Blueberry Baby, Fairbanks, Alaska » betsy

Why cloth diapers?

betsy — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 23:09:25 +0000

Cloth diapers can be

Good for you
Good for your pocket
Good for the environment
Good for baby

Good for you:

Less mess-

In our experience, good quality, properly sized fitted cloth diapers will prevent leaks much better than disposable diapers, especially when dealing with the runny stool produced by breast-fed babies. It is so much better to wash diapers than to be continually changing a baby’s outfit due to explosive messes!

Convenient-

Yes, we are talking about cloth diapers! All-in-one diapers are similar in construction to disposable diapers and just as easy to get on and off. Fitted diapers and covers with snap or velcro take only a little more time. Even prefolds do not need diaper pins anymore!

Inexpensive flushable liners are now available which prevent soiling of cloth diapers. This eliminates the need for soaking or scraping a soiled diaper.
Toss wet diapers in a washable waterproof bag when out of the house, then put the whole thing in the diaper pail when you return. If there is a clothes washer easily accessible, cloth diapers may be placed directly into the wash, eliminating the need for a diaper pail- much easier than taking disposables out in the trash or running to the grocery store to buy more disposables at -40 below!

Good for your pocket

Less Expensive-

3 year Disposable vs. Cloth Cost Comparison in Fairbanks, Alaska

6000 least expensive disposables & wipes available in Fairbanks
6000 Unbleached low impact disposables
10,000 most expensive disposables & wipes available in Fairbanks

Prefold diapers (infant & premium), covers, fasteners, wipes, liners, home laundry + soap 3 years, 1.5 loads/week
All in One Diapers( 3 sizes), wipes, liners, home laundry + soap, 3 years, 1.5 loads/week
Kissaluvs colors (our most expensive)
Bummi covers, wipes, liners, laundromat (wash & dry) for 3 years + soap, 2 loads/week

Hidden costs-

Children in disposables often take up to a year longer to potty train, leading to additional expense.
Cloth diapers can be used for more than one child or resold on consignment, further reducing expenses, sometimes dramatically.

Good for the environment

Most disposable diapers contain about 1 cup of crude oil (each), bleached wood pulp, and the super absorbant polymer sodium polyacrylate,(banned from tampons due to link with Toxic Shock Syndrome) along with an asortment of dyes and perfumes. Dioxin, a by product of the manufacturing process which has been linked to infertility and some types of cancer, is also present.

Raw materials-

A study financed by the Women’s Environmental Network in the UK which considered statistics provided by disposable manufacturers reported that when manufacturing was considered, disposable diapers still use “20 times more raw material, 3 times more energy, 2 times more water and generate 60 times more solid waste” than cloth diapers, even when laundering is considered.
Production of cotton, hemp and wool fibers is a more efficient use of land than the producton of wood pulp currently used in disposable diaper fill.

Waste disposal-

American disposable diaper use results in roughly 2 billion tons of urine, feces, paper and plastic deposited annually in landfills. Cloth diapers can be reused, eventually composted and human waste flushed into the local sewer system for proper treatment.

Good for Baby:

Healthy skin-

Cloth diapers allow air to circulate, reducing heat rash. Some babies may have allergic reactions to the chemicals used in disposable diapers even when fragrances and dyes are not used.

A study by a major disposable diaper manufacturer shows that the incidence of diaper rash rose from 7.1% to 61% between 1970 & 1995, coinciding with the increase in disposable diaper use.

Fewer chemicals-

Sodium polyacrylate, the absorbant plymer found in disposables, was banned from use in tampons after being associated with toxic shock syndrome. It has been shown to be fatal to be pets when ingested. Dioxin, a byproduct of the bleaching process for the wood pulp in disposables, has been linked with cancer, infertility and other health problems.The effect of holding these chemicals and others next to baby’s skin for 3 years has not been tested.

Choking hazard-

Cloth diapers are harder to pull apart than plastic disposables, posing less of a choking risk. We do indeed know babies who have both choked on and ingested pieces of disposable diaper, along with all the chemicals they contain.

This information is presented by Blueberry Baby and is based on local Fairbanks prices gathered in March 2004 in an unofficial survey, and available information which is current, to the best of our knowledge as of February 21, 2004

For more tips on using cloth, contact

Blueberry Baby
378 Old Chena Pump Rd
Fairbanks, AK 99709
907-347-2772
www.blueberrybaby.org
We offer quarterly cloth diapering workshops for new and expecting parents, and caregivers. For upcoming workshop dates, please call or e-mail us.

Rent a sampler pack of cloth diapers!

Do you want to try everything without the long term commitment? Leave a deposit, try it for 2-3 weeks, then return it (clean & good condition) for a refund of deposit, less cost of flushable liners and a weekly fee.

References:

http://enviro-baby.com/wclothvsdisp.html
Retrieved February 6, 2004

Environmental concerns II: Looking at Both Sides of the Issue, retrieved October 13, 2003 fromhttp://webhome.idirect.com/~born2luv/e-concerns2.html

The New Parents Guide (2004), Diapers…Diapers…Diapers…Cloth vs. Disposable, Retrieved February 5, 2004, from http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/diapers.htm

Diaper Dilemmas, retrieved February 5, 2004, from http://www.asac.ab.ca/BI_winter0304/diaperdilemmas.html

Kerstin Ruth Wolf, Don’t Throw It All Away: Paper Products and the Environment, Retrieved February 5, 2004, from Grinell College Technology Concentration web site:http://web.grinnell.edu/techstudies/wolfk/ubp.html

Other resources:
http://www.wen.org.uk/nappies
http://www.diaperpin.com
http://www.borntolove.com/d-list1y.shtml

Babywearing

betsy — Fri, 04 May 2007 06:51:56 +0000

Lara and Betsy with our kids back in 2004

One of our favorite things here at Blueberry Baby is to teach people how to carry, or “wear” their babies. We gladly offer a lifetime of lessons to every mama, daddy, or grandma who comes into the shop to try out our baby carriers and slings. From birth to toddler, there is a comfortable way to carry your child, encouraging bonding, communication, and giving you freedom to go about your day knowing baby is close and content.

We offer the Ergo baby carrier, ring slings, pouches (similar to the New Native carrier), and wrap style carriers (Storchenwiege) both new and used in our shop. In the photo above, Lara is wearing Jonah in a batik ring sling (hip carry), and Betsy is wearing Liliana in a Storchenwiege wrap (back cross carry improvised). Both children are around 2 years old and over 25 pounds in this photo, and we are both pregnant with #3 in this picture, too! Our two older boys have been known to occasionally ask for a ride on mama’s back, which we can cheerfully oblige using the wrap style carrier and a back carry similar to the one pictured, or the Ergo baby carrier. (see www.ergobabycarrier.com)
We also sell the tummy2tummy DVD, a comprehensive babywearing guide, valuable for everyone from novice babywearer to experienced natural mama. It covers ringslings, wrap style carriers, and pouches and is a worthshile purchase for anyone who wants to wear their baby well. The Ergo carrier comes with its own DVD.

For more info on the art of babywearing, please come by the shop for a demonstration or for help in getting the hang of your sling or carrier, or visit mamatoto.org , a wonderful resource with photos and videos of many different babies being worn in various positions and styles of carriers. Happy baby wearing!

Cloth Diaper Care

betsy — Fri, 04 May 2007 06:40:38 +0000

First of all, don’t worry if you forget to do some of these things some of the time. It’s really OK and your diapers will probably be fine. I only wished someone had written all this down for me with our first baby! Second, this might seem like a lot of information to process- but in practice, it only takes a few minutes to actually do what we’ve outlined in such detail here. Feel free to email us or leave a comment below with additional questions…

We now proudly sell Charlie’s Soap, which consistently receives excellent customer feedback for clean rinsing and being gentle to the most sensitive baby’s skin. As a bonus, it is extremely economical and eco-friendly.

Setting up your dry pail:

(For newborns, up until beginning solids), a dry pail is ok from beginning- it is much less work. For NB poopy dipes, read on.

•Place large mesh bag in pail, cinch tight around edge of pail to hold in place. Place top on pail.

•Throw in wet cloth dipes, wipes, everything, as they are used.

• For poopy dipes (newborn/breastfed), fill a small (quart size) tupperware halfway with water, keep in a safe place where curious toddlers won’t get into it- use the lid, and place under the sink in childlocked cupboard or in an inaccessible bathroom closet. This is the only “wet pail” you need. Formula-fed babies, see section on flushies below.

•When ready to wash, (every three days or when out of dipes) open tupperware container, (can drain water in the toilet or right into washer) start them on a spin/rinse cycle, then add the mesh bag containing all remaining wet diapers, and Bio-kleen detergent, and start a fresh hot wash

. Dump pail water down toilet. Rinse bucket/pail out, (in shower is easiest) use Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap to freshen.

•Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you use chlorine bleach, fabric softeners, or dryer sheets. They will drastically reduce the useable life of your diapers by breaking down the natural fibers, and reducing absorbency. They also increase the flammability of all garments- not a good choice for your family’s clothing either. Cloth diaper warranties are void if diapers have been laundered with these substances. Be kind to your baby and gentle on the earth, please, don’t use them!

Washing Diaper Covers:

•If there are any poopy stains treat with Bac-out, Everyday Stain Remover (available at Fred Meyer’s in the Natural Foods section) or similar product before throwing in washer.

•Wash in machine in warm water with other laundry, (lights not darks) regular Bio-kleen laundry powder. HANG dry for durability.

•Turn newborn covers inside out and close velcro before washing if you remember. (helps velcro last). Bummis cotton or Bummis original have this umbilical stump fold-down feature.

•Wash wool covers every few weeks or when soiled in tepid water with Eucalan. Both cold and hot water will shock the wool fibers and cause shrinkage. Pat excess moisture out by placing cover in a towel and patting it. Air dry away from high heat and sun (will cause shrinkage). Sunning is wonderful for freshening wool as long as the cover is completely dry (otherwise, shrinkage can occur). with proper care, wool covers last a long,long time and are well worth their cost. If necessary, relanolinize wool covers with lanolin (lansinoh is fine) every few months to restore wool fibers and recover waterproof properties.

Diaper Notes:

•Close velcro tabs to themselves(specially designed for this) before putting in pail, since it helps velcro to last longer.

•When washing newborn diapers, you can fill washer and soak overnight, (or even for 20 min. or not at all if in a hurry) then wash in warm/hot water with Bio-kleen and white vinegar in the rinse.

•Hanging dipes in sun helps with yellow shadow (from big poops), saves electricity of course. You can fluff the diapers first or after for increased softness.
•If diapers become too stiff after hanging, in next wash reduce amount of Bio-kleen detergent by about 1/3 and substitute about a tablespoon of Dr. Bronner’s castile (peppermint is nice) soap.

Flushable Liners:

•Mostly useful for after breastfed baby starts solids, or for formula fed babies. Solely breastfed babies don’t need liners, as stool is easy for washing machine to clean thoroughly.

•Flushable liners are great- when you go out keep a big sturdy ziploc bag or one of our bummis nylon waterproof bags in the diaper bag for keeping wet dipes. Simply wipe baby’s bottom with clean part of liner, flush liner, diaper goes in the bag! BUT, when you are breastfeeding exclusively (no solids, formula, etc.) remember everything poopy goes in tiny “wet pail” (quart sized tupperware)— wipes, dipes when you get home.

•With dry pail (before solids) flushies can be washed and reused if simply wet, (throw in pail with wet diaper) OR if poop is at the log stage (can be rolled off neatly into toilet, leaving little/no evidence on the liner). Just throw liners in (dry)pail along with dipe, wash altogether, pluck out to hang if possible if you put diapers in the dryer.

FAQs

betsy — Fri, 04 May 2007 06:37:28 +0000

Do you make all of this?

There is not enough time in the day! While we do make a few items, we rely largely on other local crafts people, many of whom are also work at home moms, dads and grandmas, and a few dedicated friends!

Though we don’t have control over all chosen work environments of our artisans, we do our best to make sure everyone we work with is receiving a fair wage. There are some things it is just not cost effective to make in Alaska at this time, and a few items just can’t be improved upon, and that’s why we carry some great non-Alaskan items too!

So which diaper do you use on your baby?

We don’t sell any diapers we haven’t personally tested out on our babies (there are occasionally the new product exceptions, but they usually don’t last long!) Having said that, everyone has their preferences:

Lara- For newborns, NOTHING beats a Kissaluvs size 0 with a Bummi Super Whisper Wrap cover. Once my kids out grew the newborn size, I did different things. For my boys, I liked using once size/grow with me diapers, and I love the new Mother Ease design. I’ve used both the organic cotton as well as the stay dry, and while the purist in me wants to say I stuck with all organic, the inside of those stay dry diapers roll the poo right off with no liner and no scrubbing, and they are very absorbent! I like to use these with either a super whisper wrap (both velcro and snap have their advantages) or a wool cover. I have a few All In One diapers for out and about, and hubby and I “just can’t deal with it” days. Right now I am torn between the TotsBots easyfit and the Kissaluvs AIO. I like the over all design of the TotsBots better, but with a potty training 1-2 year old, it sure is nice to have the strong snaps for pulling the diaper up and down like underpants which the Kissaluvs offers. For overnight, I love the Kissaluvs bamboo/poly marvels prints with a wool cover. I can get away with at TotsBots AIO since it is absorbent enough most of the time, but for a real heavy wetter, go with the 2 piece with wool! For my younger girls, I ended up doing much the same thing, but with prefolds instead of the one size diapers. For baby 2 and 3, I had about 54 diapers, washed once a week and never ran out with that much back up! With my last girl, we have been better about doing part time Elimination Communication, so we needed far fewer diapers on hand. We also had an in home washing machine by that time, which definitely made life simpler!

Betsy- for newborns, I agree, the Kissaluv size 0 with a SWW cover is unbeatable- a newborn doubler is helpful for longer stretches for some babies. For toddlers or younger heavy wetters at nighttime, one of our unbleached DSQ prefolds with a kissaluvs soaker inside, a snappi fastener and a LANA wool cover is super absorbent, breathable, and makes for a dry bed always!

Which sling do you use the most?

Lara- My all around favorite baby carrier ever is the Storchenweige wrap sling. It is incredibly versatile and any carry can be customized to work best for baby & the caregiver. It will support a child from newborn to toddler without putting too much strain on the caregiver’s back. It is also the only sling in which I feel comfortable nursing discreetly while still being able to walk around, if needed. I have other carriers which I use for different purposes. The ring sling is my favorite for out and about when there will be lots of ins & outs as we get in the car, or baby gets passed around at grandma’s house. It is great for sending with baby when a different caregiver is watching them since it is so adjustable. On the other hand, one of my boys was simply attached to his cozy fitted sling and much preferred that. The Mei Tai carrier is great for hiking on hot days when I want to keep the fabric to a minimum, and is less intimidating than the wrap for others (like grandma) to use. At 2 years old, I mostly use the wrap sling, tho the ring sling did make an appearance for a holiday concert last week when I knew she would want to wiggle out and see what is going on periodically.

Betsy- Now that I have a two year old who is 25 lbs., my favorite by far for comfort is the Storchenwiege wrap. I carry my not-so-little girl in a back cross carry wrap, which was very much worth the effort it took to get it down pat. We recently took a two week trip across the country, and I had people stop in the airport to watch as I took her on and off my back, in and out of the wrap, smoothly and quickly. It doubled as a blanket on the airplane, and folded up flat in my carry on. I have a pregnant baby belly right now, and needless to say, this is the only carrier which is truly comfortable (we have a serious backpacking frame pack carrier, and a Babytrekker- like the Canadian version of the ergo carrier- and neither one compares). I like the versatility, extreme comfort of having weight distributed so well, and the gorgeous organic fabric with just the right amount of stretch.

When I have a little one (under a year and under 22 lbs. or so) I do love my batik ring sling (by Breast Dressed- made right here in Fairbanks) for popping baby in and out easily and for discreet nursing. It has a comfy shoulder pad, but an unpadded body and free flowing tail for coverage for a sleeping or nursing baby. It is cool and breathable even on the sunny beaches of Hawaii, and can be worn under a parka while doing errands in frigid Alaskan winters.

Helpful Links

betsy — Fri, 04 May 2007 06:33:06 +0000