Fitting that Fluffy Fanny into Pants for Fall

When I first started using cloth diapers, I loved the fact that they made my baby’s bum look so “fluffy” and cute. Not only does this fluffy bum provide some extra cuteness, it is always helpful during that “learning to walk” stage as well. But have you ever thought about what clothing challenges you might face with that fluffy bum? With cooler weather right around the corner, it is important to have pants and winter clothing that will fit your cloth diapered baby while keeping him or her warm.

Here are some tips on using cloth diapers with clothing this fall and winter.

• You may want to buy lower body clothing one size bigger. While my son was very small for his age, and was always behind in the clothing size as compared to his actual age, I found that he would fit better into the pants rather than the shirts. The fluffy bum allowed him to help hold his pants up a little better. This may or may not be the case with your little one, but if you buy the pants slightly bigger, your chances of a better fit are much higher.

• Opt for cloth diapers that tend to have a trimmer fit on your baby. In general, Smartipants cloth diapers are fairly trim. You can even try the Smartipants covers with an added inserts for less bulk as well.

• Seek out pants specifically made for cloth diapered bums. You can search for WAHM items on Etsy or Hyena Cart. In addition, Project Pomona, a newer brand of clothing carries some super cute fluffy bum friendly jeans.

• When shopping, look for pants them seem wider in the bum area and include an elastic waist. The elastic waist will allow for some stretch to get the pants over the cloth diaper. Simply by looking and comparing different styles and brands while shopping will help to give you a better idea of what will fit and what won’t.

• Try Baby legwarmers. There are a ton of different brands of baby legwarmers that will keep your baby’s legs warm while allow you to show off that fluffy bum.



What are your ideas or tips for fitting those cute fluffy bums into clothing this fall?

Contributed by: Julie

Cloth Diaper Fit

When beginning to cloth diaper, you may wonder what the perfect fit would be when it comes to putting the diaper on baby. I want to stress to you all that you do not want your diapers fitting too tightly. With this post, I decided to make a cloth diaper fit check list:

• Diaper leaves no red imprints on baby’s legs or waist. If you find your diaper fit is leaving red imprints, your fit is too tight. Try adjusting the rise snaps and waist snaps [or waist velcro].
• You can easily still stretch the elastic to fit a finger or two between diaper and baby. This can easily be fixed by adjusting the rise and waist fittings.
• There is minimum bunching of the diaper. Run your fingers along the diaper to make sure all is smooth. If you find the insert is bunching a lot, your fit may not be ideal. Bunching means that not all is fitting right and the diaper may be too tight. Try adjusting the rise if need be. This check mark also includes checking the wings for bunching. Try to pull and straighten them underneath the top layer so they lay comfortably against baby.
• Diaper is pulled up. There should be no diaper sag. Make sure to pull the diaper up comfortably to baby’s waist.

A good fit is vital! Ensuring you have a proper cloth diaper fit is not only important for your child’s comfort, but to avoid problems such as rashes, elastic irritation, and leaks. Diapers that are too tight prevent air flow which can cause diaper rash. Elastic irritation can happen in babies with sensitive skin, but even babies with non-sensitive skin will be prone to irritation and sores if the diapers are too tight and digging into their skin. Nearly all parents understand that diapers that are loose-fitting with gaps between the diaper and baby’s leg will cause leaks, but not all understand that diapers that are too tight can also cause leaks. These are called compression leaks. When the diaper is too snugly fit against baby, the pressure will cause any liquid to squeeze out the sides of the diaper, or even out the back or front. 

Diaper fit takes practice, and sometimes the understanding that not all diapers will work for every baby. 

Do you have any experiences with diaper fit, or any insight you can share with us? We’d love to hear from you!

Contributed by: Alex

Simplify Your Wash Routine

Laundering cloth diapers should be simple. In my opinion, if your wash routine isn’t simple you’re not doing it right. Overcomplicating your wash and especially adding too many extras in with your wash can cause issues, especially if used over time. Smartipants diapers has made it pretty clear on what is ‘ok’ to use on their one size pocket diaper and what is not. Most of us know dyes, enzymes, fragrances, whiteners, and brighteners are all things you should avoid in your wash. What else should we avoid in our NORMAL wash routine? So, let’s go over some additives that can complicate your washing routine and eventually cause you issues.

FABRIC SOFTENER

Whether it be liquid softener that is added to your wash, or detergents with fabric softener included, this is something you want to avoid like the plaque. DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER ON YOUR DIAPERS! I don’t think I can emphasize this enough. Fabric softener leaves residue on your diapers that will affect the absorbency. If you diapers don’t absorb then they aren’t doing their job! This residue on the diapers is also a magnet for stink! Steer clear, my friends!

VINEGAR

Did you know vinegar is a softener? It breaks down minerals and is a natural antimicrobial, which is why you may hear about people using it often in their wash routines. Vinegar should be avoided in diapers that contain PUL. Vinegar will break down soft plastics, such as PUL and will wear on your elastic. Vinegar should only be used when absolutely necessary and with care-never too much!

BAKING SODA

Baking soda absorbs odor, as well as breaks down fibers. As you’ll come to find, many additives have pros as well as their cons. Baking soda can be helpful when you have stink issues, but on a normal basis should be avoided as an additive in your wash. Smartipants specifically recommends against regular use of baking soda. It should be noted that any diapers containing bamboo rayon should NEVER be washed with baking soda, since baking soda breaks down fibers it will destroy the bamboo rayon.

BLEACH

I would hope most know that adding chlorine bleach to your wash is a BIG no-no. This can break down your cotton fibers and ruin the PUL, as well as affect the elastic in your diapers. If you NEED to add “bleach” to your wash to help with stink or residue, choose an oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach is a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and washing soda. Please remember less is more when it comes to additives like these and they should not be used in your regular wash routine.


A simple wash routine is your best bet to finding cloth diaper laundering happiness. The wash routine that has been working for our family for years is a cold rinse, hot wash with 1/4th the recommended amount of original powder Tide with a cold rise, followed by a 2nd cold rinse.


What wash routine is working for you?

Contributed by: Alex

Importance of Newborn Diapers with Small Babies

 I started my newborn stash little by little with AIO, AI2, prefolds, fitteds, and covers. I wanted to have a variety of diapers. Since I wasn’t really sure what I would like on a newborn baby. Newborn babies are so tiny and some have tiny legs. Some one-size diapers do not work well and will cause you a lot of headaches and leaks. The first few days, I found myself reaching for the AIO and AI2 diapers more than my fitteds and prefolds. Reason being was because I couldn’t find a diaper cover that would snuggle his legs without having leaks. His one-size diapers were still too big. 

  What is a mom to do in this situation? 

Consider buying a small stash of newborn diapers or using sized diapers. I took the newborn diaper route and I am so glad I did. I used smartipants and a few other brands that ended up not being my favorite. Nonetheless I recommend buying a newborn cloth diaper stashes since babies are so little and delicate not to mention tiny diapers are just too cute. The sized diapers are also a great alternative, the only thing with that is having to buy diapers as they grow. In my opinion buying newborn diapers and transitioning to one size was great. My son now fits into one-size diapers and he is now 4 months. A word of advice would be to try different types and brands of diapers before settling into one. You may find that the diaper you least thought would work, ends up being your favorite. Cloth diapering a baby can be challenging at times but once you figure out what works best, it’s easy.  


What worked best for you ? 

Contributed by: Pollyanna

How Diaper Covers Can Save You Big Bucks

Cloth diaper covers can be a real budget saver especially if you are looking to cloth diaper multiple children and your primary goal in cloth diapering is cost savings. Cloth diaper covers provide an inexpensive alternative to pockets, AIO’s and fitted diapers.

Here are some of the main reasons that diaper covers make up the majority of my cloth diaper stash.

• Cloth diaper covers are one of the most inexpensive types of cloth diapers.
• Cloth diaper covers can be used multiple times before laundering. Simply wipe down the inside of the cover and let dry. Once dry, replace with a new insert and re-apply to baby.
• Many cloth diaper covers are available with double gussets to help keep the poop in the diaper.
• Cloth diaper covers can be used with different types of inserts, for instance: stay dry, prefolds, flats, or even over fitteds.
• Cloth diaper covers come in many different fabrics: PUL, TPU, fleece, and even wool.
• Cloth diaper covers are available in aplix or snaps.
• Many cloth diaper covers are available in the “one size” option which allows for small, medium, and large settings. Therefore it grows with your child. No need to purchase different sizes as your child grows.

The next time you think that cloth diaper covers might be too difficult to try or too expensive, why not pick up a few to try. Cloth diaper covers can be used with almost any type of insert or fabric making them very versatile. For those hot summer months, fleece or wool cloth diaper covers actually allow your baby’s bum to breathe and stay cooler.

Next time you are tempted to purchase a cloth diaper, (because we all know you will) make it a cloth diaper cover. You won’t be sorry you spent the little amount of money for the great versatility.

Are you a cloth diaper cover fan?

If so, why??

Contributed by: Julie

Cloth in Summer

We’re well into summer time now! Hot temperatures, plenty of sunshine, water, and lots of fun!

Cloth diapering can be so much fun during these warm sunny months. I’ve found for our family that our cloth routine seems to change a little in the summer compared to the other seasons of the year. I wonder if our routines and habits during this time are anything like yours!


WATER! Summer fun usually includes water, am I right? Cloth diapering makes preparing for water activities easy. Who wants to waste money on those expensive swimming diapers? Not I!!! We love using our cloth in the water. We have yet to buy a swim diaper too, we prefer picking out a few of our older pocket diapers and turning the shells into our designated swim diapers. There is no need to use inserts when using a shell as a swim diaper, it’s actually not recommended at all since it will just absorb all the water and weigh the diaper down. We found Smartipants pockets without the smart sleeve makes the PERFECT swim diaper! We've even converted some friends who were hesitant to even think about trying cloth to adopt Smartipants shells as their swim diapers!


AIR!  Have you found yourself air drying your diapers more? Summer time is the PERFECT time for air drying diapers. The higher temps make the drying time quicker, not to mention full on sunshine will help remove stains and kill bacteria on your fluff.  To get the most out of sunning your diapers make sure you sun them while damp, even adding a dash of fresh lemon juice will help whiten them.  I’ve found ourselves a few times grabbing diapers fresh out of the wash while in a hurry and throwing them in the dash of the car to quick dry for our next change- works like a charm!


EARTH! Are you more likely to let your baby go out in just a cloth diaper with or without a shirt around the house or in the backyard? How cute are those fluffy bottoms? Get pictures of them playing outside in their diapers while you can! Before you know it they’ll be potty trained and grown, you’ll want the memories on them playing in the dirt in a diaper down the road.



Have you noticed any other changes in your cloth diapering routines this summer? Share with us!
Post pictures on the Smartipants Facebook page!


Contributed by: Alex

How to Convert a Smartipants Pocket Diaper into a Swim Diaper for the Summer

I am not exactly the best do-it-yourself kind of gal when it comes to anything sewing. In fact I am totally clueless. I wish I knew how to make things like cloth wipes, liners, or even diapers, but unfortunately right now, I just don’t have the time to learn. But I have a little secret to share that involves NO SEWING, CUTTING or TIME at all! I know, I know, it is hard to believe, but true. It is one of those “known” secrets amount cloth diapering mamas and I will be sharing it today!

1) Take any Smartipants pocket diaper. I prefer to use ones that may be a little more “loved” or “worn” and un-stuff it. Un-stuffing means to take the insert out of the diaper.

2) Apply the un-stuffed pocket diaper to your baby and hit the pool! 

You may be thinking…really? That’s it? Don’t you need more for a real swim diaper?

The answer is NO. Even with disposable swim diapers, they are not meant to absorb pee, they are only used to hold the solids or poop. If you have a good seal on the leg elastics, the unstuffed diaper makes the perfect swim diaper. Remember that you will have to rinse it out good, especially after use in chlorine. Over time the chlorine can wear away at the elastics. Simply rinse and wash with the rest of your diapers, and you are all set!


Personally I like to designate pockets to use as swim diapers so I don’t have to worry about switching back and forth between using them for the pool vs. regular diapers, but this is your preference. On occasion, if I forgot my swim diaper on-the-go, I will use any pocket I have in my diaper bag for a swim diaper. When a baby’s got to swim, a baby’s got to swim!


Contributed by: Julie