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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.

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.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Listen to Leslie: What's the difference between an insert and a doubler?

Leslie's answering some more of your cloth diapering related questions!

Question: There are so many types of diapering accessories that it's hard to know what makes one different from the other. What's the difference between inserts and doublers? Are they the same thing?

Answer: Great question and for the most part, cloth diapering accessories are all pretty interchangeable.

Originally doublers were like thinner versions of an insert, depending upon the brand. You could add one to your normal diaper and insert and make it more absorbent by stuffing it into the pocket with the insert.

There are also doublers that are made to lay directly in a prefold or fitted and those generally are topped with a stay dry or soft material so as not to irritate babies sensitive skin.

Recently, manufacturers have begun making their inserts with a stay dry top so that it can be used as either an insert, doubler or even just laid inside a diaper cover in lieu of a fitted diaper. This is convenient and really helps you to make the most of all of your cloth diapers and accessories and makes all the different styles and accessories interchangeable.

So yes, for the most part inserts and doublers are pretty similar. You can determine which you like to use and how you like to use them in order to meet your baby's specific needs.

*If you need to purchase additional inserts or doublers please make sure to visit one of our retailers for all your cloth diapering needs!

Thanks!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Listen to Leslie: How do I know how many cloth diapers I need to use cloth full-time?

Good Afternoon and Happy St. Patrick's Day! Welcome to another Listen to Leslie post where Leslie answers some of the most frequently asked cloth diaper related questions.

Question: I'd like to use cloth diapers full time but I'm just not sure how many diapers I will need to have?

Answer: How many diapers you will need depends on a lot of different factors. For example, younger babies tend to go through more diapers per day then older ones. Little ones also tend to need less absorbency but much more frequent diaper changes, that's why prefolds are often a method preferred by moms of newborns.

You also need to decide how often you'd like to be doing your diaper laundry. If you want to wash every night then you need enough to last you longer than 24 hours. While the diapers are washing you'll need diapers that you can use and you also want to take into consideration that baby might get sick or experience more frequent bowel movements than usual and you don't want to run out.

The diaper bag? It's important to plan on keeping 2-3 diapers in your diaper bag at all times. Great for going out and about and as backup in the event that something happens at home and you need a clean diaper fast.

I can't tell you how many times I ran out of clean diapers because my diaper laundry got put into the dryer but I forgot to turn it on!

What about wear and tear? If you keep the exact amount of diapers that you need for each day and no extra, AND you're washing daily. Then you can expect to be washing those same diapers 365 days a year. That's a lot of wear and tear and you may not be able to rely on those diapers for use with future children.

The more diapers you have the larger your rotation which means instead of every day, each diaper would get used every other day. That cuts your wear and tear in HALF!

Styles of Diapers? For prefolds, fitteds and covers you can pretty much count upon the fact that you won't have to change the cover with every diaper change unless it gets smelly, too moist or soiled. So you can get by with 2 dozen prefolds and 4-6 covers just fine. With Pockets and AIO's you know that the entire diaper including the outer shell, pocket, inserts, etc. need to be changed at each diaper change.

Phew! That's a lot to take into consideration isn't it? Well I hope this post helps you a little and gives you a better understanding of how many diapers you'd need.

What are your thoughts, suggestions, comments?

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Listen to Leslie: What do I need to know about reusable baby wipes?

Question: Since using cloth diapers it has become more and more inconvenient to use disposable wipes. What do I need to know about using cloth wipes and where do I start?

Leslie's Answer: Great question! Using disposables is a definite inconvenience when you're using cloth diapers. Faced with having to take your soiled diapers home to wash or storing them until wash day means that at the end of each diaper change you're left with a handful of soiled disposable wipes and there isn't always a place to dispose of them.

First thing to know about cloth wipes is that they're pretty versatile. You can use two-ply flannel, single ply, cotton terry, velour, washcloths and more. You can make your own or check with your favorite cloth diaper retailer for some of the popular brands.

You can use them as diaper wipes, wet wipes at feeding time, family cloth, reusable napkins and more!

Second, you need to know that without all those preservatives used in pre-moistened disposables you're not going to be able to store your moist cloth wipes for very long without mildew setting in.

Try either keeping a spray bottle to moisten them as needed or only moisten enough for one day at a time.

Third, you can use something as simple and as inexpensive as tap water, or you can use your favorite cloth wipe solution or bum spray. Some popular brands include, Baby Bum Drops, BumGenius Bottom Cleaner, Kissaluvs Diaper Potion Lotion, and Thirsties Booty Luster.

Wipe solutions can already come in a spray form or in a glycerine form which you can dissolve in warm water before use.

Fourth, you'll need to get more than a few. My opinion is that two dozen is a good amount to start. You'll be pleasantly surprised that when you used to use 2,3,4 disposable wipes per diaper change, with cloth wipes you'll probably only need one!

Lastly, cloth wipes are convenient because they reduce the amount of waste produced and they can just be tossed into your wetbag with your soiled cloth diapers and washed all together!

They're that easy to use so there's no excuse for you not to make the switch today!

*Do you have a question for Leslie? Comment on this blog post or leave us a question on our FaceBook Page and we'll feature your question in one of our upcoming Listen to Leslie posts!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Listen to Leslie: How do I know how many diapers I will need?

We'd like to introduce you to our new blog series "Listen to Leslie" where the wise and wonderful Leslie will answer reader asked questions and give tips and advice on solving the many diaper dilemmas.

Question: I am so confused! How many diapers do I need if I want to cloth diaper full time?

Leslie's Answer: Hi! Great question! This is a commonly asked question and one that has many answers that can depend upon many different varieties of factors. Many experienced and cloth diaper addicted moms will tell you that you can never have enough diapers in your stash! That's because cloth diapering is not just a necessity, it becomes more like a hobby and sort of addiction. Moms become cloth diaper collectors and users all at the same time. Plus there's nothing cuter than seeing your little ones bum in their newest tie dye print or velour diaper, side-snapping or aplix, fitted, cover, etc. so what reason would you have to ever stop buying them! Right? lol

Seriously though, while you can never have too many, according to some, how many do you really NEED? It's one of the most basic questions and one that must be answered in order for anyone to successfully convert to cloth diapers full time.

First off, how many you need depends a lot on how often you plan to do diaper laundry, how many children you have in diapers, and their ages.

Newborns needs their diaper changed a very frequently, pretty much ALL THE TIME! I wouldn't hesitate to say that you could change a newborn or small baby's diaper up to 12 times a day, maybe more. They might not be filling their diaper at each diaper change but instead are doing a little squirt here or there, enough to warrant a change of diapers every time you turn your back and often as soon as you've finished snapping their onesie back on!

Older babies and toddlers who are gaining more control over their bowel movements seem to begin to hold it more and go less often but in larger quantities than small babies. This means less diaper changes. At the very minimum I'd say you'd still need to count on having at least 6-8 diapers per day to be on the safe side.

So now you're thinking "Multiply the number per day by how many days before washing and...tada! You've found the magic number!" Well it's not always that simple.

One thing you want to keep in mind is that for most, cloth diapering is affordable and desirable because you want to have your stash of diapers to last through potty training and for future children.

If you have exactly the number of diapers that you need to get you through a day then you need to think about the fact that those diapers will be being laundered almost 365 days a year! Cloth diapers are not unlike your clothing, take your favorite shirt for example, a nice and quality made one, and wash it every day or so for 1,2,3 years and it's going to get worn out, there's no way around it. So much so that you probably won't want to wear it anymore, even if it didn't have holes in it.

Basically, the more diapers you have in your cloth diaper rotation means each diaper is getting used less and washed less. This results in a lot less wear and tear on your diapers and they remain in better shape in order for you to be able to sell them, give them away, or save them for use on future babies.

Personally I think it's a good rule of thumb to figure out how many you need to get you through a day or two without washing and then double it. This will ensure that you're diapers won't be getting overused and worn out and you'll have plenty for emergencies like if your washer breaks or you or the baby get sick and you can't tend to your laundry like you normally would.

So have any of you figured out your perfect number of diapers? How many diapers do you have and what are your thoughts on this topic? We'd love to hear from you!

*Would you like Leslie to answer some of your questions? Comment here or on our FaceBook Page and we'll feature your question in an upcoming post!