Flats and Handwashing Challenge- Day 6

Today, or the 25th, is another open topic day! So, I thought I would touch on a couple of things. Which kind of come together. 

First, the simplicity of flats. All they are is a flat piece of fabric. That's it. Simple. They will fit your baby from newborn to potty training, because there are endless ways to fold them. It doesn't matter if your baby is chunky or skinny.

And second, because they are so simple it's easy to make them from things around the house.

There is your basic flat. They can be purchased at Walmarts, Targets, and just about any other place that sells cloth diapers.

Then we have your flour sack towels. They can be purchased just about anywhere that sells kitchen towels. I personally never used mine, because I only have this one, and it was hand embroidered by my great grandma... NO WAY ON EARTH I WILL EVER USE THAT AS A DIAPER!

A large or XL t-shirt with the neck and sleeves cut off, and the front and back cut apart will give you two flats. You can purchase t-shirts, well, just about anywhere!

All those receiving blankets you were given at the baby shower, use them as a flat!

I have even read of someone who cut an old towel down to size. 

So, cloth diapering doesn't have to cost you $20 + a diaper, it can be much easier on the pocket book! 

Blessings!

Ashley

What is Working for Me?- Day 5

I want to talk about folds. There are endless ways to use a flat. One the reverse side of that there are endless things you can use as a flat... but that's not what I am talking about today, maybe tomorrow.

Just like, pockets, fitteds, AIO's and AI2's, and from brand to brand, some diapers just fit your baby better that others, and even baby to baby and your personal preference. It's all about what works for you, and your little one. That is the beauty of a flat there are so many ways to use the same flat, all you have to do is find which fold works for your baby. 

I personally LOVE the way to "jo" fold fits my baby man. None of the other folds seamed to be getting a good fit around his waist and legs. So, I thought, no big deal, I will just pad fold. Then I found the "jo" fold, and thought I would give it a try, I liked it, but I was still getting hung up on the boingos. 

Picture tutorial on the "jo" fold:

1- lay your flat on a flat surface, smooth it with your hands.

2- grab a corner, and pull to the middle, smooth the edge to make a crease 

3, 4, & 5- repeat steps two on the other corners

6 & 7- once step 5 has been completed you should have a square, tri-fold the square

8-choose an end and pull back the top layer and crease creating a wing.

9- take the next layer and fold out, crease, creating the other wing

10- fold top down to create a little "pocket" just in case poo goes up the back. this will help hold it in.

11- turn the diaper, so that the wings are at the top.

12- place baby (frog in my pics) so that the top of the diaper is about belly button height. 

13- fold the "rise" of the diaper up, and tuck the wings behind the rise.

14- pin, snappi, or boingo, the rise to the wings. 

I have boingos, at the start, I was having trouble figuring out the best way to use them, and struggling to get a good grip with them. My wiggly baby was any help there. Then I saw a picture someone who tucked the wings behind the rise, if you read one of  my previous posts I talked about this, there.

Here's my little man sitting on my beans in the garden! In his flat with our free cover!

Blessings!

Ashley

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Thoughts on Handwashing- Day 4

Well I missed yesterday's blog... Oops! So two post today, one now, one tonight.

Handwashing has been going well! I wash more often than I did with my pockets, because the flats have to be changed more often, and I only have 12. Yesterday, I actually ran out... Oops, again! I cut a shirt into a flat. I didn't pay attention to what the shirt was made of, but it wasn't cotton, or flannel.

My wash routine goes something like this; 

Soak- I dump my dirty flats into my tub and toss in my wet bag right along with them. I use a plunger to agitate for about 5 minutes, then let them sit for a while (this amount of time varies depending on whats going on.)

Rinse- I dump the water that the dipes have been soaking in and cover the diapers with water again, agitate for about 5 minutes, then dump.

Wash- rinsed diapers, soap, cover diapers in water, I like to stomp wash. I use a tote so there is plenty of room to stand in it. I run in place and spin in circles while running in place, I do this for about 15 minutes, dump soap water.

Rinse- I cover the diapers once more, and run in place again for about 5 minutes, then dump the water, followed by each individual diaper under the faucet.

  

Hang to dry. Sage-man helping me hang the diapers!

I haven't had the best line drying weather this week. I hung the flats yesterday, they were on the line for four hours, when I brought them in they were still damp. I spread them all over my love seat overnight, this morning they were finally dry. 

Blessings!

Ashley

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

Open Topic for Flats and Handwashing Challenge- Day 3

I am enjoying this challenge. I love the simplicity of flats, I love that they aren't as bulky as a pocket or fitted. However, I think they need a doubler for just a little extra absorbency, they just don't hold much pee.

I have been having some trouble using my boingos, I couldn't quite figure out how to get the "wings" of the diaper attached well to the "rise" of the diaper. I was inspired by a picture one of my fellow challengee's posted on the Facebook support group. I prefer the jo fold, but tucking the "wings" behind the "rise" was the BEST idea EVER! 

I have washed twice. First time I used my tote in the bath tub, then decided I wanted to do it outside! So, today I moved outside with my washing, I really wish I had a hose, then I could rinse the diapers while they were hanging on the line... but that's just me. rinsing them at the spicket works just great! 

Washing diapers...

Drying diapers.. 

p.s. I love my clothes line!

Blessings!

Ashley

 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4 

Perpetration for the Flats and Handwashing Challenge- Day 2

Let me start with a note to self:

*DON'T EVER USE A WOOL COVER OVER JUST A FLAT. USE A PUL COVER/FITTED UNDER THE WOOL!*

Now, I will explain; Since Arrow started sleeping through the night, he wakes up with a fairly dry diaper. However, I like using the wool overnight. So, I decided to stick with the spirit of the challenge and use my flats through the night. I chose the "jo" fold  and put an extra flat folded up in the front just in case. When we got up this morning, I placed him standing next to his activity table while I folded a fresh flat. Well, the boingos holding the flat in place had found their way loose, I look over at him, and the cover and flats are at his ankle and he peed on the floor, it was comical, but not something I want to repeat!

For this challenge I purchased:

12 flats- $29.90 (I also received a free cover with my flats.)

2 boingos- $ 4.69

Nicki's Diapers was running a deal on Imagine Baby flats. Buy 2- 6 packs and get a free Imagine baby products. Since I only had three other PUL covers I jumped on this deal. I had sold some fitted diapers, that didn't fit my little man well, on a Facebook Diaper swap and used the money from those diapers for the flats, I also bought boingos. I spent a little extra for the cute prints, but since the money was from diapers for diapers, and it was in my paypal already, I figured, I could spring for the extra, and I still had extra!

Other supplies:

My mom had given me a couple of bummis covers that she had left over. $0.00

I had bought the wool cover when I first bought all my cloth diapers. I thought it would be a great overnight leakage protection! (I was right!) $8.00

I had also purchased a used Bright Star cover a while ago to use over a fitted diaper we use overnight. $6.00

I have a plastic storage tote I plan to use to hand wash, though I may end up just putting in my bathtub stop.

He thought it was funny at first to wear the diaper cover on his head, but then I stared to take a picture and he got mad that I wouldn't give him my camera. 

I also just had to share this adorable picture with you!

I took it but my sister Leah of Mele Photography edited it!

Blessings!

Ashley

The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down

.Proverbs 14:1 

Why the Flats and Handwashing Challenge?- Day 1

For the next week I am trading in my 12 pocket diapers, 1 AI2, and 1 fitted:

(two pockets not pictured)

For 12 flats, 4 PUL covers, 1 wool cover, and 2 boingos 

(one flat, and one cover not pictures)

Why am I trading them? 

I decided to take part in the flats and handwashing challenge  hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. 

This challenge lasts one week. It started this morning at the first diaper change. and will last until the last diaper change Sunday, May 26th. 

Why did I decide to do this? 

I chose to take the challenge, to learn. There are a few things I can learn from this challenge.

1- How to use another style of cloth diapers. All I have used, are pockets, and one fitted pocket. 

2- It's a great way to cloth diaper, if we go camping, or need to stay someplace we don't have access to a washer. 

3- How to make cloth diapers using everyday items. 

4- The many different ways to fold a flat diaper.

Also, we hope to one day live in Haiti, and I would like to have this experience, should I need it there.

I first found this challenge before I had Arrow. I was pregnant, and considered cloth briefly, then decided against it. When Arrow was about 5 months old I started to feeling like cloth was something that God wanted me to do. I still didn't want to. So I started doing a lot of research. I spent hours on the computer. Every time Arrow was napping, I searched for blogs and websites, anything about cloth diapers. The more I researched the more I wanted my baby in cloth. So I took the step, and bought 14 diapers. 

About three weeks ago I stumbled across the challenge again, and decided to take it! 

Blessings!

Ashley

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 

1 Corinthians 10:31