them.

Decorative scarves: Try pairing a button-down dress shirt (or a shirt with a wide neck line) with a decorative scarf. The dress shirt can be unbuttoned when baby needs to feed, and the scarf used as a cover.

Nursing Covers: There are a variety of different nursing covers available on the market today. Many covers are developed so that the nursing mother can easily see the nursing baby. While covers offer the benefit of completely covering the baby, covers may be difficult to use in warm weather. Other mothers feel that nursing covers draw more attention to the fact that they are nursing.

Blankets: A thin swaddling blanket can make a perfect nursing cover. Either cover baby completely, or lightly drape the cloth over baby's face while nursing. Thin blankets can also be used for wiping up drips of milk or burping the baby after a feeding.

These are only some of the solutions that will allow a mother to discretely nurse in public and provide confidence to those who are just beginning their breastfeeding relationship. It is often difficult to spot a mother nursing in public: usually bystanders are oblivious that a “sleeping baby” may actually be nursing. I still remember one instance where a woman approached me as I was nursing my son in public. She walked up to us and pulled back the blanket covering his face before I could warn her. She simply smiled and said, “Oh, he’s eating. He’s so beautiful! You are so blessed!” That woman made me feel proud to be a nursing mother.

Bio: Nissa is a researcher and writer working in the life sciences. In her free time, she enjoys writing about natural parenting, cloth diapering, and eco-friendly living at Cloth Diaper Guru.

StreptoWHAT?

2013-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

It began as a simple rash. We'd dealt with these before. I was a pro. I have extremely sensitive skin and I often get rashes when the weather is changing, when I try a new product or, basically, whenever I breathe. The rash on my 2 and a half year old son's bottom looked just like the kind of rash I get on my legs where my pants rub and I just assumed his skin was suffering from the dry Colorado weather like mine does every.single.year.

I slathered the rash with all kinds of creams from calendula, GroVia Magic Stick to CJ's BUTTer. We tried air time, changing to pull-ups at night instead of cloth diapers. We even tried coconut oil.

But the rash got worse. The spots started to bleed. I just assumed that was because he just wouldn't stop itching. We couldn't kick it.

And then my daughter got a weird sore on her neck. Little pimple like sores started popping up on her legs and face and then finally on her diaper area. In a matter of mere hours, the rash went from something that looked simple and manageable to a site that truly scared me. I decided it was time to go see the pediatrician.

The answer, "Streptococcal." StreptoWHAT?! I'd never heard of it but I knew I was David and this rash was Goliath. She prescribed a topical antibiotic, as well as an oral antiboitic, for both kids.

I thought that things would start to clear up. Little did I know that the battle had just begun and this Goliath was laughing in my face. Things got worse. I came down with Mastitis and an eye infection which made it impossible to drive or go out into sunlight for several days. I was put on an antibiotic eye drop but decided to flush the mastitis out without antibiotics.

YIKES! Although there is no real way to say that these things are all related but I'd never had either issue.

Here is how we beat Goliath.

Normally our kids take a bath together but I started bathing them separately.
I washed all of our diapers with bleach and rinsed them over and over again in hot water. I packed them away until I was sure the rash was completely gone.
I bleached the tub after every single bath. And bleached the toilet every time my son went to the bathroom.
We applied the diaper rash cream as prescribed.
I put my son in a onesie as often as I could so he wouldn't itch the rash and touch anything.
I made sure to wash my hands, my son's hands and my daughter's hands as often as possible.

If you are dealing with a rash that isn't familiar or isn't going away, it is a good idea to reach out to your pediatrician. If you have multiple children, do your best to prevent the rash from spreading between them (use separate towels, different sets of diapers, different bathing times, etc).

Also, the wonderful ladies at Kelly's Closet and The Cloth Diaper Whisperer are an amazing resource for solving any cloth diaper related issue, including how to clear out the bacteria in your diapers from these yucky Goliath type rashes.

Don't allow yourself to be intimidated by or defeated by this giant. You don't have to give up cloth diapers just because your child gets a bad rash.

Mindy is mommy to two spunky kids who have both been clothed diapered mostly from birth! She can often be found stalking kellyscloset for no reason or trying something “crunchy” like washing her hair with baking soda! Follow along (when she has time) at neckdeepinlove.blogspot.com.

Flat diapers are easier than you think!

2013-05-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

When cloth diapering first came up as a discussion between my husband and me, he suggested it. We had just recently found out we were expecting our first child and were looking for ways to fit a baby into our budget. My first thought was flat diapers, pins, and covers. I didn’t know anything about modern cloth. I turned my nose up at the idea and began thinking of ways I could convince him that Pampers really were worth the money over store brand disposables.

So imagine my surprise when I wandered into a baby boutique one day and came across modern cloth diapers! They were so cute and soft! I was convinced! Cloth diapers were definitely the way to go. I was happy they were so modern and my husband was happy we were saving money. When I told people we were planning to cloth diaper, they too imagined flat diapers with pins. I assured them that cloth diapers had come a long, long way. We accumulated a pretty large stash of pockets and all-in-ones and were thrilled.

But about 8 months into our cloth diapering adventure, I became curious. I felt like an expert at that point, but knew I wasn’t truly an expert. I hadn’t given all types of cloth diapers a try yet. So I took the plunge and ordered my first package of flat diapers. I spent a couple days on YouTube learning different folds. I was so proud of myself! My husband was a little skeptical. When I shared with him the cost savings of using flat diapers, he was convinced too! He couldn’t believe we didn’t go with flats in the first place. “We could have saved so much money!” he says.

I’ve given up on the fancy folds and have really simplified my life with a pad fold. It’s the easiest and I can store my flat diapers ready to go. I still reach for my all-in-ones, but I love the simplicity of my flat diapers. They are incredibly easy to care for and because they cost so little, I don’t worry about ruining one.

Are you afraid to give flat diapers a try? I promise, they are much easier than you think!

Jenny is the mama behind the blog Cloth Diaper Revival. I'm a stay at home mom to Noah and a wife to Chas, the cloth diapering dad. She is a cloth diaper addict and a social media junkie!

Super Saturday Coupon

2013-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Coupon Code: ORCHID

May is Blooming with Babies! Use coupon code ORCHID and receive a free one-size diaper (valued at $23+) with your order of $99 or more at Kelly's Closet. Limit 1 coupon per order. Limit 3 uses per customer. Excludes the purchase of gift certificates. Not valid on pending or previous orders. KC chooses free diaper. Offer may expire at any time.

Fluff Friday 233

2013-05-17T13:00:00.000-04:00

Who doesn’t love Free Fluffy Mail??

This week The Cloth Diaper Whisperer is giving away 1 Rumparooz Dexter Snap One Size G2 Diaper and 1 Rumparooz Quinn Aplix One Size Cover

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fluff Friday 232 WINNER!

2013-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

This week's fluff friday winner is: Ashlee Lindor-Zehner!

She will receive the following:
6 OsoCozy Flats
1 Best Bottom Cover

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Please, contact us here ASAP so we can get your winnings out to you!!!

Why Not?

2013-05-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

I’ve been asked over and over again why I use cloth diapers instead of disposables. Any time I’m in a group of moms with little ones, the question comes up. Sure, I can pull out my most adorable diaper (Thirsties Scottish Storm, anyone? How about bumGenius Albert?) and show off how cute they are. Sure, I can explain that I got tired of changing blowouts every time my little guy pooped. And there’s always that oh-so-memorable story about the time I swapped back to disposables for vacation and ended up having to scrub out his car seat in the middle of a hotel parking lot…but that doesn’t really explain it, either. After a year of cloth diapering one, with number two on the way, sure, I still prefer cloth because it decreases blowouts. That’s just not the only reason—and some of them, I can’t even articulate.

Here’s a better thought: Why not use cloth?

The “default” choice in today’s society seems to be disposable diapers (and bottle feeding, and sticking baby in a stroller over baby wearing). Anything “other” comes across as “crunchy,” or “weird,” or is even seen as “quirky.”

So why not be quirky?

Cloth diapering is cheaper. Why would I want to spend more money than I have to on diapers? Disposables are a $40 or more drain on the pocketbook every month, and that’s if you’re buying store-brand products. Why wouldn’t I make a choice that would save our family a little money?

Cloth diapering is better for the environment. I’m not naturally green by nature, but it’s a little change that makes a big difference.

Cloth diapering is more convenient. Yes, I said more convenient. I have never reached into my changing table and realized two minutes before bedtime that oh, crap, there aren’t any more diapers left. I have never had to make a mad dash run out for diapers, or ended up throwing away three quarters of a box of disposables because of a sudden growth spurt. I also know whether or not my baby has been changed every single time he has been left with a sitter—no walking into the church nursery to an overflowing diaper and a, “Well, we just changed him.”

My baby has had exactly one diaper rash in his entire life. Some redness from time to time, sure, but nothing that a good coat of CJs and a few hours of running around in a fitted won’t cure by bedtime.

Disposable diapers smell. I never noticed it before I switched to cloth, but disposable diapers smell fresh out of the box, they smell when they’re used, and they smell (more than cloth) when they’re sitting in the pail.

Cloth diapers are adorable. There are so many bright, fun colors and patterns available—a little bit of something for every taste. People who use disposable diapers pay obscene amounts for a single box of diapers in a cute print that will be used up in a matter of days. Every change that goes on my son is cute.

When I’m done cloth diapering, I can either sell them and make back some of my money…or donate them to someone who needs them. Disposable diapers are literally money thrown away, and you certainly can’t donate them to someone else (unless they’re unused).

All things considered—from the shallow to the more serious—I think every mom should at least try cloth diapering. Is it for everyone? Certainly not. There are moms who will find the poop disgusting, the laundry impossible to keep up with, and the start-up cost prohibitive for something that they may or may not decide to stick with. There is nothing “wrong” with disposables, per se; but there are certainly many advantages to cloth over disposables, and few reasons not to at least give it a shot.

Therefore, to all those mamas who say, “Why do you use cloth?” my question is, “Why not?”

By Emily

It Starts With Just One Cloth Diapering Mommy

2013-05-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

A few months ago, my family and I decided that it would be the best decision for me to become a stay at home mother to raise our then 1 year old little girl. At that point, I was also 3 months pregnant so it made the most sense to spend some quality time with our first daughter, and prepare for the second.

Like any new stay at home mom, there was a little freak out moment trying to figure out what to do with your very active child. So we decided to join a weekly class with other toddlers and mommies. And that’s when it all happened. I met a mom who was cloth diapering her child that was the same age as my little girl. I was in awe of her and wanted to learn more, but was also very hesitant.

I had many questions and one day after class, she did a show and tell. Then this led to her coming over to my house for a play date and she changed his diaper. The fact that she didn’t use diaper cream sold me, besides the fact that the prints were so darn cute.

I was determined to just do a trial, no commitments. So I ordered some cheapo ones online. When they arrived I did the prep wash and then finally put her in them.

Boy that first day was rough. As a disposable mommy, I got so used to the crazy absorbency (because of all the chemicals mind you), that I had so many leaks with my first try at cloth diapers. I felt like a failure.

But the first thing that I learned from that experience was that I was not alone. The support that cloth-diapering mommies have for each other is absolutely amazing. My friend talked me off the ledge and said she felt the same in the beginning. I was determined to get this to work.

An hour of online research led to multiple hours and it became quite the obsession (in the positive sense of course). After posting on facebook about my experience with Cloth Diapering, another fellow mommy told me about Kelly’s Closet. How in the world did I not go there sooner? Well after much time on the site, I placed my first order. Getting fluff mail couldn’t be more exciting, so then I had to place my 2nd, my 3rd, and my 4th order. I’ve never been disappointed with the products and not only did I get what I purchased but also I got free diapers AND reward points. What could be better than that?

Well after growing my stash of mostly bumgenius 4.0s, kawaiis, and other prefolds, I was thrilled to have my toddler in cds. BUT I did hit a few bumps in the road! Lots of rashes! Well lone and behold, back to what I originally learned from my first day of cding – I WAS NOT ALONE!

After joining the Kelly’s Cloth Diaper Facebook Community, I posted numerous amounts of issues regarding my daughter’s bum. Well, guess what? I figured out the problem! I needed to strip my diapers and add a fleece liner to wick away the moisture. I could not be happier to be a part of such an amazing community of strong, determined, and helpful women. I have become one of them – a cloth diapering addict and I’m proud to stand up and say: My name is Kat, and I’m a Cloth Diaperholic! Please excuse me now… I have to log on to Kelly’s Closet to get some newborn prefolds and cover for my little girl who should be arriving any minute! Happy Diapering, Mommies!

Bio: Kat Castro lives in Queens, NY and is a full time stay at home mommy to her 17 month year old toddler. She is expecting her 2nd baby girl in May 2013 and is thrilled to get her in cloth diapers.

Walking on Sunshine

2013-05-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

While I was researching cloth diapers before my daughter’s arrival, I often came across mamas talking about the power of the sun. Have a stubborn ebf stain? Put it in the sun! Poosplosion onto your favorite onesie? Put it in the sun! Red wine spill on your white carpet? Ok, let’s be real, no one with kids has white carpet.

In all seriousness, the sun does do magical things to stained diapers. I was excited for my first badly stained diaper so I could try it out. Unfortunately, (or fortunately?) my diapers are coming out sparkly white, largely in part due to our diaper sprayer.

For the sake of this post, I took a pretty messy poo diaper and stuck it straight in the diaper pail instead of rinsing it off, with the hopes that it would come out stained.

Side note: Exclusively breastfed poo is water-soluble and will dissolve in the washer so spraying is not necessary. I choose to spray my diapers because it helps tremendously with stain and stink control. And it also keeps my husband from thinking there is poo floating in our washer.

My plan worked. Please reference Exhibit A: A badly stained Light It Up Blue Fuzzibunz, taken straight from the washer.

I took this diaper, still damp from the wash and placed it outside in the sun at 8:36 am. As you can see by the photomontage, it took only 1.5 hours in the sun and like magic, all the stains were completely gone!

We are fortunate to have a clothesline in our backyard that allows me to hang my diapers in the sun. For photo clarity, I simply laid the diaper on our driveway. Many mamas use a standard drying rack placed outside. A deck railing, patio table or chair arm would all work as well. The possibilities really are endless!

I prefer to hang my diapers in the sun whenever possible, even if there is no visible staining. It helps remove any shadow stains I might not see out of the wash, and it’s better for the environment and our utility bill!

A few tips on sunning out stains:

I’ve had better luck when the stained diaper is still damp. You can sun a dry diaper but the results aren’t as impressive.
The diaper does not need to be in direct sunlight. You can even “sun” diapers on a cloudy day.
Do you live in Minnesota where is snows in April? You can still put your diapers out in cold weather, but be prepared for them to freeze! If you are like me and prefer to stay inside when it’s cold, you can simply put the diaper next to a sunny window and watch the magic unfold.

I hope this post gives you some hope for those stained diapers in your stash. Or maybe it will give you some confidence to give that inexpensive, stained used diaper a second chance. Anyone else have luck getting rid of a stubborn stain? Post your success stories below!

Lindsay is a first time mom to a 2 month old little girl and a crazy dog. She lives with her quiet husband in Illinois and is slowly navigating the journey of motherhood one cloth diaper change at a time. Follow her adventures at thedogatewhat.blogspot.com.

The Great Cloth Diaper Change

2013-05-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

In 2011, my 13 month old son and I participated in the very first world record setting event known as The Great Cloth Diaper Change. That year we attended the event in Loveland, Colorado- home to the wonderful Thirsties. Our swag bag, which was creatively a Thirsties DELUXE Diaper Duffel instead of a reusable grocery bag, was fairly basic but included a Thirsties Duo Diaper, the first Thirsties diaper I'd ever used.

I had so much fun meeting other cloth diapering parents that I couldn't wait for the next event. That year, my husband graciously attended the Denver event with me, so we could check out all the awesomeness that is Kanga Care, makers of the awesome Rumparooz diaper. Hubs changed our 6 month old daughter and I changed our 2 year old son. We used our GroVia diapers, though we had received a Rumparooz One Size Diaper for each of them in our swag bag. How fun!

This year, we participated in the Denver event again. We picked up a new Kanga Care Changing Pad, which they had on major sale at their boothe. Our swag bag included all kinds of goodies, including a set of Bamboobies Nursing Pads (which I can't wait to use this coming August when baby #3 makes his or her way into the world) and a piece of Jellystone silicone jewelry.

Since that first year, this Guinness Book of World Records event has gone from just over 5,000 participants at 127 locations to well over 8,000 participants (totals are not in yet) at 181 locations.

I'd encourage any parent or caretaker interested in or who is currently using cloth diapers to attend a local event. We drove over an hour to participate and it was really worth it! It would also be a fun event to invite a friend you are trying to convert to. The swag bags at many of the locations are super awesome but the best part of the change is meeting other moms and dads who share your passion for fluff. Not to mention all of the new cloth diaper brands and awesome natural parenting products you get a chance to see, touch and ask about.

I can't wait for next year’s event and I hope to see YOU there, or at least I hope you'll participate somewhere near you!

Mindy is mommy to two spunky kids who have both been clothed diapered mostly from birth! She can often be found stalking Kellys Closet for no reason or trying something “crunchy” like washing her hair with baking soda! Follow along (when she has time) at neckdeepinlove.blogspot.com.

Fluff Friday 232

2013-05-10T13:00:00.000-04:00

Who doesn’t love Free Fluffy Mail??

This week The Cloth Diaper Whisperer is giving away 6 OsoCozy Flats + 1 Best Bottom Cover

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fluff Friday 231 WINNER!

2013-05-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

This week's fluff friday winner is: Charlotte Robinson!

She will receive the following:
Two NEW Thirsties Polka Dance Print Diapers. Winner can choose from Duo AIO, Duo Diaper or Duo Wrap styles.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Please, contact us here ASAP so we can get your winnings out to you!!!

Retiring Your Cloth Diaper Stash

2013-05-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

I'm a cloth diapering mother of twins. You know what this means? I have a ton of cloth diapers. Mostly pockets, some prefolds. Mostly store bought ones some I made myself. A ton of cute ones and some eh ones. My twins are 21 months old and potty training will soon be nearing. It makes me bitter sweet. I love my diapers and I love them in fluff. As much as I love their diapers I also hate spraying and washing them. I hate playing the guess-who-did-it game and sniffing butts just so I can clean a mess in those cute diapers. This makes me think what am I going to do with all these adorable diapers when we don't need them anymore? They were expensive and will have a ton of life in them when we do use the potty full-time. It seems a waste to just throw them away. Part of the reason why I started clothing was to save diapers from the landfill and now I'm tossing all these expensive diapers in there? It didn't make sense to me so I started thinking of ways to reuse them. Not just reuse prefolds because their are a million things to reuse prefolds for but also the diapers with PUL in them.

Some ideas for reusing prefolds are:

-Rags: Prefolds make the best rags and wipe away the messiest of messes.
-Spill cleaners: As you know these things are super absorbent. Another glass of milk just spill? Hand me a prefold instead of a towel please.
-Garage hand wipes: I'm sure daddy wont mind using a diaper to wipe his hands off instead of one of your nice towels.
-Hot plate holders: Set a hot plate on them instead of your counter. Or use them as a back up to your oven mitt when you need to grab something out of the oven.

Diapers with PUL you have to get a little more creative with. Don't get me wrong there are still plenty of ways to reuse them. My stash is filled with PUL diapers so I tried to find ways that would benefit me when the twins are out of them.

Some ideas for reusing PUL type diapers are:

-Doll diapers: What a great way to see those cute prints you love so much then to hand them down to your child to play with on her dolls.
-Reusable snack bags: Make some snack bags out of the PUL to reuse when you're out and about.
-Momma cloth: Momma cloth is made with PUL and what a better way then to reuse that PUL every month. There are a lot of great tutorials out there to make momma cloth. They aren't hard to do. The site I love is http://www.pamperedcheeks.com/mamacloth.php She has great instructions to sew them up without needing much sewing skill.

As a cloth diaperer you will probably have a couple wet bags that you're sad to see go also. Wet bags have a million uses for them like prefolds do. With wet bags think outside of the box because they aren't just for soiled diapers. They are excellent swim bags. Instead of getting your dry clothes wet put your wet clothes into your wet bag. You can piece together a wet bag by using the PUL from the diapers. Make each family member their own wet bag for swimming trips! Those momma cloths you just made out of the diapers stash them in there when they are used. When your child is staying the night somewhere throw a wet bag in with their stuff for dirty laundry.

There are other ways to reuse your diapers if you aren't worried about keeping them for yourself.

-Give them to a friend or family member to try out cloth. This is a great way to see them on occasion being used for someone you love.
-Sell them off. There are many diaper swapping sites out there. People pay for your used diapers so they don't have to get expensive new ones. www.diaperswappers.com is a great site for buying and selling used diapers.
- Donate them. This has to be my favorite one of reusing cloth diapers. There are some charities out there that will take your used diapers to give them to needy families. They don't have to be in perfect condition or a certain type. They can have relaxed elastic or some staining. They also take prefolds, aios, pockets, hybrids, or any of them in between. The site I love for taking donations is http://www.givingsdiapersgivinghope.org

When you give your diapers to someone else its always a good idea to make sure they are stripped first. This will not only give the new owner a fresh start with them but if you are shipping it will keep any stink down.

So this makes me happy that I can reuse my diaper stash and wet bags. Don't let this get out in the open but I'm hoping for a couple more months before we even start potty training. What can I say, I love my diapers and I love making cute custom ones for their little butts.

By Nancy E - I'm a SAHM to a set of b/g twins. We cloth diaper full-time. I loved using cloth so much I started my own a business at http://www.etsy.com/shop/2Bugaloos

Why I Love My Planet Wise Hanging Wet/Dry Bag

2013-05-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

When people ask me if I like cloth diapering, I reply with an enthusiastic “Yes!” There are so many things I really LOVE about cloth diapering—saving money, helping the environment, keeping yucky chemicals off of my baby’s bum, not to mention they are just so darn cute! However, there is one thing that I don’t love about cloth diapers—the bulk! I didn’t really anticipate this issue until after my son was born and I went to pack the diaper bag for our first outing. Two of my Bumgenius 4.0 diapers took up the same amount of space as a whole day’s worth of disposables! I felt like I was hauling around a carryon suitcase by the time I fit everything I needed in the diaper bag! I finally found a solution to my problem when I came across the Planet Wise Hanging Wet/Dry Bag.

If I was going to be going out for a long time, I started only packing a couple cloth diapers in my diaper bag along with a small Planet Wise wet bag, and putting the rest of the diapers in the dry side of my hanging wet/dry bag. If I was going to be in one place all day, like a friend’s house, then I would carry in both the diaper bag and the wet/dry bag so I would have all of my clean diapers in the dry side, and then put the soiled ones in the wet side. However, if I was going to be going several places throughout the day, like shopping, for example, I would leave the hanging wet/dry bag in the car and just refill my diaper bag with clean diapers as needed, and empty the soiled diapers from my small wet bag into the larger one. This way I only needed to carry my diaper bag with me.

Now that my baby is older and doesn’t require as many diapers or as much “stuff,” I just carry the small wet bag and one cloth diaper in my purse and leave the wet/dry bag, loaded with extra diapers, wipes, and a spare outfit, in the car. I also love this bag for overnight trips, whether we’re in a hotel or staying with family, because its generous size allows me to pack a couple day’s worth of diapers in the dry side, and then the wet side contains all of the stink and mess. This bag is by far my favorite cloth diapering accessory. It can’t change the fact that cloth diapers are bulky, but it sure helps make outings easier and more fun! Did I mention that these bags come in all sorts of cute colors and prints?!

Above is a picture of my hanging wet/dry bag filled with 12 "double stuffed" (stuffed with the newborn insert and regular insert) Bumgenius 4.0 diapers, and there's still room to spare!

Bio: Jessica is a stay at home wife and mommy in Louisville, KY. When she's not chasing around her almost one year old baby boy, she enjoys cooking, spending time with friends, and being outside.

Overnight Diapering and Wool - A True Story

2013-05-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

I started cloth diapering my now two year old son when he was only a month old. For a long time everything was going beautifully. I fell in love with cloth diapers and even became a bit addicted to them. I bought a bunch of different kinds and brands. I ended up favoring Pockets. I was on top of the world with an awesome stash of diapers.

Then my son hit 18 months old and everything went south. He became a super heavy wetter and it was even worst at night. My son sleeps for around 12 hours straight at night. Every morning he woke up soaking wet and it was miserable! Nothing we tried seemed to work. I was getting so frustrated that I even considered not using cloth at night. I just didn't know what to do. I wanted to throw in the towel.

Before I threw in the towel, I decided to try one last thing. I bought a couple fitted diapers and a wool cover. Truthfully, I was very hesitant to try wool and the main reason was because I have been completely misinformed about it. I thought it would be itchy, rough and a pain to care for. I was afraid of messing something up when washing or washing it all wrong. I didn't believe anything could work. I started using wool while I was still in doubt.

I put a wool cover on my son for the first time after debating with myself for days. My husband did not like the way it looked. I think it was just something he wasn't used to seeing. I thought it was adorable! But hey, my son makes everything look good!

I was pleasantly surprised at how soft the wool was and how nicely it fit. It wasn't itchy at all! My son seemed to like it too. So, I put him to bed and the wool cover began its 12 hour long test.

We woke up in the morning and he was dry! The wool cover didn't even feel damp, I couldn't believe it. The next night, we tried again. We used an Ecoposh fitted paired with an Ecoposh wool cover. The next morning, my son was dry! My husband even started coming around. We both became believers. After a full week of using wool at night, we were in love. Not one leak the entire time. My husband took one look at me and said he wanted nothing but fitteds and wool covers. He was sold!! So I started redoing my diaper stash. At least I had an excuse to buy more fluff!

Finally, the day came that I had to wash and lanolize all the wool I bought. Hmmm... Thankfully I came across a wonderful tutorial just for that. I followed all the instructions and it was done. I maybe spent a whole 10 minutes actually doing work. The rest of the time the wool was just soaking or air drying. It was so much easier than I anticipated. It was so simple! No problems at all.

Now, what we all really need to know. Why Wool?

Anti Bacterial - Wool absorbs moisture in it's vapor state then releases it into the air before bacteria has a chance to set up. Less rashes!!
Self Cleansing - With lanolin's constant presence and friction caused by vapor filled fibers, wool pretty much scrubs itself clean! This means you don't need to wash after each use and it also makes washing easier.
Breathable - Since individual wool fibers are crimped, it creates thousands of microscopic chambers of trapped air. When you combine those chambers and the fact that wool wicks moisture away it allows the skin to breath. Keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Odor Resistant - Odors are caused by bacteria growing on the fibers. Since wool is anti bacterial; No bacteria means No Odor!
It's a Natural Fiber
Wool can absorb up to 30% of it's own weight before feeling damp.

I swear wool is like a magical material. When I take the cover off my son in the morning, it smells like urine. Then after it air dries the smell is completely gone! It just amazes me.

In order for wool covers to work to the best of their ability, they need lanolin. What is Lanolin?

Lanolin is a natural substance produced by a sheep's skin
When it reacts with the ammonia in urine, it creates a natural soap like compound. That is what keeps the covers from developing odors and means you only need to wash them every 1-2 weeks. Not after each use.
Lanolin also makes covers more water resistant.

There you have it! Wool is just an amazing thing. The perfect solution when it comes to heavy wetters, long periods of time or overnight diapering. I can't believe I waited so long to try it.

My favorite part about wool is that there is more than one option! You can get soakers, shorties, longies, wraps and more! You can also get upcycled wool covers which will be a bit cheaper and more budget friendly. There is machine sewn brands that are reasonably priced, easy to use and offer wonderful coverage. Then there is hand knit covers that can get more pricey but are more personal.

As far as washing your wool, I would recommend using the instructions given by your specific wool wash or lanolin. All are pretty much the same but they do vary a little. But I promise, it's not as hard as you may think.

But, if you are curious here are the steps I use to wash and lanolize mine.

Fill a basin with lukewarm water and a squirt of baby wash. *Or wool wash.
Slowly add the wool cover
Let the cover soak about 20 minutes
Gently run any soiled spots with your hand and mild soap
Rinse the wool in the basin and set aside
Empty basin
Prepare your lanolin - Put a very small amount (pea sized) in an small empty container. Add very hot water and a squirt of baby wash or wool wash. Put the lid on the container and shake until well blended. (You don't want any clumps of lanolin in it)
Add hot water to basin
Dump in Lanolin mixture and stir
Add cool water to bring the temp to lukewarm
Add washed/wet cover
Soak at least 20 minutes. (I like to soak a couple of hours!)
The pull your cover out of the water and gently squeeze out excess water.
Lay cover on a towel and roll the towel up
Place pressure on rolled up towel to help soak out some water from the cover
Unroll and lay your cover flat to dry
Your Done!!

That is it! While it may look like a lot, it really isn't. I hope this post helps someone that is considering wool or having trouble with overnight diapering.

Bio: My name is Lisa, I am a stay at home mom to 3 wonderful children under the age of 7. I love cloth diapers and sharing my experiences in order to help others. I am just enjoying my journey through life. You can visit my blog at: www.thesecretlifeofasahm.com

All Freetime, All the Time

2013-05-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Before baby number one was born, I decided that I didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on disposables, so I informed my husband that cloth diapers were the way to go (for our budget and for the environment, too, of course). I did hours of online research on cloth diapering (I’m a librarian, after all), attended a class at a local retailer to see all of the varieties in person, and took the advice of other CDers (see, I learned the lingo!) to try lots of different kinds before settling on just one. I chose a few to try and added them to my baby registry. And once baby arrived, try them I did – from prefolds to pockets and everything in between. I had never imagined just how much fun it would be to outfit my baby’s bum!

I settled on mostly a mix of one-size pockets, a lot of bumGenius 3.0s and 4.0s with a few others (Fuzzibunz, Rumparooz, Kawaii, Thirsties, Charlie Banana) thrown in for good measure (and their cute prints). I was happy with my pockets and liked the flexibility of being able to double-stuff… and even replace all the inserts pretty cheaply when my front-loader did a number on my microfiber (and I hadn’t yet discovered the wonders of Tide). However, when baby number two came along, with potty training for number one still a distant dream, I began to dread the daily stuffing of the pockets. It used to be something I didn’t mind doing while I sat in front of the TV at night, but that was when I only had to wash diapers once every two or three days, not every day…and before I started nursing a case of thumb tendinitis – what they cheerfully call “mommy thumb.” Soon I decided I had had enough. I was so over the stuffing. I wanted a diaper that I could use on both of my boys, no stuffing required. So I turned to the one-size All-in-One.

Again, I tried just about all of the major brands of AIOs -- Swaddlebees, Thirsties, Tots Bots, GroVias –and I liked certain things about each of them, but it wasn’t until I met the bumGenius Freetime that I fell in love. It fastened with all the familiarity of my previously-loved 4.0s, came in all the same colors and my all-time favorite print, Albert, and yet it needed no stuffing. Even Daddy and Grandma could handle it. And just a couple of hemp inserts tucked under the flaps turned it into a worthy nighttime diaper. Best of all, right now both of my boys – my skinny 2 ½-year-old and my chunky one-year-old – are on the same rise! I began to sell off all of my other kinds of diapers and replace them with the Freetime… and now I am all Freetime, all the time!

Laurie is a children’s librarian-turned-SAHM who keeps her storytime skills fresh by reading to her two boys. She and her family live in Michigan, where they use cloth diapers, cloth napkins, unpaper towels…and Cottonelle.

Newborn Diapering the Long and Lean Baby

2013-05-05T14:00:00.000-04:00

This is my second time around on the newborn diapering bandwagon. Though I am by no means a pro, there are a few diapers that I love more than others. I should start by saying that my youngest is a traditional “Long and Lean” (L&L) baby; born at 7lb. 12oz at and 20 inches long. He is now over 24” and weighs just over 9lbs at 6 weeks. The trouble with L&L babies is they tend to eat, a lot, ALL the time. I breastfeed and it’s not uncommon for him to be ready to eat every 2 hours, on the dot, sometimes starting from when he started eating. At night he loves to cluster feed, eating every hour for 4 or 5 hours straight. All of this affects how cloth diapers fit and how much they can hold (all that milk has to go somewhere).

For the first few weeks we use BumGenius (BG) AIO NB’s. They are perfect for the hospital, and for new dads to use. They also help you get into the swing of things. The other great thing about the NB BG’s is your baby can still wear a lot of those cute NB onesies everyone gave you since they aren’t very bulky! The biggest issue is that in a few weeks (~6 in our experience) they are done. On my L&L baby he wets through them after an hour once he reached 9.5lbs. If you plan to have a few kiddos they are worth the money. I loan mine out to friends who want to try cloth diapering, and have made a few converts!

Our favorite OneSize (OS) diapers are the FuzzyBuns Elite. I didn’t use them right-away on our first kiddo, but this time around they are the first pick for a few reasons:

Slim Fit. There is nothing worse to me than getting a great little guy outfit and then it doesn’t fit because your CD is too bulky. Little boy clothes are hard to find as it is, and I don’t want to use disposables just to be able to fit into my favorite outfits.
Adjustable/replaceable elastic. Your baby will grow; faster than you may want. It’s easy to up the size on the elastic once they grow-out of the NB stage. And believe me, you will want easy to replace elastic in a few years (when you hit #2 kiddo).

Honorable mentions are Rumparooz, Swaddlebees, and BG OS. I LOVE the extra leg elastic on the Rumparooz. And when our little man gets older I am sure we will use this diaper more and more. Swaddlebees have the best prints- owls, cows, and dinosaurs. Our oldest always picks these diapers for little brother. BG OS are great. We used them almost exclusively on our first, and love the way they fit. They all are great brands that hold in the wet. But they are super bulky on NB’s. And are not umbilical cord friendly. However they will certainly grow with your fastly growing baby and nothing is simpler to change the size than snaps.

Of course there are a LOT more brands out there, plus prefolds, (which we are just starting to try). But for us these are the ones I gravitate to the most. Of course in a few months when our littlest starts crawling I might have new favorites.

Until then - Happy Cloth Diapering - Mary

Bio - I’m a ‘busy’ ‘work-at/from-home’ mother of two little boys in eastern Oregon. I coach cross country, and try to stay in shape so that my sons will not be able to out run me till they are at least 10 (maybe 12), and, oh yeah, I help manage a 400cow family dairy J. Mary Chamberlain

Super Saturday Coupon

2013-05-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

Coupon Code: SPICY

Free one size diaper (guaranteed value $17+) with purchase of $69 or more at Kelly's Closet. Limit 1 code per order. Limit 3 uses per customer. Excludes the purchase of gift certificates. Not valid on pending or previous orders. KC chooses free diaper.

Fluff Friday 231

2013-05-03T13:00:00.000-04:00

Who doesn’t love Free Fluffy Mail??

This week The Cloth Diaper Whisperer is giving away a set of Two NEW Thirsties Polka Dance Print Diapers. Winner can choose from Duo AIO, Duo Diaper or Duo Wrap styles.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fluff Friday 230 WINNER!

2013-05-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

This week's fluff friday winner is: Jillian Herman!

She will receive the following:
1 Planet Wise Diaper Cover
1 Planet Wise Small Wet Bag

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Please, contact us here ASAP so we can get your winnings out to you!!!

Keep Baby Close and Safe While Shopping in a Moby Wrap

2013-05-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

“What do you mean the car seat won’t fit on top of the shopping cart?!?” My husband and I took our new baby on his first outing to the grocery store a few weeks after he was born. Just like we did with our other three kids, we brought him into the store still strapped in his car seat. As hubby struggled to get the seat to fit on top of the basket, I tried told help him out. “You must being doing it wrong, let me help.” We struggled with that cart and baby seat for a good five minutes before giving up. What the heck?? I researched so thoroughly before buying this seat! It had awesome safety rating and great reviews! Why on earth would they make a car seat that would not fit on top of the grocery cart?? Hmm…..maybe because it is not safe…duh.

When we got home, I got out the seat’s instruction manual and lo and behold it stated: DO NOT use in the seating area or across the top of shopping carts. So I did some researching online. According to the Academy of Pediatrics approximately 23,000 children are treated in the emergency room for injuries from shopping carts! Most of those injuries are caused by falls from the cart or by the cart tipping over. Well that makes sense…..maybe perching baby on top of the cart is not a safe practice after all!

My third child was born five years prior and this is what I thought was normal. That is where the car seat was supposed to go…..boy was I wrong. Even when we did it, I was always so worried about the cart tipping over because it made it top heavy. So now what?? How am I going to go to the grocery store with my baby? Enter the Moby Wrap. When I first bought the wrap I was a bit overwhelmed. It was a super long piece of stretchy cotton fabric. The first couple times I tried it on I wanted to return it to be honest. I thought, “I am never going to get this!” But the more I used it, the more I loved using it! Soon it became so easy to wrap! I could probably do it now with my eyes shut!

There are many videos online to help you learn to wrap and you can always call or email customer service if you have any questions or can’t figure something out. The first time I wore my baby at the grocery store, I was so surprised how much easier it made shopping. I put my newborn baby boy in the wrap while I shopped and he slept the entire time! I no longer had to worry about the cart tipping over with my baby in it! I now longer had to try to look over top of his car while I shopped to make sure I did not run over a little kid that has strayed from his or her parent! (I was always paranoid about that for some reason) I no longer had to get my baby out of his seat if he was fussy. He was so content and would almost always fall asleep and stay asleep the entire time I shopped. If he was hungry, I could nurse him discreetly in the wrap. Now he is nine months old and we still use the Moby Wrap when I go to the grocery store, the park, for a walk…..everywhere!

The first thing we bought when we found out we were pregnant was an expensive stroller/carseat combo. That stroller is currently collecting dust in our garage. I prefer to have my baby boy close to me, that way he stays content, I can easily respond to his needs, and I can smell and kiss him as much as I want! If I could do it all over again, I would have passed on that expensive stroller and just bought the Moby Wrap!

Bio: My name is Stephanie and I am mommy to four awesome kiddos! Loving life!

Newborn Cloth Diapering Toolkit

2013-05-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

I found that there are very few needed essentials for cloth diapering a newborn. As long as you have something to absorb and something to keep the moisture off your clothes, that's pretty much all that's important. Having gone through this twice (at 3 weeks, and 4 days), I can tell you that your best bet is to have a LOT of changes on hand. I cloth diapered my first only part time as a newborn, but baby #2 has been wearing cloth since we were in the hospital. With a newborn, you'll be changing diapers every hour or so, and both my kids had the 'ooh, new diaper, MUST poop' thing going on in the early days. Sometimes I'd change FOUR in a row! Just when you think they're done? They're not.

Since my priorities were to have plenty of changes, and to pay as little as possible, I bought a bunch of prefolds for around $1 each. Instead of envisioning tossing a quarter into the trash can with each change, I envisioned my money coming BACK to me! Since we were diapering our second full time, I ended up with 2 dozen infant sized prefolds and 6 newborn ones. The newborn ones fit right away for us, but lasted only a few weeks on our 9 lb girl. They were handy for a trim fit under newborn clothes and for those of you with a more 'normal' sized baby, they'll be doubly worth the investment. Using the infant sized prefolds was easy, fastening with a snappi or just tri-folding and laying into a cover. We skipped the x-small covers, knowing that our baby was going to be fairly large. Since you'll be wanting to use covers again and again, try finding ones that 'wipe clean' and snappi the first few changes with that cover, and when you think it's your last use or two, go ahead and just tri-fold, that way, if it gets soiled, you won't be cursing your thoughtlessness when you're on your last cover and the rest are in the wash. Tip: When infant/one-size prefolds are too large, simply tri-fold them the 'wrong way', they'll be shorter and fit in small covers easier. When we snappi'd, we found that we liked the jelly roll fold the best, basically you're making gussets yourself to hold in the poo! These were the mainstay of our daytime system, when our eyes were open.

For night time, we had half a dozen aios (we had small BG's, which are discontinued) and a handful of one-size pocket diapers, like Rumparooz and Katydid (now Oh Katy!) that get SUPER small on their lowest rise setting. You could grab a couple of small pocket diapers, like fuzzibunz, instead, we have one of those and it's still fitting my 7 month old! The key here is that you don't necessarily need a lot of these, if you're washing every 2 days, 5 or 6 is probably more than plenty to get through those bleary eyed feedings. If you go through more than that in one night, you're probably awake enough to tri-fold a prefold anyway!

Here are my suggestions for newborn kits (under 8 lbs, 8 lbs + and lowest cost kit). The idea is that you always have 24-30 diapers that fit your child, so you can wash every 2 days and have enough to get by while they wash and in case of a dreaded quadruple poo. Keep in mind that one size diapers may not fit a small newborn immediately, but by the time your baby grows out of a newborn prefold (at around 10 lbs), you can simply rotate one size diapers in and have the same amount of changes. If you're using infant sized prefolds, they will last until approximately 15 lbs, and your baby is no longer a newborn, but a 'baby' ready for one size diapers or standard/premium prefolds.

Kit suggestions for up to 8 lb newborn:
12 infant prefolds
12 newborn prefolds (use as doublers or put back for next baby when outgrown)
5-6 wipe clean covers
1-2 snappis
5-6 xsmall or small AIOs/pockets and
3-4 one size diapers that fit from birth
24 cloth wipes

Kit suggestions for 8 lb + newborn:
24 infant prefolds
6 newborn prefolds (use as doublers or put back for next baby when outgrown)
5-6 wipe clean covers
1-2 snappies
5-6 small AIOs/pockets or size 1 diapers that 'size up' or
5-6 one size diapers that fit from birth
24 cloth wipes

Kit suggestions for lowest cost:
24-30 infant or one size prefolds
4-6 wipe clean one size covers
2-3 one size AIO or pocket diapers for night
24 cloth wipes

Jill has cloth diapered 2 babies and lives life 'just this side of crunchy' and blogs about her experiences at www.lifeisnotbubblewrapped.com.