Eliminate diaper pail stink!

our diaper pail next to a pine log

Pine.  Yes, pine.  But not just any pine: freshly split pine.  2x4's won't work.  Shaved/sanded down logs (to make them smoother) won't work.  It must be split pine - something about the coarse grain, maybe??  Pictured is red pine; we don't currently have another variety of pine to test out, but I think any split pine would work well.

While the diaper pail spray I make works well on the ammonia that can come with a dirty diaper pail, it wasn't taking care of that toddler-stinky-urine smell.  As our son got older (he's 4 now), the stronger the urine smell became in the dirty diaper pail. I tended to wash every other night just because that was about the time I could smell them.  One of my many diaper pail spray experimental concoctions included sweet orange, lavender, and fir needle essential oils - that one worked fairly well - it needs to be spritzed often - but I thought it was the lavender, never really giving the fir needle essential oil another thought.

Right now my husband is busy cleaning up damaged trees from the tornadoes that ripped through our county in June of 2010.  We plan to install a wood burner before next winter to help save on heating costs.  One day, in the course of our teasing banter, when he was leaving to cut wood, I asked him if he was going to bring me back a bouquet of twigs, and his reply was "no, but I can bring you back a log!"  And he DID!!  He knows I love the smell of freshly cut wood.  Well, the split log ended up in the downstairs bathroom where the diaper pail resides, just a place to temporarily have it out of the way.  And then I noticed . . . the diaper pail smell was missing. 

me, dressed up all scientific-like

So to experiment a little (because I love to experiment!) I took the log out of the bathroom.  The smell returned.  I put the log back in the bathroom and within 15 minutes, I noticed a definite lack of stink.  (yeah, give the picture a good laugh, LOL!  This was for my JM cloth diapering mamas, from my clinoptilolite zeolite experiment back in 2011 - which by the way, works awesome for getting rid of ammonia stink in the wash routine!).  After 2 - 3 weeks, my husband decided to "freshen up" the log, and shaved it down to expose fresh wood.  Right after that, the stink returned.  He shaved it down again, and still the stink was there.  Then we tried a pail full of fresh pine shavings.  No go.  I asked him for a new log, and the stink disappeared again.  This time, I asked him to just leave it be, don't shave it down.  It's been 2 weeks since the fresh log was put in place, and no stink yet.  I don't know how long one log will last, but thankfully we have a good supply.

Another bonus: this has cut WAY down on the amount of clinoptilolite zeolite I need to use in my wash routine.  I'm in process of experimenting how much I can cut back.  Because our water is super ridiculously hard (we are over 10.5 grains per gallon), ammonia can easily build up.  Previous to the pine log, I was using 3 Tbsp per wash - 2 with the initial warm wash, and 1 more with the hot wash with detergent.  But, I also switched to *my* liquid laundry detergent, which is soapnuts, soapwort root, and papaya leaf.  So far I've cut back to 1 tsp total, only in the inital warm wash and that's going well.  Next diaper load I'll skip it altogether and see what happens.

I realize this solution isn't available to everyone - I mean, not everyone has access to free pine logs, LOL!! But if you can get your hands on some, it's well worth it. I mean there is literally NO smell. I'd have to remove the lid, stick my nose in and really inhale deeply to smell them.  Now, I'm washing when I run low on diapers and that can be 3+ days.  I have actually forgotten to wash them, just because I was relying on my sense of smell to tell me when to wash!

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Fleece Diaper Covers

I started out using PUL covers for my son, and felt for the longest time they were the way to go for leak protection and easy maintenance. When my Thirsties covers began to hit the end of their lifespan, I wanted to make my own covers.  I learned there were different types of PUL out there.  I tried out a few different sources - I had some hits and some misses. Fabrite was awesome, but no longer in business.  Babyville was great even if it delaminated, but a delaminated diaper will eventually die. I do have some good PUL in stock now but have since come up with my absolute favorite kind of cover - fleece! 

Two layers of fleece not only makes for excellent leak protection, it's more breatheable.  And it doesn't hold onto poop stink like PUL can.  Even if there wasn't any poop on the cover, I still changed the cover with the soiled fitted diaper because of the smell.  My son has been going through some digestive issues (which are now thankfully much better since we recently found some bromelain-free digestive enzymes) and let me tell you, that kid could stink up a room!  We were going through covers pretty quick.

When I first had the idea to make the covers out of 2 layers of fleece, I always intended to make some for my son . . . but they always sold and I never got around to making one just for him.  Most of my PUL covers are dead and/or dying now, and I really wanted him to have a giraffe print diaper cover for the cookbook photoshoot, so I finally made him one . . . and I am so in love with this cover!!!!  I want all of his covers to be made this way!!

Now, mine are more like typical diaper covers than a typical fleece soaker.  Fleece soakers look more like really super cute underwear, have 2 layers in the wetness zone only, and many styles are meant to be pulled on and off like underwear.  My fleece covers, just like a PUL cover, feature elastic at the back and legs, with side-snapping closure.  I have also done velcro closure but my personal preference is side snapping - no chance of wing droop!  They are OS with front rise snaps and 3 snap settings at the waist, and made with a full two layers of fleece, not just in the wetness zone.

I'm contemplating being done with PUL for good and selling off my small stock of it along with some FOE so if you're interested let me know! :)

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My favorite creation - Healing Salve (name updated to "the greenchild salve")

(Please note, the name of this salve was updated to "the greenchild salve" in 2015.)

Let me preface this post with "please always consult your medical practitioner" and "this product is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure any disease".  I cannot make any sort of promise that my Healing Salve will heal anybody; yes the essential oils used have known properties, but people still may react differently to them. There are essential oils out there with proven properties that don't do the job for me. All I can tell you is what I personally use my salve for.  There, I think I covered it. :)

Today, as I got out of my Jeep to pick up my son from preschool, I managed to whack my leg pretty hard with the door of the Jeep.  After cussing silently to myself, hopping around a bit, rubbing my leg, and thinking "that's gonna leave a mark!" I realized that just inside the school was my son's backpack . . . and in it was a tub of my Healing Salve.  I limped my way inside and made my way straight to the salve, applied it, and breathed a sigh of relief.  The pain was gone and all I'll have to remind me of the incident is a little bit of scraped up skin.

Things I've used my Healing Salve for: sprained ankles, bruises, minor burns, scrapes, cuts, and inflammation - from joints to laryngitis, and my son's diaper rash.  I use my favorite herb and essential oils - plantain (plantago major), tea tree oil, lavender essential oil, rose geranium essential oil, oregano essential oil, sweet orange essential oil, and raw honey in a natural base of butters and oils.  Plantain has wonderful healing and anti-inflammatory properties; it is also anti-bacterial and helps control bleeding.  Tea tree is known to be anti-septic, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial.  Lavender has been proven to have calming, soothing, sedating properties.  It is also commonly used as an anti-septic and to treat minor burns.  Rose geranium has astringent, anti-inflammatory, and mildly anti-bacterial properties.  Oregano essential oil is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, and anti-viral.  Sweet orange essential oil is widely used as an anti-depressant for its uplifting scent as well as being anti-inflammatory and anti-septic.  Raw honey is not only delicious (LOL, do NOT eat the Healing Salve, trust me on that, it doesn't taste anywhere near as good as it smells!!) but is also anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal as well as anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant; it is also used on burns.

My Healing Salve recipe originally called for only the first three: plantain, tea tree, and lavender, as I had plenty of experience using those three. Then I learned about (and tried) rose geranium.  While reducing bruising is not listed as one of its main uses, I found when applied within the first few minutes after a deep tissue injury that it gave an almost indescribably wonderfully warm caressing feeling to the injury that not only relieved my pain but significantly reduced the likelihood of resulting swelling and bruising. Successfully using it after several injuries, this became a permanent ingredient.  Oregano essential oil has such good properties that I decided to add it as an extra component; however, I very much dislike its scent and added sweet orange to temper it.  I love the scent of sweet orange essential oil and use it often in many of my skin care creations.  Later on I discovered how much I like raw honey when added to my lotions, so I added it to the salve too.  Honey does not like to emulsify well into butters and oils, so when making it, I continually stir the salve until cooled which helps to prevent separation.  If you ever see a watery separation in the salve, it's just the raw honey - no cause for worry, just stir it back in.

I do need to tell you that the Healing Salve is NOT intended for immediate use after chemical and severe burns.  Please wait at least a minimum of 1 - 2 hours after a chemical or severe burn to apply (please seek medical assistance!), or a stinging sensation may occur due to the essential oils used, as well as the already-irritated skin turning red for several minutes. Since I cook . . . a lot . . . I occasionally have had more-than-minor burns, and have learned this lesson well.  Also, as with any skin care product, please take care to keep out of baby's mouth.

How do I know all this about injuries?  I  . . . ummm . . . LOL . . . happen to have a lot of experience in the bumps, bruises, sprains, strains, cuts, scrapes, abrasions, burns, etc. department . . . I was a pretty accident-prone person until I learned to slow down!  I was always in too much of a hurry and well, accidents happened.  A lot. Often. I've fallen down the stairs more times than I can remember, and sprained my ankles more times than I can count. During all that, I also followed the typical Standard American Diet and had chronic pain while in my twenties. While I have since moved to what's called the paleo way of eating (thanks to my son's needs) and no longer have chronic pain, that chronic pain is what led me to create my Healing Salve in the first place for the anti-inflammatory properties and it has since blossomed into so much more.

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Some personal thoughts today . . .

It's the new year already and I've been spending a lot of time reflecting on days past.  I am thankful for the things I've learned and for all those loved ones in my life and especially thankful for the wonderful opportunities headed my way!  It is because of all of that, that I am who I am today.

I saw an article today on ABC News that made me smile, and I wanted to share.

While December 31st 2012 marked the passing of my beloved grandmother, who nutured my love of sewing, it also marked the 5 year anniversary of a terrible time in my life; our first attempt with IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) unfortunately resulting in a ruptured uterus and subsequent removal and of course death of our 7 week baby, the first one that had a heartbeat, seen for the first time mere hours before.  So, as you can imagine, I've been thinking about babies and pregnancy a lot lately.

With the rupture, my son's pregnancy 6 months later was considered high risk – first because of the recent rupture, then because of the suspicion of Down Syndrome, then later for the placenta’s placement (the placenta's placement eventually caused severe hemorrhaging, resulting in his earlier-than-planned premature birth).  And with a high risk pregnancy came ultrasounds – lots of them.  And I mean LOTS! Because of the high risk pregnancy I was advised not to travel on my own so family and friends came with me to all of my OB appointments and got to see my son in all his pre-birth glory, 3- and 4-D ultrasounds included.  It was amazing to be able to share that with my mother and my mother-in-law; they loved seeing him wiggle around on the screen, having never experienced an ultrasound with their own pregnancies many years ago.

The ultrasounds were necessary for us, but I have no opinion on their safety for typical pregnancies because I have no experience with that; I've had 4 pregnancies, none of them typical (actually, since the previous 3 were all heterotopic pregnancies, my son's pregnancy is the closest to normal I ever had!).  Having had so many ultrasounds, and being able to share them with those close to me, I love this idea!  Sonogram Parties!  If we ever have another pregnancy (which would hopefully NOT be high risk, which would then not involve so many ultrasounds), this is something I'd love to do and share with my family and friends.

 

Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences! :)

greenchildcreations.etsy.com

Toddlers in diapers!

30lb stocky toddler

Converting friends to cloth is fun!  A very good friend we often stay with recently decided to convert, so when we visited last weekend, I brought her order of diapers.  It was hilarious to watch her 30lb toddler run around in his new fluff, jumping to land on his newly padded rear to see how soft it was!

When I created this design, I had only my own child to try it out on.  Thankfully many wonderful online cloth diapering friends across the US and Canada volunteered to try it out and give feedback.  And thanks to those generous Mama’s, within 5 or 6 modifications from my original try I got my fitted pattern set to what it is now.  But I still have only my own child on whom to see the diaper in person.  Since first using this fitted design on him over two years ago, I’ve adjusted his rise setting up about 3”, so it really does continue to fit nicely with a growing child.



The two boys together, M on the left,
my son K on the right

This was my first experience seeing my diapers on another child in person.  And not only did I get to see it on my friend’s son, I got to change his diapers too, LOL!!  It was really gratifying to be able to really see how well the diaper fits on a child so much bigger than my own, with room to spare.  While the same height as my son, this little boy is about 7lbs heavier, and much stockier.  It only took a minute to figure out where to set his rise - due to his larger thighs, we determined his rise to be about a couple inches longer than where I set my son’s rise.

Due to my son’s physical delays, it may be a few years yet before he is out of diapers.  It’s good to know that he won’t outgrow these fitted diapers anytime soon!

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Natural skin care

Growing up, we used whatever commercial lotion smelled nice. I remember having terribly raw, red, chapped hands as a child. In my later teens, I switched to more natural lotions. They smelled great, but I needed to apply them all the time to keep my skin moisturized, which, since they smelled so good I really didn't mind. But I still had really dry, itchy skin in the cold winter months.

In my twenties I worked in the natural skin care industry for a few years and learned quite a bit. Those "more natural" lotions I thought were better still had petrochemicals and other artificial ingredients. At the time, my father had recently passed away from cancer so I really wanted to make healthy changes in my life. I had always been interested in nature and natural remedies, and it was time to get it in high gear.

I bought books on soap and lotion making, took classes, and began creating cold process soap and made-from-scratch lotions & salves in my own kitchen. My first attempts were . . . less than pretty, LOL!! My first attempt at soap I discovered I don't like olive oil as a main ingredient - one of the ingredients, yes, but not the main ingredient. That yields a greenish-yellow, slimy, low-lather bar. It cleaned, but it wasn't anything like the luxurious cold process soaps I'd previously used. My first attempt at lotion I used beeswax and borax together as the emulsifier - tricky getting the amounts right, but it did the job! However, it made for a gritty-feeling lotion.

With my mini-successes, I began to purchase better ingredients for the job and have been experimenting ever since. I love to try out different ingredients! There are so many oils, butters, essential oils, and extracts to choose from! And the never-ending list of botanicals . . . I've been successfully making lotions, soaps, and salves for about a decade now.

The best part though, is knowing I'm giving my skin what it needs most - healing, moisturizing goodness right from nature. I only apply twice per day now, and that's more out of habit than need (and because it smells fantastic!). Even with washing my hands what seems like a zillion times per day with diaper duty, I don't need to apply lotion very often - and, a tiny little bit goes a very long way!  The worst part is having to wash my hands in public restrooms when on the go. Oh, I forget how harsh and drying those handsoaps are! Ouch!! I need to remember to keep a small bar of my soap in the diaper bag!!

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Flats? Why yes, thank you!

This summer, I decided to make 20 new flats for my son for our trips to the cabin - made from printed cotton twill, the same fabric I use for some of my fitteds. I wanted to do this because we only have a clothesline at the cabin, not a dryer. Cotton twill doesn't get crunchy like other fabrics can when line dried, and when made into a flat, it line dries fairly quick in comparison to a fitted diaper.

I didn't think I would like flats . . . but as it turns out I love them! Granted they aren't my favorite for containing messy poops, and that may be my fault for how I fold them - but they are a very nice one-size option. The ones I made are smaller than a traditional flat: I took one yard of cotton twill, kept it folded in half the way it comes off the bolt, and cut it in half at 18". This makes two double-sided flats out of each yard. I lay in an insert and fold the flat to the rise I need, and voila, a diaper!

Flats are also a nice option when your baby needs a more breatheable diaper. While I love fitted diapers and find them to be quite breatheable when used coverless around the house, the gussets at the legs do hold in more heat than a non-elastic flat diaper.

I'm so glad I tried flats! As the saying goes ~ you never know what you'll like unless you try it!

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