Leslie's Latest

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Fluff Stash for iPhone! Have you seen it?

Fluff Stash
The World’s First Cloth Diaper Addicts iPhone App
Scheduled to hit the App Store today!
Official Press Release

Introducing the very first of its kind, Fluff Stash, an iPhone app just for cloth diaper fanatics! In this easy to use and navigate app you’ll have so much fun snapping pics of all your diapers, categorizing them by brand, color, size, style and more! Sort, organize, and share your stash with the click of a button.

We know just how addicted cloth diapering moms are, not just to their cloth diapers, but to their smartphones and their social networks. That’s why we’re giving you the best of all your favorite things by allowing you to satisfy your craving to talk about cloth, use your phone, and share photos of your entire stash all in one convenient place!

What’s the best part?

It’s totally affordable, just .99 and it’s easy to use! No gimmicks, finally an app that you can use on a daily basis for practical or totally impractical reasons, you decide!

Download Fluff Stash from the App Store today and take your cloth diaper addiction to a whole new level!

Make sure you also “LIKE” Fluff Stash on Facebook where you can connect with other Fluff Stash users, ask questions, participate in promotions and more!

Like what you’re reading?

We need your help spreading the word about this new app! Please copy & paste this press release and post it to your blogs, facebook, twitter, message boards and more! Don’t keep this exciting news to yourself, the more who use it the more fun we all can have!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Listen to Leslie: What are the benefits and/or disadvatages to choosing all AIO diapers?

Our Listen to Leslie post are intended to help cloth diapering families find solutions and answers to some of their most common frequently asked questions regarding cloth diapering. If you have a question you'd like to see covered in future post please share it as a comment below.

Question: I'm new to cloth diapering and considering purchasing a cloth diaper stash of all AIO diapers. I'd like to know your thoughts on the benefits and disadvantages of choosing AIO's?

Answer: Welcome to cloth diapering! There is quite a bit to know about the different types of cloth diapers so first let's discuss what an AIO is. An AIO is the most similar form of cloth diaper to a disposable diaper, in terms of ease of use and functionality. They are exactly as their name describes, an All In One diaper.

Benefits-
All-In-One diapers are waterproof, have built in absorbency and easy to use closure style. Just as easy to use as a disposable.

There's no stuffing required, no extra pieces, and they're great for babysitters, daddies, and daycares. When you take the diaper off the baby you simply wash, dry and it's ready to wear again.

Disadvantages-
The drawbacks to using an AIO or having an all AIO stash are...

Sometimes the built-in absorbency ends up not being enough for your childs needs. You'll either need to purchase doublers to use inside the diapers to make them more absorbent, or purchase Pocket AIO's so that you can stuff the added insert or doubler inside the diaper instead of just laying it in.

AIO diapers also take much longer to dry. Since these diapers are "all-in-one" and do not come apart into separate pieces, they retain moisture and often take longer than just one dryer cycle to dry. They are also not ideal for line drying unless the conditions are just right.

Because they can take longer to dry they are more prone to mildew and stinkies. They will frequently seem dry although inside they are not and when not dried in a sufficient amount of time they can develop odor issues.

AIO diapers are also not as available in Onesize options as their Pocket Diaper relatives. There are some Onesize AIO's, but generally AIO's are sized diapers and you'll need to buy the next size up when your little one outgrows the size they're in.

Overall-
AIO's are great diapers and I do recommend everyone have at least some in their stash for convenience. Each person has different needs so it's important to weigh the benefits and disadvantages before investing in all one kind of diaper.

For a great selection of cloth diapers please visit a Leslie's Boutique Retailer! Thanks for reading.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Have you heard of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge? May 23-30

The Flats and Handwashing Challenge was created by Kim of Dirty Diaper Laundry, a popular Cloth Diapering blog.

The purpose of the challenge is to prove that cloth diapering doesn't have to be expensive, any one can afford it, and you don't even need electricity to care for your diapers. Many low-income families struggle to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head and the cost of disposable diapers is simply too much for many families. Mothers are admitting to resorting to drastic measures to stretch the use they get from their disposable diapers, this includes attempting to reuse soiled disposables as well as leaving their children in disposables even when they know they're in need of a changing.

These facts are just a way of life for families who think that disposables are their only option. Many do not have on-site laundry washing facilities and do not think that cloth diapering is a possibility.

Through the Flats and Handwashing Challenge moms hope to prove that cloth diapering can be done in the most inexpensive way, effectively, and they can be handwashed without fancy appliances or even electricity.

Kim of Dirty Diaper Laundry has even been making some fabuolous Youtube Video Tutorials, which I will share a few with you below. How to make your own Camp Style Bucket Washer, How to fold Flat Diapers and more.

If you're interested in participating make sure you sign up. If you can't or don't want to participate but do want to see how the different participants fare during the challenge make sure that you follow Kim's blog.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Listen to Leslie: Is it ok to buy used cloth diapers?

Time for Leslie to answer another great question from a cloth diapering mama!

Question: I've been considering purchasing some used cloth diapers. Is this ok to do and is there anything I need to know before making a purchase?

Answer: Yes! There are a lot of things to consider before purchasing used diapers. I recommend only purchasing excellent used condition diapers and from actual cloth diaper retailers if you can. Let me explain why.

Where did the diapers come from and how old are they? Diapers, if stored improperly can look great but have rotted or worn out elastic that will essentially fall apart when used. Find out when the selller purchased the diapers, and attempt to verify that they are not an older version. Finding out the brand, style and model and doing a little research will ensure that you're not buying a diaper that was made by a company that went out of business 5 years ago.
Why are they being sold? Make sure you ask why the seller is getting rid of the diapers. If buying from a forum, check the sellers feedback rating and also look at their post history. While I don't think everyone is out to take advantage, there certainly are some who will try. If the seller says they bought XYZ diaper new and just didn't like the fit, but you notice that they themselves purcahsed it used from another seller recently, then you know the seller is dishonest. You will have no clue how old the diaper is or what it's history is.
What were they washed with? As you all know, just because a diaper looks clean doesn't mean it doesn't have stink issues or that it could have been washed with the wrong types of detergent or cared for improperly. Make sure you ask questions and get as much information as you can before committing.
Is the seller the original owner? It is really not a good idea to purchase diapers used unless you know you're purchasing them from the original owner. Only the original owner will know how old they are, where they were purchased, how they were cared for, etc.

These are just a few things you should consider before buying used. Another great option is purchasing gently used diapers from a cloth diaper retailer. They generally come with some sort of a "Certified Pre-Owned Guarantee" and will have been fully inspected and often pre-washed. This is a great, much more safe, alternative if you'd like to save money and buy pre-owned diapers.

Hope this answer helps you some and that next time you're buying used diapers you'll be making a much more informed decision.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

How to get started with Cloth Wipes!

Guest Post by Emily

So you’ve made the decision to cloth diaper, but you’re still stuck using disposable wipes. You’re tired of using two different pails at diaper changes, tired of finding the remnants of wipes that accidentally got thrown in the wash, and tired of throwing away your money. Time to switch to cloth wipes! At first it can seem a little overwhelming. Just like your research on cloth diapers, you find there are many different options. Different fabrics, shapes, brands, prices, etc. Where do you start?

My first concern was price. I knew I wanted to have at least 24 to begin with, and most of the wipes I saw were at least $1 each. The thought of sinking $24+ into something I wasn’t quite sure about didn’t appeal to me. So I looked into using things I had on hand. After all, we were given tons of flannel receiving blankets and burp cloths that weren’t being used. I, however, am not crafty and do not sew. That would mean asking someone else to take the time to sew them and probably paying them to do so. I’d also have to work around their schedule and I wanted to get started right away. So, what to do?

A little more research brought about the idea of using baby washcloths. After all, they’re soft, absorbent, and made to clean a baby’s skin. Why not? I informed Jdaddy of my decision and off to the store we went. I picked up two 12-packs of Gerber Washcloths for about $6 total. Not bad. But then I had to worry about a wipes solution. Being the frugal mom I am, and not crazy about using products on baby’s sensitive skin, I decided to skip the solution and just use water. Some like to wet a few wipes each day and keep them in a container. I was afraid I’d forget about them and they’d get musty, so I chose to wet them as needed. At first I used a peri-bottle to wet the wipes, but it tended to get water everywhere. So I found a spray bottle we already had and began using it. Success!

Since we started using cloth wipes a few months ago, we’ve developed quite a nice routine. The wipes are kept in an old Pampers wipes container, using a folding method found on YouTube for the “pop-up” effect. We picked up another pack of washcloths to total 36. I also added a squirt of baby oil and a drop or two of baby wash to the spray bottle to make the wiping a bit smoother. It’s so much more convenient to just toss the wipes into the pail with the diaper and wash them all together. And even better, no more throwing money away!

About Emily: Emily is a Navy wife and WAHM to a handsome baby boy. Sh has been cloth diapering her son since he was a month old, and is a self-proclaimed fluff addict.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

What's a Cloth Diaper? New Animated Video from Dirty Diaper Laundry!

Great new Cloth Diaper Advocacy Video on Youtube! Check it out and share it with your friends!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Winner of the Leslie's Boutique Wipes Bag Giveaway was....Melanie, Comment #93!

Congratulations to Melanie, lucky entry #93! She's the winner of our Leslie's Boutique Wipes Bag! Perfect for toiletries, cloth wipes, mama pads and more!

Thank you to everyone who entered. If you didn't win, please don't get discouraged, we'll have plenty more giveaways coming up soon!

Melanie, please check your email for a winners notification from us and to claim your prize.