Laundering Diapers

It was right after 5 this morning when I snapped this picture. There is something to be said for hanging laundry in the early morning hours. You can see God’s grace and beauty in every direction. Everything smells sweet and the birds chirp so softly….it was pleasant and such a wonderful way to start a day.

First, let me apologize for not sending the link for the additional website. My 12 year old, Joshua is currently my web master on this project and we are learning the process of web programming together. Sometimes things take a little longer than we intend for them to, but, we get more and more efficient with each passing project! I will post the link as soon as we can get it all together! : )

I was asked yesterday about laundering cloth diapers. This is another of the areas in which I’ve been amazed. There are more opinions out there than stars in the sky!

Personally, I have a system down for me that seems to be working. Keep in mind that Emma is 8 months. If I were dealing with an older toddler or a newborn who is still having meconium diapers, my experience might be a little different.

My laundering process has been simple thus far. Every time I change Emma, I empty what will fall out into the toilet (sorry if this is too much information), and then put the diaper and diaper wipes into the diaper pail.

I know that a lot of ladies used to and still do fill these with water so that they can soak. I’ve personally seen no benefit to this in my home. I do air my diaper pail in the sun every morning for a couple of hours (all the diapers are clean) to remove the odor from the pail itself.

At night, after everyone has bathed, I take my full diaper pail and empty it into my washer and run it through a rinse cycle. Then I put it through a normal wash cycle. In the morning, they are ready to be hung to dry. I have been known to use a little vinegar in my rinse cycle if the diapers were particularly stinky.

Thus far, I’ve only had one stain and I think that is because this diaper was not sent through a rinse cycle first…I am on a learning curve here you know! We’ve also had very fresh smelling diapers.

One thing that you can opt for (I’ll probably purchase one as Emma gets a little older) is a toilet sprayer. It will attach to your toilet and is supposedly (I’ll believe this when I see it) toddler proof. This would allow you to clean off the diaper before you put it in your hamper.

If you really want to put some convenience in cloth diapering, you can purchase disposable, flush-able liners. They would still be much cheaper than disposable diapers and make the clean up much easier. I’ve not purchased these because I’ve not had any problems getting my diapers clean. Again, this might change as Emma gets a little older.

After posting yesterday, Tanya wrote to me and told me “funny you like the mother ease…I have the one-size with the snap in liner and I hate them. And the covers work well…but with Kacy you either have the cover on too tight (leaves red marks) or not tight enough (leaks). Hummm…with this being my first go at cloth I am not impressed with the motherease.”

This goes to show, the only way to make a good cloth diapering decision is to try them out and find the best fit for your family. I’ve personally not had any trouble with red marks (although I have with the Walmart rubber pants!) and this is the only brand that has not leaked at all. Tanya also brings up another positive in my mind….these diapers are basically one size fits all. They will fit a baby 8-35lbs. This is one of the bigger selling points in my mind. (Most other cloth diapers are purchased for individual sizes.)

While I’m thinking about it, one more is that their customer service has been excellent. When I ordered my diapers, not only did I receive them very quickly, but I placed 2 orders in one day (I had originally forgotten to order liners) and they were very quick to email me and let me know they were going to combine my shipping and asked if there was anything else I needed (I think that they had figured out that this was new to me!). Overall, it was a great experience.

That being said, Tanya is very much like most people. I think that most women do use one of the AIO’s…I’ve just not had a lot of success with them. (Thanks, Tanya, for writing in…it’s always nice to have a different perspective.)

If you are going to venture into the cloth diapering world, write and share your experience. We’ll just make this a big experiment…maybe it will help someone else in making their decisions.

Prayer Requests

The Greenlaw family have medical “stuff” going on this week. Please pray that all goes well.

My Mom is having AC trouble at her home.

I woke up to the sound of running water under my house. I don’t think that this is a good thing….I’m going to be talking to Paul in about 10 minutes to let him know.

That my family can stay focused on the things that we are being led to….”keep you eye on the prize”, if you will. We know that Satan can be very distracting at times.

Today, I’m Thankful For

Being up early and getting a good start on my day.

Our first successful morning using chore packs.

Courtney’s new Christian Light Home Economics curriculum that I can already tell is going to teach me quite a bit as well.

My husband being so kind last night….his understanding never ceases to amaze me. He just always knows when I’m not 100% and seems to know just what to say.

O.K., I hate the heat…but I’m LOVING all the beautiful flowers! So here’s to the summer:

AN ORCHARD AT AVIGNON
A. Mary F. Robinson

The hills are white, but not with snow:
They are as pale in summer time,
For herb or grass may never grow
Upon their slopes of lime.

Within the circle of the hills
A ring, all flowering in a round,
An orchard-ring of almond fills
The plot of stony ground.

More fair than happier trees, I think,
Grown in well-watered pasture land
These parched and stunted branches, pink
Above the stones and sand.

O white, austere, ideal place,
Where very few will care to come,
Where spring hath lost the waving grace
She wears for us at home!

Fain would I sit and watch for hours
The holy whiteness of thy hills,
Their wreath of pale auroral flowers,
Their peace the silence fills.

A place of secret peace thou art,
Such peace as in an hour of pain
One moment fills the amazed heart,
And never comes again.

Tracy’s Task

Today we’ve got quite a bit of weeding to work on. We have also officially pronounced the lawn mower dead. We have got lots and lots of yard work to do….one bite at a time. Today, we’re just working on cutting the grass and I’m going to scope out the places to put the next 4 square foot (these will only be 2’x4′) gardens to house my BIG MAX pumpkins and cucumbers.

Look around your yard. Are there places that are yearning for some extra attention? This might be the time …especially before temps begin to really rise!

What I’m Learning

Ruth is a fascinating little book of the Bible. Paul and I stayed on the computer reading about her late last evening and discussing her “kinsman redeemer”. What an awesome book.

Babies learn the most fun things at Emma’s age. Her new trick is to swoop in like she is going to give you a kiss only she blows a big, sloppy raspberry all over you! There’s been more than one Lambert marked by her slobbery little tactics! She’s a sweetie!

Today’s Scripture Meditation

Isa 35:3-4

“Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come (with) vengeance, (with) the recompense of God; he will come and save you.”
(ASV)


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