Disposable diapers certainly have their time and place. And certainly no one can argue that the increased use of disposables over the course of the last few decades has changed our culture and society in regards to baby-raising. That said, there are obvious reasons to choose cloth diapers as well and many families are making the switch from disposables to cloth. Here are a few suggestions to make the transition as smooth, easy, and successful as possible. 1. Choose diapers that are as convenient as disposables. The ever-popular bumGenius, the AMP All-in-One diaper, and the new EasyFit All-in-One Diapers are all “baby shaped” like a disposable, offer velcro closures (just like the tabs on a disposable), and are easy and intuitive to deal with once they’re dirty. Many also feature a “stay-dry” layer of fleece or suedecloth to make sure that the fabric next to Baby’s skin stays dry. All in all, these diapers definitely help eliminate frustration and confusion through the transition period! 2. Do what makes it easy for you. Some parents find it easiest to “ease into” the new way of doing things over the course of a few weeks. Others prefer to dive in and make the change all at once. Whichever way you choose, just choose the way that makes it as smooth and stress-free for you as possible. If you’re of the “easing into it” persuasion, perhaps start with just using cloth two or three times a day at home, then use cloth exclusively during the day, then add in cloth at nighttime, and then use them during all your outings. Easing into it can help overcome the psychological barrier of “this is going to be hard!” even though parents usually find – even over the course of just a few days – how easy cloth diapering really can be. If you’re of the “diving in” persuasion, just make sure you’ve got plenty of diapers on hand and you’re all set! You’ll get your new rhythm down in no time. 3. Talk to your partner and other caregivers. Sometimes different parents need different amounts of time to transition. If you’re in this situation, agree perhaps that one parent will “make the switch” first and become the “expert” in the family and can then help the other parent get started. Or perhaps agree that for a certain period of time, each parent can reach for which ever type of diaper he or she so chooses – a disposable at one change and cloth the next, let’s say. In other families, both parents prefer to make the journey together to discover what works best for them. Whichever way works best for you, keep the lines of communication open and have fun doing it. Remember this process is all about doing what is best for you, your baby, and your family – and having fun is ALWAYS good for everyone involved! Here’s to a happy, easy, successful transition! Are you a family in the Lower Mainland wanting to make the switch? We have a couple of programs for you!  Our most popular pre-switch strategy used is attending a Cloth Diaper 101 Workshop with one of our expert leaders.  The second sought after transitioning tool is our Cloth Diaper Tester Program where you can "test the waters" with cloth diapering for a couple of weeks without the finality of commitment.

We recently invited families from our Facebook Page to participate in testing a new to market cloth diapering system and send us in their info - likes, dislikes, suggestions. In our pool of testers were babies from 8 weeks to 2.5 years old with first time and seasoned mothers. Here is the low down on the TAG: Moms loved the trim fit, the softness of the bamboo pad, the surprising absorbency potential and the ease of use. Moms with older babies (read solid poop here) found it easier to use the cover multiple times and just switch out the pad.  Moms with younger babies (read runny poop here) found that more often than not, the inside of the cover got soiled with a major poop and the whole system needed to go into the diaper pail.  The velcro was also cited as easy to use and strong - just enough to keep toddler hands from ripping it open.  The older babies who have clearer communication seemed to find the diaper to be a comfy fit. Our moms had one suggestion for the TAG folks - make the front of the pad a touch bigger/longer.  While all the moms found that this system was leak free (and it was put to the "long car ride", "drinking loads of water" and "overnight" testing rigors), they did find that the front of the pad did not stay tucked up inside the flap at the front of the diaper.  A minor issue that did not affect performance.  One mom found that if she held onto the pad through the cover, it stayed tucked in. Overall, it was rated as a great performer, true to its size range, providing a trim, leak proof and super soft solution for their babies' bottoms! Part of the testing program included a phone-in review from our Tester moms.  Charlotte, the mom of sweet little 8 week old Baby B is the voice in the video above.  Listen to more moms talk about what they loved about the TAG Diapering system below (note that the reviews have been edited for duplicate content and brevity). (more reviews to be added over the coming weeks)

Merryn's TAG Review

We’ve been talking a lot lately about diaper pails, and one of the most common questions we hear from cloth diapering parents – or those considering it – is how to keep a diaper pail fresh. Let’s face it- we’re dealing with what comes out of your baby here. “How is it possible that my house won’t smell like an outhouse?” many parents wonder. Well, wonder no more, as keeping your pail fresh is quick and simple. (And considering this is such a common question, check out our previous posts on the subject, too….) 1. Deodorize. •    Pail Pals – These discs get taped right to the underside of your lid and have a pleasant, deodorizing scent. They last 3-4 weeks and are über-cheap. •    BumGenius Odour Remover – This spray is naturally anti-microbial, non-toxic, and biodegradable. Just spray it on each diaper before it goes in the pail (or on fresh pet stains or the kitchen garbage can, for that matter!) •    Bamboo charcoal – For a scent-free, environmentally-friendly, reusable option that absorbs odours rather than just masks them, bamboo charcoal is THE option. It can be “refreshed” every week or two by setting the charcoal in the sun and it will last up to six months. After that, it is completely compostable. We LOVE the bamboo charcoal option! •    Tea Tree Oil or other essential oils (e.g. lavender) –  tea tree oil is available widely at drug stores, natural health stores, and supermarkets. Other essential oils can be found at natural markets and aromatherapy shops. Whichever oil you choose, just shake a few drops onto a strip of cloth (perhaps a cloth wipe?) and place it in your diaper pail. •   Baking soda – Put ½ a cup or so at the bottom of your pail or liner to absorb odours. It will also act as a fabric softener when you dump everything into the washing machine! Also, keep in mind that because you’re not wrapping your diapers in plastic or sealing them away in an airtight container, you’re allowing air to get to the diapers and that actually HELPS keep the smell down. This might be counter-intuitive, but even just the bit of air that gets through under the lid keeps the proliferation of bacteria to a minimum and thus minimizes the smell as well. 2. Of course, the most important part of keeping your pail fresh is actually doing the laundry! While we recommend doing laundry every 2-3 days, we definitely recommend not leaving your diapers sitting for more than four. At that point, the uric acid and other lovely substances in the waste begin to break down and start a tango of un-luscious smells that will exponentially increase and become harder and harder to harness… 3. Lastly, once you’ve tossed everything in the laundry, don’t forget to give your pail a quick wipe down. This will ensure that the whole process starts off as fresh as possible once again.  Have you read our 30 Second Solution? So, what’s your favourite way of keeping your diaper pail (and house!) fresh and clean?

Question: Why should you use a diaper pail liner? Answer: To simplify your life! Question: Why should you skip a diaper pail liner? Answer: To keep the number of diapering accoutrements you use to the absolute minimum. There are only two differences between using a pail liner and not – with a liner you can easily dump all the dirty diapers into the wash without touching them and without a liner you just have to be a bit more thorough in making sure your pail is good and clean before you use it again. Other than that, it’s all a matter of preference. On the “pro-liner” side, a good diaper pail liner is somewhere in the $20-30 range and to be honest, two is better than one (just so you can use one while the other is being washed). In our opinion, it’s well worth the extra bucks for a product you’ll use for years to come and that will simplify your laundry routine. On the other hand, depending on your preference and depending on where you keep your diaper pail (right next to the washer, for example), a pail liner may not be the solution for you for keeping things simple – and we’re all for simple. Once your diapers are in the wash, you just need to do a very thorough rinse of your pail, spritz it well with a 50% vinegar/50% water solution, wipe it down two or three times (and throw the cloth in the washer), then let it air dry – if you have time and opportunity to do the dry in the sun (nature’s best bleach and disinfectant!), all the better. Basically, the choice is yours – here’s to keeping life simple! P.S.  We have what might seem like a quirky request.  We all know that we love to see photos of how everyone else does things, in this case, diaper pails, plus or minus liners.  Join in and share.  Snap a shot of your diaper pail setup and post it up on our FaceBook page.  We know there are parents there (like us) that would love to take a gander at your setup!