4 Must Know Cloth Diaper Resources

As many of you know, we have been cloth diapering for almost a year now.  My, how time flies!!  I wouldn't trade a minute of it.  We bought disposables for one week while on vacation this summer and I am SO glad we don't have to spend that kind of money all the time.  I would be working just to pay for diapers!!

It isn't always breezy though.  Initially, it can be very difficult to figure out what diapers you should use.  Plus, the up front cost  can be a bit much.  And then there's the laundry...which can be a bit difficult to figure out (though it doesn't have to be a difficult process).

So on this crazy fun journey of cloth diapering, I have come across a few different resources that I couldn't live without.  They are listed below in no particular order.  ;)

1.  For ANY questions or help trouble shooting I highly recommend the Change Diapers Facebook Group.  It is a wonderful group full of drama-free ladies.  I have turned to them with questions multiple times and always gotten the answer(s) I need.  They also share cloth diaper giveaways which means potential FREE diapers!! Maria Moser, blogger of Change Diapers runs the group.  She is one awesome lady, and her blog is also a great resource!

2. Padded Tush Stats (PTS) is an awesome resource in itself - great for checking out reviews and stats on a TON of different diapers.  But, the thing I absolutely love about PTS is their Cloth Diaper Retailer Database.  Do you need a specific insert but want to make sure you are getting the best deal?  You can search for retailers that carry that brand AND designate what you want the shipping cost to be!  I always spend time looking for the best deal and this cuts my time in half....or more!

3.  Having issues with stink?  Is your laundry routine not working?  Fluff Love University has a fantastic troubleshoot guide.  It saved me from having to strip my diapers.  When we decided to cloth diaper, I got a few different detergents to see which I liked best.  Turns out one of those is REALLY not a good idea (Charlie's) and another was just plain not getting my diapers clean (Nellie's).  But I wouldn't have realized they were the issue for my stink without the help of Fluff Love University.  Now my original detergent is on its way in the mail (Country Save).  Looking back, I'm not sure how I didn't realize that switching detergents was the problem.

4. Looking for a great deal?  Or do you need to get rid of some of your diapers? .99 Cloth Diaper Auctions is a group on Facebook that is quickly becoming my new favorite!  We need newborn diapers and training pants so I've been keeping my eye out on there.  While I haven't found anything we needed yet, there have been a TON of great deals on things that I wanted but had to resist.  This is a great place to go if you are just starting out and need to build a stash.  Plus, it gives you the opportunity to try a few different diapers at minimal cost.  AND, I have every intention of selling my diapers on here...especially because we don't have any big brands (BumGenius, Grovia, etc).

So those are my 4 must know cloth diapering resources.

What resource would you add to the list??

Cloth Diaper Giveaway & WAHM Review: Tailored by Erica *CLOSED*

Hey all!!

It has been quite awhile since I have done a review.  But I am super excited to be introducing you to another fabulous work at home mom, Erica from Tailored by Erica.  She has two boys (2 years and 6 months) and together, with her husband, they live on her grandma's farm!  How fun is that!?!  She has been sewing since she was 9 years old and got her first sewing machine for her 10th birthday!  She even made her own prom gowns.  One was John Deere and the other was camouflage!  

That theme has carried over into her cloth diaper shop!  She sells newborn and one size diapers.  Currently all of the ones on Etsy are camo or bandanna print!  Since Hubby and I are a little bit country, I was pretty excited when Erica asked if would do a review.

Cloth Diapers with a country flair!

For review purposes, she sent me a camouflage one size pocket diaper.  And as a thank you, she also sent a newborn cover in the bandanna print.  Super sweet, right?  It is the cutest little thing....

So tiny and precious.  :)

The camo diaper is pretty neat!  My brother, who very rarely has anything to say about material items, told me he really liked my new diaper.  So I knew it was a big hit with him!

Smallest Setting

Largest Setting

There is definitely room to grow!  I will, say, however, the the smallest setting seems a bit big for a one size (OS) diaper.  We have it on the smallest setting right now.  Aelah is 10 months old and almost 19 lbs.  Admittedly, however, she is a bit skinny since she is so long for her age.  But I don't think this would have fit her (without leakage) very long before now.  

UPDATE: Erica let me know after posting this that she is already in the process of adjusting her OS design so that it will fit smaller.  Guess I should have checked with her on that first.  :/

Here is the fit on her right now...

But, honestly, that would be my only complaint.  Outside of that, this diaper is awesome!  Why?

• It is unique...definitely haven't seen very many camo diapers
• It doesn't leak at night!!  Stuffed with a double microfiber insert and a bamboo booster...which is what we put in my other tried and true pockets.
• It has an adorable ruffle on the butt for some added girly-ness!  

Lace is good.  :)

• The inside is made of a very soft almost mesh type material.  It keep baby's bottom dry and actually doesn't stain very easily.   UPDATE: While this fabric is fantastic, Erica has switched to a stay-dry cottom velour for the inside of her diapers.  Apparently, it is very similar to bumGenius 4.0.

Looks run of the line here....

But up close, it is a bit different.  Almost like Gro Via shells....but a bit softer...

• They are affordable!!  You can snag a one size pocket for just $14!  And her newborn diapers are only $10!

I love being able to add a diaper to my stash that I know we will be reaching for often!  This is a 5-Star keeper!!

Ruffle Butt!!

SO cute!

Kissable!

**Additional Note - inserts are not included when purchasing from Tailored by Erica.  However, you can purchase each diaper as a pocket OR cover and the newborn diapers include an AIO (All in One) option.  I love having options!  

As a thank you to Erica for this review and giveaway - be sure to follow her on one of the following social media outlets.  Thanks!

Etsy

Instagram

To Buy: Head over to the Etsy shop here.

To Win: Enter to win the diaper of your choice (must be in stock on Etsy) by using the Giveaway Tool below:

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Uniquely Daddy: Daddy & Co

Hey all, I hope you guys are as excited about this as I am!!

Daddy & Co is one of my husband's favorite place to shop right now!  Being first time parents means we are beyond excited to be 'Mommy' and 'Daddy.'  He loves his little girl like nothing else and he is proud to be her dad.

When I was asking him about Father's Day gift ideas he said, "Anything that says Daddy on it would be good...what about stuff from the company where you got my mug?"

I got him this insulated mug for his first Father's Day...when Aelah was still in my belly.  ;)

Aren't those little feet the cutest?  Perfect for the expectant Daddy!

And for this past Christmas I got him a matching t-shirt set from Daddy & Co as well:

The Oak Tree.....

PICTURE OF THE LITTLE T

Aelah doesn't quite fit into her t-shirt yet...but it should be very soon since she is growing so fast!  And I'm hoping we can get her a few more of the same t-shirt in bigger sizes so that she can match Daddy for a few years.  hehe.

So I knew that I needed to ask Daddy & Co about doing a review.  They graciously accepted and sent me two awesome products that would make fantastic Father's Day gifts, especially for the new dad.

First up is the vintage hoodie, available in 3 different colors.  Hubby's favorite color is blue, so that's what we went with:

I love this look!  <3

And he loves this...

I think he really loves it because it tells the world that he is Aelah's Daddy.  She really has him wrapped already!  ;)

The second item is pretty high up there on Hubby's new favorite list - The Daddy Messenger Diaper Bag.  Yep, that's right, a diaper bag designed for Dads!  But, let's be honest, I'm in love with this thing too!

The Messenger comes with a changing pad and a wipes case.  And definitely doesn't look girly at all...

And, yes, you can put cloth wipes in the wipe holder.  :)  To be fair, we use baby wash cloths for travel because they are smaller.  But thicker wipes would still fit...just a smaller number.

Hubby went from hating our diaper bag and only carrying it because he had to....

Rocking his "Daddy" hoodie!

To showing off his 'manly' diaper bag and telling anyone he could that it is made of "ballistic material."  Now, if that isn't cool, I don't know what is!  ;)

Looks sooooo much better, don't you think??

Here are some of our favorite features:

The ergonomic strap is our absolute favorite feature!  It really distributes the weight differently than any other bag I've carried.  And everyone notices!  Practically every time we're out, someone mentions how nice that is and how much easier it must be to carrier. We always respond, "It is!"

A detachable pocket for your cell on the shoulder strap.  It is padded as well.  Admittedly, this probably won't fit larger cell phones.  With the case on, my iPhone 4 just fit...but it wasn't easy to get in and out.  Hubby has an otter box on his iPhone 5c and it wouldn't fit.  :(

There are two of these nifty straps and buckles on each side of the bag....

....Which means it attaches to ANY stroller!!  Our stroller handle is extra wide and not only did our old diaper bag not fit under the stroller, the straps didn't fit over the handle which meant we were left toting the diaper bag around everywhere we went.  What a pain!  This straps onto the handles of the stroller so easily.  It is marvelous!

Each side has an insulated pocket for baby bottles or water bottles for Dad.  We tend to stuff small toys in here.

Small zipper pocket on the inside - great for holding keys, gum, and finger nail clippers!

PICTURE OF CLOTH WIPES IN HOLDER

The best thing, besides that amazing should strap, is that this diaper bag fits a ton of stuff!  It is definitely ideal for cloth diapers!  This is what our original diaper bag looked like for everything we need for a day out:

Stuffed full and difficult, if not impossible, to zip shut.

And this is what our Daddy & Co bag looks like for a day out:

A little stuffed, but it shuts!!  And that really is a lot of stuff!!  I also love that it stays standing no matter how empty or full it is.

This is what I had in both bags:

3 stuffed pocket diapers
2 Covers
4 Double Inserts
Changing Pad
Cloth Wipes
Wet Bag
Wipe Spray
Diaper Cream (CJ's)
2 Burp Cloths
2 Extra Outfits
Nursing Cover
Boba Stretchy Wrap
3 Small Toys
1 Medium Toy
Extra Nursing Pads
2 or 3 Bibs

The Daddy Messenger Bag is the definite winner!!
Especially because Daddy doesn't hate carrying it.  In fact, he loves to show it off.  ;)

And guess what?!?  Daddy & Co has graciously offered to give one of my readers a Daddy & Co Messenger Diaper Bag of their very own!!  The giveaway will begin on May 4th as a part of the "For the Love of Dad" Giveaway Hop.  Don't miss it!!

Don't forget to follow Daddy and Company on your favorite social media:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

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The Daddy & Co Blog

My Absolute Favorite Diaper (WAHM Review & Giveaway) *CLOSED*

Hey all!!  I may be more excited about this WAHM review than any before.  Why?  Because Christina and I share the same faith.  We are sisters in Christ and since I first began talking to her last June or July, we had an instant connection because of this.  But I’m also excited about this review because I absolutely LOVE this diaper!

I was given a free diaper in exchange for an open & honest review.  No other compensation was exchanged.  All opinions are my own.

Let me give you a brief background of this wonderful small business - like many moms, Christina wasn't happy with the diapers she was using.  So she decided to start making her own.  Soon, people were asking where she got her diapers and before she knew it, Fruit of the Womb Diapers was born!  Her and her hubby have nine kiddos!  Nine!  I love it!!  They also donate a portion of all their proceeds to Bridgehaven Pregnancy Support Center in Cedar Rapids, IA.  I really love this because I, myself, have recently taken a job at a pregnancy center.  :)

The diapers Christina makes are extremely unique.  She came up with the design herself and I have never seen anything like it.  As soon as I opened the package, before we even used it, I knew this diaper was going to be one of our new favorites.  You could instantly tell that it was made very well and that it was super absorbent.  It is, hands down, our new favorite diaper...especially overnight!

Comes in pretty cute packaging!  ;)

Adorable little elephants.  :D

And the bum!

I know that overnight is a struggle.  When people ask me how I like using cloth or how it has gone, I first say how much I absolutely love it but also note that there is a learning curve.  At this point, I usually mention that it took us quite a while to find an overnight solution and that we had to deal with leaks.  If I had not had the limitless access to cloth diaper blogs and facebook groups, I may have given up.  I think the key to overnight is to just keep trying until you find something that works for you.

And I bet that this one will!

 

This OS (one size) Fruit of the Womb diaper can be used as an AIO (All in One) or an AI2 (All in Two).  One insert is sewn in.  And a second insert can be snapped in.  

It does take a bit of time to dry....but soooooo worth it!

With the second insert snapped in, we have never had a leak overnight, not even close.  When I say “not even close” I’m sure some moms know what I’m talking about.  But let me clarify - there are mornings that Little Miss will wake up without wet sheets or wet PJ’s…but I can tell as I take off her diaper that there is not room for one more drop of pee and that she was headed straight for a leak if I had left her in it any longer.  This happens with probably half of my overnight solutions.  Which, for me, means that they aren’t the perfect solution.  Thankfully, this super cute elephant diaper is a perfect solution. 

In fact, I decided to try it last night without the extra insert and it STILL worked wonderfully!  This means that I know I have a diaper that will work if she decides to become even more of a heavy wetter!  Which is awesome.  I know exactly where I will turn to if we start to leak at night again!!  Fruit of the Womb.

Another thing I would like to mention is that I am usually pretty leery of hook & loop (Velcro).  I had gotten a few diapers at the beginning with hook & loop that I’m positive will not be of use soon.  She has already discovered the tabs during changing time and it wouldn’t take much effort to pull them right open because they aren’t very sticky.  It is for this reason, I’ve steered clear of hook & loop diapers.  Even though they are a bit easier…

Thankfully, the hook & loop that Fruit of the Womb uses is phenomenal!  That stuff is like glue!  It sticks and means it!  This is another reason I fell head over heels for this diaper.  It is sooooo easy to use and I don’t have to worry about the tabs coming undone.

I also love the fold down rise.  Only a few of my diaper have this function and I’ve never seen one with hook & loop before.  I love it!  No snaps or hook & loop touching baby’s skin at any point and it makes the “one-size” part of the diaper pretty nice!

1. Rise shown up.   2. Rise shown folded down.   3. What the inside looks like when the rise is up (no hook & loop touching baby's sensitive skin).

But here is my absolute favorite part of this diaper – the tag!

Cute right??  :D

When a company is faith-based, I have more confidence in buying the product and working with the people.  Fruit of the Womb definitely holds that standard high.

Here's what the diaper looks like on:

Oh how I love those chunky legs!!

One thing I do need to mention, the turn around time for Fruit of the Womb dipes is two-three weeks  But with nine kids and being a tremendous success at her business, I can completely understand this.  I know it is hard for me to get much done during the week and I only have one little lady to contend with.  Fun fact – Christina’s youngest is just a month older than our Aelah.  We were belly buddies.  ;)

Some other items you can grab at Fruit of the Womb: Diaper Covers, Prefolds, Flats, Bibs, Burp Cloths and more!

Be sure to follow Fruit of the Womb on your favorite social media:

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Etsy

And don’t forget to check out the Fruit of the Womb website HERE.

TO BUY: Head on over to the webpage or Etsy and use code: 15OFF for 15% off (Expires April 30, 2015) (Thanks Christina!)

TO WIN: One reader will win a $25 credit to the shop (the OS diaper would be a perfect buy!).  Use the Giveaway Tool below for your chance to win!

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WAHM Giveaway & Review: Cloth Diaper Safe Rash Salve

I was given free product in exchange for an open & honest review.  No other compensation was exchanged.  All opinions are my own.

I would like to introduce you to a hard-working momma - Nicole from Little Black Cat Organics.  In her own words, she is "a work at home mom to a very energetic young man and a very small little lady."

Photo Courtesy of Nicole.

She began her cloth diapering adventure with her little man and started making her own!  After perfecting her diapers she decided it would be a great business venture.  And 2 years ago (this month!) she opened her Etsy Shop.  

Here is a glimpse at some of my favorite items from LBC Organics (but there is SO much more!):

Fitteds that look heavenly! (photo courtesy of LBC Organics)

There are even prints! (photo courtesy of LBC Organics)

Hemp/Bamboo Inserts (photo courtesy of LBC Organics)

Wool Covers as well as other covers, AIO's, and AI2's (photo courtesy of LBC Organics)

A Variety of Skin Care Products (Picture courtesy of LBC Organics)

Nicole sent me some of their Green Bum Balm Diaper Rash Salve which is CLOTH DIAPER SAFE!!  Woot woot!

That REALLY works!

The cutest little jar!

Perfectly smooth and creamy...

We are absolutely in love with this Bum Balm!  Usually when Aelah is a little red or rashy we just use coconut oil.  And most of the time it does a pretty decent job.  But sometimes it just doesn't cut the mustard.  

However, this Bum Balm has been amazing!  She had a tiny little rash on her bum last week.  Put this on before bed and it was gone in the morning!

But my very favorite perk??  Aelah's cheeks are horribly dry.  And the coconut oil doesn't help much.  I started putting the bum balm on her cheeks and they have changed drastically.  They are so wonderfully smooth!  Just like when she was born.  :)

Do you know what this means??  You can use the bum balm for YOU too!  No more dry skin!!  Yeah!

Working with Nicole has been a pleasure.  The process has been simple and smooth and I have zero complaints!  I highly, highly recommend LBC Organics!  This shop is especially great for those who live a "crunchy" lifestyle - from nursing pads, to natural skin care...there is something for everyone!

You can follow Little Black Cat Organics on these social media platforms:

Etsy

Facebook

Twitter

Remember, this month is LBC Organic's second birthday!!  It would be so super sweet of you to swing by and and leave a Happy Birthday on your favorite social media!  

Because of this big birthday, there is currently a 15% discount on everything in the store (discount has already been applied).  Even more awesome is that Nicole has given the readers of Learning to Be 31 a discount code for an additional 5% off!

Thanks Nicole!!

  
She has also offered to give away a Green Bum Balm Diaper Rash Salve!!  I am so excited for you guys.  This stuff rocks!

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