**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.  

 

 

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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