Way back when I wasn’t washing cloth diapers, I was shopping for over-the-counter detergents. You know, the kind with all the flowery smells… and yes, guilty… I added liquid fabric softener to every load. Completely unaware of the fact that I was washing with petroleum and various other hidden chemicals, I plodded on, until the day came when I decided I’d be cloth diapering our soon-to-be newborn babe. (LIGHTBULB!) It didn’t take much research to discover a much safer and eco-friendly route.
Before my green, petroleum-free lightbulb moment, I’d initially thought, “I’ll just do a load of diapers in cloth diaper friendly soap, and the rest of our laundry in regular detergent,” but after a little more research, I realized the tub would just be filling up with scummy stuff, and I’d be adding more work (stripping) for myself later on. Not to mention, when mainstream detergents list “fragrance” as one of their ingredients, they are not required by law to elaborate on what’s lurking behind said “fragrance.” Basically, a chemical bath could be masked by the scent of lavender meadows. Many detergents also contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which can trigger breathing problems and headaches. These are the very chemicals that are now being eliminated in certain latex household paints.
So after deciding to bathe ALL of our laundry in eco-friendly goodness, I scanned the list of safe detergents. And it all comes down to this: What works best for you. We all have different water types. If you’re curious, grab a test strip for free and take a peek at this list to see what receives the best ratings for cloth diapering families. Diaper Jungle carries many of the leading diaper friendly detergents, which are really difficult to find even in natural food stores.
But I LIKE the smell of fresh laundry! I completely understand, and there’s no need to depart from it. Have you gotten a whiff of Ruby Moon’s Sweet Clementine? Or Rockin Green’s Smashing Watermelons? Opening those bags is like stepping into your own private oasis. And it only takes one or two tiny, sweet smelling tablespoons to do a load.
So how do I get my clothes soft, and eliminate static? You have options. Mountain Green Ultra Baby dryer sheets are plant-derived and are formulated specifically for baby’s delicate skin. These also break down naturally, so you can throw them in your compost pile, or rest assured knowing that you’re still doing your part for the planet. If you’re not a dryer sheet fan, how about a cluster of wool dryer balls? Toss these babies in with your clothes, and not only will they beat the stiffness out, but the 100% wool they’re made from actually helps reduce static and drying time. The more you toss in, the less time is needed to dry.
How do I troubleshoot special laundering issues in a more gentle manner? This helpful glossary is a great link. Seriously, bookmark it for when troubles strike. (The miracle drops from grapefruit seed extract? Definitely good to know!)
One thing to keep in mind before doing your first 100% earth friendly wash… Don’t forget to clean the grime out of that tub. Buildup from more aggressive detergents can cling to the insides of your washer, and adhere to clothing or diapers, causing rashes and/or blocking absorbency. It’s important to keep the tub free of sticky or slimy residue. Over time you’ll need to strip your diapers after buildup from natural oils, and when suds accumulate, although this won’t occur nearly as much as if you were still using an industry leading detergent.
So… what do you say? Are you excited to begin a new adventure? Check this out. If you spend $125+ in the cloth diapers or package deals category, you’ll earn a FREE bag of detergent. Plus, we offer FREE SHIPPING on orders over $99, and include bonus points with any purchase ($5 for every $100 spent). What will be your winning combination?
We have so many cloth diaper videos that you can refer to for cloth diaper reviews, tutorials on how-to use specific products, cleaning diapers and more! I think this is a great way to get to know a product before purchasing. Do you have a cloth diapering video you would like to share with us? We have included our review for the GroVia trainer. Let us know what you would like to see reviewed next!
Are you at one with the odors at your changing table, or are you still trying to figure out how to get to the bottom of the pungency debacle? There are so many fun tricks to keeping a tidy, stench-free zone. Please allow me to count the ways we can help you, and take your pick!
The perfect pail: Lo and behold, this bag is pure perfection. Seriously, diaper genies must blush in their presence. This beast boldly claims to hold up to three days worth of funky fibers, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint. Santa Claus style, I personally stuffed it full of fifteen pockets (with two inserts for each), four fitteds, four covers, five All-in-Ones, six prefolds, and over twenty-five wipes. And there was still a little room for more! The GroVia Perfect Pail is designed to be suspended from a clothes hanger, and the pleats that were ingeniously sewn into the fabric allow for it to expand. No need to zip or unzip, the self-closing opening allows you to sneak your wet stash in with one hand, and will then close on it’s own, all while keeping the aroma in. When it’s laundry day (how did you enjoy your three days off?), you needn’t worry about fumbling with this bag. Simply hold it over the washer, unzip the closure at the bottom, and the diapers will effortlessly spill out. Done! Choose from three different colors: cloud, surf, or vanilla. NOTE: Free shipping on this item!
Hanging wet bags: These lovely printed bags (proudly made in the U.S.A.) are so “handy” with their little handles on top. They’re perfect for dangling on the end of your diaper changer, a door knob or hook, and can be easily carried off to the laundry room. The stink stays in when you securely zip it all up inside. Conveniently toss into the laundry with your cloth stash when you’re ready to rid the interior of any foulness. Holds 25+ diapers. An economical choice!
On-the-go wet bags: A convenient size for travel or even stashing in the bathroom, these economical 15″x13″ zippered bags are also a must have for beach trips. The water resistant PUL liner on the inside retains all moisture while keeping the exterior dry and odor-free.
Sprinkle a little love in there: Take it from me, this stuff smells wonderful! For each offensive fluffy item deposited into your wet bag, why not sprinkle a little lavender mint on top? (There’s also raspberry for those of you who prefer a little zest.) Rockin’ Green pail freshener keeps the stink at bay, and is a burst of cheer just when you need it.
If your kiddo is busy socializing these days, there might be a few birthdays looming on the horizon. Need a fresh new spot to find fun toys, quirky accessories, or the final touch to your nursery or playroom? Click your mouse on over to ultraquirkytot.com for an enjoyable shopping adventure.
After some mama free time and exploring, I found such cute treasures:
I absolutely adore this bright and cheery wooden sun sorter. It’s versatile, colorful, made of eco-friendly rubber wood and stained with low VOC aniline dye. Kids can place any piece in a different spot each time, and will learn to vary their designs. For ages 2 and up, this is sure to be a hit among young minds.
Do you have a doodler? If you don’t own an art table or possess much space for a crafting spot, this wooden paper center might be the answer. It holds a roll of 12” x 300 foot paper (one roll comes with this, by the way), so you can expect oodles of doodles from this handy helper.
Everyone needs more cushion. Whether your tot prefers to sit on the floor for story time or take naps with extra padding, this sweet little personalized floor pillow is sure to please. Made of 100% cotton, this standard size pillow cover zips closed, and can be conveniently thrown in the wash any time for those little applesauce spills. And what a great idea for bringing to slumber parties!
Learning to prepare and cook food is a wonderful hands-on activity. It’s fun and exciting for little ones to be a part of what happens high on the counter tops, and they don’t even realize that, while helping prepare a meal, they are learning basic logic and math skills. Why not encourage them to learn and have fun with the award-winning, safe, lightweight, easy to transport Kitchen Helper Step-Up? It adjusts to three different heights, and even has a little chalkboard built into one side, so even early walkers can have fun scribbling away while preparations are in progress.
Check out this adorable Colorful Pebbles diaper tote (also available in other color schemes and fabric options). Seven convenient interior pockets hold every toy and gadget imaginable, while the laminate interior protects against any leaks. Zippered pockets hold everything in, and there’s even a handy utility ring for those keys your child is always grabbing (and dropping!). This colorful circle fabric is sure to intrigue any baby, while encouraging cognitive development.
Every few hours or so, before things get a little out of hand, I find myself tidying up the play area. Does this sound familiar? Enter: the ingenious Lay-n-Go Clean Up Mat. This five foot diameter mat holds big messes! Does your little builder like to spread things out when playing? If you’re tired of stepping on tiny toys in your haste to answer the doorbell, consider this mat that instantly declutters with the pull of a drawstring. Since it converts into a bag, it can easily be transported to another room, or taken it to the next travel destination. It even has four little pockets on the inside for those super-tiny toys that your child won’t want to lose in the mix. Smart!
Seriously, there is something truly unique for every child, here. Follow ultraquirkytot.com on Facebook for updates on the latest steals and new additions, and from now until February 28, 2013, use coupon code “diaperjungle” to receive 10% off your entire order. Happy shopping!
Isn’t it miraculous that, with a plug and flip of a switch, we can vacuum a dirty rug? Or when we’re hungry for a warm meal we simply open a cold refrigerator, mix a few ingredients together and bake in a preheated oven? Modern convenience sure does make a mom’s life easy.
So besides my vacuum and kitchen appliances, I gotta give a huge shout out to my silent partner in crime. Always dependable, and by golly, I don’t know where I’d be without him. I’m of course talking about my diaper sprayer, Dagwood. What, you don’t name your appliances? Well, Dagwood and I are well-acquainted, so naturally he has a name. If Dagwood didn’t do his dirty job, it’d be a lot dirtier for the rest of us.
When I joined the millions of cloth diapering parents in the crusade for naturally swaddled bums, I’ll admit, I felt overwhelmed. Trying to understand different kinds of diapers and nervous about how I’d undertake the task (looking back I have to chuckle… the task that turned into an obsession, heehee!), I next learned about the diaper sprayer.
I was told I wouldn’t need Dagwood till my Sprout was eating solids, and producing less “runny” output. “What? Wait. The output changes form? Eeeeeeewwwww,” I said. (Though nowadays, talking about baby and kid poo is like scratching a bug bite, it just happens.) “Yeah, you just spray it all out into the toilet.” I put that thought on the back burner.
So I was a little leery of inviting another appliance into the house. Not one for gimmicks, I prefer to keep it simple.
But oh. Oh, it was simple. Standing over the toilet with the diaper in one hand, all I had to do with the other hand was turn the nozzle on, pick Dagwood up from the toilet tank hook, and… spray. THAT’S IT. Of course, I quickly realized it’s also good to have a pail liner hanging near the commode so saturated diapers have somewhere to chill while awaiting the wash. After that, I was skating on clouds.
And you know what else Dagwood excels in? He not only sprays out countless messy messes, but he also helps me with the training potty. A few quick sprays and it’s clean again! Of course, we do disinfect it at the end of the day, but after each subsequent visit, Dagwood preps it for the next go. He is AWESOME!
I then realized that my daycare provider was probably suffering through continuous dunks and flushes (not to mention, using up more resources), so I got her one, too!
I have to laugh when I think of how it might have been when the first handful of houses began using vacuums. Perhaps they didn’t think they could ever go back to shaking their rugs out and using a broom. Perhaps many cloth diapering parents feel this same way after their first brush with a diaper sprayer. Perhaps somewhere out there, someone is giving their sprayer a proper name after carefully—no, lovingly—hanging that nozzle back on the toilet tank with a satisfied sigh.
Are you ready to welcome a new fuzzy bum into your house? Don’t forget your new bathroom appliance, as well. Trust me, when you reach for that nozzle, you will be a super hero.
Head on over to Diaper Jungle and purchase your own Dagwood today!
I never realized how wonderful prefold diapers were until I had tried all the other styles of cloth diapers on the market. I was intimidated, indeed, by the rectangular shaped, “what do you do with this?” style diaper. I tried All-in-One’s, Pocket Diapers, Fitted Diapers, Wool Cover, PUL Covers, Hybrids and then finally tried the good ole’ stand-by – The Prefold Diaper! I discovered what satisfaction there was washing and caring for these diapers over their more complicated “cousins”. They are easy to wash & dry, because they can take a high temperature without harming the fabric. I speed up the drying process, when using the dryer with Loo-Hoo dryer balls. While other diaper styles are great for other reasons, I love that prefolds are so simple and useful in more ways than just diapering! They seem intimidating at first, until you see how easy they are to fold. They wash up easy and they last a VERY long time. No strings attached. I didn’t need snaps or Velcro anymore (other than covers)! Another great aspect is that they are very inexpensive. Diapering on a dime. I also love that I can use them in multiple situtations: inserts, diaper, changing pad, burp rag, painting with my toddler, cleaning up spills from the kitchen, dish rags, breast pads, face cloths, cleaning and so much more! Simple is sometimes better.
Probably your mother wasn’t doing this, and maybe not your grandmother, but somewhere in your family tree, there was a person holding her babies in a handmade sling.
Babywearing remarkably satisfies so many needs. If you asked any infant (and they could answer back), they’d tell you their most favorite place to be is attached to mama, held close enough to kiss. And mothers love to snuggle their babies! Yet the heaps of laundry down in the basement call to mama, and her toddler needs hands-on help with the potty. Or the eldest is calling for help with homework. Or dinner needs to be made.
Enter babywearing.
Many babies are content to be held against their mother while she completes her tasks throughout the day. This, I know firsthand, because if my babes were ever upset (perhaps coming down with a cold, teething, or just downright exhausted), if I merely slipped them in my wrap, there’d be a shift in energy. Within minutes, tears would cease and, after succumbing to my body’s rhythm, baby would quietly observe everything I did, then nod off to sleep.
When babywearing, your little one can hear your heartbeat, voice and breath, and feel more at peace. The pouch created by your carrier becomes their womb outside of the womb. There are times when I can leave Acorn to sit and play nearby while I use the bathroom or chop onions, but often those moments only last 15-20 minutes, and soon after that I’ll see a small pair of eyes searching for me frantically, his bottom lip trembling. This is when I can just pop him in my pouch and carry on with chores, and he can breathe calmly.
Not only have I been able to complete scores of tasks while wearing my wee one, but it also allows us the time to get outside and exercise. My toddler and I love to take long nature walks, sometimes leaving the house for hours. I never have to worry about my babe if he’s wrapped close. I simply don a backpack with water, extra clothes, a camera, some diapers/wipes, and we’re all set.
Recently, the buckle to the Ergo that I keep in the car snapped off. I was so distraught. It’s the only carrier that my husband felt comfortable wearing, and was a big help on hikes, or when out shopping. After writing the company about the issue, they promptly sent me a new one (for FREE), which was so simple to reattach. Hooray! Just in time for baby number two to break in.
There are so many different types of carriers, and I’ll admit, I own five of them. I had to stop there. I know people who own more than that. (Like cloth diapering, it can be highly addictive!) With scads of gorgeous fabrics to choose from, some of them beautiful handwoven works of art, how can you not fall in love with babywearing? (PS: Sprout loves to use my wraps in imaginary play, too—a bright red ceiling in his “house” made of pillows fulfills his day.)
Because there are so many wonderful reasons to wear baby, I’ll save you more ramble, and summarize with a list:
Research has shown that babies who are carried cry (on average) 43% less overall and 54% less during the evening hours.
Babies spend more time in a “quiet, alert state” when carried—the ideal state for learning. Their senses are stimulated while being carried (yet there is a place to retreat to), and the extra stimulation benefits brain development.
Babies are quickly able to develop a sense of security and trust when they are carried. They are more likely to be securely attached to their care-giver/s and often become independent at an earlier age.
By being so close to your body’s rhythms, your newborn “gets in rhythm” much more quickly. Your heartbeat, breathing, voice and warmth are all familiar. Research has shown how this helps newborns (especially premature babies) to adapt to life outside the womb.
Babies who are not held need more verbal interaction and eye contact, just to be reassured that you’re there. Carrying your baby is a great way to connect with her (and provide stimulation) without even interacting.
Partners who work away from home, relatives and babysitters all have a ready way of connecting with and soothing your baby when babywearing, too!
If babywearing is something you’d like to try, I highly recommend going to a babywearing party, with a certified babywearing instructor to share the correct ways to wear an infant and help you find the carrier that best suits your (and baby’s) needs.
Autumn’s colors inspire me every year to dive deep into crafting. Now being able to create something with a little person is making it much more enjoyable! It’s incredibly fun to watch them marvel at the smallest of accomplishments: “Colors stick to glass? Lemme try!”
So this week I scavenged the house for all those empty bottles and jars that I just can’t bear to part with. Shapes that I love, all shoved into a small corner in the basement, made their way back upstairs and shared some limelight with colored tissue paper and Mod Podge today.
This project is so easy to do with a young child. Don’t be surprised if they want to paint your whole house with Mod Podge afterwards! Keep an eye on that brush.
Here are the tools you’ll need:
Leaf shapes you like printed on a piece of white paper (or draw some freehand)
Assorted colored tissue paper
Pencil or felt tip marker
Scissors or X-Acto knife
Mod Podge
Brush
How to do it:
Find leaf shapes you like (or draw by hand) and print them out in a dark color. I’d keep them 2-4″ wide.
Trace leaf shapes onto different colors of tissue paper & cut out with sharp scissors or an X-Acto knife. (Parents: You might want to do this part when kids are asleep. It’s not too thrilling, anyway)
Paint the bottle/jar with Mod Podge
Stick leaf shapes to your bottle, and paint (gingerly) over them to seal them in place.
I have one of our jars in the window above the sink right now with a candle inside. It really warms up the room. Love!
We have pets. And dander is everywhere. Come to think of it, even if you don’t have pets, there’s going to be dander. And stray threads. And fuzz. And human hair.
I’ve found all of the above hiding out in the aplix closure of my son’s diapers. I think it’s been a little over two years (blushes) that I’ve actually tried to do anything about it.
I tend to stuff and fold diaper stash on the kitchen table after they’ve been cleaned, so one day when a (CLEAN!) fork was sitting next to a stack of fluff, I went at it. So easy… and fulfilling! Now my life is (almost) complete.
Do you have any helpful defuzzing aides? Please share!
Oh my, do we have a picky eater! I am blessed with karma. I recall nights where I was the only one left sitting at the table. Places were cleared, dishes washed and put out of the way, yet there I sat, under the warm light over the table, sound of crickets outside at dusk. I longed to be playing or eating ice cream, but in front of me sat a plate with a pile of sloppy wet spinach.
Because my toddler is just that — a toddler of three, mind you — I can’t expect him to sit at the table for long periods of time, even if it’s to eat what he likes (pretty much just yogurt, crackers, or anything cheesy). I’ve tried negotiations.
“How would you like some ice cream?”
“Yes, pweez!”
“Okay, then, try a bite of <insert healthy, flavorful yet detestable food here> and you can have some! Deal?”
“Uh- UHHH!”
Sound familiar?
Here’s my solution. Since the Sprout loves fruit and sweet things, we sneak a cup of spinach or kale into a smoothie in the morning. This way he has good ammo for the rest of the day. Not only can he not detect the greens, but he also gets a load of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants. (Incidentally, I had a smoothie almost every day when I was pregnant last winter, and after that, no more sniffles for me!) You can always take it a step further and sneak in some vitamin D, fish oil, or probiotics.
Get crafty and throw in whatever is about to go bad. Right now we have more than enough watermelon in our fridge, so in it goes! Apples are always a good thing to have on hand for the blender, too. And strawberries are a big favorite with me and the Sprout. Add kefir or yogurt, honey or maple syrup, or some of that healthy juice you grabbed at the market that’s been taking up residence in the back of the fridge for two weeks. What about that packet of protein powder sitting in the cupboard?
Are your gears turning? There are endless possibilities! The melting pot awaits. Your child deserves more “goodies.”
Free Shipping on all orders over $99 throughout continental US see details
Way back when I wasn’t washing cloth diapers, I was shopping for over-the-counter detergents. You know, the kind with all the flowery smells… and yes, guilty… I added liquid fabric softener to every load. Completely unaware of the fact that I was washing with petroleum and various other hidden chemicals, I plodded on, until the day came when I decided I’d be cloth diapering our soon-to-be newborn babe. (LIGHTBULB!) It didn’t take much research to discover a much safer and eco-friendly route.
Free Shipping on all orders over $99 throughout continental US see details
