Diaper Tips

:: Diaper Wipes - My favorite cloth diaper wipes are 2-layers and measure 8x8" when finished.  This size perfectly fits into my hand for diaper clean-ups.  I prefer the 2-layers to be terry and flannel.  The terry has those wonderful 'loops' that help 'grab' poops for a better initial wipe over.  The flannel is perfectly soft for the clean-up and more closely resembles the feel and texture of a commercial (paper) baby wipe.  These are easy enough to make.  Simply look around your house for some baby blankets or old flannel shirts no longer being used and then, some old washcloths or towels.  When it comes to the terry, the trimmer the towel you can find, the better.  If there is any staining on the old towels or washcloths, dye them for fun or to match the flannel you have available. 

Next, cut your squares to the desired size.  We cut ours about 8 1/4" x 8 1/4" (allowing for 1/4" seam allowance).  We have sewn ours up one of two ways.  If you have a serger and do not desire the look of a turned-and-topstitched finished edge, you can just place the pieces with back sides together and serge.  I like my corners to be curved, so I will begin the wipe's curve at about the 1/2" mark from the edge of each corner (assuming a 1/4" seam allowance).  This can also be done using a xxx stitch on a regular sewing machine, but you will not need to allow for 1/4" seam allowance if you use the xxx stitch - you'll be sewing directly off the edge. 

If you do not have a serger and want a turned-and-topstiched look to your wipe, you can place your squares right sides together and sew around the square, remembering to maintain a consistent seam allowance.  Be sure that you leave enough of an opening on one side to turn-out the square (about 2" is a good opening).  Once you turn the wipe right-side-out, press down the seams down (with an iron or a fingernail), poking out the corners inside with a pencil, crochet hook or whatever is available.  The 2" opening will have a seam that needs to be turned under and pressed or ironed to match the folded seam already created and turned under.  Top-stitch completely around the wipe as close to the folded edge as you can, making sure to secure the 'opening' under the stitch as well.

The 8x8" diaper wipe fits easily (when folded in half) in the plastic commercial baby wipe holders that you can find in any grocery store.  We do not store them in these containers as we do not pre-wet them.  Instead, we carry a peri-bottle with our Diaper Wipe Mix in it and wet them before diaper changes.  After being used, they can be rolled up in the diaper and placed in the dirty diaper tote for washing.  Saves money on commercial baby wipes and recycles items in your home you might otherwise throw-out.

:: Buying Used - Just because you want to start cloth diapering, does not mean that you have to fork over a mint to get started.  You can rest assured that while you are beginning the cloth diapering years, someone else is coming out of them or moving up to the next size.  Be certain to check out thrift stores, garage sales and online retail stores selling gently used cloth diapering items.  Another alternative is to find a local diaper service company.  They are often rotating out their stock - 'retiring' older diapers - and quite often will sell them to you at a lesser price.  Before buying, see if you can find out how they were washed.  If chlorine bleach was part of the regular washing procedure, you would do better to purchase new cloth diapers as chlorine eats away at cotton fibers and will render diapers much less than absorbent in a very short period of time.

Diaper Changes

1. Purchase a bar of soap and DO NOT REMOVE THE WRAPPER.  In between diaper changes, store your diaper pins by pushing the pointed end of the diaper pin into the soap bar through the paper.  The reason you leave the paper on is because this will eventually cause 'crumbling' of the soap bar underneath the paper, but it will be contained within the paper and not leave a mess.  Whenever you're ready for the next diaper change, just pull two out of the soap bar, replacing them with the two you pulled out of the diaper.  You'll be surprised at how easily they glide in.
2. Another way to get diaper pins to easily slide in is to rub them along your 'T' zone to oil them up or along your hairline.  For those of us with dry skin in the winter, this isn't always an option, however. 
3. If you collect the little bits and pieces of soap from your bathtubs, sinks and showers, you can melt them into a baby food jar and keep your diaper pins poked into that when not in use.  When they start to chip away at the soap and it becomes messy, just add a few drops of water and heat it up again, letting it dry back down to a solid form.  This can be done multiple times. 
4. We keep Apricot Oil at our diaper changing station and put it on our babe's bum between diaper changes.  After applying the oil, my fingers are usually a bit oily and I can run the diaper pin along my fingers to grease it up to stick through the cotton diaper as well.  The same applies if using any type of 'oily' diaper rash ointment or natural oils.

:: Dealing with Sticky Bum Poop - Does your baby get that poop that literally attaches itself to his/her skin and will not come off short of scraping?  This kind of poopy seems to arrive around the same time baby starts taking in solids.  A quick remedy is to apply a natural baby oil like Apricot Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil to their bum after diaper changes.  Not only is it good for their skin, but keeps those poopies from getting a stronghold on our baby's bottom!  This is also a good diaper changing 'practice' for newborns during the meconium stage (a.k.a. 'tar poop').

:: Less is More! - With diaper covers, don't get caught up in the idea that you need a dozen in each size.  We never suggest more than 6 covers in each size.  You need to be washing at least every 3rd day to keep the bacteria in check anyway, but if you set up a system of rotation, your diaper covers will last a good while and not smell.  We prefer using nylon pull-on pants.  We also prefer to pin or snappi our diapers on our baby to keep the poopies 'in' more.  This can be managed well with fitted style diapers as well.  When we change baby, we place that cover on a hook to air-out and reach for another, usually rotating 3 diaper covers out in a day.  At the end of the day, we put on a night-time diaper (which is usually a fitted or prefold with a wool cover or a pocket diaper) and toss those three diaper covers we rotated through the day into the diaper pail.  The next day we pull out three more (and wash that evening - waking on the 3rd morning with 6 fresh new covers for use).  This rotation keeps our diaper covers from building up smell and from being worn down too fast.  The breathable covers work better with this type of system.

Diapering Accessories

:: Diaper Totes - You don't have to purchase a fancy tote, any type of plastic grocery bag will do (if tied securely enough) and is a great way to recycle.  We have even used the  ziploc-style baggies in a pinch, but they are pretty expensive to use this way regularly (unless you wash them out and re-use them, that is). 

:: Chinese Prefold Diaper Doublers - Do you have some Chinese Prefolds that are worn and tattered on the end from use?  After a few years, the cotton fibers separate on the ends where they have been pinned numerous time.  Well, have no fear - no need to reduce them to rags just yet.  You can make Diaper Doublers out of these well-worn Chinese Prefolds and extend their life just a wee bit more.  First, cut off the two side panels, leaving the absorbent middle panel intact.  With the rectangular middle panel left before you, just serge the edges, or if you do not have a serger, use the xxx stitch on your standard sewing machine.  The advantage is that this rectangular doubler will fit PERFECTLY into your less-tattered prefolds AND make the perfect insert for any pocket diapers you have - minus the bulk.

Have some of your own?  Care to share?