Cloth Diapering-One Month Update

Now that Clark is two months old, Michael and I have already encountered our share of unexpected challenges and situations. Not everything has gone as I planned (something that I'm learning is pretty much par for the course in parenting), but one thing that (fortunately) HAS gone mostly as planned is cloth diapering.

Initially I planned to cloth diaper from day one. I even contemplated bring cloth diapers to the hospital for the nurses to use. (Wow--Even I know that's crazy.) However, after doing some research about effects of A & D ointment on cloth diapers, I conceded that we would need to use disposables for the week or so as Clark's circumcision site healed. After that week, I tried our cloth diapers out, but our little guy was too little  for most of our cloth diapers, so we continued with disposables for another few weeks. 

During his first month, Clark gained about two pounds and he was FINALLY big enough to fit in the cloth diapers in our stash. So, here's our update. What I love, what I hate, and what surprised me. 

Our stash (Links to Diaper Junction where most of the stash was purchased)
4-Little Joeys
22-Diaper Rite Prefolds-Small 8-18 lbs.
3-Small Thirsties Diaper covers with velcro
2-Snappies3-Flip diapers with snaps
2-Size One Thirsties Duo Wrap covers (one snap, one velcro)
6-BumGenius 4.0 Pocket diapers with snaps
6-Diaper Rite Pocket diapers1-Thirsties Duo Diaper


Little Joeys
Not much to say about these. They're cute. They work. But for us, building a newborn stash in addition to our regular stash defeated the purpose of cloth diapering to save money. I'll be selling these.

Prefolds & Covers
I love, love, love, love, LOVE our prefolds and Thirsties covers. I was definitely surprised by this. I bought these begrudgingly because I knew that initially creating an entire stash out of pocket diapers would be very pricey. I was able to get prefolds during a great Black Friday sale and decided that since I was very dedicated to cloth diapering, I could be the one to use the prefolds while I was staying home; I wouldn't make Mike use them. 

I got Snappies because that's what most cloth diapering YouTube moms suggested. I never loved using the Snappies. When I looked into different folds, I found that some people simply trifolded their prefolds and stuck them in the cover. I tried this and haven't used a Snappi since. Prefolds are quickly becoming my favorite type of diaper. They're cheap, easy to clean, and take up less space in the diaper bag than pockets.

Flips
My thoughts on Flips are brief. They're essentially expensive/fancy prefolds with covers. For that reason, I don't dislike them, but I probably won't add more to my stash at this point. One final comment about prefolds/Flips--I LOVE them for poopy diapers! (So do a lot of people, including my brother.) The reason is that it's much easier to clean the prefold/liner than a pocket. More on cleaning poop off of diapers in a bit...

BumGenius 4.0
These are my go to pocket diapers. They really are as great as everyone says. Sold separately, they'll cost you about $18. I got mine on a buy five get one free for about $90 on a Black Friday sale. You can also get these used from a variety of places (Ebay, local boutiques, diaperswappers.com, etc.). You won't save too much money buying used because these dipes really retain their value if cared for well (good news for when it's time to be done with diapers), but you should see a bit of a price break. I love these diapers because they are daddy, grandma, and babysitter friendly. The snaps are straight forward and it's easy to size right every time. (Clark is on the smallest rise with three sets of snaps in the middle.) I'm not a fan of cleaning poo off of these. The pocket usually fills with water while I'm cleaning them of off. It's irritating.

Diaper Rite Pocket 
I got two of these diapers on a whim when I was doing my Black Friday shopping. I believe they're exclusive to Diaper Junction, but don't hold me to that. At $8 a pop, you can't really beat the deal on an above average pocket diaper. I love that these are a bit more trim than my BumGenius diapers. They also have more snaps around the waist. This is great for a more customized fit (but can also be confusing to those who are diapering your kid when you're gone). I don't LOVE the inserts. Some of the full size inserts seem to have shrunk on me and they don't have tags either. (I put the tags of my BumGenius in the back so I have something to grab when I pull them out.) I will say that if I have leaks, it is usually with these (though leaks are few and far between). But they're weird leaks, on the sides toward the top--not around the legs. Maybe I just need to snap the rise up? Regardless, I like these diapers enough that I did order four more of them after Clark arrived. Overall, I'd recommend having a few in your stash if you want more pocket diapers for less money.

Thirsties Duo Diaper
I started out LOVING this diaper. There are openings in the front and back, so it's easier to stuff and the insert agitates out in the wash--no danger of touching a pee soaked insert. It used to be my go-to diaper. However, recently I've had leaks with it. Like, why-did-I-bother-putting-a-diaper-on-my-kid leaks. I haven't cared enough to find out why. I know that I always stuff it with the micro fiber insert up and bamboo down like I'm supposed to, but still, it leaks. So, for now, I wouldn't recommend this diaper especially given it too is $18.

Must Haves
I'll finish up with my "I-wouldn't-cloth-diaper-without-this-stuff" list.

Diaper Pail- I LOVE our diaper pail! It's a dry pail (as far as I know very few people use wet pails anymore--they're gross and a drowning hazard). It's not specifically made for cloth diapering, but it works like a charm! I use my Planet Wise liner and life is good. I usually just throw wet diapers in the top. For poopy diapers, I open the entire lid and pull it near the toilet for easy transfer. We haven't had any smell issues either. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!


Planet Wise liners/bags- I registered for two liners and a wet/dry bag by Planet Wise. (P.S. I HIGHLY recommend registering at Amazon. You can register for cloth diapering necessities and the deals are awesome. My friends and family loved the ease of shopping online too!) My mom got us our diaper pail and all of our liners/bags. Isn't she awesome?! I couldn't be more pleased with the liners. They fit my diaper well, never leak, and wash well. Having two is a MUST. One is in the pail while the other is in the wash. I adore our wet/dry bag as well. Although I don't know that the wet/dry combo is necessary. I think having 2-3 regular wet bags would suffice. I need to purchase a couple more because having the one is a pain.

Our diaper pail with slate colored liner

Diaper Sprayer- This probably should have been the first item of this post. Let me tell you this. IF I DID NOT HAVE A DIAPER SPRAYER I WOULD NOT CLOTH DIAPER! Seriously. This thing is awesome. We have the Bum Genius diaper sprayer. Some people complain about leaks, but we haven't had one problem with ours. My husband and his dad installed in less than 10 minutes. It has a hook that lets it hang off the toilet. It looks nice and is the best thing in the world for spraying out poopy diapers. There are other options for a sprayer. My brother used a kitchen sprayer and attached it to their toilet (I have no idea how, so don't ask) and it works beautifully too. I know because I've sprayed out my share of poopy diapers while at their house. It's pretty awesome to have that luxury while out and about. 

Here's our diaper sprayer attached to the toilet.

Eco Sprout- I use this detergent quite honestly because our local cloth diaper boutique (Cutie Poops & Bottoms) sells it and it's what my sister-in-law, Becky, uses. She's never had issues so, why mess with a good thing. So far I love it. We have no staining, wicking, ammonia, or other issues.


I'd love any recommendations, comments or questions you may have about cloth diapering!

Top Ten

A lot of you who read this blog are already moms, but some of you are about to join the club in the next few months. This post is definitely for the latter, but could be for the former. Here's what I've found I couldn't have made it through the past mont without! About half of these items I expected to use as I planned for the hypothetical child I would raise. The other half of the items are items that my REAL child has needed. After all, babies are rarely what we expect. :)

Brest Friend

A friend recommended that I not only get the standard Boppy but also this little gem. After two days I was so grateful for the advice. This pillow is AWESOME! Not only does it strap on to you, but it also has back support. And a pocket for stuff. And two built in "bumps" to help support baby's head. When learning how to do the whole breastfeeding thing, it's awesome to have more support for the little one. I was afraid I would regret getting two pillows for breastfeeding, but I can't imagine not having this! I LOVE it!

Aden + Anais Sleeping Bag

If you troll any mommy sites, surely you've seen Aden + Anais products. They're beautiful, modern, and expensive. But let me tell you, EVERY SINGLE PRODUCT I have of theirs I LOVE! I picked up one of their sleeping bags on a whim when it was in the clearance section at Target. Usually $32, I nabbed mine for $8. After a week, I ordered two more from Target.com (as a side note--Target.com SUCKS! I discourage you from using their website if at all possible, but that's a rant for another post) for $20 a piece. Clark does not like to be swaddled (remember how I told you I was planning for a hypothetical child), so the 4 swaddlers that I registered for will have to be put away for a hypothetical 2nd child. What I love about the sleeping bag is that he can have his arms out but his legs stay warm and I don't have to worry about loose blankets. Right now the "bag" is still big enough that I can wrap it up around him, but if he kicks out of it, I don't have to worry. Because it's made of muslin, it keeps him warm but not hot. I could go on, but I won't. Seriously, this is worth trying!

Long Sleeve Onesies

Having a May baby, I didn't think I'd need long sleeve onesies for my newborn, but alas, I was wrong. I sent my mom out to get a couple packs the day after we brought Clark home. Mostly he sleeps in these and his Aden + Anais sleeping bag. The combo keeps his entire body at the perfect temperature. They have the cuffs for his hands, but now he's such a big boy (at three weeks) that the cuffs make him mad. When he was a couple days old though, they helped protect his little face from those crazy sharp newborn nails.

Huggies Pure & Natural diapers

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you're questioning why disposable diapers are on my list since I was adamant that we were cloth diapering. Well, we are still going to cloth diaper, but since my little guy had a circumcision site that needed A & D ointment, and said ointment can ruin cloth diapers' absorbency, I decided to go with these organic cotton disposables to start out. I'm glad I did for a number of reasons. 1. Life with a newborn is more hectic than I realized (veteran moms, you may laugh here). 2. My baby is tiny (his pediatrician referred to him as "petite") and the prefolds I thought he could wear from birth still don't fit him. We'll probably keep him in a combo of Little Joeys and these until he's 10 lbs. I LOVE that they're made of organic cotton and they are hypoallergenic.

Safety 1st Pegasus Playard

I LOVE our pack & play. I did a lot of research before registering for one and we landed on this one for a few reasons. 1. The safety rating was incredibly high. 2. The changing table is much sturdier than others on the market. It's actually attached completely to the unit. 3. It completely matches our house! 4. The storage and hamper. I thought I would like these, but honestly--I can't imagine living without them! We have this set up in our living room, so I have everything I need (diapers, wipes, hand sanitizer, extra onsies, receiving blankets, etc.) easily at my disposal but things don't look cluttered. 

Moby Wrap

Now, to be honest, I don't have the real Moby wrap. I use one that I made. (If you have scissors, you can make a Moby. There are several tutorials out there; here's one. I actually might do my own tutorial for this in the next few weeks.) I use this thing daily often for hours at a time. Babywearing is one of the major aspects of attachment parenting, and I am SO grateful that Clark likes to be worn. I get so much done with him neatly tucked away in his wrap. I actually wore him for our first several outings too. As you can see from the picture, your little one is nicely snuggled up to you and mostly covered from prying eyes (and germy hands) when out in public. 

iPad/Apps

My amazing husband bought me a new iPad 3 for a push present/Mother's Day, and I cannot tell you how much I love it! When it comes to being a mom, there are two apps that I use multiple times a day. One is Baby Log which lets me record basically everything I could ever need to for Clark (diapers, feedings, baths, etc.). The other is a white noise app (I have Relax Melodies HD). I actually have a white noise app on my iPad AND phone. 30 seconds of "Heavy Rain" and my kid is OUT! When he's especially fussy on shopping trips or in the car, I'll use my phone and prop it in his car seat. Love it!

Fisher Price Whale of a Tub

There were several tubs I looked at before going with this one. I'm so grateful I got the one I did. That little removable bump is perfect for bathing a newborn. Clark sits perfectly in the tub with his legs draped over. There's also a stopper in the bottom of the tub for easy draining/refilling. It fits perfectly over our kitchen sink. 

Receiving Blankets

We got a TON of receiving blankets for our showers. So many that I checked with Becky to see how many I really needed. She suggested I hold on to all of them and return them if once he was here I felt I didn't need them. One of the many wonderful pieces of advice I got from my sister-in-law. We use recieving blankets for everything! I use them as a changing table cover, as burp cloths, to cover him in the car seat or swing, for swaddling, etc. The list goes on and on. I find myself folding at least four with each load of his laundry. 

Soothie Pacifiers

This is a recent love. Clark's actually only been using this for the past 48 hours or so, but wow, I'm in love. I wasn't planning on introducing a pacifier or a bottle until week 5 or 6, but things change. (I'll blog about our bottle situation later.) Mike was pretty against him ever having a pacifier. (I however would rather him grow attached to something I can take away instead of his thumb!) However, a couple of nights ago, when I could barely keep my head up while nursing, I told him I was going the next day for a pacifier. There's no way I can be my child's pacifier. After some research, I found that the Soothie usually works well with breastfed babies. Clark is still getting the hang of it, but last night after he was done nursing, I popped that sucker in his mouth and he slept in his bed (co-sleeper) until his next feeding. Mike and I are both hooked!

Hopefully one of these recommendations helps someone out. In any case, thanks for reading! :)

21 Weeks & a Post-Christmas Update

Oh, my! I can't believe it's been 12 days since my last post. So much has happened in the past few weeks. I'll try to avoid my long-winded ramblings and give a quick, bulleted update! 


Diaper bag: Thanks to my dear friend, Chrisanne, and her lovely daughter, Tenley, for going with me to retrieve my coveted Timi & Leslie bag! I got quite the deal on my trendy yet functional accessory. While Charlie retails at $160, I was able to score the designer bag for a mere $94! I did end up getting in the mustard color, and after seeing the black and light brown colors in person at another store, I'm happy I did!


Cleaning: As usual with breaks, I think I'm going to accomplish much more than I do. With our crazy holiday schedule, the new cleaning routine hasn't completely come to fruition. I'm not abandoning the plan though! I should have a better update for you after I get back to school. (Ugh. School.)


Christmas: It was a wonderfully odd Christmas for the Hoyle/Samples clan. There were many changes instituted this year, and on top of it all, there was no snow. All of that added up to wonderful time with family (especially because my nephew, Finn, celebrated his first Christmas), but when it was all over, I was left feeling like Christmas had yet to arrive. I'm hopeful that next year the excitement of Clark's first Christmas will bring the magic back.


Clark: Perhaps the most exciting news is that I reached the halfway point in my pregnancy. It's odd because there are days that I still feel newly pregnant and others seem like I've been pregnant forever! Either way, I'm so grateful that everything is progressing just as it is supposed to. At our last midwife appointment a few weeks ago I was measuring right at 18 weeks, had perfect weight, and other stats. Thank you, Lord! 


In other baby news, I was delightfully surprised the morning after Christmas when Clark kicked me for the first time! I've felt him moving for several weeks now but no real kicks. It was the best present I got all year! With that said, here's a belly shot for you. (I've got to say that I'm getting to that "I feel super gross" portion of my pregnancy, so I'm not sure how many of these shots will be posted from here on out.) Oh, I almost forgot! We put the crib together yesterday, so you get to see that too!

In lust.

I'll admit it. I'm in lust. No, not with a super hunky A-lister or even a sexy pair of new sky-high black pumps. My current obsession? A diaper bag. Ah, how life has changed. I never thought I'd fawn over, wish for, and hunt down a...diaper bag. 


So which bag has captured my hyper-hormonal heart? Why the Timi and Leslie Charlie II, of course! What? You don't know what I'm talking about? You don't lust over diaper bags? It's ok,  I didn't either. Wait until you're preggo. My guess is that you'll join me. Here's a snapshot of my love.

Well, hello beautiful accessories!

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?! Notice that it doesn't, not for one little second, look a thing like a diaper bag? I'm DYING to get my hands on this beauty. For that reason, my ever dedicated to fashion best friend Chrisanne is going to trek out to the suburbs with me tomorrow night and try to snag one of my very own. (The boutique where we had our gender determination ultrasound is hosting a Midnight Maddness sale and all their merchandise is 40% off from 6-10 tomorrow night!) I'll be sure and let you know how it goes, but for the mean time, keep your fingers crossed that we don't make the trip for nothing! 

See? Jessica Alba loves the bag too!

When Michael & I were at the boutique last they only had the bag in the mustard color. If that's the only color they have, should I still nab one?
For 40% off, I just might!