Featured Cloth Diaper WAHM: Lisa of DryBees

Q: What Led You to Start Using Cloth Diapers?

A: I tried using cloth diapers with my first child but I could not make sense of what it was all about. I was intimidated by the price and I didn't want to spend a lot of money when I had no idea what I was doing. So, I just went on using disposables but kept wondering about cloth diapers. When my second child was born, I wanted to use cloth diapers but again, did not know what it was all about. A fellow cloth diapering mama sent two fitted diapers that she had made for me as a gift, but never really knew how they worked and what the cover was for that she sent me. Shortly after he came home from the hospital he starting getting the worst rash on his face. It was so bad that I was scared to take him out in public. The reactions of people were enough for me to keep him at home. When we finally made it to his pediatrician's office he mentioned that I might try putting cloth diapers on him to reduce his exposure to chemicals. This seemed weird to me since it was on his face and not his diaper area, but I had those two fitted diapers and cover so I tried them on. I also bought some prefolds and covers since that is what my mom recommended. One week in cloth diapers and his face was completely clear. I was amazed! I tried putting them on him again, and boom the rash starting coming back on his face. Well, I liked the fitted diapers but the prefolds and covers were just awful for me. I did not like the huge bulk of diaper around my little guy. I liked to pick him up and feel his body, not the diaper. I was near desperation when another mama showed me there were lots more options out there. After trying and making some different kinds of diapers it was smooth sailing from there. As my son got older he was able to use disposable diapers when he was in the care of others.

Q: How did you go about making cloth diapers your business?

A: This was something that I could do at home. It seemed like a great thing that I could do in the evening when the kids were in bed. As anyone who is a mother knows - almost nothing you do lasts. You can clean and they wreck it, you can cook and they eat it gone, you can wash it and they will dirty it. This was one outlet for me where I could make something that stayed. And not only was it a good stress relief for me there was so much satisfaction in hearing back from mom's on the style and design. For me, the BEST part of this business is when mom's send me pictures of their babies in the diapers that I made. That lasts, that stays - for me that is satisfaction!

Q: Was starting your business difficult?

A: I was intimidated at first but it was very easy. All I had to do was go to the court house and get a free business license, and open a business account at the bank. After that I did a easy stock designed website from Wahmshoppes and I was off and running. As I have gone along with the business I am starting to discover more of the marketing and advertising aspects of running this business. I don't do much paid advertising. Most of my business comes from word of mouth. I think that anyone can start an online business. Look around you. What do you need? What can you do? How is the market for this? Not everyone will succeed but if you are one of the lucky ones it can be a wonderful thing.

Q: How do you manage to run a business with small children?

A: That is a really good question! What makes my job even harder is that I also work full time out of the house as a speech language pathologist for the local school system. Which means when I get home I am there for my children. I will rarely sew when my oldest is awake for 30 minutes while she watches Little Bear before bed, but other than that I do all of my business related things when they are in bed. I do take calls and make calls when they are awake having to do with business. For me, the hardest part of running a business with children is that when I am talking to textile manufacturers and someone is crying or telling me about the bug they found, it is really hard to sound professional. But I think for the most part they understand - hopefully! I am lucky that my children are usually in bed by 7:00pm each evening which leaves a nice long stretch to work in the evenings. However, they do get up at 5:00am so I can not stay up too late or I pay the price the next day.

Q: What does your home office look like?

A: Office? I guess you could call it that! I sew my diapers on the dining room table - and that right now is piled up high with cut out diapers, inserts, three machines, a snap press a baby quilt I am making for my son, some half finished clothes, clothes that need mending and probably some other things in the pile I am not aware of. My kids and I eat at their little table and my husband eats alone. I do all of my orders and website management in the upstairs of my home in the spare bedroom which my husband would call "his" office, but not mine. We fight over the computer for time, which makes it difficult.

Q: What Is The Most Rewarding Thing About Running Your Home Business?

A: For me the best thing is to get feedback on Diaper Pin and for someone to send me a picture of their baby in a diaper I made. These are the two things that I look forward to.

Q: What would you like to say to new mothers who are just starting out using cloth diapers?

A: Before you give up - TRY ANOTHER STYLE OF DIAPER!What other people like and what works for your baby are two totally different things. Buy one of a certain style of diaper. See how it works. There are so many options there has got to be one that will work for you. I am the first to say that there is not "one diaper" that fits all and works for all. Shop around. Ask the owner of a cloth diaper store for help. Finding one that makes her own diapers would be a good place to start. They, of all people, should know more about cloth diapers than anyone since have done their research. And most of all - have fun! They are only in diapers for a short time. This time will pass, and as you sell or pass on all those cloth diapers on to someone else you will have warm feelings of when your baby was in them - now who can say that about a disposable?

Another thing to keep in mind - Just like breast feeding doesn't have to be 100% of the time to call your self a breast feeding mother - neither does cloth diapers. Just because you use disposables at night or on car trips you are not a failure. As with everything in life - you know how to parent and only you can parent your kids wonderfully - trust yourself!