About a month ago I bought an AIO from Mommy’s Touch to try out.

It was supposed to be a one-size, easy to clean cloth diaper, but I was really confused when I opened it. It had a bunch of strange flaps and a small snap-in insert.

The thing was weird, and I couldn’t figure out how it was supposed to be “one-size.” After a few washings, some of the stitches came undone, so I contacted the company. They have a Repair Service, but I ended up stitching it back together myself. While I was browsing their web site, I came across the directions for using the diaper, and by golly, it’s actually really cool.

All you have to do to make the diaper smaller is fold the front down.  The tabs velcro right to it, no snaps, no hassle. How did I not figure that out myself??

Now that I’ve been using it for a while, I really love it. Plus, it’s totally cute on Nicky’s little bum! My only hope is that they don’t regularly fall apart, like mine did.

Tags: aio, Mommy's Touch

So, if your new to cloth diapering you may wonder about transport. You know when you leave the house and change diapers outside of your home, away from your clean toilet water (it happens!). What to do? How to carry that gift from your cherished babe home to your diaper pail?

For awhile I just carried plastic garbage bags with me like I had done with disposables. Then I started to get jealous of Leah’s nifty nylon bags. (Also the plastic bags were handy when you through the diaper away but kind of ‘leaky’ when you stuffed it in your diaper bag to take home, and frankly, ew.)

Leah’s bag was similar to this sleeping bag stuff sac. These work really well. They are waterproof and washable. In fact our diaper pail liner is a hand me down sac from Leah. These are great, cheap alternative to some of the more popular diaper bag brands.

Of course if money is no option the popular diaper pail liners are super adorable. And not terribly more expensive. (must resist buying!) Marilyn writes at length about diaper liners in this post.

Which brings us to Etsy. Doesn’t it? Not subtle enough? Oh well, We all have our personal favorite places to browse and ahem, buy. I favor Etsy. I bought this cute wet bag at Batik Bags. I love it. It has held up very well in the many washings it has already had since it arrived last month (do I really go out that often?) and it is stylish.

Like the woman who creates these beauties, I soon tired of the baby patterned bags, and these wet bags have a nice grown up feel. They are also suited for Mamas (and non mamas) who use cloth pads.

Some of the bags zipper shut, but I find the drawstring works just as well.

If you search on Etsy for Wet bags you get a fabulous choice of hand crafted goodness. If you are on a limited budget, I have found zippered make up case at the goodwill or other thrift stores work great.

Transporting poop in style. Our new motto here at Cloth diapering Mamas. Catchy, No?

Tags: dirty diaper bags, pail liners

For this past week I have been agonizing over wanting a Goodmama.  I would look at them forlornly on Diaperswappers.  I would wander aimlessly at Spots Corner, stroking all the Goodmamas there.  I would look at the Goodmama site, reading every little bit of information, coveting every diaper they ever made.  I would whine to my husband about how I waaaaaaanted one, and how we neeeeeeded one.  I would dream about the squishiness and how I had plans to rub the new diaper all over my face (to better feel the true squishiness it has to offer).

I suppose that poor Rob just got tired of listening to me whine and lust over these diapers and told me to just buy one.  We’d just not go out for lunch on Sundays for the rest of the month - no big deal.  So Wednesday night I stalked Diaper Swappers.  I stalked Spots Corner.  I searched high and low for the perfect goodmama diaper.  I sent inquiries to a few sellers, not to have anything resolved.

By the time I went to bed, I was having total cold feet and not feeling right about buying a goodmama.  I was second guessing the reason behind why I wanted the diaper.  Was it because they were supposed to be so wonderful?  Did I want to buy it because the “cool kids have them” and thus buying my popularity?  Who, in my life, would even care that Kitten had a goodmama on?  I decided, at that point, that if I am THAT worried about a diaper, maybe it’s just not the brand for me.  I mean, I shouldn’t have to think about something that hard, right?  So I decided that I would look into the other diapers that were similar.

This means I spent more time skulking around on Hyena Cart, and looking to see what I could find that was available.  And?  NOTHING.  If I wanted something in a cotton print, I could get it.  If I wanted a bamboo side snap, I could get one.  But not the front-snap OBV like the goodmamas.  Even using the search tool at Diaper Swappers didn’t seem to help.  Until, that is, I realized that it’s Piddle PODDLES, not Piddle POODLE!  Ha ha ha!

So after I found the right name, I found a beautiful brand new PP with the cutest monster on the butt.  I was so excited and snapped it right up.  We just can’t wait for the diaper to get here (I hate getting stuff from the States!  It takes sooooo long!).  See?  It’s just so adorable, and squishy!

Tags: Diaper Swappers, Fitted, Hyena Cart, Piddle Poddles

have you any wool?

I remember the first time I saw a wool diaper cover. My honest impression was something along the lines of “what the heck?” mixed with “that can’t possibly work”

But it does. Wool makes a wonderful cover for any diaper that needs one. Wool diaper covers are soft, breathable and cute. They also work really well. Wool is coated in lanolin, which naturally resists water. Water will actually bead up on a diaper cover. Wool also allows more airflow than other diaper covers, so it is great for kids that get rashes easily or hot weather.

Wool diaper covers come in a million forms, from wraps to shorts and pants. The two most common materials are wool interlock and knit wool. Interlock is a fabric; it looks something like a tee shirt, but much thicker. Knit wool looks like a sweater. Interlock is my favorite because it is less expensive, easier to care for, and it looks more like “real” clothes. Knit wool is beautiful and functional, but it requires a bit more care and is more expensive.

There are so many wonderful wool covers out there. I’d love to get my hands on some crankypants, but for now I’ve been loving my stuff from Wild Child Woolies, Little Liam and Kozy. Or have a look at the wool forum on diaper swappers. Wool is great for the summer. And the winter.

If you are already feeling the wool love, tell me about it. If you aren’t, what is holding you back?

I’ve been on Diaper Swappers for at least a month, and I have been always in awe of this thing called Hyena Cart.  Apparently it’s a website that allows for all sorts of Work-At-Home-Mom’s to sell their wares.  Some of the diapers from Hyena Cart can go for $50-100, especially if there is a bidding war.  I always thought that it was a bit too rich for my blood, and never really bothered to browse.

Friday, I took the plunge and registered at Hyena Cart, just as a shopper.  This allows me to see when the different stores are stocking, I can see the items that I’ve bookmarked as cool, and to enter for some of the stores’ “free for shipping” lottos (meaning that I just have to pay for the shipping).  I was so excited!  I’ve been checking the stocking calendar to see if there is anything that I like on it, if there’s anything that I “need” to have. 

I found a diaper that I like.  I don’t love it.  I’m not even sure why I really want to buy it.  I haven’t decided if it will make me feel like a cool kid because “OMG!  I bought a hyena cart diaper!  I am so cool!”, or if I want to buy it because it will make me feel like a socially responsible consumer (buying from a WAHM instead Big Corporation, Inc.).  I’m really kind of confused for my motive.  I feel like I have a motive because I looked at it and said “cuuuuuuuuute”, but not “I neeeeeeeeed this”!  So, here’s the diaper.  Will someone please go buy it so I won’t?  It’s only $15 plus shipping, and that’s really reasonable for a pocket diaper. (Alternatively, if you’ve used a Trendy Tush Pocket AIO diaper, and you loved it, tell me that too - then maybe I will buy it!)

Main Street Store

Tags: AIO's, Hyena Cart, Pockets, shopping