Cloth Diapering with The Dreamy Meadow

Today I have another guest post for you, from another one one of my wonderful sponsors. Katlyn is a brave young mom who share's her life experiences over on The Dreamy Meadow. You should pop over for a peak!

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Hi all, I'm Katlyn over at The Dreamy Meadow! Today I'm going to talk to you about the wonders of cloth diapering on this here lovely blog! For those of you pregnant or already mothers but looking into cloth diapering, I am here to tell you what my favorite products to use are and why!

I researched all of the different types of cloth diapers from pockets to hybrids. After weeks of sitting on my computer reading through hundreds of articles, blogs, and reviews I came to the conclusion that I wanted to use GroVia Hybrid AI2, One-Size diapers. They seemed to be the best choice for me because you didn't need to change the entire diaper for every change. All you had to do was pull out one insert and replace it with a clean one, unless of course the cover is soiled of course.

Knowing that I wanted these covers I had to decide if I wanted to purchase the Organic Cotton Soakers or the Stay Dry Soakers. I started of with just the cotton ones because they were a dollar cheaper and I didn't think it would really matter. After about a month or so of using the diapers though, Bentley started to get pretty bad diaper rash and the only conclusion that I could come to was that he wasn't staying dry enough. So I went ahead and purchased a 2-pack of Stay Dry Soakers to try. It's night to day, seriously! He stays 80% dryer when I have these inserts in rather than the cotton ones!

Since I couldn't quite get his rash away though I started looking into creams and such that I could put on Bentley's bum to help ease the rash. With cloth diapers you can only use certain things due to some ingredients causing build up in the inserts which can just intensify the rash. So on to the research again! I came across Kissaluvs Diaper Lotion Potion and since it was natural and reviewed off the charts I though I'd give it a whirl! On top of that I got the Original A&D Ointment to put on his sore spots. With these two products combined his little tush went from being red and sore to peach keen in a matter of days! I was amazed at how well it worked. I will not use any other products again!

Rash creams aren't the only thing that can cause buildup in your diapers though. You have to find a laundry detergent that is good for them as well! You shouldn't use fabric softeners, enzyme boosters, or bleach on them. You also shouldn't throw your covers in the dryer. Hang them on a clothes line instead. This will make your diapers last so much longer! For our laundry detergent I make my own. I use a combination of Borax, Washing Soda, Natural Soap, and Baking Soda. It is the most effective thing that I have used on them and doesn't have any unneeded additives. On top of this, I have a Downy Ball that I add vinegar to. This helps to neutralize the diapers and take away yucky smells!  Works Like a charm.

As for the actual routine of washing the diapers I do the following:
Pre-Wash. Throw all cloth diapers in washer and run a COLD pre-wash or rinse cycle to remove any loose particles from the diapers.
Overnight Soak. Refill washer with COLD water and 1/2 cup baking soda. Let the washer agitate for a few minutes and then turn off the machine. Let sit for a couple of hours or overnight. Drain the water.
Hot Wash. Empty the bin. Run the wash with HOT water and add your detergent and downy ball or put your vinegar in your fabric softener cup. Add all diapers to the water agian and allow to wash.
Dry. Tumble dry inserts. Hang covers on clothes line to dry. Allowing your inserts to dry in the sun will also bleach them!

So that's about it my friends! If you would like to know more or have questions just come see me over at my blog! I'm here to help! Enjoy the world of cloth diapering as well! :)