Somewhat Aloof

A few months ago I could honestly say that I had taken a little break from regular blogging because I was so nauseous. I'm so thankful to say that it has officially subsided and I am experiencing more liberty with my food choices now. Tomorrow I will be 17 weeks gestation! I can't believe that I'm almost half-way already! It amazes me how fast it has past. One minute you find out your pregnant, the next you realize that you're half-way through! This is a definite sign that I'm getting older.

Well, since I cannot honestly say that my blogging absence the past 2 weeks is due to nausea, I can say that time on the computer has become more competitive. Jeramy has been working on launching a new website - one that he is building himself. He has no previous knowledge of web development or search engine optimization, but with some books, determined study and practice, he has now become a web developer in his spare time at home. If you click on his picture to the left it will take you to his site where he is religiously posting daily blogs.

In other events: I'm very excited to start a new sewing project - DIY cloth diapers! I spent almost an hour in JoAnn Fabrics finding everything I need to make 15 - 20 cloth diapers, including a DIY how-to book! The first All-in-One diapers (Osocozy) I purchased 2.5 years ago are looking really ratty. The velcro tugs at the cotton lining and it really looks bad. I bought more Osocozy AIO in a larger size for Moriah and Lily for their sleep times and in less than a year, they are looking pretty ratty too! The best AIO diapers I've bought have been the bumGenius AIO pocket diapers. These are awesome! They dry quickly. They have some absorbency already sewn in and the pocket allows you to add more for nighttime. The lining is super soft and doesn't fray, pill or catch on the velcro! This is the diaper I'm attempting to duplicate.

For Christmas I made an apron for my sister-friend Sherri. I know the picture isn't that great- the apron and the model look a lot better in person. :-D The neck strap is adjustable. I'm very pleased with how this project turned out. I'm considering making a few more in purple.

All that being said, I'm hoping to return to a regular blogging routine. Please accept my apologies.

Eau de Cloth Diapers

I use a Sterilite tall trash can with a lid for our cloth diaper pail. I've always kept it dry because I knew that a wet pail would weigh more and the extra weight would make it more cumbersome when the day came to launder them. The lid helps to keep the smells contained and I only encounter the smell when it's full and I open the lid to drop in a dirty diaper. I don't use a pail liner because they cost money and I can just as easily throw the diapers in the machine hands-free without one.

At first we would rinse each diaper separately in the toilet before depositing it in the pail. This really helped keep the smells under control. I consider now that doing so uses much more water than just rinsing them in the washing machine before the wash cycle. Let's say my pail holds between 20 and 30 cloth diapers before they get washed. Old toilets (before 1994) use 3.5 gallons of water per flush and today's low-flow toilets use 1.5 gallons. Multiply that with the 20-30 diapers per pail and that's between 30 and 105 gallons of water! A washing machine with a 3.3 cubic feet basket capacity will use about 31.5 gallons of water per complete cycle. If you break that up by 3 (once for the wash cycle and once for each of two rinse cycles) then it's only about 10 gallons to rinse the cloth diapers all together in the machine rather than doing each one by hand! (And I suppose that's if you have an average to full load of laundry.)

Plus, I've found that letting the machine rinse the diapers saves me time during each diaper change. And it saves my hands from swimming around in dirty toilet water several times a day! It's more time efficient, energy efficient, resources efficient and it's more sanitary! I will still rinse a cloth diaper if there's enough number two that stubbornly won't detach, but that's maybe just once a day. Diaper sprayers also are great inventions that help keep your hands cleaner.

The first morning cloth diaper (the one baby's worn all night long) would be especially aromatic and still is. Both Moriah and Lily wear cloth at night. In the morning, thanks to the no rinsing dry diaper pail, I don't really have to smell it at all. I just remove the dirty diaper and plop it in the pail. I barely have enough time to really get a good whiff. If they drink more water than other alternatives, the smell won't be so horrible either.

When I had to change a diaper with number two while dealing with pregnancy nausea, the smell would make me get sick almost every time. My friend Jennifer would use disposables during her "morning sickness" period and then switch back to cloth when she could tolerate smells better. During those dirty diaper changes I would aim a fan right at my face or the diaper so that I wouldn't be overcome by the fragrance. If I used a disposable (which I might just happen to have thanks to Grandma) and she didn't poo, then I would feel like I wasted a disposable diaper. It's a give and take kind of thing, I guess.

Previously I was using bleach in the diaper wash/rinse cycles to help with residual smells, but now I've switched to baking soda and they come out smelling just as clean as when I used bleach. I use a whole cup of baking soda in the first rinse cycle, Tide for the wash and they smell great when the cycle is complete. I use so much soda because I only wash my cloth diapers about twice a week. (After 3 days of non-rinsed cloth diapers, the smell does almost knock me out when I dump them into the washing machine.) I also wash out the diaper pail when I empty it. I just swish it in the bath tub with soapy water and that's enough to remove odors and give me comfort that it's clean. Sometimes I will wipe it also. Overall, I don't usually think about the smell except when it comes time to wash them.

When G'Wanda takes the girls for a day and leaves me with the disposable Lily's wearing upon their return, I change it and leave it in the trash can in the bathroom - I tend to notice it's odor more than I do the cloth diapers! There's way more dirty cloth diapers in the pail with a lid that don't create a wafting smell, but the one disposable in the open trash can does! Ironic, huh?!

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Newborns & Cloth Diapers

Last year Jeramy and I decided to invest in cloth diapers because we had become uncomfortable with how expensive it was having both Moriah and Lily in disposables. Lily was still solely breast feeding while Moriah was on the same diet as we were. I purchased some Osocozy All-in-Ones, Kushies diaper covers and several dozen pre-folds.

We loved using the AIO on Moriah because they work just like a disposable but they are washable/reusable and therefore more economical if you're willing to make the plunge financially for the convenience. (At the time, through a forum, they only cost us about $7 each. Immediate picture below.) In the end it really does pay for itself. The diaper covers and pre-folds are probably the most economical purchase for cloth diapers. It definitely doesn't bite your wallet too much to switch to cloth when you choose this method.

Once or twice I used the AIO on Lily during that time and found that if she did a number two, the soft breast milk stool would come out of the AIO and mostly run up her back. :-P I figured the reason for that being that there was no lip around the back or gussets around the legs to prevent wetter messes from escaping. Primarily for Lily during her breastfeeding I used the pre-folds and the diaper covers.

I loved the diaper covers because I didn't have to use pins or other closures for the pre-folds. The way I created a lip in the back to keep messes from escaping was just folding it down a bit and it worked wonderfully. I plan on doing the same when our new little one arrives. And for the older, solid food babies and toddlers, I definitely plan on purchasing enough AIOs next time to last between washings because they are so convenient and others will not be so averse or fearful to changing the cloth diapers either. :-)

Anyone have other comments or suggestions about cloth diapering newborns?

Live & Learn: Protect Your Investment

It's almost been one year since we've switched to cloth diapers and let me say that I will never go back to the sole use of disposables again! I'm so very pleased with the money we've saved, the peace of mind, and being a better steward of the natural resources that are accessible. When you're trying to live a frugal lifestyle, cloth diapering really is the way to go. The last thing you want to do when you're trying to save money is to spend it on one more thing that's just going to end up in the trash. That is priceless at this point! Especially when you have more than one child in diapers at a time.

I have learned quite a few things over this past year of cloth diapering, though. The first thing being: Follow the dealer's laundering instructions! This is the most important way that you can protect your investment in cloth diapers! I can't emphasize this enough because this is the lesson I've learned as I've watched my diaper covers age so quickly in such a short amount of time.

Do not put your covers in the dryer! There would occasionally be a time when I missed taking one out of the mix when throwing them into the dryer and I noticed that there was no immediate negative response. So, for the sake of time and just being lazy, I've since always thrown my covers in the dryer. And now I've found out why and paid the price! It's only been a year since I've used these covers and look at the wear and tear! I plan on mending them before the new baby arrives (probably within the next couple of weeks).

I just bought a pack of 3 Thirsties Duo Wrap diaper covers from Simple Wonders Diapers and I love them! They have an adjustable rise and really durable velcro and just from using them once you know that it's a higher quality than the Kushies I've been using all year. I plan on buying more of these eventually. They're great!

Do not use bleach! One of the only things about cloth diapering is the smell of dirty diapers in the pail! It almost just knocks me over (literally!) when I dump my diaper pail in the washing machine. Only using detergent didn't rid the diapers completely of the unpleasant odor, so I began adding bleach to the first rinse cycle before washing or to the wash cycle itself (or even both). Bleach is a very harsh chemical and the new diaper covers I just bought clearly indicated that they should not be washed with bleach. Instead I've started using Baking Soda which has been approved for so many household, first aid, baking uses as well as deodorizing laundry. Click here for a great article I found on Diaper Hyena. I saw that Tide powder detergent is one of the best detergents for laundering cloth diapers - which is the detergent I've always used - click here.

Other things to consider that I haven't completely subscribed to yet, that I probably should:

Affixing the velcro onto the designated laundry tabs will prevent the fraying of other parts of the covers and aging them before their time. Plus, if they have laundry tabs, the maker knows how to protect their product. The Kushies diapers covers I purchased don't have laundry tabs included. :-(

Hanging the diapers out in the sun to dry will aid with deodorization and stain removal. I've done this a few times and it really does work to remove stains on my diaper covers. Plus it will save the energy of always using the dryer. We don't have a line outside to do this and I may not always want it visible as a lawn ornament. I will definitely hang my covers to dry, inside the house, but I don't know if I'll hang all my diapers in the future. It seems like more work to me - at least for now.

What other suggestions do you cloth diapering Moms have - things you've learned, things you love and ways you protect your investment?

AIO Cloth Diaper Deal

Simple Wonders Diapers is having a great offer right now for you cloth diapering families. When you order $10 or more of any BumGenius, FLIP or Econobum product you will receive a free BumGenius All-in-One cloth diaper of your choice! The AIO BumGenius cloth diaper is valued at $15.95 on most cloth diaper websites. Click here to see the offer. The catch is in fine print, no matter how much you order, you will only receive ONE free AIO diaper per household. This deal is good through May 31st.

Today's Milestones

This morning Moriah went poo poo in the potty! Jeramy swooped her up just as she was beginning to go and sat her down on the potty. After about 5 minutes she had completed number 1 and #2! Yay Moriah!

When I switched to cloth diapers, I ordered 5 dozen prefolds, 10 all in ones and 10 diaper covers. In hindsight I should have ordered more diaper covers because if I use them conservatively, then I don't have to do diaper laundry as often. Anyway, this evening for about 45 minutes before the girls' bath, I ran out of clean diaper covers and all in ones and we only have one disposable left, so . . . I let Moriah run around naked. :-) When she had to pee, I saw her stop and stand with a serious look on her face. She was probably thinking, "I'm not wearing a diaper and I have to go right NOW. Can I go right here on the carpet?" Immediately I told her to go sit and pee pee on the potty and she did. Maybe this naked idea really can hold some water. :-)

Two nights this past week, Lily had been very restless during the night, waking up several times extremely distraught. Well, the second night Jeramy figured out that she was teething and this morning I felt a little spike in her mouth on her bottom gum! She's cutting her first tooth! And the second one, right next to it is probably going to come out in a few days also.

Tomorrow Moriah will be 20 months! She's almost two years old. I can't believe it. And Lily will be 7 months on the 4th. This afternoon as I watched Moriah play with my keys, making cute little toddler nonsense noises, I got a shot of a sobering reality that she's growing up. When she was an infant I didn't foresee this day. Neither will she be a toddler forever. (Oftentimes it feels like she always will be.) In the years to come I'm not going to hear her make these cute noises anymore. Nor will Lily be as small a bundle of joy that she is now. Already her feet are hanging off the end of her car seat carrier. After she starts walking her adorable, kissable cheeks will lose their fatness. Maybe I shouldn't wish them to grow up so quickly. These days will be gone sooner than I think.

Since the Switch to Cloth . . .

I would like to share what I love about cloth diapers since I've switched. I do still use disposable diapers when we go to church for the convenience of those in the nursery and because we're out quite a long time. I still use disposables at night with Moriah for the sake of ease. But all the other time, I use cloth. I really like that

• I don't have to run out in a panic to buy more disposables.
• I don't have to spend NEAR the amount of money on diapers per month.
• There is SO much less waste.
• They are reusable.
• They are so easy to clean and care for.
• The cloth diaper laundry actually makes me more efficiently push through our weekly laundry.
• After the initial rinse I don't have to touch them again until they're clean.
• I can reuse the diaper covers and just replace the prefolds.
• They do effectively contain breastfed blow outs.
• They are very absorbent.
• The prefolds have so many other uses too.
• The prefolds are durable.
• The diaper covers effectively contain early morning smells.
• With consistent changes, there is less occurrence of diaper rash.

And Jeramy is more than willing to change them! (Now, don't misunderstand me - he doesn't volunteer to change diapers, but is very willing to change them when asked or required.)

The minuses are much fewer. Unless you have a diaper sprayer, you can count on swishing dirty diapers in the toilet. Occasionally the little bit of cloth on the leg gussets gets urine on it and causes the smell to permeate. The diaper pail smells awful but is easily contained with a lid and when laundry is commenced, disinfected and neutralized.

If anyone has any other thoughts about cloth diapers, I'd love to hear them.

Green Light: Cloth Diapers

Yesterday I received a box of Kushies Diaper Wraps and Diaper Liners in the mail.  I'm so excited to embark on this journey!  I washed them and tonight, Moriah has gone to bed wearing a new cloth diaper.  The smell in the morning will be a little rough (understatement!) but I'll get over it (maybe).  

Basically Baby has diaper covers less expensive than the other guys and they offer free shipping on all orders.

I'm still working on the diaper sprayer.  I attempted to make one off of a do-it-yourself tutorial on Gidget Goes Home, but my toilet supply line is 1/2" not 3/8", so I've had a slight hang-up, but that's okay because we're going cloth!

And Jeramy is excited about the financial stewardship and he's not shying away from the added work!

Woo hoo!

Hmm, Cloth Diapers

Thanks to my friend and advocate of cloth diapering, Erin, I have been able to try, for free, some methods of cloth diapering. Sunday, she brought several bags for me to test and I will have to say that the all-in-one cloth diapers are by far my favorite because their just like a disposable, except not disposable. They're all put together for you. All you have to do is rinse and wash. And their not as bulky as the other cloth diapers, especially those with the pre-folded ones. I like the snap-ez ones because you can really get a good fit around the waist and leg. And because they fasten with snaps, Moriah is less able to undo them. I wish they weren't so expensive. They average about $18-$20 a pop!

The pocket diapers can vary. Some have an absorbent layer built in, while others do not - you have to add all of the absorbent layers. You can choose to add absorbency with a pre-folded diaper, a towel or fleece, microfiber, etc.

Fitted diapers are a bit bulky, though all of the cloth diapers can tend to be. They're a little more cumbersome to secure with the water resistant cover over top. Moriah finds all the velcro quite tempting to unfasten if she's not wearing a onesie.

Erin is a big fan of the pre-folds with a diaper cover. These work very well in the daytime, though they are a little bulky in the rear. The pre-folded diapers, in general, are very bulky, but they're so cost effective. The other absorbent materials, microfleece, microfiber terry, hemp, etc. are much thinner, I would suppose, but they're so expensive.

I will have to admit that they're a lot more work than disposables. With disposables, you pay for the convenience and cleanliness for your hands. With cloth, you save money, a lot of money! if your willing to do the work. The part I really don't like about cloth is the rinse and wring in the toilet water. There are diaper sprayers, like a kitchen sink sprayer, that attaches onto the water valve behind the toilet. Perhaps one day, if we really invest in this, we'll get one, but the fact remains - your hands are in dirty water with poo and pee! I have considered disposable/flushable liners that would keep their bottoms dry and make poo more hands free.

Anyway, we have set an initial budget for this investment and perhaps later, we can pay a little more for ease and convenience. I keep trying and testing and we'll figure it out.

Two Things, Real Quick

First: Today I went shopping and had to buy more disposable diapers for Lily.  After Jeramy's reaction to the cost, I've felt prompted to really look into cloth diapering and now, I'm convinced about the benefits.  I'm really excited to begin this new method of infant sanitation!  Maybe that's unusual.  I suppose the way I see it, this is another facet of our lives that can honor Christ as far as the stewardship we've been given is concerned.  Cloth diapering will be more cost effective in the long-run, i.e. financial stewardship, and it will help reduce the waste that is piling up in landfills and such, i.e. ecologically frugal.  Also I read somewhere that having cloth diapers helps in potty training because when they mess their pants, it's in cloth, like underwear.  Whoo hoo, cloth diapering!

Second: Let this video really hit home to you, in regards to my anti-abortion post yesterday.  If it were your very own life, would you not be as passionate about it?