Cloth diapering away from home

This post is written for the MCNP EB/Expo Blog Carnival with the theme "The Modern Cloth Nappy: The Practical Choice for Moms Today"  We aim to share and spread the knowledge and encourage moms to switch to cloth diapers.  Please scroll below to read the other carnival posts about switching to cloth, cloth diaper styles or preferred diaper for specific times.

Aside from the extra laundry, one of the hurdles you will have to go through in your cloth diapering journey is EXTRA BAGGAGE.

Let’s face it, cloth diapers may be cute and environmentally friendly, but they sure are bulkier than disposables. This isn't a problem if you spend the majority of your time at home, but going out is another matter.

You will find yourself packing a diaper bag which consists only of…well… diapers, with no space left for anything else. Okay maybe a small pack of baby wipes will be able to fit in there. And it will only get heavier as the day progresses.

Remember that unlike disposables, after you change your baby’s diaper, you don’t throw it away. So your diaper bag never really gets any lighter.

This post is not really meant to dissuade any of you. I am just stating a fact -one that you eventually have to face once you make the big switch to cloth diapering. What I am actually trying to say is that IT CAN BE DONE.

One of the essential accessories you will need is a wetbag.

What is a wetbag? It’s a bag, usually with a zipper that is made from PUL or TPU, the same material used to make the waterproof lining of your CD. It can have a single compartment or 2 (one for clean, one for soiled). It also comes in varying sizes. Depending on your needs, you can get one that will fit only a single diaper, great for quick trips to the grocery or to the school. Or maybe you’d like to get one that will fit up to 6 diapers, great for whole day trips. I also have a large wetbag that can fit up to 25 diapers.

It’s important that when you go out with your baby, you also bring with you your wetbag. It prevents odors and wetness from seeping into your main diaper bag. Of course, you can use a Ziploc or even a plastic bag, but we’re using the environmental route here.

Scenario A: A quick trip to the grocery.

Things you will need:

1.      Small wetbag with 1 diaper

2.      Baby wipes

3.      Alcohol

4.      Burp cloth

5.      Your wallet/coinpurse

Depending on the size of your wallet, this will all fit in your ordinary day bag. NOT a diaper bag.

Scenario B: A visit to friends/In-laws

Things you will need:

1.      Regular sized wetbag with 4-5 diapers

2.      Baby wipes

3.      Alcohol

4.      Burp cloth (bring 2)

5.      Extra set of clothes for baby

6.      Toys/food for baby

7.      Your stuff

Again, depending on the size of YOUR STUFF, this will all fit in a spacious diaper bag. I usually only bring a small wallet with a few cash and cards and my cellphone.

Scenario C: A short vacation at your parent’s house

Even a short 3 day trip away from home entails an arsenal of stuff for baby, what more with cloth diapers? I suggest that you use covers so you can just change the inserts and reuse the shells.

If you don’t have covers, and don’t want to buy them, use a stay-dry waterproof insert sock (Weegro and Next9 carry them).

INSERT SOCK? It’s a sock for inserts. Duh. The top part is made from micro suede or fleece (similar to the lining of your CD) and the bottom part is made from PUL fabric to make it waterproof. So you just slip in your inserts/, put it ON TOP of your CD (do not stuff it in the pocket!) and when it gets full, just change the sock and inserts and reuse the shell.

I suggest you launder your diapers everyday so that you don’t have to bring your whole stash. If you use the system above, you would only need around 12-16 shells and equivalent inserts. Even if you stay a whole week, you can survive.

Trust me, I did- a 3-day Christmas vacation at my parent’s house without a dryer and no direct sunlight.

Things you will need.

1.      Everything you will need for you and baby

2.      Maybe around 2 wetbags

3.      If you can, use covers.

4.      12-16 shells and equivalent inserts

I say “equivalent inserts” because I wouldn’t know what kind and how many inserts you use. I personally use 1 mf insert and a pure bamboo insert booster for day time and 2 mf-bamboo inserts for night time.

No matter the hurdles in cloth diapering, it really is a lifestyle choice. It’s not something you can just switch to without commitment. It may be fun, cute, environmentally and wallet friendly, but nobody said it was easy.

But always remember, you are not alone. We are here. There are already lots of cloth diapering families here in the Philippines. We have mommas who handwash, mommas who don’t have dryers, mommas who don’t have access to sunlight because they live in condos, we have all found a way to make it work. So can you.

Still curious about cloth diapers? Join us at our first ever MCNP EB and Expo on March 24, Sunday at 500 Shaw Zentrum.

 See you there!

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Other Carnival entries:
http://www.chroniclesofanursingmom.com/2013/03/mcnp-blog-carnival-whats-in-our-diaper.html

http://buntis.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/the-art-of-cloth-diapering/

http://ashnboo.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/the-modern-cloth-nappy-the-practical-choice-for-moms-today/

http://adventuresonplanetmom.blogspot.com/2013/03/confessions-of-cloth-diaper-skeptic.html

 http://lyndelsmom.blogspot.com/2013/03/whyclothdiapers.html

http://organizedjunk.blogspot.com/2013/03/cloth-diapers-know-your-stuff.html

http://kingdomcow.net/2013/03/18/why-we-chose-cloth-the-benefits-of-using-cloth-diapers/

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My Stay dry diaper: Next9 Fluffer Stuffers

FLUFFY MAIL!!!

Look what came in the mail! Some Next9 Fluffer Stuffers and some Bamboo flushable liners.

Next9 Fluffer Stuffers

When Jen of Next9 asked me to review their fluffer stuffers, the first thing I thought was- what are fluffer stuffers?? So I was pleasantly surprised to know that they are actually insert "socks" or sleeves" for your diapers.

It is comprised of 2 parts. One side is made of micro-fleece, which is stay-dry, which means that even if your insert is soaked, your baby will not feel the wetness. So this is the side that should touch your baby's bum.

The other side is made of PUL, or Polyurethane Laminate. It is the same kind of material used for nappies so that they become water proof.

Fits all kind of inserts

All you have to do now is stuff your insert/s inside the Fluffer Stuffer.

size comparison

It is actually bigger than your normal stay dry liner. (my liner is as big as the bumgenious one-around 6" x 14"-maybe)

HOW TO USE:

1. Use this with your covers. Just slide in your lampin or prefolds/bifolds inside the fluffer stuffer and put on top of your covers. Baby now has a stay dry diaper

2. Use this to convert your pocket diapers into hybrids.

I don't usually use liners (unless I am using a non cd-safe cream), but this was my life saver the other day! 

During weekdays, I launder Awie's cds when I get home from work. But the other night, I was so tired that I only washed a few. Wouldn't you know it! I ran out! Luckily I thought of these Fluffer Stuffers, I just stuff it and put it on top of our pocket diapers. Since it has a waterproof backing, the lining of the pockets did not get soaked! So I got to reuse it. HEHEHE. 

Imagine if you had like an army of these fluffer stuffers, you would only use 2-3 diapers a day (more or less, until you encounter a poopy one). 

This is what I don't like though. Those tiny specks of white came from the fleece. What are they called? lint? Anyway, I wasn't able to check whether they were still there after washing.

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**Disclaimer:

This products were provided by Next9 for review but this is an unbiased review of their product, and I did not receive any compensation to write this review.

**will post a review about their flushable liners when I get the chance to use them.