Flats Challenge 2013 Day 5: What is working for me, and what isn't working..

Today is day 5 of the 3rd annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge! This challenge is hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  This is my 3rd year doing the flats challenge.  The idea is to use flat diapers and handwash them for one week.  Here is why i am doing the challenge and why others are doing it.   


Today I'm talking about what is working for me.... and what is NOT working. 
 
What's Working?  


over night!!  I can't believe I have an overnight cloth solution that is working!  Now, I'll admit, I haven't tried much on my 3 month old, because nothing has worked for my other kids.  We've had a lot of leaks, rashes, and fussy babies over the years so I am quick to jump to disposables for overnight, because it works.  Now, I did use flats on my 4 year old for a whole year at night (we just recently moved to a pull up style overnight cloth solution, because he needed to be able to get up and pee) Maybe using them on my preschooler made this easier.   So here is what i've been doing

Supplies: 
1 oversized cover, in this case, a size 2 thristies duo.  
2 flats, I have tried a combination of flour sac towels and receiving blankets all combinations seem created equal.
1 snappi 
1 fleece liner (optional)

helpers!

done. special overnight diapers are EXPENSIVE.  I've used the jo-fold and the airplane fold so far, both work great for this.  I pad fold the extra flat and lay in on the other flat when it is still a big flat square so that it is all tucked inside.  

My clothes line. I have a clothes line wrapped around my deck, it is awesome.  

My Little helper(s) .. I have 3 kids eager to help - 7, 5, and 2.5 yr old - with my low clothes line even my 2.5 yr old can hang diapers. 






What is NOT working?

The only thing i find kind of horrible about the challenge is ... Wringing out the diapers and poop stains.  

When i use my washing machine, the (exclusively breastfed) poop comes out, no sunning required.  When i had wash, i just. can't. get rid of it. 

drying indoors - kinda sucks!

There is a solution for both of these - a nice sunny day.  If it is sunny and dry and i'm going to hang diapers outside, problem solved.  The sun takes care of the poop stains and the diapers don't HAVE to be wrung out very well and they will still dry quickly.  

the problem is that not every day is sunny.....  (on the other hand, poop stains don't hurt anything while they wait for sun.. and wringing out diapers is a good arm work out)

look great, just wait til a bird comes along.. 

 



Oh... and one more issue i'm having this year..  each time i've dried diapers outside I've had a bird or two poop on them... UGH.  When you hand wash flats, you don't want to hand wash them AGAIN to get BIRD POOP off them..   I have NEVER had this issue in the 5+ years I've lived here..   ugh ugh ugh.  Bird poop stains do not come out as easily as baby poop!!!