Cloth Diapering Cont

                                            Cloth diapering Continued: Diaper Lingo 


Forget learning Spanish or another foreign language, I know the language of the cloth diaper addicts!! The lingo is reason enough to scare away a curious first time momma! What does, "AIO", "OS", "Fitted",  and "Hybrid" mean anyway? What in the world is a "wet bag", "boingo", or "diaper liner"? What do I even do with a "flat", a "prefold", or a "cover"?! Why are you confusing me with these words?! Ok, I promise I will try to make this as simple and painless as possible.

                                                       

Cloth Diapers pretty much fall into three categories: Sized Diapers, Two-Size Diapersand then the most popular One Size Diapers (OS). Sized Diapers are sold in different sizes: small, medium, large or if they are Two-Sized they come in two sizes that are based on weight. They are bought for their trimness and fit.  They also last through multiple children since you aren't using them as long as One-Size diapers. The downside is you have to purchase multiple sizes as your baby grows. One-Size Diapers are true to their name and fit a baby from infancy to potty training. They do this by adjusting in the rise as the baby grows, however because of this they are bulkier in the beginning than a Sized Diaper. However, they are one of the most economical cloth diaper investments since you will not need to buy more diapers.

                                                               Kinds of Cloth Diapers
The gateway diaper- The All-In-One (AIO). This is the infamous diaper that started my diaper addiction, and it is commonly called the easiest diaper to use and the closest comparison to a disposable (sposie). This diaper usually has a layer of polyurethane laminated fabric (PUL) that surrounds an attached cotton or fleece layer that lays next to the baby's bum. It then fastens with snaps or velcro just like a sposie.

An example of an AIO is Cotton Babies' Elemental Diaper pictured here:

The Pocket Diaper is the second diaper I tried and is still my go-to diaper. There are three parts that make up the pocket diaper. The first is the PUL layer just like the AIO, then secondly the pocket diaper has a moisture wicking fabric that will be touching the baby directly, the third and what makes it different than the AIO is that these two layers form a "pocket" that you then stuff with an absorbent insert.

An example of a pocket diaper is Kanga Care's Rump-a-rooz pictured here:

                                                        Picture of Rump-a-rooz insert

Then we have the All-In-Two (AI2) and Hybrid diapers, these diapers are made of two parts; a cover and then absorbant inserts that snap into the diaper and can be removed when the baby needs to be changed. With these diapers you can usually get by with 3-4 covers, which makes them a big money saver

And with Hybrid diapers you can also use disposable inserts that are biodegradable instead of cloth inserts.

The Fitted Diapers give your baby a contoured fit but require a cover to make them waterproof. You are guaranteed to get a perfect fit with a fitted, pardon the pun. However, they can be a more expensive way of cloth diapering. If you go the fitted route you will need Fitted Diapers and then covers either PUL, fleece, or wool to complete your stash. Most Fitteds are made of natural fibers that are breathable and there are some really, ridiculously cute Fitteds out there, which is always a plus!

Lastly, we have Prefolds and Flats, the diapers than transcend the generations. Flat diapers are the grandmother of all diapers, a big piece of absorbent cotton that you then fold to fit your baby. A Prefold diaper is only slightly different than a Flat as the middle has a more absorbent layer than the sides. Both diapers need covers to be waterproof but are definitely the most economical way of cloth diapering or growing a smaller stash quickly. After you have mastered the different folds, Flats and Prefolds are actually quite fun. They are the pure and simplistic way of cloth diapering.

So there you have all the different diapers! In my next post I will talk about covers. 

The World of Cloth Diapering

                                                  

                                                        Cloth Diapering: Part One


This could be a long series... just sayin.. I have a lot to say on the subject :-) I decided to cloth diaper when Sissy was 6 months old, mainly because I wanted to save some $$$ but also because I wanted to be a "crunchier mommy". I wanted to get dioxin and sodium polyacrylate off my baby's bottom!! I had already tackled the chemicals in my house cleaning and skin care. I even brought my own baby wash and lotion to the hospital when Sissy was born because I didn't want the Johnson & Johnson parabens touching her little, newbie body. So, cloth diapering was the next thing to tackle! After doing hours and hours and hours of research, I found an awesome deal on Craigs List and bought six bum genius AIO in size medium. Since I only had six I usually didn't make it through a whole day and had to wash every night. I quickly became addicted to the world of cloth diapering with all its idioms and phrases and went on to try a wide variety of different diapers. Three years later and I have tried am assortment of different diapers, diapered a newborn, had two in cloth and even three for a short while with foster babies, successfully conquered the world of night diapering and know a thing or two about cloth trainers. I definitely have my opinions but the awesome thing about mothering is that you really have to figure out what works for you through trial and error. What works for me, might not work for you! But perhaps I can save you some frustration and keep some money in your pocket by sharing a little of what I learned.

If you are still interested in cloth diapering please read these short blog posts that I think are helpful:

The Cloth Diaper Whisperer: Converting Others to Cloth

Dirty Diaper Laundry: Don't Be Afraid of the Cloth Diaper Monster 

This is a great little resource book, Changing Diapers, written by Kelly Wels (The Cloth Diaper Whisperer). 

I have more to say but my little buddy boy just woke up.

DIY: Dishwashing detergent

I was waiting to run out of my beloved Seventh Generation dishwashing detergent to begin experimenting with some more cost efficient solutions. Seventh Generation is my favorite natural dishwashing detergent I have used but gets pretty pricey at around $8 a bottle. For quite a while I was using Palmolive because it is pretty inexpensive and says "Eco" and "Phoslate Free" and "Better for lakes and streams" right there on the bottle so I figured it must be semi-natural, plus it is conveniently sold at Target. Then I found out not only is it owned by Colgate and has chlorine in it but a host of other dangerous ingredients. The EWG (Environmental Working Group) gives it an "F".

I went back to using Seventh Generation but my pocket book was hurting. So, I decided to start experimenting and making my own. I am still not sure where I stand with using Borax, so opted to leave it out for now. Lindsay over at Passionate Homemaking (one of my favorite blogs, I have been following it for years) had a recipe for homemade dishwashing detergent I decided to try.

Very simple.
1/2 cup of Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds
1/2 cup of water
1 tsp lemon juice
3 drops of tea tree oil
1/2 cup of white vinegar

I added a 1/2 cup of baking soda (I wanted my dishes clean!)

***Update: I have been using this for the last two weeks. It definitely does not get my dishes as clean as Seventh Generation but it is soooo much cheaper to make! I am not sure exactly how much I am saving though since I do have to lightly wash my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher to make sure they are really getting clean.  I would be interested in exploring that more. I miss the smell of Seventh Generation's dishwashing detergent, so lemony and light. The white vinegar smell is not at all pleasant. Overall, I am pretty satisfied with this recipe but am going to keep experimenting..

First Book Review: Montessori From The Start

I have been on a mission to get our little household organized and de-clutter this month, along with starting some basic schooling with my oldest who is three. I am going to call her by her nickname "Sissy" for this blog. Also, I have been working on focused play time with my little "Tiger" who is pictured, he is fourteen months. I love my kids! They are my delight and I love that we get to go on this adventure called "life" together!! I am so humbled that God entrusted them into my care and so very blessed to be their mommy.

Recently, I have been inspired by the book, "Montessori from the Start: The Child at Home, from Birth to Age Three", which I just started reading. I really wish I would have read it when my daughter was younger because it has some practical ideas I would have applied earlier into our daily "rhythm". Primarily the emphasis on simplicity and decorating the home for the Montessori child. We have way too many toys and I have been deliberately weeding through them as I have been reading this book. Also, just getting rid of the clutter and the distraction from too much even useful items. I want our home to foster imagination, learning and prayer.

I will say rather STRONGLY that there are quite a few recommendations in the book that I do not agree with and am still weeding through Montessori- learning as whole. The biggest weed in my personal opinion was the recommendation in the book to wean babies prematurely and potty train before they are truly ready. It feels like from some of the Montessori books and blogs I have been reading that the attempt to foster independence take precedence over the child's individual needs and personal readiness in a given area. It actually becomes the opposite of "attachment parenting"with some of Maria Montessori's ideals which maybe I will blog more about later. I am still learning about her.

Right now the two practicals from reading this book that I am going to work on implementing into everyday life with my littles are:
1. having uninterrupted block of learning/work time. I want to really work on being an observer of what is capturing Sissy's attention during our learning times and be sensitive to disregard our "schedule" and go with her flow.
2. Creating a home that is conducive to the growth and learning of a one year old and a three year old. Moving things down to their level, rearranging their rooms in order to give them simplicity and supervised independence. Including them in what I m doing throughout the day i.e., cooking, cleaning, feeding the dog.

I still haven't finished the book and so I am sure I will have more thoughts to come. :-)

Rainy Days and Lattes

What a perfectly delightful day as hurricane Isaac brought much needed rain to the plains of Kansas, Starbucks pumpkin spice latte' was added to their menu for the fall season and I finally got a date with my husband. I would say August ended with a bang! Our date was needed as we went over our fall/winter schedule and tightened our budget, the latte' made it a little sweeter than it might have been otherwise. For us it is definitely a season to tighten ship and get our lives in order. We are attempting to do a money envelope system for our finances and really steward our time in a way that will benefit our family as a whole. My husband is juggling a lot of balls right now: finishing college, Alderman in our city and working full time as an insurance broker to provide for our family so I can stay at home with my littles. I am blessed. Our goal this month is to eat at home except for our weekly coffee date. We spent way too much money on eating out this summer. September we welcome you!

The Red Balloon

Our (my kids and I) favorite book is "Goodnight Moon" and it only seemed fitting to use the title as the name of my blog. However, it was already taken and so I chose "Good Night Red Balloon" as the title of this new blog. There is a darling French movie about a little boy and a red balloon who follows him everywhere, the movie ends with the little boy floating up in the sky to a place where children and balloons are friends forever. Balloons remind me of hope and childlike joy. And that is somewhat of the journey we are on, isn't it. "Goodnight" is the only time I have to blog, when my sweet children are tucked in bed, fast asleep and dreaming. Hopefully through this blog I can share with you some mommy musings that might inspire you on your own journey. Goodnight Moon. Goodnight.