Winter Sunbathing

Tucson winters are amazing. Lately, we’ve been blessed with sunshine & 70s. This means our days have been spent at the park or in our front yard soaking up the winter rays. The diapers have also been spending many an hour outside sunning themselves on the drying rack. Unfortunately, due to some wicked morning sickness, the diapers haven’t been making their trek outside before 3 pm or even later. So, the heat of the day is beginning to fade and the sun’s rays disappear just as quickly. I’ve learned a couple of tricks to make use of the winter sun. Hopefully some of these tips can translate to those of you that live where you really have winter!

• I set up the drying rack close to a wall that has been drenched with sunlight for a majority of the day. In this case, I’m looking to use the heat radiating from the wall to help dry the diapers, since oftentimes the warmth of the day is quickly slipping into a cool evening.
• My GroVia soakers and Thirsties AIOs take more time to dry than pocket inserts and prefolds. Anything that is backed with a waterproof layer means that it dries from the top down. To help speed up drying, I prop both diapers on their sides. This way, the heat of the wall and the remnants of sunshine can dry on both the inner layers and outer layers of the diapers. It really helps!!

Note the sunny wall. And I can't help but brag about my white diapers. Ahhhh....I love sunny Tucson winters!

• So this tip rarely works for me, but getting diapers out during the warmest part of the day mainly noon-ish or so is best. I wish I could get moving on laundry sooner, but it takes my nose and stomach quite some time to calm down before I can get myself near the pile of dirties. Ugh.

So I’m not against using the dryer for my diapers. I just never really think to use it since I’m in the habit of line drying them. Following the above winter drying methods, I’ve been able to avoid using the dryer. It’s a way for me to cut back on energy and keep my diapers from excessive wear. So for those of you with a 'real' winter…here’s hoping that Puxatony Phil doesn’t see his shadow tomorrow!

{CW wishes you all a very happy Groundhog's day. He's psyched to watch the news tomorrow to see if Phil sees his shadow or not.}

Brrrrr. It's Cold Outside!

What happened to our fall weather? It must have skipped us here in Tucson. Our winter temps have arrived sooner than I would have liked. But fortunately for us desert dwellers, we still have plenty of sunshine during the winter {or fall since that is the current season}. Now that it’s much cooler, line drying is taking a lot more time than it did during the hot summer months. And I’m sure that many of you living outside of sunny AZ have been dealing with longer line drying times for quite some time now, unless you’re a punk & live in Hawaii {I’m talking to you little sis!}. So while you may be thinking the dryer is the way to go this time of year, remember that UV rays are still beneficial for your diapers. Even on cloudy days, UV rays still sneak through the clouds. Find a window and lay your diapers out on a drying rack, and let the sun work its magic. But do remember that it does take a longer time for stains to be removed during cloudy days, and it’s always best to sun your diapers while still wet. It helps stains to come out faster. And for those of us blessed to spend a gorgeous winter in Tucson, it is now safe to keep our diapers outside for longer periods of time. No more worries about having too much heat hurting the PUL/TPU waterproofing and elastics in our diapers. Yay! So bring it on Old Man Winter. I’m still sunning my dipes and doing my best to avoid using my dryer. While it may not be possible to avoid using the dryer for those of you in places where you actually have winter weather, do remember to use the UV rays to your benefit to keep your diapers stain free as much as possible. To read more about sunning your diapers click here.

Washing Tips

My last post was about washing routines, care, and instructions. Now I’d like to discuss some tips that I’ve learned when it comes to washing & drying cloth diapers. A common theme that runs through all the tips will be trial and error. It’s normal in the beginning to have washes not turn out clean diapers. Find what works for you! Different machines, water types {hard/soft}, detergents, and diaper brands will all create different wash routines for different people. And from my experience sometimes even a good wash routine may fail. My biggest problem…broccoli. The boys love it, but when served at dinner, I expect horrid diapers in the morning. I now know that a pre-rinse with the sprayer before putting the diapers in the pail does a lot of good. And I also can tell when our water softener needs more salt, because more soap is needed. So be flexible with your wash routine, and hopefully these tips will make wash day so easy it won’t even feel like a chore!

·         Detergent Amount: Use enough detergent. How much is enough? Your diapers should not have any stink smell when coming out of the washing machine. If they smell stinky, re-wash. It’s also a good idea to check if there are any suds in the final rinse cycle. Too many suds means too much soap. Run another rinse cycle, and use less soap next time.

·         Proper load size: Too many dirties and too few diapers will create havoc. Too many and they won’t come clean. Remember, HE machines don’t use a lot of water. Too few diapers, and they can’t “scrub” against each other very well when washing. There isn’t a magic number, but 18 diapers is a good number to work with. Have I washed more than 18 and less than 18 in loads? Yes. It’s all about being flexible. Adjust soap and wash cycles as needed.

·         Rinse: Rinse the poo! A diaper sprayer is a must. Rinse all the poo off that you can. Less poo on the diaper while in the pail, means less poo in the pre-rinse cycle, and hopefully no poo in the wash cycle. {Please note that breastfed poo is exempt. This rinses away without the need to spray in the toilet.} Rinsing also helps to keep staining at bay. {Confession Alert! I rinse during naptime and after bedtime. Too many “helpful” hands and people in the bathroom while I work. I flick what comes off easily into the toilet and close the diaper up until rinse time. Gross, but effective.}

·         Trick your washer: I have read about, but never used the “Towel Trick”. It consists of adding a towel in your load during the sensing part of the cycle {the beginning} and removing it before the water & soap is added. I have often times poured large bowls of water over a load before the pre-rinse to make the diapers heavier. HE machines go by weight to determine how much water to use. My reasoning is that half dry diapers are only half as heavy. So pouring large bowls of water will make them heavier, and then more water will be used by machine. It’s ok if the water drains out, this is just to get your diapers wet and heavy not to add water to the cycle.

·         Hang dry: Hang drying means less wear and tear on your diapers. Lint is the breaking down of fabrics. Anything that is microfiber hang dries in my house. No need for it to be soft and fluffy since it never touches skin. Pockets and covers are also air dried. Anything that is cotton and touches skin gets dried on low heat for 15-20 minutes before hanging out. Or a good shaking out helps soften up the fabric after air drying.

·         Sun: The sun is the best sanitizer and stain remover. Be sure to Practice Safe Sun.

·         Large Stash Size: This is probably the least mentioned and most important tip when it comes to washing diapers. It is essential to have a good size stash {over 24, closer to 36 + diapers} to keep your diapers functional. Repeated washing of a small stash will wear out your diapers faster. I guarantee it! You will not save money by having a small stash, because they will wear out quickly and you will have to buy more. A large amount of diapers will keep them rotating through less frequently, and will make them last longer. The diapers will then wear and tear at a slower rate, and since they will last longer you will get your money’s worth. They’ll be sure to last for more babies or will be acceptable condition to sell to others. As with any fabric, repeated washing & drying will wear out the item. Think of your fav shirt. You’ve probably had it for years and wear it in high rotation in your wardrobe. Does it have holes? Is it frayed? Is it super thin and faded? Yes, yes, and yes. You love it, but it’s not a “functional” shirt to wear outside of the house. At least mine isn’t. The same will happen if you have too few diapers. Be sure to invest in your diapers and make them last through potty learning and then some!

~~Tonya~~

Practice Safe Sun

Here in Tucson, we are experiencing an incredible heat wave. As I was driving home last night from a fun diaper consultation at 10 pm {too many diapers to look at and so little time!}, it was 100 degrees on my car’s thermometer. So, when I say incredible heat, I really mean intense, awful, searing heat. This time of year not only do we need to protect ourselves, babies, and pets from the heat, but our diapers as well. I do sun my diapers, and I have blogged about the benefits of using the sun to get stains out here. But this time of year, it’s best to sun your diapers for a shorter period of time and early morning is best. I also do not have my covers/shells in direct sunlight. Honestly, I’ve never had a stain on a cover/shell and have never needed to put one in direct sunlight. However, if you do have a stain on a cover/shell, sun it briefly and early in the morning. Look at the care instructions on your diapers. Most of them say to hang dry or to tumble dry on low heat. At this time of the year, a dryer on low heat has to be cooler than the 110+ degree heat we’ve been experiencing here. That’s not a fact, just my wacky, unscientific opinion. I have no idea how hot dryers get, but 100+ degrees is blistering hot here in Tucson. Ack!! {Where are my monsoons?!} And do not underestimate the value of sunning your diapers indoors when it is too hot to have them outside. The UV rays can still work their magic indoors. Finding a sunny window in the afternoon may be a good alternative if you don’t get a chance to wash and dry your stash in the early morning hours. Today I put my diapers out for only 30 minutes at about 9 this morning. {I got a late start on my wash today.} Take care of your diapers and make your investment last!!

My little Wildcat is too cool!

I should mention that I'm sponsoring a giveaway {ends 7/5/11} over at Times for Keeping. Erin's a sweetheart of a gal, and she recently gave birth to her second baby girl. Her precious little doll tested out a GroVia newborn AIO. You can read her review here. And if you are looking to purchase GroVia newborn AIOs, Green Baby Elephant LLC has them in stock!!

Poo Nightmares!

Have you ever changed a cloth diaper and had the urge to throw it away because it was so nasty? Come on. Be honest. This morning BW woke up and made one of those “Good Lordy! Throw it out ASAP!” diapers. Blech! You can all breathe a sigh of relief as I will not be posting any pics to go along with this post. HAHA But seriously, I do have thoughts like, “If I can only throw this nasty thing out, my morning will have one less thing to do.” Immediately the voice of reason shouts, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Just rinse the darn thing and get over it.” Yes, my voice of reason has to shout at me. It’s the only way I’ll listen. So as soon as this is up and posted, the diaper from poo-hell will be rinsed and put in the diaper pail. Right now it’s sitting in a trash can in the bathroom. And the door is shut. I can’t bring myself to clean it quite yet.

Let me procrastinate a little longer by sharing another “Good Lordy! Throw it out ASAP” diaper story. This one involves blueberries. I don’t think I need to explain too much more. For those of you that haven’t experienced a blueberry-diaper, you will. I like to think that there are two kinds of parents. Those that have experienced blueberry diapers first hand and those that will experience a blueberry diaper. This one happened to be a nightmare! The Hubs was in such shock that he stood in the doorway of the bathroom and watched as I rinsed it in the toilet. He told me to throw it out. His comment only strengthened my resolve to not only rinse and wash it, but to keep it stain free. I was successful thanks to Rockin’ Green. He couldn’t believe it. I knew it would work, and was glad it proved my point. No diaper is unsalvageable. Poo can’t stand a chance against Rockin’ Green!

Many thanks if you made it through reading about two poo stories. Yuck! If you are new to all of this poo talk or on the verge of deciding to use cloth diapers, I hope this didn't discourage you. Cloth diapers are really easy, and the poo nightmares are rare and manageable. Honestly, I experienced way more blow outs and poo nightmares with disposables than the handful of nasty diapers that I have to rinse. These helpful tips will help you keep your diapers looking good! Remember to rinse off poo as soon as possible to prevent staining. Also, the sun helps remove stains and sanitize.  I always wear rubber gloves when using my diaper sprayer. And use a diaper safe detergent, Rockin’ Green or Tiny Bubbles. {I use both, and they both work wonderfully!!} What other tips do you have for battling poopy diapers? Please share them with the rest of us! I know there are a lot of new moms that will appreciate the tips! And feel free to share your poo nightmare stories. :) I’m off to go rinse the diaper that’s waiting for me. Where’s a clothespin for my nose?! HAHA

Upcycle Masterpiece

When BW was born, my mom passed along to me the prefolds that she used on me as a baby. I tucked them away in BW’s closet and forgot about them. While cleaning out the closet come springtime, I rediscovered them. They are soooooooo soft. Unbelievably soft. And virtually stain free. Then it hit me. I can repurpose these into burp cloths for baby EB!



washed and ready for sewing



I had to do hardly any prep to get the old prefolds ready to transform into stylish burp cloths. My first step was to do a long soak in Rockin’ Green. I did this for two reasons. 1. When held up to the light, the center was slightly yellowed. I wanted to try to get rid of any urine stains. 2. I wanted to remove any detergent residue, and have them washed up in a gentle soap for my nephew. After the soak and washings, they looked great. There was hardly a stain left. And sunning helped clear it up. Rockin’ Green really helped get out those old stains! The next step was to find a fabric to sew down the middle. That was easy. Nina has loved monkeys since she was little. CW had the final say between the two monkey prints, and he picked out the better of the two. And the last step was to sew the flannel down the center of the prefolds. I was able to do that while the boys napped one afternoon. {For some odd reason, I find it relaxing to sew.}



my upcycle masterpiece! Ta-Da



I was able to repurpose and add some pizzazz to my prefolds. So now they’ve become super cute burp cloths. Plus if Nina needs to use them as a diaper for EB, she can do that in a pinch. Yay for upcycling for a baby gift!

~Tonya~

Thirsties Newborn Review

My favorite diaper to use at nighttime so far is the thirsties duo diaper. Since EB is less than two weeks we are still on a very loose schedule and I usually put him in one of these around 11pm. He will typically wear these for anywhere from about 3-4 hours during the night. I started using the Duo Diaper size 1 when EB was around 1 week old and I noticed he was eating more and therefore "going" more. He weighed about 8lbs 8oz when we began using them.  I make sure that I have them stuffed and ready to go before bedtime each evening.  So far, I only have two of them, and am in the process of acquiring more of them ASAP! I have to say, I love them and I haven't had to worry about leakage, yet (hopefully not ever). The Duo Diaper insert consists of a thin microfiber insert and a hemp insert. It is a breeze to stuff! By far the easiest pocket diaper to stuff! Especially if you do not have tiny hands that some of them seem to require I like that the inserts snap together because it makes my life a little easier when stuffing the diaper. I don't have to make sure that one of the liners isn't bunched up on the other. I have the diaper snapped on the smallest setting, and it seems perfect size for right now. Once his umbilical cord finally falls out I will probably move it to the first snap. I find it to be bulky on him which is why for now it is a nighttime diaper only. I think that if you have a small newborn you may want to wait until they are at least 8lbs. to use it. Also, it does rub on his little umbilical cord a little.  He doesn't seem bothered. However, if you are squeamish you may want to wait until it falls out to begin using these diapers. I think that so far the only con would be how much more bulky it is than a newborn diaper, and that is because it is more of a OS diaper instead of a true newborn diaper. It is nice that this diaper will grow with EB, as it has 3 rise settings.

Now on to the pros of the thirsties duo.: )  The fact that it has openings on both sides makes it easy to push the insert in one side and pull it through the other side and really easy to make sure that it is even and not twisted anywhere. I also really like the hook and loop. It is easy for my husband to use and best resembles a disposable for the caretakers that are new to cloth. The biggest bonus of the hook and loop is its ease of use in the middle of the night when sleep deprived and without ample lighting. I have not paid attention to the noise it makes, and it hasn't seemed to affect EB so it must be quiet enough.
I really like the leg gussets and it makes me feel good knowing that there is that extra layer of protection. I don't have to worry about him getting wet in the middle of the night. Newborns legs are so skinny that the gussets really help to prevent leakage! I don't know about you, but I want to avoid having to change a baby's clothes in the middle of the night and risk waking them up too much!

Last night I used the hemp prefold for the first time, and it held a lot and his skin was still pretty dry. I haven’t had any poo go to the wrap, and was then able to use the wrap a few more times. The wrap also fits nicely over the fitteds. And I love the fitteds. They are so soft, and never a leak!!

As for washing the Duo Diaper and the rest of the Thirsties products, it is easy. I do pull the liner out of the Duo Diaper even though the directions specifically state that it is unnecessary.  I am just in the habit of it and don't mind doing it. But know that it is not required before you throw it in the washing machine. I am currently using the Rockin Green detergent and have a top loading HE machine with no agitator. This is a great combination for my diapers.  The diaper and wrap both dry in no time at all and the microfiber insert dries in a flash as well.  The hemp insert, stay-dry insert, fitteds, and prefolds take a little bit longer. The prefolds and hemp inserts do not get very stiff with only air drying. A few good shakes takes out the little bit of stiffness. It is like having a t-shirt air dry. While soft, it will be a little crunchy, but not rough.  I have been drying everything on my drying rack outside, thanks to the awesome weather! I have also used the dryer and that works great too.  However, I love to save money and it makes me happy to dry them outside naturally and FREE of cost!!
Also, I feel that this is worth repeating over and over again...The sun is a miracle stain remover!!!!! I can honestly say that my serious fear of yucky stained diapers is so over and done with! It is amazing! After less than an hour in full sun, my diapers look brand spankin' new! Since I don't get out much lately this has become the highlight of my day. Putting stained dipes in the sun and watching the stains literally disappear before my eyes with no extra effort or expense on my part is so exciting to a sleep deprived new momma, like myself!
I truly hope that my cloth diapering adventures help convert some of you curious mommas or mommas- to-be out there. Let me assure you that I can be a nervous nelly about lots of things and using cloth diapers from day 1 with my 2nd baby was a major decision while I was pregnant.  I am SO happy that I put my nerves on the back burner and allowed myself to have a different experience. I have been all about trying new things with this baby. I have more confidence in myself and my ability to be a great Momma this time around and am so much more relaxed.
So far I really love using cloth diapers and I have to say my husband is way more supportive than I thought he would be. He does complain that I have to wash them every day....so I recommend having a bigger stash than I currently do. I have 12 newborn Grovia AIO, 2 x-small Fuzzibunz, 2 Thirsties fitted size 1, 1 Thirsties Duo Wrap size 1, 2 Thirsties prefolds and 2 Thirsties Duo Diapers size 1. If your baby is like mine, then nearly every diaper you change will have a "skid mark", and you will be changing frequently. I don’t feel as if I am changing more often than if I were using disposables. It is just the poo that keeps me changing diapers very often!
I know that I have not answered all of your questions, I still have some myself.  So, I will continue to be the guinea pig Momma and EB the guinea pig baby.  We are still experimenting and learning about all that cloth has to offer.  At least I can honestly say that I am not nervous and anxious about laundering cloth diapers anymore.
So, more to come on different diapers and tricks and tips learned by trial and error.

~Nina~

Using Cloth on a Newborn

I decided while still pregnant that I was going to try cloth diapers with my second baby. It was something that I had always contemplated after my first child was born. However, I did not feel as I had enough information about how they work and many other details that many of us Mommies require before making a big purchase.
Then my sister had her second child and began to cloth diaper. I was able to see first-hand all of the ins and outs of the cloth diapering world.  Learning how to wash, stuff, and put them on an actual baby helped immensely!
With this pregnancy I was all about being prepared early, as my first child was a month early and I was not ready.  As I packed my hospital bag I also packed a bag for my new baby that included about 8 of my 12 newborn AIO Grovia's.  I had prepped them the week before and loved how tiny and cute they were!  I also packed some liners in anticipation of my baby's first poopie (meconium).

I wondered what the nurses and doctors would think about the cloth diapers and if anyone would flat out refuse to use them. I wondered if there would be that nurse that would put a disposable on my baby in an effort to discourage me, and make her life easier.
Boy was I wrong! The nurses were intrigued by the tiny cloth diapers and soon my son and I were the talk of the 4th floor labor and delivery ward! My nurse came in and asked to borrow one of the diapers to show off at the nurses’ station.  Everyone commented on how adorable and easy they were to use! Every time there was a shift change I would get the same questions.  How do you wash them? How much are they? What made you decide to do cloth? The list went on.
I love having the newborn size Grovia and Fuzzibunz.  Totally worth purchasing!!! They fit so well and do not rub on his little belly button as it heals. There is very little bulk and fit under a onesie perfectly. Newborn's little legs are so skinny and newborn size diapers are trim and don't keep them from scrunching their tiny legs up into the fetal position. I used liners while in the hospital waiting for the meconium. It came out with the liner so easily.  The only downfall  I found was that no one but me snapped them tight enough. I think they are afraid to put them on too tightly since they don't stretch like disposables do. But trust me, you will know when you have put them on too tight, because they won't snap : -)

Once we arrived home from the hospital it was time to wash them...I was dreading this, and I don't know why.  I was worried about stains.  The first time I washed them I forgot to rinse them first.  Not a big a deal. However, I have, through trial and error found a certain method to washing newborn AIO's.  I snap them on the loosest snap after a diaper change and throw them in the wet bag. Once I am in the laundry room I go through and turn them inside out while still snapped. The ensures that the outer covers will not take precedence over the inner liners.  This has helped tremendously to get all the poop out and most of the stains out with one wash.  This also greatly reduces the time in the dryer!
I had heard about the sun being a natural stain remover, and I can honestly say that they were true! Now, that said the sun has not come out where I live since my son was 3 days old.  So, on the first sunny day that we have you can bet money that I am going to "sun" all my diapers!  The stains are minimal, but I still would like them gone : )
After a week of using cloth diapers I feel like I have a pretty good handle on them and a newfound love! I am no longer anxious about changing them while away from home, washing them, getting stains out, or dealing with leaks. We use the GroVia's and Fuzzibunz during the day and the Thirsties at night. I have both the Thirsties Duo Diaper & Duo Fitted.  I like them both the Thirsties diaper and fitted equally and never worry about leakage with them! They hold a lot!  They are much bulkier than the newborn size GroVia & FuzziBunz diapers. My husband and I have had quite a few laughs from them, and love them all the more! If you are worried about the bulk then stick to the newborn size until your child grows bigger.
Also, our son was circumcised and I continued to use cloth. We just use a liner and a gauze pad with Vaseline and haven’t had a problem. I did decide to use a disposable to see the difference during the healing time....WOW night and day difference! He leaked terribly out of all four disposables that I placed on him.  The poor little guy woke up during the night completely wet through a sleep sack and a swaddle!!! Unheard of with cloth! Never again disposable for me!

If you are nervous about taking the plunge into the world of cloth diapering a newborn, I urge you to give it a try. I promise it is easier than you think.  Your baby will thank you!  And I think you will thank yourself!

~~Nina~~

P.S. Many more posts on newborn dipes are to come! Nina will be reviewing each diaper much more thoroughly as soon as she gets the chance.

A Sentimmental Fool

I am a sentimental fool, and I don’t feel the need to hide it. Babyhood and toddlerhood go much too fast. I take hundreds of pictures a month.  The most important pictures I take are of the boys sitting together. For the first year of each of my boys’ lives I took a picture every two weeks on the changing table. For the second year, I take pictures on the monthly birthday. I’m continuing this tradition with my youngest. Except this time around, I’ve also been taking pictures of the boys together as well as separately. It’s so amazing to look back and see how they’ve grown.

So, since I’m a crazy, picture lady not only did I take pictures of BW in his first cloth diaper, but pictures of him in the same diaper the last time he’ll wear it. It’s silly that I get so emotional over the little things, but I can’t help it. As I’ve mentioned before, my love affair with cloth began with GroBaby {now GroVia}. My GroBaby hook & loop shells weren’t staying closed unless I had pants on BW. So I have sent my shells to be converted to snaps. They are now going to be passed on to my baby nephew. BW is long and skinny, and unfortunately the rise is getting a little low on him. I know they won’t make it to potty learning, so since there is a lot of life left in my GroBaby stash I’m passing them along. I’ve spent a day really soaking, washing, and sunning the soaker pads and boosters. They look great, and I can’t wait for my nephew to wear them. All I’m waiting on are the shells to come back from GroVia. I’ll be sure to post pics of baby EB wearing his “new” kiwi GroBaby shell. I can’t wait to see him in it!

Sun Tan Part 2

Oh, oh it’s magic. Sort of.  *Full disclaimer* Before looking at the before and after pictures, I must confess that this GroVia booster not only enjoyed a weekend of our wonderful sunny weather here in Tucson, but was used and washed as well.  The extra washing was done on accident, as my sweet hubby used it since I didn’t tell him otherwise.  But the washing did help work out the nasty blueberry stains. Yay!

{Note: The loose threads are circled to prove that this is the same booster. And I apologize about the lighting in the after pic. Fluorescent lighting stinks.}

As you can see, the stains are almost completely gone.  With another wash and “tanning session” it will be stain free.  Honestly, staining doesn’t bother me.  However, I do like to keep my dipes looking as nice as possible, especially since these are going to be passed on to my soon to be born nephew. EEEE! I’m excited to meet him. 

~~Tonya~~

Sun Tan

The hot, Arizona sun is great for drying cloth diapers.  Even when it’s not so hot, the sun here is still great for sunning your dipes.  Drying your diapers outside will save you money by not running your dryer, and the UV rays are a great way to kill any germs and remove any odors  that may be lingering on your diapers.  But wait there’s more! {I watch too many infomercials.} The sun will naturally bleach out stains!! To good to be true?! In this case, it isn’t. It doesn’t even have to be hot outside for the sun to work its magic.

For the record, I do use the dryer to dry my diapers.  Anything that is cotton {mostly my GroBaby/GroVia’s}  goes in the dryer for about 20 minutes on medium heat.  I found that this helps keep the diaper from getting stiff and rough when drying in the sun.  I have tried air drying and then putting in the dryer for a bit to soften, but that didn’t work for me.  My BabyKicks 3g pockets also go in the dryer to help soften them before air drying.  I also add my cloth wipes {WHAT?! Cloth Wipes? That’s crazy talk you say? We’ll discuss this later} to the load.  By the time 20 minutes are up, the wipes are pretty much dry.  Why don’t I dry them outside? Not enough room on the drying rack.  Plus, they dry quickly with what needs to go in the dryer.  What doesn’t go in the dryer? Shells/covers, empty pockets, microfiber inserts, and hemp inserts. Yes, I threw in a huge amount of cloth diaper verbage.   We’ll cover it all in a future post.

Blueberries are often on the menu for breakfast in this house, and the end result is well…uh…nasty.  Even after a good soak and wash, there is some staining on this GroVia booster.  The picture below is proof of that.  No worries though.  I’m putting the good ol’ Arizona sun to work.  Unfortunately, I ran out of daylight and it’s going to have to go back outside in the morning. Oh well.  No rest for the wicked or is it weary? Who knows.

Perhaps  you aren’t lucky enough to have Arizona sunshine.  Some of you are still in the throes of winter, like those in North Dakota.  Don’t fret.  Laying your diapers in the sun even inside can have some benefits.  It will take longer for stains to be removed, but it is better than nothing.   If this isn’t working for you, a little elbow grease and lemon juice may help.  After applying the lemon juice allow it to dry in the sun.  Wash the diaper again to remove the juice.  This should help to remove the stain.  If you do live in a place where there is little sun, and you are a victim of chronic staining, I have three options for you.  One is to get over it!  Harsh, I know. But seriously, stains happen.  Know that your diaper is clean, and don’t worry about what they look like.  The second option is to use fleece.  I have yet to have a diaper with fleece hold a stain.  FuzziBunz, Thirsties, and BabyKicks are all pocket style diapers that use fleece.  Third is to use a diaper sprayer.  A diaper sprayer attaches to your toilet to spray off the poo into the pot.  Prompt rinsing of the diaper will help keep the stain from being held in by the material. 

So, if you’re ever driving by and you see a drying rack full of cloth diapers, stop by and say “Hi!” Just kidding.  I don’t open the door to strangers.  I have to set a good example for my boys.  J

P.S. After I sun the booster a little bit longer tomorrow, I'll post a pic of it.

Maybe you live in a HOA and are not allowed to have a clothesline to hang out clothes.  Use a drying rack instead.  I live in a HOA and move my drying rack all over my backyard to follow the sun.  I even put the diapers out in the front yard by the door to get the last remnant of sun in the late afternoon.  I do have a courtyard, which makes it a little more difficult to see my stand of diapers out by my front door.  

~~Tonya~~