January 5, 2011

Fluff

I've been contemplating a cloth diapering blog for awhile, but it took me forever to actually remember to take pictures when I had a good chunk of diapers clean and ready to go. You can Google and learn so much about cloth diapering. It is a whole other world. But here is MY journey in cloth diapering, and it has been both a fun and learning experience!

A bit of a background: I started cloth diapering maybe two months ago, but I feel like I've been doing it forever, it's so easy. My sweet friend Anna showed me how simple it was and even let me borrow a few to see if I like them. I instantly realized that it was an excellent decision for me and my family. We save tons of money, we help the environment, and they are healthier for Parker. Also, my water bill has not gone up, even though I wash more during the week.

I currently have 16 diapers. I would love to have 5 more so I could wash less(well, I need 5 more. I would love to have 16 more!)Here is some of Parker's stash:

The diapers that I have are all pockets (meaning, you have to stuff inserts into them. The point of stuffing the inserts is that when you wash them, you pull the inserts out. They dry quickly and get super clean. There are lots of other types of diapers, but I don't want to be confusing. Google All In Ones, Fitted, All In Twos, Prefolds, Hybrid to get really confused!). This is what an insert looks like (sometimes I use one, like when we are at home, but I use two inserts when we go out or for over night):

The ones I have are also one size, meaning they fit from about 10 pounds to potty training. They have all sorts of snaps to adjust to your babies size. See below.

I got Parker's fluff online from Just Simply Baby and Go Green Pocket Diapers. You can Google either of those. I recommend them both. They are cheaper than most of the CDs on the market, but they are adorable and great quality and do not leak. Now that I've had them for awhile, I want to try other kinds, but I've been on the lookout for sales and what not. I look every day, it quickly turns into an obsession.

Another item you may want to purchase (among a million other things) is a wetbag. It fits in your diaper bag and you just throw your dirty dipes in until you get home. When you get home, you throw them in the diaper pail until wash day. For really poopy diapers, you can spray them off with a diaper sprayer. You can buy those, but luckily, I'm married to a plumber. Here is my makeshift diaper pail and wetbag:


Washing them: Everyone has their own way of washing their cloth diapers. One important thing to remember is to use Free and Clear Detergent (I use plain old All Free and Clear, although there are specific detergents marketed only for cloth diapers). I usually do a cold rinse, then a hot wash with 1/3 of what I would normally use detergent. In the spring and summer, I plan to hang them dry, but for now, I dry them in the dryer (no dryer sheets though!)

Cloth diapers are insanely easy. People should try them, and they will be hooked. It's the only laundry I don't mind doing. The "hardest" part is stuffing the inserts into the pockets, but I don't mind that-honestly! And for those that DO, you can get different kinds where you don't have to stuff or fold anything (All in Ones.)

Fluffy bums are insanely adorable: (even when they are not matching)

1 comment:

  1. Love this blog post! Your wash routine sounds really similar to mine except I use an extra rinse cycle at the end and sometimes I use Lavender Tea Tree Oil- but not always. I can't wait until the summer to sun the diapers either! Parker looks so cute in his baby legs!

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