How Many Diapers Do "I" Need?

What's the perfect size stash? I get that question a lot at the store. Every family is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer. There are many variables! How often do you want to do laundry? What kind of diapers do you want to use? What is your budget (do you need to grow into your stash slowly?) How old is your child(ren)? Will you use cloth full-time or part-time? I usually share with my clients who pose this question to me what I will share with you now....my own story.

I have one, 2 year-old child in diapers full-time. I have two children that require diapers for overnight protection. We wash diaper laundry every 2nd to 3rd day. For us, 3 large pockets and 3 medium pockets with 12 inserts are all it takes to "double-stuff" the two oldest kids for overnight. For the 2 year-old, he uses up to 6 diapers every day. To cover him, we need 12 medium pockets and 14 inserts. A couple dozen cloth wipes, 2 diaper laundry bags and 1 diaper laundry travel bag is all takes to round out our diaper inventory.

This amount of diapers usually allows us to always have at least one diaper on the child while having at least one more in the drawer ready to go. Most of the time, we have one in the diaper bag ready for the next outing, too and maybe even one in the car for an emergency situation.

As my stash has slowly grown over the years, I now have a selection of about 3 prefolds, 2 covers, a Snappi and 3 fitteds for when it's just me and the baby. (Daddy won't touch anything but pockets!) If I use any of latter, there are always plenty more diapers than we need ready and waiting for us to use them.

Happy diapering!

Photo compliments of tiffanywashko used with permission CC 2.0

The Great Cloth Diaper Hunt

It’s that time again! We are proud to announce our sponsorship of the Tenth semi-annual Great Cloth Diaper Hunt™!

How does the GCDH work? It’s simple! Register here on or after October 15, 2009. Then you visit all the participating sponsor sites and hunt for the Diaper Decisions™ diaper, to earn entries to the 90 random prize drawings, including Two Grand Prizes and one Ultimate Grand Prize!

For more details about this great event, please visit the Rules and FAQ pages.

See you at the hunt!

Mercury Restrictions in Swine Flu Vac Suspended

"In preparation for swine-flu vaccinations next month, the state of Washington's Health Department has temporarily suspended a rule that limits the amount of a mercury preservative in vaccines given to pregnant women and children under the age of 3.

Thimerosal has been eliminated from most vaccines in the United States, and the compound may be linked to autism. But it will be added to the bulk of swine-flu vaccines.

Thimerosal will be added to the vaccine because it is being produced in vials that contain enough medication for 10 shots. The mercury compound kills bacteria, lowering the risk that the drug will be contaminated by needles used to withdraw separate doses.

A smaller amount of mercury-free vaccine will be produced in single-dose vials. Nasal sprays do not contain mercury but are not recommended for children under the age of 2 and pregnant women, because they contain live, weakened virus."

Feeling "Flu"?

Photo used with permission Flickr CC 2.0.
Photo credit: illuminating9_11's

The "regular" flu, H1N1 (formerly known as swine flu) - both conjure up thoughts of misery, worry and even sometimes death. We've all heard the horror stories by now and it's a bit scary. Do you vaccinate? Do you take your chances? What if you vaccinate and get the flu anyway? What if you have family members in the "high risk" categories? What then?

Mercola.com brought the YouTube below to my attention. Dr. Kent Holtorf, M.D., expert on infectious diseases, says that the H1N1 vaccine contains "25,000 times the levels of mercury than would be considered toxic if it was a food or water." During his interview with FOX news, he expressed concern for the population as a whole, but in particular for those with pre-existing conditions of which they may or may not be aware.

He stressed the controversial, yet highly implicated, link between Thimerosal, an antiseptic-preservative, and autism in children with mitochondrial dysfunction. (Does your child have this disorder? Would you know if he did?) In addition, Dr. Holtorf expressed his concern over the adjuvants in the vaccine "devastating" individuals with blood-brain barrier dysfunction or an undeveloped brain (as in unborn children), children, pregnant women, chronic neurological illnesses, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia.

Enter to Win a 2 fl oz Tub of Natural Nipple Butter

*CLOSED*

If you've ever nursed a baby, you likely know the aches and pains that accompany those first few days as baby learns to latch on. Got a poor latch? Owww! What horror! Fortunately, there are other moms who have suffered before you (and there will be more after you) and the pioneers at Earth Mama, Angel Baby have developed a lanolin-free solution to help reduce your discomfort.

Natural Nipple Butter is made with organic oils & natural plant butters. It boasts healing botanicals for breastfeeding women. This specially formulated salve will help to protect your nipples from becoming sore and cracked. (Ouch!) Moms can reapply after each each nursing session for best results AND there's no need to wash it off before baby feeds! Thank you, Mama! In addition to being 100% lanolin-free, it's also toxin-free, cruelty-free and vegan.

A winner of the iParenting Media Award, Natural Nipple Butter is a must have for any nursing mum!

We'll have a random drawing at 1pm CST on Friday, July 24th, 2009 from the comments to this blog entry. The winner will have 48 hours to send us their mailing address, after that, we'll have to draw again. Only 24 hours to win-get hoppin'!

How to enter:

1. Add up all the months, from all your children, that you have nursed a child and post the number in the comments section.
2. What one piece of advice (if you're seasoned in lactation) would you give to a new nursing mum OR (if you're a new to nursing) what question would you like to have answered about nursing your baby - comment it now.
3. Become our friend on Facebook and comment here after you do.
4. Follow our blog and comment here that you do.
5. Tweet this give away in your own words with this link: http://bit.ly/sccgh (up to once per hour) AND MENTION @ittyb3 IN YOUR TWEET so we can see that you did. Then post here with "Tweeted" for your entry. (Since you can do this once every hour-that's 23 entries right there! Woohoo!)

psssst.........Entry #100 will receive a special gift!

Editing to Add: So as not to disrupt the flow of comments because this is a giveaway, I'm posting here to the question about "Why is Lanolin Bad?"

At one time, I believe, there was concern over how the animals (sheep) were being treated that supplied the lanolin. I don't know if that is still a concern, but the BIG reason I hear now is because there have often been pesticides found in lanolin. The following link is, in my opinion, a good blog post explaining the concerns: "Lanolin: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing".

Thanks for the excellent comments you guys! Keep 'em coming - only 14 hours (and counting) left until the end!


And the winner is.........

momof3munchkins

Congratulations!

There Is a "Rash" Explanation

Diaper rashes. Ick! Nobody wants them. Lots of babies get them.

Cloth diapering is a great way to prevent and/or treat diaper rash. Most diapering systems suggest that you do NOT use creams and ointments as it can coat the fabric of your diaper and cause repelling. The good news is, cloth diapers are breathable and allow for air flow to your baby's bum. More air = less moisture and a BAD environment for rashes and yeast.

Rashes in the diaper area can be caused and/or exacerbated by a multitude of factors. Some of the more common irritants include:

• moisture against the skin
  
• irritation from urine and feces (pH is raised with this combo to a higher alkalinity and can break down the skin more quickly)
  
• chemical irritants from detergents/soaps
• allergic reactions from dyes, fragrance, materials, etc.
  
• friction
• low air flow
• oral antibiotics (kill the "good" bacteria and leave the "yeasty" bacteria to run a muck)
• microorganisms
• diarrhea
• introduction of new foods
• commercial wipes

So what can you do? The area within the diaper is a perfect breeding ground - damp, dark, and full of, well, you know what it's full of! Here are some simple steps to help with your baby's occasional rash:

1. Try to keep the area as dry as possible. Before you scoff at such a silly suggestion, realize that if you are using cloth diapers, you're already allowing your baby's bum to breath a little easier. Avoid plastic pants (who wants to wear those anyway?) and consider these 2 words: "naked time". Your baby will love it! Right after a bath or diaper change, consider letting your little one air out a bit before replacing the diaper. Make sure all the cracks and crevices are sufficiently dry. Resist the urge to use talcom powder (bad for the lungs if breathed in) or cornstarch (yeast will eat it up - let's not encourage the presence of yeast by setting out a yummy treat) in the diaper area. An abosorbent prefold layed under your baby (if he's not mobile yet) is ample coverage for a few minutes in his birthday suit. If your baby is on the run, perhaps he can streak in the backyard on a nice day. :)
2. Make your own wipe solution and use cloth wipes. This step will reduce the use of fragrances and dyes and other preservatives you might find in a commercial wipe product. Don't want to buy all the ingredients? Check out Baby Bits or some other pre-made wafer for cloth diapering that will dissolve easily in water. If you live on the edge and need a challenge, here are some recipes you may enjoy trying.
3. Take a good look at the ingredients on the detergent you're using. Don't bother looking at the label on the box. Unfortunately, our laws do not force companies to reveal the actual ingredients found under their pretty label. The manufacturers are allowed to hide behind their "secret recipe". Often times when you look up the ingredients, you will find a little obscure message that might read, "Ingredients include surfactants (anionic and nonionic) and enzymes." Well, that's helpful. If your child is experiencing a diaper rash (or other skin rash for that matter) don't wait too long before you consider switching your laundry detergent. I try to keep up with the detergents and how they interact with cloth diapers on the Diaper Jungle. If you are interested in one not listed there, send me an email and I'll see what I can find out.

Happy Rash-Free Diapering!

Bearer of Bad News

So sad to say, but it's happened again...

Aqua-Leisure Industries Recalls Inflatable Baby Floats Due to Drowning Hazard

Approximately 4 million of these floats have been recalled by Aqua-Leisure Industries of Avon, Massachusetts. The one pictured here is just one of the many styles on the recall list. They have been sold from December 2002 through June 2009 at many large retailers across the United States, including the following:

• Target
• Toys “R” Us
• Wal-Mart
• Dollar General
• Kmart
• Walgreens
• Ace Hardware
• Bed, Bath & Beyond

Ranging in price from $8 - $15, many families could easily have these in their homes ready to use this summer.

Check yours out at the CPSC website!