back to cloth

I was going to wait a couple days to put Charlotte back in cloth ... I was going to keep going with the Nystatin ointment a bit longer, but we had an atomic blowout in a restaurant tonight, that soaked through all of her clothes, and I decided I'd had it with disposables that leak all the time.

I have gotten loads of advice on how to wash to prevent yeast, so I will be doing that from now on:

washing every 2-3 days max
cold rinse
hot wash with 50 drops GSE
cold rinse
cold rinse
dry

Hopefully it works.
If I EVER have to deal with yeast again - it will be too soon.

yeast

I had been curious for a few days if the persistent white patch on Charlotte's tongue was milk or thrush. I haven't had any symptoms of thrush myself, so I dismissed it as milk. Probably my first mistake, but we'll leave that there.

My ever-rashy daughter started getting worse yesterday. I kept switching back and forth between creams to try and get it figured it out. No luck. I had been told that putting expressed breastmilk on a rash can help. I tried that last night.

This morning the rash looked exceptionally worse. I debated waiting until after her nap, but I didn't. I went ahead and put her in a disposable with some Butt Paste. An hour later with her diaper change, the rash was worse. Even worse, it looked like yeast. I slathered her with Desitin and put her down for her nap. When she woke up, her entire groin area had erupted with yeast.

I called the pediatrician's office and they prescribed a cream for her. Later this evening I recognized the thrush, and called back. Apparently it wasn't anything urgent in their eyes, so a note was left for the doctor. I am guessing/hoping that they prescribe something for Charlotte, and I'm guessing I'll need something as well.

Now, even though the rash looked so bad it made me cry ... I am thinking we have that part under control. But, the next issue is ... getting the yeast out of the diapers.

*sigh* I read for a couple hours and got suggestions from SEVERAL girls from the bump board. Before I really knew what to do ... I filled the washing machine with hot water. Then, I read you shouldn't do that because the heat can make yeast grow.
Next, I filled it with cold water, and put about a cup of vinegar in the machine. After that I was told I should use bleach instead, so I drained the machine and rinsed twice.
I sent James out to get regular bleach, and put a quarter cup of bleach in the machine (no detergent) ... did a double agitation in a hot wash. I will probably rinse a few times to make sure that there is no bleach still on the diapers.
I rinsed three times after the bleach wash and then did a wash with a sample packet of Country Save followed by two rinses.

I am going to get some Grapeseed Extract Oil to drip in the rinse cycle to hopefully combat the yeast from coming back.

I am sooooooo hoping that this diligence will pay off. I am so distraught that this has happened, but I should be grateful that I recognized the yeast rash as early as I did, even though it erupted super quickly.

Only time will tell ...

At least I bought eco-friendly disposables.

Spots scores and other purchases...

Seeing as now there is NO WAY to post every time I get a good deal on some new/used dipes, I thought I'd post my scores in a list!

Spots
Greenseed organic cotton fitted with snap-in doubler, giraffe print $12
4 Small Thirsties covers (white, butter, celery, periwinkle) $26
5 Bumgenius XS AIO (yellow, grasshopper, ribbit, twilight, moonbeam) $50
NEW Goodmama OBV pink (serged) $15
NEW Goodmama OBV SWAK (serged) $19.50
2 XS Thirsties covers (lavender, candy pink) $16
Kissaluvs size 1 fitted (pink) $7.40
Gro baby system: Green shell with three snap-in liners $15.50
Small Thirsties fab-fitted and cover (both raspberry) $18
Bubu bebe one-size fitted (girly print) $19
Small Cloth for your Angel Wood Wrap $18

from my friend Corey
13 Kissaluvs size 0 fitteds (10 neutral, 2 pink, 1 blue) $106
1 XS Thirsties cover (raspberry)
2 WAHM pockets (white)
1 small Swaddlebees AIO (pink martini)
1 Small Prorap cover
3 fleece covers

from bumpies/nesties
3 one size AIOs $20
2 BG 2.0 pockets (blossom) $17

I also scored some diapers on clearance:
Swaddlebees one-size wonderoos diaper (pink) $7
Swaddlebees one-size diaper with organic cotton terry (lavender) $9
Happy Heinys small pocket diaper (sage) $5
Happy Heinys medium pocket diaper (butter) $5

Kissaluvs granted my wish

So I actually love my contour diapers ........ mostly.
They are trim.
They are easy to handle.
They are soft.
They will fit Charlotte for a long time.
They are cheap (half the cost of a fitted).

They also leak poo. Badly. I imagine once the poo isn't so runny this problem will be resolved.
I had been wishing they would carry a contour (I don't mind using the snappi) with elastic on the legs to contain the poo.

I went out to Happybottomus today (in search of essential oil which they did not carry), and happened to notice that not only do Kissaluvs now carry a one-size fitted diaper (the Marvel) but they also have a one-size hybrid contour which *fanfare* has elastic on the legs!!!!!!!!
It was $10.95 .... which after my $10 coupon for buying so much stuff at Happybottomus ... cost me $1.03 ... I can handle that.

I am SO EXCITED to wash and use this diaper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

back to cloth :)

I obtained a different CD friendly cream (California baby). The Desitin nicely cleared her rash up and then I switched to the California Baby with disposables to see how she reacted to it. No re-flare up, so after her bath today, my little Princess will go back to her cloth diapers with the California Baby cream (which smells like lavender and it smells soooo good!)
I hope the rash stays away --- I would hate to have to abandon the cloth in order to use heavy duty creams.

back to plastic :(

Charlotte's rash continued after we started the cloth diapers, so I've been slathering her with the Method diaper cream with every change. It cleared up after a couple days, and then a few changes without cream and it came roaring back ... so bad it looked so raw I thought it was going to bleed. So... since I (unfortunately) have a big tube of Desitin on hand ... we're going back to plastic and I'm going to coat her raw little heiny in the Desitin until this rash clears up. Since I was given some disposables in my diaper cake at my shower I have several still on hand so at least I don't have to go and buy any disposables.
We'll do the disposables for a few days and see how it goes.

today is the day!

So I decided to not start CDing until the meconium was finished ... I didn't trust the liners and didn't want to ruin the cloth diapers so I opted to just wait a few more days until it was completely gone.
And...today is the day! She has started to have a bit of diaper rash and I started using the CD-friendly Method Diaper Cream without much luck ... so I used a couple sample packs of Desitin that I had to try and clear it up quicker. I'm going to give her a bath today to wash all the remnants of the Desitin off and then we'll be officially in cloth diapers! I am very excited to start doing this!
The silly big decision I've been pondering all day is ... which diaper will she wear first?!

Baby Sprout is here!

It's a GIRL!
Charlotte Elizabeth is her name.
She was born at 5:35pm, 7lb 13oz, 21.75 inches long.
Check out my other blog for all the birth details.

another Spots score

I just bought FOUR almost new small Thirsties covers for $26 !!!
white, yellow, green and blue (I've determined blue is gender neutral ... while pink is not)

new discovery

My friend Corey who has given me a lot of advice on cloth diapering had been recommending a website as a place to purchase used diapers: http://www.diaperswappers.com/

However, after attempting to navigate it, I was in search of a better alternative. I posted a note on the EFF forum on thebump.com and I was directed to a different site, and I am already in love!

I purchased a newborn sized organic fitted diaper with a giraffe print. It has a snap in doubler. It is soooo cute and I can't wait to get it and try it on Sprout! I am so excited!!!

Prep Day ... a tutorial

Today is the day!
I am finally going to prep my diapers. It has taken me what seems like FOREVER to figure out exactly how to do it -and how to conserve the most water.

11:24am: I am currently washing my fitteds/contours and am boiling the water to prep the prefolds. I think I am going to be super lame and post pictures of the prefold prep process (kinda stealing the idea from the lady who's format I'm following).

I didn't keep up with the specific times, but I have pics of the prep process:

#1: The Supplies : 12 unbleached indian prefolds, Original Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid, large stockpot



#2: Prefold thickness prior to boiling (this is all 12)


#3: First batch while boiling.
I filled the stock pot almost to the top (as you can see) with a Squirt of Dawn. I didn't measure it so I couldn't tell you how much exactly to use. I boiled 6 PFs at a time for 20 minutes each (I even got a picture of the timer so make sure to note it through the steam!) I stirred them around a bit to make sure they all got submerging time as the ones at the top of the pot tended to float.


#4: wringing out the diapers with tongs ... I wrapped the PF around the tongs and squeezed them against the side of the pot until they didn't drip a lot (note: after awhile the rough edges on the tongs really tore up the palms of my hands so I started wearing cleaning gloves while wringing them out to save my poor hands)



#5: I put the six boiled prefolds on our draining tray to cool off and wait for the other six to finish.


I repeated steps 1-5 on the second set of 6 diapers.
After all 12 were boiled, I threw them in the washing machine with no detergent (figuring Dawn is still going to be in the wash) and did a hot wash with two cold rinses. (I have a top loader machine that is apartment-issue so it basically has no options other than this)
NOTE: I had meant to use the water in the pot for the wash (to save on water ... given that it was already boiling temp) but I neglected to do so. I used the largest water setting on the machine.

They went into the dryer after that (along with my fitteds/contours to save on energy)

#6: Photo of diapers after the first wash/dry. Notice the increase in quiltiness/fluffiness and thickness.


After the initial wash/dry, they went back into the washing machine with 1/2 the recommended amount of Purex Free & Clear through a hot wash/ two cold rinses. Again, I used the largest water setting. I washed my fitteds/contours with them this time.

They went back into the dryer after that (the prefolds/fitted and contours)

#7: After the boiling and two washes/dries. Again note the increase in fluffiness/quiltiness (is that even a word) and the thickness.



KL washing recommendation: http://www.kissaluvs.com/care-instructions.php

Pinstripes and Polkadots list of instructions from manufacturers: http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/CareInstructionsbyBrand.htm

Detergent

I am still stuck on what kind of detergent to use for the diapers.

I have read so many reviews on different types of detergents that my head is spinning. Every website has a different opinion and every person who responds to one of my board posts has a different opinion. I've just decided to pick one and if it doesn't work... I'll try another.

Here are a couple links that I've used to help me with the decision process:
http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoicesataglancepspd.htm
http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html

I have opted to (for now) go with Purex Free-and-Clear. Both of the above websites have given it good reviews, and if it doesn't work for me with the diapers, I can always use it for laundry.
HOWEVER, after this bottle, I will probably try to make my own detergent or switch to a biodegradable one, since I don't like leaching chemicals into the environment if I don't have to.

I was recommended a detergent recipe from another blogger that I will probably use, but I am sure I will keep researching it to the death until then (like I always do).
http://poonicosmom.blogspot.com/

I bought my diapers!!!

Okay - so the diaper swap was INSANE! We had to queue up for about 45 minutes just to check out! I wandered for about 20 minutes around the used table before getting all my new stuff into the basket. I don't think I will EVER build up my stash again while there are 40 other people in the store. It was too hard to navigate, especially with this huge belly of mine!!!

I will definitely need to get more, but I think I've got a good starting stash, especially for what they cost!
I ended up with:

12 Indian prefolds (new)

4 Thirsties XS covers (new)

2 Kissaluv contours (new)

4 Kissaluv 0 fitteds (2 new, 2 used)

2 Kissaluv 1 fitteds (used)

2 BG 3.0 AIO XS




Thirsties XS covers Kissaluvs contours


Kissaluvs fitteds Bumgenius AIO XS

I also bought two wetbags (Planetwise and Fuzzibunz), a Bebe Au Lait nursing cover and a Moby Wrap!

I can't wait to use all this stuff!
I still need to do massive research on how I want to wash all these diapers, but at least I have a starting stash!

Initial Wishlist

After way too much research, I had to come up with an initial wishlist for my diapers.
Our local brick and mortar store is having a diaper swap next Saturday and I really want to go and try to get a couple used diapers to save on money. I've decided to go ahead and start with CDs from the get-go, so I'm going to have to get a newborn stash to start out with since most small sizes don't work until the baby is 10 pounds or so. (Hopefully mine doesn't actually weigh 10 lb. at birth - I'm so scared it will!!!)

Newborn
4 Thirsties XS covers
2 Kissaluvs Size 0 fitteds
2 Kissaluvs NB/S contours
12 infant prefolds
2 BG XS
flushable liners
24 cloth wipes
3-4 Snappis

Infant
4 BG OS Pocket
4 FB OS Pocket
4 HH OSS Pocket
6 Thirsties S covers
12+ prefolds

I am in love...

I finally drove out to our local store, and I completely fell in love with it!
www.happybottomus.com

It was so nice to finally see and feel in person what I have been reading about online for 6+ months. I was so completely overwhelmed though, even after looking at all the options that I had to ask the guy working there for help. I was a little skeptical asking a guy for help (didn't think he'd be super helpful) and he was the most helpful person ever!!!
He took his time going through each type of diaper, what the pros and cons are, and how they work! I had such a calmer feeling coming out of there, having a much better idea of what all this cloth diapering is going to entail. I am still completely overwhelmed and need to do a ton more research --- but I am so many steps closer to being where I need to be!!!

In addition, I think this place has won me over as a customer for life! I would gladly pay a little more to shop from them than from big online retailers (that and I like to support local businesses anyway).

Good job, Happybottomus!!!