A sharing of cloth diapering on my kids and I'm just a normal user like any mother. With the revolution of modern cloth nappies, this is simply another interesting hobby to pick up by mums. I'll post my review on cloth diaper or nappies with their functionalities & charateristics as well as problems and obstacles along the way.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sales!
Have fun shopping!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
I can't help...
One hemp fitted and one OS pocket diaper!
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Cloth nappies in action!
Last but not least, the flat! Lampin!!!
Friday, November 23, 2007
Formula Feed Babies = Heavywetters?
I'm wondering whether this is so true? I shall try to breastfeed (bf) exclusively for my future baby and see the difference on their wetting. So, your baby on formula or breast milk? Do you agree on breast feed baby has lesser wetting (I mean in volume...)?
Monday, November 19, 2007
Leaking!
I encountered twice and I already knew these 2 combination won't last more than 3 hours on my dd but I just simply let it on longer to see the consequences. I know... I'm crazy about cloth diapering and I did several tests and experiments with the CD stash I have.
1) Case I:
I put my dd on Snuggle Hugs sherpa fitted and Imse Vimse Organic cotton diaper cover. That was 9.30pm and I know dd will fall asleep anytime but since there's still no pee... I decided to let it on for another 1 hour more.
This fitted diaper only has 2 layers of sherpa sewn in soaker and it is actually a daytime diaper. I knew it won't last my dd for even 2 pees. Half and hour later (after my dd fell asleep) I encountered leak from the front leg casing and her pants was wet.
Well, it's a no no without additional boaster because the fitted crumple up at the front. My dd has small butt so I'm still able to stuff one boaster or one stay dry doubler in the fitted. But that night, I didn't insert any boaster. If I did, I think it won't crumple and leak out, perhaps just soaking wet.
2) Case II:
Never changed my dd in pocket diaper when she slept at 9pm. I think the pocket diaper was put on at 8.30pm (I was away for a wedding dinner, MIL changed my dd) and I never check on her diaper at 11.30pm after I came back. Later I found out the bedsheet was wet. Her pants also wet at a corner. It leaked and I think that was when she slept on one side.
The inserts in the pocket diaper was 2 GAD hemp insert, one in large setting and one in medium setting. The medium setting insert was soaking wet but surprisingly the large setting insert only half wet! That's mean even there's still space to store liquid in the second hemp insert but once the hemp insert gets wet, they will become heavier and again I realized the pocket diaper also crumple up abit.
So, next time should combine microfiber with hemp. I think this should work much more better than 2 hemp inserts.
3) Case III
This is the most hilarious one that I ever encountered. It's a GAD pocket diaper. As you can see the inner fleece of the diaper is in dark blue and outer is light blue as shown in the picture below. The colour is simply delicious, isn't it?
My mum called me one day when my dd was staying with her for 2 weeks. She asked me how come there is only one pocket diaper that always leak when the insert was still dry??!! She is new in using CD back then and my first thought was probably it repells water and instructed my mum to try stripe wash the diaper.
When I went back and she showed me how she put on the diaper... I bursted out laughing loud!!! The diaper was worn inside out! Blame it on my maid who likes to turn this blue GAD fleece out and stacked them in the diaper basket nicely. Yes, the dark blue (microfleece surface) was worn out and the PUL was wrapping around my dd's butt! OF COURSE IT LEAKS!!! LOL
Moral of the story: If you have a caregiver, make sure you train them with full instructions!
~GAD diaper in light blue~ Note: It is common that the brand label sewn outside of the diaper, it is made in that way, NOT INSIDE!
Oh yes, I found out if I still let my dd wear on tighter setting diaper (think about GAD diaper which you have adjustment snap for the thigh and waist), it will leak also. The insert itself is either dry or half wet but the urine was forced out from the diaper. I'm not sure why it is so but I had tested afew times on this. Any similiar issue??
Do you have any leaking problem and did you ever analyse why the diaper leaks besides the diaper repells water?
Saturday, November 10, 2007
About fitted diaper/nappy
Well, I first thought fitted is like lampin (muslin) but design in pant-diaper looks alike and probably more layers than lampin. I don't really tried fitted when I first use modern cloth diaper as it looks so thick and maybe hot??!!
Then, I tried on Snuggle Hugz which has a stay-dry fleece inner and slowly learned that it's very trim and comfy. Later only I realized fitted in fact have more absorbency power than pocket diaper since the whole body of the diaper is absorbent. (See the reason why it needs a cover?) I checked on my dd's bum after I changed her and her bum is not sweating (I thought it was hot!) nor soaking wet and that's proof fitted diaper is breathable. My family members doesn't like to hold a baby with wet diaper/lampin on. So, that's why I will add a diaper cover for my dd once I found out she is putting on with slightly damp fitted diaper and wish to let her wear for a little bit longer.
Next, I realized fitted diaper is a great night time solution for heavywetter! The formula works like this: if you wish to make it through the night, look for
1) layers :
how many layers in the fitted diaper's body + snap in/lay in boaster (some call it soaker). The more the layers the more of the absorbency power.
Example: Baby Beehind - 11 layers with soaker,
Swaddlebee Cotton Velour - 9 layers with soaker
2) material:
as we all know bamboo and hemp are very thirsty. So, go for it if you plan the fitted diaper is to last for long time, especially at night. Day time, cotton fleece fitted would be nice too.
Of course, you will need a cover for night time and I do mentioned wool cover is a nice match with fitted diapers. Other than that you can actually use any diaper cover such as fleece cover from Tot-Bot or Stacinator fleece cover... or PUL cover such as Bummis, Imse Vimse. Oh yes, if you don't mind you can use pocket diaper (exclude the insert) as fitted cover too! The usage of any modern cloth diapers will be the innovation from your mind. That's how we can save money from the mix & match in cloth diapering.
And yes... I love fitted nappy very much! (Because this is the only solution that solve my heavywetter dd's night diapering issue)
Sunday, November 4, 2007
My DD's Wool Soaker
Wool is hot?
Wool cover won't be hot in tropical country as wool will be cold in warm country and warm in cold country. But to be frank, I never use it during daytime and my gal is heat sensitive. I might try one day and will update again in this blog.
Wool, stink?
Wool also doesn't stink after a few usage (provided it is lanolized) and I only wash it after 1 month and that's because I used it alternate day before I got enough fitted nappy for my gal night diapering. Once I started to use every night after almost 1 month of alternate witl fleece poacket diaper, the wool soaker need to be washed every 3 weeks. By 3 weeks, yes you will start to smell urine on the cover.
To determine whether the cover need to be washed: Always air dry the cover after use and it's amazing that it doesn't smell anything after 1 week of use. This works because the lanolin neutralized the ammonia (urine) . You still can use it over many nights before it's time to be wash.
Wool is itchy?
This question brought up by MIL but she was surprised that the wool used for wool cover has no such issue. Just make sure it's 100% pure wool and since I hand knitted one I only go for 100% pure wool with hand wash only. Even the soaker I bought from US is meant for hand washing too. So, I don't have experience in machine washable wool cover.
Wool needs lanolizing
Yes and at the moment I use Lansinoh lanolin which is a nipple cream for nursing mothers. Lanolin is the reason why wool cover is water-resistant (please note: it's not waterproof!) and that is the oil from sheep that prevent the body of the sheep to get wet in rainy days. That's why when you feel the wool soaker is not performing well, encounter leaks then it's the time for lanolizing. I'll have a post later on how I lanolized my soaker.
Wool is expensive
This is true and it is the most expensive diaper cover but it's also an ultimate solution for heavywetter. I don't mind using wool cover or soaker from recycle wool (meaning they cut from wool sweater, wool jacket, and so on) and these are more cheaper alternative and they function exactly the same as brand new wool diaper cover from manufacturer. Or really frugal method, knit your own if you are a knitter as there are so many free patterns from the web.