Day 5: Flat Folds

WOW. This week is FLYING BY!!

Today is the 5th(!) day of the 4th annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  During the challenge, moms all over the country sign up to use flat cloth diapers AND hand wash them.  The purpose of the challenge is to raise awareness and spread the word that cloth diapers are a viable option for families struggling to afford clean diapers for their babies, even for those who may not have access to a washer and dryer.

The topic for the day is flat folds.  Last year I used all kinds of folds on my then 3 month old.  This year, I'm pretty limited just by lack of time and a SUPER wiggly squirmy baby. 

my 2 favorites are the good old fashioned kite fold (pictured below) and pad fold. 

That is a kite fold done with a flannel receiving blanket with boingos to hold it closed - I've found that Boingos work better on flannel than snappis do.  Pins are another option but would be challenging (and dangerous) with the wiggly squirmy baby.  I prefer a double gusset cover over this fold, like a Thirsties or a Blueberry.

For the pad fold, I prefer to use a narrower cover, like a Grovia shell.  


 

If you are going to use 'fancy' diaper folds - ideally folding a whole basket ahead of time is easier at diaper changes.  But i haven't done any of that lately (I use flats most of the time, even outside of the challenge) I have been grabbing my diaper and folding it off to the side with one hand while holding my squirmy baby down with the other hand.  I'm pretty fast these days, sometimes he is still faster.. 

Day 4: hand washing diapers

It is (was, i'm late) the 4th day of the 4th annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  During the challenge, moms all over the country sign up to use flat cloth diapers AND hand wash them.  The purpose of the challenge is to raise awareness and spread the word that cloth diapers are a viable option for families struggling to afford clean diapers for their babies, even for those who may not have access to a washer and dryer. 

Today we will talk about washing - Hand washing diapers, to me, is really not any worse than hand washing dishes.  I use the kitchen sink and I get distracted so sometimes it takes me all afternoon.   This year, that has not been a big deal since I have so many more diapers than I need because my toddler only uses about 7 diapers a day. 

.

Step 1: gather supplies

This year, instead of running to the laundry room and grabbing handfuls of soap, borax, oxiclean etc - I cleaned and filled glass jars under the kitchen sink with all of the white powders I would need for washing - this year, Charlie's soap, Borax, and sun brand oxiclean made the cut.  

More under the sink cleaning lead to a place to store my wet pail. A wet pail has proven essential for washing larger loads of flats (larger being more than 5-6 diapers) - I put about 2 tbs of borax in my wet pail for the pre-soak

Step 3: dump the wet pail and contents into the sink and begin filling with clean water - I like to do a pre-rinse. Though I skip this step if I'm in a hurry. 

 

Step 4: get your 8 year old to wash the diapers for you...( Optional)

Ok, I've lost track of the steps numbers .. 

after the prerinse, add HOT water, a little Charlie's soap (about a teaspoon, maybe a little more) and a half scoop of oxiclean - maybe some more borax, baking soda, washing soda, calgon, or salt - really, I like throwing random white powders in the sink.. 

Agitate. Walk away (soak) forget what you were doing (soak) go to put dishes away and realize your sink is full of diapers and agitate some more. Drain, squeeze out some water and begin filling again with warm or cold water. 

I've been considering trying a little bleach once a week at this point, I think it would be helpful, but I have yet to find out. 

Rinse, rinse, rinse.  Then wriiinnng wring wring (always wear your dish washing gloves or you Will get blisters by the end of he week) 

Hang diapers to dry, preferably outdoors on a pretty sunny day .. 

But indoors with a fan works too, it just takes a little longer.

Flats & Handwashing Challenge Day 2 - my stash & cost

Day 2:  My flats stash and how much do these things cost. ... 

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Today is the 2nd day of the 4th annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  During the challenge, moms all over the country sign up to use flat cloth diapers AND hand wash them.  The purpose of the challenge is to raise awareness and spread the word that cloth diapers are a viable option for families struggling to afford clean diapers for their babies, even for those who may not have access to a washer and dryer. 

So how many flats do you need to diaper your baby and how much do they cost? 

Flats

How many you need depends largely on the age of your baby  - Last year, my little man was 3 months old for the challenge and he used 12 flats a day (10 during the day and 2 overnight) so a stash of about 24 would have been ideal. (12 to use, while the other 12 were washing/drying) This year, at 15 months, he is using about 7 flats a day including 2 overnight.  I could make it by with a dozen. I am using slightly different flats this year than last - mostly the slightly thicker, more absorbent flannel blankets.  If I could come up with any excuse to have more diapers, I would try t-shirt flats - they seem like they would be soft, free, and absorbent. 

 Since I've been using flats for 3 years and 2 babies,   I have way more than one would need to start out. 


9 - large rectangular flour sac towels from sam's club - $9
12 - square flour sac towels, target $12 (3 4-packs for $3.99)
8 - Ikea fluffy, square burp cloths $12 (2 for 2.99)
11 - old flannel receiving blankets $0 (re-purposed baby gifts)

So, my LARGE stash of flats, which also double as burp cloths and cleaning rags cost a grand total of $33

All the covers...

 To use flats, it is also helpful (but not 100% necessary) to have some covers - how many covers you need also depends on the age of your baby and on what type of covers you are using.  Pictured left is my entire stash of way-too-many covers.  (and its not actually my entire stash, it is the covers that are not girly) Pictured below are the covers I'm using for the challenge.  I could  get by with 3-4 covers.  But I am using 7 plus one larger fleece cover for overnight (not pictured).  Below we have 
2 thirsties duo size 2 - retail cost about $28 (I paid $22)
1 grovia shell - retail about $16 (i paid $8)
3 blueberries coveralls, 2nds (total about $30) 
1 up-cycled wool cover (made from a sweater, $0) 

covers i am currently using

Bummis polar fleece cover - (clearance, ~$10)


Bringing my cover total to about $70


You can find covers cheaper, Econobum covers run for about $6-7, and you can find covers that are more expensive.  Shopping sales, 2nds sales and silent auctions is why I have so many covers (and because they are cute and I can't stop buying them...) 

Snappis and Boingos

Another not 100% in my stash - Snappis and Boingos - Boingos run about $5 a pair, (I'm only using 1 pair now, so i will only count 1. )
I got these snappis for $4 recently.

Grand total.  $112

Diapers for the diapered life of my baby and then some.  For $112.

Flats and Handwashing Challenge 2014 - Day 1: Why am I doing this (AGAIN)??

flour sac towel flat, boingos

Today is the first day of the 4th annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  During the challenge, moms all over the country sign up to use flat cloth diapers AND hand wash them.  The purpose of the challenge is to raise awareness and spread the word that cloth diapers are a viable option for families struggling to afford clean diapers for their babies, even for those who may not have access to a washer and dryer.  

This is my FOURTH year participating in the challenge - I have a 15 month old toddler and it is May, so I'm doing the challenge.  The first flats challenge changed the way I diaper my babies - I use flats almost exclusively.  I use them as pocket inserts and also with covers.  I have donated all of my microfiber inserts and my (homemade) hemp fleece prefolds have been folded in a drawer for a couple years now.  

B. 15 months, blueberry diaper cover

I'm not sure WHY I am doing the challenge - I've done it before, 3 times before - I've done it with an older baby (8 mo) a toddler (20 mo), a young baby (3mo).  I've participated with perfect weather, with rain, I've hand washed diapers while traveling, in hotels and while staying with family.  While I normally use my washing machine - I line dry all my diapers year round, indoors or outdoors.  None of this is really a challenge for me anymore - Even my now 8 year old knows how to hand wash the diapers! She has helped me handwash diapers once a year since she was 5 and I am glad she has that skill. I talk to parents about flats (and handwashing) every month at my local Real Diaper Association Circle group meetings.  The challenge has served its purpose with me.   Practicing the skill of handwashing, making this option normal for my kids, planting a seed in the minds of those who may see me washing, drying or using flats and showing that even when you are busy and you have so much on your plate that you can't find room for one more thing, you can still hand wash your baby's diapers if it *needs* to be done.  Just like you can find the time to prepare meals, or to feed your baby, you can find the time to wash his diapers. 

  

Flats & handwashing challenge 2013 day 7(+)- What did we learn?

 The 3rd annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge is over already! This challenge was hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  The challenge focused on using flat cloth diapers and handwashing them for one week.  I can't believe how fast it went! Yesterday was the last day, and I washed my last load of diapers this morning. 

 over night flat (2 flats) and thirsties duo size 2 cover

In the past, (I've taken this challenge twice before) I have felt that hand washing was do-able, but hard.  Wringing was hard, I always ended up getting sore arms or blisters from wringing diapers - or a sore back from bending over the tub.  This time I washed in my kitchen sink and oh the difference it made!! I was right in the middle of the action, I could start the diapers washing, and let them soak here and there, while making the kids breakfast, or cleaning, or bugging the kids to get dressed.  I didn't have to go hide away in the bathroom and worry that some one would go for  a swim in the diapers while i let them soak - or that i would forget to actually finish washing.  My diapers seemed to get much cleaner this way (than with previous challenges) 


I thought the challenge would be harder with a younger baby (3.5 mo, vs. 8mo, 20 mo, and 4 yrs) It was harder in that there were more diapers per day but easier because this little guy holds still for diaper changes.  The challenge has gotten easier every year, this year it seemed to take a leap in the direction of helpful, and better than my normal routine.  Hand washing diapers cut down on the amount of time i spent on laundry this week significantly - It also cut hours and hours of running time off my washer and dryer, with a family of 6 and several loads of laundry a day, that really adds up!

I should also add, there are things about my normal diapering routine that are a direct result of past flats & handwashing challenges.  I was already using flats on my new little man while at home.  I donated ALL of my microfiber inserts to a cloth diaper bank before this baby was born.  When I do use pockets, I stuff them with homemade hemp flats or hemp 'prefolds' (2 pieces of hemp sewn together.  Though i am seriously considering switching over to exclusively using flour sac towel flats in my pockets, at least for the summer.  Honestly, I don't know if I'll use many pockets at all.  I prefer them for the diaper bag, but I also have 3 all -in-ones that are nice for the diaper bag, So i might just use those.  I will admit I forgot to pack a wetbag for my flats several times while we were out this week and having a self contained all-in-one is easier in that situation.  Though i would have wanted NO PART of hand washing even those 3 diapers. 

Well, I am trying to get all this out with a sleeping baby on my chest, and i'm already a day late.  I must say that blogging about the challenge every day was SO much harder than actually doing the challenge! time to type, on a computer?! no. my kids (I have 4 - ages 3.5 mo-7yrs) will hardly allow that. I did at least one blog entry from my phone.  So, with that said, I give up.  Not on the challenge, but on blogging every day -- I'm going back to posting recipes so that i can easily remember them and share them with friends.  I'll think about this blogging thing again when i don't have a baby who sleeps on my chest every night. 
 

It's that time of year again! FLATS CHALLENGE TIME!

Yipee!! Its party time! I mean, Flats Challenge time! 

Don't know what i'm talking about?  Well, once upon a time..  Kim at Dirty Diaper Laundry thought it would be a good idea to prove that cloth diapering is within reach for almost anyone.  She asked others to join her and the flats and handwashing challenge was born.  

I am excited to participate for the 3rd year in a row, and this time with my new little man, Bently (3 months).  Once again, I'm going to tell myself that this is my chance to use my blog for something other than a recipe box. [at least for a week or two!]

Little Man, Bently (sporting a flat and cover)

Every day, starting Monday May 20th, I'll be blogging about a different Flats Challenge topic.  I'm going to ease into it this year. (the blogging and the flats)  I have already been using flats on and off along with my other cloth diapers since Little Man was born.. for that matter i've been using flats on and off since the first flats challenge 2 years ago.. but they really are a big part of our diapering routine now.  It isn't going to be a big deal for me to use flats all the time, though handwashing is a completely different issue.. I do an entire load of cloth diapers, wipes, and napkins in my HE front load washing machine almost every single day.  This will be the youngest baby i've ever hand washed diapers for and I am a bit nervous about the quantity of diapers here along with the lack of time in any given day.  I've got a great helper or 2 or 3 (ages 7, 5, and 2.5)  And to throw in a little element of mystery and surprise my regular once a week pooper pooped nearly every day last week.. (maybe my little man got the dates wrong for the challenge?)

So. Here we goooooooo  .. 

cookie-like oat granola bars

Dry Ingredients: 

2 C rolled oats

3/4 C millet flour

1/4 C chopped pecans (optional, or other nuts/seeds)

1/4 C chocolate chips

1/2 C coconut sugar sugar 

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

½ tsp. salt

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup your choice of milk (i used unsweetened almond)

1-2 tbs maple syrup

2 flax eggs (2 tbs ground flax whisked with 6 tbs water)

1 tsp. vanilla 

1 tps chia seeds

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix flax and water and chia seeds and set aside for at least 5 mins.  In two separate bowls, mix dry ingredients, and wet ingredients. Pour wet into dry, mixing until combined. Pour batter into a greased baking dish (9x13, or 2 8x8). Sprinkle raw oats on top. 

bake 20-25mins

this is an updated gluten & egg free and yummier version of this recipe.

Biscuits - (strawberry shortcake!)

DROP BISCUITS!  
1 1/2 cups sourghum flour 
1 1/2 cups millet flour 
1 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp zanthum gum
2 tbs + 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 + 1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt 
2 tbs your sugar
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar 
7/8 cup milk (I used rice milk, room temp)
3 tbs melted butter substitute (coconut oil works, but something 'butter flavored' tastes MUCH better) 

Add all dry ingredients to a bowl and mix, in a separate bowl, combine the "milk," vinegar, and oil. Add the wet to the dry and stir until just combined - the mixture will 'shrink' and then become fluffy/foamy (stop mixing!) 'drop' onto pan, they will bake as is, so you don't need much space between them.  Bake at 425 for 12-15 min 

 

I topped these with extra sugar to use them for strawberry shortcake - and also made coconut whipped cream for the topping- YUM.  

Flats Challenge - The Last Day.

It is day 6 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge !!!

 As you may have noticed, I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For the past 6 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!   

To see what I've been up to check out Day 1,  Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5 and Day 6.

 

Today is the last day of the Flats Challenge -  Really? the last day?  

I've had a busy week -  like every other busy week (every week?) it has gone by lightening fast! 

So, here are my thoughts about all this ..  random thoughts. 

• I love that I've blogged every day! (and about something other than cooking!!) 

• I don't feel worn out - I don't feel like I'll be relieved that it's over, but no, i will not continue hand washing.  

• This has inspired me to come up with a way to change up my diaper washing/drying routine so it is not so time and energy consuming. 

•  I am seriously considering packing most of my pocket diapers away for a rainy day. (like, winter when line drying isn't so fun, or a babysitter)  I think it would extend their life if i gave them a break. I think if i were using only flats and my cloth napkins/wipes I could cut down on the wash cycle.  Maybe use a wetpail with borax like i have been this week and do the pre-wash that way and not need to use the 3+ hour wash cycle.  I'm going to experiment 

•  I'm going to try to figure out an efficient way to line dry my cloth napkins (seriously, we use about 30-50+ every 2 days, they take FOREVER to hang up on a clothes line.)

•   I really enjoy hanging up laundry on the clothes line - but it is just too time consuming. 

So, I'm not going to keep handwashing flats, that is not a big surprise - but i do think that every time i do this, it gets more do-able - with the weather this week it was EASY - today, i didn't even put any effort into wringing out my diapers and in the wind and warm air they were dry in 2 hours, i could have been doing that all week. If I did this full time, i would be motivated to work more on potty training, but i don't think i'd go as far as really trying EC - Hand washing diapers just isn't THAT hard.  Now if i had to hand wash dishes, that would be another story..  

 

Flats Challenge Day 6 - Flats on the go ..

 It is day 6 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge !!!

 As you may have noticed, I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For the past 6 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!   

To see what I've been up to check out Day 1,  Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, and Day 5.



So, between last summer and this weekend I have used and hand washed flats both in a hotel, and while staying with family on short weekend trips.. and I have used disposables on longer trips in the past year - When traveling for a 1-2 week vacation, the cost of disposables is minimal - the cloth diaper nerd in me would like to do it, but I just can't justify the extra work when i've got so many other things going on.  If i needed to use flats for financial reasons, chances are good i wouldn't be spending a week at disney world.  Anyway, for shorter weekend trips, i like to use cloth - i just don't like to come home with a bag full of dirty diapers.  I also don't like to take up a huge amount of space with enough pockets to last the weekend.  Flats and handwashng come about as close to perfect as you can get for this type of trip.  

This time, we spend just one night away, about a day and a half.  We were staying with my Mother in Law at her home in the country.  That meant 2 things for cloth diaper washing - well water, and a clothes line!  I washed diapers half way through (in the morning) because I wanted to be sure they had time to dry before we left.  I did a hot wash inside and then took the diapers outside for rinsing - it was so windy and i knew i had all day for them to dry, so i did 3 rinses and hardly wrung them out at all (we also had somewhere to be).  My diapers did turn out a bit discolored (hoping that washes out?) from the well water.  You can almost see it in the picture of them drying on the line, the diaper on the right and the ones on the left took the brownish color of the water. The water wasn't THAT brown, so i'm not really sure why it stuck so bad to those diapers (target flour sack towels, you can also see in this picture how much BIGGER the Sam's flour sack towels are than the target towels ..).   Anyway, that was all there was to it, If we had stayed - i would have washed again in the morning and had more diapers.  I did not bring the 2 dirty diapers we had used at home with us - so tomorrow I'll have 2 extra diapers to wash in addition to the ones we used today.  We also played outside in the water today, so for that time, my toddler went diaperless for a few hours, and luckily my preschooler did not pee in his night time diaper - both of those things cut down on the number of diapers i had to wash while we were away.  

As for packing, for this trip - i brought my entire clothes basket of flats.  completely unnecessary? yes.  I had the space in the van and i didn't want to stress about packing them - I could have taken up the same amount of space as a package of disposables and had everything i needed. (about 10 flats, 3 covers, gloves and detergent) 

Briefly, I'll talk about last year's hotel trip and flats - That was trickier - I washed the flats from the day in the hotel bathtub after the kids were in bed and hung them from the shower curtain rod, towel bars etc. and left the fan running in the bathroom - They dried, it worked - but i could see how it might not work in some hotel bathrooms.  The flannel flats did not dry as quickly, so this year when i traveled i only brought flour sack towels.  I used only flip and thristies covers - which dry quickly.  It was more challenging than what i did this weekend, If i was committed to using only cloth diapers i would do it in a heartbeat! but i'm not. 

And what was possibly the highlight of this part of the Flats Challenge experience ?  My husband saying flats were 'not that bad' and he even put one on our wiggly toddler. I fold my flats in a rectangle similar to a prefold and usually use the bikini twist or angle wing fold with boingos to secure.  My comfort zone is completely different this year, than it was last year - so i don't feel so bad about not experimenting too much..  Last year i used pins, snappis, several different folds and pad folded flats in the diaper bag - this time, I'm pretty much doing the same thing all the time fold-wise -  i'm using my boingos religiously and haven't touched my pins or snappis..(seriously, I love them! i just don't think i could get the same fit with pins or a snappi) 

Flats Challenge day 5! Sized flats?

 It is day 5 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge !!!

 As you may have noticed, I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!   

To see what I've been up to check out Day 1,  Day 2, Day 3 and Day 4.  

This year's challenge is just not challenging me ?!   I'm not tired of it, i feel like i REALLY could just fit this right into my routine .. it IS in my routine..  i don't mind the difference in the diapers, i don't crave my pocket diapers, even when i'm out  - i 'm just fine.  what is going on?!  Like i said yesterday, I think after about a week i'd be ready to run these diapers through a regular wash cycle, but if that wasn't possible i could just spend a little extra time hand washing them once a week. 

So what made me stop using flats between last year and this year?  I think i figured it out! Last year i was using target flour sack towels - and now i know that they are just not that great for a toddler!  They worked GREAT for my 8-10 month old (and I assume they'd work well for younger babies) and then it just went down hill from there.  This year, i bought some Sam's club flour sack towels, they are bigger, softer, and more absorbent for the SAME price as the target towels! Now, if i had a newborn or even a 6 month old they'd be too big.  There is a down side to this, as you know, flats are considered one-size, and part of the appeal would be that you wouldn't have to buy two sets.  But with a toddler, 12 flats is enough, and you can buy 12 for $12 - that is the cost of one or two small packages of disposable diapers to make flats work for another year or longer! (the larger Sam's club flats work for my 4 year old at night!)  For reference, the Sam's towels - as measured hanging on the line, are 36x29 - they get a bit smaller when dried in the dryer.  The target towels are 29x29 hanging on the line. 

So, since i haven't been that challenged this year, i'm going to step it up! I'm taking the flats challenge 'on the road.'  We are going out of town overnight.  We'll see how this goes, but really - if i don't have time to wash, i doubt I'll run out.  Having 26 flats in my stash helps.  They aren't all my favorites, but they will work! Of course, hand washing all of them when i get home does not sound like fun so there is my motivation to wash tomorrow morning..  

So, if you're doing this with me, is the challenge challenging for you? and What size flats do you prefer?

Flats Challenge Day 4 .. Washing..

 It is day 4 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge !!!

 As you may have noticed, I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!   

To see what I've been up to check out Day 1,  Day 2, and Day 3. 

 Today we're talking about washing.  My washing method is simple, I learned a few tricks last year and they are serving me well.  

1. First things first, recruit helpers.  having a helper (ideally ages 4 and up) can really save your arms! This may not last forever, but for a 1 week challenge my kids are ALL about it.  And they are ALWAYS up for hanging diapers on my kid-height clothes line.
2.  use a wet pail, I add borax to my wet pail (helps with diaper stink issues) and keep it in the bathroom in the tub with the door closed so the kids don't mess with it.
3.  wash in a bucket in the bathtub, with the helpers doing most of the agitation (using gloves or a plunger to protect their skin, though this year we aren't using a plunger because it broke on day 2 of last year's challenge) My wash cycle goes something like this - rinse, wash with detergent (i use charlie's soap) and super hot water, rinse warm, rinse cold, and wring out.
4. Washing in the mid-late afternoon still allows for enough sunshine to dry diapers quickly but keeps you from having to work it into the morning routine.   
5. 10 flats and a cover or two is about the max for a 5 gal bucket, any more than that and you run into problems from overloading your 'washer'.  

My flats tend to dry outside within a couple hours, that is without going crazy with the wringing, they are usually still a bit wet when i put them out.  If it were cloudy or extra humid I would probably have to do a bit more wringing, or plan for a longer dry time.  With 2 kids in flats (one only at night) and 26 flats, I am no where near running out at the end of the day but it is still important to try to wash every day.  That way, you don't run out (if it rains on your drying diapers, or something comes up and you miss a wash day).  Plus, if i waited until i had 20+ dirty flats it would take twice as long to wash them.  

My conclusion on hand washing, in general, is that it is 100% do-able, but it would be WAY more sustainable and easier with once a week machine washing thrown in there.  I think if i were doing this full time it would be worth it to drag all the diapers to grandma's house or a laundromat once a week.  For a camping trip, or a weekend out of town i would prefer flats to any other kind of cloth diapers, no one likes to bring home a bag of dirty diapers.   I did use flats and hand wash them for a 3 day trip last summer.  A days worth of flats easily dried overnight in a hotel bathroom. Once hand washing is worked into your routine, its no harder than putting away a basket of laundry, or emptying the dishwasher.  Sure, sometimes adding one more thing seems a bit overwhelming, but you get over it. 

Day 3: using flats

Annie (20mo) showing off her adorable self

It is day 3 of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge !!!

As you may have noticed, I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them! You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!   

To see what I've been up to check out Day 1 and Day 2

Today we are talking about how to use flats - there are a million ways to use flats, which is part of why they can work for everyone!  I have been using flats as inserts in (about half of) my pocket diapers since last year's challenge!  With flats, there is no need for stinky high maintenance microfiber! I had a lot more trouble finding my groove for last year's challenge - I'm not sure if i can give the credit to my awesome pair of Boingos (those green star things in the picture) or the new larger size flat (sam's club flour sac towel 30x36) or my now bigger toddler. (not that toddlers are all that cooperative about diaper changes)..but those are the things that are different about this year.  

 So my favorite fold so far this year is technically a prefold fold .. the bikini twist! I fold the larger sam's club flat into a rectangle and then twist and fasten with the boingos and i'm ready to go!   This fold is very trim, and doesn't require any complicated folding.  It is also worked well for the diaper bag and in public restrooms.  Last year i used the origami fold and that was a pain to do out of the house. Speaking of leaving the house.  If i know its going to be a while before i can check/change a diaper - I have been laying a pad folded flat inside of the rectangle folded flat and then fastening in an angle wing fold (like you would a pre-fold).  This holds a ton of pee, folks! Normally, i stuff my pocket diapers with 9 layers of hemp fleece when we go out, and this flat combination is more trim and holds just as much if not more than the hemp inserts.  I know i said this last year too, but i just might be done with pockets!  My main motivation this year is probably going to be that it seems that flats may really help with potty training!  Annie has told me nearly every time she has peed or pooped since we started using flats!! she isn't telling me before, when she needs to go - but she is uncomfortable and comes to ask to be changed as soon as she goes.  Now, when she starts trying to use the potty, flats won't be the easiest thing to take off and put on over and over so we'll be switching to cloth trainers at that point, but i think we'll get there faster this way.. 

For my 4 year old's night time diaper, I use a kind modified kite fold with an extra flat pad folded in the middle.  (pictured to the left)  He is 37lbs and wears a large old-style thirsties cover (back when they were pretty huge).  He recently outgrew the large pockets I had, so this was my solution, and all i had to buy was the pair of boingos.  This combination has yet to leak.  

And i guess here is as good a place as any to confess that I am not using a flat at night with my 20 month old.  She wakes up enough when she pees at night as it is - and i am not a fan of night wakings for diaper changes at this stage.  She also has yet to wear a cloth diaper at night without getting a rash (we've tried different liners, cloth safe rash creams etc)  She just needs a disposable and good old fashioned white butt cream to keep her rash free and sleeping peacefully at night.  I do plan to switch her to cloth at night when she stops peeing consistently in the night, as that seemed to work for my 4 yr old.  He got a bad rash in overnight cloth when he was a baby/toddler also, but he doesn't anymore.  And when the nightly disposable is a size 5 or 6 the extra cost makes it even more worth it to make cloth work.     

Mollie (6) hanging up the diapers after helping me wash.. 

bagel fail = awesome

I set out to make some bagels..   well, lets just say one too many substitutions and it just wasn't happening..  the results are .. amazing.

Wet ingredients
4 room temperature eggs
4 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup rice milk
1 tbs honey
1 tsp cider vinegar

Beat wet ingredients then add:

1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 cup rice flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
optional: 1/2 cup pulp from home made coconut milk

Beat some more ..  now, if you're lucky this will turn into a ball of dough - if you're me, it will turn into a watery cake batter .. pour it into a greased 8x8 pan, bake at 350 for 30-35 mins, it looks like corn bread.

serve warm, topped with strawberries or some non-dairy butter .. sooooo good, i hope i can make this mistake again.

the 2nd annual Flats Challenge is here!!!

I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry.  For 7 days I will be using only flat cloth diapers and handwashing them! You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.  This year there are over 450 participants from all over the world!  


*cheering*

Come on, I know you're excited, right??!? Since nearly all my posts are recipes, I feel the need to do this.. 

Ingredients

• 5 flannel receiving blankets
• 12 Target flour sack towels
• 9 Sam's Club flour sack towels
• 14 covers (3 original thirsties medium, 2 original thirsties large, 2 flips, 1 econobum, 1 weehugger, 1 thirsties duowrap, 2 grovia, 1 blueberry coverall, 1 homemade fleece cover) *
• 1 toddler (20 months, 22lbs)
• 1 preschooler (4 yrs, 35lbs)
• a few snappis, some diaper pins, and a pair of boingos

*not all covers are pictured, or necessary - I just happen to own 14 covers and since there is no limit on covers this year, i plan to try all of them!

 So, why am i doing this ? 

1. Well... because i had fun doing it last year. May not be the best reason, but it is pretty much my number one reason. Who doesn't like a good challenge? 
2.  It is nice to go back to basics with diapers now and then, as you may have guessed from my covers stash, i have enough diapers to diaper a tiny baby army, or min 5 babies..
3.  i think it may help kick start potty training Annie (my 20 mo old, she peed in the potty twice today!) 
4. I'm already often using flats at night with Jamie (4 yr old, only pees in his night diaper a couple times a week)  2 kids in the challenge for the price of one!
5. My 6 year old remembers the challenge from last year and is excited about hand washing diapers, i like to use this as a history lesson 'life before washing machines'   
6. I'd like to get back in the habit of line drying outside (i use a railing indoors to line dry pockets)
7.  oh yeah, and to raise awareness that cloth diapering can be done on a budget, and doesn't have to be expensive (hey, some of those covers were very inexpensive - actually - one was free, 5 were used, 2 were 2nds, 2 were a fraction of retail at a silent auction, and one was a gift - 5 of them are also on their 2nd child -I'll have to add all this up later..) 

And there we have it -  Let the challenge begin! Forecast looks sunny, this week looks busy (including a doctor's appointment, a LLL meeting, and a trip out of town)  

Rice Krispies Treat - but better!

run out of marshmellows? or looking for something with a bit more nutritional value? 

 NutButter & Honey Rice Krispie Treats

• 3 cups brown rice krispies
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup nut butter (i used sunbutter, but i think they'd be AWESOME with cashew or almond butter)
• 1/2 cup honey

mix nut butter, honey, vanilla and salt and melt in the microwave or on the stove top (it doesn't take much) then add the rice krispies and stir until they are all covered - pour mixture into a wax paper lined 8x8 square pan and cut into squares after it cools!  I also added chocolate chips - these were super yummy, just as much a treat as the brownies i made last week and also allergen friendly!

Now i just need to catch up on all my other baking.. we are out of corn muffins, granola bars, bread, and muffins .. EEK!

4 things, to catch up.

What i've been doing. 

1. Eating and making Amazing bread. (this recipe.) I let it rise a bit too long, so it was mis-shapen and really tall - HOWEVER, i used freshly ground rice flour (like right that min before i put it in the bread) and IT WAS SO GOOD!!!  fresh flour makes SUCH a huge huge difference.  This was a double batch.

 2. practicing for the 2nd annual Flats Challenge! This is Jamie, age 4, to the right - in his night time diaper. amazing.

3.  pineapple orange ice cream! WOW!!  about equal parts frozen orange slices and frozen pineapple chunks + apple juice to sweeten.. throw it all in the vita-mix and serve immediately.  YUMMY.

4. Mollie was REALLY happy about how many sight words she can read!