Posts Tagged ‘cloth diapers’
Tuesday, December 18th, 2012
A few weeks ago, my husband and I attended a conference and gala for the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Theraputics (FAST). This was our first year attending since my son, Cole, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome back in June. It was completely amazing. We met so many people in the same situation as us. Just about every person in that room had a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, or someone they knew with Angelman Syndrome. It really made my husband and I feel comfortable knowing how much we all really did have in common, despite coming from all over the world. We felt like part of a community.
I think that we can all relate to that sense of community. Communities can involve anyone and anything. In the cloth diaper world, we have our own community. We go to websites, blogs, message boards, and groups to talk about all of our fluff! We can get answers to questions about which is the best laundry detergent or reach out for support when our 1 year olds start figuring out how to take off their diapers. You may have a local diaper swap in your area where you meet up with other parents who share the same love in cloth as you. This community makes us feel like we’re a part of something big.
These communities help us sort through our problems and are there to give us a “wahoo” when something goes right. I had never really looked at the people in my life this way until Cole was diagnosed and I was not sure where to go.
The day we were diagnosed, I updated my status on Facebook to announce the news. Not only did I receive an outpouring of support from my “friend” community, I also received contacts of people my friends knew who also had children with the same syndrome as Cole. I was able to get in touch with one of these contacts and she was able to put me into a group that has been a life line for us. We were able to finally meet a lot of these people in that online community when we attended the gala.
I must say that I feel very fortunate to be part of that Angelman Community. Even though the reason we’re a community isn’t ideal, it is a very special group of people. Each member of the community is there for each of our children. If you post a question on Facebook , within minutes there is a response. And then another. And another. Every person in our community cares about everyone else’s journey. We’re in this together. The chairperson of FAST mentioned this at the gala and it brought tears to my eyes.
I hope that everyone has a community they can turn to.
Jenn Kubicza is a mom of two little boys, one of whom has a neuro-genetic disorder called Angelman’s Syndrome and will require extended diapering.
Tags: angelman syndrome, cloth diapers, community, diapering, FuzziBunz diapers, groups, help, parenting, support
Posted in FuzziBunz Press Releases, Jenn Kubicza | No Comments »
Monday, December 17th, 2012
As the mother of two sets of twins, both currently in cloth, I feel I have the experience to back up my opinion. There are 3 reasons I know cloth diapering twins is the way to go.
The Cost Savings: Two babies equal double diaper duty. Diapering one baby is expensive, two babies doubly so. Even the cheapest disposables are upwards of 10 cents each; at roughly 170 diapers a week for newborn twins and you’re talking real money- upwards of $18 a week with taxes. Easily double that for “premium” brands. All of a sudden, a cloth diaper stash doesn’t seem like such a huge investment- you quickly recoup your costs. If you live somewhere that you are charged for trash removal, the extra waste created by disposables also comes with that extra expense, which leads me to:
The Environmental Impact: Two babies worth of disposable diapers is not pretty. For us it was an extra garbage can on the curb weekly, just for diapers. Now, I simply wash diapers ever couple days and have a steady supply for our 4 diapered children. Leading me to my last, and perhaps most compelling argument.
The Convenience: Getting around with twins isn’t always easy, especially in the early days. You have two car seats that won’t both fit in a cart; you have the stroller that you can’t pile merchandise in, inclement weather to deal with, and then a steady stream of strangers asking you lots of questions. A “quick” run to the store for diapers isn’t so quick anymore. Which is why, I’m so happy to skip all of that by washing cloth diapers in the comfort of my own home.
Sarah Scales is a mom of five including two sets of twins in cloth diapers! When she isn’t blogging for FuzziBunz you can catch her at Upper Middle Mom.
Tags: babies, celebrities using FuzziBunz®, cloth diaper benefits, cloth diapering, cloth diapers, convenience, eco-friendly diapers, families, green living, save money with cloth diapers, smart parenting, twins
Posted in FuzziBunz Blog, Sarah Scales | No Comments »
Thursday, December 13th, 2012
I can’t count the number of times I had to change my sheets in the middle of the night after my first son was born.
During pregnancy, as I performed the tedious task of deciding what baby gear I needed, I made the ill-fated decisions that a changing table was something I could afford to do without. As punishment, my baby showered my bed with pee numerous times during late-night diaper changes.
Throughout his diaper days, I had multiple packages of diapers and wipes – and later, when I switched to cloth, laundry baskets – scattered throughout the house. Most often, he got changed on the floor. It worked out OK, most of the time.
But, when I knew Baby Boy No. 2 was on the way, and that I’d be cloth diapering him from the start, a changing table was at the top of my want list. Why? Mainly because using cloth does involve more… stuff. I desired a central location to keep all the necessities a little more neat during this, my second round, with diapering. I’m not typically very organized, to say the least, so anything to force me to keep it together more helps. Grabbing a pocket and an insert out of a laundry basket is simple enough, but pulling a ready-to-wear diaper out of the drawer just sounded more appealing.
Thankfully, a wonderful friend offered to hand down her little-used table to me. I drove my pregnant self right over in the summer heat and helped load it into my car practically immediately, and not long after started setting up shop in the nursery.
The top drawer now holds pocket diapers and back-up disposables. A few cloth drawers from the dollar store turned the shelf below into a home for cloth wipes, inserts and covers. On the top of the table I keep a spray bottle, to wet wipes during changes, and a pump bottle of baby oil and a bottle of baby soap at hand – I use a squirt of each and then fill the bottle with water for my wipe solution.
 
 
The bottom of the table stores a few other nursery items, like toys, and I snap two wet bags to the side of the table for easy access. When one bag is full, I can wash it with the diapers and still have a clean one to start the process over again.
Having my son that much closer to eye level during diaper changes – and let’s face it, there are a lot of them – has made it one of his favorite places to stretch out, smile and babble with me or my husband.
The only downside to my system is that I have to bring the baby to the table instead of bringing the diaper to the baby like I did with my first son. Keeping my bedsheets dry makes it well worth it.
Jessica Wiant is now a stay-at-home mom of two who was once a working mom with a (cloth diapered!) son in daycare.
Tags: babies, baby boys, changing table, cloth diapers, convenience, families, nursery, organizing
Posted in FuzziBunz Blog, Jessica Wiant | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 11th, 2012
I’m sure this doesn’t come as a surprise to you reading this blog, but I’m a cloth diaper junkie. I love the look of them, I love the variety of patterns and colors, I love the feel of them, and I love the ease of use. I also love that fact that I can use as many as I want without worrying about wasting my money or running to the store and buying more. If I run out of cloth diapers, well, I just do a load of laundry.
There have been a few times I’ve had to use disposable diapers and I’m glad that they’ve been there when I needed them.
The first time (well, other than the few days we were in the hospital after she was born) was when our daughter was six weeks old. We were moving out of our house in Hawaii and on our way to Alabama. For two weeks, we were living in a hotel in sunny Waikiki (I know, I’m not complaining) and then for the next few weeks after that we were driving across the country from Los Angeles to Alabama, stopping at various friends’ and relatives’ to visit, until we finally got to our new home and our goods were delivered. It was six weeks of disposables for us! It was just easier in the long run for us to pack the diapers and buy as we went.
Of course, once we got our cloth diapers back, I was thrilled and anxious to get her back in them. She was oh so cute too!
The next time was another trip when she was five months old. It was only a couple days at a friend’s house, but with a six-hour drive, I just didn’t want to mess with dragging the cloth diapers with us. Lazy mom, right? It worked out fine though. The next time after that, another trip when she was nine months.
The most recent disposable adventure was about a month ago. Our daughter got a bad yeast diaper rash. I did some research and found that the way cloth works, the yeast could actually multiply on the diapers, so it was best to keep her out of it. There are ways around it, with liners and such, but for us it was just easier to use disposables while I stripped the diapers and treated the rash.
Now we’re back in them, and hopefully for some time! It’s been nice to have the convenience of disposables when I needed them, but I’m still all for cloth diapers.
Chantal Shelstad, a self-proclaimed “crunchy” stay-at-home mom who lives in Alabama with her daughter, Penny and her husband, a pilot in the Army. Chantal is more than happy to own up to the fact that cloth diapering parents have to face plenty of difficulties, transitions, stigmas (and yes, plenty of poop!) …but it is still worth it in the end.
Tags: babies, CD, cloth diapers, Disposable Diapers, environmentally friendly, sposies, traveling
Posted in Chantal M. Shelstad, FuzziBunz Blog | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012
BY JENN KUBICZA
The weekend before Halloween, we left our first-ever home. Moving has been more of an adventure than I had ever expected it to be.
Last year when our youngest, Cole, began having seizures and got the diagnosis of Angelman Syndrome, my husband and I really stopped to think about the future. We had always known we wanted to have children, and when we bought our first home we did pick a town with a good school system. We didn’t know that we’d really need to be looking for a town with a good special education program. We did some research and talked to families in town and in surrounding towns and decided that, in our opinion, it was best for Cole to get into the program one town over … and we had to do it before he turned 3, so he could start with preschool.
And so it began. We put our little two-bedroom townhouse on the market back in April. We had quite a few showings before someone FINALLY put a realistic offer in. Ironically, it was the day we came home from one of our short hospital stays with our son and the house was in NO condition for a showing! During this whole process we had been talking to the boys about the move. We had even taken them to see a bunch of houses with us to include them in the process. I believe this really helped my oldest, Lincoln, understand what is going on.
But, we had run into one problem. Unfortunately, we have yet to find our new house. Seeing that we have such a specific school district we’re looking for, and such a specific price range, our options are very limited. We continue our search, but for now, are living with my husband’s parents, whose home is (thankfully) in the school district we need.
“The Move – Part 1,” as I have called it, has taught us a few valuable lessons that we will indeed be putting into action when we are ready for “The Move – Part 2.”
1) Moving with children takes a lot more planning than we anticipated.
The last time we moved it was out of our parents’ houses and into our own home. We did it at our leisure! This time…we had more of a deadline, but we also had lots of “Mom!!!! Can you help me with this?” and “Dad!!!!! I need you to fix this!” going on while we were trying to pack. We also had lots of “Oh, Mom/Dad!!! You found my [insert old toy that I was going to donate here] …” So things were not getting packed nearly as quickly as I had hoped.
The moral of this story is to pack the toys AFTER the kids go to bed…or hire a sitter!!! (Note: I will say my 4 year old did try to be helpful!)
2) A good thing to do is wash your entire cloth-diaper stash BEFORE you pack up your washer and dryer.
Turns out it’s not really useful to have your washer and dryer packed up early. We ended up having to do two days of disposables because I wasn’t thinking ahead much. We ran out of clean diapers.
3) Accept help.
We actually believed that we could move our entire house by ourselves in one day. Obviously, that was way too ambitious. It is pretty much impossible to finish packing, load a moving truck and unpack it (three times) within eight hours. We really did think we could do it … but, it turns out that we really needed help (which we thankfully did get) and it took us about two days to get it all completely done. We learned that doing ALL the packing ahead of time is helpful… and getting as many extra hands as you can get!
4) If you think you have enough boxes, buy at least 20 more.
We aimed to use as many “reusable” packing materials as possible, so we kept an eye on the local ads and opted to get a bunch of the plastic totes. We decided this would be beneficial for us because we will need to store old kids’ clothes and toys eventually, and it would make less waste. Well, we needed a lot more than what we bought. We had to go to the hardware store and buy cardboard boxes twice before we were actually done.
We had no idea that four people living in a two-bedroom townhouse could actually fill an entire 10 x 20 storage unit…plus a few more square feet in each of our parents’ garages. This lesson won’t have to be used next time since 90% of our stuff is already packed up … thankfully!!!
Jenn Kubicza is a mom of two little boys, one of whom has a neuro-genetic disorder called Angelman’s Syndrome and will require extended diapering.
Tags: cloth diapering special needs, cloth diapers, jenn kubciza, moving with babies, moving with babies in cloth diapers, moving with kids, special needs children
Posted in FuzziBunz Blog, Jenn Kubicza | No Comments »
Friday, November 30th, 2012
BY JESSICA WIANT
When you venture into cloth diapering, some things are a given, like less waste and more laundry. Then there are the things you count on because you’ve heard they’re true, like how odds are you may deal with less diaper rash.
Then there are the weird things.
For example, I always thought my son just had stinky pee. I had no idea until I used my first cloth diapers that it was actually the disposable diapers themselves.
Because I didn’t start with cloth diapers until my first son was about 10 months old, my experience was a bit different than it is starting out with a newborn, like I did with my second son at the end of this summer. By the time kid No. 1 had a fluffy bum, he was toddling around and eating solids. His poop was of a consistency that it could sometimes roll right out into the toilet. Ironically, we started out using cloth at night, since I was working and he was at daycare during the day. We had no problems.
With my first son, I exclusively bought one-size diapers. I had no issues with leaks, I never doubled-up on inserts and they all fit from then until the time he potty-trained a few months after he turned 2. I did struggle with laundry, trying out several different routines and dealing with ammonia more than once.
I got a short break, at least. My first finished with diapers by March and my second son was due later in August. Even though I spent that time wondering how cloth diapering an infant might be different, I had my confidence. If diapering an older baby was so easy and effective, how could doing it with a tiny one be any more difficult?
Then my baby boy got here and I learned a very important lesson: A smaller baby does NOT mean less pee. Sure, I remembered those messy poops, but this much pee? It didn’t seem possible! I’ve struggled this time to find a combination that works. Part of the challenge has been finding a good fit and part of it is the sheer volume of output. As he’s grown, the things that works have already been changing. Our FuzziBunz Elite seem to fit best at the moment on our now 3-month-old 16-pounder. Laundry this time around, has been simple – that exclusively breast-fed poop washes right out!
Despite the different challenges we’ve faced, my only regret is that I didn’t start using cloth diapers sooner. At any age, cloth diapers have their benefits, and no matter the size of your baby, they’re always cute!
Jessica Wiant is now a stay-at-home mom of two who was once a working mom with a (cloth diapered!) son in daycare.
Image via CBS News
Tags: cloth diaper newborn, cloth diaper toddler, cloth diapers, fuzzibunz cloth diapers, jessica wiant
Posted in FuzziBunz Blog, Jessica Wiant | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 28th, 2012
BY SARAH SCALES
In the spirit of the season, it seems like a great time to discuss some of my favorite gift ideas for that special someone on your list who has a baby or is expecting. If you’re a cloth diapering mom yourself, you might want to put a few of these items on your wish list.
Wonder Wipes
Despite my initial reluctance to use cloth wipes (they seemed so expensive!) I have really become a fan. So has my husband, who actually prefers them to disposable wipes. I have found that one can never have too many (cloth) wipes. Like their expensive, disposable counterpart they are multipurpose for gently wiping snotty noses (’tis the season), on-the-go hand washing and of course their intended purpose, wiping bottoms.
Hanging Diaper Pail
Perfect for travel and at home, the hanging diaper pail is one item that is definitely on my list. After the babies are out of diapers, it can be repurposed for transporting wet swimwear or soiled laundry — as we parents all know that accidents will happen from time to time during the initial stages of potty-training!
A Cloth Diaper Stash Upgrade
If you know a mom (maybe it’s you!) who has a cloth diaper stash that’s experienced plenty of wear and tear, splurge for a new color — or maybe even a print — to replace the most worn diaper in the stash or increase your laundering flexibility. Either way, you can never have too many cloth diapers!
Charitable Contributions
The holidays are a time to give thanks for what we have and when we’re able, help those that are less fortunate. If you are not in need of anything more for yourself, consider donating gently used cloth diapers or wipes to a family in need or to an organization that loans cloth diapers to those in need. Diapers are one of the biggest stresses on the budget of a family with young children, cloth diapers can help alleviate that stress.
Sarah Scales is a mom of five including two sets of twins in cloth diapers! When she isn’t blogging for FuzziBunz you can catch her at Upper Middle Mom.
Tags: cloth diapers, fuzzibunz cloth diapers, gifts for cloth diapering moms, holiday gifts, sarah scales
Posted in FuzziBunz Blog, Sarah Scales | No Comments »
Monday, November 12th, 2012
BY JESSICA WIANT
After my second son arrived, we’d been home for one night before I happily dove into my stockpile of cloth diapers (even earlier than I planned) and didn’t look back.
But three years ago, things were quite different.
When I brought my first son home, I had an entire closet of all brands and sizes of disposable diapers and wipes. I was so proud of my collection, gathered and assembled over months, bought with coupons or given to us as gifts. It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought of using cloth diapers. I liked the idea. I considered it, briefly. Ultimately it seemed like nothing more than a nice idea that wasn’t actually implementable, so I moved on.
About 10 months later, when cloth diapers showed up on my radar once again, I bought one – a single diaper – and tried it out a few times. It was easy to put on, it worked, and I washed it without a problem, so I got a few more, and, eventually, I was cloth-diapering my son full-time.
Today, I’m using those same diapers, which used through potty-training with him, all over again on his little brother. Thinking back on it now, there were a few key reasons I initially ignored my instinct and avoided cloth diapers.
Here’s are those reasons, and how I recommend overcoming them:
Cost: The first time you see the price tag on a cloth diaper, there may be a bit of sticker shock. This is especially true if you’re pregnant for the first time. One diaper costing what a big box of them does can seem intimidating. Diaper a baby for a few days and you’ll see just how quickly that closet full of diapers is gone. When my second son was a couple of weeks old, I actually took a tally and over 24 hours, I changed his diaper 11 times. Over a lifetime of diapering, one initial investment is beans compared to having to continually run out for more disposables. The deal gets even more sweet if you plan on having more children, not to mention that there’s a thriving market for used diapers so when you’re done, you can make back a good chunk of what you’ve spent.
Laundry: Admittedly, figuring out a wash routine that works can be tricky, but let common sense prevail and it’s soon just a simple chore. I’ve had better luck keeping my cloth diapers clean this time than all the spit-upon clothes we go through!
Function: Get the right cloth diaper and the right fit and you’ll have fewer leaks than with disposables. You’ll also avoid all the creams and ointments that often go hand-in-hand with disposables.
Naysayers: This is the No. 1 reason I passed on the idea of cloth diapers at first. At the time, I wasn’t really friends with other moms, let alone moms who cloth diapered. There is a tremendous online community of cloth diapering parents. Seek it out and participate (and take some of the advice in stride). You’ll find support, and probably a few real friends, as a result.
Day care: I knew my first son was going to spend his days with someone else, and the idea of imposing something on them that I wasn’t sure about myself sealed the deal. After I did start using cloth diapers at home, I became comfortable enough to pitch the idea to my son’s care, too, but that’s a story for another day!
Jessica Wiant is now a stay-at-home mom of two who was once a working mom with a (cloth diapered!) son in daycare.
Tags: cloth diaper challenges, cloth diapering, cloth diapers, diapering challenges
Posted in FuzziBunz Blog, Jessica Wiant | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 30th, 2012
We’re changing things up here on the FuzziBunz blog! For the next few months, you’ll be hearing from five real moms who have learned how to make cloth diapering work for them! From diapering multiple sets of multiples (yes, you read that right!) to diapering kids with special needs who require extended diapering, join us to learn about five modern moms and their adventures with fluff! -FuzziBunz Blog Editors
Photo © 2012 Vitreous Visions
Have you ever experienced “cloth diaper regret?” That is when you start cloth diapering your second… (or third…or so on…) child and realize….this is so easy! Why didn’t I do it along?” Jenn Kubicza, a mom to two energetic boys, began cloth diapering when her second son was about 4 months old and she loves helping the environment while to saving money
She has also enjoyed connecting with the cloth diapering community, since being a working mom of two (one being a child with special needs) forced her to put some of her own interests on the back burner. Her youngest son has a rare condition called Angelman Syndrome, which is caused by a deletion on one of his chromosomes. He doesn’t speak and is still learning to walk, but he is the most determined little boy his mom knows!
Look for Jenn’s upcoming column about cloth diapering as a working mom of a child with special needs.
Tags: cloth diapering special needs, cloth diapers, diapering special needs kids, special needs, working moms
Posted in FuzziBunz Blog, FuzziBunz Press Releases | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 30th, 2012
We’re changing things up here on the FuzziBunz blog! For the next few months, you’ll be hearing from five real moms who have learned how to make cloth diapering work for them! From diapering multiple sets of multiples (yes, you read that right!) to diapering kids with special needs who require extended diapering, join us to learn about five modern moms and their adventures with fluff! – FuzziBunz Blog Editors
While some parents are hesitant to send their babies to daycare with cloth-diapered bums, Jessica Wiant faced the challenge head-on when she was a working mom with a son in daycare. Now a stay-at-home mom of Tucker and Owen, she continues along on her parenting journey with an eye on saving money (and a diaper sprayer in one hand!) with the goal of being as green as possible to help keep her family healthy.
Look out for Sarah’s column about how she stays “tangled up in green” throughout her cloth diapering adventures.
Tags: cloth diapering in daycare, cloth diapers, green living, jessica wiant
Posted in FuzziBunz Blog | No Comments »
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