chemical-free Archives - Aimed at the Heart

D is for Diapers – The Best Style and Brand of Cloth Diapers

I started cloth diapering my first son when he was about 10 months old. I bought some cheap covers and my mom donated all the flats she used on my siblings and me. Mom had received them used so C was the 7th baby to use these flats! There were a few hiccups but I figured out how to make flats work for us and fell in love with cloth diapering.

Then I entered the crazy world of today’s cloth diapers. Styles, brands, colors, fabrics… so many options it can make someone’s head spin! If you’re interested in a simple summary of the different styles, you can find one by clicking here.

Since I’m such a “research junkie,” I made it my mission to learn about cloth diapers and find the best style and brand of cloth diapers. I have reasearched and experimented with fabrics, styles, brands (name brand vs cheapies), closures (snap vs aplix vs pull up), care options, etc. I realize that it’s a matter of opinion, but I believe that I have found the best cloth diapers on the market right now.

My preferred style is fitteds with a cover:

Extra leak protection: Less chance of leakage if you can’t change baby as soon they need or if you’re in the car and have car seat straps pressing on diapers and such. They are also less prone to poop explosions because there are two layer to go through, instead of one.
Last longer: You’re not washing the waterproof cover each time. This also allows you to wash your diapers on a hotter setting without having to worry about ruining the waterproof layer because you can simply wash the covers in another load.
More flexibility: You can have one layer specifically for the absorbency and the cover holds it snugly in place. You can add more absorbency for night time and use a more breathable cover (such as wool) if desired, without having to buy a whole new diaper. (In fact, even moms who prefer other styles during the day turn to fitteds for nighttime use). You even have the option to use just the fitted while at home to catch any accidents while potty training or just to allow baby’s bum a bit more air-time.

My personal favorites, and the ones I recommend to everyone I know, are Thirsties Fab Fitteds with Thirsties Duo Wrap covers. I bought some covers while still folding flats with C and haven’t looked back! I found they fit both of my boys really well, in spite of their completely different body shapes. I have friends that have used them as well and they love them just as much. Friends who have cloth diapered between 4 and 8 children (i.e. they know their stuff).

Sizes: The two sizes work well from birth to potty training. A lot of moms find that, with one sized diapers, they end up needing to buy either disposables or a newborn size for the first few months and then, depending on their child’s size, bigger diapers for nearing potty training. One-sized diapers fit that middle range. I used size 1 Thirsties on Biscuit and he was less than 7lbs at birth and C just stopped using them at night (with an extra absorbent booster and only one snap done up instead of two) about six months ago, at almost age 5.
Quality: They will last through several children and, if you no longer need them, they hold their resale value better than some other brands do. They are in the mid-range for price but I have found their quality outlasts many of the other, more expensive, brands. For example, my size one diapers have been through 2 babies (up to about 5 months each) and they still look and feel as good as new. No snap issues or elastic issues or anything. My size 2 diapers look a little more worn because I am pretty hard on my diapers (we had terrible water that discolored them and I machine wash and dry everything) but I still have zero issues with them and they’ll last through another child or two easily. Biscuit has used them for over 2 years now and they are still in excellent condition.
Service: I have emailed Thirsties with questions and spoke with their customer service department on the phone and they were so helpful and quick with their responses.
Options: Snaps or aplix? I prefer snaps for my fitteds so I can use them under wool covers with no snagging, plus the snaps are nice a strong so my toddler has difficulty undoing them. I used aplix for the covers because it allows me to adjust to that perfect fit.
Made in North America: I like knowing that the diapers are made in the USA by (mostly) WAHMs.

Cloth diapers are so simple these days and I have no concerns about having a newborn, full time, in cloth in a few weeks. Even my 5 year old knows how to wash cloth diapers! I won’t even get into how much money these diapers have saved me but you can read my thoughts on how to have a baby on a budget here.

Side note about newborns in cloth:
meconium does NOT permanently stain or wreck the diapers.
A little bit of sunshine gets rid of any stains.
Those flats that I first used had 6 newborns in them and have no staining.

Were you cloth diapered as a child?
Have you ever thought about cloth diapers? Why or why not?

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Why I Don’t Use Toothpaste – How to Make Homemade Toothpaste

by Tessa | Homemaking

I am not a conspiracy theorist. I do not believe our government is purposely trying to poison us or that our schools are trying to brainwash our children or that our doctors are purposely trying to make us sick (though I do believe some decisions they make have that side effect but that’s a whole different story!). I do wonder about dentists sometimes though.

While I was growing up I was meticulous about my teeth. I brushed at least twice a day and flossed a few times a week. I thought all my hard work was paying off when my siblings and I went to the dentist and only my sister had cavities. I figured it was because she ate too many candies. Because candies cause cavities, right? My brother didn’t have any in spite of the fact that he was not as meticulous about his dental hygiene as I was. I figured he just got lucky (he figured it was because he chewed a lot of gum).

A few years later, with no change in my dental routine, I came home from the dentist with about 3-4 new fillings. So much for my perfect dental routine! I have since learned that cavities are caused by bacteria, not sugar. Bad bacteria plants itself on your teeth and feeds off sugar to multiply so leaving sugar (natural or artificial) on your teeth certainly isn’t a good thing, but sugar in itself doesn’t cause cavities. With my dental routine I had been fighting the sugar, not the bacteria.

Interesting fact: we are not born with this bacteria. It is given to us through someone else’s spit, usually before our second birthday. Usually by our mother. Not on purpose but through loving actions such as sharing utensils or food or spit cleaning a pacifier. (I can’t remember where I read that but I believe it was in one of Dr. Sear’s books)

So, back to the dentists. I have a theory:

Toothpaste is supposed to help prevent cavities.
Dentists promote certain brands of toothpaste.
Dentists make more money when people have cavities than when their teeth are healthy.
It would make no logical sense for a dentist to promote something that would put him/her out of business.
Therefore those toothpastes probably don’t do what the advertisements and packaging claims. In fact, they may be part of the problem.

Is it a conspiracy? Maybe not. But it certainly seems like a conflict of interests.

I have eliminated chemicals in a lot of areas of my life so it would make sense that the toothpaste had to go. I haven’t brushed with toothpaste in almost a year. My cavities haven’t magically healed themselves (darn!) but they haven’t gotten any worse either. The good news: my teeth feel great! They seem to stay clean longer and my breath is still fresh. I also don’t have to coax my son to spit out his yummy bubblegum or fruit burst flavoured toothpaste because it is too dangerous to swallow.

Here’s what I use:

Coconut Oil: antifungal, antibacterial, and helps stop tooth decay
Peppermint Essential Oil: antiseptic and minty fresh
Bentonite Clay (a recent addition and not neccesary): mild abrasive, detoxing agent, and has been said to help remineralize teeth

I have found many different recipes online but a lot of them are way to complicated for me. I know people use plain baking soda but, to be perfectly honest, it tastes really gross. It’s also quite abrasive and it is not usually recommended for daily use so I certainly don’t want to use it for my little men.

So I have just been using coconut oil with peppermint essential oil. Simple. I like simple. If this is all you have then it will work perfectly fine. Just mix together and dip your toothbrush in to brush. The hardest part is realizing that it is still cleaning, even if it’s not foaming. I also found that I didn’t have to rinse after brushing (helpful when you have little people that want to splash as soon as you turn on the tap!) so you can brush without water.

My recent addition of the Bentonite Clay is because I’m going to try my hand at remineralizing my teeth. I’m taking cell salts (Calc Fluor and Calc Phos), in addition to brushing with clay and coconut oil, and I’m hoping it helps. I brushed with it for the first time today and I can’t even explain how good my teeth feel right now. More than just clean. They feel soft actually. The toothpaste felt strange while brushing but I think it is just a new texture to get used too.

So there is a very simple toothpaste recipe that is safe and gentle enough for a child! C will be very happy to brush his teeth tonight because he was looking forward to being done our baking soda mix too.

Linked up at: Frugally Sustainable

Edit: People have been asking me about the quantities of each: I use about two parts oil to 1 part clay. Then essential oil to taste (my jar took about 10 drops). But you can experiment and mix it until it is a consistency that you like.

Also, for the first photo my house was too hot for my coconut oil to be solid. By the time I had mixed it up and moved it to my bathroom the cool night air solidified it again. But because the clay was mixed it I still find that, even at solid state, it is the perfect consistency to use.

Hope that clears some things up!

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