Bare Butt Basics: wiping the butt.

When using cloth diapers, it makes sense to also consider using cloth wipes. Wether you use them all the time, some of the time or never is really your choice. There are a few good reasons to use cloth wipes though.

#1 You only need one pail/wet bag. If you are using disposable wipes you need to keep a garbage pail as well as a diaper pail/bag in the area that you change your baby. With cloth wipes, you can avoid having 2 pails and save a lot of space.

#2 You know what is on them. I love how disposable wipes will wipe down glass leaving a streak free shine. I use them to clean my computer screen, my iphone and a few other similar items around the house. Whatever is on disposable wipes that makes them useful for cleaning electronics, is not necessarily something that is good for your babies skin (read the ingredients list). There are a number of sprays or wipe solutions on the market you can use with cloth wipes and many many homemade recipes. Often simple water works just as well. It is nice to know what is being used to wipe down your babies genitals a number of times a day.

#3 Cloth wipes are softer. There are many many different brands of cloth wipes available to buy. Sometimes the cheapest option is to buy a bulk size pack of baby washcloths or even adult facecloths. There are organic wipes, minky velour wipes and many many other types. I will often use one type to do the wash down and then soft fluffy one to pat the area dry.

#4 Cloth wipes get the job done more efficently. I rarely use more than 2 wipes to clean a poopy butt when using cloth. When using disposables it feels like I have to use half a dozen or more to get everything cleaned up. Sometimes even after mopping away with disposable wipes I can still smell poop on the skin. Cloth wipes work better for me, and get everything squeeky clean.

#5 Your hands stay cleaner. I have often ended up with a smear of poop on my hand when using disposable wipes. they are thin and flimsy and bunch up as you are tackling the job. It is very rare that I touch poop when using a cloth wipe. They are thicker, easier to hold on and just seem to get rid of the poop more quickly with less smearing.

#6 They cost less. Like cloth diapers, you buy them once, reuse, wash, reuse and never need to shell out cash to buy them again. If you make your own, or repurpose facecloths you already own as wipes, they are super cheap.

#7 There is less to throw away. If you look at the size of a block of disposable wipes, and think how many blocks that size you will use over 2 or more years of diapering it makes for quite a pile of waste.

Now, there are times that a disposable comes in handy. I have a pack of disposables I keep under the seat of the car and a pack I keep in the diaper bag for emergencies. I use dry cloth wipes at home, and wet them each time I do a change. If I remember to pre wet and pack a small container of cloth wipes before leaving the house that is great, but often I forget and just use disposable wipes when on the road. It is annoying though, as unless I have a garbage can to dispose of the wipes, I have to stuff them into my wet bag with the diapers and sort and throw them out when I get back home. ICKY! Cloth wipes are easier because all I have to do then is dump the travel wetbag into the wash at the same time as I dump my regular wet bag. No need to touch dirty diapers a 2nd time.

One little trick I learned recently is to keep a roll of toilet paper by the changing station. If you have a particularly sticky lump of poop, too much to want to wipe and throw in the wash (yep I am sure you can picture what I am talking about...) you can wipe it off with a little bit of toilet paper, fold it up and leave it in the diaper, and then dump it into the toilet at the same time you deal with dumping the poop into the toilet. Then do your major clean up and wash down with the cloth wipe.

I even know some disposable diaper wearing babies who have their bums cleaned with cloth during diaper changes. I know in the NICU at the hospital, everyone used facecloths as wipes, even though the diapers were Pampers brand disposables. Cloth wipes are much less likely to contribute to rash, leave residue or cause pain on an already rashy bum.

Have fun wiping butts:)

Buying local?

I was a "sort of" vegetarian for about 8 years, until we moved to a rural community, met our neighbours and had an opportunity to buy local ethically raised beef. I started eating meat again. Not all the meat and poultry our family eats is local, but when we have the opportunity to buy from friends, we do so, and stock up our freezer. My commitment to doing this has waxed and waned over the last 7 years, but it is something I feel good about.

We live in a country where produce is only available certain months of the year, but when available, we always choose the options grown closest to home. Even if it cost a little more I will choose a product produced locally and sold at our local farmers market over a supermarket product brought in from another continent. For a few months of the year this is easy, but if I want fresh fruit is March, it has to be imported. Often my cravings for a yummy clementine out weigh the fact it was grown very far away from my home.

When it came to choosing diapers, I also looked at where they were made. There are an enormous amount of companies out there attempting to create the perfect cloth diaper. The market is growing, and many people are jumping on board. New designs are patented and closely guarded, every company is in search of the cutest pattern or the most popular colors, all for the lowest prices. One more factor to throw into the mix is who made your diaper.

I have to admit that not all of the diapers I own are Canadian made, or even North American made, but when given a choice between two very similar products I am inclined to choose the one made on this continent. I own a number of different brands and am always wanting (although not doing so as much lately as I really don't need any more and it is hard to justify spending money on something you don't really need) to try out something new, but if it is new AND Canadian it is doubly hard to resist.

How about you? Does where something is made influence your choice when purchasing something? Do you prefer when something is locally made?

A poopy butt?

One of the things that seems to scare people the most about cloth diapers is the thought of dealing with poop. I won't lie. You will have to deal with poop. But dealing with your babies poop is part of being a parent, and sooner or later you will get used to it. For me, in the first few days of being a parent, pooping became something to celebrate. My twins were in the NICU and my little 3 and a half pound boy wasn't pooping (or eating for that matter, hard to eat when there is no where for it to go). After a few days of this issue, many many tests and procedures, my little peanut had his first poops. I cried with relief. For me, as a parent, having a baby who pooped on a regular basis became a sign that things were working okay. I was happy to see poop. Although my enthusiasm for the smelly stuff has died down, I still tend to keep track of my babies bowl movements and to have a sense that they are "working" when I see their daily poopy diapers.

How do you deal with the poop?

If you are cloth diapering a newborn you have the option to do nothing if they are exclusively breastfed. You remove the poopy diaper, wipe off your baby and put the diaper, poop and all, into the wetbag. When it comes time to do laundry , you dump the bag of dirty diapers into the washing machine, turning the bag inside out as you go (no need to touch the diapers), rinse, wash and rinse again. And voila, clean diapers.

Even with breastfed babies you have the option to deal with poop before putting it in your washing machine, and once babies are getting formula or solid foods you have to deal with their poop. There are a few different methods.

One that is popular is to use disposable liners inside your diapers. These come on a roll, look like a thick soft toilet paper, and rip off to be used once in each diaper. Once dirty these are designed to be flushed away in the toilet. I have tried these liners, and for my two have not found them that useful. I found they bunched up and defeated the stay dry feeling of pocket diapers, because they held moisture next to the skin. Some people swear by them though. A roll is pretty cheap, so it is worth it to buy a roll to try out and if you happen to love them then you can add them to your routine. I do occasionally use mine as a barrier when I need to apply a bit of cloth diaper safe cream to my babies butts.

If you aren't using disposable liners you have to scrape, swish or spray your diapers clean. Many times with older babies, the poop forms a turd in the diaper, and if changed promptly you can just shake it over the toilet, and it will plop into the bowl. If this doesn't happen, or if your baby has runny poop, you have to figure out how to get rid of it. There are spatula like devices sold that you can use to scrape the poop, I have never dried using one of these, so really have no idea if they work well or not. Some people take their poopy diaper and swish it around in the toilet bowl, sometimes even holding it there as they flush, allowing the water and suction to loosen up the poop. I clean my toilet often, but am just not comfortable with this method as it means sticking your hand and diaper into the toilet bowl. Some people aren't bugged by it at all. Maybe if you had a toilet in your house that was mainly used just for rinsing diapers?

The method I use is to spray. My lovely husband installed a diaper sprayer on the side of the toilet (they cost from $30 to $50 and took him less than 10 min to install). I love my sprayer. There is a learning curve when you start using the sprayer, it is a bit like a mini power sprayer and sometimes the pressure, when aimed in the wrong direction, can send water and poop particles flying. I know I had to give my toilet and the wall and floor around it a good cleaning quite a few times when I was figuring the sprayer out. Now I have the angles and pressure pretty much down pat and can neatly spray off a diaper in seconds, with hardly even a water droplet getting on the toilet rim. My recommendation, for those starting out (something I thought of after learning how to use it) would be to practice spraying down a few clean diapers first to learn the angles and pressure needed to not make a mess.

What do you do about poop stains?

It is rare that I will get poop stains on my diapers. The washing routine I have takes care of most of them. If I do get slight staining, I don't panic, because over time they will be washed so often the stains will just disappear. If stains really bug you, using a little oxygen bleach or even chlorine bleach ( if it is a prefold or insert with no elastic, snaps PUL etc.) might take care of the stains. Just make sure if you use a stain fighting product that you do an extra rinse or two to make sure there is no residues left to bother your babies butts. Another effective stain remover is sunshine. Sunning the diapers outside on the line, or in a sunny window for a few hours, or a few days even, will often whiten a stain right up. Stains in no way effect how a diaper functions though, so really the easiest thing to do is to ignore them, to keep using and washing the diaper, and often the issue will go away.

The Bare Butt Basics part 4 making the switch to cloth

If you already have a baby in diapers (or even a toddler) it is not too late to make the switch to cloth diapers from disposables. With my twins, I was late to get started, and although I regret not starting sooner, I have never regretted making the switch. If you aren't sure that you are ready to make a total switch to cloth, that is fine too. It is possible to use cloth diapers part time too. You might discover after using them for a while that you are ready to go to full time very soon.

If you think you know the type, style and brand of diaper that you want to use , then looking for a place to get a good deal is a good way to start. Many stores will give price reductions on diapers bought in bulk and will offer free shipping for orders over a certain price. If you live close to a brick and mortar store then you have the chance to actually go and touch and see what you would like to buy. If you don't and are ordering on the internet it pays to google the brand you are thinking of buying and to read a variety of reviews before choosing. Remember that, as with clothes, diaper styles change and as new things come out people will get excited and give good reviews. It isn't until a product has been around for a while, and people have used it, that reviewers will be able to say how well it is made and how it will stand up to repeated washings. Some deal sites on the internet will offer cloth diapers from time to time as well. If you aren't in a hurry, good deals can be found. Also if a brand is coming out with a new product often the prices of their old products will drop. There is also the option of buying used diapers from sites on the internet, swap sites or second hand sales. You have to remember with used diapers that you might be getting something that has been used way more often than the seller claims and that certain rashes and yeast infections can be transmitted through diapers. Some people buy all their cloth diapers used and get some really good deals though.

If you are switching over from disposables to cloth there are a few different ways to go about it. The way to save the most money is to buy a complete stash all at once and to make the switch to 100% cloth. Sometimes coming up with the amount of money needed to do that all at once can be hard and people will make the switch gradually, buying a few cloth diapers here and there. Some people prefer to have all of one type, to keep things simple, some, like me, prefer a variety of different types and brands. My recommended way to make the switch is to buy a few different types of diapers, use them for a while (even using some disposables between washes if necessary) and then to buy some more of your favorites.

One option with an older baby is to do a diaper trial. Many cloth diaper stores will offer trials. You get to take home a number of different styles and brands, try them out, and decide which ones you like best before purchasing. These are a great way to see which brands fit your baby the best. Another good way to get an idea of what you would like, is to find a friend already using cloth (who has a varied stash) and to try on some of their diapers for fit. No two babies are shaped the same and different brands will fit some babies better than others.

The Bare Butt Basics part 3 How to get started with a newborn

When deciding to use real diapers instead of disposable ones there is a lot to consider. I know, before I took the leap into using cloth, that I felt overwhelmed by all the choices, vocabulary, recommendations, and styles. I knew when I was first pregnant I wanted to use cloth, but somehow in the confusion of a cerclage operation, bed rest, c-section, twins in the NICU, preemie twins at home, life as a new Mom, etc. I lost that goal. Disposables were easy, free (at first as I got so many as gifts and the NICU sent us home with a bunch) and quickly became what I knew how to use. Then I decided to switch, fell in love with cloth, and regretted not having used them right from the start. I think one of the reasons I want to write this blog is so that people who love the idea of using real diapers, but who feel daunted by it, have a source to go to to get some advice.

Are you pregnant and preparing to use cloth on your new little one?

If you are, then there are a few things to consider to help you to decide what to purchase. One of the things to look at is how big you expect your baby to be on arrival. If this is your first, you might have no idea, but if it is your second (or 19th) then you might have a better idea. The other thing you have to consider is how important it is to you to use cloth from day 1 or if you think you might use disposables for the first few weeks. Newborns are often tiny, and newborn diapers need to be tiny too. Newborns tend to grow very quickly and therefore outgrow their newborn diapers very quickly too. If you know you have bigger babies, and aren't disgusted by using disposables for a few weeks, then skipping newborn diapers and moving on to one sized diapers might be an option for you. If you have smallish babies (or are having multiples) or if using cloth from day one is important to you, then having a newborn stash is important. If I have a third child I plan to have my newborn diapers in the hospital with me, ready to use from day one.

The newborn diapering stage can be fairly short or can go on for a few months, depending on size and urine output. During this stage babies pee and poo often. You will need a minimum of 10 to 12 diapers a day. If you are planning to wash ever 2nd day, then you need at least 20 -24 diapers. I find that on the day I wash I never get things straight from the washer, into the dryer and folded/stuffed and put away in a few hours, it takes me all day. So if you are like me, then you probably need a 3rd days worth of diapers (so 30 -36) in order to have enough to wash every 2nd day and have enough for the day you are washing. Some people make due with way less, but it takes more effort.

For the newborn stage, because it is so short, often people go with the cheapest option of prefolds and covers. Preemie or newborn sized prefolds, snappied on to the baby (to prevent newborn poo from escaping out around their skinny legs), with a xs or s cover is a great solution that wont break the bank. Small prefolds can later be pad folded and laid in a cover once they are too small to snappi, or used as a booster or doubler with other diapers when the baby gets bigger, so they may get a lot of use.

If your bank account can afford it (or if you are asking for diapers as shower gifts) it is always nice to have some other options to use. Many of the major cloth diaper companies are making small size or mini sized diapers designed for preemies or the newborn stage. Most of these are "all in one" style diapers. Some even come with a snap in front designed to give room for the belly button cord. Another option would be to get some small sized fitteds to use under covers.

If you have large babies, you might decide to skip newborn size diapers altogether and just purchase one sized diapers which start fitting around 8 pounds to 10 pounds. These diapers are designed to also fit up to around 35 pounds. Even on their smallest settings though, many one sized diapers look huge on small babies. If you have a set of newborn diapers you can put off using any one sized diapers until they fit really well, usually around 12-15 pounds. If you decide to go right to one sized diapers (therefore probably never needing to buy another set), you will save money but will have to put up with a few weeks to a few months of your diapers being a bit too big. If you are opting to go straight to one size diapers, it pays to look around for brands that will fit sooner, as not all one sized diapers are sized the same way.

Many times sized diapers are cheaper to buy than one sized ones. You may decide to use sized diapers, replacing your smaller sized ones as your baby outgrows them. If you are unsure what type of diaper you will like the best (pockets, prefolds, fitteds, etc...) sometimes buying a stash of diapers including many different types in the smaller sizes will allow you to experiment. Once you know what you like the best you can replace them, as your baby grows, with that type.

A matter of perspective.

I have had many people, when they find out I use cloth diapers, marvel at the fact that I manage to find time to do so with TWINS. Although married to a twin, my Grandmother never had twins, she did have 5 boys though and the first 4 of them came one after another. She changed her fair share of diapers I am sure. Around the time I was feeling disgusted by the garbage leaving my house every 2 weeks and contemplating switching to cloth, I decided to ask an expert about it. Her reply, when I asked her if cloth diapers was hard, was "well I had a washing machine, I didn't have to wash them myself."

Bare Butt Basics part 2 Types of diapers

There are many different types of diapers, and some that market themselves as being multiple types. I will attempt to break down the different types into a few categories.

FLATS: Flats are the simplest type of diaper. They are basically a flat sheet of fabric which is folded to create layers where absorbency is needed. They can either be folded and then pinned or snappied(more on that later) to the baby before putting a cover on, or folded to create a pad like shape and placed in a cover before being put on the baby. You can buy material specifically designed as flats (usually 30 inches by 30 or 27 by 27 roughly) often made of birdseye cotton but sometimes made of other natural fabrics. Flats can also be made out of recycled fabric from things like receiving blankets or even old cotton T shirts. If they are pad folded, any size or type of absorbant material will do the trick. Some people swear by flats as they are the easiest type of diapers to wash and dry being only one layer. Also if you are good at folding, the same diaper can fit from the newborn stage up until diapers are no longer needed. With flats a cover is needed (either PUL, wool or fleece) overtop. Sometimes a second flat is folded, inside one that is pinned into place, to increase absorbency in the wet zone. Flats can be intimidating to use and as they require lots of folding aren't always the quickest to put on.

PREFOLDS: Prefolds are one of the cheapest and simplest styles of diapers. Prefolds are similar to flats but aren't only one layer. A number of layers of fabric (usually cotton) are sew together. Usually prefolds are in 3 sections with the middle one (the wet zone) being a number of layers thicker than the other two sections. The number of layers in each section is usually indicated when you purchase them and may be something like 4-8-4 or 3-6-3. Prefolds come in a number of different sizes from Preemie to Toddler or Premium sizes. Like flats, they can be folded around the baby and snappied or pinned into place before putting on a cover. They can also be pad folded and placed in the cover before putting the cover on the baby. Like flats, prefolds are simple to wash, but take a little bit longer to dry. They are still pretty quick to dry though compared to some of the other types of diapers. In my opinion, even if prefolds aren't your main type of diaper, they are useful to have. I use mine on days I am at home and can change my babies often. They also work great as changing pads or burp cloths and can easily be repurposed once they are no longer needed, as cleaning cloths. Prefolds also last and last and will often be passed down to multiple babies. There are a number of companies who sell prefold packages with a few covers, a snappi and at least a days worth of prefolds. These are usually a good deal and a cheap way to get started with cloth diapers. Like flats, prefolds need a cover to go over them. You don't have to change the cover every time you have a dirty diaper though. Often the prefold can be removed and replaced and the same cover can be used. Some people will rotate covers, rinsing them or wiping them down and hanging them to air out between changes, only putting them in the wash when they get soiled or start to smell.

FITTED DIAPERS: Like prefolds and flats, fitted diapers are more often than not made of natural fabrics, although some brands contain a hidden microfibre layer. Fitteds contain multiple layers of fabric, sewn in the shape of a diaper. They often contain more layers in the wet zone. Some come with velcro or snap closures. There are many different brands and styles of fitteds and some are more thirsty than others. Like prefolds and flats, fitteds require a cover to go over top of them. First you put the fitted diaper on the baby, then you put on the cover. Fitted diapers require no folding and can fasten just as easily as a disposable. Some fitteds are very thick and therefore require a bit more washing and rinsing to get clean and take a lot longer to dry. Many brands of fitteds will come with extra inserts (absorbant pads of material) that are designed to be stuffed into a pocket opening, snapped in or placed inside the diaper depending on the brand. Many people who use wool covers choose to use fitteds underneath as they are often more absorbant than prefolds and flats. Many people swear by fitteds and wool as a night time solution. Some companies make one size fitteds, where the diaper is adjustable in fit and grows with your baby. Some make sized ones, where the diaper needs to be replaced with a larger size once it is outgrown.

ALL IN ONE: The name kind of says it all with these diapers. All in one diapers are the most like disposables to use, except instead of a sticky tab they close with velcro or snaps. Basically put the diaper on, take it off and wash it, put it back on. All in ones have the absorbant layer and the waterproof outer layer attached and some have a stay dry layer attached on the inside. Many people call these "daddy diapers" or daycare diapers" and keep a set of them just for others to use. These diapers tend to be the most expensive and are also often the most difficult to get throughly clean in the wash. They also take the longest to dry. All in one diapers, like fitteds, come in one sized or sized styles. The xs and s all in one diapers, from a number of different companies, are often perfect for the newborn stage where less layers of absorbency are needed, therefore making them easier to get throughly clean. If you want a diaper as easy to put on as a disposable, these could be the ones for you. Some all in one diapers have an added pocket which can be stuffed with an extra insert when more absorbency is needed.

ALL IN TWO: All in two diapers are similar in a way to using prefolds pad folded and a cover. They come in 2 parts. There is an absorbant part (an insert) and a cover. Some of the covers have snaps to attach the absorbant layer too, or pieces you flip up and slide the absorbant layer under, others you just lay the insert into the shell before putting it on the baby. Recently more companies have been designing and marketing all in two diapers. You can often buy them in sets with a cover and 2 or 3 inserts. Or even in packs with a few covers and enough inserts to last a full day or more. Many of the all in two diapers are marketed as "systems" and the cover and absorbant insert are given fancy names. Often the covers that are sold of part of an all in 2 diaper also work well with cheaper inserts like prefolds or flats. Systems also don't necessarily need to be used together as often one absorbant insert will also fit in a cover from another brand. The nice thing with all in 2 systems is you usually dont need to fold the inserts. You grab a cover, grab the insert place them together and put them on your baby. Often the inserts come with different layers, with a stay dry layer on top next to the babies skin and even a waterproof layer on the back to protect the cover. One of the problems with all in two systems is that if the first time you use an insert, the baby poops and the mess gets on the inside of the cover, you have to put the whole thing into the laundry. Then you are left with a couple of extra inserts that are unavailable to use until the wash is done, unless you have another clean cover.

HYBRID DIAPERS: Many all in two systems are also marketed as hybrid systems. They come with a reusable insert that is made of cloth and washable, but they also come with disposable absorbant inserts that can be thrown away. Some are even designed to be cut open and flushed or composted in places where that is allowed. The problem with these hybrid diapers is that the inserts available cost way more than a disposable diaper does, sometimes more than double. It is good that people using them are throwing away a smaller amount of waste each time, but in my opinion they aren't as good as cloth. Some people who use cloth at home, use them when out of the house or travelling where laundry isn't available. Like the insert with all in 2 diapers, there is no need to always use the same brand of disposable insert with the same brand of cover.

POCKET DIAPERS: One of the most popular style of cloth diapers are called pocket diapers. In pocket diapers the waterproof outer layer is attached to an usually an inner layer (usually microfleece or microsuede) forming a pocket. Some diapers that are marketed as all in 2 or hybrid diapers also have a pocket and are marketed as both an all in 2 or a pocket diaper. Some all in one and fitted diapers, while having some absorbant layers sewn into them, also include pockets so additional inserts can be added. Many pocket diapers come with the pocket shell and with one or two inserts used to stuff the shell. Often there will be an infant sized insert which is smaller and thinner (less bulky on a newborn) and a larger insert to be used as the baby gets bigger. Later the infant insert can be used along with the larger insert as to provide extra absorbency (often then called a doubler or a booster). Pocket diapers need to be stuffed before using. This is a pretty quick thing to do, and often I will do it in the evenings as I sit and relax watching a little television. You can stuff pockets as you use them, but I prefer to have them stuffed and ready to go as needed. Sometimes, when short on time, stuffing can be a bit of a pain. This is where an all in 2 system has the advantage, as there is no need to pre stuff. Once pocket diapers are stuffed, they are as easy to use as an all in one diaper, going on like a disposable and fastening with either snaps or velcro (also referred to as aplix). Once used, the inserts are pulled out of the pocket opening and are washed separately from the pocket shell. This allows the inserts to get throughly clean and makes for a quicker drying time. Like most of the other types of diapers, pocket diapers come as sized diapers (with some brands only having 2 sizes and some having 4 or 5 sizes) or one sized diapers. One sized diapers are often adjusted with rows of snaps in the front allowing them to have a higher or shorter rise or with elastic drawstrings on the legs and waist. Many pocket diapers fit a little differently from each other and often one brand will fit a baby better than another. Like women wearing jeans, just because it is technically the right size, it might not be the perfect fit. Sometimes babies will go through periods where one brand fits better than another, then as they change shape, another brand will fit perfectly. This is one of the reasons I prefer some variety in my cloth diaper stash.