Introducing the new, thicker fitted diapers!

And the winner is . . .

 

My testers, from this post.

 

The thicker fitted diaper! 

I'm really excited about this!! I thought I loved my fitted diaper design the way it was - after all, I've been making & selling it the same way for over 4 years.  But, there were things I've been wanting to try, and having tried them, it's time for a change - an upgraded design! 

Serging the edges cut so much time off making a diaper that I could use more layers of better, thicker fabric and still offer the diapers at a reasonable price. I've been testing these two diapers out with heavy use for over two months and the thicker diaper is my favorite for several reasons - most of which boil down to one main reason: well, it's thicker. 

The outer printed flannel remains the cute cotton flannel prints that I've always used, but the inner layers including the pocket are now made with thicker, double-napped diaper flannel.  Making the diaper with 3 full layers plus a pocket means the diaper now offers 7 layers of flannel (5 of which are the thicker diaper flannel) when the front flap is folded fully to the inside for smaller babies.

Having the diaper made with better thicker fabric means it's more absorbent, more durable, and it holds its shape.  The serged edges also offer something else - better poop containment! 

Because the new fitteds hold their shape, the fit will be a bit different; although the same pattern is used, the thicker fabric stretches less.  Speaking of stretching less, the bamboo diapers got an upgrade, too.  The bamboo velour fitted diapers are now made with not one, but TWO layers of double-napped diaper flannel sandwiched between the bamboo velour and the bamboo fleece, giving baby 9 layers of fabric when the front flap is folded fully to the inside for smaller babies.

As usual, absorbency needed depends on baby's age and wetting habits, so there will always be the inner pocket available for stuffing additional absorbency.  The diapers are wide between the legs, but the fabric will relax after a few washes.

My fleece diaper covers will also be changing to serged edges, while the cotton-outer (and fancy floral ones) will remain turn & topstitched for the time being, though that may change in the future.

greenchildcreations.etsy.com

 

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!

greenchildcreations.etsy.com

Diaper Rashes

Diaper rash can be a major pain in the butt, literally! So many things can cause it - laundry detergent sensitivity, fabric sensitivity, too much wetness, too much dryness (microfiber), medications . . . but let's not forget food. I have seen so many people give up on cloth because they couldn't figure out or get rid of the diaper rash.

We'd been using cloth with zero rashes for just about 1 year. Then, when Kaiden turned 2, a nasty bright red rash appeared up front. The only thing we'd changed, quite literally, was following (against my Mama's intuition) the pediatrician's direction to double Kaiden's meat consumption, she wanted him to gain weight faster (long story there). Well, not only did he get a nasty rash, but Kaiden developed lymphedema as well. That was very scary; he could have lost his fingers. As many of you know, Kaiden has special needs and we follow the paleo diet for him (which I absolutely love, by the way!!)

One of the things I am exceedingly thankful for is to be naturally very good at analyzing data; seeing patterns in it. And I love to research! (Incidentally, analyzing and research is also how I figured out and stopped his seizures - read his story in my cookbook, Cavemom's Cooking.) So, knowing there had to be something to doubling his meats, I dove into research and learned about the acid/alkaline balance within the body. I treated him naturally and it cleared right up. After a few test dinners, I found out that the higher protein meats, pork and beef, were the cause. Ahhh, figured that one out: use lighter protein meats and portion out his meat/fruit/veg accordingly. Do NOT double his meats!!! I won't even go into how his pedi didn't handle it, among other things. :(

But, we still had this almost constant rash that had started at the same time! What the heck, was he now sensitive to the detergent, the fabric, what?? Did we need to strip diapers? Or was the stripping of diapers making it worse? I tried and tried and tried . . . and it wasn't until chatting with one of my best friends when she mentioned her youngest son was sensitive to apples. Apples gave him the same type of rash Kaiden had every time. Now, with Kaiden's special needs comes texture issues. He was getting a lot of apple sauce mixed with his food - he prefers his food to be wet, cold, and cohesive. I eliminated apples, and the rash got better! Not gone, but better. Wondering what else was causing it, I began to eliminate different foods, and re-introducing them. Kaiden now has quite the list: All fruit juices (too concentrated), all dried fruits (too concentrated), all citrus. Apples, pears, plums, pluotts, apricots, nectarines, pomegranates, mangoes.

As summer drew nearer, we had switched from using frozen fruits to fresh fruits. Some frozen fruits are fine, while the same fruit fresh is not - pineapple and mango. My biggest lesson though, was about peaches. We ate the fruits available - and peaches were in the "off" season. When Kaiden ate peaches, his rash got A LOT better. During this time, we started seeing a different doctor, whom I LOVE. He explained about the sulfur content in the peaches that neutralizes other foods.

So, I beg of you - before you give up cloth because of a diaper rash you can't seem to get rid of, please look at the foods your child is eating (or drinking, if your child drinks breastmilk - some foods definitely pass thru breastmilk!!). It may be easier than you think to get rid of that rash!

Now, as long as we avoid the list of fruits above, and he eats some peach slices every day, the diaper rash is quite minimal - just the usual - in a wet diaper too long, heat rash from the hot humid weather, and now . . .since he loves to steal food off my plate (and I am a total sucker for fresh pineapple) . . .that kid loves pineapple. So we deal with a little diaper rash every now and then. ;-)

greenchildcreations.etsy.com