Archive for the ‘conservation’ Category

Cloth Diapering Myths!

I was thinking about all the misconceptions and myths about cloth diapersing and came up with 10 that I think are the most popular ones we have heard.  Maybe some of you all have heard others?

1. In order to Cloth Diaper you must use pins. Yes I do know some parents that use them and wouldn’t do it any differently, but there are so many alternatives for those of us that aren’t that coordinated.  For those that want to secure a flat or prefold with more than a cover, there are snappis- additionally there are so many other types of diaper that velcro and snap closed just as easily as a sposie.

2. Cloth diapers cause diaper rash.  I think if you have a child that is prone to rash then it probably doesn’t matter what type of diaper you use, you have to be sure and change them as often as you can.  Urine and feces both can break down skin and cause irritation…that is a fact.  More often I have heard of babies that are allergic to the things used to make disposable diapers, the chemicals, the gel, the rough paper, the plastics, etc.

3. Once you calculate utilities, there is no cost savings.  This simply is not true.  Most mom’s and dad’s will agree that its only 1-2 extra loads of laundry per week to cloth diaper.  Utility costs vary from region to region but there is just no way this one is true.  I have estimated this myself and it costs me mere cents per load to wash and just a bit more to dry.  Additionally, if this issue bothers you, use a clothes line or a drying rack – that will save over 50% of the utility cost of cloth diapering and also help your diapers last longer.

4. Cloth diapering is so time consuming that in order to be successful you must be a sahm.  Although I personally am a sahm/wahm - I do not agree with this statement and know many, many families of 2 working parents or a single working parent that have successfully cd’ed all of their children.  Like I mentioned above, its generally 1-2 extra loads of laundry a week – so what is that, 5 mins to load, 5 mins to switch over and then 10 to fold or stuff and put on the shelf? Going to the store to buy sposies, taking out extra bags of trash and/or swapping out those diaper genie refills has got to cancel that all out, right?

5. Poopy cloth diapers must be dunked in the toilet before putting in the pail to wash.  EWW – do people really do that?  It is so not necessary, really it isn’t.  Even the nastiest of poops can be scraped or sprayed off and then put into the washing machine.  Our washer never smells like poop or has any residue left in it after washing even the worse load of diapers.  If I ever feel the need to rinse out a really bad diaper, I use the bathroom sink rather than the toilet, then I spray and wipe out the sink…NOT the toilet!

6. You cannot travel or camp with cloth.  We have a previous blog articleabout this and it simply is not the case.  I usually bring 2 large wet bags with me, first half of the trip in one, second half in the other.  Its that simple.  If you are washing dirty diapers that are more than 3-4 days old, do a soak first, then an extra wash or use some biokleen disinfectant if you think you need it.

7. You must have your own washer/dryer.  I can personally attest to this as a myth!  Although it sure makes it easier, cloth diapering while using shared machines or a laundromat it completely do-able.  When I was washing only once a week at the laundromat I used a splash of biokleen disinfectant in the wash just to ward off unwanted bacteria (both from having the diapers sitting around for longer and the fact that other people use the machines) – the only other thing I had to do was strip more often as the shared machines seemed to have more detergent build-up that would end up on my diapers too.

8. Cloth diapers are too bulky and you need to buy larger clothes to fit over them.  I won’t completely disagree with this- I think it all depends on the type of diaper you use and the build of your child.  Some cloth diapers are bulky and if that is what your child is used to then it probably doesn’t bother them at all.  In that case, I would say you probably would need to either size up on bottoms or just buy materials that are stretchy….no big deal.  On the other hand, lots of cloth diapers are known for their trimness, these don’t add anymore bulk than a sposie if they are the correct size and are fastened snugly.

9.  The added bulk between a baby’s legs can damage leg and hip development and it takes longer for a cloth diapered child to learn to walk.  All these things are a definite myth!  Only in the past century have there even been disposable diapers.  Does that mean that humans up until the last 100 years have had messed up legs and hips?  Especially in a time when people were forced to do more physical work to survive?  That is just a silly, made-up misconception.  Also there is no data that supports that cloth diapered children walk later, my daughter certainly didn’t have any issues!

10. Nobody uses cloth anymore.  WRONG!  What a relief that this is so incredibly off too, huh?  Just writing this blog has given me more energy to spread the word about cloth…go on out and do so yourself too!  Pass this blog URL along to your non cloth diapering friends and relatives, lets make it our jobs to help others stop filling the landfills of the world with disposable diaper and dangerous biological waste!

Happy diapering everyone

Tags: camping with cloth diapers, cloth diapering damage hips, cloth diapering is time consuming, cloth diapering misconceptions, cloth diapering myths, cloth diapers and diaper rash, diaper pins, diaper rash, dunking cloth diapers in the toilet, only stay at home mothers cloth diaper, washing and drying cloth diapers, washing cloth diapers
Posted in Uncategorized, basic cloth diapering, cloth diapering, cloth vs disposable, conservation, diaper covers, diaper pins, diaper sprayer, diapers in landfills, environment, frugal, green living, prefold diapers, prefolds, snappies, toddler clothing, traveling with cloth, trim diapers | 1 Comment »

Mastering Cloth Wipes

Many of the mom friends I have that use cloth tend to use disposable wipes.  I guess they figure they have done enough by using cloth diapers or they never thought of it or maybe they keep meaning to try it and it just never happens.  While there have been periods of time that I have used disposable wipes, generally speaking, we use cloth.  I do admin that I *try* to keep a small pack of the Whole Foods brand wipes in my bag, that doesnt always happen either. 

One of the first purchases that I made, along with my original infant sized prefolds were several sets of cotton/flannel squares.  I do not think we still sell these ones at the store, but we have several other great options now (3 yrs later).  Personally, I have always made my own wipe solution.  Way back before I had Amelia, I found the recipe on the internet somewhere and have slowly adapted it to fit our needs while using things I generally keep in the pantry or the bathroom.  Originally I bought a small plastic container with a cover that was just a tad bit larger than my squares, I would mix up around 3-4 cups of hot water, a good squirt of baby soap, about a 1/4 cup of aloe gel and a few tbs of baby oil (I love Burt’s Bees Apricot Baby oil, but its soooooo expensive now!)  I would wisk this all together in the container and then gently soak the pile of squares until they were submerged, pop on the cover and store on the shelf on my changing table. So easy!!

Throughout the years this has varied a bit, depending on what I had on hand.  I try to make sure I have aloe gel, since its healing properties are so vast, but sometimes we forget to get more and I go without.  Additionally, I usually use whatever oil I have on hand to cook with, usually olive oil and that works fine as well, I have tried almond oil and jojoba as well, both work great.   Sometimes I use the natural body wash that I keep in the shower for my husband and I as its much less expensive than the baby soap and that works fine too, its not like you are going to get it in their eyes anyway!

Another option is using some sort of premade wipe solution.  Its super easy and works great.  We have several types, both the bumgenius Bottom Cleaner and the Happy Heiny Organic Heiny Spray you spray directly onto the baby’s bum and then wipe off with a cloth square or a face cloth.  The Northern Essence Foaming Wipe Solution works more like my home made version – it also comes in a pump style that is perfect for the diaper bag (yes I should get one…)

Give it a try, you just might decide you like it!  I also find they are great for wiping hands and faces that seem to get messy so many times throughout the day!  Happy diapering

Tags: baby wipes, cloth baby wipes, cloth wipe solution, wipes
Posted in baby wipes, bum spray, cloth baby wipes, cloth diapering, cloth wipe solution, conservation, green living, prefolds | 2 Comments »

Safe Sunscreen

Now that they sun is shining bright, even here in Maine, its important to know exactly what is in the suntan lotions you are putting on your youngsters. Most of those super-sized, inexpensive bottles of “kids” lotions that you find at most large chain pharmacys are not suitable for use on anyone’s skin!  They contain harmful chemicals that are used to generate free radicals as well as estrogenic enhancing chemicals which are listed in the ingredients as benzophenones, paba, paba esters and cinnamates (just to name a few).

Our California Baby lotions pride themselves in the following:

*Contains organic and sustainably grown ingredients
*No Octyl Methoxycinnamate or other chemical sunscreens
*No fragrance or scent masking agents
*UVA/UVB broad-spectrum protection
*PABA free
*Water resistant
*Non-chemical sunscreen
*Sheer finish
*Non-invasive formula, hypoallergenic
*Non-staining

Sunscreen chemicals aren’t only harmful to children, but teens and adults as well.  You can google “estrogenic enhancers” if you want to read about the dangers yourself!

We also carry Mama Rose’s Natural SunBlocker which is SPF 30 and is all natural, chemical free and water resistant. We love it!

Both are great, healthy options for sun protection for the WHOLE FAMILY! Have a great day, and happy diapering!

Posted in chemical free lotions, chemical free sunscreen, conservation, environment, free radicals, green living, paba, sunscreen | 1 Comment »

Happy Earth Day!

So we know opinions about the environment, carbon footprint and green living really run the gammet these days. More than in the past especially, since these thing are more popular subjects and more people are aware of the effects of their lifestyles, people are trying to make better decisions for the future of the planet.

Most of the moms I am friends with are generally more environmentally friendly than the average bear on some level, some more so than others. For example, a new mom friend that I have recently made since moving, is quite the *activist* – she is the person honking at the cars and shouting when she sees young children not in their car seat, she will stop a mom in public to show her how to adjust the her baby’s car seat straps or her Ergo or a better/more effective way to tie her Moby. Just recently we got into a great “sandbox” discussion about cloth vs. disposable (we were literally in the sandbox!) Oddly enough, there was one other mom there who was an avid cloth diaperer (we suspected it….and she confirmed later in the conversation.) The other adults were a young lady and her partner – they had a 3 yr old boy still in diapers and an older lady, who we assumed was the grandma – she had a 3-ish yr old little girl who may have been potty trained and another on her back in a very nice sling.

My activist friend very smoothly struck up the conversation as a result of the young mom asking if her daughter was still in diapers and my friend telling her that she had just recently potty trained at around 2.5 yrs. The young mom was very impressed which prompted us to launch into our “Cloth diapered kids potty train earlier speech”. I love the questions! “What do you do with the poop?” “Do you have to use bleach?” “Does it make your washing machine stinky?” “Do you really save a lot of money?”

I don’t think we convinced her, necessarily, but made her think! The boyfriend ran when he heard the word “WASH” *heeheehee*, but she listened, and the older woman smiled and nodded. Our cloth diapering ally piped in a few times – overall a success!

Just a little food for thought for all you “closet” cloth lovers out there – and those who have yet to come into the light! Especially this being the week we all celebrate Mother Earth and communities try and clean her up a bit. Tell someone about cloth! Tell them how easy it is, how healthy it is for the child and if need be, tell them it really is the hip thing to do! Oh and as always…..Happy Diapering!

Posted in cloth diapering, conservation, earth day, environment, green living, mothering | 3 Comments »

Cloth diapering on a dime….when money is tight!

Everyone has their own set of reasons for cloth diapering their kiddies, including but not limited to – environmental conservation, cutting back on chemical exposure, vanity and increasingly ever-popular SAVING MONEY!! Over the life of a child, cloth diapering can save thousands upon thousands of dollars, and as many of us can attest to, every penny counts. As a seasoned cloth diapering parent will tell you, there are so many routes one can go when building a cloth diaper stash for either a new baby or as a switchover from disposables. I am going to talk about the most frugal ways that families can cloth diaper on a bare bones budget.

Having many mom and dad friends myself, I can say their personalities and skill sets vary as much as one can imagine and while it would be great to have the skills to sew up your own stash of diapers, many of us just don’t have the time or the sewing experience. For those of us who don’t want to go that route, our best friend in the frugal cloth diapering world would have to be the cotton prefold! They are by far the budget diaperer’s best choice. For around $70 you can have 3 dozen infant size unbleached Indian cotton prefolds which is right around the amount that one would need to successfully diaper a newborn, washing a load of diapers twice a week (give or take of course – as a child gets older the number of diaper you need decreases as a general rule).

Paired with the prefold, one will need some type of cover ranging from wool, to plastic or vinyl – the least expensive being the old fashion Gerber rubber pants that many of our own mothers used diapering us and our siblings (which now have a softer lined leg casing and are chlorine free!) These are a simple pull on style with elastic waist and legs and come in 5 sizes from 8-35 lbs. One step up in my opinion in both ease and cost would be the Prorap wrap style covers with either snap or aplix – they add another element of ease in that they are more like the basic design of disposable diapers where you fasten them on either side with the child laying down without the help of pins or a Snappi to close the prefold since the cover holds it tightly in place when fastened correctly. We recommend having a minimum of 4 covers, depending on your washing preference. When my daughter (now 2) was a small infant I got along fine with 3-4 covers which I rotated hanging on a hook over my changing table (we didn’t go out much). When one either became soiled or very smelly, I would take it into the bathroom and wash it out in the sink with a tiny squirt of soap, wring it out in a hand towel and hang it over my shower to dry. Simple as that – if it was very dirty I might let it soak or even throw it in the diaper pail with the prefolds to go in the washer. Of course the more covers you have, the less you wash – many people like having 6-8 covers allowing them to be washed right in with the prefolds every time.

Other add-ons that are helpful, but not required:
• A small water resistant bag for outings (or you can use a grocery bag, but these are so cute!)
• Wipe solution and flannel/fleece squares (this will save a ton of money in the long run)
• Washable liner bags for the pail (I recommend 2, one in the wash, one in the pail)
• Some type of doubler (micro fiber is usually sufficient for a smaller child, while something more absorbent like hemp or bamboo is better for older children or heavy wetters). I would use the doublers for night diapering or if I was taking a longer car ride and hoped the baby would sleep the whole way without wetting through the clothes onto the car seat cover

We have some ready made systems available that make this whole process effortless. Our basic MCDC infant, baby and toddler packages include the prefolds, covers, wipes, solution and bag. We also have an ultra basic preemie package which is simply the preemie prefolds and the preemie covers. Lastly we have the mother of all packages which will take you from birth to potty training – our MCDC Complete package. Of course these are all customizable and we encourage you to contact us if you would like to build your own package or have questions or concerns.

Oh and as always…happy diapering!

Posted in basic cloth diapering, conservation, diapering packages, environment, frugal, recession, save money | No Comments »