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There are a few good cloth diapering resources that get bookmarked, linked to, talked about, and poured over for years after the author’s children are out of diapers.  This month, the blog article “Cloth Diaper Essentials: A Comparative Review” joins these great cloth diapering articles. 

Traveling with Baby’s review compares 9 brands of cloth diapers including chinese prefolds, fitteds, pocket diapers, all in ones, and one size fits all diapers.  Each of the 9 diapers had a detailed report including a rating in the following areas 1) effectiveness during nighttime wear, 2) aesthetics and bulkiness, 3) ease of use and maintenance, 4) most comfortable, and 5) value for the money. In addition to the “bum-to-bum” comparison, Dr. Dolly A. Garnecki  reviews common diapering terms, smart shopping tips, and more.  Bookmark it, love it, share it!

Kayla Rihani is the mother of three beautiful children and owner of Kayla’s Cloth Kits, home of the KCK One-One Size Fits All Diaper Pattern and Kits.

On Miami’s Examiner.comnew parent Angele Sionna wrote a rave review for bumGenius 3.0.  She has a 10-month old daughter and they recently made a switch to cloth diapers.  Sionna states,

 ”My cloth diapering journey began with the bumGenius. And so far, it’s the diaper to beat in my book. “

Sionna’s husband is also a big fan of bumGenius 3.0’s and requested adding more of them to their stash.  Please visit Examiner.comto read the entire review or visit Sionna’s blog The Momma Blog to read about her Diaper Showdowns.  In her Diaper Showdowns Sionna puts cloth and disposable diapers through several tests, comparing performance. 

Source: Examiner.com

As covered in The Chatham Daily News, Tammy Chouinard of Canada’s Baby ’N Me Boutique has been nominated for The Savvy Mom, Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award.  Chouinard strives to educate parents on the toxins found in baby care items.  Her site offers organic and natural baby care items including several cloth diaper lines. 

 ”Many disposable also contain chemicals that have been banned from feminine care products,” she said. “Cloth diapers are much more user-friendly than most people think and they have come a long way from the ones used a generation ago.”

The winner of the Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award will receive business counseling and $17,000.  Please visit The Chatham Daily News for the full article and visit Mom Entrepreneur Award to vote for Tammy Chouinard.

 Source: The Chatham Daily News

WATERFORD, Maine, August 6, 2008 – Maine businesswoman and entrepreneur, Kelly Wels of Kelly’s Closet, Inc., was awarded a Congressional Award from Senator Olympia Snowe, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
 
In the “Congressional Senate Record” dated March 6, 2008, Snowe recognized Kelly’s Closet, a leading online cloth diapering boutique, as “a woman-owned small business that has helped reinvent a traditional product in a new and environmentally friendly way.”
 
“Helping parents understand how cloth diapering has changed and ensuring that they make an educated choice when it comes to how to diaper their precious babies is one of my top priorities,” says Wels, who owns several specialized cloth diapering boutiques such as KellysCloset.com, FuzziBunzOnline.com, and OneSizeDiaperStore.com.  “I am truly honored that Senator Snowe is actively recognizing the important contributions local entrepreneurs are making and that she is working hard to give these businesses the exposure they need to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.”
 
Diane Jackson, a representative from Senator Snowe’s office, formally presented Wels with a Congressional Award on behalf of Senator Snowe on July 25, 2008 at Wels’ Waterford offices.
 
Senator Snowe continues in her Congressional Record presentation, “When Kelly Wels founded Kelly’s Closet in 2001, there were few options for parents looking for cost-effective, sanitary, and environmentally friendly diapers for their children. Like any good enterprising businesswoman, Ms. Wels identified this underserved market and then moved to supply the demand.
 
“Maine is a State known for its innovators and entrepreneurs, and Kelly Wels is a member of that proud group. Her perseverance, tenacity, and business acumen are a testament to what a small business can accomplish. In eight years, Ms. Wels has helped transform the way parents purchase diapers and has expanded their possibilities to a great degree. I wish Kelly Wels and all the employees of Kelly’s Closet continued success as they grow, innovate, and expand their business.”
 
About Kelly’s Closet, Inc.
Kelly’s Closet, Inc., is the online purveyor of four online specialty baby boutiques and diaper shops, including KellysCloset.com, FuzziBunzOnline.com, OneSizeDiaperStore.com, and BulkClothDiaper.com. KellysCloset.com offers one of the Web’s largest selections of cloth diapers and accessories.  FuzziBunzOnline.com offers an exclusive collection of Mother of Eden products and accessories, including the patented Fuzzi Bunz diaper system.  OneSizeDiaperStore.com offers the Web’s premier selection of one-size cloth diaper brands.  BulkClothDiaper.com offers deep diaper discounts on various cloth diaper brands.  Kelly’s Closet Inc., has been a trusted name in cloth diapering, having served more than 24,000 customers since opening its first store, KellysCloset.com, in 2001.
 
About the Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship
The Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship considers proposed legislation, messages, petitions, memorials, and other matters relating to the Small Business Administration. Senator Snowe is ranking member of the Committee.

Few topics polarize the cloth diaper community as quickly as the seemingly simple question, “What detergent is best for cloth diapers?” Opinions differ widely, and for many, those opinions are strong. Choosing a detergent does not need to be difficult, there are number of resources available that can help to narrow down your choices.

One reason that opinions are so strong - and so different, is that detergents work differently in different water. A detergent that works well for soft water could be a nightmare of build-up and stink for someone with hard water. Other factors include whether you pre-rinse your diapers, what kind of fabric your diapers are made of, how you dry your diapers and whether you use additives such as baking soda, vinegar, pail powders, tea tree oil, etc.

Happy Heiny’s offers this list of cloth diaper approved detergents that can help get your started. You may be surprised to see Tide on the list. For many people Tide works wonderfully well, myself included - and our water is so hard it dissolves faucets (really!). A more natural detergent alternative is Country Save.

Pinstripes and Polka Dots also has a more comprehensive cloth diaper detergent chart that will show you what additives are in each kind of detergent and which detergents work best for cloth diapers. Have a high-efficiency washing machine? Pinstripes also offers a list of best bet detergents for HE machines.

Most of us know that the abbreviation WAHM means “work at home mom”.  The internet is filled with high quality cloth made by women who stay at home with their children and work out of their homes in their free time.  Have you ever seen the abbreviation WAHG or WAHA though?  More and more quality hand-made items, including cloth diapers, are being crafted and sold by “work at home grandmothers” and “work at home aunts”. 

Mothers are not the only ones who have been inspired to sew cloth.  More and more grandmothers and aunts are being awed by the “new style” of cloth diapers (ie: not prefolds with vinyl pant covers) that their daughters and nieces have introduced them to.  I am often surprised that I sell about 10% of my sew-your-own diaper kits to grandmothers and aunts who plan to make diapers for their loved ones.  

If you would like to see an example of a successful WAHA, visit Penny Yager’s store.  Penny is a work at home great-aunt who began sewing cloth diapers for her niece’s children.  The hobby eventually turned into her business Purple Ducks ‘n Stuff and has helped Penny support her family through difficult health problems and hard financial times. 

Brandy Horning, our WAHG example, started crocheting and knitting wool soakers for her grandchildren and then branched out to make cloth diapers as well.  She now owns and operates her store, Brandy’s Boutique and stays busy every single day with custom requests for her soakers, Ditto Daddy trainers, and cloth diapers.

The next time you purchase a lovely cloth item from a Hyena Cart or Etsy store, take a look at the about me page as well as reading the owner’s feedback.  You might be surprised how many grandmothers and aunts you are buying from!

Kayla Rihani is the mother of three beautiful girls and the owner of Kayla’s Cloth Kits store-selling a kit for every kind of cloth you want to sew.  Home of the KCK One-One size fits all diaper, cover, and swim diaper.

It’s official. Summer is here! As the weather heats up, you are making plans and packing bags. Whether you are heading out of town for a weekend getaway or taking a jet airliner to far and distant lands, with a little bit of planning you can travel with cloth diapers. A quick internet search on traveling with cloth diapers will result in a number of sites that discuss the pros and cons of taking your stash on the road. The Diaper Hyena provides a rather detailed treatment of traveling with cloth that includes specific considerations for car and plane travel, hotel stays, and even for using cloth while camping.

When choosing a diaper for your trip you will want to consider a few things. How long will baby be in a car seat or in your lap? Where and how often will you be able to change baby? Do you have the ability to bring a range of diapering supplies–as in are you driving and will have ready access to storage or will you be flying and will therefore be limited to carry-on luggage size limitations? Will you have access to easy and affordable washing facilities? If so, you may bring fewer cloth diapers and launder as needed. A shorter trip means you could bring a number of diapers for the trip’s duration, store dirties in a wet bag, and launder when you return home. The answers to these questions will help you decide what diapers you choose.

Before you travel you will want to take notice of the amount of diapers your baby is currently using and plan accordingly plus a few extra–just in case. You may also wish to pack cloth wipes, wipe solution, and a changing pad among other diapering accessories.

The most important thing to remember is that you have options for diapering while you travel. You can pack your cloth, use a mix of cloth and one-use diapers, or you can utilize the convenience of disposable diapers while on your getaway. But heed this advice–be sure that you try out any new diapering system or supplies before you head out of town. You don’t want to spend your lovely vacation dealing with diaper drama!

Wendy Hathaway is the owner of green with baby and is currently packing up her cloth for an Independent Holiday.

Thirsties, best known for their popular diaper covers, has announced the release of the V2 o Version 2 All in One AIO Pocket diaper. The V2 has a wider sewn-in insert for a bit more absorbency. In addition, the leg gussets are no longer lined with fleece. This helps prevent wicking at the legs when the insert is wet. The new V2 AIO comes in the same popular colors as the Thirsties diaper covers.

Thirsties All in One is a pocket diaper featuring a sewn-in microfiber soaker and a front covered pocket inside so you can add extra stuffing as needed. It fastens with hook and loop tabs and has a cross-over tab for thin babies. Thirsties AIO has an outer layer of soft 1 MIL PUL (polyurethane laminate) with an inner lining of soft microfleece.

One-size diapers are very popular right now for many reasons. However, there are advantages and disadvantages for both sized diapers and one size diapers. Sized diapers are diapers that come in small, medium, large, and other sizes. One-size diapers are diapers that are meant to adjust to fit a wide range of sizes.

One-size diapers such as Wahmies, BumGenius 3.0, KCK One, Happy Heiny’s and similar adjustable diapers have several advantages. Advantages of one-size diapers include:

• Lower cost since you only need to buy one set of diapers that will last through several sizes
• You can use the same diapers for a toddler and an infant
• No need to store off-size diapers

Disadvantages of one-size diapers may include:

• Need to replace diapers as they wear out. No diaper will last forever under constant use.
• It can be hard to get a truly perfect fit on babies of every size. Some one-size diapers do a better job of this than others, but you may find that there are awkward stages where no setting on the diaper works well for your baby.
• May be bulky on little babies, again, this depends on the diaper.

Sized diapers also have pros and cons. Pros of sized diapers include:

• More variety in your diaper stash. You can rotate a wider variety of prints and colors when you use sized diapers.
• Sized diapers tend to fit better at some stages, especially for very small babies or larger toddlers.
• Sized diapers may last through more than one child since they are moved out of circulation as they are outgrown

Cons of sized diapers may include:

• More upfront costs as you may need to purchase more diapers
• If you have more than one child in diapers you will need to sort diaper laundry
• Need to buy more diapers as your child grows

One-size diapers are a great choice if you only have one child to diaper or if you want to be able to buy one set of diapers for more than one child. Sized diapers may work best if you have a child who is hard to fit or if you plan to use the diapers for a longer period of time, such as for more than one child over time.

Many parents opt to buy about 2/3 of their diaper stash as one-size diapers and the remaining diapers as sized diapers. This allows them to take advantage of the best features of both sized and one size diapers. Just as each family is different, the best mix of diapers is individual to each family.