By Autumn Beck

by Autumn Beck http://allaboutclothdiapers.com

The Ultimate Guide to Cloth Diapers

http://allaboutclothdiapers.com

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage or retrieval system without expressed written, dated and signed permission from the author. DISCLAIMER AND/OR LEGAL NOTICES The information presented herein represents the views of the author as of the date of publication. Because of the rate with which conditions change, the author reserves the rights to alter and update his opinions based on the new conditions. This report is for informational purposes only and the author do not accept any responsibilities for any liabilities resulting from the use of this information. While every attempt has been made to verify the information provide

Table of Contents

Contents CHAPTER 1 ...... 5 Are you new to cloth diapering? ...... 5 Why Cloth Diapers? ...... 8 CHAPTER 2 ...... 12 How to Choose the Right Diapers to Begin ...... 12 CHAPTER 3 ...... 13 .All-in-Ones/All-in-Twos (AI0s/AI2s) ...... 13 CHAPTER 4 ...... 18 Hybrids ...... 18 CHAPTER 5 ...... 19 Pockets and Inserts ...... 19 CHAPTER 6 ...... 22 FITTEDS ...... 22 CHAPTER 7 ...... 27 Prefolds ...... 27 CHAPTER 8 ...... 30 Cloth Diaper Covers ...... 30 Lanolizing and Using Your Wool ...... 35 CHAPTER 9 ...... 37 Fabrics...... 37 Rashes ...... 40 CHAPTER 10 ...... 41 How to Find the Right Size Diaper ...... 41 CHAPTER 11 ...... 44 How many cloth diapers will you need? ...... 44 THE COST? ...... 45 What about wipes… ...... 45 How Do You Save Money? ...... 46 CHAPTER 12 ...... 50 Nighttime ...... 50 CHAPTER 13 ...... 53 WASHING ...... 53 Washing Routines from Cloth Diapering Moms: ...... 55 Detergents ...... 57 High-Efficiency (HE) washing machines...... 58 CHAPTER 14 ...... 59 Problems ...... 59 Leaky Diapers ...... 59 Stinky Diapers ...... 59 Stained Diapers ...... 60 CHAPTER 15 ...... 61 Stripping ...... 61 If Stripping Doesn't Work ...... 61 CHAPTER 16 ...... 63

Stripping Cloth Diapers - Additives ...... 63 APPENDIX A ...... 66 How to Fold a Prefold ...... 66 APPENDIX B ...... 69 Cloth Diaper Terms and Acronyms ...... 69 General and Parenting Acronyms ...... 73

CHAPTER 1

Are you new to cloth diapering?

As you begin this new chapter in your life you are no doubt overwhelmed with questions. You may find yourself wondering if you’ll ever see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Experienced?...Veteran?

If you are an experienced cloth diapering parent or perhaps a seasoned veteran, this book will not only be a refresher course for you but introduce you to some new tips and secrets.

When I started cloth diapering my second child in 2005, I only wished I had a step by step guide like this to assist me in what to buy, where to buy and how to use cloth diapers.

I found myself asking...

Pockets? Fitteds? Wicking? Stalking?

Why would I buy a fitted when it has to be covered? What’s a snappi?

All these terms floating around and all I wanted was a diaper that would work for my son.

My Story

One day in October 2005, as we were heading out of town I chased down the UPS truck (seriously) to get my first order of cloth diapers. I had no idea what to do with them but the fact that I was actually touching and feeling a new stage in my life put me on a “fluffy” Cloud 9. I was definitely a kid on Christmas morning.

We were heading to my mother-in-law’s house for the weekend and as soon as we arrived I started washing my 2 dozen unbleached Chinese prefolds and 6 prowrap covers from granitesmith on Ebay—at that time I assumed one wash would do. The extent of my knowledge was when you buy something new that you are going to wear, you wash it. I had no clue that when it came to prefolds you needed to do 5 several washes to prep them to their full absorbency.

The whole weekend I had to defend my decision to cloth diaper because every time I put one on Haven it leaked.

My sweet mother-in-law very politely asked, “Are they supposed to leak?”

I was not discouraged by this bumpy start. I called my friend who had walked me through my first purchase. She explained that I needed to wash prefolds in HOT water 5 or 6 times for them to adequately fluff up for proper absorbency. You could also boil them on the stove if your washer (whether in your home or laundromat) is not capable of high heat washes, this is how my mom prepped/sterilized the prefolds she used on my brother and I.

So, that is how I began my venture into cloth diapers. My friend, Melisa, is really the one who got me interested in cloth diapers. I had no clue where to start and she provided me with all the answers I needed. She gave me a website and literally told me exactly what to order. Thankfully, our son was a good fit for prefolds and Proraps! I don’t know what I would have done if this was a bad match for him.

This first batch of diapers lasted Haven all through his diapering days (15 months to 3+years). I did buy 4 Happy Heiny’s to supplement his stash. I honestly thought that I was THE coolest mom for having Happy Heiny’s. With my limited knowledge and experience I felt they were the best cloth diaper ever made. Knowledge and experience have taught me that Happy Heiny’s are not the best cloth diaper but they are an excellent, widely available introductory diaper that works with most babies.

I didn’t have a lot of money to buy more so I needed to wash daily, sometimes twice, in order for my diapers to last. I preferred using the HH, which is why I would sometimes do two loads of laundry. (later I'll show you how and where to find the best deals in cloth diapering so you don’t have to do this!)

As we made more money I was able to try some other types of diapers but still my exposure was limited, as I had not yet discovered the world of online cloth diapering communities. By the time my 3rd child was born in December 2006, I was fully immersed in online forums and had learned of a vast world of “fluffiness”.

Even after months of surfing the internet and frequenting cloth diaper message boards, I was still learning the lingo. I was on the journey to find what diaper worked best. To make matters worse, I soon discovered that even though I had “paid my dues” with my son and reached stash nirvana, my daughter was born and none of what I had discovered worked for her!

A whole new set of questions surfaced.

What works best for chubby thighs?

Why does she have this rash when I put on a pocket diaper with suede cloth inner or a fitted with serged edges?

Again I was at my wits end (or was it the end of my Paypal money I had reached).

Again, I put in months of internet time and more importantly bought and sold DOZENS of diapers to find what works. I attribute that persistence to my stubbornness and honestly, my obsession with utterly cute fluffiness. (Yeah that’s another term I had to learn: fluffy mail)

There are a couple of key points to take from my experience: ● Don't assume that the new baby will be able to wear all of the previous child's diapers. Some may work, while others will have fit or sensitivity issues. ● Don't be afraid to start from scratch. If you find a system or fabric isn't working for your new baby don't give up! There are so many choices in cloth diapers, making it easy to find alternatives. ● It is possible to cloth diaper more than one child at a time! They may have different stashes but it is just as simple and a lot cheaper to cloth diaper than using disposables.

When it comes to children you never really get anything fully figured out. The minute you think you do they grow 3 inches, lose 5 pounds or suddenly have a wool allergy. The answer is to have an absolute (cloth diapering is the best choice) and be committed to finding a solution to whatever problem arises.

Where does this leave Daddy?

Even though I am an experienced cloth-diapering mama, my husband is still back at Day 3 asking, “Why is this diaper leaking on me?” and fumbling horribly over the dozens of snaps on a one-size diaper.

Dads don't change near the amount of diapers we do but if we want them to change any it's important to include them in the process. If at the very least this means buying cloth diapers that fasten exactly like a disposable then do that. You might just be surprised at how interested your spouse is in cloth diapering your little one!

That is how I got started with cloth diapers. You may or may not relate to my story. Either way, if you have recently begun cloth diapering or are thinking about it, I will walk you through all your questions. 7

With this manual I will answer questions in categories ranging from types of diapering systems, washing, accessories, terms, popular brands and links, how- tos, and most commonly asked questions with answers throughout the book. What took me years to learn will be presented to you in one place that you can refer back to at any time and learn in days.

To stay up to date on the latest in cloth diapers, be sure to sign up for updates to my blog at http://AllAboutClothDiapers.com

Why Cloth Diapers?

When I tell people we use cloth diapers they are almost always shocked. After they make comments like “you’re so brave” or “I could never cloth diaper”, they ask me why.

For my family our baby’s health was the reason we chose cloth diapering. My husband is a chiropractor and that opened the door to a way of thinking that revolved around health. We were introduced to natural ways of birthing, organic eating, and the multiple chemicals that we live with daily. Some we can alter or lessen, others we have little control over.

When we looked at the chemicals we could eliminate, disposable diapers were a big one. I did quite a bit of research into the chemicals contained in the diapers I was putting on my child. Having this info and choosing to ignore it became very difficult.

I literally shudder when I think of what sits next to our babies most private parts, just soaking up the toxins.

A disposable diaper contains many harmful chemicals that come into direct contact with your baby's sensitive parts. Some of these chemicals are known potential carcinogens.

The two big toxins in disposable diapers are Dioxin and Sodium Polyacrylate.

Dioxin is an extremely nasty chemical. A 1994, EPA report revealed that there is no safe exposure level for dioxin. That means that any exposure to this dangerous chemical is harmful to your child.

Dioxin is a by-product of the bleaching process that occurs in paper mills. This method is banned in most countries and is known by the EPA as one of the highest cancer causing agents known. 8

Dioxin is also known to cause:

● liver disease,

● immune system suppression and

● genetic damage in lab animals. Have you ever looked at those small absorbent crystals in a disposable diaper? Many times they are found on the skin of your precious baby after he or she has fully saturated it. Those crystals are known by the chemical name Sodium Polyacrylate.

It causes many symptoms like:

● coughing and shortness of breath if inhaled;

● nausea, vomiting and diarrhea if ingested;

● redness and pain in the eyes and

● redness, itching and pain on the skin.

Heather Sanders listed out these properties of Sodium Polyacrylate in an article on the Diaper Hyena:

 It can absorb up to 100X its weight in water (1). Other resources state 200-  300x.   It can stick to baby's genitals, causing allergic reactions (2).   Reported to cause severe skin irritations, oozing blood from perineum and scrotal tissues, fever, vomiting and staph infections in babies (2).   When injected into rats it has caused hemorrhage, cardiovascular failure and death (4).   Banned from tampons in 1985 because of its link to Toxic Shock Syndrome  (1).   Has killed children after ingesting as little as 5 grams of it (5).   Causes female organ problems, slows healing wounds, fatigue and weight loss to the employees in factories that manufacture it (6). 

Heather may have listed reactions that seem extreme. But, even the remote possibility that my child could develop organ problems or oozing blood is enough for me to think twice about using disposable diapers.

Many things in this world I cannot protect my children from but this is one that I

9 can. That is truly empowering.

Even those who would never even think of using cloth are aware of the environmental impact disposable diapers have on landfills. Not that the dent is huge or anything…well only if you’re not bothered by the thought of 3.5 million tons of disposable diapers going into the landfills every year.

Ginny Caldwell, in her article "Diapers. Disposable or Cotton?” stated that it takes 5x more energy to make and dispose of a disposable diaper than a cloth diaper. It takes over 3.4 BILLION gallons of oil and over 250,000 trees!! This makes me emotional just thinking about it and I’m not even that environmentally sensitive!

And I love this excerpt from ThePanelist.com. Samantha Moller writes:

“In 1991, a neutral advocacy group in the United Kingdom called Women's Environmental Network (WEN) compared Proctor & Gamble studies. Even using the disposable industry's own statistics, they found that disposables use "20 times more raw materials, 3 times more energy, 2 times more water and generate 60 times more solid waste" than do cloth diapers.”

Recently, the environmental impact disposable diapers have has made national news. This would be great if they would have in turn recommended cloth diapers. But instead they chose to stay neutral claiming that cloth diapers use more water and energy to clean.

The Landbank Consultancy (commissioned by the Women's Environmental Network), an independent organization which conducted -- at it's own expense -- an analysis of the two "life-cycle" studies commissioned by Procter & Gamble, and found them both to be severely deficient. The Landbank Consultancy used P&G's own data to arrive at startling different conclusions:

"In summary form, in comparing the amount of diapers needed per baby, the environmental impacts are that:

Disposables use 5 times more energy to produce than does cotton diapers. They use 8 times more non-regenerable raw materials and 90 times more renewable resources. They produce 2.3 times more waste water and 60 times more solid waste. And they require 4 to 30 times more land for growing the natural materials used in their production as compared to what cotton diapers require.

Reuse is always better than single use! Their own data proves it!

While health and environmental reasons are enough for some families, others see the thrifty side of it. Buy the least expensive type and reuse over multiple children.

You can find information on the cost of cloth diapers in Chapter 10, where it is combined with how many diapers you will need.

CHAPTER 2

How to Choose the Right Diapers to Begin

Before you buy, determine what is most important to you. Is it cost, convenience, durability, style? Once you have set priorities you can then choose the system that best suits your needs.

Prefolds and covers are an inexpensive route but there are other ways to save money. If you are significantly struggling, Miracle Diapers is a non-profit organization that provides cloth diapers to families in need. Also, some Target stores carry organic cotton prefolds and flats that are a healthy, cost effective way to begin.

There are a couple of different ways you can try out the various cloth diapering systems. Some websites offer sampler or beginner packages. They typically include a cover, prefolds, fitted, pocket, and all in one in some combination. Buying packages allows you to not only try out different types but they are also new.

Kelly’s Closet offers a “Create Your Own One-Size Sample Package”. Choose from 13 different cloth diapers! Nicki’s Diapers also offers a One size Sample package with free shipping and a slight discount.

Many other online stores offer trial packages giving you the opportunity to return the items that didn’t work for you. (Jillian’s Drawers and Diaper Daisy are 2 excellent sites.)

I am excited about the new cloth diaper site that launched in August 2010 called Re-Diaper. Re-diaper provides you with used, good to excellent condition cloth diapers at a fraction of the new price. The selection is great and this is a safe way for you to buy used and know that you aren’t getting scammed.

Another option is to use online forums and auction sites to purchase slightly used cloth diapers at a significant discount. The largest online forum for cloth diapers is www.diaperswappers.com. Within this forum is a section called the FSOT (for sale or trade).Here you will find moms reselling the diapers they no longer need. I suggest familiarizing yourself with the forum lingo before you begin. I have included a glossary of terms at the end of the book to guide you.

Ebay has placed a ban on selling used cloth diapers but there are very inexpensive new cloth diapers (Made in China) available. Hyena Cart has a store called Spot's Corner. Spot's Corner is a great place to buy cloth diapers in higher demand and smaller supply.

CHAPTER 3

.All-in-Ones/All-in-Twos (AI0s/AI2s)

An AIO is generally viewed as a diaper that needs nothing else and is very similar to a disposable. The soaker is either sewn inside or can be sewn at either end allowing air flow during drying. AIOs are available in snap or Velcro (Velcro is a trademark but there are two other similar products: aplix (softer, long life, doesn't roll in like touchtape can) or touchtape (stronger stick and available in a variety of colors) ) closure.

An AIO does not require a cover. Generally, they have a longer drying time because of the sewn-in or thicker soaker, sometimes requiring more than one dry cycle. The addition of a pocket to an AIO makes it a Stuffable AIO.

The most popular stuffable AIO is the Bum Genius AIO. It consists of a sewn in microfiber soaker and the pocket allowing you to add extra absorbency when needed (like nighttime or naps).

An AI2 has a snap in or lay in soaker . The name All in Two arose from the ability to get two uses out of each diaper. When your child pees, theoretically you can remove the soaker and replace it with another if the shell did not get wet. AI2s also have a much faster drying time because the soaker is detachable.

All in ones are the simplest, most convenient system of diapering. They are ideal for babysitters, daycares/church nurseries, and dads. At one point (2007) I switched to AIOs exclusively because I desired a routine that required little effort on my part. Most of my stash consisted of Thirsties pocket AIO (discontinued) and a few Berry Plush AI2s.

Berry Plush, has a side snap closure. Berry Plush is simply the softest diaper out there. Not only is the outside soft but also the snap in soaker is topped in the same luscious minky. The soaker is hemp for excellent absorbency.

Nana’s Bottoms is very affordable AIO made by a WAHM (work-at-home-mom). Nana’s Bottoms are user friendly, absorbent and trim fitting.

My current favorite AIO is the BumGenius Elemental (organic). I love the absorbency, trimness and soft organic cotton of this diaper. It’s also available in gorgeous prints! (as well as a wide selection of solid colors) You can read my review of the new prints, called the Artist Series, at http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/bum-genius-artist-series-i-love-them/

Along with the long drying time, AIOs/AI2s can be bulkier. However, this is completely dependent on materials used. Many moms use this type of diaper for church or a babysitter. They can work great under a pair of blue jeans if you choose a trim diaper like the Nana’s Bottoms, Bottombumpers, BumGenius AIO, or BumGenius Elemental.

As far as price goes, AIO/AI2s are generally a pricier diaper. They range anywhere from $15-$40 and can go higher if you add embroidery or customize it to your child. If you want only natural fibers touching your baby’s skin BumGenius Elementals and Bottombumpers are a great option.

This is a picture of a Softbums Echo diaper. Softbums are an excellent diapering system. They contain a patent pending toggle elastic in the legs allowing you to precisely fit the diaper to your baby. Softbums fit newborn babies all the way to 35lbs (the new Softbums Omni has an even larger range).

AIO/AI2 Key Points: very user friendly, no cover needed, higher priced, 14 longer dry time, convenient, versatile.

Popular AIO/AI2s: Nana Bottoms Berry Plush Bummis Easy Fit Softbums Kissaluvs Marvel Mommy’s Touch Bum Genius AIO and Elementals Swaddlebees Econappi

From All About Cloth Diapers:

My Top 5 All-In-One Cloth Diapers (2009) by Autumn Beck on May 30, 2009 When I started this blog in March 2008, one of my first posts was “My Top 5 All-In- Ones“. As I read over that post I am amazed at the changes cloth diapers have undergone in the past year! Cloth diaper makers have seen the demand for an easy, affordable, and absorbant All In One cloth diaper and answered back. After thousands of hours of cloth diaper use I have compiled a list of my favorite All In Ones (or All In Twos). I will list them in order, starting with my top favorite. #1: BumGenius Organic. Are you tired of me saying over and over that I love this diaper? If I could make my stash one diaper it would be BumGenius Organic AIO. And to be even more specific they would be snaps and only in the “new” colors. Sterling even has a Zinnia (pink) that he proudly wears. What makes BumGenius Organic AIO my favorite? They are trim, absorbent, onesize, organic, and good color choices. What else could a cloth diaper user ask for? Here is a past review I’ve written: bG Organic w/ snaps. I have one with aplix that I have had for a long time and although it still works the tabs are curling and very pilly. #2: Sposoeasy. Who can argue with simplicity? The simplicity of Sposoeasys are what make them my #2 cloth diaper. They aren’t perfect (laundry tab area still bugs me) but they’ve always performed at 100% for us. No leaks, super trim, dry fast and affordable. I have 3 brown and 2 black and when diaper laundry is done they end up being the first used. There is nothing to be added or done to a Sposoeasy (unless you lay in one of the doublers). No rise adjustments, no stuffing, no folding or situating the soaker. Just lay under baby and fasten. I have only used the aplix version of the Sposoeasy AIO cloth diapers. From the Sposoeasy website (www.bluepenguin.biz):

The SposoEasyTM is simply the best all-in-one diaper with natural fabric on the market today: the trimmest, softest natural cloth diaper out there! It was developed over more than six months and provides leak proof leg openings with no bindings to leave red marks; an adjustable fit at the waist with either aplix or snaps; a quick-dry attached doubler that easily accommodates a second or third doubler for night diapering; and a soft knit PUL exterior shell that is available in seven colors or white. There is no other diaper out there that provides all this and natural, 100% cotton next to baby’s delicate skin. Designed to be trim, leak-proof and comfortable for baby, the SposoEasyTM comes in three different natural fabrics: cotton, unbleached cotton, organically grown cotton and an antimicrobial hemp. Extremely functional, the SposoEasyTM doesn’t lack for style! Available in either aplix or snap versions, there are also seven colors (sage green, chocolate brown, aqua, black, lilac, raspberry pink and buttercup yellow) or white from which to choose. Please note that there are slight variations in the hue of the white soft knit PUL exterior shell. This is completely normal and is not an indication of any problems with the diaper. #3: Gro Baby. The new kid on the block that quickly became a leader in the cloth diaper industry. I have 6 Gro Baby shells w/ numerous snap-ins and I use them all in a couple of days. I love being able to tear out the wet insert and snap in a new one. I will reuse the same shell if it isn’t really wet. If I went too long between changes I’ll toss the wet shell to the side and use a dry one. It’s not unusual to see a Gro Baby shell laying on my bedroom floor or the living room. Our changing station is either the bed or floor I use the Gro Baby cloth diapering system at night with confidence. When I do, I use a Gro Baby booster. As I stated in my Gro Baby review, the velcro material, inner mesh and snap ins are all amazing! I have preordered the soon-to-be released vanilla snaps Gro Baby from my friend Leslie, owner of Cloth Diaper Superstore. They have a release date in June. I can’t wait! #4: Bum Ware Quickdry All In Two. Bum Ware is the only diaper in my list that I am not currently using. I used this diaper with Paisley and sold it when she potty trained. The Bum Ware Quickdry All In Two is very similar to the Sposoeasy as far as simplicity. Bum Ware has a super strong aplix closure and I really like the unexposed aplix tabs. Features: Sewn in soaker AIOs are designed to be as easy to use as disposables. No soaker stuffing, no covers, no problems! These are made to be EASY! Hook and loop fasteners for a perfect fit. Serged for superior durability. Hidden elastic around the legs to keep everything in. 2 inner body layers of cotton flannel. Four layer flannel soaker pad or contour snap in soaker, your choice. Polyurathane laminate (PUL) outer. 16

Fold back laundry tabs to prevent diaper chains. Fully washer and dryer safe. Each diaper comes with a 4 layer flannel contour doubler #5: Softbums PerfectFit All In Two. Softbums cloth diapers have an awesome toggle leg adjustment. This feature in itself makes it one of my favorites. I love that it adjusted perfectly to my newborn and could be easily readjusted to fit my 2yr old. *For detailed information on Softbums perfectFit AI2 read the intro and review I wrote a couple of months ago.* Cloth diapers continue to get better and better every year. I can’t even begin to imagine what the industry will have for us a year from now! I’d love to hear what your favorite All In Ones or All In Twos are. I’m always getting cloth diapers sent to me for review (I have a couple en route!) and I never know when I’ll get the next big thing!

******************************************* This post was from 2009. Near the end of 2010, I will write a post about my favorites for this year.

CHAPTER 4

Hybrids

One of the most popular new cloth diapering systems is the Hybrid system. A Hybrid is similar to the All-In-Two system but with more uses.

A hybrid system consists of a cover and a set of either snap-in or lay-in inserts.

When your baby needs changing you remove the insert and snap-in or lay-in a new one in the same cover. If the cover was soiled then you’d grab a new cover.

It isn’t necessary to toss the cover in the wet bag/pail, however. You can simply rinse it in the sink (unless it was a huge mess, then toss it in the bag) and let it dry for a later changing.

Here is a list of popular hybrids and a brief description of each:

Flip: Simple one-sized cover with an exposed PUL inner. Inserts lay-in the cover. There are 3 types of inserts: organic cotton, microfiber topped with a stay-dry suede cloth fabric, and disposable. Flip work great for overnight when 2 stay-dry inserts are used or 2 disposable inserts. Flip is a very affordable option.

Ragababe: One-sized cover with a microfleece lining. Thick bamboo inserts snap- in to the cover. Ragababe covers are fastened with a distinguishing aplix star. Covers are white with contrasting snaps. Ragababes work for overnight with 2 inserts.

Softbums: One-sized cover with microfleece lining. Softbums are truly unique in that to adjust the size of the diaper you don’t snap down the rise but adjust the leg elastic via a toggle system. It is simple to do and you get a very customized fit. Inserts are shaped to cover a wide portion of the cover, helping to prevent messes on the cover. Inserts are available in fleece topped microfiber, fleece topped bamboo, bamboo/cotton and mini-pods (for newborns and boosters). Softbums work overnight with an insert and mini-pod. Available in cute colors and prints. The Omni can also be used as a pocket.

GroVia: One-sized cover lined with athletic wicking material. The fastening system is “Velcro” like and adheres to a wide panel allowing a tight fit when necessary. Inserts snap-in to the front and back to decrease shifting. Inserts are organic cotton (fully prep before use). GroVia are available in many cute colors and prints.

Charlie Banana: Mostly a pocket diaper but disposable inserts are available to make it a hybrid. Snap closure. Microfleece inner.

CHAPTER 5

Pockets and Inserts

A pocket diaper usually does not require a cover. The exception would be a fitted that has a pocket. A pocket can be made with a PUL (polyurethane laminate) outer or fleece outer. The outer can also be any material backed or lined in PUL. Minky is lusciously soft and many makers offer this choice for their pocket diapers. They are usually more expensive than simple PUL.

The inner material choices for a pocket include: microfleece, suedecloth, bamboo, hemp, velour, athletic wicking material, and really anything you can find around the house (I recently saw that a mom made a pocket diaper out of old t-shirts). Different materials will feel different on the baby when wet. Most moms want a material that will feel dry to the baby when wet. The ones I have listed above, minus the t-shirt, will achieve this.

So why is it called a pocket?

A pocket diaper is 2 layers of material sewn together on 3 sides leaving an opening for you to insert the amount of absorbent material you desire. The insert can range from a very trim microfiber towel to a bulkier infant prefold. A very popular pocket insert is the Cotton Babies One Size Microfiber Inserts. Microfiber is extremely absorbent. The particular brand I referenced states an insert can hold 15oz of fluid!

Microfiber has a lifespan of about 1 year. This isn’t a set in stone rule but if at about a year you start to notice leaking around the legs then your inserts are probably not absorbing like they should be. It is fairly inexpensive to replace microfiber inserts.

Another popular insert material is hemp. Hemp is a naturally occurring fiber that is anti-microbial and extremely absorbent as well. Babykicks Joey-bunz (pictured at right) are 6 layers of hemp/cotton jersey. According to their website, use one Joey-Bunz for daytime, two for nighttime, or three for a super-soaker and still have a trim fit.

Infant prefolds (see the section on Prefolds for more information) do double duty as an insert as well. Simply trifold the prefold and stuff the pocket. For added absorbency wrap the prefold around one of the above inserts.

A slam-dunk nighttime solution is a microfiber insert laid on top of a hemp insert. The microfiber fills up with fluid and slowly leaks onto the hemp- which absorbs much slower. I’ve used this combo at some point with all my cloth diapered children and never had a leak.

I have some doublers that I love that were made by a mom near me. They are 3 layers: microfleece, microfiber, and flannel. They are about 12” long and 3” wide. This is something that you can easily make using a simple straight stitch and some scrap material.

Pocket diapers are wildly popular and almost as user-friendly and convenient as an AIO. The best approach to prepping pocket diapers is to stuff them once they come out of the dryer. By doing this you, your husband, a babysitter, or whoever can grab it and put it on with no extra steps. Pocket diapers dry very fast because of the ability for the air to get between the layers.

Pockets can be snap or aplix and you can even buy One Size pockets that will last the baby’s entire diaper life.

This is a picture of the Rumparooz One Size Pocket diaper.Julie, the genius behind RaR, has designed a diaper that covers all the bases. Inner gussets, pocket, amazing materials, snap or aplix, one size! The woman has outdone herself. I have used many Rumparooz over the years and can’t praise them enough.

Different Pocket diaper brands (like other systems) work good for some babies and poorly for another. Happy Heinys and Fuzzi Bunz aren't the best choice for a baby with skinny thighs. Side snapping diapers like Knickernappies and GADs are better suited for skinny thighs or for babies with chunky thighs/skinny waist.

When your baby has chunky thighs and waist (like my #2 and #3) a front closure diaper works well. Rumparooz, Happy Heinys and Fuzzi Bunz all have front snap/ 20 velcro.

A side snapping diaper has 2 rows of snaps allowing you to tighten the thighs independent of the waist.

Whereas with a front Velcro closure, the tighter you go for the waist the tighter it is on the thighs. Some front snapping diapers have 2 rows of snaps for independent adjustments (Rumparooz and Fuzzi Bunz for example).

If you prefer a velcro diaper but your baby has skinny thighs, look for a diaper with a lower rise or a one size with different rise settings. With the lower rise the snap area falls below the belly and allows you to pull in the fastener tight without squeezing the belly.

Popular and almost always available pocket brands:

Rumparooz (one size) Kawaii One Size Happy Heinys (available in one size) Green Acre Designs (GADs) Fuzzi Bunz Swaddlebees EcoNappi (one-size) Knickernappies Thirsties Duo (available in 2 sizes) Mommy’s Touch (one size) GoGreen (one-size) Bum Genius 4.0(one size) Katydid One Size Blueberry (available in one size) Baby Kangas (one size)

CHAPTER 6

FITTEDS

A fitted diaper is a diaper that contains no waterproof layer therefore requires a cover.

When I started out in cloth diapers I did not “get” fitteds, especially the gorgeous embroidered ones. Why in the world would someone pay $20, $30, or $40(I’ve seen fitted diapers sell for $100!) for a diaper you have to cover up???

I and almost every other mom new to cloth diapering will ask that question. However, once you get to know cloth diapers and the different systems and find what really works for your child, your perception begins to change.

As I was doing some research today I ran across the single most helpful explanation for the price of fitteds. I don't feel that a WAHM needs to justify the price she charges but it is a concern that many cloth diapering families have. There have been times when I spotted a diaper that I really wanted but could not afford it and found myself pouting. I hope these paraphrased words from a WAHM enlighten you as well.

“Customer demand for fabric quality has gone WAY up. Now the market demands bamboo (most is imported from China), organics, and high end outer materials as well. Embroidery and hand- dyeing is also very in now. Embroidery machines are EXPENSIVE ($1000 is entry level) and a good dye job takes lots of experience and lots of time. In addition to the cost of the materials rising, the cost of shipping the fabrics has gone up. UPS, FedEx, USPS have all raised their prices considerably.

In addition to materials, I pay for my website, my advertising, Paypal fees, packaging and shipping supplies, additional water and energy to prewash fabrics, gas to run to the post office and shop locally for supplies, business supplies, ink and paper for the printer, equipment maintenance and repairs.

It takes most of us 45 minutes to an hour and a half to cut and sew each diaper. But in addition to actual production time, keep the sewing room in order, photographing and touching up product pictures, list items, field emails, package, print/ship, research fabric supplies and place orders, prepare materials. Even when I work 40 hours a week, I'm only sewing *maybe* 10 of those hours at most. And most of us have young children. 40 hours of 'work' time really takes more like 80 hours spread out over the week. 22

There is also taxes and business fees to consider. I pay $50 a year for a local biz license and maintain a business checking account. I also pay self employment tax and income tax. That comes out to roughly 25% of my overall profit. If the average fitted uses $7 in fabrics and notions, sells for $25, and the wahm pays $0.30 + 2.9% fees ($23.96) that means after materials and fees the profit is $16.96. Subtract taxes (~25%) = : $12.72. If it takes an hour to sew and thirty minutes on average to photograph, touch up, list - that's an hourly wage of $8.48 per hour BEFORE overhead.

I'm not getting rich even though I sell out almost every stocking and my fitteds cost more than $20.00 each.”

Fitted diapers are the easiest to make on your own because they can be made from any material you have laying around your house. I recently found a fantastic video on Google explaining how to make your own fitted cloth diaper. It moved me to action and I plan on giving it a try, even with my limited sewing skills.

How To Make A Fitted Diaper

Fitted diapers can be made from cotton, hemp, fleece, velour, bamboo, knits, various types of terry cloth, kitchen towels, old t-shirts, sweatshirts and various other scrap fabrics you may have laying around. Fitteds are kind of like quiche…toss in any leftovers and out comes a great product! The soaker can be made from microfiber towels or kitchen towels. Microfiber is extremely absorbent and inexpensive and allows for a trim fitting diaper. I bought a package of 20 from Costco for $10.

Fitted diapers do not contain any waterproof materials. Therefore, a fitted diaper will need to have a cover over it. Without a cover the pee will soak through and get you or the furniture wet. If you are just hanging out at the house for the day a cover isn’t necessary. Just make sure to consistently change the diaper before a leak occurs.

Types of fitteds and does price really matter?

A very basic, inexpensive, fairly absorbent fitted is Kissaluvs. Kissaluvs win the award for the most popular newborn diaper. After hundreds of surveys and thousands of messages read they seem to be the most convenient and effective diaper for containing newborn poop, allowing for the umbilical cord, and not breaking the bank.

I personally used Kissaluvs on my third child from the beginning and I was very

happy. Despite my success with KL0s (Kissaluvs size 0) I am not sure I would use them for the next baby. Paisley was my first child to cloth diaper from day 1 and I was still fairly new to the cloth-diapering world. Since becoming very familiar with all the systems and different brands, I have discovered a multitude of other fitted diapers that offer softer and cuter fabrics.

At the time of original print, one route that had really exploded in recent months was the one-size fitted diaper. Leading the pack—by a mile—was the Goodmama. Goodmamas are still a leader in the fitted market today.

Goodmamas are squishy soft and have superb fabrics. The softness of Goodmamas is due to the bamboo velour. BV is the hot fabric for cloth diapers because of its absorbency, softness, and the availability of the bamboo itself. Bamboo is a more expensive fabric, which is one of the reasons for the major price difference in a Kissaluvs ($13) and a Goodmama ($29).

There are a number of excellent fitteds to use at different times. My preference is to use fitteds at night. With Paisley I often used fitteds full time. My favorite fitted in 2007, also discussed in the section on nighttime diapers, was the Baby Beehind one-size fitted diaper. I love the colors, trim fit and the absorbency.

Baby Beehind offers a hemp version or a bamboo version. Both choices are 100% chemical free natural fabrics.

Baby Beehind are highly absorbent diapers and the one-size fits most sizing makes this an economical investment. According to their website Baby Beehind diapers are manufactured under Fair Trade practices, where ethics are a priority in the workplace. Certainly this is understood to occur in a WAHM business, however it is something you should check out when buying from mass produced diaper companies.

In the last couple of years I have been blessed to try a number of different fitted cloth diapers. More details can be found by searching All About Cloth Diapers but here is an introduction to some of my more current reviews: 1) Pooters: Pooters are a trim fitting one-size hemp fitted cloth diaper. They have

24 an excellent fit due to the great spacing of snaps (it seems a lot of diapers never have the snap where I need it!) and the use of hemp to provide a super trim cloth diaper bottom. Pooters are a slam dunk at night and can be paired with just about any cover. These diapers appeal to many families not only because they are extremely absorbent but because of the affordable pricing ($12!! Plus discounts for buying in bulk.)

2) Sustainablebabyish Bamboo Fitteds: Aka “Magic Diaper”, aptly named because it appears to be magic to many parents who simply could not find a nighttime solution for their child. Sbish (short for Sustainablebabyish) are super absorbent bamboo fitteds that come in sizes xs-xl. This is my top favorite nighttime diaper. I love using the xs on my tiny newborns especially since I do not like to change them at night. Sbish are more expensive than other sized fitteds but definitely worth it if you are struggling to find a combination that will prevent leaks at night. Sbish also has a snapless fitted that can be used at night. You would close the diaper with either a snappi or a pin (included). The Snapless Fitteds are a one- sized diaper with bamboo on the inside and cotton terry on the out.

3) Goodmamas: To me Goodmamas are the designer fitted diaper. The quality is superior to other brands and the craftsmanship is nearly flawless. This fitted diaper is a one-sized diaper. It looks different than one-sized covers and pockets that have the snap adjustments on the front of the diaper. Goodmamas, as well as the previously mentioned Pooters, have a fold over waist. For the infant or small rise child you would fold down the front flap and use the snaps on the back. For larger children you would keep the front flap up and use the snaps on the front of the diaper. The problem that you encounter with this type of adjustment system is “exposed snaps”. What this means is that when the diaper is in the extended position the snaps come in contact with baby’s skin. This leaves snap imprints on baby. Goodmama has made available snap covers on their website. The covers are small squares of bamboo that you snap to the exposed snaps. Goodmama fitted diapers come in a variety of different styles: serged, turned and top-stitched, snaps and snap-less. You will also notice that some of the diapers have cotton velour on the inside. The difference in bamboo velour and cotton velour is that cotton velour does not lose its fluffy softness.

4) Tiny Tush 4.0 Hemp Fitted: Another one-sized fitted diaper but this time the

25 snaps are located on the front of the diaper. There are no exposed snaps to baby’s skin. Tiny Tush 4.0 fitteds are made out of a custom fabric containing 80% hemp, 20% organic cotton. The cotton adds softness to hemp which can become crunchy over time. Found within the diaper is a contour/doubler. The contour diaper can be fully removed for easy cleaning off of poop or can be laid inside a newborn cover to fit the tiniest newborns. Tiny Tush 4.0 fitteds are trim, absorbent and truly versatile from birth to potty training.

5) Mother-Ease: Often referred to as a “work-horse” diaper. It’s not fancy or all that special and you can put it through the ringer without doing much damage. Mother- Ease one-sized fitteds are available in cotton or bamboo. They do not come with a snap-in doubler which is a shame because they are pretty useless without one. I advise purchasing the doublers. Mother-Ease have a wide crotch which can irritate some babies. They are very soft and gentle though which is a plus. At $11.95 they are certainly affordable ($12.45 for colors) but the lack of absorbency is a big downside.

CHAPTER 7

Prefolds

Prefolds are an absolute staple that every mother should have in her basket. They are amazingly durable and versatile. A prefold diaper is a rectangular piece of cloth divided into 3 sections. The outside layers contain 4 layers of fabric and the middle contains either 6 or 8 layers. The middle layer is the absorbent layer.

You will see the prefolds described as 4x8x4 or 4x6x4. This describes the number of layers in the sections. It does not always mean the 4x8x4 is more absorbent. It is the weight of the fabric that indicates absorbency.

You will find some variations to the number of layers especially if you are purchasing specialized prefolds made with bamboo or velour. In some cases there may be 2 layers of bamboo with an extra layer of hemp in the middle. Bamboo is a highly absorbent material, therefore needing fewer layers than cotton prefolds. This allows for a trimmer fit as well.

Prefolds come in a choice of cotton, hemp, or bamboo. All are excellent options. It comes down to what you want to pay and how soft a fabric you desire. Green Mountain Diapers (prefolds shown to the right) sell the best cotton prefolds you can buy. They offer many sizes and their prices are reasonable.

High-end fabric prefolds like bamboo velour can be bought from WAHMs through hyena cart, Etsy or through independent stores like Kindhearted Woman. All offer scrumptious prefolds that any mother would love to wrap around her baby.

Prefolds generally come in three sizes-

● Preemie (4-10pounds),

● Infant (newborn to 15 pounds) &

● Premium/Toddler (15-30 pounds). 27

When researching prefolds you’ll soon discover a number of different terms and abbreviations.

● DSQ simply means that it is Diaper Service Quality versus the type of diaper you would find in your discount store. They are more absorbent than the Gerber brand and are the type that you would pay money for from a diaper service company.

● CPF stands for Chinese Prefold and it is the most popular type of prefold on the market. It has heavy-duty stitching, is usually made of twill, and washes up extremely well.

● Another option for prefolds are Indian Prefolds. Indian prefolds are said to be softer than the CPF and are made of gauze rather than twill. They are more absorbent, but do wear out a little faster than the Chinese Prefolds.

● There is also the choice of bleached or unbleached. Bleached prefolds are not whitened with bleach but rather with peroxide. Unbleached are in a natural cream colored state. Unbleached do require extra prep time to remove the natural oils in the fibers.

Prefolds can be pinned or snappied on your baby or you can fold it in 3 (trifold) and lay it in a cover. If you choose to use a different system, prefolds can be used as pocket stuffers or doublers. They are an investment worth making.

Be sure and check out my Prefold picture tutorial on pages 66-68!

Flats are another cloth diapering option. Although flats are the only choice our great grandparents had they are surely a mainstay in the world of cloth diapers. Simple never goes out of style.

Flat Diapers…No Pins Necessary!

By Autumn Beck | April 11, 2008

I have been reading about the ease and simplicity of flats and it got me itching for a trial run. I wasn’t sure my interest would last if I ordered them online and had to wait days for them to arrive (that’s my diaper ADD).

So I hopped in the car and drove to Target. Someone had mentioned that Target carried Organic Flats and prefolds. When I got there I only saw Organic prefolds and regular flats. I didn’t need any prefolds, especially not gerber ones. They have a polyester batting as the “absorbent” middle. Horrible. Before I go any further, let me define what a flat is. A flat is a square, single layer of birdseye cotton. Basically, think of what your grandma used to use as a 28 cloth diaper. They can be fastened with pins or a snappi. At Target the price for a dozen is $10.29.

I grabbed the 100% cotton flats and off I went. Thankfully I have a couple of Snappis because I have zero interest in pinning! Flats are stiff when you first purchase them but after a few washings they soften up. I tossed them in the wash and thus began my experimenting. I had never used a flat before but I figure it can’t be that hard. Once I got it on my wiggly 16 month old I am beaming with pride.

Making a diaper can be somewhat challenging for those of us that are sewing- machine challenged. However, there is something about putting a flat on your baby that makes you feel like you actually made a diaper.

I attempted to do a sort of angel fold with one flat and used another flat folded together as a doubler.

Can you say TRIM?? I am so impressed! Not only are flats extremely trim but they are surprisingly absorbent. In the soaker area there are 10 layers of material. I usually just let my daughter walk around cover-less. When she is damp, I change her.

Flats are a great choice for me right now because I am really focused on changing my daughter more frequently. It may be easier to let her go a few hours in a Clover or a Baby Beehind diaper due to their extreme absorbency. But for the health of her skin, removing the moisture as soon as possible is a current goal for me.

Plus, having flats available insures that I’m never without a diaper. When the others are in the wash, I can reach for a flat.

CHAPTER 8

Cloth Diaper Covers

Fitteds, prefolds and flats require a cover to prevent leaks. There are a few different options for covers.

We’ve all heard of “plastic pants”. Plastic pants are made of Polyvinyl Chloride or vinyl. Although this is a cheap, easily accessible choice it is not the healthiest. PVC is a polymer made from vinyl chloride monomer and often contains harmful phthalates as unbound plasticizers. These vinyl pants do not allow for any air flow, also called “breathing”. The moisture stays right there close to your baby’s skin which can encourage the growth of yeast (rash). Plastic of any kind releases harmful chemicals at high rates when the structure is heated. Having phthalates in close proximity to your baby’s most sensitive parts is not a wise choice.

The next choice is covers made from Polyurethane Laminate (PUL). PUL is applied to the back of a porous fabric like cotton or polyester to create a flexible, waterproof barrier. Popular covers made in this fashion are Proraps, Bummis Super Whisper Wrap (bsww), Motherease Airflow (meaf), Thirsties, Juicy Toots, and Gen-Y. Prowraps and bsww are widely chosen as the top cover choice for newborns.

I have positive experience with Proraps on a newborn. I used them over a KL0 (Kissaluv size 0) with Paisley and over Mutts with Sterling and never had a leak. I love the double gusset combined with the umbilical notch. Prowraps are a laminated knit whereas, Thirsties are a single laminated layer of polyester. They also offer an umbilical notch in the xs covers. Thirsties covers are an excellent, inexpensive way to add bright, cheerful color to your baby's cloth diaper stash.

Thirsties also carries a 2 sized system called the Duo Wrap. I love this alternative to the one-sized covers. Size 1 fits from 6-18lbs and Size 2 from 18-40lbs. Going with a Size 1 Duo Wrap enables you to use it comfortably on a newborn minus all the bulk yet delays the need to size-up for many months.

Bummis has expanded their line of cover with the Bummis Super Brite. The reviews have not been consistently good however the bright color options fill a void many moms have in their stash lacking color. Banana Peels Diapers has an excellent selection of covers. You can see different brands side by side and choose what will work best for you.

Fleece and wool are the 2 other choices for diaper covers.

Fleece is a wonderful fabric for diaper covers. It is 100% polyester and breathable. 30

It works because it is also water-repellent. So you get the great combination of breathability and water repellency. Add to that easy care and you have a terrific diaper cover.

Polar Bummi is an aplix closure, micro-fleece cover that contains a layer of PUL between two layers of fleece. Polar Bummis are very trim but as with all fleece covers they are not water proof. This means that it will wick moisture through to an absorbent fabric like cotton if compressed against a sodden diaper for several hours.

If you are experiencing leaks in clothing, first make sure you have an absorbent enough diaper underneath so that it's not getting absolutely soaked between changes. Then make sure that the clothing going over the cover is cut full in the crotch and not compressing the fleece.

Another popular option is the Organic Caboose Eco-fleece diaper cover. These Eco-Alternative diaper covers are created using Polartec's Ecospun fiber utilizing recycled soda pop bottles. This is a scrumptiously soft, highly breathable diaper cover. It's a great alternative to wool and a superb nighttime cover. Features fold- back washing tabs. Made in USA.

If you have any sewing skills there is a free fleece soaker pattern available to anyone called Katrina’s Sew Quick Soaker Pattern. I linked you to the thread in Diaperswappers where this nice mama designed and provided a pattern for everyone’s use. I have tried it and it is very simple. The instructions were easy to follow and it was fun getting to use the fleece in my fabric closet. There are some size tweaks that need to be made depending on the build of your baby. Be sure to read through the above link for some helpful tips. For this pattern I used arctic polar fleece from JoAnn’s.

The final option for cloth diaper covers is wool. Wool is the king of all diaper covers. There are many advantages to using wool:

 Because of its breathability wool, will keep your baby warm in the cold and cool in the heat (and, yes, that means if you live in Texas, Florida or Arizona you CAN use wool).    Wool has the most absorbent fibers of all fabrics. It can absorb up to 30 percent of its own weight in moisture before it becomes really damp.    Wool is very comfortable because of its free movement with the body and soft fibers.    Wool does not need to be washed very often. When the lanolin (containing fatty acids, having an acidic pH) in the wool reacts with the 31

urea (basic pH) in urine, a chemical reaction occurs. Acids + Bases react to create the end products of water and salt. So the urine is no longer urine - it has been neutralized thanks to this wonderful chemical reaction!   Wool really is “self-cleaning,” with no residual smell of urine, until all the lanolin is exhausted. At this time, you will begin to notice that your soaker doesn't perform as well as you know it can- this is due to the salt build-up on the wool fibers, and the fact that there is no longer enough lanolin left in the wool to power the chemical reaction that neutralizes the urine. At this point, you just need to wash and re-lanolize your wool- a very easy process explained further down the book.

Wool can be knitted or crocheted into longies (wool pants. See picture.), shorties (wool shorts) or soakers (wool pull on). This style is the traditional picture of what wool clothing looks like. Hand knit items can be purchased through Hyena Cart and Etsy in large selections.

Also available are machine knitted items. Kissa’s Wool Lover diaper cover, Sustainablebabyish, and Babyology are all soft wool covers that give excellent nighttime protection. All are readily available (most of them time) and can be used extensively while holding up well under the use.

Wool diaper covers can also be made out of interlock wool. Interlock is 97% wool, 3% lycra. It is very stretchy, felted wool. Wild Child Woolies consistently stocks items on Hyena Cart and Etsy. While these items are more expensive WCW are at the top (by a mile) as far as quality and creativity. Interlock can be harder to come by if you are shopping from an in-demand seller who makes their own products. If you are diligent you might catch in-stock items at Woollybottoms, Sapo Verde or Muggabug. All great stores.

Sometimes it’s nice to have a wool cover that goes on just like a PUL cover (snaps or aplix). This type is convenient and super easy to care for as they are machine washable (the first 3 below are).  Baby Beehinds Wool Wrap Diaper Cover: easy to care for, thick felted wool gives worry-free nighttime protection (when used with a nighttime worthy fitted).  Swaddlebees Merino Wool Diaper Cover: soft, not-so-great poop containment at legs  Imse Vimse Bumpy Wool Diaper Cover: nice wide aplix panel, inner gussets  Little Beetle Organic Wool Cover: sized, stretchy, soft 32

 Little Beetle Little-to-Big Organic Wool Cover: one-sized, super stretchy and soft. This is the cover I use on Sterling at night.

Wool can be a more expensive purchase; however you do not need as many of them in your stash. Having just 2 daytime and 1 nighttime wool covers would be manageable. Wool diaper covers range anywhere from $22 to $100+ (the high end is when you purchase wool and have it custom knit up for you by a talented WAHM).

Recycled wool is a highly affordable way to use wool, as well. It is easy to do and if you select sweaters that are soft and thick and 100% wool, you will never have a leak.

Here is the pattern I used to make my first wool before my third child was born:

How-to Make Longies out of Wool Sweaters and a similar site in case that one doesn’t load: Pants From Recycled Sweaters

Here is an excerpt from a 2008 post from All About Cloth Diapers: by Autumn Beck on April 9, 2008 NB Proraps: My favorite cover for newborns is a Prorap. Proraps work great over prefolds or fitted diapers and they have a generous umbilical notch. This is a feature that I feel is a must with newborn covers, especially during that first week. The Prorap Classic Diaper Cover is made from a soft polyester knit with a leakproof urethane barrier (PUL). They have elastic across the back and double gussets that allow for maximum containment of that characteristic explosive newborn poop. This is one of the few diaper covers you will find with gussets. Proraps have hook and loop (Velcro) closures, making nighttime changes much easier than fumbling with snaps in the dark. The Prorap Classic has material above the loop section to prevent scratching.

Prowraps can be purchased at reduced prices on Diaperswappers or Re- Diaper.com. Ask around at local LLL groups or parenting/birthing groups. I have used Proraps on an older child and was satisfied with the performance then as well. On my son I used a size large Prorap with a prefold trifolded and laid inside. This was my only method of diapering from the time he was 15 months to 19 months.

Thirsties: Thirsties is another cover that utilizes the double gusset system. Thirsties are a thinner PUL than the Prorap covers but features the same velcro closure. Thirsties promises to use only the best components in their covers: aplix velcro and lastin elastic that will not wear out or stretch out. Leg gussets provide advanced leakproof protection and bindings are super soft against baby's skin and will not wick moisture onto baby's clothes. The x-small size features that all 33 important umbilical notch for the comfort of your baby. Thirsties covers run larger than their size chart claims. A small fit my youngest daughter until she was 24 lbs. (and she has chunky thighs and a big belly).

Babyology: Babyology are easy to come by, inexpensive, and work fantastic at all ages. I used a Babyology soaker on my daughter when she was a newborn and longies on her now when she is 15 months old. They are not something I use out of the house or during the day but Babyology is my nighttime choice (I switch out with SBish pants).

Babyology longies do not have the greatest fit but for my purpose, preventing leaks, I don't care! Dry sheets isn't about fashion. This is an opportunity to have some wool pieces in your stash no matter what your budget is. Most wool is pricey, preventing some from trying it out. Another thing I noticed is my youngest can wear these without getting a rash. When she wore other knitted items her legs would break out. I immediately sold all the other knitted longies we had but kept these.

Lanolizing and Using Your Wool

Before your wool is fully prepped you must lanolize it. Lanolizing wool covers and longies is easy. You can lanolize a cover in about 15 minutes.

You don't need to wash wool diaper covers every time they are used. If you are using them in rotation with other covers and airing them out between uses you will likely not need to wash them more than once a month.

When you wash your wool diaper cover, use a gentle soap designed for wool care. You can use a small amount of baby shampoo (like Aveeno) or a lanolin rich wool wash (Ewe Need It has great wool wash). Fill your sink with enough tepid water to cover the wool you will be washing. When your sink is full add a capful of soap and your lanolin. You can get lanolin at most stores. Lansinoh is a widely available brand of solid lanolin. Squeeze about an inch of lanolin out of the tube and into a microwavable dish, like a measuring cup. Then add about a cup of water. Microwave until the lanolin melts. Pour the lanolin into the soapy water and thoroughly mix.

Next, add your wool items. If there are no stains on the outside of the wool I always wash inside out. This helps prevent lanolin stains. Making sure the lanolin is completely dissolved in the soapy water also helps. Swish your wool around in the mixture for a few minutes, then let it sit for 15 minutes.

When 15 minutes are up, drain the sink and gently rinse with tepid water. Don't agitate them too much or subject them to rapid temperature changes. This will cause the wool to tighten up and "felt." Lay your wool on a towel and gently roll the towel up to squeeze excess water out. Locate a place to lay your wool to allow them to dry for a day (or so). Once your wool is dry it is ready to use.

To speed up the drying process (if you have a TL) toss the wool into the tub and set it to the spin cycle. This will remove excess water.

Your wool may feel sticky after lanolizing, and that is okay. Rubbing the wool will help work the lanolin into the fibers quicker and the stickiness will diminish.

When do you know it's time to lanolize again?

When you wash it, press it into the water. Look for the following signs:

If wool sits on top of the water and has little pools of water gathering on top - it does not need lanolizing.

If wool sits on top of the water and has some pools and some areas that absorbed water without assistance - it could use a good lanolizing soon.

If wool sinks and saturates completely - it is time to lanolize. Or if you simply notice that you can feel your baby’s wet diapers while holding him then it’s time.

When using your wool it is not necessary to change after each diaper change. Keep reusing the same wool all day unless it gets poop on it or it is heavily soaked. Poop can be easily washed off and does not mean that you have to go through process I just described. If your wool is wet, like in the morning after a night of “work”, lay them aside and allow them to dry.

CHAPTER 9

Fabrics

I have mentioned many different materials that are used in cloth diapering, but I want to take a minute to explain them a little more for you.

Bamboo: fleece, terry, velour. Bamboo is the perfect natural fiber for diapers, making it a great choice for your baby and the environment.

• Bamboo is an extremely absorbent natural fiber, absorbing up to 60% more moisture than cotton.

• It is antimicrobial, so it retards the growth of bacteria and yeast more than do other natural fibers.

• It has a short growth cycle, so is a very renewable resource. Bamboo is known to grow up to 4 feet in one day. Therefore, the use of chemical fertilizers is not necessary.

• It is naturally pest resistant, so chemical pesticides and herbicides are not used.

• Because it needs no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, nor herbicides, bamboo is naturally organic.

• Bamboo is highly biodegradable, making it a great environmental choice.

• Bamboo is a very soft natural fiber, the softest natural fiber available for cloth diapers. It remains softer than other natural fibers, such as cotton and hemp, wash after wash.

• Bamboo is breathable and cool.

• Bamboo fleece is be snappied, whereas, bamboo velour would need to be pinned if using this material on a prefold or flat.

Cotton Birdseye: Birdseye is a woven pique fabric that continues to soften, fluff, and increase in absorbency through use. Birdseye is the material that is known as the diaper material. When people realize you use cloth diapers they are picturing the cloth diapers of our grandmas. Back then birdseye was 37 the only option. Blue Lake Diapers makes an all in one diaper that has a birdseye inner and soaker.

Flannel: can be made from wool or a blend, cotton is the most common type of flannel. Brushing of the fabric results in a very soft, fuzzy feel. Flannel is popular for its warmth and comfort. A light or medium- weight fabric of plain or twill weave, The brushing process creates insulating air cells that provide more warmth than plain cotton. Flannel is not a fabric I choose for diapers because of the way they fade when washed. Flannel also pills (those little balls) badly after washing and drying.

Terry: Most terry cloth is made with cotton because the absorbent fiber gets stronger when wet and it can be sanitized in very hot water using strong bleach and detergent without harm. Terry cloth is usually made with looped pile because the loops act like very small sponges. Looped pile is also better able to withstand the strain of rubbing, pulling twisting and tugging by the user. Loosely twisted loops are softer and more absorbent than tightly twisted loops, which produce a rougher fabric. Long pile is more absorbent than short pile. Terry cloth is most absorbent when it has loops on both sides. Cotton can absorb up to 27 times its own weight in water.

Sherpa: Knit terry fabric that has been brushed and washed to raise the fibers and give a fluffy super soft feel. Many loops of the terry remain, and absorbency is not compromised. Not 100% cotton, a small percentage of polyester is added to the base for durability. More information can be found here. Kissaluvs is an example of an all sherpa diaper. Many diapers contain sherpa as the inner material or soaker material because of its absorbency.

Velour: A thick soft nap fabric which makes it luxurious to the touch. Velour is a knit, making it is highly stretchy. Velour is typically made from cotton. Cotton Velour is a highly popular substitute for the more expensive Bamboo Velour. Cotton velour is very soft but not as absorbent as Bamboo. Cotton Velour is also more readily available. Most local fabric shops carry a variety of colors.

Microfiber: Microfiber has the excellent wicking properties. That is, the microfiber material will absorb moisture and oils rather than allow them to set on the surface of the material. Do not ever place microfiber directly next to baby's skin. Because of the strong absorbency, microfiber will dry out the skin too much. Microfiber is prone to detergent buildup and will need to be stripped periodically. It is a completely man-made material recycled from petroleum waste. Not the best health choice but a great environmental effort.

Fleece: Microfleece is a lightweight, double-sided micro-fiber fleece noted for its outstanding low pill velour face, stretch, and chamois-like softness. It is commonly used for the interior portion of diapers because of its softness. Microfleece wicks moisture from baby's skin very well. Because of the short

38 fibers, solids don't stick well allowing for easy shaking of the solids into the toilet. Happy Heinys and Fuzzi Bunz both have microfleece inners.

Suede cloth: Has the appearance of regular suede but it is much easier to care for. It does not easily stain and washes up beautifully. Commonly used for the interior of diapers for its ease of care and wicking ability. I have found that suede cloth and wool frequently cause irritations in babies. Suede cloth does not pill and stays looking new even after years of use. Bum Genius is a popular diaper that uses suede cloth as the inner material. Suede cloth was awesome with my son but due to a sensitivity my daughter cannot use it. Suede cloth sensitivities seem to be more common than other fabric allergies. I’m so glad my #4 can wear suede cloth! Now I can use Bum Genius diapers 

Hemp: naturally anti-microbial. Your baby will be protected naturally from bacteria, mold, mildew and fungus and that could mean less diaper rash. Also, due to the porous nature of the fiber, hemp is more absorbent than cotton and can breathe, so it is cool in summer and warm in winter. Hemp is the strongest fiber available, allowing it to hold up well wash after wash. Hemp gets softer and more absorbent the more you wash it. Hemp fabrics come in many different varieties, the most popular for diaper making are French Terry, Fleece (not to be confused with polyester fleece), and a Jersey knit, like a t-shirt material. Baby Beehinds fitted diaper is an example of a hemp diaper.

Minky: 100% Polyester. Great for the outside of diapers like with Blueberry one-size pockets. There are some brands that have minky on the inside, however, it isn't that absorbent and does not wick moisture well. Berry Plush makes diapers that have minky exteriors and minky topped soakers.

Wool: Wool fiber helps to keep your body at the optimal temperature zone for comfort and rest. Wool fiber is the original wicking fiber. Its coil-like shape pulls excess heat and moisture from your skin while you sleep. It helps your body to breathe away toxins. Wool is resistant to mildew. Mildew and mold won't grow on wool unless it's soaking in water with no air flow. Wool's natural resistance to mildews and molds comes from the way it repels moisture, and lets moisture pass through its fibers without holding the moisture. Although some people do have a rare natural allergy to Lanolin, the oil found in wool, most people's allergy to wool is a reaction to the many harsh and toxic chemicals that go into the treatment, and finishing of conventional wool products. Wool lasts longer and is more resistant to environmental degradation than most any other natural fiber on the planet.

Another great resource is Zany Zebra Designs Fabic page.

Rashes

I am including rashes below the fabrics because many times a rash can be remedied by changing materials touching your baby. With my son I used suede cloth diapers with no problems. However, when my third child was born, I put a suede cloth diaper on her and her skin turned tomato red! When I stopped using these diapers the rash went away. That was a simple fix.

Other causes of rash are detergents, yeast, or a chemical sensitivity. To determine if your child's rash is caused by the detergent you are using, temporarily switch detergents and observe if the rash clears up. Sometimes it isn't due to the type of detergent but a buildup of detergent in the diaper. By following the steps on stripping your diapers on page 61-65, you can thoroughly clean your diapers and determine if the rash clears up after this process.

A chemical sensitivity can result when using wool. Non organic wool is chemically treated and the residual traces can cause an extreme eczema-like rash on your baby's thighs. This was the case with my 3rd child. Some wools cause her to break out, where others work without any issues. I have found interlock wool (97% wool 3% lycra) to be less offensive to babies with this wool sensitivity.

The most difficult rash to care for is one caused by yeast. Yeast is a nasty bug that takes a lot of effort to rid the body of. There are a number of resources that will walk you through this process. I always recommend using natural methods.

Remember that your diapers and wool will need to be treated as well. You may choose to microwave, boil or wash with tea tree oil to kill the yeast. Do not microwave items with metal snaps or boil plastic snaps. If you do not kill the yeast in the diaper items you can reinfect you child. Not fun.

Here are links to blog posts I have written in regards to yeast: http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/killing-the-dreaded-yeast-monster/ http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/how-to-disinfect-cloth-diapers-without-bleach/ http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/diaper-rash-cure/

CHAPTER 10

How to Find the Right Size Diaper

You now have the information you need to choose a system for your baby. Before ordering you need to check the size tag on the back of your child and order the corresponding sized diaper: S, M, or L.

Your child didn’t come with an instruction manual, mute button and size tags that change as the child grows?

Well, at least you’re in good company because none of mine did either. So how do you know what size diaper will best fit your little one? Here are the measurements you will need to take on your naked baby:

waist

thigh

rise

weight

You are most likely familiar with 3 of those but rise may be a new term. To measure the rise, place one end of the tape measure just below the belly button and go down and around the crotch up to the low back. If you prefer a low-rise diaper then measure to just above the “crack” (Is there a better word?).

Most of the time taking your child’s measurements will ensure a great fitting diaper. However, every baby is proportioned differently and sometimes the size chart is just plain wrong. All diaper manufacturers have a size chart specific for their diaper.

A lot of WAHM (work-at-home-moms) offer and prefer to do custom orders. This allows a truly great fit to occur. Keep in mind the length of time it will take for a custom to be completed. Will your child still be the same size? If it is a 2-week wait then most likely, however a 4-6+ week turn-around time may require that you pad the measurements.

A great option for a lot of families is the One-Size diaper. This is especially economical for the family with more than one child in diapers and the family wanting to drastically limit the number of purchases needed throughout the child’s diapering time. A One-Size (OS) diaper is not always the best choice for newborns, so you may want to hold off buying or using them until your child is about 10-12 lbs or at least until the cord falls off.

OS diapers work by allowing you to shorten/lengthen the rise by the use of snaps. Some popular examples are Rumparooz, Goodmama, and Bum Genius. There are now a couple of different ways some brands allow you to adjust the size of the diaper. Softbums has a toggle on the leg elastic, Fuzzi Bunz uses a button and elastic (similar to what you find in children’s clothing) and Bottombumbers uses snaps on the inside of the diaper under the soaker.

Here is a picture of the Happy Heiny one size pocket diaper at the small, medium and long settings:

You know it’s time to move to the next size when you’re seeing the top of your baby’s bottom.

Other signs that the diaper is getting too small: when you fasten the diaper, the snaps are on the loosest settings or aplix doesn’t stay closed. I have some diapers that I just don’t want to retire! But, no matter how hard I try I can’t snap a size small diaper on Sterling.

Some other signs the diaper is too small: red marks on the thighs or waist, leaking, or baby seems very irritated with the diaper. A diaper can also be too large. Gaping at the waist or thighs, leaking, drooping bum are all indications that you need to size down.

If your baby is in-between sizes choosing the smaller option will offer a snugger fit, while sizing up for that in-between time will save you money. Your baby may only fit in the smaller size for a short time before needing the larger size. If fit is a top priority to you, then the extra money is worth it.

CHAPTER 11

How many cloth diapers will you need?

It is hard to know how many cloth diapers you will need when you are just starting out. There is no set number of diapers that a baby will go through. A baby that feeds often they will go through more diapers and some babies demand to be changed immediately after wetting a diaper (this would add significantly to the cost if you are using disposables!)

It is recommended to have between 12-24 diapers, depending on how often you do laundry. Older children will use less, maybe 5 a day. However, a newborn can easily go through 10+ diapers per day. If you don’t mind doing laundry daily then having a stash of 14 diapers will suffice.

When I started out I had only a few diapers and it worked! Even now (2007), I maintain a small stash and I do laundry every 1-2 days. Shamefully, I now (2010) have way too many diapers. Just like anything else (clothes, shoes, jewelry…), it’s not long before you start to look like a hoarder.

When using prefolds with covers, 2 dozen is a good number to have on hand. Prefolds will need to be changed more frequently than an AIO/AI2 or Pocket diaper. You will not need as many covers as you do prefolds. The cover will not need to be changed until it gets soiled or wet. Having 5-7 covers is adequate. If you prefer wool for a cover you will only “need” about 4 soakers. Two soakers can be interchanged throughout the day, when one is too wet the other can be used. Most of the time however the soaker can be used change after change.

In Summary, the minimum suggested to have on hand for each system:

12 AIO/AI2, Pockets, or Fitteds

2 Dozen Prefolds

5-7 PUL or Fleece Covers

3 Soakers, 1 Heavy wool for nighttime

THE COST?

In addition to all of the health benefits of using disposables you also have to consider the cost. There are numerous calculators available to determine how much money you will save by choosing to cloth diaper your baby. A highly detailed one can be found here: The Cost of Cloth Diapers

The best place to start is determining how much it will actually cost to buy disposable diapers for your baby for at least two years. For the sake of these calculations we are going to use the prices on Diapers.com for Huggies Snug and Dry Diapers. It is recommended that a disposable diaper be changed every 2 hours. Let's assume that at 4 months your baby would graduate to size 3 diapers.

● Newborn-4 months (size 1/2) = 1440 diapers x 0.18 = $259.20

● 4 months-20 months (size 3) = 5760 diapers x 0.24 = $1382.40

● 20 months- 24 months (size 4) = 960 diapers (every 4 hours) x 0.27 = $25.92

That comes to a total of $1408.32 for the first two years of your baby's life. None of my children have potty trained by two so my number would be higher.

Of course there are always those looking to disprove calculations like this. I can guarantee that you'd save money cloth diapering even if you cut that number in HALF!

Are there families that spend thousands of dollars on cloth diapers? Yes. For them cloth diapering isn't about saving money. Remember there are 3 reasons why a family would cloth diaper and they all have slam dunk arguments.

What about wipes…

I did not include the price of disposable wipes in the above calculations. This is a factor that is often overlooked. Disposable wipes are expensive and easily dispensable which creates more cost. There are also health and environmental concerns with many disposable wipes as well.

Re-useable cloth wipes are simple. Cloth wipes can be made from anything! You don’t even have to really “make” them. Cutting a washrag in half will get the job done. They are also more convenient because you can wash them with the diapers.

The cloth wipes I used with Paisley are 8x8 lavender sherpa and cream velour. I lay them in a wipes box and pour water with lavender essential oil and tea tree oil mixed in over the wipes. They are then ready to use. After use toss them in your diaper pail. These wipes are now used as bath washrags for the kids and I’ve found wipes I like better.

I have tried many cloth wipes from Amazon (link here). My favorite ones are Ragababe. They are easy to use, thin and durable. Some I have tried fell apart after a few weeks of use (Prince Lionheart Warmies). http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/diaper-sprayers-cloth-wipes-and-tide/

In the link above I also talk about diaper sprayers. I used cloth diapers for 4 ½ years before purchasing a diaper sprayer. It isn’t a necessity but it does make cleaning easier, especially if you have a front-loader.

How Do You Save Money?

I'm going to show you tips and tricks to get the best deals in cloth diapering. If you follow my advice, cloth diapering will save you hundreds of dollars!

USE PREFOLDS. The least expensive cloth diapering route is to use prefolds and covers. Instead of looking for the cheapest prefolds, like the ones you'd find at Walmart, invest in some that are well-known to last and perform. Green Mountain Diapers prefolds are outstanding in all areas. By ordering 3 dozen yellow edged prefolds (10-20lbs) and 5 Thirsties Duo Wraps size 1(or similar PUL cover); you would have spent $153 retail. That’s a significant savings for at least the first year of your baby's life. But paying full price isn't necessary. Which leads me to the second tip...

BUY USED. The largest online cloth diapering community with a massive For Sale or Trade (FSOT) forum is Diaperswappers. Diaperswappers allows you to not only communicate with other cloth diapering families but 46 to purchase slightly used cloth diapers at a significant savings. BUT, diaperswappers is confusing, overwhelming and risky. You can get great deals but you have to be fast and you have to trust the seller.

Another option is Re-Diaper.com. I love the ease of this site, reliability and prices!

You will quickly see how buying used will dramatically lower your cloth diaper investment. Covers don't hold much of their value at resale but prefolds do (if they’re in good condition). The benefit to purchasing your prefolds off FSOT is that they come to you fully prepped. It is a good idea to purchase a dozen fully prepped off FSOT at a time and get a feel for how many you will need and test out different prefold sizes on your baby.

Craigslist, Facebook pages, and other niche communities are also excellent venues to swap cloth diapers.

Tips on buying used diapers: http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/how-to- successfully-buy-used-cloth-diapers/

Tips on sanitizing used diapers: http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/how-to- disinfect-cloth-diapers-without-bleach/

SELL/RECYCLE. By selling the cloth diapers that your little one has outgrown, you are able to recoup half or more of your initial investment. If you bought used, then recouping 100% is possible. The same places you buy second hand diapers, you can sell them.

Once your baby can no longer wear a cloth diaper you may also choose to set it aside and save it for future children. Prefolds are the best diaper for recycling. They have a long life and the potential for elastic or closures breaking down while in storage is not an issue.

MAKE YOUR OWN. Here are posts full of helpful information and links on how to make your own cloth diapers: http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/make-your-own-cloth-diapers-really/ http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/how-to-sew-a-cloth-diaper-cover/ http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/how-to-make-cloth-diapers/ http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/how-to-make-cloth-diapers/ http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/cloth-diaper-supplies/

Tips for Successful Selling

● Always, always include embedded pictures. Having no pictures almost guarantees that your diapers will not sell unless they are highly sought after brands. Links to a photo album will only get clicked a third of the time. Buyers want it to be simple.

● Take good pictures. Use the sun to enhance the colors and the appeal of your diapers. Drab, fuzzy pictures will make a buyer turn away...even if your diapers are hardly used.

● Reveal ALL issues. Even if there are stains that are barely visible or don't show up in pictures, divulge that info in your post. Check the leg elastic. You can do this by opening up the diaper and laying it flat-do both sides look even? or by gently stretching the elastic and feeling for elasticity. Carefully check the outside of the diaper. Are there any mysterious marks or holes? Give a detailed description of the velcro (fuzzy? strong/weak?) and snaps (weak snap? Missing any?). If your diaper was soft brand new and is now a bit “crunchy” make sure you let the buyer know this.

● Rate your diapers using the following abbreviations:

○ NIP/BN: New In Package/Brand New. Never washed. You can use this classification even if you tried it on your baby to check for fit. But please state this in your listing.

○ EUC: Used either in a large rotation or used for a short time. NO stains! No signs of wear.

○ VGUC: Regularly used diaper. May have light stains. No elastic issues or velcro/snap problems. Velcro may be fuzzy. Stiff material from original softness.

○ GUC: Darker stains that may not come out, ex. Diaper rash cream stains. Small holes or fraying in the material that do not affect function.

○ UC: Your workhorse diapers. Significant fading, tears, holes, missing snaps, velcro coming off or loose/worn out elastic. Diapers are still functional, just not pretty.

● Price you diapers at the going used rate and ALWAYS include shipping. Don't expect to buy a diaper for $25 and get $20 for it, unless the diaper is in high demand. Remember when you pay for an upgrade like embroidery, your customer base is much smaller. Look through the

FSOT forums for similar items and price your diapers in that range. Make the sale as easy as possible by building in the cost of shipping to your price. To indicate that shipping is included write ppd after your price. (ex. $18ppd) PPD stands for postage paid.

● Be clear what type of payment you will accept and what your shipping limitations are. Do you accept Paypal (PP)? Will you ship outside of the United States?

● Include a delivery confirmation number when you ship your items. It is a nominal fee for some protection on your part.

● If you have very little or no feedback on the forum you are listing on, let your potential buyers know where you do have feedback. If you have no feedback anywhere find someone who can vouch for you or build up friendships that will develop trust between you and buyers.

CHAPTER 12

Nighttime

“Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray to the Lord….a nighttime solution that will work!!”

Who hasn’t been forced to experiment with different combinations to find one that won’t leak?

It only takes one, maybe two, mornings where you wake up soaked in pee that you consider going with sposies (that’s slang for disposable diapers) at night. But DON’T DO IT! I have enough personal experience combined with hours of peer advice to keep your sheets dry and prevent you from resorting to gel crystals! (which leak as well and add to it the health issues and …).

One thing I have noticed is that virtually everyone at one point pleads for advice for their “super soaker”. What child is not a super soaker when we put a diaper on them at 8pm and expect it to last until 8am? I’m all for not changing diapers at night. I changed baby #1 at every feeding and started to with baby #2 but I soon got smart and realized this was not the only way!

There are a few approaches to nighttime dryness:

● pockets that allow you to control the absorbency and

● fitteds with a wool cover.

There are other options that work, but for “super soakers” these are going to be your best bets.

With my son I had a very limited number of choices and was a complete newbie to cloth diapering. I had 4 Happy Heinys (HH) pockets and Chinese unbleached prefolds with Proraps. I found that stuffing the HH with a prefold wrapped around a doubler worked great for him. I knew nothing about wool at that time but thankfully never had any leaks with that system.

I frequently hear of moms raving that Fuzzi Bunz (same idea as Happy Heinys) stuffed with prefolds are a “bulletproof” nighttime system. There are a ton of doublers you can choose to stuff with. The doublers I used were made by local WAHM and consisted of flannel, microfiber and microfleece (in that order). I loved them because they were cheap and worked but now I would buy a LoopyDo 2G for a nighttime pocket insert.

Here are some other recommendations you can try that have been known to work for nighttime.

For the cheapest route, microfiber towels bought at Wal-Mart in the auto- section work great. Another popular highly absorbent doubler/insert are Joeybunz. Joeybunz are made of hemp and are very trim. Combine microfiber on top of hemp for a super absorbent combo.

As previously mentioned, LoopyDo 2G inserts are excellent no matter what brand of pocket diaper you are using. These are the go-to with most cloth diaper moms.

With my third child I was more educated on the different systems and ready to branch out. I began using fitteds and wool from the beginning with her and had great success.

Fitteds are probably the most prolific diaper made by WAHMs. There are hundreds to choose from and dozens of them are worthy of being used as the nighttime diaper in your stash.

Materials that lend themselves to lasting for many hours are bamboo, hemp and microfiber layers. When I started with Paisley I used Kissaluvs. KL0s (Kissaluvs size 0) are made of sherpa. I would use a doubler with them but I would still have to change her in the middle of the night because she was soaked through. I love my KL0s but there are better options.

My #1 nighttime recommendation (2007) is Baby Beehind. I would put a BBH with my favorite doubler on her at 8:00pm and when I changed her diaper at 7:30am I had dry sheets and the diaper was not completely soaked to the outside! Rest assured I am not the only mama who sings the praises of a BBH. After searching dozens of internet communities BBH comes out in the top 3 every time.

Cloth Diapers at Night, Dry Sheets in the Morning

By Autumn Beck | March 18, 2008

Talk to any cloth diapering mom and they all agree that the biggest obstacle is how to cloth diaper at night and not wake up in a puddle of pee. Yes, it’s going to take some trial and error? But it doesn’t mean you have to resort to disposable diapers.

Disposable diapers leak, bulge, excrete crystals, transfer dioxins and don’t allow the skin to breathe. They are not the “easy answer”. There is not one nighttime system that works for all babies but there are some shining stars.

Prefolds as pocket stuffers: Prefolds are highly absorbent and are perfect for trifolding and inserting into a pocket. A prefold can be wrapped around a doubler, like the Joeybunz hemp insert or Happy Heinys Stuffin Insert, or two prefolds can be wrapped together. You can use any pocket diaper, however many moms have had great success with Fuzzi Bunz diapers at night. I used Happy Heinys pocket diapers stuffed with a prefold wrapped around a doubler with my second child and had excellent success.

Fitted Diapers: Baby Beehind (BBH), Very Baby Simply Nights (VBSN), and Bamboo Velour Goodmama top the list of most highly recommended fitteds for use at night. Fitted Diapers are a great nighttime option because of their absorbent materials, the ability to add doublers, and their breathability. Successful nighttime fitteds usually contain hemp and/or velour for their ability to soak up large amounts of liquid. These fitteds allow you to lay a doubler under the snap insert and still have the soft material touching your baby’s skin. Whereas, pocket diapers contain a water-proof layer of PUL (polyurethane laminate), fitted diapers do not have this and require a cover. The lack of PUL is what allows a fitted diaper to “breathe”. To breathe means air is allowed to circulate to baby’s skin. A fitted diaper, though, is only as good as the cover you choose…

Wool: The brightest star in the sky when it comes to having dry sheets is WOOL. Wool is very breathable, comfortable, and can absorb 30x its weight in moisture before feeling damp to the touch. Wool keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I live in the hot state of Texas and wool worked wonderfully last summer. Wool is also anti-bacterial because of the properties of lanolin. Lanolin contains acidic fatty acids that react with the basic urea to create salt and water. Urea is a component of urine that would normally cause odors. Wool will need to be washed and re-lanolized every couple of weeks. It is a great idea to put a wool soaker or wool longies over any nighttime system you choose for that extra protection.

Getting enough sleep at night is enough to worry about. Don’t add to it by also worrying about wet sheets. You may have to experiment with a couple of different diapers before you find what works for your baby, but it will be well worth the effort!

Since that post was from 2 ½ years ago a lot has improved! Those recommendations are still awesome but there are more choices available for you.

As of the end of 2010, I can confidently say that Pooters hemp fitteds, Sustainablebabyish Bamboo Fitteds “Magic Diaper or a double stuffed (2 inserts) Flip diaper are my top 3 nighttime recommendations.

Goodmama Goodnights are also a great one-sized bamboo fitted.

For price and versatility, go with Flip.

For price and trimness, go with Pooters.

For a sized diaper and absorbency, go with Sustainablebabyish.

If nothing is working, try them all 

The diapers I just described are fantastic and super absorbent but they all (except Flip) require a cover. PUL and Fleece covers can work for overnight; however, the healthiest and consistently successful cover is wool.

My top 3 favorite wool items are Sustainablebabyish knit longies, Little Beetle Little-to-Big Organic Wool diaper cover and Woollybottoms recycled wool longies (hard to get because she makes them all herself. Check Diaperswappers.com for used ones)

CHAPTER 13

WASHING

Why is laundry detergent important?

Many conventional laundry detergents contain ingredients (such as optical brighteners, fragrances, oil-based surfactants) that stick to the diapers and cause them to repel moisture. This causes a problem since the point of the diapers is to absorb, not repel!

Every diaper that I have bought has a recommended detergent. Following their advice is the safest option. You will find a hundred different ways to wash your diapers if you spend any time on internet diapering communities. I am going to guide you towards those methods that I think work best.

My personal diaper washing routine goes like this:

(my pretty little disclaimer: I cannot be held responsible for any damage that may come to your diapers or rashes that may result if you follow my personal washing routine. What I am about to type has proven to work fantastic for us and hundreds of other moms but there are always exceptions.)

● Wet bag from Monkey Foot Designs or Leslie’s Boutique

● Bac-out plus Tide detergent or Rockin’ Green Hard Rock

● Cloth diapers

● Bum Genius Diaper Sprayer

My old set-up looked like this: I

(Dry Pail w/ wet bag) (Dry Pail w/ diapers)

I now have a laundry room in the garage (boohoo) and keep the wet bags next to the toilet in my bathroom. When the diaper is a poopie I spray it off with the Bum Genius diaper sprayer. This isn’t necessary for cloth diapering and especially not in the newborn/infant breast milk phase. If I’m able to shake it off in the toilet I won’t spray it.

I then place diapers in the wet bag. If they are pockets I remove the inserts before I put them in the bag. Cloth wipes go in with the diapers.

Below is the routine I followed when I had a top loader and soft water:

1. I turn on cold water,

2. pour in Tide concentrated detergent to the “1” line,

3. open the pail and take out the diapers one at a time...or just dump the whole thing in.

4. pick through them to pull out the inserts from the pockets. I don’t do this until I am washing the diapers.

5. If I was going to add bleach to this cycle because of problems (discussed later under stripping diapers) I wait until the agitator has been going for a few minutes then add the bleach. This is the best way to prevent the bleach from directly sitting on the diapers.

6. I always do a second rinse because of the soft water we have.

7. If I added anything to the wash like bleach or dawn I will rinse again. Making sure all the detergent and additives are out of the diapers is the only way to prevent stink, leaks, and rashes. Yes, there are times when I do 3 rinses.

I now have an HE front loader (Samsung vibration reduction with steam cycle) and hard water so my routine has changed a lot.

1. Set washer to Heavy Duty cycle, with prewash, cold/cold. 2. Add Bac-out to the pre-rinse compartment (3 small squirts). If using Tide, I fill cap to the lowest line; if using Rockin’ Green Hard Rock I add 1TB. 3. Add diapers. 4. Once finished with Heavy Duty cycle, I restart on the Normal cycle on hot/cold. 5. Occasionally, I will run a Steam cycle or Sanitize cycle as my 2nd wash to remove buildup. These cycles produce a much higher heat which releases the buildup in the diapers.

Washing Routines from Cloth Diapering Moms:

“I store all my used wipes and diapers in a wet bag then every night load them in the washer, add all free & clear, hot wash, hot dry”

“Full cold wash with Dawn and a scoop of oxyclean Full Hot wash with no detergent 2 cold rinses Dry on Hot-I usually hang the pockets and covers and throw them in the dryer every now and then.

I used to do a cold wash with dawn and a hot wash with detergent followed by 2 cold rinses. I started having smell &/or buildup problems. Adding my soap to the cold wash works better because the hot wash really helps wash it out.”

“Once my zippered wetbag is full (every 3-5 days) I dump everything, including the covers (BSWW) into the washer with reg Tide (never thought I would use this stuff) filled to the 2nd line. 15 min reg wash with super hot water, cold rinse. Then a 6 min reg wash (no detergent) with cold water and a cold rinse. Everything (minus the covers) in the dryer on high for 60 mins. Easy Peasy!”

“i wash about 2-3 days and do a cold rinse, then a hot full wash with purex free and clear, then i do another cold rinse then dry everything, mostly fitteds”

“I put everything in the washer. If I have poopy diapers, I do a cold rinse. Then a hot wash with Purex free & clear detergent then a cold rinse take pockets/covers out do a hot cycle with no detergent (for prefolds and inserts) line dry (dryer if rainy or cloudy)”

“I wash every 2-3 days; Full cold wash No detergent Hot wash with a full scoop of Allen's Powder 2 Cold rinses We haven't had any major issues using this routine Oh and I wash everything including wipes together.”

“I pre-soak in cold with baking soda, then hot wash cold rinse with Dawn and Borax and then do one more rinse to make sure bubbles are out.”

“I use fitteds and occasionally pockets. They all get washed together with the wipes and pail liner/wetbags every 3 days. Cold soak overnight Hot wash with Purex F&C and Calgon (recently added) 1 hot rinse and 1 cold rinse

Dry everything but the pockets in the dryer. 55

This caused me no problems until a few weeks ago. We have REALLY hard water and I started getting stink. I tried dawn....no improvement. I finally found some RLR at the grocery store last week and it ROCKS!!! No more stink. The pee diapers smell like pee!”

“I use mostly fitteds and DH uses pockets when I work: Here is our routine *Cold pre-wash w/ Bac-out (I squirt three circles aroud the basin)and 1/4 scoop of Country Save *Hot Wash with 3/4 scoop country save *Warm wash for an extra super duper rinse.”

“I do a soak, sometimes with oxyclean then I wash in HOT with All F&C Then I do one or 2 more COLD rinses!!”

“I wash every other day or so. I put it all in the washer prerinse cold, wash hot with tide free and clear, cold rinse, and then everything but covers into the dryer. When the sun is out more i line dry.”

“I use Regular Tide (I've used Arm & Hammer-the perfume/dye-free one, Charlies, and Allen's and Tide works better than all of them over this way). I do a cold prewash, followed by a Hot wash/cold rinse, followed by a cold rinse or cold short wash cycle. I dry on low heat. Works great for us with no leaks or stink.”

“I use Tide Coldwater on HOT and choose the longest wash cycle. I typically use an 1/8 of a cup of detergent but since I had to buy the liquid last time, I found I need to use 1/16 cup more--for a large load. I dry on Medium 70 minutes. Occasionally, I'll dry on HIGH to seal my pockets-- probably twice a month. Right now I only have pockets and before this routine had major stink issues. Now, we are clean and stink free.”

“i store all my diapers and wipes in the wet bag and at the end of the day i wash (i only have enough for dd to make it threw the day) load them all in the washer add all free & clear make sure its on hot start washer return when its done and throw them in the dryer”

“1. Cold "light cycle" wash with no detergent 2. Hot "heavy cycle" wash (has cold rinse) with a small amount of Purex Free & Clear 3. Repeat rinse cycle 4. High heat for inserts and AIO's that allow high heat - I hang dry the pocket

56 dipes (FB, GADs, etc)”

Detergents

Use caution with detergents containing Enzymatic Cleaners. These are great as long as you RINSE your diapers WELL. The enzymes can attack your baby's skin if there are microscopic bits of poo stuck to baby's bottom and the diapers have not been rinsed well enough. Some examples: BioKleen Premium Plus, Charlie's Soap, Sensi-Clean, Method, Wintree (costco). Enzymes affect the skin the longer your child is in a soiled/wet diaper. Their sensitivity may go unnoticed if you change your baby's diaper frequently. Yet, another healthy reason to change your child's diaper as soon as they “go”.

It is recommended not to use Dreft because it contains fabric softener, as does Ecos, Trader Joe's and all the major brands offer this option. Make sure to check the labels! Fabric softener will cause your diapers to repel instead of absorb.

Free and Clear detergents seem to come up in detergent discussions often. Many websites advise against using them, however, I know many moms that use Free and Clear detergents and they have had zero problems. As with any detergent the most important thing to do is observe how your child reacts when the change is made. If you child never had a rash and suddenly develops one, go back to the previous detergent and watch for improvement. Every child is different. Also, long term use of detergents with optical brighteners will cause buildup so you may not notice a problem with your F&C detergent for a while.

Soap Nuts is a natural “soap” you may choose to use. The Soapnut is the fruit from a tree (Sapindus Mukorossi) which grows in India and Nepal. It has been used for many years as an economical alternative to laundry soap, shampoo, skin cleanser, and insecticidal soap. This amazing nut is all-natural and environmentally safe. The nut is the dried fruit of the Rittha tree, a species of trees native to India and the lower forests of Nepal.

The shell of the nut contains saponins which are released in the presence of warm or hot water. In the rural areas where it has been in use for many years, it is highly valued as a naturally produced shampoo and also used for washing woolen and silk garments. Soap nuts are a completely renewable, biodegradable material that can be composted after use.

I didn’t like Soapnuts for the main reason that my diapers and clothes never seemed to get clean!

For a thorough review of a variety of laundry detergents check out Pinstripes and Polkadots and for HE machines click here.

High-Efficiency (HE) washing machines...

There is a lot of confusion regarding whether HE washers are good for diapers or not. Some pros to using an HE are: less water is used, deeper cleaning/sanitizing cycles, and the potential for less wear and tear due to the lack of an agitator. There is also an extra rinse setting and a heavy soil setting that are super bonuses. When purchasing detergents make sure to buy the ones that specifically state they can be used in an HE machine.

I’m not sure where I stand on cloth diapers and HE front-loaders. Overall, I would have to recommend that someone not upgrade their machines if they wanted to stick with a simple routine. I never had the problems I have now (ammonia, stink) when I used an old-school top loader.

I know they are the fancier option and they’re so much cooler looking but really, is it worth the thousands of dollars to replace your machines?

The combination of a front-loader with very hard water compounds the problems. I have tried natural detergents (Rockin’ Green Hard Rock, Clean B and Crunchy Clean), I have used RLR and I’ve used Tide HE. Even with small successes the problems always return.

I am currently testing out the new Rockin’ Green Funk Rock to see if that helps the ammonia. It does seem to be working but I’m not getting my hopes up.

In the future, if my husband allows, I will get a cheapie top loader to use for cloth diapers. Then, I will really know if it’s the front loader or just simply a hard water problem.

Kim, the owner of Rockin’ Green, lives near me and has had success using her detergent with a front loader. She has compiled a database of front loader machines and routines that work. http://rockingreensoap.3dcartstores.com/FAQ_ep_42-1.html#f2 scroll almost half-way down the page

CHAPTER 14

Problems

Before you do anything wash the diapers on HOT water, if necessary turn your hot water heater up or add boiling water, with no added detergent. Then, rinse a couple of times making sure to check if there are any bubbles.

A lot of times diaper problems are due to a buildup of detergent. Sometimes an extra step is needed to facilitate the release of detergent, those are mentioned below in the section on Stripping.

Leaky Diapers

There are two things that will cause leaky diapers: detergent residue and heavy wetters. If you take off your baby's diaper and it is SOAKING WET from front to back, you have a heavy wetter. You either need to change your baby's diaper more often, or you need more absorbency. This can be achieved by adding a doubler, using a thicker insert, or using a different type of fabric.

If you take off your baby's diaper and it is not all that wet, but has leaked onto baby's clothes, you may have a residue problem. Try taking a dry diaper and filling a nasal aspirator with water. Drip the water from the aspirator onto the diaper (as if it was 'peeing' on the diaper) and see if the water absorbs into the diaper or if it beads up and rolls around on the diaper. If it beads up, you have residue. Once you have determined that buildup is the problem, move into the steps to breakdown and release the residue. In the section on Stripping are details on how to restore your diapers to their full potential.

Stinky Diapers

There are a lot of things that can cause stinky diapers. One of them occurs frequently with All-In-One diapers. Basically, it's really hard to tell when the diapers are dry, because there is waterproof material on the outside, and a stay-dry lining on the inside. Be sure to dry (on medium) for a good long while. Try rubbing your thumb or finger near the edge of the diaper (near the leg elastic is a good place) and see if you can detect moisture. If you are using the dryer leave them in for two

59 cycles. You can also dry them once in the dryer and then hang them in the sun.

Other common causes are:

● waiting too long to wash, ● HE washer problems: washer needs to be cleaned or not enough water is being added to clean the diapers.

● something the baby ate

● chronic yeast infestation

● recent viral/bacterial infection with diarrhea

My recommendation (and the recommendation of most diaper manufacturers) - try a capful of bleach in the wash. If it is yeast or bacteria causing the smell, the bleach will kill it. Don't do it in every wash. You shouldn't have to, and it can wear out the fabric. If you prefer to do all you can before you resort to bleach, try laying them out in the sun for a day. The sun is a great cleaner. In the next section called “Stripping” there are a number of other options you can try as well.

Stained Diapers

Stains are inevitable, especially if your little one recently ate blueberries or beets. Stains don't necessarily mean that your cloth diapers didn't get clean. Sometimes a stain requires more than a wash with detergent.

First, try laying the diapers out in the sun for a couple of hours. You will be amazed at the power of the sun! If this doesn't work, you can try a capful of bleach in the wash. Rinse well.

CHAPTER 15

Stripping

Stripping Cloth Diapers - Hot Water

If your diapers are dirty as well as stinky you should wash them before stripping, otherwise stains may be set in. Freshly washed diapers don't need to be dried before stripping, you can strip right after washing. Before stripping be sure to check the washing instructions for your diapers so you don't accidentally damage them.

Stripping Cloth Diapers - Alternative Methods

Although stripping cloth diapers is generally done at home in the washing machine, there are other ways to strip.

Dishwasher Stripping

Some cloth diapering mamas have had success using the dishwasher to strip their cloth diapers. They claim that the dishwasher provides hotter water than a washing machine. Due to the potential fire hazard we do NOT recommend this method of stripping. If you are worried that your water isn't hot enough, turn your water heater up or add some boiling water to the washer. Don't put snapping cloth diapers into the pot though, because the snaps may melt.

Laundromat Stripping

If you don't think you can get hot enough water at home, try stripping at a local laundromat. Most laundromats have hotter water and larger machines with greater water capacity than home washers. You may want to run an empty hot cycle before stripping in case there's detergent build-up inside the machine.

If Stripping Doesn't Work

If you've tried everything above and your diapers still scare the skunks away, maybe build-up isn't the problem. Consider these reasons:

Not Enough Detergent

So you've cut down on the amount of detergent you're using, you've stripped and stripped, but your diapers still stink? It could be that you're not using enough detergent. Try running a hot wash with a full cup of detergent then rinse, rinse, rinse.

Vinegar in Hard Water

If you have hard water and use vinegar the acid in the vinegar could be reacting with the minerals in the water and causing odor. Adding a water softener like Calgon to the wash cycle and cutting down or eliminating the vinegar may help in this case. Try 1/4 capful to begin with and use more or less as needed.

CHAPTER 16

Stripping Cloth Diapers - Additives

Sometimes cloth diapers need a little more than plain hot water to get completely stripped. If your diapers are still leaking or a faint odor remains after hot water stripping, you may want to try some of these ideas. Because the effectiveness of these methods depends on what kind of water you have and what kind of diapers you use, these methods won't work for everyone. Keep trying until you find one that works for you.

Bac-Out

Bac-Out by Bi-O-Kleen is a natural alternative containing a unique blend of natural living enzyme cultures and botanical extracts. Bac- Out has been successfully used for stripping by some cloth diapering mamas, however other mamas have reported that their little ones developed a rash from diapers washed with Bac-Out. If you choose to use Bac-Out be sure to rinse a lot and keep an eye out for rashes.

Baking Soda

Baking Soda has been trusted for over 100 years as an effective yet natural and gentle cleaner with no harsh chemicals. Baking soda natural effect is to balance pH, keeping things neither too acidic nor too alkaline, and it resists further changes in the pH balance. Add 1/2 to 1 cup to the wash cycle to neutralize and eliminate odors. Then rinse until there are no more bubbles.

Calgon

Calgon and other water softeners can help with stripping by removing hard water minerals that trap dirt into fabric fibers. Calgon also helps to prevent detergent build-up, neutralizes the hard water minerals in your water, and contains no phosphates. Expect lots of bubbles when using water softeners, so be sure to rinse until they're gone.

Dawn Dish Soap

Add a squirt or two of original Dawn dish soap to your washer and run a hot wash, then rinse until there are no more bubbles. Dawn is a degreasing agent and helps stripping by removing oily residue. If your microfleece is repelling (not allowing wetness to penetrate) try scrubbing a

63 little Dawn right into the microfleece with a medium bristle brush. Be sure to rinse, rinse, rinse until the water runs clear. The best place to find original Dawn is at Dollar General.

Oxygen Bleaches

When choosing an Oxygen bleaching product get your money's worth and find the product with the largest percentage of Sodium Percarbonate. Oxyboost has a high percentage. Avoid ones with fragrances or enzymes. There are natural brands popping up with their own oxygen bleaches; Seventh Generation and Bio-Kleen are 2 examples.

RLR

RLR by Cadie is not a bleach, bluing agent, or detergent. It removes dried-in mineral deposits and detergent residue from fabrics, pulling the deposits out of the fibers and suspending them in the water until they gets rinsed out. It is gentle and safe for all fabrics and PUL, and it is free of perfumes. Add one envelope to the hot wash or soak overnight. Always rinse thoroughly until it’s all out.

Sensi-Clean and Sports-Wash

Sensi-Clean and Sports-Wash are actually the same detergent, labeled differently to address different needs. Sensi-Clean and Sports-Wash do not contain perfumes or brightening dyes and have been proven to rinse completely clean leaving no residue on laundry. Add to your hot wash then rinse as needed.

White Vinegar

Naturally breaks down uric acid and soapy residue. The acid in white vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalines in soaps and detergents. It also prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew. Vinegar can be added to your final stripping rinse to remove the last of the detergent residue and to soften your cloth diapers - try 1/2 - 1 cup. Don't worry, your diapers won't smell like vinegar after they're dry. **Don’t use vinegar if you have hard water**

Bleach is generally NOT recommended for diapers, but if you're at the end of your rope and it's a choice between using bleach or hating your cloth diapers, bleach may be the answer. If you've tried everything else and your diapers still stink, add a little bleach to the hot wash. And - say it with me - rinse, rinse, rinse! The information provided in the section on Stripping was compiled by Amy of

Zany Zebra Designs (drool-worthy diapers!). As a thank you to her for the time she put in to provide this information, take a minute to visit her site.

http://www.zany-zebra.com-stripping-cloth-diapers.shtml

(1). McConnell, Jane. "The Joy of Cloth Diapers." (2). Caldwell, Ginny. "Diapers. Disposable or Cotton?" Eco-Baby Catalogue www.ecobaby.com. (4). Allison, Cathy. "Disposable Diapers: Potential Health Hazards." referring to: Hicks, R et al. "Characterization of toxicity involving hemorrhage and cardiovascular failure, caused by parenteral administration of a soluble polyacrylate in the rat," J Appl. Toxicol. 1989 June; 9(3): 191-8. (5). Peggy's Diapers, Slings N' Things, www.peggysdiapers.com. (6). "Why Cloth Diapers?," www.diapersafari.com.

APPENDIX A

How to Fold a Prefold

Newpaper Fold: Lay Prefold up and down. Fold in thirds. Lay in cover and fold over baby.

Bikini Twist: Lay Prefold flat. Place baby on top of prefold. Take the bottom corners and twist the prefold. Pull up over baby. Tuck top corners around baby, pull back corners around front of baby. Snappi.

Jellyroll Fold: Lay baby on top of prefold. Roll edges towards middle. Pull up over baby, tuck corners around baby. Snappi. The rolls help to hold contents in, preventing leaks.

Angel Wing Fold: Lay prefold flat. Fold in bottom corners, forming a V. Bring up over baby. Fold down the top seam, tuck corners around baby. Bring back corners around front of baby and snappi (or pin).

The Reverse Angel Wing Fold is exactly like the Angel Wing Fold except that you fold down the back of the prefold (picture to the right) before laying baby down. You would do this when the rise of the prefold is too long.

APPENDIX B

Cloth Diaper Terms and Acronyms

A AI2: all in two, usually has a snap in liner AIO: all in one diaper AP: Attachment Parenting APLIX: brand of hook and loop similar to velcro

B BOV: bamboo organic velour BKT: burly knit terry BN: Brand New Bump: Putting “bump” into a post is a way to move the thread back up to the top of a forum BV: bamboo velour BIN: Buy It Now

C CBOS: Cotton Babies One Size insert CD: cloth diaper CM: chubby medium Colorway: The color of the yarn Contour Diaper: Contour diapers are usually hourglass shaped with no folding necessary. Just lay them in a wrap or diaper cover CPF: Chinese prefolds Crunchy: is like super nutty...not what our modern day society considers normal. It's like an alternative to saying you're nuts! It's kind of used for natural, earthy, or renounced lifestyles, because these kind of things seem so strange in a modern world full of 'conveniences'

D DSQ: diaper service quality DWR: Durable Water Repellent (a brand of spray used to re-waterproof diapers)

E EBF: exclusively breastfed (you’ll see in reference to how a diaper holds EBF poo) EC: Elimination communication, it is where babies don't wear diapers and the

69 parents watch for cues that they are about to pee or poop and take them to the restroom. Lots of mamas swear by it (and it is practiced exclusively in many third world countries). EO: essential oil ETA: edited to add ETSY: a collection of WAHM stores. All products are handmade by talented artisans. EUC: excellent used condition

F FFS: free for shipping Fitted: Fitted diapers are used in place of prefolds or contours. They require a diaper cover or wrap, however they are cut in an hourglass shape and have elastic around the legs and waist and have either snaps or hook and loop fasteners FL: front loader (washing machine) FLAG: fits like a glove FLAM: fits like a mitten Flat: a diaper that is typically 27"x27" square, single ply diaper to fold FOE: fold over elastic FPP: funded PayPal FS: for sale FS: front snapping FSOT: for sale or trade FT: for trade FUC: fair used condition

G GN: gender neutral GUC: good used condition

H HC: Hyena Cart www .hyenacart.com an online store “A collection of earth- friendly shops” Hemp: hemp is made from the inner bark of the hemp plant. It is becoming increasingly popular for use in diapers because of its durability, absorbency and natural anti-microbial properties Hyena: term for hard to get, popular diapers that are stalked by diaper hungry moms

I IDNO: in desperate need of IDSO: in desperate search of IHA: I have available 70

IPF: indian prefold ISO: in search of

J K

L Lanolized/Lanolin: For a wool item to be “waterproof” you must soak it in lanolin. Lanolin is a natural product found in wool. You can use a wool wash containing lanolin or use the Lansinoh brand lanolin you buy at the store. LN: like new Longies: Wool pants

M M/L or ML: medium long (size usually the same as a medium except for the rise MM: Malden Mills (Brand of fleece) MFYS: My Fabric Your Serger, you have fabric that you want made into wipes or diapers but don't have a serger, you seek out someone who can use your fabric and make your product.

N NB: newborn Newbie: new to forum or cloth diapering

O OC: organic cotton OCV: organic cotton velour OS: one size - a diaper that usually fits a child from birth up until about 35 lbs OSFM: One size fits most OV: organic velour

P PF: prefold - diapers with a center strip thickness - they still need to be folded to fit the baby PL’ed: Potty Learned or Learning PP: PayPal www.paypal.com PPD: postage paid PSA: public service announcement PUL: polyurethane laminate, a material used to make diaper covers/wraps, the outer of many pocket diapers or AIOs

Q QD: quick dry

R RLR: is a laundry additive that softens the water and helps remove/prevent build for people who have hard water.

S SAHD: stay at home dad SAHM: stay at home mom SC: suede cloth (stay dry inner folds) Shorties: Wool shorts Soaker: Wool cover, think bloomers or underwear Soggie: A mom that does some crunchy things but is still somewhat mainstream. SS: side snapping Stalking: is waiting around for a product to stock. People ask for stalking help to have better odds at scoring items on HC STM: ship to me, as used during co-ops and presales where you have to pay to have your item shipped to the person running the sale and then again to have it shipped to you. Stripping: this is when you have detergent buildup in your diapers and you must run multiple hot rinses until the bubbles are gone

T TBW: The BabyWearer TDF: to die for T&T: Turned and Topstitched (some people prefer this as opposed to serged edges on fitteds) TTO: tea tree oil

U UBCPF: unbleached chinese prefolds UBIPF: unbleached Indian prefolds UC: used condition

V VGUC: very good used condition

W WAHD: work at home dad WAHM: work at home mom Wagon: Going on the wagon is choosing (or being forced to choose) to not buy anymore diapers. It is a term used often with drinking alcohol. If you have been drinking a lot, you say that you are “going on the wagon” and then you stop for a while WIO: wool in one -AIO with a wool cover rather than fleece or cotton WOHD: work out of home dad WOHM: work out of home mom Wool Soaker: A wool soaker is basically a diaper cover made exclusively of wool.

Y YPA: you pick all

YYMN/YYMH: Your Yarn My Needle/Your Yarn My Hook, you’ll see if ordering custom knit or crochet wool soakers, shorties, or longies

General and Parenting Acronyms

A AAFP: American Academy of Family Physicians AAP: American Academy of Pediatrics AF: Aunt Flo (menstruation) AFK: Away from keyboard AIM: Artificial Infant Milk (or AOL Instant Messenger) AKA: Also Known As AP: Attachment parenting AROM: Artificial Rupture of Membranes ASAP: As Soon As Possible ATTN: Attention AV: Avatar

B BC: Birth Control BCP: Birth Control Pill BD: Baby Dance (sex) BF: Breastfed or breastfeeding BF: Boyfriend BFN: Big Fat Negative (negative pregnancy test) BFP: Big Fat Positive (positive pregnancy test) BIL: Brother-in-law BM: Breast milk or bowel movement (depends on context) BTDT: Been there, done that BTW: By the way...

C CD: Cloth Diaper(ing) CD1: Cycle Day 1 (first day of period) CF: Child Free CIO: Cry-It-Out (sleep training) Circ: Circumcision CM: Cervical Mucous C&P: Cut and Paste CS: Co-sleep

D DCP: Day Care Provider

DD: Dear daughter DD2, 3…: 2nd daughter, 3rd … DF: Dear Friend or Fiance DH: Dear husband DIL: Daughter-in-law DPO: Days Past Ovulation DS: Dear son DS2, 3…: 2nd son, 3rd … DSD: Dear stepdaughter DSS: Dear stepson DW: Dear wife

E EBF: Extended Breastfeeding or exclusively breast fed EBM: Expressed Breast Milk EC: Elimination Communication EDD: Estimated Due Date EN: Extended Nursing EP: Exclusively Pumping ETA: Edited To Add EWCM: Egg White Cervical Mucus

F FAQ: Frequently asked questions FF: Formula Fed/Feeding FF: Fast forward FIL: Father-in-law FMLA: Family and Medical Leave Act FSOT: For sale or trade FTR: For The Record FTT: Failure To Thrive F/U: Follow up FYA: For your amusement FYI: For your information FWIW: For what it's worth F2F: Face-to-face

G GBCF: Goodbye Cruel Forum GFSE: Grapefruit Seed Extract GV: Gentian Violet

H HB: home birth HCP: Health Care Provider HE: High efficency HED: High efficency detergent HPT: Home Pregnancy Test

HS: home schooling HTH: Hope that helps H2H: Heart to Heart

I IBCLC: International Board Certified Lactation Consultant IBTC: Itty Bitty Titty Committee IIRC: If I recall correctly ILs: In-laws IMAO: In my arrogant opinion IME: In my experience IMHO: In my humble opinion IMNSHO: In my not so humble opinion IMO: In my opinion IOW: In other words IRL: In real life IRT: In real time ISO: In Search Of ISP: Internet service provider ITA: I totally agree IYO: In Your Opinion

J J/K: Just kidding JMHO: Just my humble opinion JMO: Just my opinion

K KWIM: Know what I mean? KWYM: I know what you mean

L LC: Lactation Consultant LLL: La Leche League LMAO: Laughing my (rear) off LMK: Let me know LO: Little one LOL: Lots of laughs or laughing out loud LYK: Let you know

M MDC: mothering.com or Motheringdotcommune MIL: Mother-in-law M/S: morning sickness

N NAK: Nursing At Keyboard NC: no-circ - Non-Circumcised 75

NFP: Natural Family Planning NIP: Nursing In Public NIP: New in Package NP: No problem NV: Non Vaccinating NWOT: New without tags NWT: new with tags

O OALD: Over- Active Let Down ODD: Oldest Daughter ODS: Oldest Son O'ed: ovulated OHT: One-handed typing OMG: Oh My Gosh OP: Original Post/Poster OPK: Ovulation Predictor Kit OT: Off topic OTSBH: Over The Shoulder Baby Holder (brand of baby sling) OW/OM: Other woman/other man

P PAK: Pumping at Keyboard PCP: Primary Care Physician PIS: Pump In Style (breastpump by Medella) PITA: Pain In The A$$ PLMK: Please let me know PM: Private Message POAS: Pee On A Stick POTW: Person Of The Week POV: Point of view PPD: Post-Partum Depression PPP: Post-Partum Psychosis PSA: Public Service Announcement

R RL: Real life ROFL: Rolling on the floor laughing ROFLMAO: Rolling on the floor laughing my (rear) off ROFLMHO: Rolling on floor laughing my head off ROTFLMAOPMP: Rolling on the floor laughing my *** off peeing my pants

S SAHD: Stay-at-home dad 76

SAHM: Stay-at-home mom SIL: Sister-in-law or Son-in-law SNS: Supplemental Nursing System SO: Significant other S/O: Spin Off STBX: Soon to be Ex (spouse)

T TIA: Thanks in advance YDD: Youngest dear daughter TMI: Too Much Information YDS: Youngest dear son TTO: Tea Tree Oil TTC: Trying to conceive TWW: 2 week wait TY: Thank you TYVM: Thank you very much

U UB: Unassisted Birth UTI: Urinary Tract Infection URL: Web page address

V Vax: Vaccination VF: vaccination free

W WAHD: Work-at-home dad WAHM: Work-at-home mom WHO: World Health Organization WIC: Women, Infants, and Children (US gov assistance program) WOHD: Work-outside-home dad WOHM: Work-outside-home mom WTG: Way To Go

X XH: Ex-Husband

Y YAGE: Yet Another Grand Exit YK: You Know? YKWIM: Ya Know What I Mean? YW: You're welcome