I started researching cloth diapers a few months before my son was born.  When I learned there were modern cloth diapers, through a mommy forum, a light bulb went off in my head.  Ding!  I knew I would use them.  I started on my long journey of research.

The number 1 reason I wanted to cloth diaper was environmental. While I would never have called myself an environmentalist, the sheer number of disposable diapers a child goes through made me a little sick to think about.  Once I realized there was a way around that I jumped in feet first.  I told my husband we were cloth diapering.  He said he wouldn’t change them, but I did it anyway.  I chose diapers I knew he could change if he decided to.  He did right away.  (This is why I tell moms looking into cloth to just do it, the men almost always come around eventually)

Money savings was how I convinced my husband to fund our stash.  This was my number 2 reason.  I presented him with the research and told him that for 300-500 dollars we could diaper our child.  No having to buy disposables.  And, these same diapers could be used on the next baby.  I don’t know how much I have actually spent on my diapers since I did get a little carried away.  Still, the savings will add up to the thousands by the time we are done having children.

My third reason came about after my research.  I started learning how many chemicals disposable diapers contained.  Dioxin (the same ingredient that has been banned from tampons for causing toxic shock syndrome), SAP (Super absorbent polymer gel), and various other nasties that have been shown to contribute to asthma and reduced male fertility are in disposables. I had no clue, and most likely, the majority of other mothers have no clue either.  There is a mentality that exists (and I am guilty of this in many ways as well) that if a product has made it to the mass market, it is safe for use.  Why else would it have passed all of the tests that big companies are surely putting them through? (the Pampers Dry Max outlash and the current Similac recall is another example that we need better quality control, and need to think about what we are giving to our children)

Well, if I have learned anything in the past 2 years, it is that the vast majority of consumer products are less than safe.  I have made a lot of changes in my life since cloth diapering.  I am by no means living a 100% organic lifestyle when it comes to food, clothing, or household products.  I have reconsidered the soaps I use on my son, the sunscreen I put on his body, and the food he eats.  I switched over to unpaper towels.  I buy environmentally friendly laundry detergent and fabric softeners.  This all started thanks to cloth diapers.

I am not perfect.  My son has worn disposables before, he will again.  I can’t afford to buy everything organic.  But I do my best and I am so happy to be using cloth diapers for these reasons and more (like how adorable they are).  I get hit with challenges like everyone else.  When I get discouraged I remind myself of all of the reasons I started and the reasons I should continue.

Don’t forget to join me and other experts on Twitter tonight (Sept 23) at 9 PM EDT for a cloth diaper party hosted by Healthy Child about the “Do’s and Don’ts of Cloth Diapers.”  Use #heatlhychild to join.  RSVP here: http://bit.ly/tpegddd

What about you, Why do YOU Cloth Diaper?

This Thursday Healthy Child, a weekly Twitter party that covers various topics about Children’s Health and Safety, will focus on Diapering Choices.  Specifically, this party will focus on the chemical aspect of diapering and how to avoid unhealthy chemicals on your child.

All of the details of the party can be found on the Healthy Child Blog, as well as information on chemicals linked to disposables.

You will also find me at the party (@KimRosas), as well as Emi (@TheCDReport) from The Cloth Diaper Report, Jenn (@Zrecsmom) from Zrecs.com, and Diba Tillery (@babies411) from Babies411.com.

Did I mention there will be prizes involved?

Fuzzibunz and Rockin’ Green will be sponsoring prizes so make sure you visit Healthy Child to RSVP to be eligible.

Oh, and don’t forget to use the #healthychild hashtag. I hope to see you there!

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!

The news has been dismal lately.  Every single day I see a new attack on breastfeeding. I haven’t addressed any so far because there have been plenty of other bloggers out there doing it for me.  Today was my breaking point.

Attacking breastfeeding suddenly became the thing to do.  Perhaps the attention that Kim Kardashian received for her tweet regarding nursing in public as “gross” made another “celebrity” think this was her chance to grab the spotlight for a moment.

Img: Hollywood Grind

But because this “celebrity” is Adrianne Curry (I use celebrity in quotes for a reason) she has to go further than the word gross.  In fact, if you go through her tweets she compares breastfeeding to “pooping, peeing’ masturbating, and cunnilingus”  She goes on to say “But to each their own”  This qualifier doesn’t make what was said acceptable.  That is like saying “I don’t like *insert ethnicity here*, but to each their own.”

She admitted she would get blasted for it on Twitter.  And she got some comments, though due to her caliber of followers, most cheered her on and added their own graphic metaphors for what breastfeeding in public is like.

Adrianne also admits that she was not breastfed and was told by some doctor she can’t breastfeed because she has implants. Second opinion?  Because most mothers with implants have gone on to successfully nurse their babies, including Kendra Wilkinson.

Obviously society failed Adrianne, who has had zero exposure to breastfeeding in her life.  And her persona is based upon her appearance.  Her life is wrapped up in looking good and having nice tits.  If her audience saw her nursing her baby they might not associate those breasts with sexy so much as they see them for their intended purpose.

A part of me understands how some women like Adrianne, and the author of the hotly debated article “I Formula Fed.  So What?’” have come to the conclusion that breastfeeding is “creepy.”  I myself, as a teen’ swore I would never breastfeed because these knockers were for entertainment purposes only.  Becoming an adult changed my mind.  I realized that is what they are there for.  I grew up.  I didn’t need an ad campaign to show me breastfeeding is normal. But some people do and I am grateful for groups like Best for Babes because they will change things for the better.

I am still at a loss how a mother like Kathryn Blundell can still deny the maternal instinct to breastfeed.  Even those who choose to formula for work/ supply/ etc issues usually try, and will admit breastfeeding is the thing they should do if they could.  Adrianne, on the other hand, has not yet experienced motherhood or the way it can change you.  While there is no excuse for blasting breastfeeding, especially in such a vile and public way, we can only hope she will change her mind one day and that her opinion doesn’t rub off on the impressionable youth.

I’d love to hear your thoughts!  Have you always wanted to breastfeed?  Did you ever think it was “gross?”  What changed your mind?

Having a second baby, at least for me, has been a completely different experience.  With my first son I obsessed over what I would buy, what I would do, and what life would be like when he came.  This time, I haven’t done a lot of looking around.  Life with a toddler makes it hard to sit back and daydream about your next baby.

Life with two children close in age also presents challenges.  I have many of the basics left over from my first son, but I have to add things like double strollers into the mix.  I also know that toddlers aren’t delicate with babies.  I need baby containers that protect the littlest one while I do chores or am not in sight of both of them.

And then there are the things I just want!  I am making a list for my own entertainment.  You can critique it or praise it and let me know what you think.

4Moms Mamaroo Infant Seat

I had the immense pleasure of seeing this infant seat in action while attending the ABC Kids Expo.  The idea behind it is simple: recreating the natural movement of mom or dad.  Instead of a swing which goes in a line back and forth, it mimics the bouncing and swaying of a parent.  I am almost afraid it will work so well the baby will never want to leave it!

Go GaGa Slide Tote

I first saw this bag on Twitter.  The idea instantly made sense to me.  A strap that spreads across your shoulder like a sling to evenly distribute the weight is genius.  I did get my hands on one while I visited Diaper Lab (an awesome cloth diaper/baby store near Boston) and fell in love with the design and strap.  A good diaper bag is worth the money.  Currently I own a Petunia Pickle Bottom (and a Baby Kaed I never use) but I’d love to own this before the next one gets here.

Sakura Bloom Silk Baby Slings – Artisan Collection

I admit that I have expensive taste.  I don’t always get what I want, but a girl can dream.  I have a Maya Ring Sling I found as a consignment store for, wait for it, 12.00!  However, nothing compares to the Sakura Bloom sling.  I got to try it on with my son and was personally assisted by Lynne of Sakura Bloom herself.  This sling and this lady made me realize I had a ring sling that was hard to adjust and I wasn’t doing it right (not the maya, another one).  I changed my ring sling tune after that.  The rails glide through the rings like butter.  Mmmmmm…..  I would love to wear the new little guy in one of these.  I am not planning on buying one unless I,  a. win the lottery or b. find a great deal on a used forum.

Footed Onepiece in Chocolate by Baby Soy

My son lived in one piece sleepers and I assume the next baby will as well.  I love Baby Soy.  I get tired of some of the baby boy clothes out there, and finding “plain” clothes is hard.  I especially love the kimono style tops they make.  I want to add some of their pieces in Newborn and 3-6 months to my shopping list.

Hot Mama Gown

After delivering my first son in a *gasp* ordinary hospital gown, I wish I would have known about these sooner.  I remember vividly how pilly the material was.  I hated it so much I dunked part of it in my own pee.  Well, subconsciously that was why.  Really, I was hooked up to so much crap I had a hard time peeing and holding my gown.  The mama behind these gowns is one of the nicest women on Twitter (you should follow her @hotmamagowns) and she is an awesome advocate for breastfeeding!  The gown is hospital friendly and designed for easy nursing.  I want to look and feel special on delivery day so this is on my wish list for sure!

Also on my list are a few necessities.  I need a large dresser/ changing table combo that is long (not tall) with no hutch.  It needs 6-8 drawers.  I am having a hard time finding something with enough space.

I also need a double stroller.  I am going to be honest and say I will probably never find exactly what I want.  I don’t want a side by side.  I want a stroller with rubber wheels, that glides well, and that folds easily.  I am currently looking at the UppaBaby with the Rumble Seat and the City Mini with the Jump Seat and adapter.  I have high hopes for the new Mutsy Double but it hasn’t hit the market yet!

If anyone has ANY suggestions on what else I should be considering for the next little guy please (or the rest of the pregnancy) tell me!

With close to 300 lovely mamas tweeting to Ellen last night it was easy to get lost! We had at least 4,000 tweets yesterday!  Our goal was to bombard Ellen with facts about cloth diapers and show her how adorable they are.  I think we did that, and then some. Unfortunately we didn’t trend, but that wasn’t for lack of trying!  We just happened to be the same night as a big game.  Now I am going to show you some of my favorite tweets!  For a detailed look check out What the Hashtag!

The Funny Tweets!

The Good Idea Tweets.

The, Yeah, Good Point, Tweets.

The Oh So True Tweet.

The Mantra!

And finally, the all about me tweets!

A HUGE thank you to The Eco Chic for hosting the party and to the people who helped promote it.  Kelly’s Closet and Rumparooz both sponsored some giveaways to gain more attention.

There is still work to be done!  Keep an eye out for more updates!

Don’t forget to be at the #operationfluffy party on Twitter tonight at 9 PM EST.

Are you ready?

• Have you uploaded your fluffy photos to Twitpic.com to tweet @TheEllenShow?
• Have you figured out how to use Tweetgrid.com to be able to follow the chat? (party tutorial)
• Have you signed up to follow @KimRosas and @TheEcoChic?
• Have you told your kids to be in bed on time?  (This is a biggie for me, my son has been a night owl lately!)
• Have you told all of your friends to be there?
• Have you prepared yourself for a ton of fun?

If you have done all of the above then you are ready for a party!

I wish wish wish I could tell you what I am working on in regards to #operationfluffy.  It is top secret but all kinds of awesome! It involves custom embroidered diapers, dancing, video, and fun!

See you tonight!

@TheEcoChic has posted all of the details on her website.  She was kind enough to host this party even though it was supposed to be her week off!

Synopsis:

Thursday night we will all be tweeting to @TheEllenShow using the #operationfluffy hashtag.  We will send pictures of our adorable babies in cloth diapers and tell her how much better cloth is than “jean” huggies.  PUKE!

I did want to add, to make it easier to tweet pictures, use the twitpic.com service.  Upload your photos ahead of time to make the party more about tweeting and less about searching for and uploading pictures.  The pictures will show up without having to click them if you use Tweetgrid.com for the party.  If you need help learning how to do Twitter parties, I have a little tutorial for you.

If you belong to a cloth diaper board (Cloth Diaper Nation, Diaperswappers, The Bump, Cafemom, BabyCenter, etc…) I would love your help in spreading the word.  If you make a post about #operationfluffy’s Twitter party you get (5) extra entries into a giveaway of your choice!  I have 2 ending today (Real Nappies and Bravado) so if you want entries in those you should hurry up!)  Or, if you have another idea to spread the word give me a shout and I will let you know if it counts towards extra entries!

To get those entries leave a comment with the link on this post and leave (5) comments on the giveaway of your choice also linking to your post.  Say something like “Extra Entries #operationfluffy post” and leave your link!

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.