DIY: Stay Dry Liners

As I said on Friday, I think that stay-dry or fleece liners are a cloth diapering must-have.  They come in handy when you need to use a rash cream, or on top of a pre-fold to keep your baby dry.  Here’s how to make some liners easily and inexpensively.

Materials needed:

• Fleece – the thinner the better, to allow liquid to pass through easily.  White looks nice, but anything will work.  Pre-wash the fleece.  I used yellow because I found a remnant for just a couple of bucks.
• Scissors
• Ruler or stay-dry liner to use as a pattern.
• Serger if you desire to finish the edges.  (This isn’t necessary because the fleece will not fray in the wash.  Finished edges do look nicer).

Lay the fleece out and place your stay-dry liner on top as a pattern.  If you don’t have a liner to use as a guide, I recommend cutting strips that measure approximately 16” x 5 or 6”.  If you want your liner to fit inside gussets (like the Rumparooz diaper) make your liner slightly more narrow.

Cut your fleece into strips. 

It is not necessary to finish the edges, but if you have a serger it does make them look nice.  As for function, these work just as well as the ones you can buy from Cotton Babies or Kanga Care.

Voila!  Stay-dry liners in five minutes or less!

Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the 350 Blog Followers celebratory giveaway is:

Kim McIntosh

entry #163

Congratulations!  Please email iwon@doablediapers.com within 48 hours to claim your prize.

Cloth Diapering Must-Haves: Fleece Liners

I have an “essentials” list of items and accessories that I would not want to do without as a cloth diapering mommy.  I would like to share the list with you sometime, but one item in particular has been invaluable to me recently: fleece liners.

Elaine usually gets a bad diaper rash when she is teething.  This past time, she also had an allergic reaction to my all-natural diaper rash cream.  This not only prevented her rash from healing, but made it much worse. 

The easy solution when dealing with a diaper rash (if you must use a cream, and especially if it is a medicated/prescription cream) is to switch to disposables.  That was not an option for us.  However, I did not want to risk ruining my costly pocket diapers, or void the manufacturer’s warranty.  So what is the solution when you must use a cream, which is typically a no-no?

Fleece liners.  These are also sometimes called Stay Dry Liners, Micro-Chamois liners, etc.  Basically it is a strip of stay-dry fabric, similar to the lining in your pocket diapers, that fits down the center of your diaper.  This thin liner allows fluids to pass through unhindered into the soaker beneath, and it also keeps the baby’s skin dry (just as the lining of your pocket diaper does).  However, any cream that rubs off of baby’s bum rubs onto the liner, and not your diaper.  You can then wash the liners separately to prevent contaminating your other soiled diapers in the wash.  If the liner is particularly soiled, you can throw it away.  They cost very little, but they protect the more expensive investment you have in your pocket diapers.

We used liners for over two weeks while healing Elaine’s rash.  I did not have to strip my diapers, and the warranty is still intact on all of them.  I just kept a plastic bag at the changing table, and if Elaine had been wearing cream I put the liner and the wipes into the bag.  I washed them about once a week separate from other diapers and clothes.  It was a small load, but it was worth it.  Then I would add the dirty diapers to the wash and allow the liners and wipes to go through another good wash cycle, even though they were already clean.

You can purchase fleece liners inexpensively, or you can make your own even cheaper.  I will share next week how I have made my own.

Obsession Confession–Jennifer Atchison

 

Name: Jennifer Atchison

Children: 1 and 1 on the way, Emery is 22 months and baby #2 is due to arrive in early May 2011!

Occupation: Part time school social worker

Where do you live? Kansas

Is your hubby on board with using cloth diapers? Yes!  Once he found out how much money it would save us he was glad to switch.  However, while he'll change them, he still turns his nose up to poopy cloth diapers and he doesn't like using cloth wipes.  But, he's a trooper and tries not to complain!

When did you start cloth diapering? I researched for months before I switched.  We finally made the switch when Emery was 17 months old.

What was your main reason for switching to cloth diapers? There are several reasons.  I like that they are better for the environment.  One of our highways in town goes right past the landfill.  For the past 5 years since we've lived in our current home I've seen it just get higher and higher.  Contributing to that by throwing away so many disposable diapers just got to me one day.  Secondly, I really like that there isn't really a nasty smell involved.  The diaper trash always smelled so bad and my husband and I would battle over who would take the diapers out to the trash!  Of course, it goes without saying that I also loved switching because they are super cute, soft, and fun! :)

Share the short story of how you started using cloth diapers. I have some online friends that were doing cloth and I grew interested the more they talked about it.  I started doing my own research on the types of cloth, how to wash, etc. and I asked them lots of questions.  I started entering blog giveaways and won a few pocket diapers.  So, I just decided to finally jump in and try it out.  I loved it right away and haven't looked back.  I wish I would have started much much sooner.

What is your favorite brand and style of diapers? My favorite diapers are pocket diapers.  I really love the fit of bumGenius 4.0 w/snaps but I love the colors Fuzzibunz offers.  My stash includes mostly bG's and Fuzzibunz.  I do like Flip diapers and prefolds/covers when we're at home.  I recently purchased an AppleCheeks and would love to try a Rumparooz, too.  Babykicks Joeybunz inserts are my favorite insert.

How many diapers are in your stash? 18 Pockets, 3 covers, 7 prefolds, 1 Flip, 5 Flip inserts, and a handful of extra Joeybunz inserts.

Share a blooper or “newbie” story from your cloth diapering experiences. I won some cloth wipes from a blog so one day I decided to switch to cloth wipes without really talking to my husband about it.  He went in to change Emery's diaper and he yelled back at me from the other room "where are the wipes?"  I told him I'd switched to cloth and he looked at me and said "You can't take EVERYTHING easy away from me!" LOL.  He's doing good with them now, though :)

Do you have a tip to share with others? Even though pocket diapers say that the inserts agitate out in the wash, I find it easiest to pull out the inserts at the time I change the diaper and throw everything into the diaper pail separately.  That way, on wash day, all I have to do is dump everything in the wash including the pail liner and I'm good to go.  I never have to touch the dirty diapers accept right when I take them off my son.  Super easy!  Additionally, I think it's easiest to fold my prefolds in trifolds and stuff them in the covers beforehand so they can just be "grab and go" when I need them.  I stuff all the pocket diapers ahead of time for the same reason.  Plus it's easier for my husband that way, too. Then you just pull a diaper out of the drawer and put it on, much like a disposable!

Is there anything you wish you had known when you started using cloth diapers? That it's easier than it sounds!  I don't know why I was so nervous to try because once I did, it just came naturally and was so easy.  I don't even notice the extra laundry I do and in fact, I LOVE hanging my diapers on the clothes line and stuffing inserts.  I also love color coordinating the clean diapers in the dresser drawer! :) LOL.

What is the greatest issue or problem you’ve had with cloth diapers, and how did you resolve it? My son came down with a mild case of staph infection.  He had to be on antibiotics and a cream so we had to put him in disposables for the 10 days he was on his meds (it caused some runny poo!).  I stripped all my diapers so they would be ready to go right before he started back in cloth.  The day before I was going to switch him back I found out that diapers that may have been in contact with staph bacteria need to be washed in a small amount of bleach or boiled first to truly clean out the bacteria.  So, I went to all that work stripping the diapers for nothing! :)  I unstuffed everything and put them all back in the wash with some bleach.  They came out nice and clean and good as new and we started back in cloth the next day.  I'm so glad I found out I needed to bleach them before hand so I didn't re-infect my son!

What are your other hobbies, interests, and obsessions? I love to spend time playing outside with Emery and my husband when the weather is nice.  We love the outdoors.  When not pregnant, I enjoy a good glass of white wine and a great book.  I guess you could call me a baseball fan.  I don't really have a choice because my husband loves baseball, but I've been known to watch a game even even when he isn't controlling the remote! :) 

What are your favorite blogs and websites? I don't have any really favorite blogs, just several I visit off and on.  Mostly blogs that I have an email subscription too are the ones I keep up with.  My favorite websites?  Umm...probably Facebook, USAToday.com, and babyhalfoff.com :)

Tell us a little about your personality.  I'm pretty easy going.  I'm content with not doing anything but spending time with my family.  It doesn't take a lot to make me happy.  I'm not a jewelry and makeup kind of girl...so motherhood suits me wonderfully! :)  There's nothing I love more than just running around after my little man and being silly with my family.

Kudos to the First Lady

Without going into politics, I would like to commend the First Lady for her work to promote breastfeeding.  An article on Politics Daily yesterday by Lynn Sweet highlighted Michelle Obama’s position in favor of breastfeeding as part of her campaign to reduce childhood obesity.

According to the article, the First Lady recognizes that breastfeeding is a personal choice, so she doesn’t want to tell women to do it.  However, for those who do choose to breastfeed their babies, the campaign is designed to make it easier.

President Obama signed a bill on March 13 (I’m assuming that was last year?!) which provides a place/room for women to express milk while at work.  This requirement is only stipulated to certain employers, however.  (Affordable Care Act, March 13th). The WIC program is now supposed to provide more information, counseling, and supplies regarding breastfeeding to low-income women.  (Child Nutrition Bill, December 13th).

Also included in the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign (entering its second year) is raising the standard in hospitals to be certified as “Baby Friendly” and and allow for babies to room-in with their mother.  This would help to encourage and facilitate breastfeeding.

The campaign is now promoting tax breaks on nursing supplies such as breast pumps.  You can now write-off those expenses!

Babies who are breastfed longer show less tendencies toward obesity in childhood according to studies.

Cloth Diaper Love–We Have a Winner!

After much deliberation, we have finally selected a winner!

Here are the top five six finalists.  (There was a tie for fourth place).    These pictures received the most votes – good work sending all of family, friends, and fans over to vote!  They are in no particular order.

{Lindsey G.}

{Toni}

{Roxi}

{Tina}

{Candise}

And the winner is…

{Lindsay S.}

Congratulations to everyone, and thanks to all who participated!  We’ll have to do it again sometime!

Here's a link to a little video that Diary of a Devil Dog Wife put together of all the contest entries!

Last Day to Vote!

You can still vote in our photo contest through tomorrow.  The winner will be announced on Monday.  Don’t forget to send your family and friends over to vote if you have a photo entered. 

In order to qualify to vote you must follow both Doable Diapers and Diary of a Devil Dog Wife via Google Friend Connect.  You can vote once a day…today and tomorrow!

Click the picture to enter the voting form!

350 Blog Followers Giveaway

We made it to 350 blog followers!  To celebrate we are giving away a FuzziBunz one size diaper!

Mandatory Entry:

Follow Doable Diapers on GFC

Extra Entries:

“Like” the Doable Diapers Facebook page
Follow Doable Diapers on Twitter
Sign up to receive blog updates by email (right hand sidebar of the blog)
Sign up to receive the Doable Diapers Newsletter
Fill out our survey
Make any purchase from Doable Diapers during the dates of this giveaway (10 extra entries)

The Fine Print:  Giveaway will be open until Feb. 26th at midnight EST.  Winner will be emailed and announced on the blog.  Winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize, or a new winner will be chosen.

Click HERE to enter the giveaway

We use 100% cloth!

Our family has chosen to take the plunge in cloth diapering.  We use only cloth, 100% of the time.  We use them at home, we use them on the go, we use them when we travel, and we use them for nighttimes.  The last disposable diaper that was in our home was over a year ago, and it was given to us by someone who meant well.

It’s really not hard to take your cloth diapers with you when you leave home.  You’re going to need diapers one way or the other, right?  Be sure to pack your wet bag so that you have a place to store the dirty diaper until you arrive home.  I carry a Planet Wise medium wet bag in my diaper bag.  It’s nice and roomy, just in case we are gone for an extended period of time.  If we’re traveling, I pack my large hanging Planet Wise wet bag to use as a diaper pail.

We even use cloth wipes.  We use them at home.  We use them on the go.  I know that some people still choose to take their disposable wipes with them when they leave home.  I always roll the wipe inside the diaper, and habits die hard.  So…if I use disposable wipes, they end up going through my laundry.  Since I pre-moisten my wipes, it is just as easy to use.  I store my on-the-go wipes in a small Planet Wise wet bag.  I pre-moisten my wipes at home.  Before packing them in the wet bag I wring out any excess liquid, to be sure I don’t have leaks in my diaper bag.

I always bring a changing pad with me when we leave home.  If you have to use a public restroom to change your baby you will want to leave all of the germs there, and not transfer them to your baby.  If you have to change your little one in the car, the changing pad protects the upholstery of your vehicle from any “messes.”

I have changed diapers in many places.  The car, the restaurant, the public restroom, an airplane, and even in the stroller when nothing else was available!  (And it was an umbrella stroller…not one of those that folds into a flat bed).  You can use cloth diapers no matter where you are – it just takes a little extra planning.

Just a little thought…

I’m going to veer away from the main topic of this blog – cloth diapers – and get a little personal.  That is, I’m going to share something personal, with the hopes that it will be a blessing or encouragement.   I hope you don’t mind.

I really dislike doing laundry.  I think it is my least favorite task in my role as homemaker.  Doing diaper laundry is slightly more pleasant – the bright colors and stuffing the pockets isn’t as much of a drudgery.  My laundry task is made slightly more complicated by the fact that I don’t have a dryer.  I have to meticulously hang out each item so that it gets enough air to dry quickly.  There is always another load waiting to be hung on my one precious drying rack. 

Because of my dislike for this task, and the time involved, I usually end up putting off the laundry until the last moment.  Sometimes I am still hanging laundry while my hubby is getting ready for bed.

I had a thought today, as I hung out the whites to dry.  “I would much rather be blogging, or making cards, or taking a nap.”  Then I remembered something that I had read in a book several years ago.  Elisabeth Elliot said that she used to nag her husband about picking up his socks.  That is, until he passed away.  Then there were no more socks to pick up. (Elisabeth has been a widow twice).  She said she would much rather pick up the socks without complaining if it meant her husband would still be with her.

Recalling that little story made me look at my laundry a little differently.  I’m so glad that I get to hang up all of these whites, because it means that I have a husband who wears all of them.  I feel blessed to have to wash the diapers, because it means I am a mommy and I have a baby who needs them.  God has truly blessed me in so many ways!

I know there are many ladies who would love the task of folding little socks and onesies, or hanging white diapers on a clothesline…if it meant that they had children.  Then I think of my blogging friend Marah (and many other women), whose husband is so far away in Afghanistan.  I’m thinking that Marah would love to have some extra laundry to do…if it meant that her husband was home again.

Maybe these thoughts are insignificant, but today they gave me a little bit of a fresh perspective and gratefulness for the chores that I do as a homemaker.  Don’t get so caught up in the mundane things that you lose sight of what is really precious!

And tomorrow we’ll talk about diapers again!

Cloth Diapers: The Economical Way

There are a variety of reasons why parents choose to use cloth diapers.  One of the biggest reasons, and one of the biggest benefits, is the money that can be saved.  But maybe you want to use cloth diapers, and you can’t afford to jump in with a full stash of pocket diapers.  What are your other options?

There are a couple of economical options to use cloth diapers and maximize the savings by using less expensive diapers.

Choose Prefolds and Covers

I started cloth diapering with six FuzziBunz (all baby gifts) and a lot of prefolds.  Prefolds are usually around $2 each.  You could get a full stash of 24 prefolds for just $48!  You will need to use diaper covers with prefolds, so let’s factor in the cost of the cover. 

The Flip one size diaper cover is a great choice.  It will grow with your baby and fit from 8-35 pounds.  At diaper changes, just wipe the inside of the cover and reuse it over a clean diaper (unless of course the cover is soiled…then replace it with a clean one).  We recommend that you have 6-8 covers, depending on the age of your baby.  Smaller babies need their diaper changed more often, and have more potential of soiling the cover.  You want to have enough on hand to compensate.

Let’s add the cost of 6 Flip diaper covers.  At $13.95 each, that would come to $83.70.  So theoretically you could start diapering your baby for the grand total of $131.70!  Depending on the size of your baby, you may need to purchase some larger prefolds down the road.

Choose a Hybrid System

This is similar to the prefolds and covers system, except that you are using inserts designed for your covers.  The Flip diaper cover has two great inserts – a Stay Dry Insert, and an Organic Cotton Insert.  By purchasing a Flip Day Pack (2 covers, 6 inserts) you can save even more.  Because you are reusing the covers at diaper changes, you need to purchase less of them, and therefore the cost of your complete stash is less.

Let’s look at the cost of the Flip diapering system.  If you purchase three Day Packs, you would have 6 Flip Covers and 18 Stay Dry Inserts.  You could purchase an additional six inserts to complete your stash of 24 inserts.  Or, if your baby is smaller, you may just want to purchase 4 Day Packs so that you have more covers available.

3 Day Packs (Stay Dry): $49.95 each, total of $149.85
6 Additional Stay Dry Inserts: $4.95 each, total $29.70
Grand Total: $179.55

With the Flip system there is no need to purchase additional sizes, as the cover is a one size cover.  $179.55 would diaper your baby from birth to potty training!

Consider the Price of Disposable Diapers

I know…$200 bucks at once still seems like a lot of money, especially since one reason to use cloth diapers is to save money.  So let’s consider the cost of disposable diapers.

There are a lot of variables when it comes to computing this cost!  What brand you choose, where you shop, whether or not you use coupons, how often your child wets, how often you change your child, and at what age your child starts potty training all affect your total cost of disposable diapers.

I priced diapers on Amazon, because I know a lot of people who use Amazon to get volume discounts and free shipping.  I averaged the prices of the various sizes of Pampers.  If you purchase the economy package the average is 20 cents per diaper.

• Let’s figure 12 diapers per day for the first 3 months.
  90 days x 12 diapers per day x 20 cents per diaper =
  $216 (or $72 per month)
• Let’s figure 10 diapers per day for the next 3 months.
  90 days x 10 diapers per day x 20 cents per diaper =
  $180 (or $60 per month)
• Let’s figure 8 diapers per day until age two (I’m being generous…most kids I know don’t potty train until age three!)
  18 months (540 days) x 8 diapers x 20 cents per diapers = $864 (or $48 per month)

That’s a grand total of $1260…that you are literally throwing in the trash!  Wouldn’t it be better to spend around $200 to use cloth diapers?  You would save about $1,000.  You would be creating less waste.  You would be putting soft and natural materials next to your baby’s skin rather than plastic and chemicals.

Choose cloth diapers – if you do it the economical way you will save a lot of money!

Cloth Diaper Love Photo Entries–Vote NOW!

This post will remain at the top until the voting has ended.  Please scroll down for newer content.

The link to the voting form is at the bottom.  You must be a public follower (Google Friend Connect) of BOTH Doable Diapers blog, and Diary of a Devil Dog Wife.

#1 – from Tat

#2 – from Lindsey G.

#3 – from Connie

#4 – from Lindsay S.

#5 – from Maia

#6 – from Beth

#7 – from Kimberlie

#8 – from Ashley

#9 – from Patti

#10 – from Anna

#11 – from Elizabeth

#12 – from Nichole

#13 – from Jodi

#14 – from Chelsey

#15 – from Amanda

#16 – from Stacy

#17 – from Cindy

#18 – from Rach

#19 – from Roxi

#20 – from Krystina

#21 – from Whitney
(photo removed by request of owner)

#22 – from Tina

#23 – from Candise

#24 – from Carrissa

#25 – from Erica

#26 – from Heather

#27 – from Toni

#28 – from Selina

Click HERE to Vote for your favorite photo! 
Voting ends 2/13/11.

Obsession Confession–Angela Heffner from Life with My Littles

Name?  Angela Heffner

Children? 2 boys, Aaron 2 years and Joshua 10 months

Occupation: Homemaker

Where do you live? Fort Meade, MD

Is your hubby on board with using cloth diapers? Yes

When did you start cloth diapering? When my oldest was about 9  months old!

What was your main reason for switching to cloth diapers? Cost!

The short story of how you started using cloth diapers? Won some FuzziBunz on a giveaway and then fell in love... made the switch almost immediately!

What is your favorite brand and style of diapers? Pocket, one size, FuzziBunz!

How many diapers are in your stash? 45 or so!

Share a blooper or “newbie” story from your cloth diapering experiences? I Forgot to dump the poo and put my finger in it on wash day! Eeewwwww

Do you have a tip to share with others? Try many kinds of cloth diapers to see which ones you like best and which ones work best for you before you purchase a bunch of dipes you don't really like!

When you started using cloth diapers, what is one thing you wish you had known? Ummm nothing really!

What is the greatest issue or problem you’ve had with cloth diapers, and how did you resolve it? The PUL coming apart from my 1 year old FuzziBunz (their customer service is awesome). They replaced the diapers without any hassles!

Regarding cloth diapers, is there anything you would like to know? How can I get more?? No just kidding... not at this time!

What are your other hobbies, interests, and obsessions? Babywearing, breastfeeding, being outdoors, camping, hiking, coffee, and tea, and blogging.

What are your favorite blogs and websites? Too many to name! I love the Applecheeks blog, Marine Parents, and many others. More of my favorites can be viewed on my blog!

Tell us a little about your personality? I am fun, outgoing, and love to teach my boys things in a fun and exciting way!

 

Angela blogs over at Life With My Littles.  Be sure to stop in and tell her that we sent you!  And be looking for a Doable Diapers-sponsored giveaway in the future!

The Doable Details: Nighttime Cloth Diapering

Based on the answers in our survey (it’s still open through 2/28, and you could win a FuzziBunz diaper for answering), many of you have not found a good overnight cloth diaper.  Several of you still use disposables at night, and I think it may be partly due to the difficulty of finding just the right diaper for your baby at night.

I tried several different diapers before I finally arrived at our current nighttime solution.  There is some trial and error to this process, because every baby is shaped differently and wets differently and sleeps in different positions for different amounts of time.  Don’t give up!  Here are some things that I have found helpful when finding a good overnight routine.

Try a Pocket Diaper

I prefer to use a pocket diaper for overnights because they are completely customizable.  The inner fleece/suede lining ensures my baby will stay dry all night.  The waterproof outer layer ensures wetness will not escape.  The pocket opening allows me to customize the diaper to meet my baby’s overnight needs.  I can choose how many inserts/layers, what fiber the fabric will be composed of, and the order of the layers.

If you don’t like pocket diapers, a good fitted diaper (perhaps with a booster layer) would be a good choice as well.

Try a Super Absorbent Fiber

There are several different fabric fibers in cloth diapers, and some are more absorbent than others.  Try using a super “thirsty” fiber for your overnight diaper! Some fabrics are just more “thirsty” than others, and they can absorb quicker, or hold more liquid.  These are the fibers that you want to stuff in your overnight diapers.

Some excellent choices are Hemp, Bamboo, and Cotton.  Hemp is a great choice because it is also very trim, so your baby won’t look like a turtle in his overnight diaper.  Hemp can hold a lot of liquid, and it is also naturally antimicrobial.  This property can help to stave off some of the odor that may greet you in the morning if your baby sleeps 10+ hours like mine does!

Bamboo is also highly absorbent, and it is very plush and soft against your baby’s skin.  If you want to get the benefit of the softness of bamboo, then you would use a fitted diaper with a bamboo lining.  However, this means that there is no stay-dry fabric keeping your baby dry at night when he will not be changed as often. I don’t feel comfortable leaving my baby’s skin next to the wetness for extended periods of time, so I would choose a bamboo insert inside of a pocket diaper.

Cotton is very absorbent also, but it can also be very bulky.  You might experiment with tri-folding a cotton prefold diaper and stuffing it in a pocket for overnights.  This will likely give you enough absorbency, but it will be rather awkward on your baby. 

Microfiber absorbs liquid very quickly, but like cotton it can be rather bulky in order to get enough layers.  Try using a thin microfiber insert laid on top of a hemp or bamboo insert.  I would stuff it in a pocket.  Place the microfiber layer closest to the baby’s skin to absorb the pee quickly.  The trim hemp or bamboo layer beneath it will add the boost of absorbency that you need to make it through the night.

Bulky is Okay

It’s okay for your baby’s overnight diaper to be more bulky.  He or she won’t be crawling, climbing, or walking in his/her sleep (hopefully!).  They may look funny, but be sure to add enough layers to your diaper to make it through the night without leaks.  You don’t want to wash sheets and blankets everyday!  Considering the extra bulk of the overnight diaper, it might be a good idea to buy pajamas up a size from normal.  I forgot to do this recently and my daughter wore her new PJs for all of about a week before they had to be retired!

Try Adding an Insert

If you find that a diaper is not absorbent enough for overnights, just add an insert.  You may choose to double the insert, or use a smaller doubler that won’t add quite as much bulk. Sometimes these doublers are contoured to cut down on the extra bulk between your baby’s legs.

If you are using a one-size diaper, add the second insert.  Many one size diapers (FuzziBunz, bumGenius, and Rumparooz, for example) come with a small insert to use with newborns and little babies, and a larger insert for toddlers.  If you use both inserts together you may have enough layers to get through the night.  I really like the Rumparooz 6R soaker for this purpose.  The inserts snap together to keep them in place, and the small insert is contoured between the legs.  It is available in microfiber or hemp

My Solution…for now!

When Elaine was tiny we used a bamboo fitted diaper with a cover.  Once she started sleeping for 10-12 hours, we needed more absorbency.  We prefer Rumparooz one size diapers for overnights.  The double gussets help keep everything inside.  We use a hemp 6R soaker at night, and we use both parts of the insert.  If my hemp inserts are all soiled, I use a microfiber 6R insert and add a cotton doubler strip.

All Grown Up

It has been one week since my little girl needed to nurse.  She is now completely weaned.  She will be 15 months on Friday.  I started breastfeeding Elaine with the goal of making it to one year.  Elaine never took a bottle, and we never had to resort to formula.  A couple of times I left a bottle of “mommy milk” but she never drank it very well. 

I nursed Elaine both at home and in public.  I nursed her in airports and on airplanes, at church and at the mall.  I used a Bebe Au Lait nursing cover to keep everything modest, though Elaine never liked the cover very much.

It’s kind of sad to see our cuddle time diminish, but it’s also a little bit of a relief to be completed with that stage.  I don’t feel rejected or unneeded.  She needs me to make her oatmeal breakfast just as much as she needed me to nurse.  I think that our decision to stop nursing was a joint decision – I was ready to be done and had slowly been eliminating feedings since November.  But Elaine was also losing interest – nursing for shorter times, and so very easily distracted.

We have replaced our nighttime feeding with story time and a sippy cup of milk.  She seems to enjoy it just as much as she did nursing…and possibly more.  She loves books and is never content with just one story.

It’s also nice to give my body a little break before beginning this process again.  Baby #2 should debut in late June or early July.  I plan to breastfeed that baby as well.

Did you choose to nurse your baby?  How old was your little one when you weaned him/her?