I live in an all cloth world!

And I love it that way...

Let's take a brief intermission from all this cloth diaper talk to discuss another money saving cloth change!

How much money do you spend on napkins and paper towels right now? Probably about $1 a roll. Doesn't sound like much, does it? But how often to you change out the roll? I. as always a very conservative paper towel user anyway but I know I would change them out at least every two weeks. But I've visited some friends and family who think they need 25 paper towels to clean up that little puddle of water they just splashed on the counter. You've seen them...the people who wrap paper towels all the way around their hand as if they are going to need that entire roll for the 2 ounces of water on the floor. Maybe you are that person, too. Well, don't worry, I've got a plan that will save you money!

Go to the Goodwill or to a yard sale and find some super cute cloth napkins! (Or splurge and head into the department store and pick out the cutest ones you see). You can find them in about any color you want at one of the previous mentioned places. You can get holiday themed for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners too! Or, even more fun, make your own! (Here is a link on how-to) I would recommend getting cotton ones, not the fancy silky ones. They may look a little fancier when your friends come to visit but they aren't very practical for wiping up messes. Just like cloth diapers you need something absorbent! This is going to save you a ton of money, and a ton of trash every week!

Science Experiment with Kids: Naked Eggs

Since I started staying home with my girls I've been trying to make sure to keep my oldest daughter engaged in learning activities. It's not always easy because I'm not a teacher and I can't think of creative ways to learn. It's just not my strong suit. Thank goodness for Pinterest! You can find a ton of great ideas on there to do with your children. I happened to stumble upon NAKED EGGS! 

This was a huge hit for so many reasons...first, the name is funny to a four year old. Second, she was able to do 95% of the experiment herself. At this age most science experiments are just "hey, watch what Mommy does." So here is how it went: 

You will need:

• 4 cups of vinegar
• 2 eggs
• 2 clear glasses
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup clear corn syrup

Fig. 1

1) Get two clear glasses out so that your child can see through at all times. Fill them both with vinegar and let your child put the two raw eggs carefully into each cup of vinegar. Have your child take note of all the little air bubbles attached to the egg, that is the science at work "eating away" at the eggs. (fig. 1)

Fig. 2

2) After about 12 hours their shells will start to dissolve. Carefully pour the eggs out onto your little ones hands. Make sure they understand to handle them gently. They can gently rub off any dissolving part of the shell. I got out another raw egg just to remind her of the difference and have her explain what is different about the two eggs (color, texture, smell). You may need to use another 2 cups of vinegar and let them sit another 12 hours to dissolve the remainder of the shell. (fig. 2)

Fig. 3

3) Take the eggs again by letting them drop into your childs hands and give them a rinse in cool water to remove the rest of the shell. (fig. 3) Again, I took out a new egg and have her compare (because by this point the naked eggs are slightly bigger than a raw egg. This is because the membrance of the egg allows water to pass through very slowly and it draws the water in the vinegar through, expanding the egg. (This is called osmosis.) See below.

She was quite disappointed however that her naked egg did not have a naked butt like hers. Yes, that is exactly what she said.

Fig. 5

4) The next step is to fill one glass with water and one with corn syrup.  Let your child place the eggs back into the glasses. After another day or so come back to see what happened to the eggs. One egg will be huge compared to the regular egg and one will have all the water sucked right out of it (fig. 5) and be sure to show your child all the water mixed in with the corn syrup in the cup. Deepening on their age they may not understand why this happens but they will think it is neat anyway.

Fig. 6

5) She was happy her naked egg actually started to look like a butt when it got wrinkly. She was just as excited to get to take them outside to smash when we were done with them.

Cloth Diapers Side Note: Get linked into some Vlogs!

I am a huge follower of other cloth diaper blogging mama's; and Vlogging mama's. Now, I'm a reader by nature so I love Blogs the best but you really can't beat a good video to show some real detail. This video is from Dirty Diaper Laundry. She has tons of great videos for you to watch to get a good sense of everything. I'd recommend getting lost in her videos whether you are a newbie or a cloth diaper veteran. I'm sure you can find something in there that you have never seen before. But if you are a newbie with a newborn, start here:



My favorites to follow:

• Dirty Diaper Laundry
• ObbsandLala
• Mama Natural
• Cloth Diaper Channel
• Cloth Diaper Addicts

Lesson #3:Cloth Diaper Accessories

Let's talk accessories...

I'm only going to talk necessities right now. We could go into all the non-essential (and yet still very loved) items of cloth diapering but that would take all day.

1) A wetbag. -If you ever intend to leave the house I would recommend getting a medium sized wetbag (or maybe even two so you could rotate on laundry day). They will come with a waterproof and thankfully pretty much smell proof liner and can be zippered shut to hold any dirty diapers. A medium one will typically hold 6-8 diapers. This is the perfect size for day trips. If you intend to use cloth wipes get a small wetbag to hold pre-moistened wipes as well.

2) Cloth Wipes- Did I just blow your mind with that idea? It surprises me how many people don't even consider cloth wipes when they are considering cloth diapers. From my experience, half of the people I talk to cloth wipes never occurred to them and the other half think it will be simpler or "less gross" to use disposable wipes. My opinion...use cloth wipes. So simple. Or let me be cheesy and say "sew" simple...because I have made all my wipes from flannel and old baby washcloths and baby towels cut up...more on that another day. I find it so much easier to throw all the diaper stuff in one bin. The thought of getting a separate trash for poopy wipes kind of grosses me out. How often do you empty said trashcan if all it has are wipes in it? I imagine that would get stinky. Maybe I'm wrong. Either way, save your money and use cloth. Oh and if you do choose cloth wipes for on the go as well, get yourself a small wetbag/wipes pouch.

3) A snappi- If you intend to use flats or prefolds you should get a snappi or two. Snappis or Boingos are the new way to close a diaper vs. old fashioned pins. No poking baby or yourself. They hook to the diaper the same way an ace bandage clip hooks. For anyone who has never seen an ace bandage they are like little teeth that snag the fabric of the diaper (P.S. if you use receiving blankets as flat diapers snappis and boingos typically will not grasp that fabric, I guess it is just too dense).

4) Cloth Diaper safe rash cream- No, sorry, Butt Paste and Destin aren't going to cut it here. I love Butt Paste it works great, I used it with my first daughter and didn't have an issue with her disposables. But it is not safe for cloth diapers. There are oils in regular diaper rash creams that create a barrier on your cloth that will prevent absorbency. You don't want that. You want to get something safe for cloth. I personally use Skin Relief made by Jordan Essentials. I also sometimes use a Lotion Bar made by Jordan Essentials to prevent diaper rash if I want to keep moisture away (for instance a long car ride or nap time). Skin relief is made with soothing aloe vera, cocoa butter, vitamin E, Jojoba oil, chamomile, green tea and seaweed. It is also great for dry skin, sunburn and eczema. The lotion bar is made with beeswax to protect the skin. It is also great for windburn protection and dry skin. I love multipurpose products.

5) Something to hold diapers until wash day. I use a tiny one gallon trashcan with a foot operated lid to hold one days worth of diapers in my daughter's rooms and rinse them every morning where I transfer them to a large dishpan that stays in the extra bathroom until laundry day. This is what works for me. I have never had an issue with smell or been overwhelmed with rinsing and washing diapers. I love my routine. (Again more on this another time) Here is a link for other more common ways to store diapers until wash day. I'm only reviewing my own preferences here...because I use what is cheapest and easiest for my family, I wasn't into buy a special pail or huge wetbag. The trashcan and dishpan I use I already had at home and I love my system.

I'm also going to touch on two options you have with cloth diapers....

1) Sized vs. One Size- This one is pretty self explanatory. One sized diapers are my personal favorite because they save you the most money. You only have to buy that one size the entire time your baby is in diapers. There are rise snaps that fold up the length of the diaper so that it shrinks the leg hole size. There is usually two to three sets of snaps depending on brand. That being said, they typically will fit from 8 lbs to 35 or 40 lbs. So if you have a 5 lb baby you will most likely need something to tide you over until baby fits in the one sized diapers. For sized, this will depend on which brand you go with. Some of the sized brands have x-small, small, medium and large and some have only two different sizes. There are also specific newborn diapers which are always a good idea to start with simply because a lot of newborn diapers will have a special fold down snap to accommodate the umbilical cord. You can always sell them when you are through that stage (or save them for your next baby...YAY for saving $$$ with cloth!) When I started my daughter was about 2 months old so I went with Thirsties size one and intended to go to their size two, in the meantime I came across Flip One Size and fell in love. There wasn't anything I didn't like about the Thirsties but I just felt myself reaching more for the Flips. Again, more on that another time.

2) Snap vs. Hook and Loop- You have the option to choose between the simplicity and speed of Hook and Loop (AKA Applix or Velcro) or Snap Closure. But with the simplicity and speed of those diaper changes you also must deal with the possible lint build up in your hook and loop and the possibility your little one will undo said diaper and paint your walls...You know what I'm talking about here. Of course maybe you have a tricky little one and they can undo snaps just as well. Snaps have the added bonus of being a little more longer lasting and less maintenance as far as lint picking goes. The downside of snaps is you have to be good at snapping those little snaps while baby wriggles around. Typically it's only 4-6 snaps so it's not too tough but Applix is much simpler in that regard. I'd recommend getting one of each and seeing what you like. I, personally, love the snaps.

Next in the Line up: My Cloth Diaper Wash Routine

Lesson #2: Types of Cloth Diapers

There are a lot different types of diapers. This is where things can get tricky if you let it. DON'T LET IT!

Flats- These are my personal favorite. They are very easy to use, inexpensive, simple to wash and fast to dry. They are essentially a flat blanket (20x20) that can be folded many different ways to accommodate different needs. You can use more complicated folds for babies who are exclusively breastfed or simpler folds like the pad fold (my go-to) for babies who have more solid poo's. You will need a cover to make this diaper leak-proof.

Prefolds- Prefolds are thicker, shorter and less wide than flat diapers. (Hence the term "Pre Folded") They will come sized so you will need to check weight charts to determine which one you need. Prefolds are more absorbent than flat diapers so if you have a heavy wetter than this may be a better option for you than flats and yet still pretty cost effective.You will need a cover to make this diaper leak-proof.

Inserts- There are a ton of different names for these...inserts, soakers, doublers, etc.They all do the same thing. Absorb liquid. Sometimes they come in a rectangle shape about the length of the diaper, sometimes they come about twice the length of a diaper and you fold or "double" them and sometimes they will be perfectly contour to fit between baby's legs (like the picture). Some will just lay in a diaper cover, some get stuffed into pocket diapers, some snap into diapers and some diapers have a "tunnel" to stuff extra absorbency. The more you use the bulkier your diaper will be so you typically want to find a good combination of most absorbent and still thin. This is where most people choose to go with a hemp blend because they are so thin. Another type I really don't see the need to mention are disposable inserts. I don't recommend them only because the cost doesn't really fall into my "thriftee" lifestyle. They cost about the same as a disposable diaper so I just don't see the point.

Fitteds- Fitted Diapers are shaped like disposable diapers and require no special folding or wrapping. They are available it many different materials and colors and fabrics. They will have different closure options such as hook and loop or snaps. You will need a cover to make this diaper leak-proof.

Covers- You will use a cover to create a leak-proof barrier between flat diapers, prefolds and fitteds. This is the only diaper option that can be used over multiple diaper changes before needing to be washed. Typically you can just wipe them clean between changes. They, too, will have different closure options such as hook and loop or snaps. They can be made of different materials such as PUL (Polyurethane Laminate), Fleece, or Wool. You can find them in sized options or one size fits all options.

Pockets- Pocket diaper are a more convenient option in your cloth diaper selection. They can be stuffed after laundry time so they are ready to go at diaper changes. When pre-stuffed they make an excellent option for caregivers that don't have the time or desire to get the diaper folded or "pinned" just right. Very quick and easy. A lot of stuffing options available for pocket diapers. For instance, you can use microfiber inserts, hemp inserts, flat diapers, prefold diapers or anything absorbent you can find. The inside fabric can be made out of many different fabrics, this will be a personal choice. These are leak-proof and do not need a cover. They come in sized and one-sized options as well.


All-in-ones- This is the simplest solution of all cloth diapers. They are essentially exactly like disposables. All of your absorbency is built right in to the diaper. No stuffing, no folding, no fuss. They are as simple as they come. They already have the leak-proof barrier built in so no additional cover is needed either. There are two downfalls to All-in-ones. One, they are a bit more expensive in most cases because they are everything in one. Two, they have a much longer drying time the flats, prefolds and pockets simply because they are so thick and cannot be taken apart to dry separately. So for that reason you will need to have more diapers on hand to allow for wash and dry time. They have the
leak-proof layer and can be found in hook and loop
or snap closure. They come sized and one sized.

All-in-2's/ Hybrids- These two options are essentially the same thing with different names. They offer the convenience of an all-in-one only they come apart for washing and drying for quicker dry times. They usually have a snap in absorbency system. Again, they have the leak-proof layer and can be found in hook and loop or snap closure. They come sized and one sized. you can also use disposable liners in these diapers.



You may be feeling overwhelmed, but please don't. It is really very simple. Pick two or three different options and try them out. Find out what you prefer and work from there. I would recommend getting:

• Three covers (I prefer Flip One Size with Snaps)
• A dozen flats (You can also use receiving blankets)
• Half dozen prefolds (I love the econobum package, which comes with a cover)
• Two or three pocket diapers
• One All-in-one 

One of the great things about cloth diapers is, if you get something you don't like you can sell it! There are tons of Buy/Sell/Trade sites for cloth diapering! Try these options out for a while (or whichever options you choose and see what you like. If you can't wait to use your All-in-one every time, buy more of those and sell what you don't like. If pockets fit your needs best than use your flats and prefolds to stuff them and get more pocket diapers! Up next Lesson #3: Cloth Diaper Accessories.

Lesson #1: Cloth Diaper Absorbency

Lesson #1: Absorbency

This is the heart of every diaper. No matter which type you go with, it will start with absorbency. It may be cotton, hemp, microfiber, minky, bamboo, Zorb etc. This will be a personal preference.

There are also many different types of diapers and this will determine what type of absorbency you would choose to use. You have flats, prefolds, inserts, doublers, soakers, boosters and built-in absorbency for All-in-ones, All-in Twos and Fitteds. For the most part, you can interchange the removable absorbent materials among all types of diapers. For example, a flat or prefold diaper is typically used inside a cover but some moms choose to stuff their "pocket diapers" with them instead. One of the only limitations you will have is a microfiber insert used alone in a cover. Microfiber is a very absorbent material, so much so that it will actually irritate baby's skin by removing too much moisture! It will look a lot like a burn, so DO NOT do this! Other than that all you need to know is you need something absorbent to have a diaper. Of course, you can add things like liners against baby's skin and covers over the absorbent material to make it leak-proof. But the basic makeup of a diaper is absorbency. Pretty simple.

On a scale of absorbency (starting at least absorbent) you have:

Cotton ~~> Minky ~~> Microfiber ~~> Bamboo ~~> Hemp ~~> Zorb

Cotton- There is so much to say about all of these fabrics but I am going to be as simple as possible for now. Cotton is simple and inexpensive. It is also a natural fiber which is important to some moms. It may prove to be important to you as well. Possibly not by choice, as some babies have reactions to man made fibers and must have natural materials.

Minky- Man-made fibers, about the same absorbency as microfiber but much softer.

Microfiber- Man-made fibers, inexpensive, and "fluffy" so when squished it may wring out like a rag and cause what is known as compression leaks. Some people have issues with stink; I have personally never had problems with my microfiber and I mainly use all microfiber for my pocket diapers.Again, personal preference.

Bamboo- This is technically a synthetic fiber because it is bamboo fleece. It is very soft and absorbent and wicks moisture away quickly to help baby not feel so wet. You can find a little more explanation on why bamboo is not a natural, Eco-friendly material here.

Hemp- This is one of the most absorbent materials and it is all natural. Typically it is actually blended with Cotton to make it a little softer since hemp is very rough alone.

Zorb- This is the latest invention in the cloth diapering absorbency world. It is a blend of different man-made and natural fibers to get the best of all fabrics. I have never tried it, personally. I'd love to hear your comments if you have!

So let's look next into the types of Diapers in Lesson #2.

Back on the Boat....

                OK, must get rolling again! I've had a lot of good intentions this year with blogging and yet I haven't made the time to get it done! I'm sure you can relate, after all, you're probably a mom too. Or maybe you are soon to be! That brings me to this post actually. I have a few friends I'm talking with about starting cloth diapers.            
                One already has a baby, one is pregnant and one isn't even ready for babies yet! That is so exciting for me! I'm all alone on an island with cloth diapers over here! But, I can see a boat in the distance and I'm about to be rescued from my lonely island!
I absolutely love cloth and wish I could convince everyone to make the switch! Of course, it is better for the environment and the wallet but really, it's just so fun! There are so many choices for colors, type, size, you name it you can find it in the cloth diaper world! But, it can be overwhelming at first. I know, I was there. I subscribed to about 5 different cloth diaper blogs and 3 different Facebook groups and not to mention the hours I spent searching Kelly's Closet and Real Diaper Association. You can get sucked in fast. And get confused fast.
                  I jut had this same chat with two of my friends. Both are overwhelmed with the information you can find on cloth. I was, too, I get it. After spending a countless amount of time online I finally decided to just buy some things. I started with shopping a major online retailer (and I wish I hadn't...I missed out on the rewards points from Kelly's Closet) I bought a few CHEAP prefolds, a few waterproof covers, a snappi (the contraption that replaces pins), an All-in-one and two fitted diapers and I got started. I learned what I liked and what I didn't like. Maybe you have no idea what any of that meant but I encourage you to continue to follow me as I very simply explain cloth diapers over my next few posts. You will be so glad you did!

 Next up: Lesson #1: Absorbency.