The Washing Machine Woes

Recently my washing machine has decided to stop producing hot water. In the past this would not have been a big deal, but now after having a baby it is a must in my household because we use cloth diapers. Yes I know that people think that I am crazy every time I tell them, but it really is not a big deal. Now I'm not a tree hugging hippy (sorry Sarah!), but I do love to save money. Don't get me wrong, I don't litter, I don't use things in excess, and I really don't have that much trash. However, it is mainly because I don't like to waste money. Cloth diapers have come a long way since your mother's cloth diapers. They can also save you up to $2,000-$3,000! Now that is some major cash to put back in your pocket! Here is how the process works and the brands of diapers I have used for Nolan.

When he was a newborn I used mainly indian prefolds. You have to also have a outside cover and a "snappi" which is to replace the pins your mother used. You can use the "newpaper fold" or the "angel wings fold" that can all be found on different websites, but I found this one the most helpful. Then you put the snappi on by attaching it to one side (let's say the right side) then you pull and attach it to the left side. Then you pull the bottom piece down and attach. Lastly, you velcro or snap the velcro cover over the prefold. Here are some examples of the prefolds, snappis, and covers I used:




Now I used the Thirsties Wrap that are all snaps without the velcro top. Basically the cover keeps the baby's clothes from getting wet or soiled. The great news about prefolds is that they only cost $1-$2 a piece! That really adds up when you have a newborn going through 10-12 diapers a day. Not only are the affordable, they are also better for baby's skin and keep them from having as many diaper rashes. Also when a baby is strictly breast fed you just throw the diaper in the wash and soak on cold for 20 mins. Then I do a rinse, and lastly a complete hot wash cycle. You can not use fabric softener or liquid detergent because it can cause your diapers to not be absorbent. I use Tide Orignal powder, and it has worked like a charm. You can also buy specific cloth diaper detergent. After you start a baby on solids or if you use formula you use a sprayer that can be easily attached to your toilet to spray the stool from the diaper. Here is the BumGenius sprayer I have:



Then you just throw it in to a diaper pail with a liner and just make sure to wash every two days to avoid the diapers getting moldy.



I have purchased many items online, but one website I use constantly that has free shipping and no tax is Cottonbabies. I will use another post to show the fancier cloth diapers I use as well called Fuzzibunz and BumGenius. You can also link to my friend Laura's blog about her experience with cloth diapers here. Right now Nolan is still in the infant sized prefolds, and he is 5 months old. He will be able to probably wear them for another 2 months, then I will switch him to the regular sized prefolds.

Now back to my washing machine...the control panel has gone completely out so it is not working at all. My husband has ordered the parts to fix it, but until they are delivered I will be using my in-laws washing machine!