Thursday 18 August 2016

Cloth Diapers: Part 2

If you've ever done any research into cloth diapers, it doesn't take long to realize that there are a lot of options out there, and it can get pretty overwhelming.  Different diapering systems work better for different people, but I thought I would show you the diapers that I use, and tell you a bit about what my cloth diaper routine looks like.


The diapers I use are called "Flip" diapers, which is a hybrid diapering system.  Basically, what that means is that I use waterproof shells, a couple of which are in the picture above.  The diaper shell has a system of snaps that can make it smaller or larger, which means that they fit right from infancy to potty training.  You can use the Flip diapers just the way they are as a swim diaper, but generally you lay an absorbent insert into the waterproof shell to make it work properly as a diaper.  There are lots of insert options that work with the Flip shells, but the ones I use are called prefolds.


A prefold diaper is basically a whole bunch of layers of cotton that have been sewn together so that it becomes very absorbent.  I use Bummies prefolds, and I have them in a small size from when Steven was little, and a larger size that we use now.


Prefolds are folded in thirds in order to fit into the diaper shell.  As you can see from the picture, the prefold is still too long to fit, so you make one more additional fold, which allows you to add additional absorbancy to a part of the diaper.


Since I have a little boy, I fold in the front of the diaper, making it an appropriate length to fit in the diaper shell, and adding absorbancy to the front of the diaper, where it is most needed.


Then the insert is placed in the Flip diaper shell.  Generally I'm lazy with it and don't bother tucking the insert under the flaps, but that's never been a problem.  The shell still keeps the prefold in place really well.  The diaper then goes on the baby a lot like a disposable does, except that it uses snaps rather than velcro.  I appreciate that, since Steven already knows how to use velcro, but he hasn't figured snaps out yet!

When it's diaper change time, if the diaper is only wet, you can remove the insert and replace it with a clean one, reusing the shell multiple times.  I find that poops generally manage to get on the shell, so the whole thing has to go in the diaper bin (after the poop has been dumped in the toilet).


Speaking of diaper bins, here's mine!  It's an ordinary trash can that came with a removable plastic inner bin.  So when it's laundry time I carry the plastic inner bin that's full of dirty diapers into the laundry room and dump them right into the washing machine, without having to touch anything nasty! 


A recent addition to my diaper stash, thanks to a friend, are some hemp doublers.  Doublers are basically a strip of absorbent fabric that you can add to your insert to make the diaper even more absorbent.  They are particularly nice to use overnight, since it's longer between diaper changes.


I also have a large collection of wipes.  Washable wipes are absolutely necessary if you're using cloth diapers, since you can just dump them into the diaper bin with the soiled diapers, without having to remember to put the wipes in the trash and the diapers in the bin.  I just made my own out of some cheap receiving blankets from the thrift store.  I cut the fabric into squares and used a sewing machine to do a zigzag stitch around the outside of each wipe.  It was that easy!  I keep a little squirt bottle of water on the change table and dampen each wipe when I want to use it.

It's important to avoid using regular diaper creams and lotions when you use cloth diapers, since they get on the diapers and are very hard to wash out.  I just use coconut oil when Steven has a bit of a rash, and it works really well.

Probably the most challenging part of using cloth diapers is figuring out a washing routine that works for your diapers.  There are general guidelines and lots of ideas around the internet, but ultimately it's a matter of trial and error.  There are a lot of factors involved, like the temperature and volume of the water, how hard or soft the water is (which refers to the amount of minerals naturally occurring in the water), the kind and amount of laundry detergent, the kind of washing machine you have, and the kind and number of wash cycles you put the diapers through.

It's possible to buy special laundry detergent that is designed for washing cloth diapers, but that can be very expensive.  Thankfully, regular detergents can work just as well.  The main thing you have to watch out for is that it doesn't have any brighteners in it.  Brighteners work by coating the fabric, and have the added effect of making the fabric water-resistant - not what you're going for with cloth diapers!  It can also be good to avoid dyes and fragrances, since they can be irritating to your baby's skin.  Currently, I use original powdered Tide detergent.  For some reason it works better than anything else I've tried! 

My current washing routine involves filling the washing machine with cold water and soaking the diapers for about 20 minutes or so, then washing them with hot water and detergent, and rinsing them 4 times with warm water.  I think that's probably overdoing it a bit, but in our new house I have to go outside and down a flight of stairs to the basement suite to get to the laundry room.  In our old place I would keep an eye on the wash and when the water of a rinse was clear I knew that the diapers were clean enough, but now I try to minimize the number of times I have to make the trip to the laundry room.  But our landlady is planning to install a washing machine on our main floor, so soon I won't have to make the trek to the basement anymore.  Yay!

I hang the diapers to dry outside if it's nice out and inside if it's raining.  Using the dryer would be faster, but we try to use as little electricity as we can.  Jesse is planning to put up a clothes line for me soon, which will be really nice!


My diaper stash has changed a bit over time, but I am really pleased with the way it's working right now.  I currently have 10 shells and 30 prefolds, which is enough that I only have to wash diapers twice a week.

I had Steven in disposable diapers for the first month or so after he was born, which I do recommend, especially for a first child.  That let me get used to having a baby without also having to get used to cloth diapers at the same time.  When I switched over to cloth, it took me about a week to get used to it, but since then it's felt completely normal.  There's been the odd occasion when I've put Steven in disposable diapers for a couple days, like when he had a rash that got infected and we had to use a prescription cream, so he's maybe had a total of 6 weeks in disposable diapers in his life.  But, interestingly, I had to deal with more leaks and poop explosions in those times than in all of the months he's been in cloth diapers!

When baby #2 comes, I am planning to have him or her in disposable diapers for the first week or two, mainly until we're finished with the black tar newborn poop.  It's nasty.  (I believe the technical name for it is "meconium".  Now you know.)  I still have all of the smaller prefolds from when Steven was little, but I will have to divide the diaper shells between the two kids, so I will have to do laundry a little more frequently until Steven is finished with diapers.  But really, I can only fit so many diapers into my dirty diaper pail anyways, so I think it will work out just fine.

If you're a mom that uses cloth diapers, I'd love to hear about your diaper routine and the kind of diapers you use.  If cloth diapering is something that you're not familiar with, let me know if you have any questions.  Leave a comment below - I'd love to hear from you!


And if you're interested in reading more, check out: Why We Use Cloth Diapers

Tuesday 16 August 2016

Why We Use Cloth Diapers


Every parent is faced with the task of deciding how they will spend their time and resources in the task of parenting.  For example, will they make their own baby food (which takes time) or buy premade baby food (which costs more money)?  These kinds of decisions seem to be endless, and everyone has different priorities, resulting in different choices.

Something that has been a priority for me is using cloth diapers.  For those who are interested, I thought I would share a couple of the reasons why.

One reason I use cloth diapers is that in the long run they are cheaper.  I paid about $400 for my current stash of cloth diapers, which is a lot of money up front, but I've been using them for over a year and a half now, and they're still going strong.  I'll be able to use them again for baby #2 and any other possible future babies.  There is the continuing cost of laundry detergent and the water and electricity to wash the diapers, but since we line dry them that additional cost is pretty minimal.

The other primary reason is environmental impact.  I believe that using cloth diapers is significantly better for the environment than disposable diapers.  I've heard the protests before - that cloth diapers use lots of water and electricity, so they're bad too.  It's true that cloth diapers aren't guiltless, but I do think they are the better option.  Something I've learned is that when you want to examine the environmental impact of something, you need to look at the impact of the resources and process used to make the item, the impact of its transport, the impact of its use, and the impact of its disposal.

Cloth diapers come in a range of materials, from synthetic to natural materials like cotton and wool.  Some manufacturing companies are more concerned with sustainability than others, so the materials and process used to make cloth diapers have a range of impact on the environment.  Disposable diapers are made from synthetic materials and chemicals, and a child will go through hundreds of disposable diapers before learning to use a toilet, consuming significantly more resources than a child who uses cloth.

Regarding transport, both cloth and disposable diapers have to be transported over long distances, but overall fewer cloth diapers need to be transported, since they are reused by the buyers.

It's in the "use" category that cloth diapers don't look as good, since they require detergent, water, and electricity in order to be continually used.  Disposable diapers don't require any resources to be used.

However, cloth diapers aren't disposed of.  Instead, they are reused.  Even after a child no longer needs diapers, they can be used again for younger siblings.  There is even a market for used cloth diapers and many parents choose to sell their cloth diapers after they are done having babies (which means they can get back some of the money they invested in the first place).  I've also heard that old cloth diapers make great rags for around the house, since they are so absorbent.  Eventually, once they are completely worn out, cloth diapers are discarded, but only after many years of use. In contrast, every disposable diaper that is used ends up in a landfill. 

So overall, I see that cloth diapers do have a smaller environmental impact than disposable diapers.

There are other benefits to using cloth diapers too.  It lets you avoid exposing your baby to the chemicals that can be found in disposable diapers.  I've heard that children who wear cloth diapers are potty trained faster, since they can feel when their diaper is wet (I guess I'll find out soon - Steven is getting close to that age!).  And with their bright colours and interesting prints, cloth diapers can actually be really cute!

The primary disadvantage of using cloth diapers is the investment of time that it takes.  And it's true, the time that I use doing that extra laundry every week is time that I would rather use doing other things.  But like I said at the beginning, parenthood is filled with choices about how we are going to use our time. Different parents make different choices, but for myself I believe that using cloth diapers is worth the time that it takes me, because of the benefits to my family and the world we live in.


Interested in seeing the kind of cloth diapers I use and what my diaper routine looks like?  Check out Cloth Diapers: Part 2


Thursday 11 August 2016

Bunny for Baby


I actually finished a sewing project!

These days I don't have much time for projects, so actually finishing something is pretty exciting for me.

Before Steven was born, one of the things I did was hand make a teddy bear for him.  So I wanted to make a stuffed animal for our next baby as well.  I still had the pattern I used for making Steven's bear, which included the pattern for a few different kinds of animals, so I decided to make a bunny this time.

I started in June when we were visiting my in-laws in Ontario.  I always find my time in Ontario to be very restful, since I don't have a lot of the daily responsibilities that I normally would at home, and I'm surrounded by eager babysitters.  So it's always a great time to work on some personal projects.


The first challenge was finding material for the bunny.  It's surprisingly hard to find furry material for stuffed animals.  We ended up finding a fluffy blanket wrap thing at a thrift store that had enough material in it that I was able to take apart.  I always like it when I can repurpose things rather than buying new supplies.


I made the decision to hand sew this stuffed animal, like the last one, for a couple of reasons.  I didn't have a sewing machine to use in Ontario, but even if I did, when you use such thick material you need to adjust the tension, have a stronger needle, etc. and that seemed like too much work.  And I also like the extra time and love that goes into hand making something.


The front and back of the bunny.  My favourite place to work on it was sitting in the swinging chair on my in-laws' porch, watching Steven run and play in their huge yard.


I made it about 75% of the way through the project while we were in Ontario.  Once we were back home it was it very hard to find time.  I went a long time without working on it at all.  But I really wanted the bunny to be finished before the baby comes, so over the past couple of weeks I've been able to plug away at it bit by bit, and it slowly came together.


The first milestone was finishing the outer seam and the face, so I could turn it right-side out.


The most arduous part of the process was going around all of the seams and unpicking the "fur" that had been caught.  A very time-consuming task!  But finally it was finished, and I was able to stuff the bunny with the stuffing from an old pillow (the same old pillow that I used to stuff Steven's teddy bear and a crocheted pony that I made - there's a lot of stuffing in a pillow, apparently!).  Then I sewed up the small gap I had left, tied on a ribbon bow, and it was finished!



Baby's bunny with Steven's bear, ready to be best buds!

To see more pictures of other stuffed animals I've made, check out Steven's Cow Bear and the Perfect Pony.

Tuesday 9 August 2016

Not My Thing

You know how different people enjoy working with different age groups?  Some people adore babies, some are passionate about young adults, others love spending time with seniors.

Well, I'm not a little kid person.

I know some people love babies and little kids.  They could sing the wheels on the bus or play peekaboo for hours.  But that's just not my thing.  Never has been.  When I was a teenager I avoided babysitting jobs whenever possible.  (Thankfully I had a younger sister to pawn them off on.)  I volunteered with Sunday School and kids' groups, but with the older kids.  It's not that I dislike little kids, I just don't particularly connect with them or enjoy taking care of them.

Currently, my full time job is looking after my 1.5 year old and getting ready to welcome kid #2 in just a few short weeks.  Yeah.  Let's just say that I'm not exactly operating in my "strengths" these days.

And don't get me wrong - I love my family, and I believe that being present in these formative years is very important, but man some days it is so hard to not be doing what I love to do.

I love learning and studying and challenging my mind.  I love teaching, especially history, music, and science.  I love directing theatre productions, challenging my cast and crew to grow in their talents and skills.  I love sewing and crafting and baking and canning and doing whatever I can to make our life as ethical and sustainable as possible.  I love the thrill of finding the solution to a challenging puzzle or math problem.  I love spending hours outside in a peaceful little nook, writing out my thoughts and feelings through poetry and prose.  There is so much more I love to do, and I hardly ever have a chance to do any of it.

Currently my days are comprised of dirty diapers, dishes, laundry, assisting in dumping rocks in and out of buckets, following the leader around and around the coffee table until I get dizzy, and dozens of other mindless, repetitive things.  I try really hard to make each day meaningful and interesting, but it's so easy to feel discouraged.  I know it's just a stage in my life, but it feels like it's going to last forever.

So why am I writing about this?  I'm not really sure.  In some ways it feels a bit like a confession, because I often feel guilty for how much I struggle with this chapter in my life.  But I hope that in some way I have been able to encourage you through sharing my struggle.  You see, it's so easy to look around and feel like everyone else is doing ok.  We scroll through Facebook and other social media, looking at the highlights of everyone else's lives.  They look so happy, so content, so put together and successful.  And we feel even worse about ourselves, as we struggle through our day.  We feel very alone.

If you are struggling with the chapter of life that you are in right now, I want to encourage you that you are not alone.  I'm struggling too.  For me, many days just feel like one more thing to endure on my way to a time when once again I'll get to do things that I love and feel like I'm good at.  Maybe your struggle is that you feel stuck doing something that isn't your thing.  Maybe it's a different kind of struggle.  But you're still not alone.

This season in my life is a challenging one for me.  But all the best stories have hard chapters.  While we're in those hard chapters, let's try together to live to the best of our ability, making every page count as we look forward to what might be coming next.

Friday 5 August 2016

Cheerios Maple Syrup Balls

I'm always on the lookout for easy, yummy recipes.  This is one that I came across a while ago, when I was searching for ideas to use up some stale cheerios from a box that had been open too long.  Since then Steven's ability to get through a box of cheerios has increased exponentially, so we don't have a problem with stale cheerios anymore, but we still love making this recipe! 

Check out the original recipe here:  Cheerios Maple Syrup Balls


Cheerios Maple Syrup Balls

(disclaimer - these ingredients are for a single batch, but I always make at least a double or triple batch, or they are gone too quickly!)

1 c. cheerios, lightly crushed
1/2 c. oats
1/3 c. dried cranberries
3 tbsp. honey
1/4 c. peanut butter
3 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. chocolate chips


 Mix together the cheerios, oats, and cranberries.


In a small pot, combine the honey, peanut butter (I like using crunchy), maple syrup, and butter.  Turn up the heat and mix until it's well blended.


Add to the bowl of cheerios, and mix well.  Wait 10 minutes or so, then add the chocolate chips.  The waiting is important, or it will be too warm and the chocolate will just melt.


Form the mixture into balls, and place on a tray.  I generally just use a couple of spoons and make them more like drop cookies.  Put them in the fridge to cool and harden.  Store the completed cookies in the fridge.

In addition to being extremely tasty, these cookies also give a great energy boost.  So much so, that Jesse calls them "power balls" and likes to take them on his mountaineering trips!  And, of course, Steven loves the "kee-coo" (as he calls them) too!

Wednesday 3 August 2016

Exhaustion

Another day
Never ending tasks
Food to prepare
House to clean
Clothes to wash
Child wants attention
Child climbs all over me
Child throws his food on the floor
Fusses about his diaper change
Fusses about being brought downstairs
Fusses and I can't figure out why.
I just want to sleep
I just need a hug
I feel so alone
No end in sight
Another day
Put on a smile
Make it through
Because I have to.