Accessories Archives

Let’s Talk Absorption: Smart Bottoms Too Smart Inserts

2016/01 By Lauren B. Stevens 1 Comment

Just when you thought you had heard the last from me about cloth diapers and cloth diapering…and then Smart Bottoms sends me a pack of their Too Smart Inserts – hello absorption!

Too Smart Inserts would have saved me a ton of time when I first began cloth diapering! If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you know that I am a huge fan of prefold cloth diapers. In fact, my son was exclusively diapered with prefolds the first six months, so I feel like a pro at simplicity in diapering. I had a handful of covers at the time (Smart Bottoms Too Smart Covers weren’t around at that time) and used them in conjunction with the insane collection of prefolds I had amassed. My love for prefolds stemmed from two things: 1.) they’re virtually indestructible (seriously, ask a dedicated prefold user), and 2.) they’re inexpensive. I would add a third reason to use covers and prefolds or inserts — you’re prepared to make a diaper from anything, should you run out of diapers (seriously, been there, done that — for the record, receiving blankets make great flat diapers).

Anyway, as with all things Smart Bottoms, I’m a fan of Too Smart Inserts because they’re made from 4 thirsty layers of organic cotton (you can find my thoughts on natural fibers HERE), and measure 5×30, which means that you can flip, fold and origami these bad boys anyway you want to create a wonderfully absorbent system (with a Too Smart Cover, or any diaper cover, for that matter) for your bambino. I love these lengthy Too Smart Inserts because they have that signature length that makes them perfect for adjusting the absorption for baby boys in the front (check out my thoughts on the best cloth diapers for boys HERE).

Sold in 3-packs, Too Smart Inserts retail at $15, which makes them $5 a piece (math genius here). While more expensive than your average prefold, I would add Too Smart Inserts to my Cloth Diapering Accessory Must Haves list for two reasons. One, diapering emergencies happen. Remember that receiving blanket incident I told you about? I’m a firm believer that every cloth diapering family should own at least one diaper cover, even if they are an exclusive all-in-one (AIO) family. Because emergencies. Even after I transitioned to AIOs, I kept a cover and prefold in my diaper bag for emergency backup. Here’s the second reason why you need to add Too Smart Inserts to your cloth diaper accoutrements — they don’t take up much room…at all. I would have loved to have these inserts, as my backup cover and prefold took up precious room in my diaper bag. With Too Smart Inserts, you have all of the absorption of a prefold in a nice, trim insert.

Another reason to grab a pack of Too Smart Inserts? I have two words for you: Heavy. Wetter. Yep. My son went from a barely pee-er to a super-soaker at around a year old. It threw me into a panic, and I scrambled to, once again, adjust our cloth diapers to my son’s needs — this is when I discovered Smart Bottoms Smart Ones and never looked back!

Smart Bottoms Too Smart Inserts are great for everyday use with covers, perfect for your diaper bag emergency stash, and even better to have on hand for overnight diapering or adding additional absorption if your little one becomes a heavy wetter over night.

You can purchase Smart Bottoms Too Smart Inserts at select cloth diaper retailers, or you can find them at my two affiliate cloth diaper retailers, Diaper Junction and Kelly’s Closet.

* I received a pack of Too Smart Inserts for the purposes of this post; all opinions expressed are my own.

Cloth Diapering: Accessory Must Haves

2015/02 By Lauren B. Stevens 1 Comment

I’ve written a post, filled with accessories you don’t need to cloth diaper, but I want to cover those cloth diapering accessories you can’t have enough of. In other words, if you find a good sale, or come across a great deal, you can buy as much or as many of these items as you can, with absolutely no remorse; trust me, you’ll put them to good use!

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Cloth Diapering: Accessories You Don’t Need

2015/01 By Lauren B. Stevens 23 Comments

This post is geared towards those families who wish to take a simplistic and minimalist approach to cloth diapering, as I did. Retailers are going to hate me for this, but here goes….

After cloth diapering for two and a half years, I’ve seen my share of cloth diaper trends and accessories, and have amassed a great deal of simplistic cloth diapering experience. If you view cloth diapers as pee and poop catchers (that will save you money in the long run), and wish to take a minimalist approach to cloth diapering, this piece is for you.

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Wonderful, Versatile Wool [Dryer Balls]: Eco Nuts

2014/10 By Lauren B. Stevens 18 Comments

I love wool. I’ve been wearing and caring for wool for over twenty years, and I continue to be amazed by the myriad of properties this fiber possesses. One of my favorite sweaters is a bulky, cable-knit Shetland wool sweater…that was purchased in the 80s. Somehow, my prized sweater has been able to escape the wrath of hungry moths and provide fashionable warmth season after season. From classic suits to cloth diapering, wool is a miracle fiber fit for both fashion and function. [Read more…]

Project Pomona ECO Fit Shorts

2014/07 By Lauren B. Stevens 2 Comments

If you’ve been hanging out in cloth diaper circles for any amount of time, you’re sure to have heard of Project Pomona. Cloth diapering parents are lucky to have the inside scoop on Project Pomona’s amazing pants and shorts, but the truth is that their clothing is perfect for every type of diapered bum. I bought Declan his first pair of Project Pomona jeans last fall and I love how great they fit his fluffy [and now non-fluffy] bum. Because D’s so lean, we’ve not had many issues with pants [not fitting], but a couple of favorite pairs of Gap jeans did give him that strange “man belly” look (you know, the one where a man’s stomach looks like a woman’s in pants). Enter Project Pomona.

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A Case for Sunning Your Cloth Diapers

2014/05 By Lauren B. Stevens 12 Comments

To sun or not to sun, that is the question. In almost two years of cloth diapering, I’ve rarely sunned my diapers because a.) we used prefolds almost exclusively for the first 8 months (no muss, no fuss diapering), b.) we were without a clothesline, and c.) I just didn’t have much of a need to because of using diaper liners. We’ve installed a clothesline, here at our new home, and I’ve quickly taken to it. My current record? Three loads of laundry dried on the line in one day, not too shabby, eh? The best part is that my cloth diapers are looking and smelling fabulous.

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Coconut Oil, In a Stick? The Coconut Stick by Eco Sprout

2014/02 By Lauren B. Stevens 1 Comment

Only recently have I started using coconut oil around the house, but it’s quickly become my “Windex.” I’ve used it for sautéing, in place of butter for a crumble, as a conditioner for my hair and scalp, as moisturizer for my little guy’s skin, and as a diaper cream. I’m sure there are so many other uses for this wonderful product, but I was extremely excited when I was sent Eco Sprout’s The Coconut Stick to review!

Before receiving The Coconut Stick, I would scoop a dollop of coconut oil into a ramekin and keep it on the changing table (and in the shower). The coconut oil worked wonders on D’s chapped cheeks, and he he quickly began asking for “coco” to rub on his cheeks and on his body, having fun helping out. As much as I liked using the coconut oil, I didn’t like the oily mess that was on my hands afterwards, necessitating keeping a cloth on the changing table to wipe off. Enter the Eco Sprout’s The Coconut Stick.

The Coconut Stick by Eco Sprout makes using coconut oil mess-free and easy, so easy that even a toddler can use it! We use the stick for chapped skin, an all over moisturizer, soothing diaper rash and creating a barrier — pretty much everything. Here are some other great uses for The Coconut Stick by Eco Sprout:

Nipple Cream
Cradle Cap
Baby Acne
Bug Bites

Made in the USA from three simple ingredients: organic virgin coconut oil, beeswax, vitamin E oil — you can feel confident putting this on the entire family’s skin.

Eco Sprout’s The Coconut Stick is so convenient, you’ll want to buy several to keep in multiple locations.

You can buy your own The Coconut Stick by Eco Sprout from Diaper Junction HERE. Want to find out about Eco Sprout’s latest news and products? Connect with them through social media, on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

*This post contains affiliate links.

D.I.Y. Fleece Liners…for 97 Cents?

2013/08 By Lauren B. Stevens 14 Comments

This is a no-brainer post, but I just had to share because I love to save money. I’m slowly adding more All in One diapers to our fluffy stash, as Mr. D. becomes more and more of a wiggle-worm on the changing table. It’s just easier to put on quickly (and not have to try to work with a Snappi). As of right now, I have 10 AIOs, 2 hybrid fitteds, and 2 fitteds, in addition to my bajillion beloved prefolds. I will clarify, I still stand behind prefolds, but some days I just need to go without a wrestling match, and my AIOs, AI2s and fitteds work wonderfully.

With the addition of AIOs & AI2s comes a little more care for my diapers. With my prefolds, I could pretty much throw them around, soak them in vinegar, have an all out poopageddon…and they would be fine. Now that I’m working with elastics and finely constructed diapers, I want to take care of them a little more. And, it’s a little more difficult to shake the poop out. There, I said it. We don’t have a diaper sprayer because with prefolds, most of D’s poos came off pretty easily, as it was a smooth and clear fall down and off (more of a peeling off action, if you know what I mean). Now I’m working with a curved diaper that’s more expensive and I want to care for them a little more (and get the poop out easier).

I had gotten a pack of Bummis fleece liners at the very beginning of our cloth diapering journey, and to be honest with you, they’ve not gotten much use with our almost exclusive prefold use. I’ve used them here and there, during the very brief period when I used pockets, or with some of the fitteds we have, but I find myself using them more with our AIOs and AI2s. The 5 pack we got just doesn’t cut it, considering D poops…a lot. Plus, I would like enough liners to get me through 3 days (I do diaper laundry every third day).

Since I’m super crafty and amazingly creative, with all of the time in the world because I’m a SAHM (insert sarcasm here), I decided to make my own. Honestly, you can be uber crafty too because fleece doesn’t unravel! No unravelling means no sewing. Brilliant, because I’ve not sewn in a few years (the machine is dusted off, I’m just waiting to take a refresher class at the end of the month). Me being the amazing seamstress that I am (insert more sarcasm here), I Googled my nearest fabric store and set off.

I located the fleece section in the store, making sure that I was checking out no-pill fleece. I was torn between a black and white Day of the Dead skull print, or a cute brown fleece with cream bicycles on it. I finally decided on the cycles and made my way over to the cutting counter. I waited. And then I waited some more. I started walking around the area, and happened upon a remnant bin with a bunch of different fabric. In there, I found a roll of fleece in a blue print with dinosaurs, a 1/4 yard marked down to $3.24. Perfect – the fabric was already cut (no more waiting around, even though D was perfectly contented in his Ergobaby) and it was on sale. The fabric I had picked out was something like $12.99 a yard (I was only going to get half a yard anyway) plus I had a 25% off coupon. Anyway, I go to the register, with only the fleece in hand. The cashier rang up my purchase, for a grand total of $.97. I couldn’t believe it. Thank goodness I had cash with me (I usually don’t carry it), or else I would have had to use my debit card for so small of a purchase. So, double-score with finding the scrap piece of fleece and it being on super clearance. I mean, let’s be honest – at the end of the day, this scrap of fabric is just going to be peed and pooped on.

Without further adieu, I give you (drumroll please) DIY Fleece Liners:

Bummis likely won’t be happy with me, but I used my existing flannel liner to trace a pattern onto cardboard (I really love Bummis, so hopefully they won’t hold it against me). The rectangle measures 5x11inches. I was able to get 6 liners out of the scrap of fleece I had for a final total of $.16 a piece. Not bad, eh?

What cloth diapering accoutrements have you made for yourself? Did it work for you, or did you have to abandon it?

*This post contains affiliate links.

Two Easy Ways to Pin a Prefold

2013/07 By Lauren B. Stevens 2 Comments

Today’s guest post is from Anne, blogging over at Zephyr Hill. Anne is a homeschooling, cloth diapering mom of 7, who somehow manages to find the time to blog about family life, recipes, everything cloth diapers and rural living.

I never really got the hang of diaper pins when I first started out with prefolds. In fact, the only thing I liked about them was the price! So I was happy to discover that folding a prefold in thirds and laying it inside a cover worked very well and required no pinning.

But sometimes it’s good to use fasteners. Babies are wiggly and toddlers are super active; making the diaper stay put really gives you extra insurance against shifting and leaks. Snappi and Boingo fasteners both work well to accomplish this.

Both use tiny little plastic teeth to grip the diaper fabric on either side.

You might wonder what the difference between the two is.

The Snappi fastener has three pressure points – one on each wing and one on the crotch. You grip the wing on one side, stretch the Snappi over to the other side, and once the wings are secured, pull down and fasten the third tab in the crotch area.

Boingos are also made to stretch, but you put one on each side, so they work in pairs. There’s also no pressure point on the crotch, which I actually prefer.

When using a Boingo with a tiny newborn, only one might be needed to do the job!

Do you pin or fasten your prefolds, or just lay them in covers? What works best for your baby?

*This post contains affiliate links.

Grandma El’s: A Great Cloth Diaper-Friendly (Barrier) Ointment

2013/04 By Lauren B. Stevens 3 Comments

I’ve written previously about my favorite cloth diaper-friendly rash ointment, and about some great cloth diapering accessories, but I’ve neglected to talk about how helpful it is to have cloth-friendly diaper rash treatments on-hand (even when you don’t have diaper rash present). Today I’m showcasing my favorite cloth diaper-friendly barrier ointment. While Grandma El’s is both a remedy and great for prevention, I have typically just used it on the preventative side as a barrier ointment.

One of our well-loved tubes of Grandma El’s

As I wrote before, when D got a horrible rash early on, I scrambled to order cloth-friendly creams. While we ended-up having to use disposable diapers with heavy duty zinc creams, once our cloth-friendly options arrived, I was happy to ditch the sposies and go back to cloth.

When we returned to cloth, I was really paranoid. At a few weeks old, I could tell that the rash was painful and did not wish to have it return once we were able to clear it up. This is where Grandma El’s was a lifesaver! There are times when you just want a heavier-duty cream/ointment that is going to protect your little one until their next diaper change, and is safe to use with your diapers. In the cloth world, Grandma El’s is it.

Grandma El’s is thick, like barrier creams

As you can see in the above photo, while Grandma El’s is an ointment, it goes on thick like a (barrier) cream. We’ve been having some rash issues recently, so I put a nice layer of this on with D’s nighttime diaper, to offer wetness protection throughout the night. Grandma El’s is great for all-day use as well.

In need of a cloth diaper-friendly ointment right now? Grandma El’s is offering The Median Mommy readers $5 off of their purchase at www.GrandmaEls.com with the code: MEDIAN (how awesome is that?)

This post contains affiliate links.