Thursday, December 27, 2007

Other Factors

Other factors to consider:

You should use caution when using bleach with your diapers. Bleach can eat away at the fibers in your diapers. I recommend not using it, ever. If you do decide to use bleach (to help strip your diapers, or after a yeast or bacterial infection, or to disinfect used diapers), add no more than 1-2 small capfuls to one large load, and be sure to rinse well.

Never use conventional diaper rash creams on cloth diapers. They can stain and can cause buildup on your diapers. If you do need to use cream, consider using a fleece liner to protect your diaper from staining.



An economical way to build up a cloth diaper stash is to purchase gently used cloth diapers. One great site for buying used cloth diapers (and many other things) is:
http://www.diaperswappers.com/
Another great website is:
http://w/ww.diaperpin.com

When purchasing used cloth diapers, it is a good idea to use some kind of antibacterial/antimicrobial agent to disinfect. Tea Tree Oil and Grapefruit Seed Extract both work well. Simply add 5-10 drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract or 3-4 drops of Tea Tree Oil to the wash water and wash diapers in hot water prior to use.

When cloth diapering out and about, a small “wetbag” is handy. This is a waterproof bag (usually made of PUL) that keeps your soiled diapers separate from the rest. After changing a diaper, simply put the whole thing in the wetbag and deal it when you get home. Wetbags can be washed with the rest of your diaper laundry. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and prints, and may have a Velcro, zipper, or drawstring closure.

Some who use cloth diapers may also decide to use cloth wipes. I simply find it easier to do this, mostly because I don’t want to worry about having a trashcan full of stinky wipes to empty every day! I would rather just wash all my diapers and wipes together. For me, this is especially true after being out all day and then coming home to deal with poopy diapers (and wipes). I hate to pick out the dirty disposable wipes that have been wrapped in the mess within the diaper all day and throw them out. With cloth wipes I can toss them all in the diaper pail. No fuss, no worries. You can make your own cloth wipes easily, using cotton flannel, sherpa, velour, or terry, or probably many other fabric materials (one- or two-ply, serged or zigzag-stitched around the edges, or turned and topstitched). The only fabric I have heard to stay away from is fleece, as it does not do a good job of cleaning up messes (just smears it all around, so I hear). You can also simply use baby washcloths. These are fairly inexpensive and are absorbent and just the right size/thickness. Many people simply use water to moisten the wipes, but you can also make your own wipe solution (using one of many combinations of ingredients such as soap, baby oil, and essential oil) or purchase pre-made wipes solution. I have found the easiest way to store my wipes is dry in a pile on our changing table. I keep water (with a few drops of lavender oil) in an old Pampers wipes tub (for my newborn I use a Prince Lionheart wipes warmer), and moisten my wipes as I need them. When I need some for the diaper bag, I pre-moisten a few and put them in a travel Pampers wipes case. Cloth wipes also work really well for washing hands and faces, wiping runny noses, cleaning off tables at restaurants, etc. Here is a good website for making your own wipes solution:
http://www.zany-zebra.com/cloth-wipe-solution.shtml

For more information, including reviews on many brands and types of diapers and diapering supplies, see http://www.diaperpin.com/

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