Disclosure: our partners at Charlie Banana sponsored this post.
Cloth Diapering :: Saving My Baby’s Bottom
Shortly after the birth of our second child, my husband did what any good husband would do – he made a diaper run…on Christmas Eve. What he came home with wasn’t the exact brand I had chosen
to use for her but we were out of diapers and it was the only brand that store had in her size. I needed to put her in something, even if it wasn’t my first choice. It didn’t turn out so well.
What’s a mom to do?
Within two diaper changes, she developed a terrible rash and blisters on her cute little bottom. I knew the chances of her having sensitive skin were good since her big brother has sensitive skin too, but I didn’t expect it to be so, well, rash. Between rashes, blisters and a sensitivity to dairy, her little bottom was a mess – even with sensitive, chemical free disposable diapers. 1 month in and I knew we needed a reset when it came to her diapering.
When I got the chance to try Charlie Banana cloth diapers, I jumped on it!
Charlie Banana has a great diapering system! Once I got into the swing of things, it wasn’t as involved and difficult as I initially thought it would be. I did feel overwhelmed when i first received the diapering package but I watched a couple of quick tutorials and read up on cloth diapering on their website and was excited to try it. The diapers themselves are adorable with cute designs and different colors. The fleece lining of the diaper itself, the inserts and the cleaning cloths are so soft, I know it will not irritate my baby’s cute little tushie. They even have a disposable liner option!
What to get?
I suggest getting their one size diapers if you are going to cloth diaper for the long haul. This will save you money in the long run. Their one size diapers have a great bra-buckle elastic in the diaper that allows you to adjust the size to fit your baby’s legs properly as he or she grows. There are plenty of snaps on the front of the diaper that allows the diaper to fit your baby’s waist as well.
You will want about 36 diapers to save your sanity when it comes to changing and washing. It seems like a big purchase at one time, but remember, you’ll be using these over and over again for at least two years. You will actually save time and money but not having to make diaper runs every week or two. Another big plus – cloth diapering is eco-friendly!
Along with the inserts, you are going to want to also purchase the disposable liners for daycare, traveling or those days where you are running what seems like an endless amount of errands. The disposable liners come in handy when traveling – take it out, throw it away, put a new one on! One of the best things about the disposable liners – they are biodegradable! You don’t have to worry about filling up a landfill for years upon years with them.
Also, Get a pail. Trust me on this. You don’t want to just throw dirty inserts, diapers and cloths in with the rest of the dirty laundry. You want a separate pail with a cover that will contain the smell.
How am I using them?
How am I using them?I am a big fan of their Hybrid option – using a fleece insert and putting a disposable liner on top. And it seems our baby is too! I am currently on maternity leave but will be heading back to work soon. The disposable liner is a better option for daycare and when we are running errands during the day. And again, the disposable liner is biodegradable, which is a huge plus in my opinion. I have a small pail with a lid on it in our laundry room to put soiled inserts and diapers in and wash them with the same detergent I use for her clothing – just in a separate load. Charlie Banana does suggest hang drying – I dry them on the low setting to save time. However, if you plan on using the diapers and inserts for years and multiple children, hang dry them.
While I never thought I would cloth diaper either of my children, this is truly a great option! Whether you are looking for eco-friendly alternatives to disposable diapers or a different solution to your baby’s sensitive skin, definitely check out Charlie Banana!
