All in One: More time for fun!

When I started cloth diapering in 2009, the consensus on AIOs (the cloth diapering mom code word for 'All-in-One') was that they were difficult to keep clean, took several cycles to dry on low heat or several days to dry on an indoor clothesline, and weren't worth purchasing when a pre-stuffed pocket was just as easy to put on and take off.

All-in-Ones: 'Who needs 'em?' thought I. Ha!

That seemed like solid logic to me. So I didn't bother with any AIOs for a while.

But eventually, I began to see the benefits:

1) When I didn't have any clean pocket diapers stuffed and ready to toss in the diaper bag, it was time to leave for church and then head to the in laws' house for the day, and it was all I could do to get us all out the door on time. Shoving a laundry basket in the trunk of an already stuffed-to-the-gills compact sedan and knowing I'd have to sort and fold laundry when we reached our lunch destination on a Sunday was pure penance for my poor planning on Saturday.

2) When the diapers were in the dryer or on the line, I needed to head out the door alone, and my husband was notorious for matching up a small insert and a medium pocket, so that when I actually did sit down to sort and stuff the diapers, everything was mismatched until it all got washed again. This isn't a "my incompetent husband" story, either--he's a completely competent father and, I'll admit, a better housekeeper than I am. However, laundry is kind of my domain. On that note, I probably couldn't organize his toolbox the way he likes it, you know?

3) When my kids were still young enough to want to be right.on.top.of.me, no matter what I was doing, but old enough to enjoy getting into whatever I was doing, sorting inserts by size and stacking them up in an organized fashion became a game of constant anticipating, distracting, redirecting, loudly sighing, and hunting for tall surfaces suitable for sorting that weren't yet covered in other laundry.

And, truthfully, AIOs in 2012 have essentially resolved most of the problems I encountered while reading product reviews in 2009. The constructions of our two favorite AIOs, the Thirsties Duo AIO and the Tots Bots EasyFit (as well as its newborn-sized counterpart the TiniFit), make for no trouble cleaning because of the way they're designed.

Option #1: My all-time favorite, the EasyFit (which actually has a pocket).

That's because the insert is tongue-style, meaning it has fewer layers sewn together, because they're arranged into a long strip that then creates several layers of absorbency once they're folded together. Fewer layers sewn together is more conducive to deep-down cleaning.

 

But that means you still have to stuff it, right?

Right. Well, theoretically. The surface will lay more smoothly and be easier to spray out (should that become necessary) if you do stuff the pocket with the tongue-style absorbent minky insert, but since the insert on the newest version is all-minky, it doesn't matter which side of it touches your baby's skin, and you could technically just fold it over rather than stuffing it.

But, at least for me, stuffing itself isn't my problem with pockets. It's the sorting inserts by size and THEN stuffing that takes all that time. With an attached tongue-style insert, it's just a matter of stuffing it in right before the diaper goes on!

It also dries in my dryer on low heat after one cycle. One cycle!

So what's the downside? Well, it does have a higher price-point than other cloth diapers. While that price-point is definitely reasonable considering the quality of the materials and the fact that it's produced ethically in Scotland, the price point makes it a "mini-stash for baby-sitters" diaper rather than a workhorse, "main stash" diaper for most families.

Option #2: The Thirsties Duo AIO.

Frankly, the Thirsties Duo AIO is adorable. It's also quite affordable! At just $15.75, it's a basic microfiber-based diaper with a stay-dry microfleece layer. Available in two adjustable size ranges, Size 1 and Size 2, the design is like a tunnel, so that wash water can pass completely through, from the top waistband of the diaper to the bottom one:

The only drawback? It does take two cycles on low heat to dry. It will dry a bit more quickly if, upon pulling it out of the washing machine, you turn it inside out before putting it in the dryer or on a clothesline, but turning diapers right-side in is almost as much a chore to me as stuffing pockets, so two cycles it is.

This diaper is ideal for a daycare stash. Even if you prefer to use more "complicated" cloth at home, the Duo AIO is a high-quality, low-cost option that a daycare provider simply couldn't object to. In fact, my $15.75 is on your daycare telling you they love it!

My favorite part? Both of these fabulous diapers come in your choice of snaps or hook-and-loop. We've discussed the snaps vs. hook-and-loop quandary before, and concluded that they each have their advantages. Personally, I like to have a little of each, but I will say that the durability and quality of the Tots Bots hook-and-loop material? It may as well be snaps. That stuff is sturdy.

If I could do it all over, would I forego my workhorse pockets and my beloved gDiapers and go with a stash of only AIOs?

That's a tough question to ask a diaper junkie like me. I think it's more accurate to say that, in my perfect world, I would have a day's worth of AIOs. They truly do free up some time, and I've never run into a problem getting these two options deep-down, all-the-way, squeaky, sparkling clean.

What to do when your friends say, "Eww."

Picture it:

You’ve taken the leap. You’ve looked at and touched all your options, weighed them, chosen what you wanted—and now you’ve placed your very first “fluff mail” order online, in your local cloth diaper store, or with your local rep. You may have even gotten to bring an item home to show off the cuteness and ease of modern cloth diapers to your husband or partner, your parents and in-laws, and the daycare. You anticipate their "oohs" and "ahhs" with great relish.

"Hey, Grandma! Check out these cloth diapers!"

You post this Facebook status update: “Just ordered our stash of cloth diapers!!! I’m excited and nervous, but I can’t wait to see my little munchkin with a cute, fluffy booty!”

Then the barrage of comments hits:

“Why would you want to do that?”

“You’re a better mommy than I am!”

“I tried that, but it was stinky, and I hated pinning!”

“What do you do about the poop?”

“How do they not leak?”

“Ew.”

How encouraging, right?

Here's my take: your friends don’t mean to be ugly! (Ok, maybe that last one did.) Their incredulity is the product of a skeptical mixture of curiosity and misinformation, and it’s totally understandable. Think back a few weeks—you may have felt the same way!

So what do you say when you’re put on the spot for all your skeptical friends and family to see? You haven’t actually begun cloth diapering yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t show off the knowledge and confidence you’ve gained from doing research or consulting with your eLeMeNO-Pee representative!

--

Let’s tackle these one at a time. Here’s what you can say when someone asks you:

“Why would you want to?”

"Because I’ll be saving around $2,000 - $3,000, avoiding contact between my baby and chemicals that are linked to serious health conditions, and not contributing to the 27.4 billion disposable diapers that will be tossed into a landfill this year—to remain for the next 250-500 years, not decomposing until after our great, great, great-grandchildren have passed away. Plus they're way cuter, and I can match them to the baby's outfits! You should see some of the cute colors and prints they come in!"

“Supermom! You’re a better mommy than I am! I could never do that!”

"This isn’t a choice I’m making to be better than anybody else; rather, it’s the option that we have decided is best for our family. I promise it sounds like a much bigger deal than it actually is! I was scared, too, but after doing research and talking to other cloth diapering moms, I feel this is something we can definitely handle. Besides, ALL moms are super!"

“I tried, but I had so many problems.”

"I have read about people having problems with leaking or with getting diapers to fit correctly, or even with getting them clean once the baby gets older. I can’t blame you for giving up when you ran into problems and didn’t have anybody to help you troubleshoot! Fortunately, now there is a plethora of knowledgeable support within the cloth diapering community, including online forums and local cloth diaper companies that I trust to help me if I have any problems!"

“Be careful. I used to always poke my babies with the pins until they came out with the paper ones.”

No pins... and no leaks!

"No pins! Today’s cloth diapers go on and off just like a disposable and secure using either easy snaps or Velcro."

“What do you do about the poop?”

"Poop goes in the potty! If the baby is exclusively breastfed, then you don’t have to do anything to the diaper before it goes in the diaper pail and then into the washing machine. Breastmilk poop has very little bacteria in it, and it is 100% water-soluble.

"After that stage is over, I’m going to buy a diaper sprayer and attach it to the water line on my toilet. I can quickly spray the diaper off into the toilet and then put it in the diaper pail until it’s time to wash. I don’t have to touch any poop, and I can limit how much of it ever touches my washing machine."

“How do they not leak?”

"You may be picturing a burp rag, which is a prefold--a type of cloth diaper that requires a waterproof cover. Modern cloth diapers have elastic around the legs and around the waist at the back. Not only does a properly fitting cloth diaper not leak, but it also prevents “poo-splosions” because of that elastic at the back! As long as you’re changing the diaper every 2-3 hours, per the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation for ANY kind of diaper, you should never 'max out' the absorbency of a cloth diaper. No leaks!"

“Ew.”

"If you’re already a parent, you’ve probably had to touch poop. And vomit. And snot. If you haven't yet, you will.

"Bodily functions are gross. Modern cloth diapers are a way healthier, greener, more affordable, cuter way to deal with the gross!"

--

So there you have it! Easy answers to the FAQs that all new cloth diapering moms will hear when they introduce the modern cloth concept to their families and friends.

And there’s one more thing you should say to them once you help them understand the benefits of modern cloth diapers. Turn their questioning on them, and ask: 

“Why wouldn’t I use cloth diapers? And what’s stopping you from exploring the idea? Come on, I'll help!”

Six Ways Cloth Diapers Can Change Your Life this Spring

For many families all over the world, today is Ash Wednesday: the first day of Lent. Now, we’re a Louisiana-based company, and maybe you didn’t know it, but Lent is A Big Deal here.

(Public domain image.)

But even if you don’t observe Lent, Spring is the time of year for change and renewal cross-culturally. And springtime, believe it or not, always has me a little bit focused on cloth diapers.

Maybe it’s because it’s the time of year I became aware of modern cloth diapers after my first child was born. It’s also the time of year that we found out our second child was a girl, and I got my hands on a “retired” daisy print FuzziBunz, the “gateway” diaper in my collection of fun and interesting prints.

It's no secret that cloth diapers changed my life! Switching to cloth first provided us with money-savings, and then it gave me my career, first as a local eLeMeNO-Pee rep and now as the home office's resident social media gal. Beyond any of that, it's connected my family to families all over Louisiana. I met my best friend because she dropped me a link on Facebook about how easy modern cloth diapers can be!

Here are six things you can do with cloth diapers this spring that will change your life and your practices:

1) Switch to cloth. You knew this would be first on the list! But seriously--if you’ve had your eye on cloth diapers for awhile but haven’t yet taken the plunge, this is the perfect time of year. For many families, it’s tax refund time, and that means the funds are available to purchase 12-15 cloth diapers and the necessary accessories to cloth diaper full-time, which is the easiest way to get started and find success! If you’ve hesitated because you’re not a “laundry person,” and you think cloth will be extra work, Lent is an ideal time to embark on a sacrificial adventure for your baby, your family’s finances, and the earth. I have a hunch that by Easter, “doing cloth” will be so routine that you won’t think of it as a sacrifice any more.
 
2) Line-dry your cloth diapers. Mount a clothesline, like this retractable line available at any major hardware store, to your fence or back porch posts and enjoy the energy (and cost!)-saving and natural bleaching powers of the spring sun’s rays! If you’re an observer of Lent, you can take on this chore as a sacrifice and even use the alone time to focus on Lenten prayers.
  
3) If you’re a “cloth diaper collector” like I am, don’t add to your stash right now. (See #4.)


4)  Buy diapers to donate to a family in need. I know I love to check my mail and find a package with that familiar eLeMeNO-Pee label or to get a phone call from the home office, now that it’s local to me, saying my fluffy items are ready to be picked up. But one thing I’ve learned is that receiving “fluffy mail” is just as thrilling when I’m not keeping the items! There are so many good reasons to donate cloth diapers, and there are many venues through which to donate—either directly to a family you know or through an organization like Giving Diapers, Giving Hope.
 
5) Let your love for cloth inspire. Tell your friends about cloth diapers, and refer them to their local eLeMeNO-Pee representative, especially if you’re a busy mama (aren’t we all?) and you know they’ll have lots of questions. You might also let your love for cloth diapers become a love for a “cloth life” in general—use this time to explore other cloth options like mama cloth, unpaper towels, and even cloth that replaces tissues and toilet paper. These will benefit your family’s health and finances and reduce your carbon footprint. Again, if you’re observing Lent, allow the adjustment period—when you’re adding a couple loads of extra laundry to your weekly routine—to be part of your Lenten sacrifice!




6) Participate in the Great Cloth Diaper Change. This annual springtime event, which is timed to coincide with Earth Day, is a Guinness World Records event with locations all over the world. It’s a great opportunity for you to join other cloth diapering families in solidarity to inspire others to jump in for the betterment of the earth by… changing your baby's diaper! The idea is that cloth skeptics might see just how simple modern cloth diapers are and be inspired to join the revolution. Many major cloth diaper manufacturers are sponsors of the event, and they donate door prizes and free gifts to the retailers who host locations! This year, the event falls on April 21^st at 10 am central. eLeMeNO-Pee is proudly hosting the Lake Charles location.

Changing cloth diapers is a snap! Or... a Velcro?

One of the first concepts that shocks and pleases folks when they're discovering modern cloth diapers is that, Wowee!, changing them is no different than changing a disposable diaper, especially if you use diapers that fasten with hook-and-loop tabs.

Any real difference here between the way this Tots Bots Easy Fit and a disposable diaper are put on a baby?

[Time out: "hook-and-loop" is the generic name for the fastening products created by brands such as Velcro, Aplix, and Touchtape. It's sort of like "tissue" v. Kleenex. Since the diaper brands we carry make use of all different brands of hook-and-loop fasteners, we'll stick with the generic--abbreviated h&l from now on. K, back to our regularly scheduled info-blogging.]

Then, when folks look into major brands like FuzziBunz, they'll notice that all FuzziBunz diapers fasten with snaps, which the company advertises hold up best over time (and now come with a lifetime warranty!).

So, which is best?

There's no clear-cut answer, unfortunately. That's why there are so many choices on the market!

This is something your local rep, an experienced cloth diapering mom herself, can help you figure out so that you maximize your satisfaction with your diapers while maintaining the money savings that may have had you looking into cloth diapers to begin with. Keep in mind that there's a resale market, and cloth diapers go for 50-80% of their retail value, so if you happen to be dissatisfied with a diaper because you thought you'd like one type of fastener and you realize you'd prefer another, reselling your diapers to help fund the purchase of new ones is always an option!

Here's a quick pro/con breakdown for hook & loop:

Pros:

• Makes for super-quick, easy changes.
• Is less daunting for childcare providers and skeptical grandmas.
• Comes with "laundry tabs," meaning that, theoretically, the "scratchy" part (the hook) will not tear fabric it is washed with.
• Allows for the best possible fit--there's no possibility of a baby's waist being "between sizes" when adjustability is maximized. This, in my opinion, holds the most weight in terms of value over the snaps alternative.

Cons:

• Can wear out faster with washing and drying; laundry tabs sometimes need to be replaced in order to be effective.
• Can cause the top flap of the diaper to turn inward at baby's belly, rubbing a raw spot. This is not everybody's experience (and it hasn't been mine), but it is something to consider.
• The sound that resonates from "undoing" h&l can wake a light sleeper if a middle-of-the-night change is required.
• Some babies discover how easy it is to remove a diaper fastened with hook-and-loop, and persistent ones will remove a diaper even while fully clothed. I gotta tell you, once my daughter got in this habit, she was doing it in her sleep. Not cool.

And a breakdown for the snaps camp:

Pros:

• Snaps are durable and hold up beautifully to daily wear and laundering.
• If you memorize the snap settings that give you the best fit on your baby, then changes become super-quick, and the diaper goes on straight even if your newly-mobile-and-proud little rascal is crawling away (or attempting Downward Dog).
• In my opinion, the "look" is cleaner and neater.
• High-quality resin snaps are much more difficult for a baby to "undo," and they don't give that satisfying crunch-rrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiip sound that babies seek out when they play with h&l fasteners.

Cons:

• Pre-determined snap settings can lead to some gapping at the waist or around the thighs. This can cause leaks for some hard-to-fit body types. I find this especially true in the newborn stage.
• Picture this scenario: Dad is already a little skeptical of cloth diapers (and didn't get to come to your consultation with your local rep). He's left alone with your new baby while you take your shower, and he hears the tell-tale squirty, sort of... bubbly sound that we all know signifies a fresh mess. He stares downward at what looks to him like dozens of snaps, maybe a hundred snaps... and he has no idea how to make this diaper fit your baby. Ok, this isn't really a con, because it makes for a funny photo op for the baby book. I would probably stage it if it didn't happen. But the point is: snaps can be a little daunting for the cloth-skeptical!

So how do you choose?

Ideally, there's room in a cloth diaper stash for a little of both.

If you're planning to have a separate stash of newborn diapers, h&l is a fantastic option! No busy hands are trying to remove any diapers, the baby is sleeping deeply enough that you shouldn't have to worry about the sound waking her, everybody in your life will be happy to change diapers for you because, well, how is it any different than changing a disposable?, and you'll get a perfect fit.

If you're looking for a single, streamlined one-size stash to use from birth to potty-training, you may want to go with snaps. Longevity rules the day; isn't that what they always say? It should be!

As for me, I'm slowly replacing my beloved classic SoftBums with SoftBums withSnaps, saving my classics for my next newborn. Why? Because a certain little diva began removing them--even under pants--before she hit her first birthday.

If you sew and you've got a baby Houdini on your hands, too, you may consider using a snap press and converting your h&l diapers to diapers with snap closures. If you're like me and can't thread a needle without risking an aneurysm, consider the "snap version" of your favorite diapers when it's time to size-up (or pass down your current diapers to a new addition).

And, lastly, eLeMeNO-Pee diapers are chosen because they are high-quality diapers made by manufacturers who stand behind their products and back them with warranties. While h&l is known to wear out over time, the products we carry that make use of h&l do hold up! My DryBees fleece overnight pockets are nearly three years old and no worse for the wear.

Finally, here's a tip from our representative Nicole, who highly prefers h&l fasteners for her harder-to-fit daughter: "If you only hang dry, you occasionally have to throw hook and loop in the dryer so it will stay sticky."

For more discussion from our cloth diapering clients, hop on over to our Facebook Page!