Cotton Diapers

Diapering is no big deal. My great grandmother would laugh that we are using computers to even discuss it. People are just too weirded out on the subject. They spend more time deciding about diapers than deciding on a college for him/her when s/he grows up.

Get real here. The kid is only going to be in diapers for a couple of years. All you have to do is to catch what comes out down there, and try to do so in a way that doesn't harm the kid, ruin the environment, or put you in the poor house.

COST: There are lots of statistics about how much disposable diapers will cost you for one baby. Go to any diaper service page for the numbers. The figures are astonishing. The figures they don't give you are how little it cost to maintain your own diapers.

ENVIRONMENT: Every so called disposable diaper has to go somewhere. It cannot be recycled, it is made of plastics, and poly fiber filler. So it goes into the garbage can, and to the land fill, or it is dumped at sea. There are studies where they go out and sort and count the stuff we throw out. Diapers account for 10-20% of household garbage.

Types of Diapers

Flat Diapers:

• Flat diapers come in two shapes: rectangle and square. At this point it comes to personal preference. I like the flat diaper for double diapering. Some mothers like the rectangle so they can fold them to fit best on the shape of their baby's bottom.
• But I have found flat diapers almost impossible to find, so you might need to sew them yourself. (Did I mention that I sell flat diapers?)
• There are two fabrics that have been used for diapers: light gauze and traditional birdseye. Gauze used to be the cheapest, and lightest fabric for I find that the light gauze doesn't hold up well, and traditional birdseye is expensive and difficult to find.
  Currently most diapers are made of a fabric that is halfway between birdseye and gauze. It is strong and absorbant. (I also sell the fabric?)
• Flat diapers have the benefit that they are the fastest drying diaper. This could be a consideration if you line dry in a humid climate.

Prefold Diapers:

• These are the easiest to use of all diapers. They are sewn into a rectangle that can be folded into many different shapes to fit babies of all ages.
• Prefold diapers come lined and unlined. Lined (some times called 4 or 6 layer) diapers are more absorbent. Unlined fit better on a new born. Avoid the ones that are lined with a foam core, as they tend to self destruct faster.

Size:

• New born or preemie: You will need at least one dozen for the first month or so if you have a early baby, or if small butts run in your family, but most people just fold a standard diaper down to a smaller size.
• Standard: Fine for most babies. You will probably find yourself doubling them as you get in the toddler years.
  
• Toddler diapers: I usually find these unnecessary unless you have a really big kid or an older child with bladder disfunction. You can make a nifty adaptation to your standard size diapers by sewing a piece of elastic to each side to make a loin cloth configuration.
  
• Adult Diapers I make the adult diapers inhouse.

Fancy Diapers:

• There are numerous fancy diapers: shaped, terry cloth, Velcro closure, or designed to work with a "diaper system." I don't like any of them. They are more expensive, less adaptable as the baby grows, and they make lousy rags afterwards.

Home Made Diapers:

• It is really very easy to sew your own diapers, and if you have a particular need to fill this can be the way. One good source of fabric is B. Coole Designs.

How Many Diapers?

How Often Do I Change Diapers?

• Your baby will wet from 8-12 diapers a day. Some babies trickle a little all of the time, and need to be changed more often. Other babies wait for a long time and then flood. If your baby wets less than 4 times a day, you may want to ask your doctor about dehydration.
• A younger baby will use less diapers than an older baby.
• I usually recommend 2 to 4 dozen diapers to start with. You will want more if you don't have a washer.
• If you have been using disposables, you may find that you use more diapers than before. There is a different rhythm to changing. With chemically enhanced disposables, you never really know when a baby has wet. Changing is determined by the clock. Be aware that even if there is no liquid in a disposable diaper, the urine is still in contact with the baby's bottom.
  With cotton diapers, you will be changing when it needs to be done. Watch an experienced mother that has used cotton diapers for a while. Every time she picks up her baby, her finger checks the top of the diaper for dampness, or she feels the bottom from the outside for that heavy, warm sensation. This becomes an unconscious move on her part.
• The kid, as they near potty training time, becomes aware of when they pee and poop in a cotton diaper. It is mushy, damp, and heavy. They start to relate their physical action of elimination, with a change in their comfort level. This makes potty training easier. Disposables because they mask the damp feeling, make it more difficult to potty train. There is also some evidence that irritation from chemicals in the disposables cause mild bladder irritation adding to the difficulty of potty training.

Laundry

• It's just not that big a deal. Scrape off what you can into the toilet, then throw into the machine.
• Pails: Some people buy a special pail, others just keep the washer half full of water on a rinse cycle and run it when it gets full. Some keep a pail in the changing area, others keep it in the bathroom. Baking soda or vinegar will help with odor control. Do not use 5 gallon, industrial type buckets for a diaper pail, a small explorer can topple into them, head first.
• Soap: I prefer to use the cheapest biodegradable soap possible. Try for "soap" rather than "detergent," soap being gentler. I go to the local janitorial supply for a giant box of unscented biodegradable stuff that lasts me a year for the family wash. Avoid fancy products that make things "Whiter than White." These contain Borates and can irritate your baby's bottom, and can damage many brands of diaper covers and elastic. (Most of the baby soaps contain borates, because we want baby things to be extra white.)
• The Machine: Use HOT water as much as possible. I usually found that double rinsing was not necessary, but if you use whiteners, you must double rinse.
• Drying: I prefer to hang diapers. Sunlight is a natural germ killer, and everything smells so nice. It is also a nice time to be outside with your baby. But be realistic, when you have a family, you do not always have the luxury of time. You might want to line dry if there is a problem with diaper rash.
• A Couple of notes about Machine Drying: Clean the lint trap often; cotton diapers, especially when new, will tend to make more lint than most laundry. If you or your baby have asthma or allergies, do not use the softener sheets. If you have line dried the diapers, put them in to tumble for 2-3 minutes with a clean baby tennis shoe to fluff them.
• Folding: Some people do a folding marathon when the diapers come out of the drier. I am too busy (or perhaps lazy) so I keep my diapers in a laundry basket, and fold as I use them.

Pins, Clips, and Diaper Covers

• There are many ways to attach a diaper to a kid. I do not recommend duck tape, staplers, or super glue.
• Pins: These are getting hard to find, but if you look in older or independent markets they are still available. Tack supply shops (for horses) often have pins used to hold leg wraps that make excellent diaper pins. Keep one finger between the baby and the diaper to prevent poking the baby. One thing I learned from diapering my little sister, a long, long time ago, is to pass the point of the pin through my hair to oil the pin.
• Velcro Covers: The original design for these covers was made by the Rubber Duckie Company, but the ideas was used by so many big manufactures that they couldn't compete. You will find lots of brands available. You will find the Velcro last's longer if you will close the tabs, and turn inside out when laundering.
• Soakers: There are several of these available, notable BioBottoms. I find them to be a bit pricy, and need gentle laundering. But if you have a sensitive baby these can really save their bottom.

Diaper Rash

• Many people turn to cotton diapers because their baby has an on going diaper rash. Disposable diapers have chemicals that bind the moisture from the pee, but the irritants (natural acids in the pee) are still in contact with the little bottom, even if it doesn't feel wet to your hand.
• Diaper services use harsh chemicals. They have to because the diapers you get have been used by many other people, whose natural germs in their household are different than the natural germs in your house. So they have to be absolutely sterile.
• The best cure for diaper rash is prevention. Make sure that your baby is getting enough water. For nursed babies that means that the mother must be drinking lots of water and juices, especially in hot weather or when she is ill. Your baby should have at least 4 wet diapers a day, and their stool should not be hard and dry. Babies that are drinking from cups or bottles should always have liquids available.
• Water is the best for the other end as well. Rinse with water often. Soaps are usually not necessary as the stuff in a diaper is all water soluble, and soap can dry the skin. When you do use soap, rinse well. Keep a little wash cloth wet with water in a baggie in your diaper bag. (Those diaper wiper things are just water with perfume so you can be fooled into thinking that you are doing a better job than you are.)
• Just like the rest of your baby, the bottom will be healthier for a good dose of sun light and fresh air. Let your baby be with out diapers as much as possible. (This does not mean to leave the kid out so they get sun burned.)
• Use every day products rather than commercial products that contain harsh and often toxic chemicals. Corn starch makes a wonderful powder, and contains no talc. Olive oil, almond oil, or cooking oil is as good as any baby oil, even better because it does not contain mineral oil which can deplete the skin of its natural moisture. If you insist on buying an official baby product, look at your local health food store for natural baby products.

Links to Other Pages

• An interesting diaper experiment
• Layette
• How2 I found this site funny and informative...Check out their "how to improvise" link.
• Diaper Service Page
• Common sense about Diaper Rash
• This page has some interesting fundamentals about using diapers, but has strong commercial undercurrents.
• Cost Effective Change
• when to change a diaper
• References about chemical hazards.

A Couple of Notes in Closing

• I hope you will visit my catalog page. I offer a wonderful diaper, as well as other clothing for you and your baby.
• Buying diapers: Every one prefers a different kind of diaper. I suggest that you get together with a few friends. Each buys a couple of dozen diapers of different kinds. Then all share them. You all get a chance to sample and use many different kinds, and find what works best for you.
• Reality Check: Some people get really fanatic about cotton diapers, but in reality, your kid is not going to grow up warped if they occasionally use a paper diaper. There are times, like when you travel on planes, or situations, like multiples, where every short cut is a life saver. Just use cotton diapers when you can, and feel good that you have done your best.
• Recycling: Old diapers make the best rags ever. I even have people that buy new diapers from me because they are so good.
• Community: I used to get stopped by wonderful grandmothers when I was out with my babies. "Oh you use REAL diapers. That's so nice. I remember when my children were babies and..." I never failed to hear a story that made me feel what a wonderful thing it is to be a mother.

B.Coole Designs
2631 Piner Rd. Santa Rosa Ca 95401
800-992-8924 707-575-8924

Copyright, all rights reserved. B.Coole Designs. 2005