The Traveling Tots!

We’ve been using cloth for nearly three years, across two kids. We also travel regularly, ranging from short weekend trips to visit family/friends to week-long vacations in fun spots.

For a long time, we used disposables when traveling. This was partly for cost reasons: It’s usually cheaper to buy disposables (with coupons, which I always have since we use disposables so infrequently) than to pay to do laundry. It was also partly because my husband was averse to the idea of traveling with cloth. I didn’t really understand why, but since he wasn’t fully onboard with cloth in general, I figured it was better to respect his feelings and compromise while traveling, in order to maintain his support at home.

But on our last few trips, he’s been open to using cloth, and it’s worked out really well. Our first major trip with cloth was a one-week trip last fall to visit my parents in Atlanta. Then, a few weeks ago, we used cloth on a four-day camping trip. We also have two one-week trips planned for July and September, and we’re planning to use cloth on those as well.

Our essential supplies for traveling with cloth:

Diapers. I’m a prefolds/fitteds girl at home, but I find that I prefer the ease of pockets when traveling. For our upcoming trips, I’m stocking up on Best Bottoms diapers, which consist of a reusable shell and snap-in inserts. I like these for traveling because they are more compact – very important, since space is always at a premium when traveling with kids! Here is what four diaper changes look like with Best Bottoms (on the left, three inserts plus a shell with an insert) and regular BumGenius pockets (on the right):

Extra inserts. If I know my son may need to go longer than usual between diaper changes – for example, on longer drives, or on the plane – I’ll slip an extra insert into his diaper to provide more absorbency and prevent leaks. I usually use Joey Bunz hemp inserts in his pockets, as they do a great job of locking away moisture. For Best Bottoms, there is an “overnight” insert that snaps to the regular insert to add absorbency.

Wipes. At home, we usually wet cloth wipes with plain water and store them in an old disposable wipes container. This setup is easy to travel with. For the camping trip, I brought along the disposable wipes container and some wipes. For the trip to Atlanta, I just brought dry wipes, to save space when flying. We just wet them with tap water when we needed them.

Wetbags. At home, we use a trash can as a diaper pail, but it’s too bulky for travel. Large hanging zippered wetbags take up hardly any space in luggage, contain smells well, and keep dirty diapers safely contained. I have two large Planet Wise wetbags and one large zippered wetbag that I made myself. I usually bring all three; they easily hold up to three days’ worth of diapers. I also bring one or two smaller wetbags to use on daytrips.

Poop disposal aids. At home, we use a spatula to scrape dirty diapers, when necessary (maybe 25 % of the time). On the road, so far, I haven’t brought anything special. Sometimes, I’ll use a bit of toilet paper to clean off dirty diapers, but that’s about it. I’m considering bringing either flushable liners or the spatula on our upcoming trips, though, just to make this part a little easier. If you’re used to using a diaper sprayer at home, you’ll definitely want to give some thought as to how you’ll deal with dirty diapers, as sprayers don’t travel well!

Laundry detergent. I didn’t do diaper laundry on the camping trip. That’s about as long as I would want to go without washing diapers at all. For the trip to Atlanta, I brought a little bit of the detergent we use at home (Country Save) in a Ziploc bag. Since we were staying with my parents, we were able to use their washer and dryer. We washed every 2-3 days, just like at home.

For our two upcoming trips, we found vacation rental properties through www.vrbo.com. Each of the properties has a washer and dryer, so I’m planning to bring detergent again and do laundry there. I’m really looking forward to it! The properties were about the same price as a hotel room, but give us a lot more room to spread out and a full kitchen, as well as the washer/dryer (which should come in handy for regular clothes as well as diapers). It’s a great setup for traveling with kids, with or without cloth diapers, so I think we’ll probably look for vacation rental properties on future trips as well.

That’s it! Traveling with cloth really is a breeze. Give it a try on your next trip!

Lisa and her husband, Richard, are the proud parents of Mia (4 years) and William (17 months). Both kids were flying long before they were crawling! Lisa maintains a blog on traveling with kids, The Traveling Tots.

Traveling with Cloth!

Our next blog series is about traveling with 100% cloth diapers. 



Our little family at the beach for the first time in San Diego!



In May of 2010, we traveled to the west coast to visit my brother and his (then) pregnant wife in San Diego.  I fell in love!  I am a Texas girl through and through, but I could definitely see myself living in San Diego.  Beautiful pretty much sums it up.  We stayed at their 2 bedroom condo, all 8 of us (9 if you include the tiny baby in my SIL's belly;) -- my brother, his wife, my parents, my husband, our (then) 2.5 year old, our (then) 6 month old, and myself.  It was a tight fit, but we had so much fun! 



I decided to go with 100% cloth for the trip, mostly because I was so excited about it!  My brother and his wife showed interest in using cloth for their impending arrival, so I also wanted to show them how easy it was.  They had a small washer/dryer (the 1/2 size kind that is stacked) in their condo that they said I could use.  I forgot to pack detergent, so we got some Tide Original powder while there. 

I packed most of the diapers we had, enough to wash every other day.  I was nervous about checking them, since it's a LOT of money to trust with the airline.  I've never had my luggage lost, but I just knew that this would be the one time they did.  So I packed them all in my carry on so I could keep them close. 

I used Flips with stay dry inserts for the airport and plane rides, there and back.  Very easy.  Well, as easy as it can be to change a diaper on the plane...



Meeting M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!



While there, I waited a couple of days until we were almost out of diapers before washing.  Big mistake.  I was used to our normal sized top loader at home.  Their tiny washer could only do about one day's worth of diapers, so I ended up having to do 2 loads on that very busy day.  And the tiny dryer took forever to dry, so all of the pocket shells and Flip covers I line dried in the bathroom, wherever I could hang them.  From then on, I washed every day.

Mid-trip, we planned a trip to Disneyland!!  We had a blast!  We spent a full day there, then stayed at a nearby hotel before another fun-filled day.  And yes, I still used cloth.  I found it was so easy, and not any more difficult than changing disposables while on vacation.  The only difference is our diapers didn't stink up the bathrooms when I was done. 

My little chunker wearing his special
Mickey Diaper (made by Doodle Dypes)!

We were gone a total of 8 days, and E was in cloth 100% of the time.  Riley was on the verge of potty training, and in undies and training pants while there, with cloth at night.  I was so nervous before the trip about juggling laundry while on vacation, but it was much easier than I anticipated.  I just threw in a load while we chatted, then they dried while we went to lunch or dinner (or bed).  I washed each day when I had the chance, and it was not the least bit difficult.  Nor was I tempted to buy disposables once we got there (which I secretly kept in the back of my mind). 



E wearing one of my favorite prints,
made by Doodle Dypes,
at his great-grandfather's house.

Empowered by an 8 day vacation, I knew that our upcoming 5 day long weekend at my husband's grandfather's lake house would be a breeze!  Last 4th of July we packed up to visit my husband's favorite place in the world.  I finally had enough to cloth diaper both of my kids full time (since Riley started going back and forth on potty training), just in time for this trip.  So this time last year, I just put the large basket of diapers in the van along with everything else.  I changed him just like I would with disposables. 

When we stay there, we are outside pretty much the entire time.  It is beautiful there, and right on the water.  The cloth diapers were easy to use while there.  I just made sure our diaper bag was stuffed with enough diapers for the full day, along with wipes and a wetbag.  Easy Peasy.

I knew I could use the washer and dryer there if needed, which I did plan on doing at least once.  I took some detergent with us, but never used it.  Riley did well with potty training that week, and I kept putting off washing the diapers.  That trip we made it the entire 5 days without washing diapers!  We got home in the middle of the night, and I immediately threw the diapers in the wash for an overnight soak.  I added some white vinegar to counter-balance the ammonia that was built up from 5 days worth of sitting and let them soak while we slept.  First thing in the morning, I did several hot wash cycles (minus detergent after the intial wash), then dried them as usual.  They were stink free by mid-day, and we were good again. 

Not last year, but one of my favorites!
This is Riley at 11 months, with his daddy,
at his favorite place!
No cloth diapers under his shorts,
we didn't know about them then.

We have since done a few more long weekend trips with 100% cloth.  After our first trip with cloth, I have never even considered doing disposables while traveling, since cloth is just as easy.  If we go camping or travel somewhere with no washer/dryer access, I plan on using flats and covers and handwashing.  Flats are ideal for handwashing since they are thin and wash/dry easily. 

I hear many people express concerns about using cloth while on vacation.  I encourage you to at least give it a try!  I was so nervous it would be a hassle, but quickly realized it was not.  I am glad I tried it, and will continue to use cloth while on vacation.  Different trips may require something different, but we will find a way to make it work! 

Brenda and her husband, Ryan, are the blessed parents of Riley (4 years) and Eli (19 months).   They enjoy spending lots of time together, especially on the few occassions they travel together.  Their preferred method of travel is by car, it's always an adventure!  You can read about their adventures in Brenda's blog, Adventure's of a Crispy Mama.  Brenda is the founder of the DFW Cloth Diaper Group and the DFW Cloth Diaper Project.

Woolies by Sanddi

I didn't start cloth diapering my son until he was about three months old. I just wasn't able to purchase a lot at one time. I slowly begun to build my stash. After getting comfortable with it, I started looking for night time options. Sylas doesn't sleep through the night, but doesn't fully wake up either. So no diaper changing. I needed to find options so we didn't have leaks. I don't mind changing my sheets but doing so every day can get a little tiring.  After doing some researching, I discovered woolies.

I thought, ew, I bet they're going to be all hot and scratchy. After asking a few questions on Diaperswappers, I started searching. We weren't doing so well finacially there for awhile and weren't able to spend a lot. I found a nice lady on Diaperswappers that did cheapish crochet longies. So I put in for a custom order.

My husband was surprised that I actually ordered some because I can crochet. I had no clue how easy it was! I purchased a pattern and began to hook away! It was then my addiction started. Wool is wonderful. It absorbs and repells liquids. It keeps you warm in the winter and breathes in the summer. It comes in many different types and colors. As I stated before, I've made my own woolies from wool yarn. I've used Wacky Alpacky for custom yarn. You can search on HC for yarns you like. You can also purchase premade woolies there! I cannot knit yet so I had Thready Or Knot knit me some shorties with yarn that Wacky Alpacky dyed. You can do a search on Hyena Cart for more knitters, there's TONS of them! The prices are high because of the time it takes to make them. They're well worth it!

Another amazing woolie is interlock. I have an addiction to Wild Child Woolies.  She is amazing and it's just adorable. Very easy to care for. I haven't used upcycled woolies so I can't comment on them.

Another reaction I get is 'It's too hard to wash.' NO WAY! All of the ways people wash their diapers makes me giggle. You're going to gripe about having to hand wash something after you've had to walk to your washing machine five times to wash one load of daipers? pft. Please. I only wash if they have something on them or if they get poo on them. Otherwise, nope. I own two pairs of interlock I've never washed. We'll wash interlock first. Since Sylas is scooting about, a few pairs have gotten dingy. Usually I wouldn't care but since Brenda asked me to do pictures and a tutorial, I washed them.

Follow the links to view the pictures.

Cute picture of the interlock.  First, I'm going to move my knobs to do a 'warm' wash on 'delicate'. What's that you say? I can't wash wool in my washing machine? Sure I can! And I will!  Fill up the washing machine on a small load. Pour a little of your wool wash in.

I use Naturally Luxe's Wool Wash in monkey farts. Lol.  It has lanolin in it. One less step for me is amazing.

Add your woolies and a few towels. Set it and forget it.  See?  They're still there!  And lay them flat to dry.   It'll take a day to a few days (depending on your house) to dry but they'll be good as new!

When it comes to my knits and crochets, I haven't gotten brave enough to throw them in the washing machine. I was told I could, but I just can't yet.  We're going to wash a pair of crochet shories.

Fill your sink, bath tub, bucket, whatever with warm water. (Like my fancy plug? And ignore the paint stains.)

Pour your wool wash in.  Swish around.  Squish and swish your woolies.  I like to use a wool bar on the crotch of these woolies. I'm not sure if it helps any but it makes me feel better. I got my wool bar from Crow Mountain Crafts in lavender. Mmmm.  Scrubby scrubby.  Then you squish a bit more.  Squeeze your woolie. Do not wring it.  Don't.  Lay it on a towel.  Roll it up.  And step on it.  Bam!  Clean woolies!

These will also take a day to a few days to dry.  These are all of my woolies I have at the moment.  I do have a few more in the works and on the way.  I have a feeling winter will be fun. I've already started stocking up!  I use fitteds or prefolds under my wool.  Our night diaper set up is either a SBish sized fitted with all the soakers or a premium prefold with an infant prefold and Thirsties soaker snappi'd under a WCW soaker.

Sanddi is a SAHM to her 7 month old son, Sylas, and 4 large dogs.  She has been married to her off-shore oilman, Preston, for about 6 years.  They live in the HEB area.

555 Member Auction!

**AUCTION IS CLOSED!!**  We raised $371!

When we hit 555 fans on our Facebook page, we will open an auction to raise funds for the new non-profit program to help homeless teen moms with cloth diapers!  All proceeds will go straight to the program, to help with start up costs, diapers, and diaper accessories for the babies in need.

Auction will take place on our facbook page, via the photo album.  Each item will be listed, and you bid by commenting on each picture of the prize you wish to win.  The bidding will end at a specified time (will be listed at time of auction).  The highest bidder at the closing will be the winner.  Money will be due within 1 hour after the close of the auction (via PayPal), or the prize will go to the next highest bidder. 

Winner is responsible of contacting the donating company for the prize they won.  Each company is shipping directly to the winner, after payment is verified by the DFW CD Group. 

Here are the prizes that are up for grabs/auction (more will be added as they come in):

One 1-Hour Photography Session, and the winner's choice of their 2 Favorite Full Resolution images with print release, donated by Brandi Thompson Photography.  Value: $195  email brandi@brandithompsonphotography.com

One Custom Cloth Diaper Woolie Cover, donated by FluffaBebe.  Value:  $32  email ag.steinle@gmail.com

One Blissful Booty AIO with 1 free booster, size and color of winner's choice, donated by Blissful Booty.  Value:  $20.60  email freebies@blissfulbooty.com to redeem your prize.

One itti bitti tutto, color of winner's choice (in stock only), donated by the Nappy Shoppe (and itti bitti).  Value:  $26.95  email sharni@nappyshoppe.com

One Thirsties Duo Diaper, size and color of winner's choice (in stock only), donated by the Nappy Shoppe (and Thirsties).  Value:  $18.50  email sharni@nappyshoppe.com

Custom Hooded Towel, donated by Lily Baby.  Value:  $25.  email shoplilybaby@gmail.com  Shipping for this item is $5.

Semi-Custom Wool Shorties (size of your choice), donated by Sanddi.  Value:  $30.  email sandraluke@att.net.

Custom Wet Bag (fabric of winner's choice, 12"x15"), donated by Sweet Lil' Mama.  Value:  $17.  email alex.sweetlilmama@gmail.com.

Personalized Monogrammed Robot Tee, size and color of winner's choice, donated by Kalamity Kids.  Value:  $25.95 (includes shipping).  email kalamitykids@att.net.

One Mini Photo Session, 5 High Res Images (Choose a location from 6 preselected spots across the DFW Metroplex), donated by Stefani Marcus Photography.  Value:  $100.  email stefani@stefanimarcusphotography.com

One Raccoon Ear Flap Hat, donated by LolaLand Creations.  Value: $30.  email lbutler@lolalandcreations.com

Two Drink Cozies, donated by Blessed Creations by Becky.  Value: $12.  email

	rebeccalbrooks@gmail.com

Wool What?!

When I started looking into cloth diapers over a year ago, I read about wool covers, but had no interest in them what-so-ever!  They were $$, and I didn't really get it.  I read about people's addictions to wool, and how they couldn't get enough.  I understood that (to a point) about cloth diapers, but not the wool.  I did eventually try prefolds, contours, flats, and fitteds -- all of which require a cover to be waterproof.  I just used a regular PUL cover, though, and was not impressed.  I still felt no need to try wool.  No big deal, I loved my pockets, wahm AI2's, and AIO's!  Easy to use and quick changes.  I sold the few fitteds I had (including my favorite doggie pirate BSRB).  No regrets.

Until now.  In January, I decided to try a fitted diaper with PUL cover for overnight.  I was tired of overly stuffed pockets, which worked fine, but sometimes they did leak.  I have heard for over a year (and even recommended) fitteds with wool for a bulletproof overnight solution.  However, I was still intimidated by wool (I hate handwashing!), so I just went with the covers I had.

I first tried the Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted with a Thirsties Duo Wrap.  However, after a month I dealt with horrible ammonia issues in only these diapers, which I tried for a month to overcome before admitting defeat.  The Fab Fitteds have microfiber, which was the cause of such stink.  Not a good material choice for all night toddler pee.  I finally went back to pockets, but was determined to find a better, natural fitted that wouldn't give me such stink.  You can read about my battle here.



Tiny Tush Trim fitted with a gFlapper laid inside.
This is great for overnight!!



I bought a Tiny Tush Trim fitted diaper and a Tiny Tush Organic Wool Soaker at Babies Bottoms and More in Farmer's Branch.  After washing and lanolizing the wool (using samples of wool wash) and waiting 3 days for it to dry (the downside to wool -- it takes forever to dry!) and prepping the fitted, E had his first overnight in wool.  Well, not exactly.  I had to wait until after my 2 week hospital/rehab stay following my motorcyle accident.  I had it all ready to try, then we had our accident. But once I came home, he finally had his first night in a fitted and wool!  I added a bamboo/hemp gFlapper from the Nappy Shoppe in Allen to the fitted so he had enough absorbancy.



After one night I was hooked!  I finally understood what all the hype was about.  A leakproof, all night, breathable solution.  And they're cute.  Why did I resist so long?  If only I had caved in and tried wool sooner, I would not have sold my favorite print -- a doggie pirate BSRB (Bagshot Raw Bamboo).  And now BSRB isn't even in business anymore: super sad face.  She probably didn't have that print anymore, anyway.  I loved that diaper (well, not then, but I did love the print!).  I would especially love the diaper now.  I love fitteds under wool, but not under PUL.  



The doggie pirate BSRB that I regretfully sold last year.

So my hunt began.  Since I'm unable to walk (temporarily, a result of my accident), I do a lot of sitting, which means a lot of computer time.  I bought a Sustainablebabyish/Sloomb Organic Bamboo fitted, a Sustainablebabyish/Sloomb Snapless Multi fitted, and a Sustainablebabyish/Sloomb Knit Wool Cover from Baby Rear Gear in Arlington.  She brought them to the May CD meetup, and I couldn't wait to get home to prep the fitteds and lanolize the wool!



4 of my 5 wool covers (counterclockewise starting at top left:

Wild Child Woolies, Sustainablebabyish, Tiny Tush, Fluffabebe)



I started buying more fitteds, and also wool!  So far, I have 5 wool covers: 1 Tiny Tush Organic Wool cover in brown, 1 Sloomb cover in squash, 1 Wild Child Woolies with an adorable dinosaur, 1 Fluffabebe cover, and 1 Just Peachy Knits shorties.  I want 1-2 more wool covers, the problem is deciding what!



Some of the fitteds, a flat, and a contour diaper.



The fitteds I now have are:  3 Sloomb w/snaps, 1 Sloomb snapless, 1 Organic Caboose, 1 Little Fancy Pants, 1 Little Comforts bamboo, 1 secret tester (that I love and want more of!), and 1 that I can't remember the name of (and is in the wash).  I also have some flats that I sometimes use under the wool, and one Tiny Tush Contour. 

I mentioned I hate to handwash.  Here's the great thing about wool:  You only need to wash it about once every 3-4 weeks!  It is antimicrobial and actaully stays pretty clean, and NO it doesn't stink (unless it has been a few weeks and it's time to wash).  Of course, if poop gets on it, wash it right away.  but other wise, just let it airdry between uses.  It needs to be lanolized to be waterproof (lanolin is a natural sheep by-product that keeps the wool waterproof  I can deal with once every 3-4 weeks, and it's actually very simple!  Hands on time is less than 5 minutes. 

Here's how I wash:

Put 1 tsp per gallon of wool wash in lukewarm water, in either the sink or a small bucket.  I only put enough water to cover the wool, so it depends on how many I am washing at a time (usually 1-2).  Then add wool (turned inside out) and gently swish.  Then let sit for 15-20 minutes (or just go back when I think about it;).  Roll the wool and gently squeeze out excess water (do NOT ring or twist it!).  No need to rinse (according to my wool wash instructions).  Lay on towel while I pour out the dirty water.

The dirty water after soaking for 20 minutes.

I used 1 capful of wool wash, seemed too much.

Rinse sink or bucket, then fill with lukewarm water.  Melt 1 tsp of lanolin in HOT water (boiling water works best but I'm lazy, you may also briefly microwave the lanolin to soften it).  Make sure it is fully melted before adding to the rest of the water, so clumps of lanolin do not stick to one spot on the wool.  Stir and mix well.  Then add wool, ensuring that it is fully submerged (still inside out).  Let sit for 20-30 minutes (or until I remember to get it).  Roll wool and gently sqeeze out excess water (again, do NOT ring or twist!).



Soaking in lanolized water.

Lay wool flat on a towel, then roll it together to gently squeeze out excess water into the towel.  Then lay wool flat to dry, indoors and out of direct sunlight.  I sometimes hang them on the shower curtain rod.  It takes about 3 days for our wool to dry completely.

After gently squeezing excess water, I rolled them in the same towel (one is already rolled up at top of picture).

I have started off using Eucalan wool wash, which I picked up at the Nappy Shoppe.  I am currently using Lansinoh brand lanolin, since that's what I could quickly and easily find at a trip to Target.  There are many brands of wool wash and lanolin, which I plan on trying!  Once I'm out of Eucalan, I will try something else.  Same with the lanolin.  I want lanolin that smells yummy!! 

Overall, wool has been an amazing choice!  If you are looking for a new night time option, or just want something more breathable for your LO's bum, I definitely suggest making the switch!  Or do what I did, and just add it to your stash.  I still like pockets/AIO's for out of the house and under his clothes.  But for a great breathable option in this Texas heat, while at home and at night, E will wear wool!

The newsest addition to the stash:
a Little Fancy Pants fitted and Just Peachy Knits shorties.



 Brenda is mommy to Riley (almost 4) and Eli (18 months).  She started CDing when her yougest was 2 months and they were tired of the high cost of disposable diapering 2 kids!  Her oldest is now potty trained, and she is planning on CDing their next baby (whenever that may be) from birth.  She is the founder of the DFW Cloth Diaper Group and the author of Adventure's of a Crispy Mama.

It’s Just a Matter of Conviction

Our Cloth Diapering Community is made up of all sorts of different families with different backgrounds, believes and customs, but we all have a common conviction: Cloth Diapering is best for our babies, the planet and helps out on the family economy.

I’ll tell you a little about myself.

I’m the typical corporate career woman, I work from 9 am to 6 pm on regular days, but can log as much as 60 hours a week when there is a project deadline. I have to dress up, put make up on, style my hair and wear high heels to go to work every day. I have a degree in Civil Engineering and practice as a Licensed Professional Engineer designing and managing highway and levee projects for the second largest engineering firm in the US. I really love my job, it is very rewarding to see a project you worked on being built and used by the public.

When I got pregnant and started researching what brand of diaper to use with my baby I realized how damaging to our environment disposable diapers are just by its production cycle, material waste and waste to our landfills. I was looking for a less damaging diaper to use on my baby and found 7th Generation (they don’t bleach the diapers, therefore don’t release chlorine and dioxins into water streams) and then I found g-Diapers (no landfill waste, compostable), which I thought was the way to go, even though it was going to be more expensive to diaper a baby. I did not think of using cloth insert at that time.

One day while pregnant, I visited a dear friend who had just had a baby, I made a comment about diapers and my environmental concerns, she surprised me by saying that she used cloth diapers…I followed her to the baby’s room to change a diaper and I was instantaneously amazed with them. She used a fitted Kissuluv with a Thirsties cover; she also showed me the BumGenious AIOs and Fuzzi Bunz pockets. I was sold, I wanted to know more!! She explained to me the basics and her washing routine and as soon as I got home that night I researched in the internet and became obsessed with learning more about them…the rest is history.

Before going back to work after maternity leave I interviewed several daycares in my neighborhood, one of the requirements I had was that they accept using cloth diapers. After several rejections, and comments like “That is not sanitary”, or “It’s against our policy to use cloth diapers”, I found a wonderful place that said, “Sure, no problem, we’ve done it before”. It was interesting when I took the diapers to show to the caretakers, and they had no problem on using them, it was mainly the directors that would comment against them.

When baby began day care I took several brands that I had of pockets and AIOs, and let the care takers test which ones worked best for them. After a couple of months of using them they told me that the Fuzzi Bunz were their favorites, even though they were not my favorites and would have loved to test even more brands, I got all Fuzzi Bunz for my stash to accommodate their preference.

So the daily routine goes like this: I take 8 diapers in a clean wetbag at drop-off in the morning, in the afternoon at pick up I take all soiled diapers in the dirty wetbag back home. At home I get my alone peaceful moment with my diapers, I even call it my meditation moment, where I spray the poopy diapers in the toilet and rinse them all in the tub, I also hand scrub every poopy diaper to avoid any chance of stains in the wash, then I transfer them back to the wetbag if it is not wash day. I have a strict wash day schedule, every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday no matter what, even if it means washing at 11 pm at night after coming back from the office tired after a huge deadline and drying first thing in the morning so they are ready to stuff before leaving to daycare at 8:00 am. I might not be disciplined on many things, but my cloth kept me disciplined on this. I really don’t like doing regular laundry but I enjoy doing diaper laundry, I don’t know why…I guess it is just conviction.

In the 2 and a half years of cloth diapering my son at day care I never missed a day; according to them he has never worn a disposable (but have to admit that I always kept a pack of 7th generation disposables at home for “just in case”, and there were several “just in case” moments at home). Only once DH forgot to pick up the dirty wetbag from day care but it was no problem. I’m glad I found such a supportive day care for our family, where they respect my preference.

At this point I am working on a newborn stash and have a variety of new cloth diapers that I can’t wait to try with the new baby. I am amazed with the amount of support and new brands that are available now compared to 3 years ago.


Hello, my name is Carla and I am a cloth diaper addict, and if they tell me I got to go to rehab, I say no, no, no.



Carla and her husband have been married for 10 years, they have a 3-year old son (day and night potty trained for 3 months already) and they are expecting their second bundle of joy, a girl due in July. They both work full time in the corporate world. Carla cannot wait to get back to her meditation time scrubbing cloth diapers.

"I can't use cloth, my caregiver won't be able to use them"

One of the main reasons some families don't do cloth is that they think once mom and dad are back to work, the baby's daytime caregiver won't be able to use them. Fortunately, we haven't found that to be a problem. 

My husband and I both work full-time so my mother-in-law watches our son during the day. We did sposies for the first few weeks while she was learning the ropes, but then showed her how to CD. We started out with Thirsties duo diapers, which with their hook and loop (aka Velcro) closures are just as easy as disposables. From there we've expanded to bumGenius elementals with snap closure and bumGenius 4.0 with hook and loop. She prefers the h&l but can do snaps too. 

Ironically, she had a harder time with disposables!  She wasn't getting them high or tight enough. With the snaps or Velcro she can more easily see where to go.  I've even made guidance lines with marker so she knows how tight to make them. 

After I went back to work, after 12 weeks, my hubby took 10 weeks of paternity leave to stay home with our son too. He used CDs too, with no problem. 

I don't use prefolds, and only use my Flips hybrids at home, as I think those might be too complicated for someone else.  Once we started solid foods and the accompanying solid poos came along, we started using flushable disposable liners inside the diapers. Cleanup is a breeze, we just flush the liner with the BM inside. Can't get much easier than that, and it ensures solid waste goes in the toilet where it should rather than in the landfill where it shouldn't. 

We've had great luck with our caregiver using the Thirsties and bumGenius diapers, and I love that we're saving some green while being green.


Ellen works full time as a goverment lawyer, her husband also works full time.  They live in Las Colinas with their adorable son.  They are first time parents and loving every crazy minute of it!