Saturday, November 3, 2007
The Questions of the Curious
There are lots of people who consider cloth diapers, but get stuck on the "but how?" and "what should I do if?" and "what do I use when?" questions. Hopefully this little Q & A will help:
Q: How do I know what's in the detergent/lotion/skin care product I'm using if they don't list the ingredients - and how will I know it's safe?
A: Check out Environmental Working Group's Database of products, which rates most brands according to ingredients and health concerns, or Less Toxic Guide prepared by Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia which gives less toxic alternatives to common cleaners and personal care products.
Q: My child seems to be getting rashes from the detergent we're using on our cloth diapers, what should I do?
A: If this is the case, your child may be sensitive to Enzymes in some detergents. This is usually characterized by redness around the anus and sometimes redness on a boy's penis as well. Check with the manufacturer of the detergent (or, if you're lucky, it will state on the bottle) to determine if your detergent contains Enzymes, and if so, try switching to one that doesn't contain Enzymes (we like Down East, made right here in Dartmouth, NS). Also, we recommend that you avoid Castile soaps, anecdotal evidence suggests it may be harsh on sensitive skin. We also recommend that a second hot wash with no detergent every 6-8 weeks (you can also add 1/2 c. baking soda to your wash if you are so inclined) is a good preventative measure against detergent build up. Also be sure that you are using VERY LITTLE (2 tablespoons or so) detergent in your wash load. More water, less detergent is the rule!
Q: But what about newborn poop, isn't it a disaster to try and deal with?
A: A lot of people assume "blow outs" - the newborn poop that escapes up the back of a disposable diaper - to be just part of life with a newborn. This happens because newborn stools are runny and they simply slide up the paper of a disposable diaper. With cloth, there is more friction and the stools stay put, significantly decreasing the occurrence of "blow outs" - we've NEVER had one in cloth over two and a half years of diapering two children! Moreover, if you are breastfeeding, the stools are completely water soluble - you DO NOT NEED TO RINSE your diapers, just take them off your baby and store them in your dry diaper pail until laundry day. No problem.
Q: My baby is 6-months, one year, two years...is it too late to switch to cloth? How many will I need?
A: It's never too late. At Nurtured, we've seen babies of all ages - right up to age three, in fact. Some are potty training and only wearing diapers at night, so their parents stock up on 3 or 4 diapers and some training pants, which eliminate their need to buy disposables. If your baby is a newborn (3 months or less), we generally recommend you stock up on 18-24 diapers, keeping in mind that you will be changing your baby 10-12 times a day. After 3 months, babies generally regulate their elimination pattern a little more, so you can diaper comfortably with fewer diapers: we find 15 is the perfect number, 7 per day plus the one baby is wearing while you're doing laundry. Of course, this number will fluctuate a little based on your baby and your family's preferred laundry routine.
Q: Where can I find healthier personal care products?
A: Aubrey Organics, Dr. Hauschka and Gaia are some of our family's personal favourites. We trust the selection at Lilou Organics, based in Ottawa. Lisa is very particular about what she uses on her own family and what she stocks in her store!
Q: I still have more questions, where can I get more information?
A: We have lots of diapering information for you here, care instructions here and, two of our favourite cloth diapering resource sites: The Diaper Hyena and Diaper Pin. Last but not least, if you are located in the greater Halifax area or will be visiting, we'd love to see you and walk you through it! We're also more than happy to answer questions by email or by phone. The tea is always on!Labels: diapers
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