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!

Potty Tots Review and FREE Giveaway!

Many of you have been waiting patiently for this review-you may once again breathe! It's finally time to hear my opinions on the Potty Tots potty learning program. (And, give you a chance to win one for yourself!)

I must first begin by saying that I believe every mom has their specialty. I must also confess, teaching my children to use the potty consistently is NOT mine! I have taught 3 children, so far, to listen to their body's cues and get to the toilet on time without soiling themselves. Some people call this potty training; some call it potty learning (I much prefer the latter). Unfortunately, for me, the whole experience brings shivers down my spine and I would much prefer nails on a chalkboard to all the frustrations I've had teaching my children the ways of the porcelain throne!

"It shouldn't be this hard!", I would hear the voice inside my pounding head echo.

Finally, it's not. Maybe the Lord was smiling on me since this is number 3. Maybe #3's personality lended itself to this particular learning style. Maybe the timing was just right. Maybe the moons aligned with the planets and I held my mouth right. Maybe....

The Potty Tots Program ROCKS!!!!

What I LOVED about Potty Tots:

• The Potty Tots website has games for your potty learner to play. They suggest that while you are waiting for your Potty Tots program to arrive, you and your child sit down and play the games online. This gives your potty learner a chance to "get to know the Potty Tots". (I know some moms prefer not to expose their children to this sort of thing at such a young age, so you can choose to forgo this step; HOWEVER, my son LOVED the experience!)
• The little Potty Tot characters come to you in clings. We put ours all over the mirror and window in our bathroom. Since we'd already played the games online, my son had chosen his favorite Tot. His favorite was the only Tot we didn't hang up high (because of the potential choking hazard.)
• The ability to choose when I rewarded my potty learner. I didn't have to give a sweet treat every time he was successful because the Potty Tots program is styled like a football field. You can choose what "down" to give out rewards. If you wanted to give a "prize" every time, you could. If you'd rather give praise the first 3 times and encourage your learner to keep up the good work to get the big prize at number 4, you can easily do that, too.
• The option to include a sibling in the fun. Since it's a football field, the success can travel either way - left or right. You can allow a sibling to move his little character cling along the bottom of the field while your learner moves across the top (or vice versa).
• The DVD songs. OK, I have to admit - the songs get stuck in your head. This is BAD for you, but GOOD for your potty learner. (Though, he really did like it when I'd sing and dance with his Potty Tots music. A mom has to make some sacrifices for the good of her children!)
• Extras. The Potty Chart (steps for your potty learner to follow while in the restroom) was cute, clear and easy for my son to remember. Even when he knew what he was doing, he still wanted to look at his chart - it was like a game to him. The tattoo. What more can you say? Kids love body art and my son got a final reward of a Potty Tots tattoo when he was finished learning how to go to the potty all by himself!

Now for the fun! Do you want to win a Potty Tots program for your little potty tot? You can! Potty Tots is generously giving away one of their potty learning programs to one lucky blog reader. Here's how to enter:

1. Leave a comment and your email address to this post as to why you NEED to win. (1 entry)
   
2. Follow our blog and comment that you do with your email address. (2 entries)
   
3. Follow us on Twitter and comment that you do with your email address. (2 entries)
   
4. Tweet the following, daily, to gain 1 extra entry each day.
   "Teach your child how to go potty now with Potty Tots & @ittyb3! Win your very own Potty Tots learning system! http://bit.ly/vGdcR"

Entries will be accepted until July 16, 2009 at 11:59 pm CST.

Recalls, Recalls, Recalls - WOW!

Do any of these pictures look like something your children own? Look carefully.

Recently, several recalls have been issued for items you may find in your home:

Macy’s Recalls Children’s Hooded Sweatshirts Due to Strangulation Hazard

Nestle' Toll House Voluntary Withdrawal

Body Boards Recalled by JGR Copa Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

LaJobi Recalls Babi Italia Pinehurst and Bonavita Hudson Drop Side Cribs; Risk of Entrapment and Suffocation

LaJobi Recalls Bonavita “Cabana” Drop Side Cribs Due To Entrapment and Strangulation Hazards

Children’s Necklace and Bracelet Sets Recalled by D&D Distributing-Wholesale Due To Choking Hazard

Outdoor Play Sets Sold Exclusively at Toys“R”Us Recalled by Step2® Due to Fall Hazard; Swings Can Break

Tax Deductible Diapers?

Really? That's how it looks if your child's doctor deems them "...needed
to relieve the effects of a particular disease."

As parents, we are always looking to give our children the best. Many times, we are even guilty of giving too much in an effort to show them our love. When we are blessed with a child with special needs, it seems this desire to make their lives better in whatever way we can becomes paramount.

Sometimes, caring for children with special medical devices or older children who experience incontinence requires special diapering. Throw-away diapers are very expensive. This can be overwhelming to a parent who is faced with a long term need of them. Often, an answer to the leaking budget will be cloth diapering.

The good news? It seems that the IRS is now allowing these sort of purchases to be claimed as tax deductible. You can find more information about this option on page 15 of Publication 502 under "Diaper Service".

A company that we work with at Itty Bitty Baby Bunz is Happy Heiny's. Often times, Linda, the owner, will take special orders for special needs children at no additional cost to the diaper. Contact us if you need further information about this helpful option.

Happy Cloth Diapering!

Layin' in the Sun

Summer is nearly here and it's time to use the sun for your diapers! That's right - use pockets? Prefolds? Hemp? Get some staining over the last 6 months? Consider doing a little summer cleaning and lay those bad boys in the sun for a bit. Sunlight is a wonderful bleaching agent - just ask your husband about the apholstry in his car. Most of the time, it can take the stains right out of your favorite diaper using absolutely NO CHEMICALS!

Enjoy!

Top 10 Reasons to Cloth Diaper

In short, here's my "Letterman List":

1. Can we say, "CUTE!"? Yeah! Elmo and Big Bird got nothin' on cute cloth diapers!


2. Budget friendly. Although there can be a bit of a start up cost, in the long run, cloth saves HUGE for your wallet!


3. Choices. You can find a cloth diaper to fit any baby: chunky, skinny, long, short, big belly, high/low rise. You name it, you can find cloth that fits it.


4. Feel. What a huge difference there is between throw away, paper diapers and washable, soft, cloth diapers. Most of us do not choose to wear paper clothing and I firmly believe, based on watching my children's reactions to both, our babies would tell us they don't care for paper either.


5. No plumbing issues due to "flushable diapers". In a word: GROSS!


6. Re-sell value. Ever tried to sell a used size 3 Pampers disposable diaper so you could upgrade to a size 4? Ick!


7. Less waste added to the landfills. Duh. 'Nuff said.


8. Outfit and holiday coordination. OK. So this one is pure vanity, but come on, you know you do it, too! (i.e. green for St. Patrick's Day, red for Valentine's Day)


9. Cute almost-naked baby pictures. Awwwww, sweet baby parts complimented by an adorable diaper.


10. For the love. I love my cloth diapers!