Woman of the cloth

When I started researching natural childbirth, I started hearing about cloth diapering and how they're cuter and easier than they used to be.  I'm a stiletto-wearing hippie so I was intrigued.  I didn't know much about it, but a Google search fixed that with a quickness!  There are a kabillion websites out there devoted to all things cloth diapering, or 'fluff' as those in know like to call it.  You are now in the know.  You're welcome.


Along with the 50 billion websites, there are just as many blogs and moms who write about it.  This is my drop into that giant-ass bucket.


So, here's the thing.  Cloth diapering is not that serious.  I've been doing it for about a week now and having done both, I can say that it's really not that big a deal.  Yeah, there are extra steps but if you're looking to have a kid without doing any extra work, you're in the wrong game.  However, that's my gripe with the cloth diaper enthusiasts - they do too much!  I got my first clue when I ordered my diapers.  The tag said to wash them 6 times before using them!  'Scuse me?  Wash clean clothes more than once?  Something about reaching their maximum absorbency?  WTF-ever.  I washed them once and my diapers are just fine, thank you very much.


I went with the BumGenius 4.0 pocket diapers because I'd heard that all-in-one diapers take forever to dry and with the pockets you can adjust the absorbency level as well as not spending hours drying them.  

This is where her newborn disposables lived.

I have 18 diapers.  I got them from Cotton Babies because I got tired of researching and wanted to go with a reputable company with a customer service department and a solid return policy just in case I changed my mind.  However, there are just as many options for purchase as there are cloth diapers themselves.  If you're feeling really frisky you can make them yourself.  I am not that frisky.  

I also got a couple of wet bags from them and I ordered a diaper sprayer, a necessity in my world.  I've heard of people who 'dunk and swish?'  I don't even know how that works and it sounds disgusting.  I know that as a parent, you have to deal with poop but dunk and swish?  No thank you.

It took about ten minutes for Drew to install 

and it saves my life.

Wet bag - waterproof, zips closed, *and* stylish!

I still had some 7th Generation disposable wipes so I was using those but very quickly got annoyed with the extra step of separating the wipes and diapers.  Luckily, I had 12,000 washcloths from my baby shower because we made washcloth lollipops with them.  I would never in my life need that many for washing the baby - hello, cloth wipes!

Approx. 60 washcloths - no lie.

I took the stickers off a tub of disposables and did another Google search for 'pop-up cloth wipes.'  Found it!

I was so excited about my cloth wipes folding technique

I took a picture.  Yes, I'm a dork.

I was so excited it worked I took another picture.

Yes, I'm a super dork.

But then I had to find a cloth wipe diaper solution.  Oh Google.  How I love you so.  I found a website with a ton of solutions and when I found a recipe that called for stuff I already had?!  I didn't even have to go to the store or order anything?!  Holla! (It's the fruit 'n' veggie solution, if you care about that sort of thing.)

Assembling the ingredients.  I have two bottles of olive oil

because I didn't know how much I'd need.

The aloe vera gel is not sparkly, that's just the sticker on the bottle.

I mixed it up and I didn't even have to buy a squeezy bottle to put it in!  I just used the bottle I got from the hospital when I had the baby.  Free ninety-nine y'all!

I am inordinately proud of my cloth diaper set-up.

So, when the baby needs changing I take her to the nursery, pull out my handy-dandy portable changing pad and lay the baby on the bed.  I take off the old diaper and set it aside.  I pull out a handy-dandy cloth wipe and squeeze some of my solution on the wipe.  Some people make the solution and dump it right in the container so you pull out a wet wipe every time but there are about 25 wipes in there.  The ones on the bottom would get mildew-y and gross by the time I could use them.  Plus I only use about 6-8 before I wash them so in theory I might never get to the bottom of the tub.  That's why I just wet each one as I use it.

Before I read up, I just laid the microfiber insert directly on the diaper and put that on the baby.  That way if she only got the insert dirty, I could switch it out without having to change the whole diaper.  I've since learned that you're not supposed to put microfiber directly against the baby's skin since it could cause irritation.  Something about the microfiber being so absorbent that it could wick away the very moisture from the baby's skin?  I don't know about all that - I put the inserts directly against her skin for about three days and she had zero rash or irritation, but I go ahead and put the inserts inside the pocket now just to be safe.

Once she's clean, I put her in her crib while I take care of the diaper.  Wet ones go straight in the bag, dirties get a shot with the sprayer.  They say breastfed poop is water soluble and doesn't need a spray but I like to minimize how much poop I put in my washing machine.

Each night, I empty everything into a pail with water and Borax.  I don't measure because that's too much effort.  The next morning, they go into the wash with more Borax and the cloth diaper detergent, which I do measure.

Ultra-fancy washing system

I have a front-loading washer with a 'sanitary' setting.  This also saves my life because washing instructions can get really complicated.  I'm talking, cold pre-rinse, extra hot wash, stop the washer halfway through to add more water, hot rinse, cold rinse, do the hokey-pokey, turn yourself around.  I don't do any of that because I don't have the patience.  The inserts get extra water from soaking in the pail - that's plenty.  I throw them in, put it on 'sanitary' and get on with my life. 

I air dry the covers and the inserts and wipes go in the dryer for about 20 minutes on medium with no dryer sheets.  Dryer sheet stuff coats your clothes - that's what makes them soft but if you coat something absorbent, it can't absorb very well - duh.  That's why you're not supposed to use fabric softener or dryer sheets on your towels.

Drying covers in Drew's office, the sunniest

room in the house.  

Oh, and between the sun and my awesome washing machine, neither my diapers nor inserts have any stains.  Zero.  Nada.  Stain-free.  And they don't stink - I think it's because I soak them but a little vinegar added to the wash would fix any potential stink issues.  It works and I'm happy.

We still do disposables at night just because I have them but when we run out, we'll do cloth.  Sofia is not a heavy wetter so I don't think it'll be an issue.  Plus, since I have pocket diapers I can stuff them with a ton of inserts to make it through the night.

Now, they are big.  Drew calls Sofia BoBo Big Bottom now, but I think it's cute.  My solution to a fat bootie?  Dresses!

Matched to her outfit of course!

I didn't get as good a shot here

She's starting to make eye contact with me!

When I'm not boring her

Even though dresses are cuter and easier, she can still wear onesies and pants - it just looks like she's got a little extra padding.  Besides, I love my fat-bootie baby!

BoBo likes them too, she was just mad that I put her down.