For some, prefolds are the “old fashioned diaper,” the diaper that represents the way cloth diapering used to be done. For others, they’re the best budget-friendly option and are used exclusively as the family’s diaper system. Regardless, there’s more to these Plain Old Diapers than meets the eye. Here are 12 reasons why they’re a smart choice for EVERY family (even if your family doesn’t even use cloth diapers!).

They’re an easy-to-carry changing pad that fits easily in any diaper bag.

They’re perfect burp cloths.

They’re great during potty training when it’s helpful to have just a little bit of “insurance” whenever your newly-trained child is sitting down (at the dinner table, on the sofa for bedtime stories, in the car seat, etc).

When you’re done with your diapering days, they work exceedingly well for waxing the car and dusting the furniture.

And if you want to actually use them as… well… diapers… then consider this:

They offer a sustainable, natural fibre option for stuffing pocket diapers.

Organic cotton and hemp offer the most ecologically-wise materials you can get in a diaper.

The natural fibres found in prefolds are the healthiest option for your baby’s skin.

Easy and straightforward to wash and dry!

There’s nothing on the diaper that can break or wear-out quickly (think elastics, velcro, etc.)

They’re über-absorbent.

Prefolds are the ultimate grow-with-baby diaper. You just fold the diaper down as far as fits your baby best – very customizable.

And of course, they are the cheapest way to cloth diaper. If you are needing to diaper on a budget or just want a no-frills way to get the job done, prefolds are by far the least expensive option. They will easily last through multiple children, as well, helping your savings stack up.

If you are still unsure of how EASY it is to use prefolds, check out this video on our YouTube channel.

Other Resources for you:

Feeling the (Post-Holiday) Budget Pinch? Cloth Diapers Can Help!

Ask N&G: I have a HE Washer. Will this work with Cloth Diapers?

Cloth Diapers on Vacation :: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Welcome to a new series here on the New & Green blog highlighting the fabrics that are used in the wonderful array of cloth diapers that exist on the market today. Many parents at our Cloth Diapering 101 workshops want to know the benefits of using natural fibres and are curious about synthetic fibres, since they make cloth diapering so easy! Thus this series was born – through the year we will highlight several of the fabrics commonly used in the diapers that don your babies’ bums.

HEMP

Hemp is one of the world’s oldest plants and one of the ones that has been most used through history. It is earth-friendly, versatile, and renewable.

Though it’s a sibling to marijuana, which is grown for the use of its blossoms and leaves, hemp is grown mostly for its seeds and its fibrous stalk, which breaks down easily with very few chemicals during processing. It is known as a very eco-friendly plant, as it grows quickly, requires little water, improves soil nutrients rather than depleting them, is an excellent anti-erosion crop, and is naturally pest-resistant, which eliminates the need for pesticides. It’s also very easily grown without the use of herbicides or fertilizers.

All in all, it is a very “green” crop and can be easily made into thousands of different kinds of products with fewer chemicals than its counterparts. (e.g., in paper making, hemp requires fewer chemicals than wood; in the production of fabrics and other textiles, hemp requires fewer chemicals than conventional cotton; etc…) The end product when made into a fabric is naturally anti-microbial and very durable.

There is a serious downside to hemp, however. While it is now legal to grow hemp in Canada, there are no textile mills able to deal with raw hemp. In the US, not only are there no hemp textile mills, but it’s still illegal to grow the crop. Thus, it’s still necessary and more cost-effective for diaper manufacturers to import finished hemp fabric from other nations, usually China. This certainly increases the “eco-footprint” for any hemp diaper.

There’s also the factor of softness. Hemp is a very sturdy, durable, absorbent material and until recently, most hemp diapers were more practical than swoon-worthy. However, both Annie Marie Padorie of AMP Diapers and BabyKicks have been among the first to use luxuriously soft combed hemp fleece in their diapers – we invite you to pick one up and feel the difference! They’re almost down-right cuddle-worthy…

Mamas (and papas) – what has been your experience with hemp diapers?

Photo credit

At our popular Cloth Diapering 101 workshops, many parents are eager, or at least interested, to use cloth on their babies. However, the “deal breaker” question many ask first is, “But what do I do with the dirties?”

No fear – the days of lugging heavy pails full of sloshing, acrid water to the washing machine are far behind us. These days, diapers are designed with ease of cleaning in mind and you don’t have to even touch the dirties once they’ve been placed in the diaper pail.

A diaper pail is a good place to start. You can read more about choosing a diaper pail that will work for you in other posts around our blog, but basically any container with a lid that is big enough to hold 2-3 dozen diapers will work just fine. Place a pail liner in the pail and you’re ready to go.

When it comes time to change your baby, there are only a few steps. If the dirty diaper is merely wet, you can toss it straight in the pail. Make sure you keep the cover and hang it to dry, as you can reuse it several more times before wash day.

If the diaper has poo in it, you can deal with it in various ways. If you are exclusively breastfeeding, the diaper can be tossed straight in the pail, poo and all. If the baby is receiving any formula or is old enough to be eating solids, as much of the poo as possible should end up in the toilet. You can shake the poo off if it’s solid, do the Four Corner Dunk and Swish (popularized by our own instructor, Bonnie) if it’s a bit more sticky, or you can pre-line your diapers with a bio-liner that gets flushed, a fleece liner that gets washed, or a raw silk liner, which can also be tossed in the wash. Once the poo is in the toilet, toss the cover and the diaper together into your diaper pail.

If you’re using pockets, make sure to put out the innards as you put the diaper in the pail, as this will ensure that you don’t have to touch the diaper again. (Always a good thing….)

On wash day (we recommend every 2-3 days), take the pail to the washing machine, pull out the liner, dump all the contents plus the liner into the machine, do a rinse on cold, a wash on hot with detergent, a second rinse on cold if you so desire, then toss everything into the dryer or hang them on a line – and you’re done!

And as always, if you’re worried about smell in your diaper pail, there are lots of great ways to keep odors at bay.

And that’s it – just as easy as taking out the trash (but lots more fun…)

There are few cloth diapering parents who don’t rejoice over the money they save by switching to cloth. But how can you maximize your savings, especially when life feels a bit… well, tight? Here are a few ideas.

Focus on mediums. Babies grow fast, so if you are using sized diapers, like FuzziBunz or the Stretch Bamboozle, focus your spending on the medium size. This is where your child will spend the majority of his or her diapering years.  So if you have a focus on creating a lean cloth diaper budget, consider stocking up on inexpensive prefolds and covers for the first few months, then do the bulk of your spending as your child enters medium sizes, usually around 12-14 pounds or 4 months old on a typical growth curve.

One note, however – it is TOTALLY worth it to have a few newborn size diapers on hand. They make life easy in those hectic first few weeks, especially when it comes to containing runny messes. Customer faves at N&G include Kissaluvs Size 0, the new TiniFit, and the AMP Duo small pocket diaper.

Mix it up. Include both organic prefolds (the most inexpensive diapers) and one-step diapers such as All-in-Ones (AIO’s) in your system. Assuming you wash every two days, we recommend two dozen prefolds and 6 AIO’s or pockets, such as the EasyFit or BumGenius. If prefolds just aren’t for you, consider using one-size diapers, which may be more expensive at the outset, but over time will offer greater savings over other fitted diapers.

Don’t skimp. You need enough diapers to go from one wash time to the next PLUS a few extras, say 4-6. Make sure you don’t skip having these extras on hand, as they offer a buffer in case your wash time changes, you get sick and can’t wash at the normal time, your baby has an extra number of messy diapers, etc etc etc.  Also, if you have too few diapers on hand, they will have more wear and tear, which may result in buying more diapers prematurely and add up in the long run.

Minimize dryer time. More than 60 percent of your energy usage related to cloth diapering comes from drying your diapers on “hot” in the dryer. The amount you spend in additional utility costs can add up over time, so if you’re really serious about cutting your costs, consider line drying your laundry when possible, coupled with a shortened tumble in the dryer on the “cool” setting.

And last but not least, use diapers on more than one child. If you take good care of your diapers, many of them will be in good enough shape to use on a second child. Keep a large tote around to toss diapers in as they are outgrown and you’ll save even more when your next bundle of joy comes along. Definitely a bonus (considering you’ll still have to pay for college down the road).

Eco-friendly materials are definitely the name of the game in 2011. Organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp all satisfy parents who are looking for more sustainable materials, and the BabyKicks One-Size Organic fitted diaper, the Stretch Bamboozle Bamboo fitted diaper, and the AMP Hemp fitted diaper are rising to the top as Parent Favourites.

Trend #2: Newborn to One-Size Diapers

One-size diapers are fabulous for increasing your savings from infanthood to toddlerhood, but they don’t always fit so well in the first few weeks of life. Thus, parents are choosing to pair newborn nappies (the cutest diapers – bar none!) with one-size diapers to get the best use out of both.

For N&G parents, the TiniFit, Kissaluvs Size 0, and the new Organic Cotton Newborn Pack are definitely get the top raves for newborn sizing.  BabyKicks 3G, the Tots Bots Easy-Fit, and the Canadian-Made AMP One-Size Duos are rising to the top in popularity for the infant-to-potty-training variety.

Trend #3: Back-to-basics Prefolds and Covers

We’ve written many posts on the beauty and simplicity of using prefolds, as well as have a prefold photo tutorial on our main site, and thus it’s no surprise to us that a large number of parents are choosing the simple, money-wise option of using prefolds and covers to cloth their babes. You can get these classic diapers in a box set or a la carte. Hemp prefolds are also available individually.

Trend #4: Style

This trend isn’t coming directly from parents, per se, but parents who are wanting to show off their babies’ bums have definitely fueled the fire on this one. Look no further than the limited edition artist prints on the Bum Genius 4.0′s and Elemental one-size AIO’s, as well as all the luscious new Super Whisper Wrap Covers from Bummis. Of course, the EasyFit always gets an honourable mention in the “cute” division, too!

So, there you have it. So far 2011 is shaping up to be eco-friendly, stylish, and money-smart, just like all of you.

We’d love to know – what trend will top your priority list this year?

For those who are trying to decide between using disposable diapers and reusable diapers, the question of convenience is often at the forefront of their minds. So, here’s a run-down on the pro’s and con’s of each, focusing especially on the question we are often asked – “Are cloth diapers more work than disposables?”

Using Disposables

The easy part:

• putting them on
• taking them off
• easy to toss used diapers in the trash
• wipes are pre-wetted and ready
• easy to toss in a diaper bag

The work part:

• going out and buying them, especially if you have to run out late in the evening
• dumping solids in the toilet – solid waste shouldn’t go in the garbage regardless of whether it’s in a disposable diaper or a cloth one
• taking out the trash

Using Cloth

The easy part:

• putting them on, especially if you use one-step diapers like Easy Fits, pockets, or the new BabyKicks 3G. Cloth diapers are becoming much more intuitive, largely because of the popularity of their convenient disposable cousin.
• easy to toss used diapers in the diaper pail
• wipes can be pre-wetted and ready merely by putting wipes under some running water and placed in a travel wipes caddy.
• easy to toss in a diaper bag along with a travel-size wetbag

The work part:

• putting them on, especially if you are using diapers you haven’t gotten used to yet, like prefolds or ones with lots of snaps
• dumping solids in the toilet
• washing – washing is simple, it just takes a bit of time (which you can do while you’re doing other things)

We’re biased, of course, and consider the work of cloth diapering to be quite rewarding. But that may not be the case for everyone – it all depends on what works best for you and your family. Making an informed, thoughtful decision – regardless of what you decide – is always to be applauded!

When it comes time for a child to move from diapers to “going” on the potty, training pants are an essential tool in the process.

The best reason to use cloth trainers – regardless of whether you have used cloth while diapering – is that cloth gives easy feedback on the sensation of being wet, which helps a child learn and ultimately speeds up the entire process of learning to use the potty. This is, of course, in addition to the great cost savings of using cloth!

And there are some great cloth training pants available that give parents lots of options, regardless of how you go about instructing your child about the toilet. (For more information about various potty training philosophies, check out our training pants page.) Here are three great cloth options to consider:

Bummi Training Pants are the classic cloth training pant. They are a pull-up style, which mimic “big kid” underwear, thus getting your child used to the idea and “how-to’s” of briefs and panties. They have a colorful waterproof outer and plenty of absorbency to catch a big accident.

BabyKicks One-Size pocket diaper is both a birth-to-potty diaper and a training pant. It’s made of organic cotton and bamboo, complete with fleece around the legs for durability and softness, as well as a soft waterproof outer. During the diapering years, it’s a one-size pocket diaper, but due to its shape, it can easily be made into a pull-up training pant just by using the widest and tallest set of snaps on the wings. (Alternatively, if you are practicing elimination communication or are potty training a smaller child, having various customizable snap options to create a pant that is unique to your child while still easy to pull on and off is a super-good feature!) Pssst – the new BabyKicks 3G will be here very soon!

Using the Babykicks Pocket as a diaper and as a trainer obviously helps parents save even more by not having to purchase trainers in addition to diapers. Its design is also handy not only because it gives kids an easy pull-up, but in the case that your child’s accident is a #2, the snaps allow the diaper to open rather than having to have the whole mess creating havoc down your child’s legs while you take it off.

BabyKicks One-Size organic fitted diaper is identical in shape to the Bumboo, but it doesn’t have a waterproof outer or fleece leg gussets, so the entire diaper is made of natural fibres, including organic cotton and organic hemp. It has the same great features as the Bumboo, and not having a waterproof outer gives kids an even greater awareness of being wet.

So, there are three options to check out – as always, if you have any questions, be sure to check out our Learning Centre. If you can’t find what you’re looking for there, feel free to e-mail us at customercare@newandgreen.com.

As we all know, diaper duty can get messy. Really really messy.

Cloth wipes are a great way to deal with life’s messes. They’re soft yet heavy-duty, they don’t leave chemicals on your baby’s skin, and they’re a “green” alternative to the store-bought variety.

Here are a few reasons we love them:

They keep your baby clean, truly clean. Even when your baby doesn’t go “#2”, good wipes are important for the health of your baby’s skin. Uric acid that isn’t wiped away can irritate the skin and cause diaper rash. Even just a quick wipe with water or a mild soap solution will take care of all the acid build-up and keep your baby clean and happy. And of course, when there is a mess to take care of, cloth wipes are always strong enough for the job and don’t tear, keeping your fingers out of the goo.

They’re good for your baby’s skin. Disposable wipes are laden with chemicals, but wiping your baby’s bum with water and/or soap ensures there’s nothing irritating left on the skin afterward.

You don’t have to pick them out before doing laundry. There’s nothing more annoying than opening the washing machine to pull out your nice clean diapers and discover shreds of disposable wipes that you forgot to throw in the garbage can before you did laundry!

They’re green and they make life simpler. Since you’re doing diaper laundry anyway, they don’t add to your energy consumption, yet they keep garbage and chemicals out of the landfill.

They’re budget-friendly. No need to buy wipes over and over – surprisingly, stocking up with cloth wipes rather than using disposable ones can save you beaucoups bucks through your baby’s diapering years.

They’re tough enough to use for a myriad of other babying and parenting jobs, too. Keep an extra dozen around for wiping hands and faces after meals, catching runny noses, boosting a newborn’s diaper, taking off make-up, applying facial toner, or even as handy-dandy toilet paper when you forget to change the roll. Actually, they can replace most of the paper and cotton products you use in your home!

They’re so easy to use. You can either keep them in a stack near the change area with a spray bottle nearby to wet them, or you can pre-moisten them if you prefer so they’re just as easy as using the disposable ones. Using them dry is just fine too – it’s all up to what you and your baby choose. When you’re out and about, they’re just the right size to fold in half and fit inside a travel wipes container (found at your local drugstore).

As you can tell, we love cloth wipes! For more information and to check out our organic cotton/hemp wipes, check out our wipes page.

Today’s question: what do you love most about cloth wipes?

Whether you use a chic, modern drying rack or an old-fashioned strung-up clothesline, drying your cloth diapers outside is an excellent way to save money, keep your diapers in tip-top shape, and remove stains all at once. Not only that, but your diapers will smell wonderfully fresh when you bring them back inside.

Sixty percent of your energy usage and cost related to cloth diapering comes from using the dryer. By using a clothesline, you not only save money but you reduce your environmental footprint.

Line-drying is a great way to keep your diapers in great shape, too, especially if you have diapers with elastic or waterproof outers. These diapers are certainly designed to be dried in the dryer, but years of dryer use can degrade the synthetic fabrics. By line drying your fabrics, you will prolong their life and keep them working and looking their best.

Sunlight is also great for your diapers. Not only will the UV rays in sunlight bleach out your toughest stains, but they will also brighten your diapers and disinfect them. (Diapers don’t need to be disinfected after being washed, but every once in a while it’s just nice to have the peace of mind knowing they are absolutely clean.) This is also another way to save a few bucks – by utilizing the sunlight, you won’t have to buy laundry additives to remove stains.

And best of all, your diapers will smell wonderfully fresh after a day in the sun. There’s a reason various laundry product manufacturers have given their detergents names reminiscent of fresh air and sunshine – it makes laundry smell great!

So, with all these great reasons to line dry, here are a few tips:

*For the best stain removal, lay the diapers in a place where they’ll have the most sun all day.  We’ve found the most effective method for stain removal is to hang your diapers out when they’re wet out of the washer.

*Prefolds can sometimes feel stiff if they’re left out for long periods of time. To prevent this, either take them off the line right when they’ve finished drying or toss them in the dryer on a no-heat setting for ten minutes when you bring them inside.

So, consider hanging out your next few loads of laundry – you’ll brighten your diapers, remove stains, and save money, completely naturally and without any chemicals!

If you have more questions about diaper laundry, post a comment here or consider attending one of our popular Cloth Diaper 101 workshops where you can have your questions answered in person by one of our diapering experts.

NEWS:  For families in BC, you can earn $75 from BC hydro by reducing your energy consumption.  So beyond the actual savings of line drying, here is your bonus!  More details here.

Welcoming a newborn is a wonderful experience, but for many of us, it can be overwhelming too.  Choosing to use cloth diapers needn’t add to your feeling “whelmed,” though – follow these tips to keep the first few months smooth and successful.

Keep it simple. While there are a myriad of lovely options to choose from when putting together your diapering system, keep it simple, especially during the first few months. Choose just one or two types of diapers to have on hand. That way, you’ll always know what to reach for and it will be easy to pack a diaper bag for outings. Either Kissaluvs size 0 or Bummis organic cotton prefolds paired with a Bummis newborn Super Brite cover, with a few TiniFit All-in-Ones or AMP small All-in-Ones for outings, are popular, simple, easy-to-use systems.

Be organized. Yeah, we know – organization sometimes seems more like a dream than a reality with a new baby around. Heck, sometimes all it takes to feel like the day is a triumph is to be able to shower before noon. However, keeping your diapers organized and ready to grab is easier than it sounds and will definitely help your cloth diapering venture be successful.

Here are a few easy ideas to stay organized:

Have your wipes at hand (pre-wetted if you like them that way).

Prestuff your pocket diapers so they’re ready to go.

Use decorative boxes, baskets, or cubbies to neatly store diapers and covers (plus, if you don’t have time to fold them after doing a load of laundry, a box or a basket will still keep them neatly contained!).

Put together a “mobile change unit” if you tend to change your baby on the couch (or other places around the house).

If you’ve got other ideas for keeping your diapers and change area organized, please leave a comment – we’d love to hear what works for you.

Have fun. Diaper change time can be a great time to bond with your baby, especially newborns. Smile, coo, talk, and laugh with your new one – it will make the experience an enjoyable time rather than merely a chore. It can also be a special way for daddies to bond with their babies. Though it seems like a small thing, making diaper change time into something special will help ensure your cloth diapering venture is a successful one – and even better, will reap a great start to your lifelong relationship with your child!

PS – Another way to keep the sanity in the household?  Consider our Newborn Rental Program.  We do all the thinking and organization for you!

Let’s talk about poop.

Poop is rather an inevitable part of the conversation when you’re talking about diapers – but what do you do with it? Are there easy ways to deal with it? And will my diapers be stained for good if my child eats beets the night before?

Poop is easily manageable. In the early newborn days, the baby poops as often as he or she pees. If the baby is exclusively taking breastmilk, the poop is water soluble, so you can just toss the diaper – poo and all – into the diaper pail. If the baby is taking formula, it will be a bit more copious and slightly more solid, so you just need to shake off whatever you can and then place it in the pail.

After a few months as your baby’s digestive system matures and as the baby starts eating solids, the poop may be less frequent and be more… well, solid… so you can just let the poo roll off or you may choose to use the old “ four-corner dunk and swish” if you really need to.  The four corner dunk is taught at our workshops and is one of the best tricks you’ll learn from our instructor, Bonnie!

Of course, there are ways that you can make your job easier too. Biosoft diaper liners are strips of biodegradable material that you lay on the inside of your diaper and at diaper change time, you just lift off the liner and toss it in the toilet or take the diaper into the bathroom and flip the liner into the toilet (the no-hands touching method). Fleece liners and raw silk liners work similarly, except you wash them and reuse them rather flushing them. With any of the liners, there’s no more rinsing and dunking to get off the goo!

And regarding stains – stains are generally inevitable, especially in the newborn days, but they are easily removed, even when your child eats beets, strawberries, blueberries, or any other food that tends to colour the stool. Rockin’ Green cloth diaper detergent is great at getting diapers clean and at working on the stains, but for tough stains, sunlight is by far the best bleach and whitener. Stick your diapers outside on a sunny day and beets will be no match for you!

We’ve all been there – who among us hasn’t used Ziplocs or plastic grocery bags to schlep home our dirty nappies? But plastic has its limits and is environmentally unfriendly in the long term. What to do?

While plastic is great in a pinch, an honest-to-goodness wetbag makes a huge difference – and they keep their value long after your last child is out of diapers.

Wetbags and diaper totes are exactly what they sound like – bags to carry wet items. They come in various sizes, offer various closures, and have various designs.

During the diapering years, wetbags make a big difference in being able to easily (and fashionably!) carry your dirty diapers while out and about – they are truly an indispensable tool. They will be one of the hardest working members of your cloth diaper family. We definitely recommend having two or three on hand so that you always have a clean one to toss in the diaper bag while the others are in the wash.

As your children transition out of diapers, a wetbag is easy to carry with you in case your child needs to change clothes.

Later, they work fabulously for wet swimming suits, dirty laundry on sleepovers and road trips, or even an emergency travel pillow on an airplane. You can even use them yourself for gym clothes!

Basically, a wetbag is a sturdy, long-term use item that will long outlive its diapering duties.

Here is a rundown of the Bummis Fab Wet Bag sizes and potential diaper-related functionailty:

• Bummis Small Fab Wet Bag – great for 1-3 diapers, or a bunch of wipes or a clean diaper, wipe and outfit change, has a zipper closure and snapped webbing handle to hang it on handles and hooks of all sorts.
• Bummis Medium Fab Wet Bag – as above, but will hold 4-6 diapers.  This would be great if the intention is longer out trips, overnights or if you plan to use this later for daycare.  One to store clean gear and one to store dirties.

Other than diaper duty, what have you used your wetbag for? Share your experiences and inspire other moms!