Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

How I’m Getting the Stink Out of Laundry: Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator GIVEAWAY!!!

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Ok, so my stinkiest laundry is definitly cloth diapers. Let’s just be open and honest about it…I’m washing material that has pee and poo on it. It doesn’t get much more stinky than that!

And I have a new washer and dryer set. I got the fancy front loaders that I’ve been oogling over for probably 6 years, now. They sure are nice.

Unless you have really stinky laundry.

And then they are sort of terrible. They use so little water that if your clothes really need to be rinsed very thoroughly over and over in order to get fully clean, you are hard-pressed to figure out the right “formula” for getting your laundry truly clean.

Every time I wash cloth diapers, I feel like a sorcerer, concocting an intricate spell the requires great concentration and a bit of luck to pull off.

I’ve added all sorts of different detergents and other potions to my routine, and I’ve tweaked the wash cycles, soil levels and spin speeds I use again and again. Just when I think I have it all figured out perfectly, the stink returns! It’s a never-ending battle.

But Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator has now been added to my routine. I did some online research to see if others have had success with this product. A few folks out there are reporting good results, but for the most part, I think people haven’t really tried it, yet. Nobody wants to be the one who goes first and have something mess up all her diapers!

Well, I stepped up to the plate and decided to just go for it. And I’m so glad I did! Febreze works by capturing the odors that are in the water during the wash and when your water leaves the machine, so do all those trapped odors!

Here’s my method:

I add 1/4 cup of Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator directly to the detergent section when I run my first quick rinse of the diapers. I add another 1/4 cup of the product along with my detergent when I do my long wash cycle. My diapers come out smelling nice and clean, and so far, they aren’t stinking as soon as they get soiled (which is a sign of a diaper that wasn’t fully clean). I can’t promise that my diapers will never stink, as I’ve only been using this for about a week, but so far, so good!

I also like that the scent of the product is very light, and won’t interfere with any other scents that may already be present in your detergent. I happen to prefer unscented detergents, but if you have a favorite product that smells delightful, Febreze will not interfere with that smell. In fact, your laundry may even smell better as the scented detergent doesn’t have to work as hard to mask odors!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Febreze odor eliminator kit!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Thirsties Diapers: Introducing the Thirsties Duo

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All in One (AIO) cloth diapers were my first love when it came to using cloth. Or to look at it a different way, they were my gateway drug. AIOs are the very best way for someone who is new to cloth to get started because they just couldn’t be any easier.

Thirsties Diapers has come out with a new diaper, the Thirsties Duo AIO diaper, and it has something I’ve never seen before on an AIO and it makes my heart skip a beat! I love it! Watch my video to see what it is!

Pretty sweet, right?!

thirsties diapers, thirsties duo

You can purchase one of these totally rad diapers from any Thirsties retailer or you can get them on Amazon!. Solids are $15.75 and prints are $16.75.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Thirsties Duo AIO solid color diaper of your choice!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Lotus Bumz Cloth Diaper Review

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Lotus Bumz is a cloth diaper company started by a mother named Lorain who saw the need for affordable cloth diapering options on the market. She has, in my opinion, come pretty darn close to perfecting the pocket diaper, all thanks to one especially clever feature, which I’ll tell you about shortly!

I was sent the one size pocket diaper in a cute star pattern (they do offer newborn pocket diapers, as well). We had to wait about a month after Layah was born to start using the diaper. Layah was 7 pounds 3 ounces when she was born, and was right around 9 pounds at 4 weeks. I will tell you that for the first week or two that we used the diaper, we had inconsistent results with it, in the form of leaks out of the legs (a problem we seem to frequently have with Layah in most cloth diapers). I think that Lotus Bumz simply require a little bit chunkier of a leg!

Now that we are further along and Layah has really started to chunk up big time, we aren’t having leaks at all with this diaper. So I don’t think our problems were the fault of the diaper, just a timing thing. I wouldn’t recommend the one size Lotuz Bunz for your newborn, but would definitely say to start using them around 6 or 7 weeks, which is when we started to have good luck with them. lotus bumz

Lotus Bumz one size pocket diapers feature 3 rows of snaps so that younger babies and toddlers alike can wear the diaper. Also note that there is a snap on each hip. I think this is a fantastic addition, as it does allow for a more snug fit around the legs, which as we discussed, is very important for Layah.

But the feature that I’m absolutely bonkers about, and that I think catapults Lotus Bumz diapers to the top of the pocket diaper pile is the hole in the back where you stuff the diapers. The hole is pretty small. Well, it really isn’t, it just  has elastic around it on both the outer and the inner sides, and this keeps the microfiber insert from coming out of the back. Trust me when I say that it is literally a pain in the rear to have your inserts start creeping out the back of your baby’s diaper. When your baby pees and the insert is sticking out, you are about to have one wet mess on your hands! Lotus Bumz nips that problem in the bud by having a back pocket that is not wide open like so many other diapers are. Three cheers for this feature, Lotus Bumz!

Lotus Bumz one size pocket diapers are available for just $16.97 in an adorable assortment of patterns and solid colors. You can also stock up and save by ordering 10 diapers at once, and in return, you’ll receive an extra diaper and a wet bag for FREE!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Lotus Bumz printed pattern diaper! Yay!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Cloth diaper giveaways all next week!

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Hello bloggy friends! I wanted to let you know that I have a special treat for all you fluff fans out there! Next week I’ll be reviewing and giving away 5 different types of cloth diapers…they are all fabulous, too! Stay tuned, as the reviews and giveaways start tomorrow! Yay!

Fluffy Fourth of July! Cloth Diaper Giveaway Worth Over $415!!!

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Welcome to the Fluffy Fourth of July sponsored by Gnome’s Naturals and hosted by Life With Levi!

Whether you’re just starting out using cloth diapers or already a fluffy pro, this giveaway prize offers something for everyone.

Fluffy Fourth Ultimate Starter Pack

One lucky winner will receive the ULTIMATE cloth diaper stash starter pack, valued at over $415!!!

This amazing prize prize pack includes:

  • THREE ones & twos All In One Diapers
  • ONE AppleCheeks Bamboo Little Bundle
  • ONE AppleCheeks Microterry Little Bundle
  • TWO Tots Bots Easy Fit or Tini Fit Diapers
  • TWO Rumparooz G2 Pocket Diapers or Little Joey Newborn All In Ones
  • ONE Bummis Beautiful BASIC Kit
  • SIX Organic Cotton Prefold Diapers
  • ONE Bummis Super Snap Wrap
  • ONE Bummis Super Lite Wrap
  • TWO Snappis
  • ONE AppleCheeks Storage Sac Pail Liner
  • ONE M Monkey Foot Designs Wet Bag for when you’re on the go.
  • ONE KalmSkin Travel Size Cloth Diaper Safe Rash Stick
  • ONE Bag of Rockin’ Green Laundry Detergent
  • ONE Clean Cheeks Wipes Concentrate
  • ONE 6 Pack of AppleCheeks Cloth Wipes
  • ONE Mini Shower Diaper Sprayer
  • ONE Pack of AppleCheeks Flushable Diaper Liners

That’s all the diapers AND accessories you need for 18 diaper changes!!

Gnome’s Naturals is a cloth diaper and natural parenting store owned & operated by Lori Whitlock. As a mom of a toddler, Lori is always searching for great natural products for herself and her family. When she finds products that she loves, she sticks with them. Lori created Gnome’s Naturals to share those products with you. As a cloth diaper blogger, Lori has tried almost every cloth diaper on the market and strives to carry only the best of the best.

In addition to some well known brands that Lori loves, Gnome’s Naturals also carries work at home mom (WAHM) made items in the store. Make sure you check out the WAHM Spotlight section for products that are handmade by moms in North America. Lori is a huge proponent of moms supporting moms and she hopes that by retailing some mom-made items, she can help support them financially as well.

If you’re new to cloth diapering, Gnome’s Naturals offers several different cloth diaper trial packages. Beyond cloth diapers, Gnome’s Naturals also carries a great selection of baby carriers, baltic amber teething necklaces, breastfeeding products, and more.

Ready To Win?

Just enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below.
All entries are optional – be sure to come back often to complete the daily entries, since the more entries you have, the more chances you have to win!

Giveaway open to residents of the US & Canada. Contest ends Friday, July 6th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cloth Diaper Rental Program: My Overall Thoughts

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We started using cloth diapers on Layah just a few days after we got her home from the hospital. We had a stash of 24 diapers thanks to the cloth diaper rental program at Earthy Crunchy Mama. If you missed my first post on why I decided that renting makes the most sense for newborn diapers, be sure to go back and check it out.

Cloth Diaper Rental: Worth It?

Now that we’ve been using the diapers, I wanted to share my thoughts about how it is going.

Here’s the short answer: FABULOUS!

Now for the more detailed response.

The first 24 hours that we used the diapers were not so fabulous. We had leaks out of the legs every. single. time. we put her in a cloth diaper. That was frustrating, and of course, made for a huge laundry pile (clothes, blankets, sheets, etc.). I contacted Jen, the owner of Earthy Crunchy Mama to seek her advice. She promptly got back to me and said that it is not an uncommon problem, and usually the culprit is that parents aren’t putting the diapers on tight enough. She encouraged me to go tighter and see if it helped.

And she was exactly right! The leaks have completely disappeared, and now the cloth diapers are holding their own against disposables, even with that fabulous, runny baby poop that we all know so well. Having access to a personal “help” line with Jen is one added benefit of using her service; she is there for you and will do everything she possibly can to make your experience with cloth a positive one!

I have also really enjoyed getting to try out several different types of cloth diapers. This has been my first experience using FuzziBunz, for example, and I’ve been really impressed with them. I’ve also enjoyed the Mini Maestro brand (pictured on Layah below). I’d never heard of this brand AT ALL before using this service, but now I know them and love them, and would definitely buy more of this brand. And my love for BumGenius products has also been re-affirmed while using them with Layah. Those are just some seriously good diapers! cloth diaper rental

Now I want to talk with you about the cost for renting the cloth diapers. Post one had all the information about what,exactly, is included in the package, so be sure to review that. The cost for the program can vary, depending on your particular wants and needs. Here’s the breakdown from the website:

$125 up front deposit gets you:

  • cloth diaper safe detergent and rash cream stick, cloth wipes, and diaper liners to keep
  • 1 pail liner and wet bag
  • 24 new and gently used newborn diapers (GroVia, bumGenius, FuzziBunz, Bummis, and/or Thirsties)
When you return your diapers, you receive a refund minus:
  • $25 starter kit
  • $15 if you choose to keep the pail liner and wet bag
  • $15/month for Store Credit OR$35/month for Cash

So, you need to send in $125 (via credit card is fine) as a deposit. This makes sense as you are being sent hundreds of dollars worth of products. Once you return the diapers (and shipping is already covered for that expense! Yay!), you will get your deposit back, minus a $25 starter kit fee (which covers all those awesome things you get to keep), and minus $15 for the month if you choose to get your remaining deposit back in store credit (so you can buy diapers you need for the next size, of course!) or minus $35 for the month if you choose to get cash back. I know this seems a little bit confusing, but here’s a scenario for you to help you make sense of it.Let’s say you want to rent the diapers for one month and you want to get back store credit so you can buy some great one size diapers once you are finished. You also want to keep the pail liner and wet bag because they rock (and they do rock…I’m pretty sure I’m keeping mine). Once you return your diapers, you will then have a credit of $60 to put towards diapers ($125 minus $25 for the starter kit, $15 for the liners, $15 for the store credit route). So you cloth diapered your newborn for a month for $65, which is probably less than what you would have spent on diapers (because they DO go through 10-12 diapers each day, I promise). AND your remaining $60 can be put toward great new diapers, and you will have the experience of using different brands so you will know what you want to buy. PLUS, you’ll have your wet bag and pail liner, cloth wipes, some detergent and some baby balm.

All this is to say, this is a really good deal. I’ve been very pleased with the quality of the products and the quality of the customer service. I think what is offered is a tremendous value and gives you a jump start on cloth diapering that for me, at least, would not have been financially feasible without a program like this. Thank you so much Jen and Earthy Crunchy Mama!

If you are hoping to use cloth from the beginning, please consider Earthy Crunchy Mama’s diaper rental program. I know you will be pleased with the experience! If you tell her that I referred you, I will also get a $5 credit to her shop, which would totally rock!

Please let me know in the comments if you have any additional questions about cloth or about the cloth diaper rental program. If I can’t answer your question, I know Jen can!

 Disclosure: I received a complimentary one month subscription (minus a $15 fee) in exchange for my honest review, which I have provided. 

MABU Newborn Cloth Diaper Kit Available at Walmart!

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Did you know that not everybody likes to shop online? I am so comfortable shopping this way that I sometimes forget that not everybody is! But it’s true. I don’t think my mother, for example, has ever purchased ANYTHING online. I make online purchases a few times each month! 🙂

Not wanting to make online purchases can definitely be a tough obstacle to overcome if you want to cloth diaper. Not very many cities have cloth diapers storefronts (we had one in Chattanooga, but it closed, I assume due to lack of sales…such a bummer). And the big box stores don’t carry cloth diapers. They are still carrying those horrific plastic pants that parents were using 20 and 30 years ago. Yuck!

Cloth Diapers at Walmart

That is, until now. There’s a company that has managed to get itself into select Walmart stores, and I’m so thrilled to see it! It makes cloth SO much more accessible to so many people! It’s called MABU Baby, and they have put together entire starter kits so that you can get started on your cloth diaper journey with ease.

So why did Walmart choose this particular line? MABU Baby has worked really hard to make their cloth diapers VERY affordable. Affordability is another hurdle for many people when starting with cloth. Yes, there’s no doubt that over time you will spend more on disposables than on cloth, but spending several hundred dollars to build your stash at the beginning is simply not doable for many people’s budgets, whereas $13 for a package of disposables this week IS doable.

The MABU Starter Kit comes with everything you need to try out a few different ways to cloth diaper, and it is priced right at $33.99 (as compared to $20-25 for one cloth diaper in many other brands).  cloth diapers walmart

  • 2 diaper outers
  • 2 snap-in pad holders,
  • 2 washable diaper pads
    plus
  • 2 disposable diaper pads and
  • 5 liners
With the MABU system you can try out full cloth diapering, and you can try out the hybrid method, where you re-use your shells, but have disposable diaper pads inside the shells. This second system is more expensive than going fully cloth, but it is a great way to transition from fully disposable to fully cloth if you need some time to adjust or if you are still feeling nervous about the extra laundry and want to minimize the amount you will have.
Our experience with the MABU system has been very positive so far. We have the newborn kit and the diapers fit Layah wonderfully. While MABU diapers lack some of the bells and whistles of more expensive cloth diapers, they still get the job done just fine. I think their greatest asset is their affordability, and I applaud Walmart for starting to carry this brand so that more people can discover the savings to be had by switching to cloth diapers.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win an MABU stater kit in your choice of size! Sizing information found here: http://mabubaby.com/use-and-care/sizing-secure-fit

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My Very Simple Solution to the Complex Problem of Cloth Diapering a Newborn

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I’ve heard people who don’t cloth diaper repeatedly question why I would get myself into something so “complicated” as using cloth when there are a million other things that need my attention as a new mom. I have to tell you, though, cloth diapering is NOT hard! Yes, you have extra laundry. Yes, you have a learning curve as you figure out your best wash routine, the best diapers for your growing baby, and troubleshooting occasional laundering problems. But there’s a HUGE community waiting to help you, and before you know it, you are a cloth diapering champ and are thanking your lucky stars to be avoiding those late night trips to Walgreens to pay through the nose for YET ANOTHER package of diapers.

I started cloth diapering Darah when she was 7 months old, and I really felt like I knew what I was doing within a week. Seriously! So I figured that cloth diapering baby 2, right from the start, would be just like getting on a bike after a few years off of one. I even had all her old diapers ready to go!

But my research into cloth diapering from the start revealed something: those “one size” diapers that I have tons of aren’t necessarily a good fit for brand new babies (unless you have a really chunky one, which I likely won’t have). They are simply too big! But do not despair, many brands make newborn size cloth diapers. There’s the solution, right?! Except, then you have to buy a bare minimum of 18 diapers at roughly $14/each that will just be worn for 1-2 months. So that would mean spending $252 for 1-2 months of diapering and then having to get diapers for the next size up if you don’t already have a stash. Suddenly something that was supposed to be very simple got really complicated.

While it is true that you can re-sell your used diapers for close to what you paid for them, I knew I just wouldn’t have time for all that. I was really confused about how to make this work, and was just about resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t be cloth diapering for the first 2 months.

How to Cloth Diaper a Newborn

how to cloth diaper a newborn

And then I read about Earthy Crunchy Mama and her AMAZING newborn cloth diaper rental program. I got myself signed up and am SO excited to share the details with you of how this works and why it is THE WAY TO GO if you want to use cloth from the start. 2017 Edit: Jen’s program is no longer operating but here’s a link to one that is currently available, though I haven’t personally tried it. Just didn’t want to leave you without an option! There are also some decent prices on 6 packs of newborn diapers on Amazon if you want to check that out. 


Jen is the brains behind this operation, and she is SO UNBELIEVABLY NICE! You can tell that she is absolutely passionate about helping parents easily transition to the world of cloth, and she wants to do everything possible to help you feel comfortable and relaxed about your decision to try it out. She has put together VERY comprehensive packages that you can rent so that you don’t need to buy anything else related to diapers in your first 1-2 months. You also get the opportunity to try out several different brands and types of diapers to figure out which types you like the most. This is such a great thing, because when you are ready to buy your next size diapers (be they one size or sized diapers…your choice), you will know if you are a pocket family, or an AIO family, or if you like hybrids or want to get a variety (you’ll also be down with all that cloth diaper lingo by that point!).

I want to show you what came in my rental package. It is SO awesome! First, just look at all the fluff! EEEEE!!!! (I promise, if you want to try cloth you will start to LOVE getting fluff in the mail. It’s addicting…you’ve been warned). Let me break down for you what’s in my package (which Jen specifically tailors to each client based on a phone conversation about your needs and wants). You will notice that some of the products are brand new, and some have been used. I can tell you that by looking at the diapers, themselves, you wouldn’t know which was which. Everything is in impeccable condition!

how to cloth diaper a newborn cloth diaper renta

 

cloth diaper rental

Cloth Diaper Rental

Here’s what was included (if it has a * beside it, that means that you get the keep the product!):

24 diapers, broken down as follows

(3) new bumGenius All-in-One diapers

(3) used GroVia Newborn All-in-One diapers

(9) used FuzziBunz Pocket diapers

(9) used MiniMaestro Pocket diapers

(3) new Punkin’ Butt inserts, size XS

(1) new Rumparooz wet bag

(1) used GroVia pail liner

*(12) new cloth wipes

*(24) new reusable micro-fleece liners

*(1) new Baby’s Butt balm

*(1) Eco Sprout Detergent

*(1) Water test strip

The package also comes with detailed information about each product, and great tips for launder and care of your diapers. Jen really dotted all her i’s and crossed all her t’s with this package. Even if you know NOTHING about cloth, what she has provided with give you a great deal of confidence to get started!

Stay tuned for part 2 of this series next month, where I break down the cost of the rental program (VERY affordable) and tell you about my experience using these products on a new baby! 

If you are eager to learn more now, you can find lots of information on Jen’s site about her cloth diaper rental program and how you can join. If you decide to sign up, I would love for you to list me as your referral (Tiffany or Stuff Parents Need). I receive a $5 credit to the shop for each referral I send her way! And she has so much great stuff that I’d love to buy! Told you cloth was addicting!

Edit: Here’s the follow-up post I wrote after I finished cloth diapering a newborn with the cloth diaper rental program!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Eco Sprout Cloth Diaper Detergent Review and GIVEAWAY!!

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Some people cite the need for “special” detergents as a downside to using cloth diapers. I see it as a positive thing, for sure! It is because we started using cloth diapers that we took a good, hard look at the detergents we had been using for our clothes, and realized that we were polluting the environment and leaving chemical residues on our clothes unnecessarily. There are some really great alternatives out there, and they don’t have to break the bank!

Today I’m featuring a very cool line of cloth-friendly detergent that is made by a work-at-home DAD! It’s called Eco Sprout, and I’ve been really impressed with it in the time that I’ve used it. I’m washing all of our baby girl’s clothes in this detergent, because they disclose all of their ingredients (which is not required in the U.S., by the way) so I KNOW that this stuff has no phosphates or enzymes in it. These are known allergens that cause things like eczema, and skin reactions. Babies are especially sensitive to these types of things, so I feel really good knowing that they won’t be present on our little one’s clothing. We’ll also be using it to wash her cloth diapers.

Cloth diaper veterans know that after time, “stink” (ammonia build-up) can become a problem on cloth diapers. Other users of Eco Sprout are reporting that this simply doesn’t happen to their diapers when using this detergent, so there’s no need to do any extra stripping or buy any extra products to battle the stink down the line. Love that!

Finally, I love that there are some really nice scent options for the cloth diaper detergent. I’ve noticed that the smell is light enough to not linger on the clothes after they have been washed, but they do make for a pleasant washing experience (which is so nice to have, especially when you are unloading a wet bag full of stinky dipes!). We’ve been using the Green Tea scent, which is so pleasant and calming. We’ve also had the opportunity to try out Warm Vanilla Sugar. Oh man, that stuff smells GOOD!!!

Overall, I’m just so excited to have this in my laundry room for when baby #2 hits the scene. I feel 100% confident with it based on my experience so far, and based on the experience that others are reporting having. You can pick up a 24/48 load of detergent for just $7.95. If you’d like to try samples first, those are also available for $1.75 and each do 2/4 loads!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a 24/48 load bag of Eco Sprout Detergent in your scent of choice!

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