My lazy mistake

I am not a cloth diapering Nazi. It doesn't happen often, but if need be, I put my girls in disposable diapers. This is usually just during a fast-paced vacation or if I misjudge laundry time.

Earlier this week, I ran out of time to dry the diapers. Okay, okay. I actually was just too lazy to get off the couch Sunday night to switch them from the washer to the dryer. I could have even hung them to dry and by Monday morning we would have had plenty of fresh diapers. But I didn't. I let them sit in the washer all night.

So Monday morning came, and I turned them over to the dryer. I should have waited before I left the house. They don't take too long to dry. I rushed to get to the store, however, trying to beat the heat and rain that I thought might come. I put both girls in the leftover disposable diapers I had from our recent weekend getaway.

Oh, if I could go back in time.

No one likes to talk about poop, but when we are discussing diapers, there really isn't a way to avoid it. My nursling is still EBF, and she doesn't poop everyday. In fact, the baby only poops about every 4-5 days, so when she does get around to business, it's a ton. And then some.

Unfortunately for me, Baby Girl picked Monday to be the day. Sweet as she is, she waiting until after we left to get started. If you aren't a cloth diaper lover, you might be thinking, "What's the big deal?" If you know how great cloth is, however, you know where I am going.

Two separate times, my daughter had completely blow outs in the disposable diapers. And although I changed her quickly both times, she still ended up with a bad diaper rash. Blistering bad. And this kid has never had a rash before (she has only used disposable diapers a few times).

Even with the massive amounts of poop that my child has at once, we never have poop leaks with my cloth. Never. And it never lets her bum get red. 

Thanks to my Sunday night laziness, I ended up with more poopy laundry and a red, red bottom. It would have been much easier to just get off the couch and switch over the laundry. Lesson learned.

People ask me all the time how I can handle washing poop. It's easy. I'd much rather wash poop off of diapers than out of clothes.

Sharing IS caring

People ask me all the time: How long will cloth diapers REALLY last?

The answer is actually very simple. And complex.

Depending on the care of the diaper, cloth diapers can last a very, very long time.

My Lily is wearing FuzziBunz sized diapers that have gone through at least six babies. Six. Seriously. FB are just darn good diapers.

With a sized option, you have to realize, however, that the diaper is getting limited use during a very specific time period. While Lily fits well into her size smalls, the rise is growing short and the diaper will soon be too small for the 4 month old.

My precious BG 3.0s have closures that have been replaced, and are awaiting on elastic that needs replaced. This was after two TOUGH years of tough daily use. And tough (almost) daily washing. My BG went through all the wrongs of CD care -- Dreft, fabric softener, bleach, the dryer. Neglecting to use diaper tags. Diaper creams. You name it and these BG went through it. Call it growing pains on my part.

We are also using plenty of prefold diapers that have been used and used and used. I don't think you can ruin these diapers. Seriously. They stay fresh and clean, but never seem to get fully dry in the sun.

So the answer to the question is really up to you. Are you buying a one size diaper that will be used each day for two years? Are you going to follow the instructions and recommendations?

Flats Challenge

I used a flat diaper for the first time yesterday.

In fact, I used eight of them. I joined up in a modified version of the Flats Challenge from Dirty Diaper Laundry, and the little one has been in Flat diapers since yesterday.

I was nervous to use them. Instead of the origami fold, I am simply folding them to be like a prefold newspaper fold and laying them inside my Flip covers. So far, it is working extremely well. Maybe even better than prefold diapers.

Instead of buying actual Flat diapers, I bought flour sack towels at Target for $3.99 for a pack of four. I already have the Flip covers, so I only spent 12 bucks on the diapers.

This is just a simple reminder for how affordable cloth diapers can be. And they are extremely affordable!

There are greener days ahead

Announcement: I just got an email from Barbara Frierson, the project manager for the 2011 Sustainability Fair in Charleston, W.Va.

This year's Fair will be Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Columbia Gas Transmission Building on MacCorkle Avenue. It is near the University of Charleston. 

I am waiting to get the paperwork, but Diaper Parties by Rachel is planning to attend! Mark your calendars because it should be really good!

What is in your Pampers?

A friend and fellow Diaper Parties consultant recently contacted Pampers to see what is in them.

They wouldn't answer, and told her to have her pediatrician contact them with a list of her child's allergies to see if her child would be allergic to the diapers. WHAT?

Read the full  Pampers' response here.

Rockin Green, well, rocks. And so does this giveaway.

I love Rockin Green. I love all the scents, even though it took courage to try them. We are simple "scent-free" people around my house. Thankfully Rockin Green has a "scent-free" option, too.

But now I pick a new scent each time I grab a bag. I have never been disappointed.

Haven't tried Rockin Green for your diapers yet? Now is a fabulous time to try it. Head over to The Cloth Diaper Fairy for a wonderful giveaway opportunity. I did!

Broken dryer...

I will start with this: It really could be worse.

Yesterday, my dryer died. Really died. It has been dying for awhile. It started with a person having to hold in the "start" button extra long before the dryer kicked on. And then, for about two weeks, a person would have to manually move the inside of the dryer around for a bit before you could get it to kick on and work. But yesterday, I tried these amazing techniques only to smell smoke. And have a pile of wet clothes.

The smell made me nervous, so I manually kicked the breaker. And then opened a window.

And then, hung my clothes up to dry. When was the last time you have done this?

Well, I do it often, but not with clothes. Diapers are great to hang in the sun. It's a natural bleach, and makes them smell so good. The sun whitens the diapers while killing bacteria.

But I have a confession. Since I have had two kids in diapers and the days are still with limited sunshine, I have only had a few opportunities to get the diapers out in the sun. Even then, I have had to toss the inserts into the dryer because they aren't quite dry when I need them. I have plenty of diapers for both kids, but not that many.

I still have plenty of clean diapers, but by tonight, it will be wash time. Hopefully they will dry overnight if I hang them up. I may just have to use the hair dryer on a few for the morning;)

But still, it could be worse: It could be the washer that is broken.

The real CDing mama

To me, pocket diapers just seem easier. And they are, mostly. They made it easy for me to learn to cloth diaper. They made it easy to talk my husband into using cloth, too. And I admit it, they make it easy to convert others to cloth.

But, after two years of using pockets almost exclusively, I am going rouge.

We are using prefolds.

When a fellow cloth diapering mama (and good friend) found out I was into the prefolds, she exclaimed that I now a real cloth diapering mama. (As if those two years of washing, stuffing, snapping and changing didn't count...)

And I have confession: I only used them because my sister gave them to me. And not just one or two. She passed down an entire boatload. If you know my husband, you know we never pass up free items. Ever. And because we had no diaper covers to go with them, I used the free prefolds as an excuse to purchase some Flips. I reasoned to my husband that we could use the Flip inserts with our toddler, and give the prefolds a try on our infant using the same covers. Oh, and I think I threw in that the Flip covers would be great for potty training, too. You know, to go over those simple Gerber training panties I caved in and bought at Target one day. No, we have never used them for that. We just clean up accidents. Or I let my kid go naked so accidents don't happen.

What first appealed to me about the Flip diaper system was simply changing out the insert and not the whole diaper. But, isn't this the concept of the prefold system? Doesn't the Flip system simply model the prefold system? All they did was turn the old-school model into a cool new modern version (and added stay-dry protection, which is fab!), and it caught my attention. I had to try it!

But as it is, I love the prefolds in the Flip covers. Love them! Maybe more than the Flip inserts. Maybe. And suddenly, stuffing my pocket diapers isn't as fun as it once was. (Yes, I used to find it soothing to stuff and fold diapers.)

Suddenly, it's a lot easier to just put the prefolds into threes and pile them up next to the covers.

Suddenly, tossing the entire diaper into the wetbag takes up too much room.

Or is it because I am now washing and folding diapers for two kiddos that makes the simplicity of prefolds so adorable and appealing?

Stripping with Dawn.... Hold the pole

We have had leaks. In the past three months, I have about given up on my BumGenius 3.0s. You know, the diapers that originially sparked my love for cloth.

I was stuffing them with two toddler inserts (both actually the BG microfiber that I have always loved), and it still wasn't enough. It started at night, but eventually leaks came during the day, too.

I stripped with hot water. And then again with hot water. And again, and again. I boiled water (which is impressive because I had to carry the big HOT pans of water down my stairs. I also had a huge belly as I was pregnant at the time!) and then I did it all over again.

I even did an overnight soak in Rockin Green (my choice of detergents for cloth). Still, we had leaks. Because my toddler is potty training, she is in panties most of the day. It wasn't a big deal to just stop using our BG stash. If you read my blog, you know I am all about trying new diapers these days, and I have truly fallen in love with Flips. So I really just saw this as an excuse to buy more diapers and get rid of the old ones.

BUT I just couldn't do it.

I even packed them up once to give them away. My husband, being, well my husband, wouldn't let me and wanted me to sell them. But I couldn't even do that. I do not want to be responsible for turning someone away from cloth diapers because these weren't great anymore (and they were once fabulous!).

So I finally tried something I never really wanted to do. I stripped them using Dawn.

Why did I not want to do this? Simply because I pictured my washer overflowing with the bubbles, and I honestly did not believe I'd ever get the Dawn out of my diapers.

But what else could I do? I tossed my diapers into the washer and threw in a tablespoon (okay, I didn't measure; I just squirted what I thought looked like a tablespoon. Maybe this is why I shouldn't have done this!) of regular old Blue Dawn liquid soap. I set the washer to "extra rinse" and ran three full cycles.

I don't remember my diapers ever smelling as fresh as they did when I pulled them out of the washer! No stink, no funk, just fabulous.

I didn't expect it to work, but my diapers are literally as good as new. They are even great for night on my toddler! We haven't tried them on the baby yet, but I am sure they will work just as well as they did when I used them two years ago on a little baby:)

Carseat safety

My oldest daughter - who recently turned 2 - gets excited to sit in her carseat (a Britax Decathlon or Marathon, depending on the car we are taking out). It is partly because that is all she knows; if anything, I am anal about putting the kiddos in carseats. But, I have to give credit to Dora and Boots in their efforts with: "Buckle up so we can be safe!"

I have always been an advocate for ERF (extended rear facing) kiddos, especially once I saw this Youtube video . 

I cannot control very much as a parent. I risk the lives of myself and my children every time we get in the car. The one thing I can absolutely control is that they are both correctly put in carseats that are installed safely.

The American Academy of Pediatrics stepped up to the plate today, recommending all children stay RF up til the age of two.

They state: If a 1-year-old outweighs the recommendation of an infant seat, parents should switch to a different rear-facing car seat that accommodates the heavier weight until they turn 2.

Read the entire article.

The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2011

Calling all cloth diaper users in West Virginia! Anyone interested in participating in The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2011?

On April 23, people around the world will gather in small (and large) locations, grab their babies, and set a world record of the most cloth diapers changed simultaneously.

It just so happens (okay, it's not really a coincidence!) that this will also help celebrate Earth Day.

Diaper Parties by Rachel is hoping to host a location in Charleston, but there is a small catch. We have to have at least 25 participants for our location to count toward the world record.

So who is up for it?!

2 in cloth, take two

I was never overwhelmed by the idea of having two kiddos in cloth diapers. In fact, my sister very successfully cloth diapers her twin boys, who turned a year old in February. But, I never expected to love it as much as I do.

My disclaimer is that my two-year-old is trying to potty train, so as long as she is accident-free, she is in big girl panties during the day. Most days, however, accidents happen, and I typically toss the panties in with the diaper load.

I have mentioned my love for one-size diapers before, and I always knew they would be my favorite type of diapers. Because they grow with the baby, they are the only diaper that makes sense to buy. Now that I have a toddler and an infant in diapers, I cannot shout my love loud enough for this amazing invention. Laundry is an absolute breeze, and if I am running out of covers for my infant (who goes through them quite a bit faster, as expected), I steal them from her older sister's room. If I had all sized diapers, that would be next to impossible, at least if I expected to be leak-free.

We do have our share of sized diapers, though. All of them have been given to me second-hand. I love the way they work, and the fit, but I wouldn't pay for them. I know plenty of people who do (obviously! That is how I have come to now own them:) and they tend to favor them.

So what is right for your kids? That's up to you. Not sure? Book a diaper party and take a look at all of the available diapers from Everything Birth, Inc.

Flips for newborns

I didn't splurge on the newborn inserts for the Flips like I wanted. They are a fairly good deal, but we just have so many diapers.

Instead, we are using prefolds with them. I never thought I was a prefold kind of gal, butas it turns out, I kind of adore them. We are using preemie size prefolds, and rather than folding and pinning (or Snappi-ing), I am winging it with the lazy "just fold it into thirds and lay it in the cover" method. And you know what? It works. Very well.

Welcome to the world!

Our newest Diaper Parties by Rachel member -- Lily. She is rocking a Lil Joey shortly after she was born (still in the hospital). Lily weighed 7 lbs 7 oz and was 20 inches long. The little Joey is plenty big and should fit her for a short while (although well longer than I expected!).

Cloth in hospitals?

Hello out there!!!!

Do any of your hospitals use cloth diapers?

The hospital we will be delivering at does not, which isn't surprising since my area isn't too friendly toward being green.

I considered carrying my cloth stash to the hospital, but have since decided against it. Between the newborn and my toddler (still in diapers full-time), I figure I will have enough diaper laundry once I get home. I didn't want to add several days of that from my newborn in the hospital.

Still, I can't miss the opportunity to let some nurses and docs SEE a few of the diapers. Here is what I have packed: 1 Lil Joey (because they are perfect for newbies!!!), two prefolds and a Flip cover, and a Bamboo Baby AIO One Size.

I know the OS diapers are still a little large for newborns (although my first was 8 lbs, 10 oz, so not THAT big! lol), but I think they will still be adorable even if a little bulky.

Did you take part of your stash to the hospital with you?

Diaper Party break

I am now scheduling diaper parties beginning in late March. I won't be scheduling any before then while I take a break to cuddle with a new baby that we are expecting at any time;)

Are you expecting, too?

Consider having a diaper shower and let your family and friends help start your stash! Save thousands of dollars by using cloth, and even more when you let other people buy the diapers you want.

My favorite form of "recycling"

If you have visited my house, you may wonder why we have five trashcans in our kitchen. And if you are like my sister, who didn't want to be rude and ask what that crazy looking sprayer thing in our bathroom is (it's a diaper sprayer; it was fun to hear all of the things she considered for the year she wouldn't ask!), you didn't ask.

We don't have curbside pickup for our items to be recycled. Because we have to take it to the recycling facility ourselves, we have to have it all separated. We haven't come up with a better system, so we have five trashcans.

In the winter, it can be a pain to take it all down to the facility, but we still do.

That is why my favorite form of recycling (and yes, I know it is actually simply reusing) is that of our cardboard. It is how we start our fires in the basement. I love our fireplace, but it isn't always easy to get a fire going down there when we accidentally let it go out. Adding cardboard helps it get hot enough to catch the wood and get the fire going.

Since we have added insulation to the attic and started using our fireplace throughout the winter, our heating bill has been cut into half, and sometimes more. And we have yet to purchase wood. My husband has found free wood on craigslist, and cuts and stacks it himself.

Now if only I could get him to take down the rest of our recyclables.

Birth Depot

I use craigslist and freecycle a ton, but some items just can't be found in my area. West Virginia is growing when it comes to the concept of natural parenting, but slower than I would like.

Everything Birth just launched a pretty cool (AND FREE!) site called the Birth Depot. It's similar to craigslist or Ebay, but focused on items such as cloth diapers, midwifery, or just baby and kid items. There is also an "other" category; books are currently listed there. The photos above show some of the current listings.

Transactions actually occur between the buyer and seller (many sellers just use paypal), so the BD isn't actually selling anything. It is just providing a "safe" place for you to find other moms and pops who are interested in your once loved items.

Just another really cool way to keep "trash" out of our landfills!

Flippin Out

I just found three gently used Flip Diapers for $11 each! (Including the inserts).

Everything Birth just added a gently used diaper section, and I got 4 used diapers and one brand new diaper for $50!!! WHAT?! That is fabulous. Especially because all five of these diapers are one size.

Check them out at http://www.everythingbirth.com/, and tell them Rachel Hall sent you!

Go Green in 2011

It's easy. There are so many small ways you and your family can go green this year and help to save our precious planet.

My family will be growing by one this year, and we plan to save on waste as much as possible with all four of us. Both kiddos will be in cloth diapers using cloth wipes. When the time comes, I will make my own babyfood so not to waste all those crazy plastic and glass containers. (among many other reasons!).

We already primarily use green cleaning products, but I hope to turn that up a notch. They are typically a bit more expensive if you are buying the brand name products, but can be super cheap if you are "making" them yourself.

The big one I want to move forward with this year is paper towels. We are guilty of using these daily. Our regular towel stash needs to grow a bit, but handtowels aren't too pricey (and they are certainly cheaper than paper towels!!! Talk about expensive!).

What are your goals for 2011?