figuring it out

had you asked me two months ago if i thought i was a cloth diapering champion, i probably would've scoffed and said, "of course!" ask me now, and i'll tell you: i am just starting to figure things out.

for starters, wool. who knew that wool was such a wonderful cloth diapering friend. i had always been under the impression, as i'm sure most people are, that wool is a giant pain in the ass. when i first heard about using wool for cloth diapers (mind you, this was two weeks ago), i thought that was certainly asinine. but folks, i have been born again into the land of wool and honey... and a wool advocate, at that. wool has so many positive attributes that i don't know why anyone wouldn't atleast try it (see, that's why i did.)

here are a few wonderful wool attributes:
1) breathability - it allows to keep baby cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
2) absorbent - it can adsorb one-third its weight in fluids. that's a lotta pee, folks.
3) dirt resistant, antibacterial, antifungal - aka: you don't have to wash it as often. turns out that the combination of urine and lanolin (that's naturally present in wool) combine to basically make SOAP. if you keep your wool lanolized, and poop-free, it only needs to be washed every two to three weeks.
4) the poop is really easy to clean off. just take a bar of soap, rub a little, let it sit for a little, and rinse. wa-la.
5) cleaning and lanolizing is a piece of cake. add wool wash and a teaspoon of melted lanolin, soak for 15, and you've got a fully prepped diaper.
6) quick to dry. just set it in the sun for a few hours and you'll be all set. (trust me, i know: did that this morning!)

basically, wool is awesome.

my mama has agreed to make some wool longies (they're pants that double as a diaper cover. shocker, i know). i'm curious just to see how it'll work. in the meantime, i've been testing and trying different ways to fold the prefolds so that i'll be able to contain the poopy mess, so as to not be washing the longies after every use. that, and it's helping me reuse our thirsties covers.

speaking of my thirsties covers: i need to press the fact that with a proper fitting cover, you will have less leaks? grace goes through one outfit a day, one PJ a night again! (unless she pukes. then it's a different story.) now that she's in a size medium (she was about 5 pounds over the small limit!), she remains covered, the prefold is tucked in good, and we are leak-free.

needless to say, i am just now "figuring it out". i've been doing this for NINE MONTHS, folks. for as long as i was pregnant with her, i've been CDing, and just now, i'm getting a good hold of the reins.

peace and love.

PS: if you haven't yet, are CDing or plan on CDing, or just want more info on CDing --- check out diaperswappers. it will change your life and save your wallet!