Tried and True, Or: The Dawn-in-the-Sink Diaper Stripping Method

So, you think you need to strip your diapers. Either they're stinky, or they're repelling liquid, or they're just not working for you. Stripping your diapers can give them a new lease on [butt]life. Before you go straight to stripping, make sure you check the fit of your problem dipes, at the legs and waist. Diapers that are too loose can allow liquid to leak as baby shifts around, or if the diaper is unevenely stuffed, with the insert bunching up on one side. Make sure they're not too tight also, because that can cause "compression leaks", where the dipe absorbs just fine, but the liquid is actually *squished* out of the absorbant insert. Like squeezing a soaking wet sponge. With your baby's bottom. 


SO! If you're still in need of a fool-proof stripping method, try this.

You'll need:

• Your problem diaper covers. Make sure they're "clean" first; wash them however you would normally. It doesn't matter if they're wet or dry, just not straight from the dirty pail! 
• Plain blue Dawn dish washing liquid. No Oxy-, no anti-bac, no nothing. I only use the plain blue kind, because I know for sure that it works.
• An empty sink, or bathtub.
• Plenty of water
• Your washing machine (to rinse, rinse, rinse at the end)

Optional:

• Stockpot of boiling water (just for good measure)

Directions:

(If you want to make sure they're extra super-duper clean, boil your biggest stockpot of water while you're stripping them, we'll come back to it later.)

Put your covers in the sink. Fill the sink with enough water to cover the diapers you're stripping. Grab a wet cover, squirt a few drops of Dawn on it, and scrub it against itself. Rinse as much soap out of the covers as you can in the sink, then dump 'em in the washer Hot water wash, and set load size to "Large". If you have an HE washer, set to "bulky items" as this will trick your washer into using more water per load, which will help rinse your diapers easier. [If you boiled water at the beginning, here's where it comes in: Let washer fill, then dump the whole pot in. Make sure there's already water covering the dipes, or the super hot water may damage them.]  Run through regular wash/rinse cycles (DON'T ADD SOAP) until there are no more lingering bubbles in the water. Hang dry. 

The End! 

Tips:

I usually wash all the covers, and then rinse them all together, but if you're cramped for space, you could wash one, rinse it, and then set it aside while you do the next one.

If you have any questions about this method, Please email me: MamaSuperPow@gmail.com or better yet, Tweet me: MamaSuperPow

Happy Diapering!

Cloth Diapers: The Truth About Savings

Here is a GREAT chart that breaks down the cost of cloth diapering vs. disposables by TYPE of cloth diaper. It might be a bit confusing for a CD Noob, but the savings are obvious. I'm so glad someone did the math and posted this!

http://www.diaperdecisions.com/pages/cost_of_cloth_diapers.php

5 Clean & Simple Reasons to Switch to Cloth Diapers

1. Ever miss a trash day using disposables? - EEEEEW. When cloth is stinky? Wash it, lay it in the sun, and done.
   
   
2. Economical - Families using cloth diapers can save $30-$50 per month per child.
   
   
3. Easier than you think - I like that I never run out of diapers. I never am left with half a pack of diapers that my baby outgrew overnight. I never have to send hubby out for diapers either! Laundry is no big deal either, for me it's just 1 extra load every other night.
   
   
4. Earlier to potty train - During potty training, stay-dry diapers are actually the enemy! Children need to feel wetness to understand that wet undies are undesirable. With cloth diapers, you can probably adapt what you already have to absorb, AND let your toddler learn!
   
   
5. Every baby deserves a healthy bottom - less chemicals usually means less skin irritation and fewer rashes! That's a good thing!

If you'd like more information about any of these E's,  please feel free to comment, tweet me, or email me at mamasuperpow_at_gmail_dot_com

You Can Look Before You Leap

I know several people right now who are *interested* in cloth diapering, but who haven't taken the next step in actually using any cloth. I understand completely that cloth diapering seems like a HUUUUGE endeavor, but in reality, it doesn't have to be. Here's why:

You DON'T have to start 100%  CDing all at once! I PROMISE, no one will judge you if you just try it. I know that cloth diapering mamas who have multiple kinds of "fluff" in their "stash" might be a bit intimidating in their excitement to recruit another potential convert. (GUILTY.) Here are a few ideas to help ease you into the mere idea of cloth diapering.

• Just TRY it. Just a little bit, just to see if you like it...
  I think that for someone who just wants to see if it can work for them, 3 is a good number to start with. It's enough that you really get the feel for cloth diapering without burdening you with a big obligation!

• Borrow a couple from a cloth diapering friend! Tell those pushy cloth diapering mamas to put their money where their mouths are! Everyone I know that cloth diapers is so excited about their diapers that they would gladly lend a couple, just to let someone try, and see if it would work for them.
  
• If the idea of used diapers skeeves you out (even though they're clean), you can find your 3 to try for cheap. For the price of a single pack of sized 2 disposables (assuming a pack of Huggies Pure & Natural at about $9.99)  You can get a brand new cloth diaper that your baby won't grow out of until they're potty trained! Here are some examples of the least expensive brands that I would suggest to "Just try it" :
• Econobum- You can buy a Single Pack for $9.95, which is one prefold and one cover, or a Trial Pack for $11.95, which has your 3 prefolds to try and one cover. They are ridiculously good quality prefolds too!
• Kawaiis- You can get one of these heavy duty pocket diapers for as low as $6.99!! I'd be willing to bet that you blow more money than that on Starbucks every month. That's about the price of a Value meal at Wendy's. It's CERTAINLY worth a try!
  
  Back to the idea of preowned fluff:
  
• Check your local Craigslist site for cloth diapers for sale. You can usually find really good prices on used diapers.
• Diaperswappers is another great website to find used cloth diapers for sale, and real reviews from real mamas

So as you can see, cloth diapering doesn't have to be a All or Nothing undertaking. You can just try it, and who knows, maybe you'll want to do it some more!

Just three. Not a big deal. No sir-ee, that's not a big deal at all.

And PLEASE!! If you have any questions, just ask me! Either in my comments, on Twitter (@MamaSuperPow), or email me at MamaSuperPow_at_gmail_dot_com

Cloth Diaper Geek's Go Green Pocket Diaper Giveaway!

I was so thrilled to have won a Smartipants (my current favorite cloth diaper brand) diaper yesterday, that I decided to try my luck entering a couple more giveaways. You can't win if you don't play, right??

Cloth Diaper Geek is giving away a Go Green Pocket Diaper. I've looked at the design and the prints, and I have to say, I think they're pretty great looking! They've got some unique prints, I really like the ones with stars, of course! Now, on to analysis of the design:

I know the picture is small, so I'll do my best to describe the deets. :]

The first thing I notice about these diapers is that they close with snaps. I like snaps. But why are they rainbow colored? Oh! For easy sizing! This would be especially nice on a wiggly baby, seeing as how they try to mambo when you're trying to wrap a diaper around them!

Second, I notice that they have the front opening as well as a back opening. This actually makes it more of a "sleeve diaper," called that because the "pocket" that the absorbent insert goes in is open on both ends. Here's what that does: It allows the insert to agitate out in the wash. Meaning, you don't have to TOUCH the icky wet or dirty insert before you wash the diaper! This is a feature I especially love!!

Thirdly, I notice that the legs have a double gusset! That's extra super great for holding moisture and messes in. This is one of the few diapers I've seen with that feature.

The prices are pretty good too!

Disclaimer: I have never seen a Go Green Pocket Diaper in person. I have never used one on my baby, I am only making observations based on the information provided at GoGreenPocketDiapers.com.

How To Strip Your Cloth Diapers

The Smartipants Channel on YouTube has really great videos with GREAT information about cloth diapering! This looks waaaaay easier than boiling them all on the stove, which is what I did in a fit of frustration last month, haha

 

I'll be trying this next month when I strip my diapers.

Cloth Diapers Reviewed By a Cloth Diapering Daddy

I found this video quite humorous, but the information is still valid. It's a video that cloth diapering mama recorded, in which she makes her husband review Fuzzibunz and Smartipants diapers. If you don't cloth diaper (yet), I hope you learn something, and if you already are familiar with these brands, I hope it amuses you as much as it did me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EBbENyLu2Y

Peace, Love and Fluffy Baby Bottoms,
MamaSuperPow

Diaper Demo

So, it looks like there will be a cloth diaper demo taking place in my dining room tomorrow evening! I'm not going to say too much about it until it's over, and I can post pics and say how it went, but I am SUPER excited about it!

Ok, I lied. Here's the plan:

So far, it looks like I'm going to have Flips, BumGenius, Fuzzibuns, prefolds, Thirsties Duowraps, Gro-Babys, a Kissaluv, gDiapers and Smartipants from my own stash. I don't actually use each of those anymore, but I figure it'll be good to show the options, and talk about pros and cons of each, based on what the guests are looking for. I also have some of the disposable inserts for the Grow-Babys, and gDiapers that I will show.

My awesome friend Mama Strick from In My Humble Opinion is going to be bringing a bunch of different kinds that I don't own to show as well.

SO EXCITED ABOUT FLUFF!!
I feel similarly to wee Angus in this video clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx_aMZX5iio&NR=1

Cloth Diaper Class

I think I'd like to teach a cloth diapering class. It's really overwhelming to try and figure out all the different types and designs that pop up when you do a web search. I have a couple of friends who have expressed interest in CDing over the last couple of months, but haven't taken the next step yet. I think that it'd be good if they could see and touch and manipulate some of the different kinds for themselves. I think it would help to be able to ask questions and get answers from someone with experience using several different brands. Especially from someone without real agenda. I would of course, like to encourage them to jump right into CDing, but I'm not affiliated with any store or website.

I have prefolds, Flips, Fuzzibuns, BumGenius, and a Kawaii diaper that I use regularly. I have some Smartipants on the way (super excited!!). I hope to order some Econobums soon, also. I have a close friend who cloth diapers her son, who would *probably* be willing to bring a few other kinds from her stash and help out with questions. That'd be great because she and I have had different issues and experiences!

I really hope I can pull this together soon. It would probably actually be more of a demo than a class. It's just an idea right now, but the more I think about it, the more excited I get! My dining room needs a major cleaning overhaul before I could bring this idea into action. I'll keep you posted.