Cloth Diapering 101 : the Different Types

If you're just starting to cloth diaper or trying to decide if you want to cloth diaper, you can feel very overwhelmed by all the different types. Each type is different in its own ways and will work differently on your baby. Please remember that all babies are different. Just because you know someone that loves pockets doesn't mean that you necessarily will or that they will even work for your little dude/little gal. If you're first starting off I recommend buying different types and different brands until you find what you like. Then start stocking up on what you like.

Now let's go over some of the many and confusing types of diapers.

Flat Diapers :

Flat diapers are the "old school" diaper. They are just a rectangle piece of fabric that you can fold to a specific size or style. With the modernization of diapers I don't find very many people that use these diapers. Actually, to be honest I don't know anyone that uses these diapers! They however are super easy to make. All you need to do is cut some absorbent fabric (flannel, layers of cotton, bamboo, etc.) into rectangles. In order to secure onto baby you will need either pins or a snappi, and a cover to make it waterproof.

Pre-Folds & Covers : 

Pre-folds are a lot like flat diapers but they have a thicker center for more absorbency. These are the most financially friendly of the modern diapers. They usually come in two different sizes, newborn and infant. Just like with flat diapers these are folded to your desired style of fold. They also require a pin or snappi to secure, and a cover to make it waterproof. Some folds can be secured with just a cover. Check this site out for some great folds : Karen's Cloth Diapering Site.

Fitted :

The next step would be a fitted which is where you start seeing snaps, Velcro, elastic, and one-size (OS). Fitted diapers have elastic in the back and around the legs to control leaks, along with convenient snaps or velcro for easy securing. Although they have a lot of the modern amenities they still need a cover. Fitted diapers is also where you start seeing One Size (OS). But most fitteds are sized. Because you need different sizes it can become quite costly. I personally have never used a fitted diaper but I hear they are amazing at controlling leaks. I know a lot of people that use them for night time diapers.

Pockets :

Pocket diapers are where we introduce inserts. Inserts come in many different fabrics (microfiber, bamboo, hemp), These inserts are "stuffed" into the pocket of the diaper to create absorbency. Add extra inserts to create your own level of absorbency. This is extreme convenient if you have a heavy wetter or night time wetter! A lot of people (including me) HATE stuffing diapers though. It's very time consuming. Pockets also come with snaps or velcro and are the first diapers that DO NOT need a cover. PUL is usually used to waterproof pocket diapers. It can be used as the outside of the diaper or hidden. The inside is lined with a soft, absorbent fabric. Very gentle on babies bum. 

All-In-Ones (AIO) :

AIOs are exactly what the name implies. It's the closest to a disposable diaper. Only difference is that you're using snaps or Velcro and reusing it. There are no inserts or need for a cover. Everything is attached in one piece. These are my personal favorite style of diaper. Some people aren't fond of AIOs because they take a while to dry. Which some do. The ones with an insert sewn between the front and back pieces of the cover do take the most amount of time to dry. BUT... you can get my favorite diaper in the world which is the BumGenius Freetime (pictured above). Its inserts fold out making drying time shorter. I recommend everyone have at least one Freetime in their stash. ;)

All-In-Twos (AI2) :

Please ignore the bleach stains. Lesson learned : Don't use bleach with velour.

The only difference between an AIO and an AI2 is that the insert snaps out. This allows for thorough cleaning and fast drying.

Phewh! And there you have it. Some of the different types of diapers ( yes there's still more!). I hope I made them easy to understand. I know I was really confused with all the different types when I started. If you have any questions feel free to comment below or e-mail me!

What would you like my next post to be about?

-Kristin

Cloth Diapering 101 : An Introduction

When I first found out I was pregnant with my son my husband (yes, my husband!) told me that HE wanted to use cloth diapers. I was actually a little hesitant on it. I loved the whole green aspect of it but was worried about the maintenance of them. How long do they take to clean? Do you put them in the dryer? How do you get the poo off them?!? I was full of questions. Then we found a local diaper service that would deliver pre-fold diapers to your home and would pick them up once a week. No washing required so I said "Alright, let's cloth!"

Unfortunately pre-folds didn't work for us. I was about to give up on cloth diapering when I decided that I would take the leap and wash them myself. There are sooo many different kinds of diapers (I'll go over some of the types next blog post) that my head was spinning. I knew I wanted to keep cloth diapering but didn't know where to begin. I decided to go to a local baby boutique that sold tons of different diapers. The associate there was VERY helpful and helped me pick a few different diapers. I ended up getting the BumGenius Freetime (my faaaavorite diapers!) and some Thirsties AIOs (didn't work for us).

Took them home and was amazed at how easy the maintenance of them really is! I was hooked! Now I'm a diaper addict and proud of it. =)

If you're thinking about becoming a cloth diaper mama I highly suggest it! You're going to love it. Just remember that every baby is different. Every diaper is different. It might take a few different diapers to figure out what works for you and your little one but once you do, you'll become addicted like me!

- Kristin

NAME DROPS:
Dirty Deeds Diaper Service - The diaper service we started with. Ran out of Rochester, Michigan. LOVE these guys! GREAT service! If pre-folds work for you I HIGHLY recommend them!

Modern Natural Baby - Great baby boutique in Ferndale, Michigan. Not only do they have a great selection of diapers but also a great selection of clothes, toys, and accessories. Definitely worth a stop by if you're in the area.

RECIPE : Candy Bar Pudding Cookies

These cookies are some of the best cookies that I have ever made! I'll be completely honest, I ate a whole dozen cookies the night I made them. =X Good thing it's the holiday season so diets don't exist!

 You can put any kind of candy bar into these as you wish. I still had some Halloween candy left so I just used what I had on hand which were some Milky Ways. These cookies are family friendly and would make a great cookie to leave out for Santa.

Base recipe was found at Kraft.com.





 Ingredients :

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
1 candy bar of your choice, chopped (Milky Way, Snickers, Butterfingers, you pick!)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat eggs and sugar together.
Add pudding mix and beat until well blended.
Add eggs and baking soda; mix well.
Gradually beat in flour until well blended. Stir in chocolate candy.

Drop tbs of dough onto baking sheet roughly 2 inches apart.
Bake 10-12 mins or until edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool a few minutes before enjoying!

REVIEW : Eco-Nuts

I first heard about eco-nuts on the show, "Shark Tank" (one of my favorite shows. Maybe one day you'll see Nature Junkie on there. ;P ). They intrigued me! A little nut  that produces soap AND is cloth diaper friendly  How cool! Even though they didn't make a deal I still had to try them!

So, I googled them and came across their website (econutssoap.com). I saw that they offer a trail size which included the reusable bag and enough berries (really they're not even nuts!) for 10 loads at $3.99. I decided to give it a try.

Once they arrived I read the very easy instructions. All you have to do is put the berries in the reusable bag and throw them in the washer with your laundry. Once the laundry is done you remove the bag and allow to dry or throw right into another load of laundry.

I used all 10 of the washes. I washed everything from towels, my husbands work clothes, to my sons cloth diapers. They worked amazingly! Everything felt clean and incredibly soft without using any sort of fabric softener. My sons cloth diapers felt brand new! I also loved the fact that I didn't have to run another rinse cycle for diapers. It produces just enough soap.

The only down side.... to me anyways..... is that they're fragrance free. Which to some isn't a down side at all. But, I like my laundry to smell clean and fresh. And for this reason I haven't bought any more eco-nuts. If they were to make scented ones I would definitely buy more!

Want to try eco-nuts for FREE?!? Enter the giveaway below. One lucky winner will have a trial size pack shipped to them.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome to the new blog!

Hey everyone! I would like to welcome you to Nature Junkies new blog!

I love helping support WAHMs like myself. I created this blog so I can share my thoughts and reviews on different WAHM products that I buy. I hope that you find the reviews helpful and maybe even purchase from some of the WAHMs that I love! Non-WAHM products will also be reviewed.

Those on the go moms will also find great-tasting, fast-making recipes!

I hope you enjoy the posts that are to come. Please feel free to e-mail me if there is a product you would like reviewed. Also feel free to join into the fun and post comments. If you've tried an item that is being reviewed we would love to also hear your opinions on the product.

Thanks again for stopping by and don't forget to follow this blog and "LIKE" NJ on facebook. (www.facebook.com/xnaturejunkie)

-Kristin