Mary has chicken pox now.
Or perhaps it’s just mosquito bites.
I think the only difference between the first child and the sixth is the degree of worry. With Fritz, I thought perhaps he was really sick, too, only with him, I took him to the pediatrician.
Now I just blog about it: I think my daughter’s dying, but I’m going to wait and see.
But seriously, she does have a diaper rash (and some other bumps that are probably mosquito bites…or chicken pox), and it just won’t quit. The creams work, but only if I keep putting it on. I think the heat is making is worse, but I know these disposable diapers with no air circulation aren’t helping a bit.
And so, a bleg, for all you eco-friendly, thrifty, superwomen moms out there who cloth-diaper their babies’ tender bottoms. Tell me what I need and where to get it and how many and what a good price is.
Reit This Way 
I remembered a post Amy had about this. Here it is:http://knt2gthr.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-on-cloth-diapers.htmlHaving helped my mom with those things (diapers in the toilet, yech!) I would NEVER do it, but I spent a fair amount of time thinking about it and perusing the blogs about it.Still, NEVER. But in theory (if I had a diaper maid who’s job it would be to handle all diaper situations and clean them in a whole shed built just for that purpose on a different part of the property) it would work for me.
Cloth diapering is easy! I’ve written numerous posts about it. 🙂What you’ll need for Mary is about 3 dozen infant sized DSQ prefold diapers. Mine have a blue edge. Do not under any circumstance buy toddler size. I own more diapers than this, but I only have three dozen in circulation right now, and I find that it’s plenty. DSQ stands for diaper service quality. Do not skimp on this. They’ll run about $22 or $24 a dozen.You’ll need covers. For the ultimate cheap, get some nylon, not vinyl, pull-on pants. They are only a couple of dollars a piece, but it can be a little tricky to get a baby out of a poopy diaper without smearing it down her legs. I’ve got a little system worked out, but I don’t prefer these anymore, having a bit more expendable cash. What I do prefer is Bummis Super Whisper Wraps. It’s a velcro cover of good thickness and excellent moisture retention. They run a bit small, though, in my opinion. I’m about to buy a bunch of large size for Penelope. I had one that she’s been wearing for months, but the site I bought additionals from said I wanted mediums. I have never thought they fit quite right, and I wish I’d gotten larges right from the start. They are about $9 each.You’ll also need something to use for a washable wipe. A stack of cheap washcloths from Walmart will do fine, or you can get the terry/flannel ones from the diaper companies for a bit more money. I used washclothes for years, but the diaper company wiped hold up better with the constant washing. Your choice. 🙂Lastly, you want a diaper pail. Not something goofy like a diaper genie, but a good, old fashioned pail to store your diapers in till wash day. Dump the poop in the toilet, then throw the diaper in the pail. I wash twice a week no matter how many diapers we’re using just because I think the stains set in better the longer I go between washings. Monday and Thursday are Diaper Days around here. 🙂Cloth diapers are as easy to change as disposables, and they add about 15 minutes laundry work to the weekly schedule, so it’s not too bad. You and Mary will both love them. (I hope!)
Ditto what Jenny said. I’d add that I put my wipes in a wipe bucket and added water so that I had a moist wipe whenever I needed one.I used disposables with my oldest and cloth with the younger two and I LOVED it. Also, Jenny is right on the size for the Bummis. They run small. If Mary is in the medium size according to the site, go the next size up. Otherwise, you’ll have leakage. You want the cover nice and large to cover everything, plus a bit of skin. (Bummi diaper covers can be really cute, too! Nothing is cuter than seeing a baby in a cloth diaper running around.)
Have you checked to see if Mary has a yeast infection? They just don’t do away with diaper rash ointment. Yeast rashes look red and raised, almost like a sunburn. They will fade and return over and over. If she does have yeast, you have to make sure to add vinegar or tea tree oil to the rinse water in the laundry. Yeast is pervasive and tough.
Oh, I forgot to say nystatin from the pediatrician does the trick with yeast rashes, plus a few other things I am certain you can find on the internet if you need to.
MPN, I do think it was a yeast infection and I’ve used some nystatin with success, but it came right back. Vinegar is on my list for grocery shopping – thanks for that tip.OK, three votes for bummis, so I’ll go that route. I did splurge purchase 3 bum genius all-in-ones, but at $18 each, I didn’t think I could go whole-hog with that system.Checking craigslist for prefolds and bummis. I know that patience is the key to scoring a good deal.
Yes, for the wipes, I sometimes put them in a container of water with a bit of baby shampoo, but I prefer using a squirt bottle most of the time. 🙂
I didn’t do cloth diapers but I can recommend a cream…ask your pharmacist for TRIPLE PASTE. It is a miracle in a jar. No prescription needed but you have to ask for it.And the vinegar rinse in the wash is fabulous. Use it on ALL your clothes. No Downy necessary. The wet clothes will smell of vinegar but not the dry ones. I use under 1/4 cup per super-size load and add water to fill the softener dispenser.
E-mail me your new address… I’ve got loads of cloth diapers I can send you. Hang on to them and I’ll get them back (if I ever need them again) next year when we move out near you. Seriously! I’ve got all these diapers staring me in the face, and I’m not allowed to get pregnant for a long time anyhow.
Hey!!A great way to get air to that bum with cloth is to use a wool diaper cover. You can make them pretty frugally or you can buy them (but they are more spendy. Check out etsy for cheaper ones). I also recommend Bert’s Bees baby stuff. They have a great baby powder that smells lovely and has none of the icky chemicals. Make sure you wash you diapers in perfume free soap. This was a problem I had. I now wash them only in Arm and Hammer Laundry soap. This is great! She hasn’t had a rash since.Hope that helps. If you have any questions you can email me at tony_amyatqdotcom. 🙂
Oh! I made some of that homemade laundry soap everyone has been talking about, but I have only run a test diaper though twice. But I think there will be no problem with that either.
diaperpages.com is a good site if you are looking for information on cloth diapers. greenmountaindiapers.com is a good site if you are looking to buy good, basic cloth diapering supplies. There can be a lot of fussing until you get a system down that works for you in terms of washing routine, detergent that works for you (make sure it’s one that rinses clean easily. Most cloth diaper websites will have advice on what should work well.). But once you pass the learning curve cloth diapering is very simple. It can be as cheap or wallet denting as you like. Mostly what you pay for is convenience. But it’s sometimes worth the money! Good luck. I hope it all goes well for you!
Barb – triple paste…thank you.Amy Caroline – first, I have to learn how to knit…Sarah – thank you!And the deleted comment is just spam.
The cloth prefolds at greenmountain are the best. I love my Thirsties covers – no leaks – and my Snappi instead of pins!