Inspired by this photo and knowing it was just BEGGING to be captioned I posted it to my Facebook Page and asked my readers what it should say. There were lots of funny ones, some cloth related and some not. This caption posted by Keisha Wilcox seemed to capture the image well and it was hilarious. Keisha- hit me up! I think this deserves a FREE DIAPER!
We have fun like this all the time on my Facbook Page, have you “liked” Dirty DiaperLaundry yet?!

I am finally committing to a blog conference for this year. In August I will be hitting the skies and flying out to San Diego for BlogHer with my family in tow!!! I wrestled with the decision, mainly due to the controversy surrounding the sponsors and swaggyness, but in the end I knew as long as I keep my head on straight and plan my sessions accordingly it will be educational and worth the trip.

Besides, all of my bloggy friends and tweeps are going.  It will be a huge cloth diaper party!

I have decided to get very serious about my blog this year.  It was a hobby, then it became a side job, and now I am working on optimizing it to be worth the time I put into it.  I have a sitter come once a week which allows me time to work on posts and videos, but she costs quite a bit of money!

So, if you are looking to have your brand represented at BlogHer and be promoted on my blog, won’t you consider sponsoring Dirty Diaper Laundry?

My site receives 16,000-30,000 visits a month, depending on the events going on.  My readers are very engaged and usually spend about 3 minutes at each visit.  And my traffic is always growing!  There are over 1,100 Google Followers and over 1,000 people receive my blog daily in their email!  I am also currently in the process of starting a monthly newsletter.

I also have a wonderful and active Facebook Fanpage! 1,700 people “like” me, but hopefully they really like me too!  I also have 2,700 followers on Twitter. On YouTube I have a rapidly growing number of subscribers to my video reviews and informational videos.  Right now I am at over 400!

Because my audience is fairly specific (female, mostly 25-34, mothers, cloth diaper lovers, a little crunchy) I am looking for sponsors in that same vein.  This will be the best fit for everyone!

I have to say, I love my readers!  And since they are reading this too, let me promise you that I would only represent a brand I am familiar with and love.  You won’t start reading tweets and posts about Licorice Bites or something. Blech!

If you decide to sponsor I will:

• Put your logo on my business card which will be passed out to hundreds of people!
• Put your logo on my beautiful purple laptop for the conference.
• Periodically make posts about your brand until BlogHer.
• Every post about BlogHer will include a link to your website and mention you as my sponsor.
• Put your ad on my sidebar for the period of 4 months (May-August) which in itself is almost worth the cost of a partial sponsorship!
• Tweet and Facebook important information and sale updates to my followers.
• I will adhere to BlogHer Sponsor guidelines, and hand out information and swag on your behalf at areas deems safe to do so.
• And, if I can wear it or show it (cloth diapers, nursing attire, etc) I will!  I will have my 10 month old son with me who I will be wearing around so keep that in mind as well!
• If it is logical to do so, I may even do a few videos for you to put on my blog and on YouTube.

The total estimated cost of attending BlogHer is $1,800. This includes 3 nights Hotel Stay, cost of ticket (already purchased), and round trip airfare for myself.

Ideally I would like to split the cost 3 ways which means each sponsor will pay $600.

I am not a mega mommy blogger and I am ok with that. I do stand behind the integrity of my blog, the purpose, and the quality of the content.  I am so very excited to have to opportunity to learn how to make my blog a better one.   I love what I do and want to continue to blog for a long time!

If you are interested in discussing sponsorship opportunities with me in greater detail, including the different levels of sponsorship, shoot me an email! kdrosas at gmail dot com.

After some thought I did decide that I will be live tweeting my homebirth! Due to the unpredictable nature of labor I don’t know when/ how often I will update.  I have told my husband what I want done and he will take over updates once I get to a point where I would rather not be tweeting.

So, here are the details:

Follow me on Twitter if you aren’t already. @KimRosas

Watch my updates.  When I do go into labor, I will begin tweeting with the #twitterbirth hashtag.  If I am lucky, no one else will be tweeting their birth with this hashtag as well.  This way, you could search for it (or just read my stream) to see all of my updates.

Not on Twitter and you don’t want to join?  I will be choosing some updates to also be shared on my Facebook Fan Page (Facebook.com/dirtydiaperlaundry). If we update with less frequency I may share them all.  I just don’t want to overtake anyone’s feed!

In addition, I will post to the blog once I go into labor (a pre-written blog post will go up just reminding you to follow Twitter/Facebook for the updates.)

I will be signing my updates as -K, my husband will be -S, and if my doula gets in on the action she will be -M.

You are welcome to root me on by tweeting back at me or by commenting on a facebook update.  I will keep Tweetgrid open to view replies for a good morale boost if I need it!

Less than 2 weeks until my due date, so let’s just say I should definitely have a baby within the next 4 weeks!

Today I am 37 weeks pregnant.  I am full term.  The baby *should* be fully developed, lungs mature, ready to meet me whenever he is ready.  I am hoping for later rather than sooner.  He seems pretty cozy in there for now.  I had to reach 37 weeks in order for me to give birth at home and today is the day.  Holy Crap.

Hi Belly!

I am stressing because now my house has to stay clean.  Try telling that to my husband and son!  While I am going to admit that I feel pretty darn good for 37 weeks, picking toys up off the floor, constantly washing, drying, folding, putting away clothes, and washing dishes is not as easy as it was a few months ago.  I tried to convey this to my husband but I still see a sink full of dishes.  I tried to tell my son and he still threw a bunch of books on the floor.  *sigh*

My back up birth tub will arrive tomorrow according to UPS.  I am aiming to rent an AquaDoula but if the mother currently renting it doesn’t deliver in time before me then I have a back-up Fishy Pool.  My birth kit is pretty much stocked except for paper towels (we don’t use them anymore so I have to remember to buy them!) and a naturally sweetened Gatorade alternative since I cannot have the real stuff with Gestational Diabetes.  My tiny diapers are laid out along with a tiny t-shirt and a tiny blanket and a tiny hat.

The funny thing is, I have NO CLUE what this kid is going to look like.  I dreamed about my first son.  We had a few 4D ultrasounds and could tell he had pouty lips and a tiny chin like me.  This boy hasn’t even let us see a profile when we had ultrasounds.  I can’t even guess what nose and chin he has.  Will he have dark hair like Daddy, or will he have my blonde hair like my son?

I can’t say I am feeling excited, or nervous, or dread.  I am trying to relish the time I have left as a mother of one.  I am giving extra cuddles to my boy and loving on him like there is no tomorrow.  I keep telling him about the baby in my belly, which he likes to blow raspberries on, roll his toy cars over, and lift his shirt to bump his belly against.  Sometimes, he points to his belly and says “baby.”  He might be a little confused.  Hey, he is only 22 months!

I keep trying to imagine what the birth is going to be like.  I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing.  In my mind, I will go to 40 weeks or later.  I will have a long labor, but I will have a lot of support.  But what if I go next week?  And what if my labor isn’t that long?  I kind of want a somewhat long labor since I have to get my midwife here (1.5 hour commute).  I need time to make sure my house is ready in case it wasn’t before.  I need time to mentally prepare myself to give birth again!  This time, drug free!

Then what?  I will have a new nursling and a rambunctious and lovable toddler.  I want to think this is my last baby.  I feel like it is.  We will see.

In case you are wondering, I do plan on Tweeting and Facebooking during my labor.  My husband or doula will likely take over as things progress and I want to throw things.  I will use a #twitterbirth hashtag.  If it is me tweeting I will sign “-K” and if it is hubby, he will be “-S.”  If my doula decides to take a turn expect an “M.”  There may or may not be non graphic photos involved.  I might tweet often, I might only tweet every hour or longer.  I don’t know how this whole thing is going down!  If you aren’t already, follow me on Twitter- @KimRosas- and “like” me on Facebook – Dirty Diaper Laundry Fan Page- so you will get an update as I go into labor.

If you read everything on this page, congratulations, you just read a stream of consciousness, unedited blog post from the brain of a pregnant lady!

If you haven’t already, go join our “Get Cloth Diapers on The Ellen Show” page on Facebook.

This page has lots of members but we always need more.  Be sure when you join to invite your cloth diaper loving friends.

There is a rumor that an #operationfluffy Twitter bomb is going to be planned for next week with the help of @Ecomommedia (Eco-Friendly Twitter Party Planner).  She was able to get #diapershops trending 2 weeks ago.  What about #operationfluffy?

For this to really work we need more people involved than are on Twitter.  Once the plans are finalized I would love members of cloth diaper boards like Baby Center, DiaperSwappers, Cloth Diaper Nation, The Bump, CafeMom, Justmommies, DiaperPin, etc to try and get people involved in the party.  If they knew how awesome the #clothdiapers community was, they would want to be on Twitter anyway!

Update:  The CPSC is investigating new Pampers with Dry Max.  Details here.

This is yet another Pampers post.  If you use disposables full time or part time, I urge you to read this.  Pampers are causing serious problems for babies.  Don’t let your baby be next.  If you can, use cloth. If you can’t please choose a brand better for your baby such as Tushies.

Today I saw something very disturbing.  A friend of mine posted a photo (edited to not show her baby’s privates) of a very serious diaper rash.  In fact, it is the worst I have ever seen.  The skin looks like it has been burnt off.  She was hoping to find some advice for treatment and causes until she could get to a doctor.  Obviously her daughter is in pain and very uncomfortable.

A few people suggested it could be a chemical burn.  My friend did a little digging and some dot connecting.  The rash started after she began using the “new and improved” Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max. She found a facebook group dedicated to bringing back the old Dry Max diapers. In that group, consisting of 728 members, she discovered many, many moms complaining of the same burn like rash.  All of the rashes began after using the new  Cruisers with Dry Max.

She has since started using another brand of diapers and is in the process of beginning cloth again after a hiatus.

While I nor she can confirm 100% that the rash is from Pampers Dry Max, the overwhelming number of mothers claiming severe rashes from this diaper is convincing.

Not that causing chemical burns isn’t serious enough, in typical big corporation fashion, it seems they are giving customers with rash complaints the run around.

Here is an excerpt from a customer service rep’s response to a mother complaining of a rash caused by Dry Max:

You know your baby best, but some factors that can contribute to the onset of diaper rash are diet/change in diet, diarrhea, teething, the use of antibiotics, upset stomach, etc. Taking all of these things into consideration, it’s hard to pinpoint the cause of your child’s skin irritation. If your baby’s condition doesn’t improve, you may want to speak with your pediatrician

My friend in particular was told her baby just needs to be moved up to the next size. How could a diaper rash possibly be caused by a smaller size?  Leaking, yes.  Rash, no.

And, in case you would like to see, this is what her baby’s rash looks like. Please be advised this is a graphic image and is hard to look at.  After a doctor appointment she was told it was definitely from the Dry Max diapers which caused “contact dermatitis.”

Listen to a few of the rash concerns:

After 1 day on the new Cruisers, red, hot rash ALL over the bottom. I switched diapers immediately, and am already seeing an improvement with Triple Paste. He’s 15mo and on table food. No allergies, no antibiotics, no diarrhea, not teething.

Our 12 month old son has horrible burn-type rashes and we know it has to be the new Cruisers – the diapers really smell of a strong chemical. The odor becomes stronger when wet. He is on a diet of Enfamil formula and solid foods. We were about to switch him to milk, but are waiting until the rash clears. We have officially switched diapers (testing out Huggies).

These quotes come from a discussion with 25 replies, most of which are instances of severe burn like rashes.  This thread attempted to compare diets and age to rule out other possibilities, and no matter if the baby was breastfed, formula fed, whole milk, or other, the rashes began with Dry Max diapers.

The loyal customers are enraged.  Moms took their complaints to the Pampers Facebook Fanpage, only to have their complaints erased.  Many were also banned from the page.  Others left official reviews of the new Cruisers on Pampers’ website but it denied them saying their reviews had “vulgar language.”  That is because the words “horrible” and “bad” speak the truth: how vulgar.

Another reason parents are enraged is the deception.  Pampers began putting the new Cruisers with Dry Max into the old Cruisers boxes.  Now, parents experiencing rashes are either diving into boxes in the store to compare, or switching brands completely.

But have these parents considered cloth diapers?!?! I think some cloth diaper manufacturers should utilize this Pampers fiasco to convert more moms to cloth diapers.  Hey!  Offer a special discount to members of the Facebook group.

If you came across this blog post because of your troubles with Pampers Dry Max, please consider joining a Twitter chat this Earth Day that is all about how to start cloth diapering.  This would be the perfect opportunity to learn more about modern cloth diapers.  In addition, if you do not currently use cloth diapers, you are eligible to win large prizes of cloth diapers that could very well help you on your way to begin!  To learn more about this party and register visit my recent blog post: Get Real- The Inside Poop on Cloth Diapers.

I think Pampers users would be pleasantly surprised at how absorbent, easy, and comfortable cloth diapers are.  Not to mention, NO HARSH CHEMICALS to cause rashes or burns.

If any disposable diaper user has questions for me personally about how to get started and what diapers might best fit your needs I would be more than willing to answer them.  You can email me at dirtydiaperlaundry at gmail dot com.

I would just like to add that as much as I love cloth diapers, not everyone does.  But if you use disposables please consider another brand.  To further support Pampers when they clearly care nothing for their loyal customers and, more importantly, the health of the babies in their diapers, is foolish.  To read more about the dirty things Pampers has done check out my older Pampers posts.

***Update

In case you are wondering, the baby’s rash in the photo has gotten better for the most part.

Reuters has also just written about the new Pampers and rash issues.

If you do, make sure to become a fan of my new Facebook Fan Page for Dirty Diaper Laundry. I finally bit the bullet and made one, but it is lonely!  Every giveaway now has this posted on the entries for a limited time.

New Entry: Become a fan of Dirty Diaper Laundry on Facebook and get 5 extra entries! To qualify, post on my wall with either your favorite review I have done (would prefer this to be diaper related but it can be another product if you don’t dig my diaper reviews) or let me know a diaper you want to see reviewed.  Then copy and paste what you wrote as a comment here.  Then, leave 4 more comments saying “facebook entry 2, 3, etc)

If you do this for more than one giveaway, keep naming your favorite reviews or more diapers you want to see reviewed.  Very simple!  I will see you all on Facebook!  This is a great way to get to know some of you better!  And for you to suggest things you want to see on DDL.

Now go up your chances on winning one of my fabulous giveaways!  The New Baby Event ends on Tuesday!

Share your enthusiasm for the cause by joining the “I Want Cloth Diapers on The Ellen Show” Facebook Group!  It was just created today and already we have close to 150 members!  Once you sign up be sure to tell the friends you think might want to see them on the show too! 

And, on Twitter I am asking those working on #operationfluffy to change your avatar to one of the pictures I have photoshopped of Ellen in cloth diapers.  If you want a picture of your baby with her face, tweet it to me and I might be able to do that.  Wouldn’t that grab your attention?!?!  Thanks to The Eco Chic for the idea!

And, if you have a blog, take a moment to grab this button to share the love!  Right click to save the image then you can link to: http://dirtydiaperlaundry.com/index.php?s=%23operationfluffy  I am not going to try doing to code this time, it was a disaster last time!  Gos Speed!