Traveling With Cloth Diapers

As many, including myself, are packing bags and getting ready to travel during this Christmas season, I thought I would compile a list of helpful tips for traveling with babies or toddlers.  The first few of these tips will be for cloth-diapering parents. 

1.  If you're currently using cloth diapers, resist the urge to make a temporary switch to disposables!  It's tempting to switch to disposables while traveling (I've even done it myself before), but let me tell you from experience that using cloth away from home is totally doable!  If you don't have enough stash to last throughout your trip, I'm sure there will be a washing machine somewhere nearby that you can use.  We usually stay with family, and they don't mind me throwing in a load of diapers or training pants while we're there. 

2.   Be sure to bring your favorite diaper detergent with you!  You never know when you'll need to use it.  Also, wet bags are a must-have item for me.  I bring a Knickernappies doorknob diaper pail, my large Planet Wise wet bag, plus 2 medium wet bags for any daytime outings.  I keep clean diapers in my doorknob pail, then start filling the other wet bags with the soiled ones. 

3.   Put an extra insert in your baby's diaper before going on the road, or use a nighttime diaper to help withstand the trip.  I always used a LoopyDo along with a microfiber insert for car trips.  Now we're in the potty-training stage and I use Bumbledoo or Super Undies on the road.  

4.  Make a portable diaper-changing station (diaper pad, a few diapers, wipes, wipes solution, rash cream, etc.) to have easily accessible while driving.  You might have to stop a time or two to change, and trust me, it's the worst feeling in the world to know your diaper supplies are buried at the bottom of your trunk!

Here are some tips in general and lessons I've learned about traveling with a baby/toddler:

5.  Bring A LOT of clothes!  Once you've packed 3 or 4 outfits for every day, pack several more!  Don't forget to bring several bibs, burpcloths, and washcloths as well.

6.  Bring some toys, also easily accessible in the car, for your baby/toddler to play with.  Even babies need to be entertained sometimes on the road. 

7.  For us, pacifier, fuzzy blanket, and glow-worm had to travel with us or we would get no sleep at night.  We eventually got smart and left an extra pacifier, blanket, and glow-worm at both of the grandparents' houses after forgetting them a couple of times!  

8.  Make sure your baby is riding safely in his/her car seat.   Here's a great article to read:  http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/108322/9_lifesaving_car_seat_rules 

9.  During all the holiday excitement, don't forget that your baby/toddler might get anxious around the crowds and strangers.  Try to schedule in some quiet time each day.

10.  Last tip:  Germ-X, Germ-X, Germ-X!  The last thing you want is yourself or your baby to catch a bug while you're gone!

If you've got other tips to add, please add them in the comments below!  I would love to hear them!

Bye-Bye Build-up! How to Strip Your Diapers

 Some of you may ask, "What in the world is stripping?"  No, I'm not turning dirty on this blog!  Stripping in cloth diaper terms does mean getting rid of something, but has nothing to do with being naked...

As you use your cloth diapers and wash them over and over, you will start to have a build-up of detergent residue in your diapers.  The extra rinse cycles help to eliminate some but not all of this build-up.  Also, if you use any rash creams, this residue may start to gunk up your cloth.  (I highly recommend using liners with ANY kind of rash cream and then washing them separately from diapers or using disposable liners that you can just toss after use.)  

Stripping is the process you will use to "de-gunkify" your diapers (remove the build-up). There are a lot of different ways to strip your cloth diapers.  You may want to do a little Internet research before stripping for the first time...after all, every washer and every baby is different, but here is the method I used.

How to Strip Your Diapers

From time to time you may notice your diapers are smelling funky or are starting to have leak issues.  This does not mean you aren’t getting them clean…but it does mean that you have some buildup of oils and detergents in the fabric.  Have no fear!  There is an easy way to fix this problem!

Stripping your Diapers:

Step 1:  Wash your diapers like you normally would. 

Step 2:  Run your diapers through a hot wash with no detergent.  You may want to add a drop or two of blue Dawn liquid dish detergent to help break up the oils, or a bit of OxyClean to help with staining, but this is not necessary. 

Step 3:  Run an extra rinse at the end of your wash cycle (2 or 3 if you added anything to the water in step 2). Then rinse one more time with a little bit of white vinegar to remove all detergent residues from the diaper.  Don’t worry!  Your diapers won’t smell like vinegar once they’re dry. 

Step 4:  Rinse 2-4 more times, or until you don’t see any more suds appear.  This means you have gotten all of the detergent residue out of your diapers.  In case you hadn’t heard, you should only use ¼ to ½ the amount of detergent you would normally use with a load of cloth diapers.  This decreases the amount of detergent residue in the diapers.  Also, the Free-and-Clear varieties don’t work very well.  I would recommend a regular detergent, like All or regular Tide, or you can use a detergent especially made for cloth diapers, such as Rockin’ Green or Country Save.   

Step 5:  Sunlight is a natural stain killer and germ remover.  If you can, sun your diapers outside to dry.  If this isn’t possible, dry them in the dryer on a low or medium heat setting.  Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on drying if you have any doubts about the heat level for drying. 

You may need to strip your diapers as often as once a week, but your diapers could last a month until they need stripping.  I stripped my own diapers every three weeks, but everyone’s water is different.  Everyone’s baby is also different, so use your best judgment about how often to strip. 

There are other methods of stripping as well.  If this technique does not work for your baby or your water, do some research to find other stripping methods.  I recommend checking the online diaper blogs, diaperpin.com, diaperdecisions.com, etc. 

BCD Photo Contest Winners

The votes have been counted, and here's how they went! 

1st place overall:  Trick or Treat 

 $25 store credit at http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com/ +$10 Baby Gap gift card

2nd place:  Good to Be Green

$10 store credit at http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com + 8x10 seasonal print from the professional gallery of Digital Treasures Photography (Megan Kampen, Ankeny, IA)

Fluff Baby: Boots

Free Knickernappies 2G pocket diaper or bumGenius AIO diaper

Congratulations to our winners!  I wish we could give prizes to all contestants...they are all adorable! 

Check back with us in June 2011 for details on another photo contest.  This one will have a different flavor, with chances to win in the following categories:  "People's Choice" (similar to how you voted this time), "Professional's Choice" (I'll have a professional panel of judges consisting of photographers), "Fluff Baby"  (judged by a panel of diaper company owners), as well as a "Morgan's Choice" award (judged by my daughter).  

Merry Christmas from Bum Covered Diapers!

Vote Here!

Well, this year's photo gallery is small for our Bum Covered Diapers Photo Contest, but the competition may be fierce!  These babies are all adorable!  You can vote for your favorite by commenting under this post.  Voting is open from December 1st-10th, and winners will be notified on December 11th.  When you vote, put the "name" of the baby you like best in your comment.  Only one vote per person, please!

 

 

Lil' Pumpkin

Diaper Patch Kid

 Busy Bee

 Good to be Green!

 Boots

 Happy Camper

Sweet Cheeks

Trick or Treat

 

Tummy Time

 Surprise!

Mr. Serious

Flash Giveaway!

Sponsors for tomorrow's Facebook Flash Giveaway!  In honor of reaching over 500 facebook fans, we're hosting a flash giveaway at 9 pm Central Time on our facebook page.  Here are the sponsors:

Bum Covered Diapers (of course!)

Knickernappies

Nellie Bug's Tutus and More

GlassNGifts

Here's how the giveaway event will work.  At around 9pm, I will post a facebook status describing an item to be given away and linking to the sponsor's facebook page.  You will have 4 minutes to go "like" the sponsor's page, thank them for the giveaway, and then come back and comment under my status post.  I will pick a winner via random.org after the time is up.   I'll keep posting status updates with prizes until they're gone.  It will hopefully be a fun, fast-paced way for you all to see some great companies and get several chances to win a prize!

Again, thank you to all of our sponsors and facebook fans!

Black Friday & Cyber Monday

T'is the season of SHOPPING, and we at Bum Covered Diapers have some special savings on Black Friday and Cyber Monday to ease the burden on your pocketbook in the Christmas season.  Here is a list of our sales for these two days:

• FREE shipping (normally a $5 flat rate shipping fee)
• 30% off Room Decor (name letters, fairy tale wall decor, ribbon bow holders)
• 30% off Tutus
• Bibs and Receiving Blankets 3 for $25.00 
• 10% off AppleCheeks products
• 15% off Knickernappies products
• Buy 5, get 1 free bumGenius OneSize 4.0s and AIOs
• 15% off Melissa & Doug toys (in-stock and pre-orders)

Plus, each customer will be placed into a drawing for $15 store credit or a free diaper! We'll draw a winner at the end of the business day.

Because this is the season of giving and we've reached the 500-fan mark on our facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/bumcovereddiapers) we're also doing a flash giveaway event on November 27th!  See our facebook page or this blog on Black Friday to see a list of prizes and sponsors!  Pass the word...this giveaway event is open to EVERYONE!

Happy Holidays, and happy shopping!

Another photo..Get Your Entry In!

This little guy is modeling a Thirsties Duo diaper in Blackbird design.  We will be adding Thirsties products in the very near future, so stay tuned to buy your own Thirsties Duo at http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com!

Photo Contest Entries-More Cloth Cuties!

Here are a couple of very cute contestants whose photos were sent to me today.  Both are wearing bumGenius diapers.

Another photo entry...Keep them coming!

Here's yet another adorable cloth cutie! And our first female contestant!  Remember, voting starts December 1st!  All entries must be received by November 30th.   

Second Photo Entry

Here's our latest BCD Photo Contest entry!  Don't you wish AppleCheeks grew in your backyard too?  He looks pretty happy!

Photo Contest Entries

We've received our first photo this weekend.  I thought I would go ahead and post entries as I get them, and at the end of the month I'll put them all together into a post for voting. 

Photo Contest--Change of Procedure

Because of Facebook rules I've recently become aware of, I need to make a change of procedure for our photo contest.  Photos for the contest will be displayed on this blog, and voting can be done on the blog or through email (melissa@bumcovereddiapers.com).  Apparently running the voting through our facebook page is not allowed.  If you submit a photo through our facebook page, I will transfer it to this blog.  

If you also are unaware of all the Facebook rules for giveaways or contests, check out this blog entry by Simply Stacie:

http://simplystacie.net/facebook-blog-giveaways-what-is-allowed/

Surfin' Saturdays at Chubby Cheeks Thinks

Do you like meeting other Moms or learning about free giveaways?  Do you have a business and need to recruit more fans?  Chubby Cheeks Thinks is doing a Surfin' Saturdays event every Saturday.  Check it out here:


http://www.chubbycheeksthinks.com/2010/11/surfin-saturdays-facebook-hop-link-only.html

bumGenius 4.0 Sale!

Cotton Babies has announced a sale on bumGenius 4.0 diapers!  These sales don't happen too often, so take advantage and add to your fluff!  Use promo code "BUY5GET1" at checkout to receive a FREE 4.0 onesize diaper with purchase of 5.  (Artist series excluded from this promotion.)

BCD Annual Baby Photo Contest

Photo Contest

We’re now accepting entries for our annual BCD baby photo contest!

Entries accepted until December 1^st!

Submit a photo by email to Melissa@BumCoveredDiapers.com or upload to our facebook wall: http://www.facebook.com/bumcovereddiapers

Requirements for Entry:

·       Photos must be taken by the person submitting them

·       Babies must be wearing or using one of our products (see our booth at Bradley Hall or www.bumcovereddiapers.com for products we carry)

Then…

Vote for your favorite baby starting December 1^st-10th!

Vote online here (with a comment on the blog entry titled "Vote Here" starting Dec. 1st) or send votes by email to melissa@bumcovereddiapers.com.  We'll have each baby's photo placed in the "Vote Here" blog post, and the photos with the most votes will win!  Only one vote per person, please!

Prizes

·       1st Prize:  $25 store credit at http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com/ +$10 Baby Gap gift card

·       2^nd Prize:  $10 store credit at http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com + 8x10 seasonal print from the professional gallery of Digital Treasures Photography (Megan Kampen, Ankeny, IA)

·       Top “Fluff” Baby (must be wearing a reusable diaper in the photo):  Free Knickernappies 2G pocket diaper or bumGenius AIO diaper 

Last Year’s Winners:

                           

3 Girls Reviews: Win BIG from Nellie Bug's!!

3 Girls Reviews: Win BIG from Nellie Bug's!!: "Up for grabs, a package of 5 ebooks ($30+ value) that will help you start your own boutique business - or at least help with your crafting h..."

Diaper Hunt Deals

Have you signed up for the Great Cloth Diaper Hunt yet?  If not, I think you should!  It's definitely the best internet scavenger hunt I've ever played, and you have a chance to win over $500 in prizes!  (Did I mention the top prize is an Apple ipad?)  Here's the link to register:  http://www.diaperdecisions.com/pages/gcdhreg.php 

Be sure to say Bum Covered Diapers sent you!

This is the first year we have sponsored the hunt, and we've got several special deals to help celebrate this November!

Giveaways:

• Applecheeks bundle-giveaway is already posted at Chubby Cheeks Thinks blog (click the button on our right sidebar to get to their blog)
• Terrycloth bib-giveaway next week on Nellie Bugs Tutus and More facebook page: http://www.facebok.com/nelliebugstutus
• bumGenius 4.0 onesize diaper-giveaway as part of the dream package for Fluff Baby Home (click on the button on our right sidebar for more info)
• Custom painted name letters-giveaway on our facebook page later this month...stay tuned for pictures of what you could win.

Sales:

• All of November:  10% off AppleCheeks products
• All of November:  half price rental fee for Diaper Trial Packages ($7.99)
• All of November:  Free fleece liner with every diaper purchase
• Nov. 1-6:  FREE small Planet Wise Wetbag with purchase of $100 (while supplies last)
• Nov. 7-13: 10% off all Knickernappies products
• November 9th:  FREE microfiber insert with every Knickernappies 2G pocket diaper purchase
• Nov 14-20: Surprise gift with every order!
• Nov 21-30: 10% off Melissa & Doug preorders, 15% off in-stock toys

(If your memory is as bad as mine, have no fear!  I'll post the current specials on the front page of our website, and I'll also put a status on our facebook page letting you know what deals are currently running.)

New Products

Our followers have spoken!  Our latest poll asked which new products you would like to see us carry in our store, and Thirsties was our winner.  You can expect Thirsties to be appearing on our site within the next few months.  Rockin' Green was a close second, so this line of diaper detergents will be the next new product we add.  I anticipate having full stock of products from both companies, as well as increasing our in-stock supply of products from our current wholesalers by late spring or early summer.  Stay tuned for updates as we continue to grow as a business! 

Great Cloth Diaper Hunt: Are you Ready?

We are proud to be a sponsor of the November 2011 Great Cloth Diaper Hunt! Have you hunted before? If not, here's how it works:

The Great Cloth Diaper Hunt (GCDH) is a huge internet scavenger hunt running from November 1-30, 2010. During the month, you will get the chance to visit many great websites (many WAHM sites as well as others). You'll follow clues to find a hidden diaper icon within each site. By doing so, you will qualify for 71 random prize drawings, including One Ultimate Grand Prize worth over $500 and a Daily Prize for each day of hunting!

The idea behind the hunt is to introduce consumers to some of the great WAHM businesses that are out in cyberspace, and also to many new products!

Think the hunt is too time-consuming? You are NOT required to find all the icons...just work at your own pace and find as few or as many as you like. Just be sure you register for the hunt so you can be qualified for all the great prizes! You can register by clicking on this link:

http://www.diaperdecisions.com/pages/gcdhreg.php

Also, Diaper Decisions has a facebook page. You can receive updates about registration and sponsorship by becoming a fan of their page. They will also be giving out prizes through the facebook page, as well as running chats with some of the sponsors during the hunt.

When you register for the hunt or become a fan on facebook, be sure to say Bum Covered Diapers sent you!

Diaper Trials, Fitteds, and Flushable Liners!

We've gotten shipments in from Planet Wise and from AppleCheeks within the last few days. One new item of note is Flushable Liners! If you (or anyone you know) love the idea of using cloth diapers but don't want to deal with the poop, these flushable liners are just the solution for you! You lay these liners inside your reusable diaper, then when the baby poops just dump the liner and poop straight into the toilet and flush! No mess required! Each package comes with 100 liners, and another thing to note is that the liners can be washed and hung to dry if they are not soiled.
We added two additional items today as well: our diaper trial package and custom fitted flannel diapers.

Diaper Trial Package:
Here's how the trial works: You pay the rental fee + deposit, and then get to try the diapers and accessories risk-free for 3 weeks. After your trial period is done you can either return the diapers to us and be refunded your deposit, or keep the diapers and receive a $15 discount on them! (Please wash all diapers before returning them. Diapers must be returned clean and dry for a full refund on your deposit.)
Shipping to you is included in the cost of the trial, but return shipping fees are your responsibility.


Our Cloth Diaper Trial Package includes the following:

--5 diapers (a variety of the diapers we sell, such as One Size, Pocket, AIO, and Envelope diapers by bumGenius, Knickernappies, and AppleCheeks)
--5 inserts
--a medium Planet Wise wet bag
--samples of detergent, wipes solutions, rash cream or wipes
--information guide to cloth diapering

You can find them here: http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com/diaper-packages/diaper-trials/cloth-diaper-trial.html

Custom Fitted Flannel Diapers ($7.00-$10.00 depending on soaker type)
These fitted diapers are made with four layers of flannel and a heavy terrycloth or microfiber soaker pad sewn inside. We can create a custom diaper especially for your little one. You choose the color and the soaker material! (The colors and designs pictured give you an idea of the fabric we have, but we can get almost any color or design you request...your choices are in no way limited to what you see here!)

These diapers will require a waterproof cover. Plastic pants will do, or PUL covers like Thirsties, or Bummis Wraps will work fine. We do not have covers available at this time but hope to carry Thirsties covers in the very near future!

Because we are using new patterns to sew these diapers, we're offering them at a LOW price. In return, we hope that you would give us your feedback on the style, fit, absorbency, etc.

Please allow at least 2 weeks for us to sew and ship your custom diaper orders. Larger orders may take longer than 2 weeks to complete.

You can find them here: http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com/diapers/fitted-diapers/custom-fitted-diapers.html

Facebook Giveaway

We're running a giveaway right now on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/bumcoverediapers

If you have an Emma or a Colton (or know of someone with those names), we'll be giving away a set of name letters for both of these names on Friday, Oct. 22nd. Head on over to our facebook page to enter on our wall.

Diaper Trial Package

Starting October 25th, we'll be offering a new product at Bum Covered Diapers! As a new mommy, I was hesitant to spend a fortune on cloth diapers without knowing how I would like them. I know a lot of other new mom's have similar hesitations, so hopefully this new package will be a way for you to try cloth diapers and discover the kinds you prefer without all the financial risk.
Here's how it will work:

For a small $15 rental fee (+ refundable deposit of $120), you get to try out 5 new diapers (of every style we have), plus a wet bag, wipes, and wipes solution for 21 days. You get to use them, wash them, re-use them, and hopefully fall in love with them over this 3-week period! If you don't like them, you just return them after your trial and get a full refund (via Paypal) of your deposit. If you do like them, we'll refund your rental fee and you keep the diapers at a discount!

Also, from Oct 25th through Nov 20th, your rental fee will be half price...only $7.99.

If you have questions, feel free to comment here or email me: melissa@bumcovereddiapers.com

October News

Greetings from Bum Covered Diapers!  As the seasons change, we at
Bum Covered Diapers are lookingforward to both the Christmas
season and the Great Cloth Diaper Hunt!Things to note of
importance during the month of October:

Deals: ·Free shipping for all orders over $30 until the end of October.
·We’ll be launching our cloth diaper trial packages in the last week
of October, and the $15.00 rental fee will be half-price until November
20th ($7.99 non-refundable rental fee + deposit that will be refunded if
you decide to return the diapers at the end of your trial)

News:
·Cloth Diaper Trial packages:  check out an article coming soon on our
blog for more information(http://bumcovereddiapers.blogspot.com )
·Great Cloth Diaper Hunt:  We will be a sponsor of the GCDH this year,
and we’ll be offering specialdiscounts and giveaways throughout the
month of November in conjunction with the hunt. Don’t know what
GCDH is?  It’s a huge online scavenger hunt, where you can win a lot of
neat prizes and see many neat WAHM businesses.
Check out http://www.diaperdecisions.com and click on the link for
the Great Cloth Diaper Hunt to find more information. Registration
for hunters opened Friday, and the hunt starts November 1st.

Giveaways: Current giveaways slated:
October 23rd:  AppleCheeks bundle at the blog for Chubby
Cheeks Thinks (http://www.chubbycheeksthinks.com)
November/December:  Wet/Dry bag at It’s Me Melbie
(http://www.itsmemelbie.com) .
Lots of giveaways on our Facebook page during the
month of November as well.

Morgan's Birthday Sale

Our semi-annual "Pink" sale starts tomorrow (and no, I'm not talking about Victoria's Secret)! In honor of Morgan's birthday, we'll run a special sale Friday through Sunday. Some of the deals...10% off anything PINK, buy any two diapers and get one microfiber insert FREE, plus a few secret sales you'll have to check out tomorrow!

Stopping the Leak

Do you have trouble with leaky diapers and don't know why? Here are some common causes of leaks and possible solutions.

The "Honeymoon" period: As you brought your bundle of joy home, the first diaper or two worked like a charm. You thought, "Hey, this cloth diapering thing is pretty easy!" Then, only a few short diaper changes later, you started having leak issues...

In the beginning your diapers may leak until you get used to the way they work. Be sure your insert is flat inside the diaper and that you have secured the diaper tightly enough to prevent leaking. Also, some diapers and inserts do not reach full absorbency until after a few uses/washes. Have you dried your diapers in the dryer? Using the dryer to dry diapers (at least for the first time) helps tighten the PUL, which may also help with absorbency.

Use, Rinse, Wash, Repeat (again and again): Now that you are in the swing of diapering, you have gone weeks without a leak issue. But now, all of a sudden, the leak issues have returned.

After some use and washing, your diapers may need to be stripped. Soap residue from washing can build up and reduce the absorbency of your diapers. Here's one method for stripping diapers:
Wash dirty diapers like normal. Then run the diapers through a hot wash cycle with no detergent. Peek in the washer to look for bubbles. Keep running rinse cycles until there are no bubbles. (I usually run about 4 cycles.) This should remove the build-up in your diapers. Also, if no one has told you yet, diaper rash creams can create build-up in the diapers. ESPECIALLY those with zinc oxide! The best solution for rashy babies is to use creams specifically made for cloth diapers...try Mama Roses Naturals, Northern Essences Rash Salve, or Earth Mama Angel Baby creams, among many others. The kinds you can buy at Wal-Mart, like Butt Paste, or Balmex, are NOT safe to use on the diapers. The main reason for this is the gunk they leave in your diapers. Rash cream is extremely hard to get out of diapers, so I recommend using a liner when using creams. Be sure to wash liners separately from diapers if you want to keep from having any absorbency issues.

If your diapers smell like ammonia or are stained, you can put a scoop of OxyClean in when you wash diapers, and then rinse several times. DO NOT USE BLEACH! This will break down your PUL and make diapers leak like a sieve!

"I've stripped my diapers like there's no tomorrow, and STILL I have leaks!": If you have tried everything you can think of to stop leaking and are still having trouble, check your inserts.

The microfiber in your inserts can break down after repeated use, which will decrease your absorbency as well. Try testing your inserts with a cup of water. If it isn't holding enough water, you may need to buy new inserts.

Still have leaking questions? Comment below, and I (or other followers) can try to address them.

Ideas for Expansion of Bum Covered Diapers

We are constantly trying to make products available that appeal to a majority of our customers' needs and requests. As we slowly expand, several ideas have come to our minds for "the next step." Because we've only been in business a short time, our capital is limited. Of the ideas below, we will only be able to implement one or two right away, and we really want to take your needs into consideration....and we can't read minds, so we would love to have your comments below! Tell us which ideas you like, and let us know what you need for your household.

Idea 1: Because we have such a limited inventory of the brands we carry, we could hold back on expansion and work to increase the supply of products we currently carry. If we already have every type of product you need, this idea will work wonderfully! We are already working on increasing inventory numbers, and we will continue to beef up our supply no matter which move we take in expansion. But if we don't add any new products, we can devote more resources to this effort.

Idea 2: We currently carry OneSize, AIO, and pocket diapers. We don't have any prefolds or fitted diapers, however. A few customers have requested that we add these products to our selection. The brand we most likely would add is Thirsties. I LOVE their wipes and use them every day, so I know you would also love them. I haven't used many fitteds, and I didn't try prefolds at all with baby number 1, so I can't vouch for their covers or diapers. I have seen excellent reviews for these products (especially Thirsties Duo) on other sites. If we add Thirsties, we would most likely add their products in October.

Idea 3: We carry bumGenius products, but we haven't gone so far as to carry Flip or Econobum products. We could stick with the wholesalers we currently have, and expand our Cotton Babies products to include these options. I have never used Flip or Econobum, so I would need to check out the reviews on these products first. We could have these as soon as September.

Idea 4: Because new cloth users are often skeptical, we are thinking about implementing a Diaper Trial system. Here's how it would work: you could purchase a diaper trial (cost of diapers plus trial fee) and try your diapers risk-free for a certain number of weeks. (I'll have to think about how long to let the trial go. Comments are welcome!) If you don't love them, send them back and get a refund for your deposit. You would just be out the trial fee (probably about $15). If you love them, you keep the diapers and are refunded the trial fee. The diaper trial would include several types of diapers and inserts. The problem with implementing this trial right away is that we don't currently carry fitteds and prefolds. We could go ahead and run with the types we have, or we could wait until our selection contains all types of diapers.


Other ideas? Suggestions? Please comment below!

Melissa and Doug Toys

We have a new product at Bum Covered Diapers! I am excited to announce that we will be carrying a line of Melissa and Doug toys on our site and at our Bradley Hall location. Check out the products we have available now using this link: http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com/gift-items/melissa-and-doug-toys.html

We hope to gradually expand our selection in the months before Christmas, and we guarantee that you will LOVE these durable toys for your family!

If you don't know much about this company, here is a little biography posted on their website:

Twenty years ago, we started our company in the garage of the home where Doug grew up — we had to be careful not to disturb Doug's parents who were still living there! Thanks to your support, we've been able to move into a real office down the road, a building that actually has separate ladies and men's bathrooms! Our philosophy has remained the same over the years–to make each and every customer a happy and permanent member of the Melissa & Doug family, while offering products with tremendous value, quality and design. We've always welcomed customer suggestions, and we continually strive to make improvements to our products. We're honored by the faith you place in us and view it as our responsibility to continue to earn your trust in the years to come!

Let us know if you have special requests for toys to carry in our store, and we hope you enjoy the toys as much as our family does!

Top Ten Reasons to Use Cloth Diapers

Here are some of the best reasons to use cloth diapers for your baby. If you have more reasons, feel free to comment below! Also, if you have been "converted" to cloth, tell us your story!




10. They are CUTE! Cloth diapers can be very fashionable, coming in many colors and styles. (I put a few of my favorites below.) When I put my daughter in a dress, half of the fun is picking out the diaper to wear underneath!








9. They are harder for mischievous toddlers to take off!

8. These are not traditional cloth diapers. No pins involved! With Velcro, snaps, or Snappi fasteners, they are really easy to use.

7. You are being environmentally conscious. Using cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers saves trees and reduces waste in landfills.

6. Do YOU wear plastic/paper underwear every day? I know I would much rather have the soft fabrics that cloth diapers provide!

5. Did you know that cloth diapered babies usually potty-train sooner than babies who wear disposables?

4. They aren’t any messier than disposables!!! A lot of moms steer clear of cloth because of the mess, but today’s cloth diapers really don’t create more mess! The only difference between disposables and cloth is the place you put them when they’re soiled. Instead of the trash, toss them in a washable wetbag or pail liner until wash day. You do have to dump the poop into a toilet first, but did you know you are supposed to do that with disposables too? There is NO SOAKING, NO DUNKING involved with modern cloth diapers.

3. They are convenient and fun for Mom and baby! With all the different kinds of diapers, styles, and colors, you can pick the option that works best for your baby and lifestyle.

2. Did you know that the polyacrylate gel in diapers might possibly cause asthma? Also, chlorine is an ingredient used in making cloth diapers. Sure, this helps keep your baby’s skin dry, but it can also cause rashes and other problems. Do a google search or read this article, and you would be amazed at all the negative effects the use of disposable diapers may have.

1. You can save a lot of money! Using cloth diapers, you could save as much as $2000 per child! Check out http://www.diaperpin.com/calculator/calculator.asp or http://www.diaperdecisions.com/cost_of_cloth_diapers.htm to estimate savings for your situation.

Have questions? Let me know, and I'll be glad to help. Need more diapers or accessories for your stash? Check out our store: http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com/ .

That's right, we're giving away another diaper!

We've partnered with Coupon Mommy of 3 this week for Cloth Diaper Week, and we're offering up an AppleCheeks little bundle (envelope cover and insert) for one lucky winner! Head over to Coupon Mommy of 3's site to check out the details!

Knickernappies: Cloth Diaper Virgins! Answers to all your frequently asked questions.

Knickernappies: Cloth Diaper Virgins! Answers to all your frequently asked questions.

This is a great article by a military mama who answers all of the classic questions people new to the cloth diapering experience may have.

Cloth Diapering 101: Tools of the Trade

Types of Diapers
(most definitions from http://www.diaperpin.com/)

Prefolds:

(pictured: prefolds from http://www.jamtots.com/ ) Pre-fold diapers are rectangular shaped diapers that are divided lengthwise in 3 sections. The outer sections usually have a thickness of 4 layers. The middle section can have 6 or 8 layers. This gives pre-folds absorbency where it is needed most, in the middle. You will often see prefolds defined as 4-6-4, 4-8-4 or more rarely 2-4-2. These numbers refer to the layers of cloth in each section from left to right. Pre-folds are the cheapest alternative in diapers. They can be enclosed in a velcro or snap fastened diaper or they can be pinned with safety pins or snappi fasteners.

Fitted diapers:

(pictured: Kissaluvs Fitted diapers, available at http://www.kissaluvs.com/ and other retailers)Fitted diapers resemble disposable diapers. They have a contoured shape and have gathered edges around the legs. Instead of tape, they are fastened with either velcro or snaps. A waterproof diaper cover is necessary when using fitted. Fitted diapers are more expensive than pre-folds ranging from $4 to $11 each. However they are much easier to use. If you purchase those with velcro closures, look for wide velcro strips.

Diaper covers: (Pictured: Thirsties cover available at http://www.diaperjunction.com and other retailers)

Like diapers, covers come in many forms. Like fitted diapers they may be contoured shaped and can fasten with snaps or velcro. Some covers resemble underwear. Either are made of polyester or vinyl to prevent wetness from getting on baby's clothing. These are ideal for covering your child's diaper during the daytime.
For the baby with sensitive skin there are also wool and polar fleece diaper covers. These too may be contoured shaped with snap or velcro fasteners. Others come in "boxer-like" shape. Some prefer these covers for night-time use because they breathe.

Pocket Diapers:

(pictured: Knickernappies 2G pocket diaper, available at http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com/diapers/pocket-diapers.html and other retailers)

Pocket diapers are the newest type of diapers to hit the cloth diapering world. The first pocket diaper, Fuzzi Bunz created by Tereson of Mother of Eden in 1998. Pocket diapers are two piece diapering system typically with a piece of fleece that makes up the inner portion of fabric and a waterproof layer that makes up the outermost portion. An absorbent material is placed inside of the two pieces making the whole system act as an all in one system that keeps babies dry.

Inserts: (Pictured are the Knickernappies LoopyDo and microfiber inserts, available at http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com/ and other retailers)

Inserts are the absorbent piece of a pocket diaper and are placed in the "pocket" of a pocket diaper to keep babies dry. Inserts are made of many materials, with the most common being microfiber and hemp.

All-in-one diapers: (Pictured is the bumGenius 3.0 All-in-one (AIO), available at http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com/diapers/all-in-one-diapers.html and other retailers)

Also known as AIO's, all-in-ones are fitted diapers that have an outer waterproof layer and a built-in soaker (insert). These are the diapers closest to disposables, and will probably be the easiest to use for parents who are new to cloth.

Liners: (pictured are Bum Covered Fleece Liners, available at http://www.bumcovereddiapers.com)
Liners are thin material used between a baby's bottom and the diaper itself. Most liners are used to keep stool away from diapers for easy clean up. Many cloth diaper businesses carry flushable biodegradable liners which are the perect fit for this purchase. As an alternative you can use flat diapers to keep costs down and still keep natural soft fabrics against your baby's skin.
Another type of liner which is fast becoming popular is the polar fleece one. These are thicker than their paper/flat sheet counterparts and are great for keeping the baby's bottom dry.