**I've Got the Golden Diaper- August CB Giveaway** COMPLETE

Introducing.. The August 2013 Calendar Bums

                            Mia

We are doing something completely different and absolutely awesome for August Calendar Bums Giveaway.

 "I've Got the Golden Diaper"

PRIZE: Bamboo SuperPOD

How to Enter:

1. Simply purchase an August Calendar Bums Shell at SoftBums.com or your favorite SoftBums Retailer. (available August 1st 2013) 
2. Wait impatiently for your mail to get to your house.
3. Open your Fluffy Mail
4. Check the back snap on the shell if it is the MYSTERY color that isn't WHITE YOU ARE THE WINNER, You've Got the Golden Diaper!!
5. Extra points if you take a video of yourself opening your Fluffy Mail and tag & share it with us on facebook (tag: #SoftBumsGoldenDiaper, @SoftBums), pinterest, (tag: #SoftBumsGoldenDiaper, @softbums) or email.
6. IF you take a video of yourself opening your fluffy mail and you don't receive the "Golden Diaper" but you still send us your shared video, you will be entered in a drawing via random.org for 2nd place.

 This giveaway will be over once the Golden Diaper has been found. We will announce the winner on this page & post their video if they had one. The Runner up winner will be selected once the Golden Diaper has been found. This may take a couple weeks.

Fix Your Leaks Scavenger Hunt & Giveaway!!

This past week we covered the 5 main reasons for diaper leaks.

• Insufficient Prepping or Repelling
• Incorrect Fit of the Shell
• Incorrect Fit of the Pod
• Insufficient Absorbency
• Problematic Fit with Clothing

 

So now that you have all the information, it is our hope that you are now armed with the tools to make your cloth diapering journey successful & enjoyable! If for whatever reason you are still having problems, you can always contact us and we are here to help you troubleshoot.

Don't forget our Buy 5 Get 1 sale now goes until August 31st 2013!!

SoftBums Bamboo Super pods are our most absorbent pot yet! They are super customizable and trim enough to use as soon as your baby outgrows mini pods, and can grow to fit a toddler ready to potty train. We really love these pods and one lucky winner is going to love them too. All 6 of them!!

Yep the lucky winner gets a 6 PACK of BAMBOO SUPER PODS!! WAHOO! 

 

Lets go on a scavenger hunt!

 

The more clues you can find the more entries you can get into our giveaway!!

 

Good Luck!!

______________________________________________

This Scavenger Hunt & Giveaway closed on Friday August 2nd at 3pm. Winner was announced and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.  

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fix Your Leaks Week- Day 5, Fit & Clothes

Today we will go over the Fit with Clothes and the 5 main leak culprits and how to fix them.

 

Common fit problems: 

• onsie snaps
• shirt tucked into diaper
• wicking from too tight of clothes
• compression leaking (bumbo, carseat etc)
• not changing often enough

Problematic Wicking Pictures

Onsie too tight & snapped.



Shirt tucked into back of the diaper

Compression leaks from sitting

Now that we have seen what problems poor fitting clothes can cause, lets discuss how to fix them:

 

Onesies:

Leaking Cause: If onesie's are too small and you snap them, they can squish the diaper too close to the babies body. This squishing effect is also know as compression and if they sit down or are sitting for a long period of time can cause leaks because the urine has no where to go but out when its compressed. Another problem that onsies have is if the three snaps are snapped the hem of the onsie that goes along the legs can sneak its way into the crease of the diaper and cause wicking.

Solution:

• If your going to dress your baby in onsies, make sure the onsie is adequately sized to fit over the diaper and is not too tight.
• Try snapping only the middle snap on the onsie to reduce wicking.

Shirt tucking into the top of the diaper:

Leaking Cause: If your baby's shirt gets tucked into the top of the diaper (front or back) this will cause wicking from the pod touching the shirt.

Solution:

• After you get your baby's diaper on, be sure to check all around the seals of the diaper so that nothing is sticking out and nothing is tucked in!

Wicking from too tight of clothes:

Leaking Cause: If your baby's clothes are on the small side it is possible this will cause compression & wicking.

Solution:

• If you are noticing wet clothes in the waist or legs check to make sure the fleece is facing toward the baby's skin, and the pants or shirt isn't tucked in.
• If the legs & crotch of the pants are too tight this could be causing compression leaks. If you can't adjust the waist of the pants to make them bigger, it might be time to retire those pair.

Compression leaks from car seat's or sitting for long period of time.

Leaking Cause: If your baby is in a seated position or in a bouncy chair for a long period and the pod gets saturated with urine, the angle of the pod pushing against the baby's body will cause the pod to squish inside of the shell. The urine will be forced out of the pod and will travel to the path of least resistance, in most cases it finds its way out of the shell.

Solution:

• The best way to prevent this problem would be to change your baby as often as you can. Obviously if your taking 3 hour car ride this means taking extra stops to change them.
• Another solution to prevent this would be to add a cloth wipe or baby washcloth behind the pod along the inside of the shell approximately where the leaks happen most often. This will add another layer to soak up the compressed fluid before it has time to escape (without adding any bulk).
• Microfiber is prone to this problem because is it easily compressed. Bamboo is much better at holding onto the liquid and can absorb much more for a longer period of time. So perhaps choosing a bamboo pod for these situations would be a better choice.

Not changing often enough:

Leaking Cause: If you don't change your baby's diaper before it over-absorbs you will have leaks.

Solution:

• It is best to change your baby's diaper as often as every 2-2.5 hours during the day and if your baby is still nursing or taking a bottle at night, a mid-night changing might be required.
• You will have to play around with the amount of time it takes for your baby to absorb a pod and this will not be a constant. As babies grow their bodies are always changing. But a general rule of thumb is every 2 hours.
• If you notice the diaper is oversaturated you might need to add more absorbency. If the pod isn't wet at all then you can extend the changing time.

Testimonial:

My husband has been spoiled by me, he rarely change our son's diapers. One day, he had to stay home with him for the day as I have to work. I have already shown him countless of times how to put it on: pull the pod up first then the shell, tighter waist and loose legs... He didn't do what I said so when our son woke up from nap, he pooped and he leaked all over the bed sheets and comforter... When I got home, first thing he told me was, "wish I have paid more attention when you were showing me how to change diapers". Afterwards, he became a pro in changing him although he usually prefers it if I prestuff omnis for him so it's bullet-proof (daddy-proof).
~Ainee

 

 

Fix Your Leaks Week- Day 4, Absorbency

Today is all about Absorbency.

Different pods absorb different amounts. You need to find the right one for each situation. For instance, for our toddler we use large pods for daytime changing every 2-2.5 hours and then use the Superpods with the mini snapped in for bed to have adequate absorption.  Also, you need to accommodate for how much fluid intake your baby is consuming. On hot summer days you might be giving them more liquids causing more wet diapers. Some babies pee little amounts frequently, others hold their bladders and go all at once. All these factors need to be accounted for when choosing the right pod for your baby's needs through-out the day.

Naps & Bedtime Leaks:

Cause: Usually if your having leaking issues at naps and bedtime it can be one of two reasons. Not enough absorbent layers where the urine flows due to gravity, or not enough absorbency for the time length they are sleeping.

Solution:

• For a back-sleeper: most of the absorbency is needed for obvious reasons in the middle back. The hourglass shape on the Superpods is designed for this purpose helping cover a bigger surface area in a lying position absorbing as much as possible. If you are already using Superpods you may need to add a mini pod (or two).
• For a tummy-sleeper: most of the absorbency is needed in the front. Add a mini pod sandwiched between the fold or right behind the end of the pod. If your using a large pod it might be easier to just bump up to the Super pod.
• For overnights: bump up two levels for absorbency, For example: if your using two mini pods during the day, for night try using a large pod either DryTouch or Bamboo depending on your preference)
• For a toddler this can be cumbersome. If you have already tried the Bamboo super with two minis and that is not cutting it. Try putting the bamboo super stuffed in the pocket and a DryTouch large snapped in. (natural fibers absorb a lot but it takes them longer. By adding a microfiber (drytouch) pod on top of that it will slow down the flow so that the bamboo has time to absorb the fluid. If you cant do synthetic fibers then next would be to try a bamboo super stuffed and another bamboo super snapped on top. Remember with the more bulk you will need to let out the leg elastic a bit to allow for air flow and to reduce the likelihood of compression leaks.

If you have ruled out fit issues with shell, leg elastic and pods. It is likely that you may just need to increase your absorbency.


Here are some charts on what pod you might need to use next. If you don't have all the pods in your stash, when going up in absorbency just go to the next most absorbent one you have. (unless of course if you only have mini pods, then you would need to purchase a more absorbent pod like a large or superpod.) Keep in mind the following: even though two different size pods may have the same absorbency rating it doesn't mean they are the same amount of layers. Age of the pod may be a factor also, if your pods are getting worn out with repeat use after a couple years it may not absorb as much as a brand new fully prepped pod.



 

Check back tomorrow to read about Leaks Caused by Clothing. http://bit.ly/16PGWs3

Fix Your Leaks Week- Day 3, Fit of the Pod

Today we will go over the Fit of Pods and the 5 main leak culprits and how to fix them.

 

Common fit problems: 

• Pod pulled up too high
• Pod positioned too low
• Pod position not appropriate for boy / girl
• Pod bunching
• Stuffing pods in omni pockets wrong

Problematic Pod Pictures

Pod pulled up too high:

 

Pod positioned too low:

Pod bunching:

 

Stuffing pods in omni pockets wrong:

 

So what do you do to fix these fit problems?

Pod pulled up too high:

Cause: If the end of the pod is visible (as pictured above) or touching clothing outside of the shell your going to have wicking leaks.

Solution:

• You want the pod to come up as high as 1 inch below your babies belly button, and then you want to position the aplix strip on the shell directly above the end of the pod (either the fold or end of the pod)
• Here is a fit video that may help:

Pod positioned too low: 

Cause: If the pod is too low (especially for boys), the pod will work its way down further (gravity and not being pinned in place by the wing of the shell), then when peed in, the urine hits the shell directly which isn't going to absorb and the liquid will find the path of least resistance (so maybe a different spot if sitting/standing/laying down)

Solution:

• You want the pod to come up as high as 1 inch below your babies belly button, and then you want to position the aplix strip on the shell directly above the end of the pod (either the fold or end of the pod)
• Here is a video that might help:

Pod position not appropriate for boy / girl:

Cause: If you don't have adequate layers in the appropriate areas per gender (especially for babies who pee a lot at once) if the liquid isn't absorbed it will end up pooling on the fleece of the shell and find its way out the leg areas especially if the baby is moving around a lot.  

Solution:

• When adding additional absorbing layers (such as mini pods) be sure to place them for boys in the top front, and girls middle and back (in the back especially at bedtime).

Front End

Middle Back

Pod bunching:

Cause: Pod not being high enough or smoothed out while the diaper is being put on. Pod that is saturated will bunch after a long period of time & lead to leaks.

Solution:
If your experiencing pod bunching and leaks you need to do one or all of the following:

• The pod may be too low starting out when you put the diaper on your baby. If it isn't high enough and pinned down by the front wing it will cause gaps and the urine will then hitting the shell directly.
• If it creates a pocket of air between the pod and the baby's skin, urine can just sit on the fleece and without the pressure of the baby, won't absorb and will just roll off onto the shell and then out the diaper, so be sure to have the shell snug enough so the pod is against the baby's bottom comfortably.
• If the pod is always saturated when you are experiencing leaks & pod bunching you need to increase absorbency or changing more often will help.

Stuffing pods in omni pockets wrong:

Cause: With DryTouch pods (microfleece topped/ microfiber bottom) If you stuff the pocket with the fleece side up you may get leg leaks. The reason is because there is now 2 layers of the microfleece (non-absorbing layers) for the urine to past through to reach the microfiber. 

Solution:

• Stuff the pocket so that the fleece side is down facing the back of the shell, allowing the microfiber to absorb urine faster.



Pod Adjustment Testimonial:

Right around 5 months I started noticing my daughter leaking quite frequently. I couldn't figure out why she was leaking, because the pods weren't saturated. I checked out the Softbums fit videos and realized that I had two issues, the pods were not up high enough in the front and the legs were way too tight! I quickly adjusted those and she was leak free from that point forward! I'm so thankful for those videos and resources because now we LOVE our Softbums! ~Ruby H

 

If your experiencing leg leaks and you ruled out the "fit of the pod" and your pod isn't soaked, this could be caused by repelling, refer back to our repelling post here: http://loveclothdiapers.blogspot.com/2013/07/week-of-leaks-day-1-prepping-repelling.html

 

Check back tomorrow to read about Absorbency. http://bit.ly/19sYlut

Fix Your Leaks Week- Day 2, Fit of the Shell

 

Today is Day 2 of Fix Your Leaks! Topic is: The fit of the diaper shell and how to fix your leaking problems by diaper area.

 

Common fit problems: 

• waist too loose
   
• legs too tight/loose
   
• wings not pulled up high enough to get around top of legs
   
• diaper isn't secured with legs in downward position

Problematic Fit Pictures:

Waist too loose: Here is an example of a waist that is too loose & just right.

 

 

Legs too tight/ loose: Try this formula to get the best fit custom for your baby:

Click to enlarge

Example of good fitting leg elastic on a newborn

Wings not pulled up high enough: here is an example of a wing droop where the front wing is secured by the tab but the leg elastic is too short causing the wing to droop down on the leg which can cause leaks.

 

Diaper isn't secured with legs down:

 

 

 Lets focus on what is going on and how to fix it by leak area!

Leaks out the top front:

Possible Causes: Waist is not snug enough, Legs are not down when securing the waist tabs causing a gap. Elastic is too short, Rise isn't high enough. Not enough absorbency (when sleeping on tummy) Pod too high.

Solution: 

• Let out the leg elastic or follow the slide2size formula to size the leg elastic.
• When changing the diaper make sure the baby's legs are down and not curled up in their lap. If curled up when securing the diaper, once they kick down, the shell will have a gap in the front top. Try to pull legs down when securing the waist tabs, be sure to get a snug fit (tabs crossing over for newborns & skinny belly infants, touching for infants & almost touching toddlers)
• Be sure to always start the shell in line with baby's belly button to get a high enough rise.
• Add a mini pod for naps or bed if your child is a tummy sleeper.
• If the pod is too close to the top of the shell you will get wicking onto clothes out the top of the shell. (Be sure to have the pod end 1 inch below the belly button and have the shell line up over it so that the middle of the aplix strip is in line with the end of the pod.)

Leaks out the top back:

Possible Causes:  Waist could be too loose, Rise isn't high enough in the back, Pod Repelling, Not enough absorbency (when sleeping on back)

Solution:  

• Start with the shell in line with the baby's belly button, bring the pod up and fold over, while holding the pod down with one hand pull the shell up and over the pod with the other hand. 
• Be sure to pin down the pod with the shell and that the pod is in line behind the aplix strip on the front of the shell.
• Be sure to secure the waist tabs snug across the belly.
• If the pod isn't soaked when your take off the diaper repelling could be the cause and you would need to strip your pods.
• If they are soaked then you need to add a mini pod or add absorbency somehow to the diaper for naps and bedtime when child is laying down.

Leaks out the legs:

Possible Causes: Legs too loose or too tight, if the leg elastic is too tight this can cause compression leaks (especially in seated position for long periods of time, car seats, bumbos, baby carriers, strollers) Wing drooping, Not enough absorbency, Pod too low in front, Pod not tucked into the shell causing wicking.

Solution:  

• Let out the legs to fit 2 fingers snuggly between the baby's leg and the shell or follow the slide2size formula to size the leg elastic.
• Be sure to have the pod up as high as 1 inch below belly button approximately and pinned down with the front of the shell.
• The shell shouldn't be resting on the thighs (pictured above "wing droop")
• If the shell doesn't completely cover the pod and edges are exposed this will cause wicking onto clothes, be sure to tuck in all the pod all around the legs when putting on a diaper.

Newborn Poop Leg Leaks:

Cause: Its runny, slick & shoots out fast, its basically butter (churned up breastmilk or formula) the pod in most cases already is saturated with urine or just cannot absorb the stuff in enough time before it rolls down the length of the pod and onto the shell where it quickly finds its way out. If in a seated position can be caused from compression.

Solution:

• Putting the shell in the dryer for 15min on high to seal the sewing seams.
• Changing often (especially with poops)
• Adding additional absorbency (easy way to add a bit of absorbency without bulk for a newborn, use a baby washcloth or cloth wipe behind the pod).
• Making sure fit is good -no inserts shifting or legs too tight causing compression leaking.

Even with all of these things, it can still happen but newborns do outgrow this stage (and some never have this issue to start with). When changing the diaper make sure the legs are down and not curled up in their lap. If curled up when securing the diaper, once they kick down, the pod will also go down and leaks will happen.

Testimonial:

When LO was really little, we had issues with leaking out the top back of our one Omni. The wetness was wicking to the outside of the diaper because the PUL was rolling under instead of the fleece providing the seal. I eventually figured out that the legs needed to be a little looser so I could pull the rise higher and make sure that only the fleece was against the skin, not letting the PUL roll in. 
~ Sarah D. 


Did you forget to read Day One? Click here to read about: Prepping & Repelling

Check back tomorrow to read about the 5 Culprits of Pod Leaks. http://bit.ly/17Nl4dP 

Fix Your Leaks Week- Day 1, Prepping & Repelling

This week we are talking all about LEAKS.. Well cloth diaper leaks that is and how to diagnose your leaking problem and solve it! Everyday this week we will be talking about different culprits of leaky diapers. We know it can be a deal breaker when it comes to constant leaking diapers, that's why we have narrowed down the 5 main reasons diapers leak in plain English. After you read this series of "Fix your Leaks Week" we hope it will give you the confidence to keep cloth diapering as long as your child is in diapers! So lets get into it!

Today is all about leaks caused by repelling either from insufficient prewashing & drying or from other causes.

Leaking from not enough prewashes is very very common. We can't tell you how many people have suffered from leaks, only to have everything resolve on its own mysteriously in a week or 2. It's simply because the diaper wasn't absorbing properly due to the lack of prepping. Prepping simply means washing pods several times before using. This is only necessary when buying new diapers.

SoftBums recommends:  

Prepping Tips:

WASH IN SEPARATE LOAD:

• It is best to wash your NEW shells and pods in a separate load from your other diapers when prepping. 
• Always prep microfiber (DryTouch pods) and bamboo pods separately, the reason for this is natural oils secrete from the bamboo when prepped that can get on the microfiber easily and will cause repelling.  
• If you only have 1-2 NEW diapers to prep, you can prep them in a load with your bath towels, just be sure to use cloth diaper safe detergent & 1/2 the recommended amount for the load.

WATER LEVEL HIGH!

• Cloth diapers are small but highly absorbent. The most important thing is to make sure all your diapers are covered and saturated with water. The more water you have in your washer for them to agitate in, the cleaner they will get. 
• If you have a top loading washer, this should be easy peasy, just set your washer to water level high! 
• But if you have a fancy pants front loading washer, or an HE top loader, you may have some trial and error ahead of you to get things just right. Any issues you've heard of with front loaders, all stems from just trying to trick the washer into adding more water! Most people find adding wet towels to the washer helps or pouring tap water in with a bucket into the drum with your cloth diapers (making them feel heavier.)
• These settings are for the "LG Front Loader" : First Cycle: Cold Speedwash no detergent - no spin - heavy soil. Second Cycle: - BULKY - stain cycle  hot- EXTRA rinse with 1/2- 3/4 tbsp. detergent. (Having it not "spin" out also makes the load heavier and gets the washer to add more water than usual to the main wash!)

Disclaimer: Always check your washer manufacturer's washing recommendations to avoid voiding your warranty.

Prepping Testimonial: 

We were having leaking issues with our 3 month old. First we loosened up the legs, but we were still having some leaks. For us it turned out to be that they were leaking through the seams. I threw the shells in the dryer on high for 20 minutes...I had to do it twice...and we haven't had a leak since! Thought I would share in hopes that it would help...I know its frustrating! ~Mallory C.

2) Repelling due to wrong detergent or fabric softeners.

SoftBums' Diaper Detergents recommendations:

• Eco Sprout
• Lulu in the Fluff
• Rockin' Green Soap
• Country Save
• Purex Free and Clear

(Please note babies with sensitive skin will also want to avoid optical brighteners and enzymes.)

Natural detergents may seem like a good idea but they often contain softeners or oils which leave a coating on fabrics and may impede the absorbency of diapers.

Detergents to avoid for these reasons include:

• Dreft
• Planet
• ECOS
• Seventh Generation
• Ecover
• Bio-kleen

Note: Homemade detergent is a great solution for your family's clothes but it is not recommended for cloth diapers.

Using fabric softeners can cause repelling. In the cloth diaper world using fabric softeners on your diapers is a big no-no, but what a lot of people don't realize is there is a chance if you use fabric softeners with your clothes the softener can get backed up in the washer and continue to add softener into every wash including your diaper wash causing repelling. Sometimes its better just not to use fabric softener at all in your washer or use it very infrequently.

How to fix your repelling problem: You need to strip your pods to remove any buildup of detergent/ softener or non cloth diaper safe creams. In order to do this you need to send them through the washer several times with and without detergent to get them stripped of the residue that is stuck in between the layers of material preventing them from absorbing.

• Hot Water Strip: So, lets assume the shells & pods are dirty and you are going to start the stripping process.  
  1. Load washer with dirty diapers, shells, pods, wipes, pail liner
  2. Wash on Hot and Water Level HIGH with 3/4 the recommended amount of detergent
  3. Wash on Hot and Water Level HIGH with NO Detergent
  4. Wash on Hot and Water Level HIGH with NO detergent
  5.  Pull wet diapers from washer, and sniff them.  They should smell fresh and clean.  (if they still smell a bit fishy, repeat #1 - 3, but only use 1/4 the recommended amount of Detergent. Rinse an additional 1-2 times.
• Stripping with Bleach
  1.  Fill washer with DryTouch pods only with Hot and 1 cup of bleach (if you do not want to use bleach, use 1-2 Tablespoons of baking soda), let agitate to mix and then stop for 2-4 hours and let soak
  2.  Wash on Hot and High water level 1-2 times

         3. Line dry in the sun if possible.

DO NOT BLEACH YOUR SHELLS NOR YOUR NATURAL FIBER PODS. Bleach will breakdown the materials on your shells and bamboo pods too easily cutting the life of use in half.

Note:  You can use Dawn original blue dish soap 1-2 tablespoons (for a top load washer, 1T for front loader) instead of Detergent to strip.  (Dawn does void most washer's warranties, so if you don't want to void your warranty, you could handwash your pods with blue dawn in the bathtub, rinse a few times and then send them through a couple hot washes in your washing machine.)

• Another Stripping Method: Send your pods (not shells) to a local diaper service to be professionally stripped/cleaned.

Wrong Detergent Repelling Testimonial
My son leaked out of his SoftBums constantly.  It seemed like the leaks were going straight through the PUL, as if it wasn't waterproof. I knew I had the fit right, and I couldn't identify anything in my wash routine that could cause repelling. I decided to take a look at the detergent I was using. It turns out that the formula had a fabric softener built in. I realized that maybe the liquid wasn't getting absorbed quickly enough, causing leaks. Simply changing to a different detergent resolved the leaks immediately. Now his clothes always stay dry and everyone is happy :)  ~Megan

Fabric Softener Testimonial
We recently had our dryer die on us, and our washer was not that far behind so we decided to replace them both. I found a great deal on a used Fisher Paykel on Craigslist. It's a cool HE top loader that you can program everything on, including your water level! Perfect for cloth diapers!

Well, we thought it was perfect until I started getting leaks!!

The first time my baby's diaper leaked, I thought it was a fluke. She's 4mo old now and we've fixed all the kinks out of our diapering system so that we haven't gotten a single leak in months. So, I was shocked to find her sitting in a puddle when she woke up one morning! And then, it happened a second time, and immediately knew it had to be build up in my new/used washer.

We had smelled a stinky sweet smell upon inspection of the new/used washer when we first got it, and guessed it was softener or detergent build up. So we did 2 HOT washes with dawn and bleach and no clothes. Then we did a diaper load. It seemed to work great. And it was so fun to program new washes we kept washing more diapers!  Then I got a bit worried about the still faint smell of something and washed only clothes instead. But, it was too late for those 2 loads of diapers. We had inadvertently added someone else's left over fabric softener onto our precious diapers!!!!!

Once I figured out the culprit from the bad leaks, me and the hubby set apart to opening up the washer and cleaning every part, even the drum inside. It was kind of fun to take it all apart and put it back together. lol

The rest of those softener caked diapers we tried to use before we stripped them, but one after the other leaked in mysterious ways.

One time, she was laying slightly on her side and her outfit, and my leg got so wet but when I took her diaper off, the pod inside was only half saturated, and the shell looked like the wetness just seeped right through the fabric. Now I know this is not the case because 2 days ago I used that same exact shell on her at night with zero leaks.

Another time, the diaper felt totally wet on the back like it just poured pee right out the back of the diaper and the back elastic was doing nothing to stop it. And when I examined the shell after I got it off of her, the seam was all wet.  If I didn't know any better I'd have guessed it was leaking right out the seams!!!  This shell too was used previously with absolutely no leaks.

Now I've been successfully using cloth diapers on 5 babies now for a span of over 16yrs. I've tried every diaper, detergent, and method there is, all for the name of research. I've also helped thousands of parents successfully use cloth diapers on their little ones and my advice is always;
Leaks are normal at first  and cloth diapers are a learning curve. Keep trying! Your baby is worth it!

In conclusion. If you have unexplained leaks, please consider the fact that your washing machine has softener residue that got on your diapers. Please strip your diapers very very well and try NOT using softener or dryer sheets on your clothes.

Love,
Sarah
Owner of SoftBums

Check back tomorrow to read all about what may be causing leaks based on the fit of the diaper shell. http://bit.ly/14LahmG

Become a Foodie and Your Baby Will Too!

Become a Foodie and Your Baby Will Too!

by Guest Blogger Melissa from the Momganic Blog

When I was pregnant with my first son, I started doing a lotof research on baby food.  I love tocook, so naturally I was interested in what I could feed my baby when the timecame.  We are also a huge fan of organiceating, so this was an important factor in my research.  I purchased some jarred baby food initially,just to have on hand.  I was surprised atthe cost for such a little jar, and then I opened the jar and immediately askedmyself, would I eat this?  The answer wasno.  So, if I wouldn’t consume it, whywould I expect my child to?  Now, I amnot bashing jarred baby food, they are convenient when on the go and I am surethey don’t taste all that bad to little ones. But, I have labeled myself a bit of a “foodie” and knew I needed to givemy son something more along the lines of what my husband and I wereeating.  It was at that time I decided tomake my own baby food.

So, where to start?? Well, I had received a baby cookbook as a shower gift so I startedflipping through the pages and ideas started flowing.  I have never been one to follow a recipe, soI chose to use the cookbook as a launch point to my own recipes and ideas.  I already owned a food processor so when myson was old enough, all I needed were the ingredients and some freezer storagecups and I was ready to begin.   

I started doing some basic fruits and veggies, introducingone at a time to ensure we didn’t have any allergies or sensitivities.  Once I knew we were good to go, I got creative– rice, chicken, veggies, potatoes, pasta, fresh herbs.  The possibilities are endless.  The only rules I really followed were:

1) Is it something we eat regularly?  I didn’t want to purchase specialgroceries. 

2) Add ingredients to help sophisticate my lil guys’palette, but don’t go overboard with spice.

With that, here are a few of my “recipes”.  I will start with ingredients list and showyou how to create multiple dishes from just a few items.

Grocery List
Brown Rice
Sweet Potato
Corn (on the cob if you can, if not frozen is fine)
Carrots
Spinach (fresh or frozen)
Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast
Chicken Broth
Fresh Herbs (I chose more mild options, Italian flat leaf parsley, cilantro,basil etc.)

I am sure just by reading this simple list; you can see thepossibilities of things to prepare for your little one.  When you’re ready to begin, start by cookingthe above ingredients: poach the chicken in a bit of chicken broth, steam theveggies (each vegetable separate) in water or chicken broth and cook the brownrice according to package directions. Pull out your food processor (you can always mash and chop by hand ifyou don’t have one) and you’re ready to prepare.  Here are a few of my favorite combos (I triedto add in a non-starchy veggie in most dishes, in this case I incorporatedspinach). For all recipes, toss ingredients into food processer and chop.  I liked to do a more “rough” chop, so thefood still has some texture, but you can puree this as much as you like.

Green with EnvyVeggie Puree (6+ Months)
1/3 C. spinach
1/4 C. sweet potato
1 Tbsp basil Leaves
Splash of chicken broth

Orange Ya GladChicken Is So Yummy! (7+ Months)
1/3 C. sweet potato
1/3 C. carrots
2 Tbsp. spinach
1/4 C chicken (rough chop)
1 Tbsp. parsley
Splash of chicken broth

Corny Rice andChicken (7+ Months)
1/4 C. corn
1/4 C rice
1/4 C Chicken
1 Tbsp cilantro
Splash of Chicken Broth

Corn, Carrots andChicken Oh My! (7+ Months)
1/4 C. corn
1/3 C. carrots
1/4 C. chicken
Splash of chicken broth
1 Tbsp basil leaves

As you can see the above “recipes” are more of a method thananything.  Get creative with food foryour baby, toss in some apples or blueberries, try different herbs or switch upto turkey instead of chicken.  Ourchildren can be raised on tasty fun foods and won’t get stuck on only wantingmac-n-cheese if we introduce them early on to things that really have wonderfulflavors.  Enjoy!!