Terri has spent the last twenty years in the accounting field working for a major newspaper company as well as assisting small businesses with their accounting needs. Terri is really a ‘soup to nuts’ kind of girl who loves to travel, read, write, decorate, renovate and generally enjoy life. She also has an ecommerce store selling unique baby diapers that she and her sister designed in 2007, called Ditti-do's.
Your little one is due and you're ready. You do a quick check to make sure everything is in place and you lovingly fondle the new outfit your precious one will wear on its journey home. The nursery is finished, adorned in pastel colors and trimmed with a colorful alphabet border. The new child-proofed crib with the cute mobile hanging overtop sits in wait at one end of the room, stuffed animals now filling its center, and you smile, knowing soon they will be replaced by the tiny little bundle you hold inside of you. The dresser drawers are stuffed with tiny newborn outfits, the change table is in place with diapers stacked neatly underneath, along with baby powders, diaper rash creams, baby oils and other over-the-counter medications your mother insisted you would need. The check list is done, your bag is packed for the trip to the hospital, and yes, you know you are ready for the big day. But is your husband?
Preparing your husband for the birth of your child is one thing. But preparing for what comes after is another. You, as the mother, have had nine months to bond with the tiny moving creature inside of you. You already feel as if you know this child and you have described the feeling to your hubby as best you can and the two of you have talked about the many decisions you will have to make for your litte ones future. You both want to keep your baby as healthy and happy as humanly possible and you're both determined to do whatever it takes to make that happen. The first and most important decision of course is how to diaper.
You've looked at the all the new and exciting brands of "sposies" and done your research about the effects they have on the environment and so, you've decided to use cloth, but now you have to convince your hubby. You deliver the "environmental" speech to him and he looks at you as if you've just grown another head. Most men don't like to think about changing a baby's diaper and if they have to do it, they want the fastest, easiest route. So make sure you've done your homework.
AIO's - Are a cover and diaper combined in one and usually have snap or velcro closures. They come in many various colors and designs. Be sure to buy the proper size for a good, snug fit. Absorbancy depends on the make of the diaper. AIO's do not need a cover, hence the name, All In One's. Most have PUL (polyurethane laminate), which is a polyester fabric with a waterproof coating applied ot it, on the cover, or inside the soaker.
Prefolds - Are a flat diaper with any number of layers of fabric such as 2x6x2, 4x6x4 or 4x8x4. The first and last numbers indicate the number of layers on the sides of the diaper and the middle number indicates the number of layers in the middle. Prefolds are made with various fabrics such as bamboo fleece, bamboo velour, unbleached cotton, just to mention a few. Closure is normally done with pins or snappies but it's possible to find a good cover to fit the prefold. The only problem with prefolds is the folding itself. There are many types of folds that you and hubby will have to experiment with before you find the one that's right for you.
Flats - These are one-layer diapers, that again, have to be folded to fit your baby. A big advantage to flats is they dry quickly but they don't absorb well unless you double up. Flats need a cover.
Fitteds - Fitted Diapers are similiar to disposables in that they have elastic in the legs and waist for a better fit and are normally closed with snaps or velcro. They come in many different varieties of fabric's and colors. Because fitted's come in so many styles and patterns, it can be daunting to find the one that's right for you but they are generally quite absorbent and because of the elastic around the legs, tend to hold in the leaks better.
Covers - Used for prefolds, flats, some fitteds. Finding the perfect diaper cover is not an easy task. There are so many of them on the market so it's really a matter of personal preference. You might like the wrap cover which have velcro or snaps that fasten in the front, or the side closing type cover that closes on the side or then there's the pull-on's.
There are so many cloth diapers on the market that the choice can be overwhelming. But don't get discouraged. Get your husband involved in the decision on which cloth diapers to buy and make sure he's comfortable enough with the selected diaper to use them with ease. So search the net or take your husband on a shopping trip to look at all the varieties of diapers and let him make the choice. Just stick to your guns, and make sure his choice is cloth. Your child's future depends on it!
Terri owns and operates a eco-friendly cloth diaper store called Ditti-do's Cloth Diapers. If you would like to visit her store, go to http://www.dittidoclothdiapers.com or for more info on cloth diapers you can email info@dittidoclothdiapers.com.