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teachingmyown
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| Posted: July 17 2008 at 1:54pm | IP Logged
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Yes I am starting a whole new thread about cloth diapering!
This new adventure in cloth diapers has been one big hassle for me.  For the first six children I used Gerber pre-folds, Gerber plastic pants, diaper pins, Tide and Dreft. My babies never had rashes, my diapers didn't leak, I only had to rinse a load once, and my diapers didn't stink as soon as the child wet one.
Now I have two children with rashes, diapers that stink and need to go through three washes just to get clean, and expensive detergent which doesn't seem to help rashes or odor.
Before I completely throw in the towel and turn my energy to "CVSing" to save on disposables, I wanted to check with the experts here.
Is there a different "pocket" diaper from Fuzzi Bunz and BumGenius (I know they aren't even quite the same)? When I say different, I mean a different material. I like how they seem to stay dry by the skin so I don't quite know why both of my kids are reacting to them. (They have very red skin, not a bumpy rash.) I have been changing diapers hourly, and it isn't working. So is there something else that maybe "breathes" better?
If all pocket diapers are created equal, then what about covers? Prowraps were recommended so I think I will try a couple. I have two Bummis Whisper Wraps and they get wet as soon the baby wets the diaper. I like the wrap idea, much more convenient than the pull-up plastic pants.
I am short on patience and money here. I would prefer to continue with cloth in some variation, both for environmental and economic reasons, but enough is enough.
(Sorry if I sound like a big whiner. I just feel like I have so many various issues going on, none of which are working out easily.)
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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LisaR
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| Posted: July 17 2008 at 1:58pm | IP Logged
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teachingmyown wrote:
This new adventure in cloth diapers has been one big hassle for me. For the first six children I used Gerber pre-folds, Gerber plastic pants, diaper pins, Tide and Dreft. My babies never had rashes, my diapers didn't leak, I only had to rinse a load once, and my diapers didn't stink as soon as the child wet one.
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 AND it was SO much cheaper!! I'm with you Molly, although I do not have one in diapers anymore  I was amazed at how much harder the "new way" was than the tried and true that I used with my first 3. also, my first three potty trained so quickly!!(by 20-21 mo.) (probably because they could feel wet..???)
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: July 17 2008 at 4:53pm | IP Logged
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The biggest reasons you come across for leaky and instantly stinky diapers is using too much detergent (you're supposed to use a quarter of the normal amount), using fabric softener, or not rinsing well enough. It is also recommended to use your highest water level in the wash cycle. (Rinse in cold. Wash in hot, high water level, quarter detergent. Extra rinse cycle in cold. Machine dry with no fabric softener or air dry. Sun dry for bleaching power.)
I use All Free and Clear and do the above. Some people do better with tide. I think it depends on your water. So far I haven't had any problems. We're still strictly on breastmilk. I don't know if adding solids later will effect it much.
If your wrap is getting soaked and leaking through, you might not have the diaper inside securely. It's not abnormal for them to get a little damp. I usually rotate between two diaper covers (Whisper Wraps), one is hung to dry while the other is in use. I reuse each one a few times before dropping them in the pail unless they get poop on them. Urine is sterile.
That's my input. I'm a first-timer, though. I use Chinese pre-fold with Whisper Wraps.
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: July 17 2008 at 5:19pm | IP Logged
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Molly,
I've got to think it's the washing. I use Tide Free with a little bit of tea tree oil.It's pretty inexpensive. I double rinse. I put nothing in the dryer. They don't stink. It's better when they dry them outside, but even in the dead of winter, they don't stink. And my kids have really sensitive skin and don't react. I use FuzziBunz and I've been thrilled with them over the diapers over used over the last twenty years. They've held up beautifully. I only bought eighteen, so mine are very used and I wash every other day.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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mathmama
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I personally love all cotton diapers and wool covers. I think that the skin prefers something natural against it as opposed to the stay dry materials. And the wool is so breathable. I know that many like the stay dry materials, but I have always found that my dds' bums look the best in the AM after a night of sitting in a wet diaper. We have never had a real diaper rash here, just some occasional redness that is easily cleared up with a little lanolin. We use DSQ prefolds with pins and wool soakers that I have crocheted. It is a very cheap system.
Beth
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teachingmyown
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It may be our water. Life on a well is different. We do have a treatment system so the water isn't supposed to be too hard or too soft. In general, I use very, very little detergent when washing anything otherwise I can't get the soap out. When I started using the Allen's Naturally, I found that if I didn't use enough the diapers still smelled coming out of the wash. If I used too much, I had to keep rinsing to get the detergent out.
The diapers don't smell coming out of the wash (or dryer), they smell as soon as one of the kids wets them. It's like it is releasing a smell that I couldn't detect when the diaper was dry. I already tried "stripping" them.
I used to line dry them, but one of the trees we lost in the tornado took the clothesline with it.
The rash is what is really bugging me. Seth just turns beet red. Emily tolerates it better, but if I don't change her right away she ends up red. Are both BG and FB synthetic? I am thinking that they can only tolerate all natural materials. However, neither of them have any trouble with disposables.
Anyway, I have ordered an assortment of covers and a 100% cotton AIO from Green Mountain Diapers. I am going to try that route and see what happens. At least, I already have plenty of pre-folds.
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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Maria in WI
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| Posted: July 18 2008 at 7:38pm | IP Logged
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I'm sorry your having problems  . I have this same smell problem with some old Fuzzi Bunz that were given to me. I'm sure that there is something built up in the fleece, but I can't seem to get it out. I don't have any smell issues with any of the pocket diapers I bought new.
As far as the rash goes, whatever is causing the diapers to smell is probably the same thing that is causing the red bottoms. Have you tried baking soda and/or vinegar? I don't use either, but if part of the problem is your water, then maybe they might help.
I actually have the opposite rash problem. The FB and BG never make dd's bottom red, but if I have been using prefolds for more that a few hours (changing them when they are wet), she gets red.
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Elizabeth
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Wool won't work for us, since I'm allergic to wool and so is Michael. I'm not even going to try it with my little ones. By the same token, I avoid diaper washes or rinses that have lanolin in them. Molly, I forgot to mention that I use powdered Oxy clean in the wash, too.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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mathmama
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| Posted: July 19 2008 at 5:18am | IP Logged
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Elizabeth wrote:
| Wool won't work for us, since I'm allergic to wool and so is Michael. I'm not even going to try it with my little ones. By the same token, I avoid diaper washes or rinses that have lanolin in them. Molly, I forgot to mention that I use powdered Oxy clean in the wash, too. |
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Are you sure that it is the lanolin that you are allergic to? I have been told that very few people are actually allergic to wool. Most people who have reactions to wool are actually reacting to the chemicals used to strip the wool of lanolin. Most wool that we come into contact with is highly processed. Wools that are treated more gently may not give you troubles. I also know someone who has troubles with Lansinoh, but it isn't because of the lanolin but because of an alcohol that is in it. Just a thought.
Beth
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Elizabeth
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Beth, once when Michael and I handled unprocessed wool someone sent us from a farm, he ended up in the ER with hives and asthma. I'm certain enough it's the wool. I can't do alpaca either.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Jenny
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Elizabeth, I was just going to ask about alpaca since we have some. Your answer beat me to the question. 
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My experience with FB's is the fleece is what makes them great and what causes problems. It really grabs on to the detergent, and rinsing can be a problem. We have well water also, and ours is very hard. I always had to run them through a regular wash load with vinegar in the rinse. Then another "quick" wash with nothing. FB's never in the dryer. I just draped them over chairs overnight to dry.
Good luck!
LeeAnn
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BrendaPeter
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A friend of mine swears by Charlie's Soap. She started using it when her cloth diapers were coming out smelly.
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teachingmyown
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I JUST started using Charlie's Soap! So, I will let you all know if that solves my problem. I have been using Allen's Naturally, but still getting the stink with the inserts and the Indian pre-folds. I was even using Vinegar with each rinse.
One great find that I would share is Blue Penguin diapers. I love their AIOs! There are all cotton and do not stink or make my kids break out. I have a few of their cloth diapers and covers and really like the quality. Their cloth wipes are the softest I have found yet. And, every time I order they give me a little gift. Can't beat that!! 
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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anniemm
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I used Charlie's Soap for a long time and really liked it until it started building up in the diapers and causing bad rashes. I used a minuscule amount, and if I used less, they didn't get clean. While I really liked CS for a long time, eventually it was way too much maintenance to be constantly doing extra rinses. I do an easy system of prefolds with Thirsties covers (which I love love love) and wash with Tide on hot after a cold rinse. It works well, my diapers get clean, and I have no problems with smells, diaper rash, etc.
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Sparrow
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Molly, I have similar problems and also have well water and hard water. I make my own laundry soap from Dr. Bronner's. No amount of stripping and vinegar seems to help and if I don't use a little fabric softener (I make my own fabric softener, too), they're so rough it hurts my hands just to fold them. When I lived in town and had city water and I didn't have these issues.
They're soft and smell nice with the little bit of softener, though of course they don't soak up as much. But we only use them during the day at home (we use disposables at night and when we're out) so it's not bad.
We use indian prefolds and proraps,btw.
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LookaBook
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Katie,
How are you making your own soap? I have recently been adding vinegar to my prerinse and a touch of Dr Bronners with my Arm and Hammer free(no scents or dyes). It's helping with the heavy ammonia smell we've been getting.
I'm getting ready to have #6 in Dec and need to order some NB sized diapers for my prowrap covers... I also want some AIO's and a friend has recommended Bumgenius.... I'm not sure, any thoughts?
Oh, I also have a 2yrold in diapers (Prowrap covers and prefolds)
Blessings,
Alison
mommy to ds10, dd8, ds6, dd4, dd2, and one due Christmas day 
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teachingmyown
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Bumgenius are synthetic like the pocket diapers. I have one Bumgenius AIO and it holds odors but not as much as the inserts for the pocket diapers. The Blue Penguin AIOs are more absorbent and don't smell.
Maybe I will try the Dr Bronners. I have pretty much given up hope of having clean, fresh laundry with this well water.
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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CrunchyMom
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I use Charlie's Soap and like it. However, I know my sister uses it, too, but just for diapers. The last two times she has sent diapers, they smell like fabric softener. I know she doesn't use it on the diapers, but it seems that the build up in the machine can get into the diapers anyway?
Just a thought that what one does with their other laundry can affect the diaper laundry indirectly.
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teachingmyown
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Charlie's does tell you to clean your washer with it first to get all the build-up out. Then they recommend you only use their soap.
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Cloth diapers, one more time
