all you have to do is ask

this week is pretty much the bomb diggity.

had a follow up doctor's appointment today to discuss a medicine i was put on 6 weeks ago and the dr. was like - "oh, no you don't need to come in and have a physical, (for the adoption paperwork) i can just get this information for this general wellness off of your charts." this is excellent because the earliest appointment i could get for us to have physicals was not until april 20th and april 27th. small victory!
then, you know how my diaper confusion and diaper obsession have been going...

well, first off i got an awesome email from a sweet friend k who told me everything i could ever want to know about cloth diapers. i asked if i could send her a list of questions and she said i could. i fired off my list and here is what we get:

• What's your favorite brand?

I personally like Bum Genius and Fuzzi Bunz. I started out with a program through www.JilliansDrawers.com that allowed me to "try" 8 different brands for 30 days and send back what I didn't like. I will list some thoughts on the ones I got.

• Grovia - Good but took forever to dry and the insert was like a pad (didn't cover well)

• Fuzzi bunz - Great

• Kissa luvs - Interesting...the entire inner diaper was fleece. Not sure how I felt about them. Bulky.

• Thirsties - I tried the duo wrap and the regular wrap- didn't love either one. Wraps are bulky for B (her sweet baby) (because he is already so big) and they just didn't fit B the right way.

• BumGenius insert and AIO (all in one) - I love both of these. I prefer the AIO but got the one size fits all to make a more convincing "sale" to my husband.

• Smartipants - I like these as well.

• Is there one that you think works best for nighttime vs. daytime use?

I use Bum Genius, Smartipants, and Fuzzibunz. I have only used Bum Genius stuffed with two inserts for nighttime and have only had it leak once. I think it was my fault actually because it seemed loose the next morning.

• Do you use the same liners in multiple brands, or if you have various brands how do you keep them straight in the laundry?

I keep the liners separate per diaper except I double stuff with Bum Genius liners for all. You get used to telling them apart. BG have a tag, Fuzzibunz has an all white no tag liner, Smartipants has a green thread along the sides. It is NOT a big deal if they get mixed up. Only thing...you don't want to wash natural fibers (hemp, bamboo,etc) with cotton ones. I think it is easier to stick to one fiber of liner....cotton. That way you don't have to worry about it.

• What do you think is the best detergent you've tried?

I have tried Ecos (great) & Biokleen (good). It really depends on your water and your washing machine.

• Do you prefer the diapers with snaps or with velcro?

I prefer velcro because I feel like I get a better fit but now B has been trying to take off the velcro. Honestly if I were starting out I would do snaps. You won't know the difference and they will last longer.

• Do you use disposables or disposable liners or just always the cloth?

I use regular cloth and sometimes a disposable liner. I saw that you have the sprayer. I don't have a sprayer but since you have that you will be fine. Dipping the diaper in the toilet seems to work fine for me but the sprayer will get off everything you want it too.

• Do you have a wet bag, and if so where did you get it?

I have a large wet bag that I have hanging in B's bathroom. I dump the diapers and liners in there and then wash all including the bag. My sister bought it for me from http://www.diaperlab.com/.

• Do you use prepackaged wipes, or do you just use some solution with cloth wipes?

I use both. I really like the washable wipes. I have some meltable chips that make the solution but I know there are many homemade cheap recipes online.

• How many diapers and liners do you have?

I think I have 10-12 diapers (will usually last me 2 days) For a newborn I would start with 20-25. I changed B about 12 times in 12 hours in the beginning with disposables. Funny thing about cloth is that they absorb more and you don't smell poop (good and bad!) You can always buy more!

• Do you do laundry every day?

I do laundry every other day. I have never had stains and during warmer weather you can air dry in the sun. Typically I rinse cold, wash warm with extra rinse and then another warm rinse. I then dry on delicate the wet bag and liners. I hang the covers to dry.

cannot thank k enough for all of her great words of experience! i am already feeling less anxious about cloth diapering!

then, just when i thought i was floating - today i got an email from smart momma here in town and was told the following:

"Cloth Diapering Seminar

Cloth Diapering Seminar - New to cloth diapering? Not sure where to begin? This cloth diapering seminar will set you on the path to picking the perfect diapers for your little one and properly using them. It will cover the different brands, hook and loop vs. snap, organic vs. non-organic, and much more! You will leave with a better understanding of the different cloth diapers, how to use them, and the available accessories."

so now i am registered for the diaper class tomorrow!

God is moving mountains!