The sprayer was a great tool; I just needed to learn how to use it well. My first rinsing attempt lead to a bath, for myself and for the bathroom. As I navigated the gentle tweaking of the valve to get just the right amount of water pressure, the water and organic matter went flying. I tried again, hoping it would get much better. While my next several attempts got much easier, it was still messy.

I decided to bring the dry pail into the bathroom and pull it close to the toilet. This helps prevent dripping (huge move). I also used to lift the toilet seat before spraying. I did not want to get it dirty. However, the lid, actually, helps keep the splatter to a minimum. If you put the diaper sprayer below the level of the toilet seat, it works.

In the end, I learned a few things. Bring the pail to where your sprayer is located. Open the pail ahead of time. Pull out the liner, if it is a pocket, before rinsing off the bulk of the poop. Put the insert in the pail. Then, fold the diaper in half (opening side down) with the inside out. Rinse in a downward motion. Put the sprayer close to the fabric on a lower setting to prevent tones of splatter. It may take a little longer to rinse, but it will prevent bathroom clean up.

If you are using an all-in-one, you will most likely need to wring the diaper. I have heard that you can use tools (aka. tongs) to hold the diaper and press it against the side of the toilet bowl to remove the access water. I, admittedly, have never tried this myself.

My conclusion is that sprayers are great. They take some getting used to, I still am; however, it helps keep the diapers from staining as horribly. Cloth diapering can sometimes be a labor of love, but overall the sprayer makes it a little bit easier.

Ashley Williams is a 24 year old first-time mom to an amazing little boy and wife to a great husband. She is taking a year off school to be a stay at home mom. Before going back to become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Ashley considers herself a “cloth diapering, baby food making, sling carrying, warrior momma” and loving every minute.

In her free time Ashley cooks, scrapbooks, goes to a mother’s bible study, watches TV, and sleeps (if she’s lucky).

I’m always looking for ways to continue that love outside of the nursery, to make every day an earth day, and I believe you all are doing the same. I’ll be posting green tips as I find them, but I’d love to hear from you all as well. I’ll group them together and turn them into a one-click online resource for parents who are just getting started on their eco-conscious journey.

Today’s Green Tip: Green Cleaning
When I was growing up, my parents made decisions that were about being less eco-conscious, more about being cash poor. Whatever their motivations, the end result was that we used what we had versus buying expensive disposables. In our house, there were seven kids and only one income. For us, baking soda was akin to a miracle.

• Round one: baking soda plus toothbrush. For the first 30 days or so, it was the combination we used it in our mouths to clean our teeth. Not so tasty but it did the job.
• Round two: scrub around the sink fixtures. A little bit of baking soda and water kept those faucets sparkling clean.
• Round three: Baking soda plus vinegar or lemon juice. Who needs expensive cleansers when you can combine two natural ingredients that do a foamy, fizzy, delightfully clean dance over soap scum and bathtub rings?

We also used baking soda to clean countertops, baking soda to freshen diaper pails and baking soda in our carpet to absorb any smells. With all the chemical options on the shelves, isn’t it nice to know that one of the best and most versatile cleansers is eco-friendly, inexpensive and non-toxic?

Do you use baking soda? Let us know how it worked (or didn’t work) for you!

One can’t really pinpoint a specific seasons for baby showers – you can expect as long as babies are born throughout the year, so the anticipatory parties are held constantly. The other day, while having coffee out, I happened to hear a conversation near me where one person wondered aloud what to get a friend for her upcoming shower. Usually at these parties you’ll find gifts like blankets and booties and the Boppy, or maybe a group of friends pools in their cash for something bigger and necessary like a stroller or fancy crib seat. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to chime in, “What about cloth diapers?”

Why not? It’s not uncommon for somebody to tote along that box of disposables with a giant bow attached. What better way to introduce a new family to the concept of green parenting than with a cloth diaper starter kit?

As you shop around for possible gift ideas, you’ll find a basic starter kit could run you anywhere from twenty to fifty dollars, depending on what you get. The Econobum One-Size Diaper Kit, for one, sits on the high end of the scale, but when you consider what comes with it you’ll see it is a good deal. The included three covers and twelve unbleached cotton prefolds are adjustable to fit babies from 8 to 35 pounds, meaning a mother could feasibly use the one box throughout the baby’s diaper stage! If you and a friend were to go in on a kit like this and add a box of special laundry detergent for the diapers, think of how much you can save this new family – that’s money they can use instead to start a 529 fund for their child.

Next time you’re invited to baby shower, give the gift of cloth diapers, or at least give it some serious thought. You’re presenting a new mom with more than guidance toward green parenting, you’re helping to make that child’s future a little better.

Your Ecological Footprint basically measures your particular “impact” on the Earth. Parents teach their children that every decision has a direct or indirect consequence, whether good or bad. When the same logic is applied to using cloth diapers, or any of the other demands humanity makes on nature, the rationalizations begin.

“Consequences? What consequences?” becomes the mantra of those wanting to go about their life blindly, as if all of humanity isn’t comprised of one collective, living, breathing, destructive organism sharing the Earth.

What does it take to sustain how you live?

At Ecological Footprint, Center for Sustainable Economy, you can measure your own personal Ecological Footprint and see where you stand (no pun intended). Their award winning Ecological Footprint Quiz “estimates the amount of land and ocean area required to sustain your consumption patterns and absorb your wastes on an annual basis.”

Your Ecological Footprint is broken down into four “consumption categories”, including carbon (home energy use and transportation), food, housing and goods and services. Your EF is also broken down into four ecosystem types; cropland, pastureland, forestland, and marine fisheries. For more information on what the Ecological Footprint quiz measures visit their FAQ page.

Find your Ecological Footprint

From the privacy of your own computer, answer 27 easy questions; once completed, you can tuck away your results or post them on Facebook for the world to see. The point of the quiz is not to humiliate, in case that seemed unclear, but to learn how to take action and reduce your personal impact on the Earth. And for some, to learn you actually HAVE an impact on the Earth.

Cloth Diapers Reduce Consumption

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle remains the trifecta of more eco-friendly living. Cloth diapers are one way families can reduce waste in landfills; they are reused after each wash, and then, once baby has moved through the diapering years, they are recycled into rags, burp cloths, or even across subsequent children.

If you are not ashamed to post your Ecological Footprint in the comments below, please do!

When I was starting to build my diaper stash, I really wanted FuzziBunz Pocket Diapers. I chose this brand and style based on reviews I read. I received several of these diapers as baby gifts before the arrival of my little one. I was disappointed I could not use the FuzziBunz at the beginning because I had a very slender, little girl with little legs. If she pooped while wearing her FuzziBunz her diaper leaked. I have since tried many different brands and styles of cloth diapers, and have learned some lessons about customizing my cloth diaper stash.

Test Before Buying Too Many

Instead of getting set on one particular style and buying a bunch of them, buy one and try it out for a little while. Make sure the fit is appropriate for your baby, that the absorbency level works for the setting, and that you like the overall function of the cloth diaper before you spend a lot of money on it.

You have to figure out if you like snaps or Aplix, pocket diapers or AIOs, fitteds or one size diapers. Once you know what you prefer in a cloth diaper (and it may be different based on the situation or occasion), then you can easily determine if a new kind of diaper is one that you would like to try or not.

I have purchased diapers before in the excitement of “it’s the newest” only to discover it doesn’t fit my baby properly, or I don’t prefer its features to another diaper’s features. I have learned to buy one or two and make sure it functions well for the intended setting and purpose, and then I buy more.

For example, I love the Flip Diaper Covers, but I only use them with prefold diapers. I have found that the inserts do not work well for us. I love my FuzziBunz diapers, but only in the fitted sizes. If I need a one size diaper I look to Rumparooz because they are easier to adjust the fit.

Diaper Junction has a wonderful 30 day test drive on their most popular diapers – this will help you in making these decisions. If the diaper simply doesn’t work for you, trade it in for a different kind.

Assess the Setting

I have different diapers for different occasions. When I am at home, I like to use my prefold diapers because they are inexpensive and great in function. When I am out in public, I prefer to have pocket or AIO diapers because they are easier to put on my baby – especially if I am in a public restroom; I don’t want to try to hold a wriggling baby, avoid the germs, and fold & fasten a prefold diaper in this setting. Just snap on the new diaper and we’re done and out of there.

For overnights, I choose diapers based on their absorbency. I use bamboo or hemp diapers, and they are usually a little more bulky. I would not use these diapers during the day because they would hinder my baby’s movements.

Consider the User

If I am not the one changing baby’s diaper, I like to have an easy-to-use diaper available. For church nurseries, baby sitters, and sometimes even for Daddy (though he is proficient with all of our diapers), I choose a diaper with hook and loop fasteners, and that looks just like a disposable.

This is less daunting to someone who may not know anything about cloth diapers. I personally think snaps are wonderful and easy, but I have retrieved my baby from the nursery only to discover the hip snaps undone on her diaper. That’s not going to prevent a leak!

With hook and loop the caregiver puts the cloth diaper on the same way as they would a disposable diaper. I only have a couple of diapers in my stash with hook and loop, and I save them specifically for these occasions.

If your child will be in day care you might prefer an All In One (AIO) diaper because of its ease and one-piece design. The Flip or Gro Baby systems are good choices because you snap a new insert into the same cover. This means fewer diapers to purchase – just add more inserts to your stash. There are even hybrid diaper systems (Gro Baby is one) that offer disposable (biodegradable) liners that would be easy for different caregivers to use.

Evaluate the Cost, Care, and Size

Some diapers are fabulous, but you may not be able to build your entire stash with that one particular diaper because of the cost. Ease the stress on your budget by varying the cloth diapers in your stash. We currently use mostly prefolds, but we are adding pocket diapers as we need more diapers.

You need to consider the care each type of diaper will require. Pocket diapers must have soiled inserts removed prior to laundering, and they conversely must be stuffed with inserts after they are laundered. All In One (AIO) diapers take a long time to dry. Wool covers have to be lanolized. Prefold diapers need to be folded before putting them on your baby. Prefolds, Flip, Gro Baby, and other types of diapers need covers. This means a separate article to clean and fold. Make sure you don’t have a problem with the care needed for your chosen diaper.

Buying One Size diapers is very cost effective because you don’t have to buy a whole stash in each size your baby will need. Just unsnap the rise setting, let out the waist, or loosen the elastic (depending on the brand of diaper) as your baby grows. This is a great way to get the nicer pocket or all in one (AIO) diapers while still taking it easy on your budget.

The modern cloth diaper comes in so many shapes, sizes, colors, and closures. Make sure that you customize your stash by selecting the cloth diapers appropriate to your situation by considering the setting, the user, and the cost and care of each diaper.

GUEST BLOGGER

Andrea Hamilton‘s full time job is being Ben’s wife and Elaine’s mommy in Virginia Beach, VA. She started cloth diapering in November 2009 – initially to save money, and now because she loves it. In her “spare time” she enjoys studying God’s Word, playing the piano, scrapbooking, blogging, and bargain-hunting. Andrea has a Bible & Missions degree, and her family is preparing to move to NYC where her husband will be an assistant pastor.

You can read more from Andrea at her blog, Random Issues.

Most of us who cloth diaper are more than a little familiar with bumGenius! and have used the famous 3.0 one size diaper; we like it because it’s reliable and comes stocked with features that we all know and love:

• Stretchy closure tabs complete with form, fitting aplix closures
• Three different size settings adjusted by sturdy snaps in the rise
• Two different sizes of inserts
• A stuffable pocket with a wide slot for even Daddy’s hands
• A great variety of colors

Mostly, we love our bumGenius! One Size Cloth Diapers because they’re so easy to use. Transitioning from disposable diapering to reusable diapering has never been easier than it is with a bumGenius. Letting your babysitter know they’ll cloth diaper your baby while you’re gone wasn’t intimidating when you handed over the easy to use bumGenius 3.0 diaper.

Well now, bumGenius! has perfected their amazing one size diaper, keeping all of the same features, but making the diaper better by fixing a few of the kinks.

In the new bumGenius! 4.0 One Size Cloth Diapers you will see that Cotton Babies has worked very hard to implement many of our suggestions.

So what’s different?

First, they’ve replaced the bright colors (Zinnia, Moonbeam, Ribbit, and Clementine) with three, super light colors – Bubble (lavender), Noodle (pale yellow) and Sweet (light green); in all the bumGenius! One Size Diaper colors, you can now choose either snaps or aplix closures.

Next, they replaced the old aplix with a sturdier version that promises to hold up through more diaper changes.

Then, the diaper is slightly bigger to accommodate larger babies.

And finally, they’ve made it incredibly easy to replace the leg elastics, as they will eventually wear out.

So, what are you waiting for?

The bumGenius! cloth diapers have always been reliable and reputable; myriads of moms and dads have entrusted their babies’ sensitive bums to them.

The bumGenius! 4.0 One Size Cloth Diapers are a perfected version of a product that was already top quality; that’s something we can all be excited about.

GUEST BLOGGER

Becca is a part time Spanish Teacher, a part time Stay-at-home-mom, and the wife of the best husband imaginable. Becca’s absolute favorite thing to do is to spend time with her little family. She also enjoys doing anything crafty – from making jewelry, to writing, to sewing, to photography.

You can read more about Becca at her blog, Becca’s Cloth Diaper Blog.

Paula Bernstein “babbles” about the “hot-button issue” of cloth diapers and disposable diapers in her article, Cloth Diapers: Another Reason for Moms to Feel Guilty.

Bernstein points out that up until about 50 years ago, diapering was a simple decision – cloth was the only true option, so everyone used cloth. When Pampers emerged on the scene with a revolutionary new paper diaper, “only the diehards stuck with cloth”.

Stressed-out and Guilt Ridden over Diapers?

With the availability of new and improved disposable diapers, and the increasing amount of modernized cloth diapers on the market (Bernstein mentions brands like Happy Heiny’s and bumGenius!), she writes that the increase in choices “inevitably lead to more stressed-out, guilty moms who feel that nothing they do is right.”

Later in the post, Bernstein quotes from Sharon Hays, a professor of contemporary gender studies at the University of Southern California, in her 1997 book, The Cultural Contradictions of Motherhood. “Hayes refers to ‘the extraordinary pressure of intensive mothering. Choice is supposed to be a good thing,’ she continues, ‘but it becomes overwhelming when there is this nagging sense that you must somehow do it right.’”

Where do you stand on the issue?

Bernstein asks the question, “Will cloth diapering be yet another point of conflict among moms, with those who use them judging those who don’t as lazy or selfish?”

There are a good number of comments following her post – where do you stand?

Are cloth diapers the next point of contention? Will cloth diapering mothers snub those who don’t? Is this the next hurdle of Motherhood many will trip over or is this conversation just another way to justify living with the rule of convenience?

Photo Source: Bernstein, Paula. “Cloth Diapers: Another Reason for Moms to Feel Guilty.” Photo. Babble.com 5 July 2010.

When going on vacation with cloth diapers, getting a good swim diaper is a must!

Basically, a swim diaper is special diaper designed to keep your baby’s poop from invading the swimming pool.

A good swim diaper will allow liquids to pass through and contain the poop safe and sound. It has no absorbent layers because they would add extra weight making buoyancy difficult and causing a safety hazard to your child.

When considering swimming with cloth diapers, you have two choices.

You can buy a diaper that is specifically made for swimming. Brands such as Bummis, Kushies, Imse Vimse, and Apple Cheeks offer quality swim diapers in various sizes.

The plus to buying these diapers is they are specifically made with swimming in mind and are specially designed to contain messes while being submerged in water. They generally aren’t too expensive and usually come in great prints and colors.

Use Pocket Diapers as Swim Diapers!

You can use some of your pocket diapers as swim diapers. Brands such as Happy Heinys and Rump-a-rooz advertise what great swim diapers their pocket diapers make.

When using a pocket diaper as a swim diaper, just take out the absorbent insert, adjust the size to one size smaller than your baby normally wears and you’re set to go.

The positive to using your pocket diapers as swim diapers is you don’t need to buy any extra diapers! However, I would take care to make sure that the manufacturer of the diaper doesn’t advise against using their diapers in this manner before proceeding.

Swim Diapers are Required!

When it comes to summer vacations, swimming is a must! When swimming in public areas, swim diapers are required, so my husband and I have chosen to continue the cloth route rather than wasting our money on swim diapers that will be used once before getting thrown away.

I guess a couple of disposable swim diapers wouldn’t make a huge hole in the environment or my wallet, but why make my vacation more expensive than it already is? And why add even a couple of diapers to our growing landfills? I see no reason to do either. That’s why I choose cloth!

GUEST BLOGGER

Becca is a part time Spanish Teacher, a part time Stay-at-home-mom, and the wife of the best husband imaginable. Becca’s absolute favorite thing to do is to spend time with her little family. She also enjoys doing anything crafty – from making jewelry, to writing, to sewing, to photography.

You can read more about Becca at her blog, Becca’s Cloth Diaper Blog.

When we went to the beach this summer for our vacation, I was so excited to use my daughter’s cloth swim diapers for the first time.

Now, I sort of realized that swim diapers are not waterproof. I’d read somewhere that they are made this way so that a baby won’t be held down by absorbent layers while swimming. But honestly, it just didn’t occur to me that putting my baby in her swim diaper before getting to the pool just wasn’t the best idea.

So, eager to escape the Southern summer heat, we got ourselves ready, and changed my daughter out of her Happy Heiny’s Pocket Diaper into her adorable Kushies swim diaper. Bags in tow and the baby on my hip, we walked down the hall to the elevator.

“Oh no!” I thought to myself, “She’s peeing!”

Ding! The doors opened and we went inside to join two adolescent boys also on their way to the pool. As I stood there with my happy little girl bouncing around on my hip, I suddenly felt it – very hot liquid seeping into the side of my suit.

“Oh no!” I thought to myself, “She’s peeing!”

I didn’t move a muscle, hoping she would just pee a little bit and no one would even notice. I don’t think of my daughter as a heavy wetter because she can use a pocket diaper all night with no doubler even though she wakes up to nurse two or three times.

So, I was sure I would just get a little pee on my hip and that would be that.
But it kept coming.

And coming.

And coming.

I looked down and to my horror a little puddle was forming at my feet.

I looked down and to my horror a little puddle was forming at my feet. Still, it was inconspicuous because it was silent as it ran down my hip and leg.

If only we weren’t so bone dry, if only we were on our way back from the pool then no one would notice the puddle of liquid amassing underneath a dry mommy and her happy little girl.

“Surely, she’s done now,” I thought to myself, casting a worried glance over my shoulder at the boys who were sharing the elevator with us.

Was it me or was this elevator ride extremely long?

I looked back down and the puddle continue to grow, and the pee started loudly slapping against the floor as if someone had turned on a faucet or a hose. Our cover was blown.

“Dave…Dave, she’s peeing!” I said in a whisper that was unfortunately loud enough for the boys to hear

“Ding”

The doors opened, and they walked out.

I wasn’t positive but I thought I heard them snicker.

I couldn’t wait to dunk in the pool.

Now, I knew that the right thing to do would be to report the puddle of pee first thing, but I was so embarrassed at this point that I wasn’t ready to do so. That, and I was covered in pee. I couldn’t wait to dunk in the pool.

It didn’t seem gross to do so since swim diapers are designed to allow the pee to pass through into the pool water. So that’s what we did. We went in the pool first.

I swam for a few minutes and though I know I should be smacked for this, I tried to ignore the fact that there was a puddle of pee in the elevator that was surely spreading throughout the entire resort as people walked through it assuming it was pool water.

So finally, tail between my legs, I dried myself off, and flip-flopped my way to the front desk.

“Um, my daughter peed in the elevator,” I said apologetically.

The lady didn’t miss a beat as she giggled and then assured me she’d get someone to clean it up.

As I walked back to the pool I was sure of two things

I will never look at pool water the same way again now that I understand how swim diapers – disposables and cloth – work

My daughter will now and forever be changed into her swim diapers poolside.

GUEST BLOGGER

Becca is a part time Spanish Teacher, a part time Stay-at-home-mom, and the wife of the best husband imaginable. Becca’s absolute favorite thing to do is to spend time with her little family. She also enjoys doing anything crafty – from making jewelry, to writing, to sewing, to photography.

You can read more about Becca at her blog, Becca’s Cloth Diaper Blog.

Leaving your baby with a sitter is stressful enough without considering the fact that most people are absolutely uneducated in the art of cloth diapering. So what do we do? We educate.

Demonstrate

People are scared of cloth diapers. This is sad since they are just so easy and fun these days, but it doesn’t change the fact that most people only resort to cloth diapers as a last ditch effort to beat the current economic crisis.

Then, those people who wouldn’t dream of going to such extremes, despite the massive amounts of money it would save, look at those of us who do and think we’re crazy for putting poop in our washing machines. But if you’re going to babysit my daughter, then you are going to cloth diaper because that is all she uses, case closed.

“Let me just show you her diapers,” I say just before my hubby and I make our way out the door for a hot date to Walmart.
“They’re pretty simple. Just like disposables but you don’t throw them away!” I pull one out and show them the simple closures and that they go on just like disposables.

“You put the diaper on just like a regular diaper. Then, you spray the wipes and throw the old diaper and the wipe in the wet bag that hangs right here.”

Make it simple

Don’t leave your most complicated cloth diapers at the top of your stash. Leave out the easiest possible diapers for your sitter to use and make sure they know the steps of using them.

I prefer to leave all in one diapers or pocket diapers with Velcro tab closures at the top of my stash for baby sitters.

I don’t point out my fitted diapers, prefolds or various diaper covers because it’s just too many different types of diapers to choose from.

When I have the sitters use pocket diapers, I don’t even ask them to take out the insert before putting them in the wet bag, and I won’t make them use the diaper sprayer either. “Just stick it all in there,” I say, indicating my hanging wet bag “and I’ll take care of the rest.”

Write it Down

Cloth diapering isn’t as much complicated, as it is foreign territory, to those who have only used disposables. So make a list. Leave it with the sitter, or post it somewhere near your changing table. Write down things such as “Please don’t use rash creams” or “Diapers go in the laundry not the trash.” where your sitter can see them. Of course, what you write in your directions is up to you and dependent upon your cloth diapering style.

Leave it out

To make matters even more simple for your sitter, leave out the amount of diapers they will need. Leave them in a visible place, so they don’t have to go fishing in drawers and baskets through AIOs, AI2s, and fitteds to find what they need. It might be prudent to leave out two or three diapers right next to your cloth baby wipes and spray bottle. Then, the steps of what to do are obvious and less ominous.

I know, I know, it may seem much easier just to pull out a few disposables and let the babysitter use those on your child, forgoing your cloth stash entirely, but honestly why would you do that when the cloth diapers are just as easy? And who knows, when your babysitter is done taking care of your child, you just may have created another cloth diaper convert!

GUEST BLOGGER

Becca is a part time Spanish Teacher, a part time Stay-at-home-mom, and the wife of the best husband imaginable. Becca’s absolute favorite thing to do is to spend time with her little family. She also enjoys doing anything crafty – from making jewelry, to writing, to sewing, to photography.

You can read more about Becca at her blog, Becca’s Cloth Diaper Blog.