14 Common Cloth Diapering Mistakes and What to do Instead
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1. Not changing the baby frequently enough. Cloth diapers must be changed as soon as they become wet. If not, leakage and diaper rash can occur.
2. Not buying enough cloth diapers. You will need at least 36 diapers, especially in the first months as baby will be urinating often.
3. Not buying the proper size diapers. They will not fit properly and you will most likely need larger sized covers to fit over the huge diapers. A huge problem with this is that putting your baby in oversized diapers can cause leaks.
4. Putting microfiber against your baby's skin. Microfiber is used for diaper inserts because it absorbs liquid so well. Unfortunately, microfiber doesn’t discriminate between pee and the moisture in your baby’s skin. Microfiber should never be placed next to your baby’s bare skin. It is meant to be placed inside the pocket!
5. Not rinsing stool off diapers. The easiest and most effective way to rinse diapers is by using a diaper sprayer. They are inexpensive and a good investment for anyone who cloth diapers. Rinsing diapers well after usage helps to prevent stains as well as protect your washing machine from harm.
6. Putting natural oils in the diaper pail. Using precious tea tree oil, grapefruit seed extract, or aromatherapy oils for this purpose is wasting earth's natural resources, wasting your money, ineffective and even damaging for diapers. Oil residue on diapers will cause them to be water-repellent instead of absorbent.
7. Using laundry detergents that damage diaper fabric or baby's skin. Many detergents now include enzymes, dyes, perfumes, bleach, and other chemicals that actually damage the diapers, remain in the fabric, and can cause diaper rashes. Instead, use only natural laundry detergents.
8. Using bleach. Bleach eats away the fabric and leaves a residue. This residue can lead to rashes.
9. Using liquid fabric softener or dryer sheets. It leaves a residue in the fabric which eventually causes the diapers to be water-repellent. The scent and other chemicals in fabric softener also cause diaper rash. Add half a cup of white vinegar in the final rinse as a natural fabric softener.
10. Not washing diapers frequently enough. You won't have enough dry diapers on hand, and won't be able to change baby as soon as he gets wet. Diapers that sit in the diaper pail for more than a day or two will start to smell, take longer to come clean, and harder to remove stains. Ammonia builds up so the laundered diapers will have a weird smell when baby wets, and your baby may get diaper rash.
11. Washing diapers in cold water. To clean organic matter, you need to wash them using hot water. If you are washing by hand, make sure to use plenty of water and really scrub into them so all the contents are removed.
12. Not using enough water in the wash cycle. If diapers are not rinsed well there is a chance that detergent will build up overtime. This residue can cause the diapers to leak and may also irritate your baby's skin.
13. Not drying diapers properly. Air drying is the best way to dry cloth diapers. The best way is to hang them on a clothesline outside. If this is not an option for you then you can also use a laundry rack inside the house. If you do have to use the dryer, make sure to remove them as soon as they are dry.
14. Using diaper creams that are white, thick, and pasty. There are diaper creams that are safer to use with cloth diapers but those thick, white, pasty diaper creams are no good for cloth diapers. They will coat the fabric and will not wash off of your diapers.
If you cloth diaper I hope this has been helpful and will help you in avoiding mistakes.
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