We have a winner...

Wow! What a great giveaway! It's always fun to see so many people interested in winning cloth diapers. Welcome to all you new followers, thanks for joining us here and participating in the latest giveaway! I just love being able to share with readers here, so if you love giveaways, be sure to follow along with us in your favorite way, just click on the circular watercolor icons on the left to subscribe to blog posts, follow on instagram, twitter, and facebook! 

{images property of Buttons Diapers}

Of course, there is only one winner for this giveaway, and that would be Sarah Hayes! Rafflecopter randomly picked her entry as the winner of the Buttons Diapers trial pack. Sarah has 48 hours to reply by email and claim her prize. If the prize goes unclaimed an alternate will be chosen and notified by email. 

Now do me a favor and comment below with the answer to the following 2 questions so I can make sure to keep the fun posts and prizes coming. 1. What are your favorite giveaways to enter? 2. What products do you actually take time to read through the reviews to learn more about? 

Thanks again for your participation, I love being able to interact with the little community here on my teensy corner of the internet. 

Have a great week, and thanks again to Buttons Diapers for the opportunity to share cloth diapers with BnG readers! 

Buttons Cloth Diapers: Feature, Review, + Giveaway

We have been a cloth-diapering family for 3 years now and I am still so glad we made the switch from disposables when we did. We have saved so much money and cloth diapering has lent itself to a lot of other lifestyle changes as well. Plus, they are just so stinkin' cute!

I recently came across Buttons Cloth Diapers on facebook through a cloth diapering blog that I follow and asked them to partner with me here to share more about their product, and of course give one of you the chance to try them out!

They sent us a lovely diaper cover of my choice, and since most of what we already have is very gender neautral I chose a girly print with pink flowers, called Afternoon Tea. Since then they've launched several new prints, my favorites are Brave and Precious, head on over to their site to choose your favorites!

I really love the fit of this diaper cover, it's very adjustable for a custom fit around baby's tummy and legs. I first tried it out when Aurelia was just a year old. She's 17 months today and because of the elastic and snaps it fits just as nicely, with room to adjust up as she grows. I like how the inserts snap in and my favorite part is how the legs have extra protection from leaks, with a double gusset.

Buttons Cloth Diapers is generously giving away a trial pack (1 diaper cover and 1 daytime insert) to one Breaking new Ground reader. Enter below through rafflecopter for your chance to try out these adorable and affordable diapers...if you can't wait to see if you win, click through to their site to buy some of your own. They're too cute to pass up!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This contest begins Saturday February 20th, 2016 and is open until midnight Saturday February 27th, 2016. All entries will be verified for correct terms met to qualify. A winner will be chosen at random by Rafflecopter. The winner will be announced here and notified by email at the address associated with their Rafflecopter entries. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to the email to claim their prize or an alternate will be chose.

Interested in seeing your product featured here, see the PR + Disclosures tab and contact Breaking New Ground by email to be considered. Disclosure: I received no compensation for this review. All opinions are my own.This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with, Facebook.  Click for additional disclosures and PR policies.

Questions, concerns, comments unrelated to the nature of this giveaway should be emailed to Breaking New Ground. See the contact tab at the top for information.

Cloth Diapering- a year later

It has been a year since we started our cloth diapering journey and I'm still just as happy with it as when we first started. It has been such a money saver and I've learned so much along the way. I've been happily sharing my experience with other parents and totally understand the enthusiasm my friends who started before me had for sharing with me when I was new at it.

I posted a few times when we first started but haven't said much since. I've compiled my posts in a page with some info about my research and our journey to converting from disposables to cloth. Just click on the Cloth Diapering tab above to access it.

back to cloth diapering + a discount code!

I've had a lot of response from friends and family wanting to know how I like cloth diapering. I have to say, that after being without cloth diapers for a week I actually MISSED IT! I didn't like using disposables again and I couldn't wait to get more diapers to get back into it.

If you read my last post, I did have a hygeine issue, but I loved them despite it. I came up with a simple solution. Just sew off the tabs so that "lint" cannot gather around the unreachable areas behind the snaps.

Ta-dah!

My wonderful "other mother" brought her sewing machine to instruct me on the best way to do it, and then we worked side by side to sew all 40 of our Just Simply Baby pocket diapers. In the time I did 15 she did 25...she probably could have done this project with her eyes closed. Meanwhile, my machine kept binding up on me. Anyway, we did it, it was SIMPLE and now the diapers we adore are back and being put to good use.

For those interested, we used a "stretch stitch" but a single line would work just fine, maybe not as durable though. Now any lint that gathers in the corners can easily be washed away by turning the diapers inside out. My "germaphobe" side is quite happy now. And just an FYI, the whole lint issue with pocket diapers isn't just one brand. We tried a handful of brands and they all had the same issues where the snaps attach to both layers of the diapers.  From what I've read in my online research, most people don't mind having to pick out the lint by hand every once in awhile. I have zero time or patience for that remedy. Having used our modified diapers for some time now, I am quite happy with the solution.

The diapers we use are the usual PUL outer, fleece inner, and our inserts are a blend of microfiber and bamboo. Previously I had been using microfiber inserts. In the couple months I've been using cloth diapers I have found there are pros and cons to each. The microfiber are quite bulky and we double them up for overnight. No leaks, but REALLY bulky diaper. The "micro boo" are thinner and seemingly more dense, which makes for a more trim fit. However, they are smoother and sort of "floppy" which means that when we put Des in a new diaper we have to flatten out the insert first. We learned that after an unexpected leak. I haven't noticed any different in absorbency between the two but I've read the bamboo is much more absorbent than microfiber.

Aside from a few learning moments (aka user error) we have had no leaks, even overnight. I'm also using wet bags from JSB and we did try out some of their cloth wipes. They are a little too thick for us, made from two layers of flannel. We are also using their cloth safe diaper cream, which works great!

We have also tried Fuzzibunz brand diapers-which I like, but don't see much reason to spend so much more on them, Knickernappies- which we didn't like. I think part of that was a sizing issue, but we also weren't a fan of the front snapping around the sides (reverse from most diapers), and a couple other brands, one of which had a PUL outer and a cotton "prefold" type inner which we didn't like at all.

The Just Simply Baby diapers that we are using are by far our favorites. The diapers are all "one size" with plenty of snaps to adjust from newborn to toddler.  They are almost always running a fabulous daily deal. Not to mention, if you "like" their page on Facebook, you'll be sure to catch their awesome giveaways and contests. I actually won a recent contest with these two pattern entries. When they print new patterns I'll receive a free diaper in each of these!

I've also joined their affiliate program, which is good news for you because I have a 10% discount code good for your first Just Simply Baby order! Using this code means you'll receive 10% off of your entire order, even if you're purchasing already discounted items or a package deal.

{EXPIRED 11/2013 please shop with this link for diaper deals}

Be sure to enter my referral code at check out and you will receive your 10% as a refund after your order is processed. Pretty easy! Best of ALL is they have 30-day money back guarantee, even if you've used the diapers. That's better than any other deal I've seen out there. All you are lost on is shipping costs (FYI they do not take returns on cloth wipes or opened diaper creams).

That's the update on where we are in our cloth diapering journey so far. We have been experimenting with different types of cloth wipes and last week Ben installed a diaper sprayer. More on how those things are going for us when we've had a little more experience. Number one, we are saving money every month!








Although I am part of Just Simply Baby's affiliate program, this is a non-sponsored review. I did not receive any items nor perks for posting this review of their product. I did contact Just Simply Baby and received their images/logos and permissions to use them for this post. 

Cloth Diapering- 2 weeks in

So we made the switch to cloth diapers and grew to really prefer it for a number of reasons. However, we are back to disposables for the time being. I'll tell you why...

First, I got my order of pocket diapers and inserts. We had a leak with the first one which I attribute to user error as I tried to figure out where to snap for them to fit Desmond well. After that we had no leaks with those diapers, day or night.

I did a lot of research on washing and detergents to find what would be best for us and the most cost effective. I landed on Charlie's Soap, which we have now switched to for all our laundry. It's super cheap per load and rinses out clean with no residue. It's a bit of work at first because while you are ridding your clothes and washing machine of detergent build-up you have to "wash your washer" before each cloth diaper load. There is some bad PR about Charlie's Soap, some claim it has given their children blisters. BUT if you follow their directions this shouldn't be an issue. The blistering is actually caused from not washing your washer for the first few weeks and having old detergent build-up gather on the diapers. We have had zero problems with Charlie's Soap.

Then I wanted more diapers, but for cheaper. I loathe paying shipping but the cheapest diapers online seem to have the heftiest shipping rates. I grabbed a small stash of second hand diapers in a variety of brands. I was glad to try out different ones to see if we liked any better. I stripped and washed and rinsed, and rinsed, and rinsed. We have soft water, very soft water, so a lot of rinsing is necessary around here. I bought the diapers through a facebook swap and sale group locally, the seller was super friendly and gave me a good deal, but she turned out to be a bit strange when Ben stopped to make the purchase. I won't go into the details, but I won't be going that route again. She also was either lying about sizes, or just didn't know what she was talking about. A couple of the diapers were too big so we had some leaks. Trial and error I guess, no biggie.

Then, last week our washing machine died. In the middle of a cloth diaper rinse. Ew, ew, ew. I tried and tried to force the washer to drain the icky water but couldn't. So I pulled all the diapers out and threw them in an empty storage tote. Then attempted several times to wash them in the bath tub, and in the tote. They seemed to come clean but I noticed there was some build up in the tabs of the diapers. I was thoroughly grossed out. I had hoped that perhaps this was something that was coming out in the wash but I just couldn't do by hand.

I looked all over online for help and found very little. I did run across a few forums where they discussed what they coined "poo lint". I was even more grossed out. I grabbed a clean diaper for Desmond's room and found that it too had the lint in it still! (I'll spare you the photos) Even with tweezers and turning the diaper inside out, I couldn't get it all. BLEGH! I don't understand why the tabs aren't just sewn off so that any build up can be rinsed easily by turning the diaper inside out. Seems like common sense to me.

I cringe at the thought of not making this discovery had our washing machine not broken down (thanks to my cousin it is up and running again- an errant wash cloth had gotten into the pump). I think a diaper sprayer will get rid of the majority of this problem as it would eliminate all solid waste from going in the wash, but I still plan on returning these diapers (I am within my 30 days) and informing the company of what I find to be a design flaw.

I will order elsewhere, or order the same ones again (as the price is right!) and just sew off the tabs myself to remedy the issue. I'd much rather start over with a clean lot then try to tear apart and reassemble the ones that shouldn't have had this problem in the first place (end rant).

Still, with all that mess, I do prefer cloth diapering and we plan to continue our efforts until Desmond is ready to potty train.

What we like about cloth diapering:

• saving money-our main reason for switching after nearly 4 years of disposables. 
• Des seems more comfortable in them
• less stink (for real, I have to do a visual check to see if Des needs changed)
• cuter....WAY cuter.
• customizable absorbency- we do 1 insert during the day and for naps, 2 for overnight. no leaks and no rash. We were buying 2 types of disposables because Des is a heavy night time wetter. He STILL had leaks in the disposable overnight diapers.
• disposable liners. Desmond is pretty "regular" so since we don't yet have a diaper sprayer I just throw a flushable liner in his diaper and can toss the majority of his poo in the toilet. 
• better fit all around, we used one size diapers so they are custom fit easily with snaps
• Des can't get his diaper off. The snaps are so heavy duty he can't take them off himself. 
• easier clean up- even a messy diaper cleans up easier off Desmond's skin in cloth. 

What we don't love about cloth diapering:

• having to answer to those who are skeptical (dear everyone, I make my choices, you make yours. Let's not judge each other...ok? ok. )
• the start up costs, they seem high but turn out to be worth it over the long term. 
• accessories. It seems as though to make cloth diapering as "easy" as using disposables there are a lot of accessories, which can drive up the cost (and the research, and the frustration...) i.e. diaper sprayers, cloth wipes, cloth safe ointment or cream, spray bottles for wipes, wet bags, laundry soap, etc. 
• not having a diaper sprayer (yet). 
• having a small stash- while I don't mind doing laundry that often it's finding ourselves short all of a sudden and needing to do an emergency load of laundry or supplement with disposables (which we had on hand anyway). 

So for us, the pros surely outweigh the cons. Not just in number, but in value. 

I'd be happy to answer any cloth diapering questions for a newbie. I'm NO expert but I've done a fair amount of research and I, myself really value the newbie perspective as it's harder to find than the expert advise. 

More to come, when we get our new stash and start cloth diapering again!

Converting to Cloth

In our continued efforts to cut our spending in order to focus on saving money we've decided to try out cloth diapering. It only took us about 2 years to come to this decision. We considered it briefly before Kai was born, but Ben vetoed the idea. His biggest problem was the poo going in the washing machine. 4 years later, we both laugh at that being worrisome.

When Kai was about a year old we considered it again. I really looked into the savings, but again Ben wasn't too keen on the idea. I also, wasn't completely sold. I was worried that the amount of laundry I'd be doing would negate any savings. I was also used to the convenience of disposable diapers. The real clincher was that I ended up babysitting a child who was cloth diapered and I was completely turned off to the idea. The smell of the diapers and the rash that the child had were repulsive.

A couple weeks ago Ben and I were crunching numbers and moaning at how much we were still spending on disposable diapers. Even now that Malakai is (FINALLY) potty-trained we still spend about $75 every 4-6 weeks on Desmond's diapers and overnight pull-ups for Malakai. I'm currently looking into cloth overnight undies for Malakai. At $30 a pair, I'd like to figure out how to sew my own (or recruit my Mother-in-law!) before going in that direction.

I emailed a friend from college who has a little guy the same age as Desmond (check out her blog here). I knew that she'd been cloth diapering and was knowledgeable on the subject. I trust her opinion and was hoping to get better information from a friend than what I was finding scouring the internet. INFORMATION OVERLOAD! Amanda was a great help. Additionally I asked friends through facebook to share their favorite kinds. Then I crunched the numbers of half a dozen different trial programs.

I decided to go with Just Simply Baby. They had a great deal on a starter package of 10 pocket diapers, 20 inserts, 10 cloth wipes, a detergent sample, and cloth safe diaper cream for under $90. I got free shipping by adding 2 wet bags to my order and meeting the $100 minimum. They have a 30 day money back guarantee so I knew that I could send it all back if we weren't satisfied or if we decide cloth diapering doesn't work for us. Currently they are running a $10 diaper deal!

My second choice would be the trial through Jillian's Drawers. They send several types for you to try out at a fairly low cost. You can then send back any or all of them after 21 days. Your next order then ships free!

I just got our package today and have it all prepping as I type. I'm pretty excited to start something new and I'm really hopeful it'll work out and we can start saving!

 I received a trial amount of EcoSprout detergent to use, but need to figure out an affordable option for use after it runs out.  Any tips, tricks, or products you'd recommend or NOT recommend? Leave a comment!

naturally

When I was younger I never related much to environmental causes. I didn't see the sense in going out of my way to buy natural products or organic foods. I didn't think one person could make much of a difference. The only thing I really did do was recycle, in Eugene Oregon just about everyone does. It's actually weird not to recycle here.

Now it's much more convenient to buy natural products from cleaning to cosmetics. Organic produce is in almost every grocery store and Farmer's Markets and other local meat + produce merchants are easier to find.

Information about what pesticides + chemicals do to your system and what products contain them is more prevalent as well. We now know more about how these things do more harm than good. Unfortunately, harmful chemicals are used more than they were. My grandma made the observation the other day that foods in the grocery store are more widely imported from other countries than when she was raising kids.

However, for me, starting to live a little bit more healthfully + naturally wasn't inspired by availability, popularity, or even ease of use {although those things help!} but by wanting what's best for my son. Informing myself by doing research online and talking with other parents has really inspired me to take the extra step. This is why I chose to breastfeed, make Malakai's baby food, buy organic, use natural cleaning products.

I had a conversation with my cousin over email not too long ago {she's expecting her 1st baby in February} and she made a funny statement about becoming a "hippie mom". The choices we are making to lead more natural lives surely would have landed us in that category 10, even 5 years ago, but now it's becoming part of popular culture.

More people are choosing to save some money, live healthier, and feel better. Companies are using the trend to sell their products by using hot button words like green, natural, organic + eco-friendly. While this is a great trend to be taking place, consumers still need to be mindful of what they are purchasing. For example, with foods, things can be labeled as "Certified" or even "USDA Organic" but still contain traces of hormones, antibiotics, + pesticides. Had I not done my research + had the necessary conversations with others who had done theirs, I would have just assumed that if it said "USDA Organic" that it would be free + clear of anything unnatural.

In my effort to change things for my son, I've also started to introduce more organic products for myself + my husband. We started using vinegar, baking soda + even vodka as natural ways to keep our home clean. More recently we've been using Seventh Generation products. In my quest to use better products in our home, I've found that natural ones don't always work better. I've also discovered that in some instances I'd rather just use the cheap generic system because the benefit can outweigh the risk.

Recently I've wanted to try cloth diapering. I'm still working on getting Ben on board. After advice from readers + some twitter friends, the only thing that got him to say "yes" is if we got some products for free. Needless to say I have been entering giveaways like crazy! The more I read up on all it takes to cloth diaper {the initial expense of purchasing enough diapers, inserts, etc., plus laundering, special detergents, a diaper sprayer, wet bags, + more} I'm not sure if it will save us money, even in the long run. We buy Up + Up diapers for the daytime and use Amazon's subscribe + save to get a discount on pampers for overnight. This only puts us at spending about $350/ year on disposable diapers. If we switched to cloth I'd want to try a couple different kinds, plus the expense of a whole set once we chose our favorite would easily be $400 alone {I'm basing this off of an assumption that we'd go with some nicer AIO's} and that's not including all the extras I mentioned! I also know that babies are prone to a diaper rash at the onset and I don't know if I want to put my son through that discomfort.

So, while we're moving towards "greener" living, I just don't know if cloth diapering is going to be in our near future. However, I can totally be convinced otherwise if you give me some counterpoints {or some free diapers!}.