Problem: Table salt is a highly refined, potentially toxic product. It originates from evaporated sea water or mined rock salt. To "purify" the natural product, workers treat the raw salt with chemicals and process it in a high temperature, high pressure environment. This process removes beneficial trace minerals (including iodine) and magnesium salts. To prevent caking, workers add additional chemicals, including two types of aluminum. To prevent iodine deficiency, workers add toxic amounts of potassium iodide. Then to stabilize the potassium iodine, workers add dextrose (corn sugar). And because dextrose gives salt a purple color, workers bleach the final product before packaging it and sending it to grocery store shelves.
Solution: Unprocessed, unrefined salt has an odd grayish hue but tastes amazing, contains beneficial minerals, and does not contain unnatural chemicals. Right now I have a jar of Celtic Sea Salt brand sea salt in my cupboard. It's more expensive than regular table salt, but is well worth the extra money!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Goodbye Summer!
The last day of summer it snowed here in Denver.
Here are some memories of our fun in the sun while it lasted:
home
the park - just a couple blocks away
my cousin's house - four fun kids to play with
camp for the Breast Cancer 3-Day - visiting a friend
in from Seattle for Denver's walk
exploring Denver's neighborhoods
at a friend's house - always lots of fun with mud and water
Pine Lake - with our hiking partners
St. Mary's Glacier - much slushier than I expected
The Continental Divide - more than 11,500 feet above sea level
Smoothie time!
home
the park - just a couple blocks away
my cousin's house - four fun kids to play with
camp for the Breast Cancer 3-Day - visiting a friend
in from Seattle for Denver's walk
exploring Denver's neighborhoods
at a friend's house - always lots of fun with mud and water
Pine Lake - with our hiking partners
St. Mary's Glacier - much slushier than I expected
The Continental Divide - more than 11,500 feet above sea level
Smoothie time!
Hands-down our favorite smoothie recipe this summer was from
Rejuvenate Your Life! Recipes for Energy by Serene Allison, published by Above Rubies:
Minty Zinc Shake
2 frozen bananas (cut into chunks before freezing)
1 large handful raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup water
1/2 T tahini
3 dates
1 heaping t spirulina
2 drops mint extract
Blend and enjoy!
(Note: I was pleased to learn that spirulina doesn't really have a flavor.)
Rejuvenate Your Life! Recipes for Energy by Serene Allison, published by Above Rubies:
Minty Zinc Shake
2 frozen bananas (cut into chunks before freezing)
1 large handful raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup water
1/2 T tahini
3 dates
1 heaping t spirulina
2 drops mint extract
Blend and enjoy!
(Note: I was pleased to learn that spirulina doesn't really have a flavor.)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Cloth Diapering 201: How-To
1. DECIDE HOW OFTEN YOU WANT TO WASH.
Babies go through about 12 diapers per day and 3-4 covers per day. (However, if using wool covers baby will only need 4 covers total.) When deciding how many diapers and covers to buy, take into account how often you want to wash and buy an extra half day's worth of diapers so you don't run out. (If you want to wash every day, buy 18 diapers; if you want to wash every other day, buy 30 diapers; if you want to wash every three days, buy 42 diapers.) Always wash at least every three days.
2. DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF DIAPERS AND COVERS YOU WANT TO BUY.
(See Cloth Diapering 101: Types of Diapers.) I use wool covers with my fitted diapers and polyester diapers with my contour and prefold diapers.
3. DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF ACCESSORIES YOU WANT TO BUY.
4. WASH PRIOR TO FIRST USE.
Your order will come with pre-use washing instructions. In summary:
Your order will come with washing instructions. In summary:
To wash and lanolize wool covers:
Babies go through about 12 diapers per day and 3-4 covers per day. (However, if using wool covers baby will only need 4 covers total.) When deciding how many diapers and covers to buy, take into account how often you want to wash and buy an extra half day's worth of diapers so you don't run out. (If you want to wash every day, buy 18 diapers; if you want to wash every other day, buy 30 diapers; if you want to wash every three days, buy 42 diapers.) Always wash at least every three days.
2. DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF DIAPERS AND COVERS YOU WANT TO BUY.
(See Cloth Diapering 101: Types of Diapers.) I use wool covers with my fitted diapers and polyester diapers with my contour and prefold diapers.
3. DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF ACCESSORIES YOU WANT TO BUY.
- Diaper pail liners: Buy two diaper pail liners. I recommend Swaddlebees/Blueberry liners because they are sized larger than average, can be hung from a door knob, and wash well. I purchased my liners online at www.JilliansDrawers.com.
- Wet bags: Buy one or two wet bags to put dirty diapers in while out and about. (Keep in your diaperbag.) I recommend LoveyBums wet bags for short trips out, and large Planet Wise bags for long trips out. I purchased my LoveyBums bag online at www.LoveyBums.com; I purchased my Planet Wise bag online at at www.NickisDiapers.com.
- Cloth wipes: If you want to use cloth wipes, buy or make about 45 wipes and mix up a good wipe solution. I purchased flannel wipes at www.NickisDiapers.com. The best wipe solution recipe I have tried calls for combining 3 3/4 cup water, 8 drops grapefruit seed extract, 5 drops lavender essential oil, 3 drops tea tree essential oil, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 tablespoon baby soap. Some mamas keep wipe solution in a bowl and dunk a wipe into the solution to use on baby. Other mamas keep wipe solution in a squeeze container and squeeze some solution onto a wipe to use on baby. I keep a large squeeze bottle at home, a medium squeeze bottle at the office, and a small squeeze bottle in my diaper bag.
4. WASH PRIOR TO FIRST USE.
Your order will come with pre-use washing instructions. In summary:
- Wash (in hot water) and dry unbleached prefold diapers 5-6 times.
- Wash and dry bleached prefold diapers, contour diapers, and fitted diapers 3-4 times.
- Wash and dry all-in-one diapers and pocket diapers 1-2 times.
- Wash and dry polyester covers 1 time.
- Wash and lanolize wool covers 1 time.
Your order will come with washing instructions. In summary:
- Place diaper pail liner in diaper pail or any indoor garbage can, or hang over doorknob.
- Place soiled diaper in diaper pail liner. Do not soak in liquid. (If baby only eats and drinks breast milk, you do not need to remove poop, as it dissolves fine in the washing machine. But if baby eats or drinks anything other than breast milk, first shake poop into toilet. This is not as gross as it sounds.)
- Wash diapers in cold water with a SMALL amount of detergent (no more than half what you would normally use) and a few drops of tea tree essential oil (a natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial).
- Rinse diapers an extra time in hot water with some vinegar (a natural fabric softener that also helps prevent detergent build-up, which affects a diaper's absorbency).
- Dry diapers. Do not use fabric softener.
To wash and lanolize wool covers:
- As necessary, spot clean covers. Use a Sudz'N'Dudz wool wash bar to clean leaky poop and food stains. Wash bars can be purchased online at www.TheNaturalBabyCo.com.
- Every 1-2 weeks, wash covers. Add a small amount of Eucalan No-Rinse Wool Wash to a sink full of slightly warm water, add wool cover, soak for 15 minutes minimum, roll in a towel to remove excess water, then hang dry. Do not rinse. Do not use commerical wool detergent like Woollite. Wool wash can be purchased online at www.NickysDiapers.com.
- Every month, lanolize covers. Add a pea-size amount of Sudz'N'Dudz Pure Liquid Lanolin to a small jar containing a few ounces of hot water, shake well until lanolin is completely dissolved, add lanolin water to a sink full of slightly warm water, add wool cover, soak for 15 minutes minumum, roll in a towel to remove excess water, then hang dry. Do not rinse. I do not recommend using Lansinoh Lanolin, as it is very difficult to dissolve. Liquid lanolin can be purchased online at www.TheNaturalBabyCo.com.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Cloth Diapering 101: Types of Diapers
There are five basic types of diapers.
Chinese Prefold Diapers + Cover
(Bleached Chinese prefold diapers are pictured above)
Comments: This basic rectangular cloth diaper is called a "prefold" because multiple layers of cotton have been "folded" and sewn together to create an absorbent pad in the middle third of the rectangle. (The more layers sewn together, the more absorbent the diaper is.) For newborns, fold a diaper in thirds short-wise (end to end, not side to side), insert the diaper into a cover, and attach the cover to baby's bum. For bigger babies, fold a diaper in thirds long-wise (side to side to as to make a really skinny rectangle), insert the diaper into a cover, and attach the cover to baby's bum. For baby girls, instead of folding, you can twist a diaper in the middle, insert the diaper into a cover so the twist is in the crotch area, and attach the cover to baby's bum. The cover will hold the diaper in place so you do not need pins or Snappis (the modern pin-less "pin"). They come in a variety of sizes, depending on baby's size and the amount of absorbency desired.
Pros: Cheap. Trim, so fits well into a diaper bag.
Cons: Because the diaper itself doesn't have gusseting around the legs or waist, you have only one line of defense (the cover) against blow outs.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.Nicki'sDiapers.com. Or for diaper service in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, try www.ModernDiaperService.com. The benefits of using a diaper service are not having to launder your own diapers and not having to buy different sizes as your baby grows. However, the extra load of diaper laundry turned out to be less burdensome for me than I expected, and it is cheaper to buy your own diapers than it is to use a diaper service.
Contour Diapers + Cover
(Kissaluvs contour diaper is pictured above)
Comments: This thick cloth is shaped to better resemble a diaper. Place a diaper in a cover, wrap the back edges ("wings") of the diaper around to the front, and attach the cover to baby's bum. Or wrap the back edges of the diaper around baby's bum to the front, hold the diaper in place with a Snappi, then attach a cover over the diaper. They come in a variety of sizes, depending on baby's size.
Pros: No folding required.
Cons: Just as bulky as fitted diapers, but without the gusseting or snaps.
Recommended brand: Kissaluvs.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.JilliansDrawers.com.
Fitted Diapers + Cover
(Swaddlebees One-size Organic Velour fitted diaper is pictured above)
Comments: This diaper-shaped diaper has gusseting around the legs and waist, and closes with a series of snaps. Snap a diaper onto baby's bum, then attach a cover over diaper. This turned out to be my favorite diapering combination. The snaps allow the diaper to grow with baby, so there are only two sizes for baby's entire diapered life.
Pros: Because it has gusseting around the legs and waist, you have two lines of defense (the diaper and the cover) against blow outs. And because each diaper comes with a doubler (a small rectangle diaper piece that can be snapped inside the diaper), you also have an extra line of defense to soak up urine for night time or heavy wetters.
Cons: Bulky.
Recommended brand: I love Crickett's hemp-cotton blend, which is rated number one on www.DiaperPin.com.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.CrickettsDiapers.com.
All-In-One Diapers
(bumGenius One-size Organic all-in-one diaper is pictured above)
Comments: The cover is built into the diaper, making this a cloth version of the disposable diaper. Some diapers close by snaps, while others close by Velcro. They come in a variety of sizes, depending on baby's size.
Pros: Easy to use. Fairly trim, so fits well into a diaper bag. Because these diapers are just as simple to use as disposables, many cloth diapering mamas use these when leaving their baby with someone who might otherwise be afraid to use cloth diapers.
Cons: Expensive.
Recommended brands: BumGenius has good gusseting, which works well to prevent leaks. It has Velcro closures, which makes the diaper very easy to use. Unfortunately, the inner lining is a man-made material and the Velcro doesn't hold up as well in the wash as snaps would. BumGenius Organic has a natural inner lining, but does not have the same kind of gusseting and so didn't fit snugly on my skinny-legged newborn baby, increasing the likelihood of leaks. Also popular is the Dream-Ez, which has a natural inner lining and snap closures. Unfortunately, it does not have good gusseting for skinny-legged babies either.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.NickisDiapers.com.
Pocket Diapers
(FuzziBunz One-size pocket diaper is pictured above)
Comments: This diaper is a cross between a fitted and an all-in-one. The diaper itself doesn't have anything to soak up urine, but has a "pocket" inside for stuffing. Each diaper typically comes with one pocket insert, but you can purchase extra inserts for night time or heavy wetters. I stuffed mine with two inserts; some moms stuff theirs with folded prefold diapers.
Pros: The diaper can be stuffed with a little or as much as you want to soak up urine.
Cons: Expensive.
Recommended brand: FuzzyBunz is currently rated number two on www.DiaperPin.com, but seems to be the most popular cloth diapering option overall on a variety of mothering forums. I loved them until I realized the inner lining is a man-made material.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.NickisDiapers.com.
Wool Covers
(Aristocrats wool soaker and LoveyBums Wool Crepe covers are pictured above)
Comments: I adore using wool covers with fitted diapers. However, I don't recommend using them with prefold or contour diapers because the covers aren't fitted enough to guarantee a defense against blow-outs.
Pros: Natural material. Breathable. Because wool neutralizes urine, only needs to be washed every one to two weeks (other than spot treating poop leaks).
Cons: Hand wash only. Must re-lanolize every one to two months. (Lanolin is what gives wool its natural water-repellant properties.) Water-repellant, not water-proof, so gets slightly damp after a few uses and needs to be hung to "dry."
Recommended brands: Aristocrats Soakers brand are heavy duty and are my favorite nighttime covers. They come in a shortie and a longie (with legs) style. Although they look bizarre in pictures on their own, they are very cute on baby! LoveyBums brand has a variety of styles, depending on the absorbency desired. Wool Jersey Covers are light weight for daytime use; Wool Crepe Covers and Wool Pull-Up Covers are medium weight for daytime or nighttime use; Wool Interlock Covers are heavy weight for nighttime use. The pull up covers are great for older wigglers because they are easier to use than the snap covers.
Where to buy: I purchased my LoveyBums online at www.LoveyBums.com. I purchased my Aristocrats online at www.NickisDiapers.com.
Polyester Covers
(Thirsties diaper cover and Bummis Super Whisper Wrap diaper cover are pictured above)
Pros: Machine washable and dryable.
Cons: Man-made material.
Recommended brands: Thirsties come in a variety of solid colors and is rated number one on www.DiaperPin.com. I really like mine, especially for use with prefold diapers since they have a small fit. Bummis Super Whisper Wrap comes in a variety of prints and has been rated number two on www.DiaperPin.com, but seem to be the most popular cover on a variety of other mothering forums. I liked mine, especially for use with fitted diapers since they fit a bit larger than the Thirsties. I think the Bummis Velcro holds upbetter in the wash than the Thirsties Velcro. Bummis Super Snap only comes in white and are recommended by Cricketts Diapers. I have not tried them.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www. NickisDiapers.com. Bummis Super Snap are also sold at www.CrickettsDiapers.com.
Snappis:
I used a diaper service for my baby's first month, but soon realized a load of diaper laundry each morning would not be as much of a hassle as I thought it would be, especially since my washer/dryer was easily accessible in the kitchen. My initial stash of diapers consisted of Crickett's fitted diapers for everyday use and all-in-one and pocket diapers for my diaper bag. By three and a half months, my stash of diapers consisted of Crickett's fitted diapers for everyday use and Chinese prefold diapers for my diaper bag. Nowdays my diaper stash consists of Crickett's fitted diapers for everything.
Chinese Prefold Diapers + Cover
(Bleached Chinese prefold diapers are pictured above)
Comments: This basic rectangular cloth diaper is called a "prefold" because multiple layers of cotton have been "folded" and sewn together to create an absorbent pad in the middle third of the rectangle. (The more layers sewn together, the more absorbent the diaper is.) For newborns, fold a diaper in thirds short-wise (end to end, not side to side), insert the diaper into a cover, and attach the cover to baby's bum. For bigger babies, fold a diaper in thirds long-wise (side to side to as to make a really skinny rectangle), insert the diaper into a cover, and attach the cover to baby's bum. For baby girls, instead of folding, you can twist a diaper in the middle, insert the diaper into a cover so the twist is in the crotch area, and attach the cover to baby's bum. The cover will hold the diaper in place so you do not need pins or Snappis (the modern pin-less "pin"). They come in a variety of sizes, depending on baby's size and the amount of absorbency desired.
Pros: Cheap. Trim, so fits well into a diaper bag.
Cons: Because the diaper itself doesn't have gusseting around the legs or waist, you have only one line of defense (the cover) against blow outs.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.Nicki'sDiapers.com. Or for diaper service in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, try www.ModernDiaperService.com. The benefits of using a diaper service are not having to launder your own diapers and not having to buy different sizes as your baby grows. However, the extra load of diaper laundry turned out to be less burdensome for me than I expected, and it is cheaper to buy your own diapers than it is to use a diaper service.
Contour Diapers + Cover
(Kissaluvs contour diaper is pictured above)
Comments: This thick cloth is shaped to better resemble a diaper. Place a diaper in a cover, wrap the back edges ("wings") of the diaper around to the front, and attach the cover to baby's bum. Or wrap the back edges of the diaper around baby's bum to the front, hold the diaper in place with a Snappi, then attach a cover over the diaper. They come in a variety of sizes, depending on baby's size.
Pros: No folding required.
Cons: Just as bulky as fitted diapers, but without the gusseting or snaps.
Recommended brand: Kissaluvs.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.JilliansDrawers.com.
Fitted Diapers + Cover
(Swaddlebees One-size Organic Velour fitted diaper is pictured above)
Comments: This diaper-shaped diaper has gusseting around the legs and waist, and closes with a series of snaps. Snap a diaper onto baby's bum, then attach a cover over diaper. This turned out to be my favorite diapering combination. The snaps allow the diaper to grow with baby, so there are only two sizes for baby's entire diapered life.
Pros: Because it has gusseting around the legs and waist, you have two lines of defense (the diaper and the cover) against blow outs. And because each diaper comes with a doubler (a small rectangle diaper piece that can be snapped inside the diaper), you also have an extra line of defense to soak up urine for night time or heavy wetters.
Cons: Bulky.
Recommended brand: I love Crickett's hemp-cotton blend, which is rated number one on www.DiaperPin.com.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.CrickettsDiapers.com.
All-In-One Diapers
(bumGenius One-size Organic all-in-one diaper is pictured above)
Comments: The cover is built into the diaper, making this a cloth version of the disposable diaper. Some diapers close by snaps, while others close by Velcro. They come in a variety of sizes, depending on baby's size.
Pros: Easy to use. Fairly trim, so fits well into a diaper bag. Because these diapers are just as simple to use as disposables, many cloth diapering mamas use these when leaving their baby with someone who might otherwise be afraid to use cloth diapers.
Cons: Expensive.
Recommended brands: BumGenius has good gusseting, which works well to prevent leaks. It has Velcro closures, which makes the diaper very easy to use. Unfortunately, the inner lining is a man-made material and the Velcro doesn't hold up as well in the wash as snaps would. BumGenius Organic has a natural inner lining, but does not have the same kind of gusseting and so didn't fit snugly on my skinny-legged newborn baby, increasing the likelihood of leaks. Also popular is the Dream-Ez, which has a natural inner lining and snap closures. Unfortunately, it does not have good gusseting for skinny-legged babies either.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.NickisDiapers.com.
Pocket Diapers
(FuzziBunz One-size pocket diaper is pictured above)
Comments: This diaper is a cross between a fitted and an all-in-one. The diaper itself doesn't have anything to soak up urine, but has a "pocket" inside for stuffing. Each diaper typically comes with one pocket insert, but you can purchase extra inserts for night time or heavy wetters. I stuffed mine with two inserts; some moms stuff theirs with folded prefold diapers.
Pros: The diaper can be stuffed with a little or as much as you want to soak up urine.
Cons: Expensive.
Recommended brand: FuzzyBunz is currently rated number two on www.DiaperPin.com, but seems to be the most popular cloth diapering option overall on a variety of mothering forums. I loved them until I realized the inner lining is a man-made material.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www.NickisDiapers.com.
Wool Covers
(Aristocrats wool soaker and LoveyBums Wool Crepe covers are pictured above)
Comments: I adore using wool covers with fitted diapers. However, I don't recommend using them with prefold or contour diapers because the covers aren't fitted enough to guarantee a defense against blow-outs.
Pros: Natural material. Breathable. Because wool neutralizes urine, only needs to be washed every one to two weeks (other than spot treating poop leaks).
Cons: Hand wash only. Must re-lanolize every one to two months. (Lanolin is what gives wool its natural water-repellant properties.) Water-repellant, not water-proof, so gets slightly damp after a few uses and needs to be hung to "dry."
Recommended brands: Aristocrats Soakers brand are heavy duty and are my favorite nighttime covers. They come in a shortie and a longie (with legs) style. Although they look bizarre in pictures on their own, they are very cute on baby! LoveyBums brand has a variety of styles, depending on the absorbency desired. Wool Jersey Covers are light weight for daytime use; Wool Crepe Covers and Wool Pull-Up Covers are medium weight for daytime or nighttime use; Wool Interlock Covers are heavy weight for nighttime use. The pull up covers are great for older wigglers because they are easier to use than the snap covers.
Where to buy: I purchased my LoveyBums online at www.LoveyBums.com. I purchased my Aristocrats online at www.NickisDiapers.com.
Polyester Covers
(Thirsties diaper cover and Bummis Super Whisper Wrap diaper cover are pictured above)
Pros: Machine washable and dryable.
Cons: Man-made material.
Recommended brands: Thirsties come in a variety of solid colors and is rated number one on www.DiaperPin.com. I really like mine, especially for use with prefold diapers since they have a small fit. Bummis Super Whisper Wrap comes in a variety of prints and has been rated number two on www.DiaperPin.com, but seem to be the most popular cover on a variety of other mothering forums. I liked mine, especially for use with fitted diapers since they fit a bit larger than the Thirsties. I think the Bummis Velcro holds upbetter in the wash than the Thirsties Velcro. Bummis Super Snap only comes in white and are recommended by Cricketts Diapers. I have not tried them.
Where to buy: I purchased mine online at www. NickisDiapers.com. Bummis Super Snap are also sold at www.CrickettsDiapers.com.
Snappis:
I used a diaper service for my baby's first month, but soon realized a load of diaper laundry each morning would not be as much of a hassle as I thought it would be, especially since my washer/dryer was easily accessible in the kitchen. My initial stash of diapers consisted of Crickett's fitted diapers for everyday use and all-in-one and pocket diapers for my diaper bag. By three and a half months, my stash of diapers consisted of Crickett's fitted diapers for everyday use and Chinese prefold diapers for my diaper bag. Nowdays my diaper stash consists of Crickett's fitted diapers for everything.
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