Leap Day Discounts

Happy Leap Day! Here are some special deals for you...today only!

Use code LEAPWETBAG to get a free small
wet bag with any $35 or more purchase.

 

Use code LEAPDIAPER to get a free one size diaper with any $65 or more purchase.

 

Use code LEAPMONEY to save $5 off any
order $25 or more.

Other instructions:  The free items will NOT show up in your cart. Leave 2-3 color preferences in the box at checkout and we'll do our best to comply!  Doable Diapers selects the brand and color based on inventory availability. Only one coupon per order.  No previous or pending orders discounted.  Email info@doablediapers.com if you have trouble or need more information.

Vlog–Pop Up Cloth Wipes

I have previously blogged about how to fold your wipes so that they pop out of a disposable wipes box.  For our cloth wipes theme this month, I thought I would get brave and make a video to demonstrate it!  This is one of my first vlogs, and I don’t have the greatest equipment, but I think you will get the point.  I also had to cut it short at the end because my 8 month old was grabbing the camera! 

Win-It Wednesday: Cloth Wipes

Since February's theme has been cloth wipes, how about a chance to win some fabulous Planet Wise cloth wipes?  You can choose from several fun combinations of solid color wipes!

There are several ways to enter, so have fun!

All entries are made using the Rafflecopter Widget.  If you cannot view the widget, please click on the "Read more" link below, or click the title of this blog post and the widget should become visible!

“Commercial” Wipe Solution

I have mentioned several times that I prefer to make my own wipe solution.  However, some of you may be inclined to purchase solution so that it as other “nutrients” in it.  Or maybe you are just not the DIY type!  I have tried a few different kinds of “commercial” (that is, purchased) wipe solutions.  I didn’t find them to be any more or less effective that what I make at home, but I also did not find them to be cost effective.

Here are some that you may want to try, if you are inclined to purchase your solution.

Soap Bits – a small “bit” or cube of soap that you heat in the microwave, or dissolve, and then dilute to moisten your wipes.  There are many WAHM that make and sell soap bits on Etsy.  I have tried a couple, but I didn’t like the extra step involved of dissolving the soap bit.  It seems to me that I always run out of solution on a poopy diaper, and I need wipes fast!  Purchasing Soap Bits from a WAHM allows you to support another mom, and get great wipe solution at the same time!

• Wee Essentials on Etsy – I liked these the best of any cubed wipe solution I have tried.  I bought the Goats Milk version, as Elaine may have an allergy to Shea Butter.
• Happy Vag on Etsy
• Rumpeez on Etsy

Pre-Made Solution – several cloth diaper manufacturer’s make a pre-mixed wipe solution that you can just spray onto your dry wipe.  I have used the Heiny Wash by Happy Heinys.  I got a sample for free – I don’t think I would spend the money on pre-made mix.  Here are some commercial solutions that I know of:

• Heiny Wash by Happy Heinys
• Booty Luster by Thirsties
• bumGenius! Bottom Cleaner
• CJ’s Carcass Cleaner

The alternative is to make your own!  There are many “recipes” out there – but the ingredients are simple.  Some sort of soap – I use baby shampoo.  You could use an organic product.  Water.  Oil if you want – baby oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil.  Essential Oils for scent and antibacterial properties, also optional.

What do you use for your wipe solution?  A “commercial” product?  How do you like it?  Do you make your own?  Share the recipe!”

Obsession Confession

It’s been a while since we’ve done an Obsession Confession, so I thought it would be fun to conclude the week with one!  Besides…this one just came in!  If you want to be featured on Doable Diapers, just fill out the Obsession Confession survey and email it!

Name?  Sandra 

Children: 2 Kids - Paul-19 months, Riley-4 months

Occupation: Quality Control Tech

Where do you live?  Acton, Ontario CA

Is your hubby on board with using cloth diapers?  Absolutely!

When did you start cloth diapering?  When my son was 10 weeks old.

What was your main reason for switching to cloth diapers?  At first it was for the cost but I quickly realized how much better they were for my son's sensitive skin and the environment.  Besides...they are so cute!

Tell the short story of how you started using cloth diapers.  I had purchased my stash of prefolds before my son was born but I was a little apprehensive about getting started.  Mostly because no one I knew was CDing and they were all telling me I would never keep it up.  I quickly learned that they weren't as difficult to use and washing them wasn't that much extra work. I loved them so much I invested in pocket diapers to lessen the bulk factor.  Now I have to force myself not to go overboard with buying cloth diapers.

What is your favorite brand and style of diapers?  I love the BumGenius 4.0. Because they are OS and I don't have to store extra diapers because they are too big/small.  I find they dry faster since they're pocket diapers and I prefer snaps over H/L because the aplex doesn't rub against my baby's belly.

How many diapers are in your stash?  18 small prefolds with 6 covers, 12 large prefolds with 4 covers, 6 OS fitted with 3 covers, 14 OS pocket, 4 perfect size pocket, 2 perfect size AIO.

Share a blooper or “newbie” story from your cloth diapering experiences.  When I first started using my FB pocket diapers my son ended up with a wet back.  It took a while for me to realize that the insert was sticking out the back!

Do you have a tip to share with others?  Be very careful what diaper cream you use.  If a store doesn't sell cloth diapers, don't trust the sales person when they tell you a certain cream is cloth diaper safe.

Is there anything you wish you had known when you started using cloth diapers?  I wish I had known that used cloth diapers were just as good as new (as long as they were in good condition).

What is the greatest issue or problem you’ve had with cloth diapers, and how did you resolve it?  I took the advice of a sales person and purchased a diaper cream that caused residue on my diapers.  My son began getting rashes and after doing some research and visiting forums, I  realized my error and had to strip all my diapers by hand.  Ugh!!

Regarding cloth diapers, is there anything you would like to know?
Where can I get more for free, or at the least, dirt cheap :)

What are your other hobbies, interests, and obsessions?  Since being pregnant with my first, I've found myself obsessed with birth stories. I love hearing about how different people have experienced pregnancy, labor and delivery.  It's actually what inspired me to start my own blog.  My hobbies have dramatically decreased since having children but I try to find time to read (adult novels as opposed to children's books), listen to podcasts, read blogs or cross stitch.  I also enjoy taking pictures.  My camera is always with me and i try to document life through photography. Every once in a while I'll pull out an old photo album and reminisce.

What are your favorite blogs and websites? 
Ahem- www.beantobabyandbeyond.blogspot.com, Doable Diapers (of course), Young House Love, Moms Are for Everyone, Kijiji.ca, Food Network.ca, and Ikea.com.

Tell us a little about your personality.  I'm normally easy going but sometimes life gets the better of me.  I'm not very good at small talk.  I'm better at answering questions then asking them.  I like to laugh and I enjoy being a homebody.

Wordless Wednesday: My Little Mail Room Assistant

Someone very lucky got a box packed by Elaine!

Wipe Solution Storage

Over the years {okay…it’s only been two and a half years} I have tried many different methods of wetting my wipes, many different wipe solutions, and several methods of storing my solution once it is made.  Here are my thoughts on storing that wipe solution.  This is kind of similar to the dispensing methods, depending on your preference for dry or pre-moistened wipes.  But maybe it will be helpful to someone…

Squeezy Bottle/Peri Bottle
I used to store my wipe solution in an old water bottle with a squeeze top.  I just squirt some over the wipes in the box as I need them.  I know some moms save the peri bottle from the hospital and use that to squirt solution over their wipes.  The benefit to this method is that the bottle is small enough to be easily stored near your wipes.  You can get a decent amount of solution out quickly, and you can easily add more solution to your box of wipes if they just don’t seem wet enough.

Spray Bottle
Some people store their solution in a spray bottle and just spray the wipe as needed.  I find that it doesn’t feel very moist, and it doesn’t seem to clean as easily that way.  I’m sure I would use less solution if I did this on a regular basis, though. 

Foaming Bottle
As I mentioned in my post on Friday, I have also used a foaming wipe solution.  This is easy to mix up and stores well in the foaming bottle.  It also lasts a long time!  (We actually make our own foaming soap and baby shampoo, because the foam seems to stretch the soap so it can last longer!).

Pitcher or Other Large Container
Recently, with two kiddos in diapers (for a few months, before one potty trained) I found that I needed more solution.  I didn’t want to be making it every day!  So…I purchased a 1 quart Rubbermaid pitcher.  I just squirt some baby soap in the bottom, fill with warm water, replace the lid, and shake to mix everyhting together.  I store this pitcher near the changing table so I can easily wet a new batch of wipes.  My solution lasts longer, so that I only make a batch about once per week. 

But the downside is that a pitcher can be spilt!  I tend toward being a klutz, and the pitcher was a big temptation for my kiddos.  Many times the carpet in front of the changing table has been doused with wipe solution!

Get Creative!
I know some moms who store the solution in the refrigerator, and some who just mix the solution in the wipe warmer each time it is empty.  There are many possibilities…so get creative (and frugal!) by making and storing your own wipe solution!

How do you store wipe solution?  What is your “recipe” or favorite store-bought solution?  Leave a comment and let us know!

Cloth Wipes: Solution Dispensing Options

There are three main options that I know of when it comes to wetting your cloth wipes with solution.  I have tried all three, and come back around to pre-moistening my wipes as my favorite option.  But, everyone has different preferences, so here is a summary for the cloth wipes newbie!

Pre-Moistened Wipes
This method means that you pre-wet a whole box of wipes at one time.  Then when you need a wipe, it is already wet with water/solution and ready to start cleaning!  I fold my wipes so that they pop out of the box (like tissues).  To wet them, I turn the stack on it’s side and slowly pour solution between the folds.  Then I return the stack to it’s normal position.  I also pour some extra solution on the top of the stack that will trickle down through the wipes and make sure that every one of them is good and wet!

Pros:  Wipes are ready to go at a moment’s notice with no preparation needed.  Just grab and wipe!

Cons: Don’t wet too many at once.  If you do, and don’t use them quickly enough, they may start to stink a bit.  They can also be kind of cold on your baby’s skin in the winter (but not if you use a wipe warmer).

Moisten-as-you-go Wipes
This method usually involves a stack of dry wipes and a spray bottle.  Place your wipe solution in the spray bottle.  At each diaper change (or face-wipe, or messy situation) you spray the wipe with your mister bottle and then use it to clean your baby.  Some people just run the wipe under the faucet and use plain water at each diaper change.  (My sink isn’t close to the changing table, so this never worked for us).

Pros: Dry wipes never get the stinkies.  No box with moisture in it to be grabbed by baby and tipped over.  Less prep work.  Not as cold on baby’s skin (?).

Cons: You have to wet each wipe as you go.  This means an extra step with a wiggly baby or big messy diaper.  I felt like I really had to spray it a lot in order to get the wipe wet enough to clean the mess. 

Foaming Wipe Solution
This method sort of falls under the previous category, because each wipe is moistened right before use.  However, it is a foaming solution so the application is slightly different.  Mix your wipe solution in a foaming hand soap bottle to dispense the solution as a rich foamy lather.  Dispense onto each wipe as you need it.

I used this method for quite some time.  I liked the foam and felt as if it moistened the wipe better and easier than a spray bottle.  The foam is very gentle on the baby and not cold at all.  The solution seemed to last for a while too.  But…it seemed to take a little more time and effort to be sure all of the soapy foam was off of the baby before putting a clean diaper on.  It is not as friendly for wetting wipes to use on faces and hands, and it means taking a foaming bottle with you in the diaper bag.  So…we eventually switched back to pre-moistened wipes.

Pros:  Nice rich lather cleans well and is not cold on baby’s skin.  Easy solution storage with little possibility of being tipped, dumped, or spilled.  (I frequently spill my pitcher of wipe solution.  Maybe it’s just me.  The lid on the foaming bottle is great, and I never had leaks).

Cons:  Must moisten each wipe as needed.  This is an extra step.  Need a couple of pumps to get the wipe adequately wet, but then there is a lot of soap foam to wipe off the baby’s butt.  Not very on-the-go friendly.

How do you store and use your cloth wipes?  Did I miss a great method?  Let me know…I’ll gladly try something new!

From the Archives: Cloth Wipes 101

February’s theme is Cloth Wipes.  This is an excerpt from a post which originally appeared on Doable Diapers on November 23, 2010.

I did not start out using cloth wipes.  When a friend found out I was going to use cloth diapers, she asked me, “Are you going to use cloth wipes also?” 

With an incredulous look on my face I responded, “I’m not that crazy!”  I had never even considered using cloth wipes, and I didn’t know people actually did that.  To be honest, I thought it was gross. 

As I look back, I can’t see a difference in the “gross factor” between cloth wipes and cloth diapers.  Either way, you have to deal with poo, and either way, it has to get washed.

It so happened that I received a closet full of disposable wipes at my baby shower.  These were in addition to the ones I was already stockpiling for baby’s arrival.  However, once the stockpile ran out and I started buying those wipes, I realized that I was just wasting money. 

On top of everything, I found myself sometimes wrapping the wipes in the dirty diaper, just as you would a disposable.  The result was bits of disposable wipes coming through my washer and dryer. Ewwwww.  Cloth wipes are easier, because they can be thrown into the diaper pail with your diapers.  No trash can needed!

Thus began my journey into cloth wipes.  A friend had mentioned that she used cloth wipes, so I turned to her for suggestions and a wipe solution recipe.

Types of Wipes
I have tried several kinds of wipes, and even made my own.  Here are my preferences.  I really like WAHM wipes.  They are usually doubled sided, soft flannel, and well made.  I have purchased some on eBay, I have made some, and I have twisted my mom’s arm into making some for me.  These wipes have held up the best!  It really helps if the edges are serged.  I don’t have a serger, so the edges on my homemade wipes are starting to fray slightly.

This is how I finished the edges on my homemade wipes without a serger – zig zag over the edge.

I have also tried the Kissaluvs wipes.  They have soft bamboo terry cloth on one side that is good if you need to scrub the bum a little.  The other side is flannel.  These wipes are a little pricey at $2 a wipe!

For those who prefer organic cotton, FuzziBunz makes a nice thick wipe.  Again, they are a little bit of an investment at $21 for 10 wipes.

Some people just use old washcloths.  I just think that they are a little bit rough to use on baby’s skin.

Size of Wipes
Size is important.  I like to store my cloth wipes in an old disposable wipes box.  (I prefer the kind with the rubber sleeve around the opening).  7x7” or 8x8” wipes fit the best when simply folded in half.  I got in a hurry once during an eBay purchase, and ended up with 5x7” wipes that aren’t really good for much!

Solution
You can go as simple as using plain warm water on your cloth wipes, or you can purchase wipe solution.  There are also several options in between.

I have found that I like something with a little more “oomph” than just water.  I want to be sure the area is cleaned well!  I usually make my own solution, using some baby wash/shampoo, and baby/olive oil.  Some people even add essential oils, but that also adds to the cost of your solution.  Here’s what I do:

4 cups hot water
3 Tbsp. baby wash (I like the lavender vanilla night time stuff)
2 Tbsp. baby oil

Other Info
I have about 40 wipes in my stash.  I like to use them as face wipes, to clean up sticky hands after dinner, and for anything else “on the go”.  As a result, I use a few more wipes than normal.  I haven’t thrown any wipes away yet, and we’ve been doing this for about a year now!

Some people prefer to use disposable wipes when not at home.  I use a Planet Wise wet bag and take my pre-moistened cloth wipes with me when I go out.  It’s no different than taking your cloth diapers on the go!

Cloth wipes are easy to care for.  Just toss in the diaper pail and launder them with your diapers.  My husband keeps asking me why I hang them out to dry.  I don’t really have a good answer, but I think they would start to stink if I left them damp for a couple of days before I used them.

That is cloth wipes in a nutshell.  Do you have comments, suggestions, or questions?  Leave me a comment and let me know!

Some Changes…

I’ve been a little absent lately…maybe you’ve noticed.  Today I just want to pop in and explain a couple of things that I’m changing in regards to the Doable Diapers blog.

In the past, it has been my goal to post new content three times a week.  As a work-at-home-mom, I am constantly trying to balance my work time with my mommy time.  I’ll admit – sometimes I think I’m Super Woman and that I can do it all!  I’ve been coming to grips with the fact that I can’t do it all, and if I try to squeeze everything in, then I am not doing some things well. 

My kiddos are both very active and needs lots of mommy attention right now.  Since Nolan became mobile I feel like I am constantly chasing him and curtailing trouble & accidents!  (Yes…at seven months he is pulling himself up on everything and trying so desperately to walk).  I think they need a little more of my time than this blog does…at least for a while.

I’m going to pick a different theme or topic for each month this year.  I will write several posts that fit the theme.  In February I am going to talk about cloth wipes. I may pull some posts out of the Doable Diapers archive that are appropriate.  We may even throw in a random giveaway.  I might get these posts done all at once and give you a full week of new content.  Or I may sprinkle them throughout the month to add variety.

I will still answer your Mailbox Mondays questions and other issues as they come up.  You can still contact me with questions or problems at info@doablediapers.com and I will do my best to help solve your problem.  But I wanted to let you know that I won’t be posting everyday anymore. 

You may find it helpful to sign up to receive our emails (right hand side bar), or add Doable Diapers to your favorite RSS feed/reader.  That way you won’t miss anything when it does pop up randomly.  You can always find us on Facebook and Google+ too, and any new blog posts will be linked there as well.  I do check the Facebook page daily, so if you need immediate attention, you can just post it on the wall!

Wordless Wednesday: Nolan wears pink!

{daddy did it}

{he doesn’t seem to mind}