Bums Away Diapers

Dryer-free for a month contest

2011-07-29T16:25:00.000-07:00

For the past few months I’ve been doing my best to not use my dryer and discovering that I really don’t need it. So, I decided to extend the challenge to you as well – to try not using your dryer for the entire month of August.

What do you have to do?

(1) Not use your dryer during the entire month of August. This doesn’t apply to you personally, but to your entire household (and, yes, it will be a challenge to convince my hubby). Obviously I am depending on you to be honest with me here as I have no way of making sure anyone actually does this.

(2) Post on Bums Away’s facebook page at least once during the month of August something about your dryer-free experiences. Good, bad, ugly – all comments are welcome. Did it rain for 3 days and you’re all out of underwear? Do you not have a dryer so this is really easy for you? Etc. etc. (There’s no advantage in posting more than once, however you’re welcome to do so for fun. Commenting on someone else’s post doesn’t count – you must create your own post.)

(3) Be a resident of Canada

(4) In early September, I will be asking who made it dryer free for a month. If you did, you need to comment on this post (on the Bums Away facebook wall). I will leave two days for people to respond. Those ‘responses’ will be considered entries for the draw if you meet the other 3 criteria (above).

What’s up for grabs?

Since September is back to school time, I will be giving away 2 Itzy Ritzy snack bags (your choice of prints – as long as I have them in stock) to a random person who meets the above criteria. http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=346&c=120

So, have fun and get creative in drying your clothes (and no, a Laundromat is not an optionJ).

Website Updates

2011-07-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a summary of the changes that went up today:

Shipping

The bad news is that shipping charges went up a little for orders under $100, the good news is that I'm now offering FREE SHIPPING on orders over $150 (before taxes).

Images

The images showing colours/prints have always been small on the website making them hard to see (especially for the prints). Now, if you mouse over the small images, a larger one will appear so that you can get a better view of the different colour/print options.

Payment Method

You can now order through the website and opt to pay via cash or email money transfer or by credit card. If paying by cash or email money transfer, the products you order will be set aside for 7 days while I await payment. If no payment has been made within 7 days then your order will be cancelled. Note that for orders that are to be shipped, they will not be shipped until payment has been received.

5% discount for Facebook fans

This discount still applies only to orders paid by cash or email money transfer. With the changes to the shipping charges I can no longer afford to offer this promotion to items to be shipped. Therefore it is available for pick up orders only.

So, in summary, to get the 5% discount you must:

- be a fan of Bums Away on Facebook

- pay cash or via email money transfer

- write the code FB FAN in the Comments section when you checkout

AND

- pick up your order.

That's it for now...

Stocking Stuffer Event 2010

2010-12-10T07:51:00.000-08:00

This will be Bums Away's first stocking stuffer sale. How will it work? For one week (starting Sat, Dec. 11th) if you purchase over $60 worth of product from Bums Away, you will receive a free stocking stuffer with your purchase. Some stocking stuffers are for baby, some are for a toddler, some are for mom, and some can be given to anyone (or kept for yourself). The stocking stuffer will change every day - here is the list of stuffers:

Sat, Dec. 11th - one 30g container of Bum Bum balm. Retail value $12.00.

Sun, Dec. 12th - one Natursutten Natural Pacifier. Retail value $9.99.

Mon, Dec. 13th- two Doll Diapers by Happy Heinys. Retail value $12.00.

Tues, Dec. 14th - one package of Tangerine Vanilla Bath Bombs by Lalabee Bathworks. Retail value $11.95.

Wed, Dec. 15th - one bottle of Organic Baby Wash by Lalabee Bathworks. Retail value $12.95.

Thurs, Dec. 16th - 2 regular size Mama Pads (a great chance to try reusable pads, if you've been thinking about it). Retail value $11.90.

Fri, Dec. 17th - Natural Soy Crayon Rocks by Scwibbles (not recommended for children under 3). Retail value $12.95

Sat, Dec 18th - One pair of Organic Wool Breast Pads by Little Beetle. Retail value $10.80.

Sun, Dec. 19th - One Organic Teething Bonbon by Dress Me Up. Retail value $15.95.

If you want to receive the stocking stuffer, please write the code "STUFFER" in the Comments section when you make your purchase.

* Please note that the $60 purchase limit excludes the purchase of FuzziBunz Perfect Size diapers. If you do a combined purchase of FuzziBunz Perfect Size and other items, you must spend at least $60 on other items to qualify (ex if you buy 2 FB for $30 then your total order must be more than $90 to qualify)

*days start at 12:01 am EST and end at 12:00 am EST.

On the Madness of Modern Motherhood

2010-11-12T06:21:00.001-08:00

This piece is in response to the article by Erica Jong posted by Bummis on Facebook. The article can be found at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704462704575590603553674296.html?KEYWORDS=erica+jong and her daughter's response can be found at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703805704575594213125914630.html

Both are very interesting articles and raise the issue of how far have we really come and are we going backwards. Erica does make the point (and I agree entirely) that there is way way way too much pressure put on mothers and expecting mothers.

I think Erica and my mother have a lot in common (except my mom is pro-cloth and pro-breastfeeding if only because of the financial savings). My mom was never famous and never tried to be, but working was important to her because she had grown up in poverty and was going to do everything she could to make sure we didn't do the same. My grandmother's advice to us all growing up was to get a job so that we wouldn't be financially dependent on a man (and, given her circumstances, it was appropriate advice).

Yet here I am, feeling very lucky to be able to stay home with our daughter while my husband brings in most of our household income.

What has changed? Family law has certainly changed dramatically in Canada since the 1970s. If we ever get divorced I won't be left with nothing. That provides security to the stay-at-home mom that didn't exist back in my grandmother's day.

That being said, I have to reconcile my current at-home status with my feminist beliefs (if you'd have asked me in my late teens and early 20s if I'd ever be a stay-at-home mom I would have told you NEVER). What has changed? I fell in love with my daughter and with motherhood and love it far more than any job I have ever had. Not all women have that experience and I fully support those women who can't wait to get back to work - staying at home is not for everyone.

As a stay-at-home feminist, I think several things have to change if we are truly going to achieve equality:

(1) Women's salaries have to increase - we have to get equal pay for equal work. Otherwise men will continue to earn more and households will continue to revolve around mens' careers.

(2) (This is the one that really really bugs me.) People have to get used to seeing babies, toddlers and children in public spaces. Not just seeing them when they're behaving themselves, but seeing tantrums, crying, etc. If children are confined to the home except when they're on their best behaviour, then women are confined to the home. Society as a whole benefits from the bearing and raising of children, yet society as a whole (in Canada) appears to be unwilling to accept children's presence unless the child is going to a child-specific event or is behaving well.

The airplane is a great example. Everyone thinks your baby is soooooo cute on an airplane until she begins to cry. A little crying is sometimes OK but there is a point where the crying becomes unacceptable for example if it's a toddler crying for an hour steady because she's just left her grandparents and doesn't know when she's going to see them again (speaking from personal experience on this one).

The case of the woman in BC who was told to get off a city bus because her daughter was having a tantrum is a perfect example. The woman then had to walk home with her daughter, and both of their bags. Further, when she complained about being kicked off the bus, she received a tonne of backlash online.

I could go on and on and on and on, but the point is that if we want women to have more freedom, we have to give kids more freedom to act out and to realize that kids act out even with good parenting. There's nothing better when your kid is having a tantrum in public than another parent coming along and saying "been there, done that".

And, lets face it, if we stop to think about it, some tantrums are downright funny. I'll never forget when we were at the checkout of a major department store and went to check my daughter's diaper because things were getting a bit stinky. She objected to me checking her diaper and promptly threw herself down on the floor yelling "just farted mommy, I just farted" over and over.

So what am I doing to effect social change? I AM taking my daughter out in public even if she's grumpy, has a dirty face, and is wearing a witch costume on top of a princess dress on top of her cloths one week after Hallowe'en. What else am I doing, I am supporting those other parents who take their kids out in public (whether by necessity or choice) and have to deal with tantrums while they're grocery shopping. In my experience, there's nothing better than being nice to a mom with a grumpy child to help take the pressure off that mom a bit.

Birthday giveaway

2010-11-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is my birthday and approximately the one year anniversary of Bums Away going online. So, to celebrate, we want to give you a present. Make a purchase from Bums Away between now and midnight Nov. 10^th (EST), and we will include a free give based on your purchase amount. Please indicate your top 2-3 colour/print choices in the Comments sections as the inventory numbers for the ‘gifts’ will not be accurate – I will update them periodically throughout the day, but I won’t be online all day (especially since it’s my birthday!).

Birthday giveaway details:

Spend more than $50 (not including tax & shipping) get Kanga Sac snack bag (value $7.95) http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=266&c=103

Spend more than$100 (not including tax & shipping) get Snack Happened snack bag (value $12.99) http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=346&c=120

Spend more than $150 (not including tax & shipping) get Eco lunch box (value $24.99) - Please indicate whether you want the Oval set (http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=362&c=120) or the three-in-one set (http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=363&c=120)

Spend more than $200 (not including tax & shipping) get 3 Sprouts Organic Storage bin (value $40). http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=335&c=135

Happy shopping!

Eco-Friendly Birthday Parties

2010-10-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

Is it possible to have an eco-friendly birthday party for a child? With balloons, banners, loot bags, presents, paper plates and cups all available for children's birthday parties, going eco-friendly is definitely something that takes time to think and a bit of extra effort.

We've just celebrated our daughter's 3rd birthday party and the question of eco-friendly loot bags has been on my mind for at least a month now. How to give out something that's eco-friendly yet affordable (an ongoing question as most things that won't end up in the landfill within a few weeks of you purchasing them are significantly more expensive than things that do).

What I finally came up with was to give out Itzy Ritzy Snack Happens bags. The bags themselves were the gifts. But, since kids usually expect to get bags with things in them, I was afraid to stop there. I bought a bunch of apples at a local orchard, dried them, and filled the Snack Happens bags with the dried apples. As far as I could tell from the party, my daughter is the only child who didn't actually like the dried apples. Oh well, you can't win them all.

I've created a page on my website that has a few eco-friendly loot bag ideas. With the exception of the soy rock crayons, they are containers which can be filled with food or other eco-friendly ideas. (Note that the Little Bites cups are in sets of 4 so the actual cost per child is $4.75 before taxes.) http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/list.php?c=137

As for gifts, we asked guests to bring a donation to the local food bank instead of a gift. I love this idea (which I stole) as, not only does it reduce the number of gifts, it also teaches children about the importance of giving and that there are people in our city that have a lot less than we do. I also gave my daughter a brief explanation about why people would be bringing gifts that weren't for her. I'm still not sure how much of my explanation she really understood as her first question was whether there would be a climbing wall at the food bank. But now she at least knows that a food bank is not a festival and won't (hopefully) expect a festival when we go to drop off the donations.

(As a side note, our daughter will receive a lot of gifts from family members who could never be convinced to do otherwise, so she will definitely not miss out in the present area.)

We also managed to avoid the paper plates, etc. This was a big issue for me (we made people wash their own dishes over our wedding weekend so that we could avoid paper plates then). My mom has this fantastic set of extra plates that we were lucky enough to be able to borrow. Borrowing a few sets of dishes from good friends would also have done the trick.

We did buy a few 'Happy Birthday' signs but those will be taken down carefully and put away for next time.

The one product I haven't found a way to avoid yet is the balloons. My daughter is obsessed with balloons and wouldn't consider a party to be a party without them. Hopefully I'll think of an alternative in time for next year's party...

New & Improved Happy Heinys

2010-09-27T18:40:00.001-07:00

Some great new diapers arrived today from Happy Heinys. They have been hard at work making changes to their existing diaper line - making it better than ever. Here are some of the changes:

One-Size Pocket Diaper

This is the one that they've changed the most. Here's what they've done:

Better Fit for Smaller Babies - The One-Size diaper's rise has been shortened a bit to fit smaller babies better. The rise on the Happy Heinys One-Size Diaper continues to be longer than other brand's to ensure a comfortable, snugger fit for a wide range of body types.

Same Great Fit for Larger Babies - Happy Heinys One-Size now offers a better fit for both big and small babies, and every size in between! The improvement in fit for smaller bodies has done nothing to compromise the great fit and comfort for larger babies that customers expect from Happy Heinys.

Less Bulk. Less Drooping. - The improved One-Size now features a smaller belly panel and reduced width between the leg openings. This styling change means less bulk in the bottom and less drooping for a better look, fit and feel!

Leak-Resistant - Happy Heinys works to make diaper changes as easy as possible. The latest design "tweaks" go further to prevent leaks. The new leak-resistant design offers improved performance over the original One-Size, especially when worn by slender to average weight babies.

Longer Life - Happy Heinys diapers include fantastic elastic bindings that are easy to replace if needed. With this value-added assurance, the investment in reusable cloth diapers lasts even longer, through multiple changes and multiple siblings, if necessary!

To see this diaper, go to http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=388&c=98

Like the old diaper? Bums Away has lots in stock and will take special orders for the old style of the one-size pocket.

Organic One-Size Pocket

Now available with snaps. http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=294&c=98

Happy Hempy

Happy Heinys has come out with a one-size version of this fitted diaper. It is also now available in snaps (for the one-size only). http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=297&c=98

Heiny Cover

Also now available with snaps: http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=293&c=98

LolliDoo Diapers - a breakthrough in overnight cloth diapers!

2010-09-19T16:57:00.001-07:00

This week Bums Away is excited to introduce LolliDoo Overnight diapers (officially known as Overnight Eco-pockets with Innies). These fantastic diapers are made from eco-friendly materials:

- The fleece cover is made from recycled water bottles.

- The inserts are made from organic cotton.

- For the liner you have a choice of organic cotton or stay-dry fleece.

and

- The snaps on these diapers are made from recycled metal.

All materials are sourced within the USA, where these diapers are made. LolliDoo will also recycle your eco-pocket diapers once you have finished using them.

So, how do they work? We asked Mekayla to review them for us and this is what she had to say:

"I LOVE IT!!!! It is soooo absorbent and I have had no nighttime leaking!!!! Other than a bit of bulkiness, which who really cares when its nighttime, it is an amazing diaper! The snaps are a bit tricky to get closed being metal I think, but the positive note to this is my toddler can't undo it, lol. They are too hard for her to get off...so its wonderful! I love the inserts, they are soft and amazing and very absorbant. Really, I can't say enough good things about it. I would definatly buy more and reccomend them to any mom cloth diapering as a superb nighttime diaper."

What more can I say? They work and they're eco-friendly. These diapers are a must-try for anyone needing something extra for overnight. For more information, please go to http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=369&c=134

Back to school....

2010-08-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

Back to school ads are here whether your child is old enough to be going back to school this September, going to school for the first time, or you’re looking at your baby or toddler and thinking that school is years away.

Even if your child is years away from going to school, the approach of September is a good time to start thinking about snacks and lunches. You’ll probably want your child’s lunch/snack to be healthy, but what do you pack it in? More importantly, how can you pack food in an eco-friendly way?

There are lots of great products out there to help you pack eco-friendly lunches. A few companies have looked at small wet bags, originally designed for dirty cloth diapers, and realized that they would also make great snack and sandwich bags. KangaSac has an excellent little snack bag that is sealed with a zipper so that even toddlers can open it (http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=266). They also have sandwich and lunch bags (http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/list.php?c=120&pg=&a=y).

Itzy Rizty has taken the idea a step further and designed sandwich bags with prints that kids will love (http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=346). Wahmies small Fun Prints Wet Bags can also be used as large sandich bags (http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=66). If you’re looking for larger lunch bags with fun prints, try any of the bags designed for holding about 3 diapers. Just because they’ve been designed for diapers, doesn’t mean that they can’t be used for lunches and snacks.

The great thing about all of these bags is they can be rinsed in the sink and re-used (just like plastic sandwich bags). If they get really gross, just throw them in the laundry and they’ll come out nice and clean (unlike plastic sandwich bags). They will also hold cut fruit without leaking (I used one to carry cut-up cantolope and it worked great!).

As for those messier lunch foods like yoghurt and applesauce, try using metal sandwich containers instead of plastic. ECO luncbox has come out with two great stainless steel lunchbox sets – an oval one with two containers (http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=362) and a rectangular one with three containers (http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=363).

All these lunch containers are great for kids & the environment. They’re also great for adult lunches.

Sustainable Cloth Diapers vs. Disposable Diapers

2010-05-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

This post is part of the Real Diaper Facts carnival hosted by Real Diaper Events, the official blog of the Real Diaper Association. Participants were asked to write about diaper lies and real diaper facts. See the list at the bottom of this post to read the rest of the carnival entries.

Myth: Cloth diapers are better for my baby.

Fact: Disposable diapers like Pampers were developed to offer babies benefits that cloth diapers could not meet. That goes beyond convenience to helping keep babies' skin dryer and more comfortable by reducing leaks and locking wetness inside the diaper in a way that cloth doesn't. As a result, doctors and parents simply don't see the same level of diaper rash that used to exist before disposable diapers.

Bums Away’s response: Cloth diapers have changed dramatically over the past few decades. Pocket and all-in-one diapers keep baby dry without using chemicals. Liners can be added to fitted and pre-fold diapers to keep baby dryer (again without chemicals) if wetness is a problem.

Moreover, most cloth diapers on the market today are breathable. This gives them a huge advantage over plastic covered, non-breathable disposable diapers. On a hot day, what would you rather be wearing: a soft, bamboo shirt or a plastic shirt? Babies have the same preference for what goes on their bums. The advantage of breathable cloth diapers is most notable on hot days when babies in cloth are much less likely to develop heat rash.

Myth: Cloth diapers are better for the environment than disposables.

Fact: In October 2008, the United Kingdom's Environment Agency published an update to its 2005 Life Cycle Assessment study on cloth versus disposable diapers. The update confirmed the earlier study's findings that there is no clear winner in terms of environmental impacts between disposable and cloth diapers in the U.K., once all factors such as water, energy, detergent, and disposal are considered.

Bums Away’s response: My daughter wore the same 30 diapers for 2 years. If she had been in disposable diapers she would have used approximately 12,000 disposable diapers in that same time period (RDA).

The numbers speak for themselves. How can 30 diapers possibly have more of an environmental impact than 12,000 diapers? These 30 diapers were washed at home in a high efficiency washing machine and hung to dry. Eco-friendly detergent was used to wash them. Those 30 diapers are still in great condition and we will use them on our next child, reducing our disposable diaper consumption by yet another 12,000 diapers.

Myth: Developing countries prove that cloth diapers are better than disposable diapers.

Fact: Our product provides key benefits in terms of skin health, dryness, and even sleep. In China, for example, we've learned that babies and parents are frequently awakened during the night each time the baby soaks the bed, because the baby has no diaper or a very thin piece of cloth. As a result, studies have shown that a disposable diaper can help a baby there get a better night's sleep. In another test, we have also seen less fecal contamination spread around the home using disposables versus cloth or nothing.

Clearly, we have a lot to learn about how to help with basic hygiene needs in countries that have very different access to clean water to wash with, and how to best dispose of products after use. We've also learned about hygiene for older children through our Always feminine care business – where in many parts of the world girls are forced to miss school one week each month during their period because they don't have enough pads or fresh water.

We are working in those regions to better understand what they do with products after use, and how to work with local agencies and other businesses to ensure the best long-term system to manage it.

Bums Away’s response: Four points need to be addressed here:

(1) Overnight sleep

(2) Fecal contamination

(3) Feminine hygiene products

(4) Garbage

(1) Overnight sleep. I would hope that a disposable diaper works better than either nothing or a thin piece of cloth.

(As an aside, I’m assuming that by “nothing” they’re actually referring to the use of Elimination Communication. However, since they say “nothing” I’ll take it at face value. Therefore, my response actually refers to using nothing and does not refer to the Elimination Communication technique which is far more sophisticated than actually using nothing.)

Modern cloth diapers also work better than using nothing or a thin piece of cloth. Using cloth diapers with fleece or wool covers overnight creates a very breathable diaper that is much better for baby’s skin than a plastic-covered disposable diaper.

(2) Fecal contamination. When using modern cloth diapers, poo gets rinsed into the toiled and then flushed away. This is also what’s supposed to happen when disposable diapers are used (read the box). No fecal contamination occurs if you wash your hands afterwards.

(3) Feminine hygiene products. What does this have to do with cloth diapers? But since they bring it up, using reusable feminine hygiene products creates less waste than disposable pads and tampons. Therefore reusable products would make more sense in developing countries (see point on garbage below).

(4) Garbage. Just what are people in developing countries supposed to do with disposable diapers after they use them? Pampers doesn’t have a solution. I do. Use cloth diapers or Elimination Communication as they have been doing for generations. This saves parents money and prevents mountains of garbage from building up.

Myth: Disposable diapers are harmful to the environment.

Fact: All of the component materials in Pampers diapers are gentle to consumers and safe for the environment. Pampers diapers are made of materials that are also frequently used in a wide range of other consumer products. We are committed to continuing to reduce our environmental impact. For example, Pampers has decreased its diaper weight by one-third and packaging weight by two-thirds. And innovative technologies, raw materials, and product design improvements have led to significant reductions in energy, water use, emissions, and waste at our plants. We are working so that our diapers in the future will have less impact on the environment than even today's diapers.

Bums Away’s response: Isn’t this just “myth” #2 re-stated? Disposable diapers not harmful to the environment? In Canada, approximately 4 million disposable diapers are thrown out every day (AppleCheeks). It is estimated that each diaper takes 250-500 years to decompose (RDA). How is this not harmful to the environment?

Myth: The materials that make up Pampers diapers are depleting our forests.

Fact: The pulp used in our diapers comes from well-managed forests in North America. In some cases, we source our pulp from scrap wood chips from lumber and saw mills. Our pulp suppliers are required to be certified by an independent third party as practicing sustainable forestry. Certification includes standards and criteria for replanting trees, protecting biodiversity, water, air and soil, and for obtaining broad stakeholder input into the forest management plan.

Bums Away’s response: A lot of wood goes into the 4 million diapers used in Canada every day, irrespective of where the wood comes from. Bottom line is that it takes far fewer resources to make and wash 30 diapers over 2 years than it does to make 12,000 diapers.

Myth: Cloth diapers save parents money

OK, they didn’t actually use this one. Why? Because apparently not even Pampers can come up with an argument against this great benefit of cloth – cloth diapers are a great way for parents to save money (especially when they wash their diapers at home).

Spring Giveaway

2010-03-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung (despite today's cold rainy weather). There's no better season to enjoy the wonders of the earth as new plants sprout up through last fall's unraked leaves. Using cloth diapers is one of the many ways that we can help our planet. Growing food at home is another.

This spring, as I watch the tomatoes, peppers and herbs that my daughter and I planted together it makes me marvel at how much changes in a year. Last year my seedlings were toys that she took out on the front porch so she could play with the dirt. This year, at 2-1/2, I watch her touch her plants tenderly, water them, and blow on them to make them strong. She has stopped asking whether we can eat them yet, but I have hope that this year the seedlings may live long enough to produce fruit.

Planting seeds is an annual tradition in our household as we emerge for winter and prepare to welcome spring. How do you welcome spring?

Bums Away is giving away one Pomegranate Easy Fit diaper (http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=283). To enter, post a comment about how you welcome spring to your home. One winner will be randomly selected from all entries.

Contest is open to Canadian residents only. Entries must be posted before April 21, 2010 midnight EST. The winner will be announced on Earth Day. Please include your email address with your entry.

Extra Entries - Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry.

- Follow BumsAwayDiapers on Twitter (http://twitter.com/BumsAwayDiapers)

- Follow this blog

- Become a fan of Bums Away on Facebook

- Blog about this giveaway and leave a link in your comment

Odor and Cloth Diapers

2010-03-07T13:29:00.000-08:00

The most common complaints about smelly cloth diapers are (1) stinky diaper pails and (2) diapers that smell fine when they come out of the wash but get more and more stinky as they get soaked with urine and (3) diapers that smell when they come out of the wash.

Luckily there are solutions to both of these problems. And even more luckily, cloth diapers rarely (if ever) get as stinky as a garbage can full of a week’s disposable diapers.

So, to solve problem #1: a stinky diaper pail. The best solution for the stinky diaper pail problem, in my experience, is to stop using a diaper pail and use a hanging diaper bag instead. A hanging diaper bag allows air to circulate in your dirty diapers and reduces the buildup of stinky anaerobic bacteria. Other tips for reducing smell of your hanging diaper bag are to:

- - add one to two drops of tea tree oil or lavender oil to a cloth and throw it into your hanging diaper bag

- - make sure that you are washing your diapers often enough (at least once every 2-3 days)

- - use an enzyme based deodorizer either on your diapers or place it in the room near your diaper bag

- - make sure that you don’t have any residue problems (see below)

Problem #2 (diapers that smell find when they come out of the was but then get stinky when soaked with urine) is caused by residue on the diapers. Over time, detergent and urine residue can buildup on the diapers. This tends to happen more quickly when using a high efficiency washing machine but can also occur when using a good old-fashioned top loader as well.

To get rid of residue, run your clean diapers through 3 cycles of hot wash/cold rinse in the washing machine with no detergent. If you have a high efficiency washing machine you should manually set the water level to high. If you can’t manually adjust the water level, throw a wet towel or 2 in with your diapers to trick the washing machine into adding more water. This should get rid of your residue problems. As an aside, this technique will also solve about 90% of problems that you may have with cloth diapers so it should be the first thing you try if you’re having problems.

Cleansing diapers with baking soda and vinegar tends to be more of a band-aid solution, as your diapers will soon become stinky again. Vinegar can also react with urine to create stink in diapers.

As for problem #3 (diapers that smell when they come out of the wash), you should first make sure that you’re washing with hot water except if your hot water is really hot as this will cause damage to the laminate layer in your diapers. You should also consider switching detergents as the one you’re using may not be cleaning your diapers properly.

Bums Away carries a variety of products to assist in reducing diaper odor in the Cloth Diaper Accessories section of our website: http://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/list.php?c=46

Yeast: Those little red dots that are so hard to get rid of

2010-03-01T15:25:00.000-08:00

There's nothing more frustrating than when your little one gets a yeast infection. We battled with it for months before finding a solution that actually worked.

Both boys and girls get yeast and it happens in kids wearing cloth or disposable diapers.

How do you know if your baby has a yeast infection? He or she will have little red dots in the diaper area. If using cloth, the spots usually get progressively worse with time and will usually clear up when you switch to disposables.

The reason that they clear up if you switch to disposables is NOT that disposables are any better than cloth for preventing yeast (in fact they may be somewhat worse as they are less breathable than cloth). However, if you're using cloth and your baby has yeast, then there is yeast on your diapers.

Treating a yeast infection when using cloth diapers is a two-step process.

The first is to actually treat the yeast infection. Speak with your child's doctor to find out what s/he recommends, but usually over-the-counter yeast infection cream will do the trick.

To get the yeast off your diapers, you need to cleanse them with a combination of hot water/cold water cycles. Start by cleaning your diapers. Then run your diapers through 3 hot wash/cold rinse cycles in your washing machine with no detergent. If you dry your diapers in the dryer, they should not have any smell when they come out of the dryer. If they do smell, repeat the 3 x hot water wash/cold water rinse cycle without detergent until they don't.

If you have a high efficiency washing machine, then set the water to the highest setting possible for washing and cleansing your diapers. If you cannot change the water setting on your high efficiency washer, then add 1 or 2 wet towels to the load to trick your washing machine into adding more water.

Wahmies One-Size Pocket

2010-02-14T13:03:00.000-08:00

Another week, another new diaper tested. This week it was the Wahmies one-size pocket diaper. My two favorite features of this diaper are (1) the super-soft velour interior and (2) the insert.

The velour interior is softer than fleece and stays that way even if you hang your diaper up to dry. (Which is something that I like to do because it saves energy and prolongs the life of your diapers). It wicks moisture well.

The insert is the smallest one-size insert that I have ever seen and would certainly be small enough to use on most newborns. Seeing how small it was, I had to wonder whether it would work for an older child so I tested it on my 2 year old daughter. It passed the test with flying colours! (Given that it's made of bamboo, I shouldn't have doubted.)

This diaper has a snap-down front and therefore I would be cautious about recommending it for infants with skinny legs. However, for infants with average to chunky thighs this would be an excellent, affordable diaper.

On a completely frivolous and fun note, some colour options offer a different (from white) colour on the inside of the diaper. After 2 years of changing diapers, I have to say that it's nice to have a bit of variety of colour to look at when doing a diaper change.

Rocky Mountain Diapers

2010-02-01T07:44:00.000-08:00

I have recently tested Rocky Mountain Diapers on my daughter and am very impressed. She loves her "monkey diaper" (prints are a great way to get toddlers interested in their diapers!).

This is a made in the USA one-size diaper that adjusts in the legs. The extra elastic is hidden within the pocket of the diaper. It is an innovative design and appears to work quite well. I've heard that there is a problem with leaking when baby is between sizes but this is true for most snap diapers as they don't have the exact sizing that Velcro closures allow.

The inner lining of the Rocky Mountain Diaper does a great job of keeping baby dry (definitely better than fleece) when the insert is wet. The insert is an absorbent cotton microfibre insert - great for daytime use.

This diaper only comes with one insert - for smaller babies this can be folded over in the front or back so that it will fit in the diaper when at the smallest setting.

More information about Rocky Mountain Diapers athttp://www.bumsawaydiapers.com/products/details.php?p=54

Hemp Pocket Diaper by Happy Heinys

2010-01-24T16:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Heinys has recently released a new hemp-lined one-size pocket diaper. I have tried it on my daughter and absolutely love it! My daughter has eczema and her skin has to be dry 99% of the time or she gets an instant diaper rash. For this reason I can't use most pre-folds or fitted diapers unless I use a heavy-duty liner (AppleCheeks fleece/hemp booster). I thought that it would be the same with the new Happy Heinys diaper - not so. It has all the great wicking capabilities of a pocket diaper with the added bonus that a natural fibre (hemp) is now against baby's skin. Used with a hemp Stuffin, it is very absorbent. I love this new diaper!

Incidentally, this diaper is currently being referred to as the 'Beta' pocket diaper as Happy Heinys is having a naming contest for the diaper.

Travelling with Cloth Diapers

2009-10-22T11:17:00.001-07:00

Many people seem to think that disposible diapers are a necessity when travelling. We've just returned from a trip to Australia where I used exclusively cloth diapers (even on the 24+ hour plane ride) and I can tell you that not only is it possible to use cloth while travelling - it's just as easy as using cloth at home.

The only difference is that cloth diapers are more bulky to travel with but they're not so bulky that they won't fit in a carry on bag. (Trust me, I took 2-1/2 days worth of diapers on the plane to Australia and they fit just fine in my carry on bag.)

Here's some tips for taking your cloth diapers on an airplane:

- use one carry on bag exclusively for diapers and extra clothing for your little one - this will make it easier to find what you need when you need it

- always pack more diapers than you think you'll need because you never know when you're going to get stuck on a runway, etc.

- small or medium sized wet bags with zippered closures are great for storeing dirty diapers. One or two should do the trick depending on how long your flight is. When these are closed and placed inside your diaper carry on bag you won't even know you've got dirty diapers on board.

- use Bummis' bio-soft liners because there isn't enough water in airplane toilets to wash out poopy diapers and with the liners you can just flush them away with the poo so you won't have to carry it around. (As an aside, I also doubt that there's enough water in airplane toilets for G diapers to dissolve. One of our flights was late because someone clogged a toilet when they tried to flush a diaper down it. I don't know what kind it was, but G diapers are the only kind that I know of that you might try to flush down a toilet.)

- put an overnight diaper on your little one before you leave for the airport. We've often gotten to the airport, checked in, gone through security and then only realized that our daughter was soaking wet. When you're focused on getting checked in at the airport, etc. you tend not to think of checking a diaper. Also, you don't realize how quickly time is passing when you're waiting in lineups to get checked in and to go through security. Using an overnight diaper will help prevent leaks at this crucial time.

- pack at least two extra outfits for your little one. Your child's schedule will be out of wack and so will your own. You won't have your regular cues as to when it's time to check on a diaper, and your little one may go through diapers faster than usual - especially on your first couple of flights with your little one.

- when the flight attendant gives you a plastic bag for your dirty diapers, tell her/him that you don't need it because you're using cloth diapers and won't be throwing anything out. Get the airlines used to the idea that we're travelling with cloth diapers - there's power in numbers!

Bon voyage...