Using wool can often intimidate and scare cloth diaper users.  The first thing to remember is it has been around for ages!  My mother has a picture of her & 5 siblings all wearing cloth diapers with wool soakers.  Longies are pictured above - they are worn over a prefold/ or fitted diaper.  I found longies to be the easiest to use, as my daughter would wear them all day long, just like pants.  I would change diaper as needed. Shorties are the same- but shorter...I know easy answer.  Soakers look like granny gitch underwear.  You can wear clothing & sleepers overtop just making sure it isn't compressing the wool and causing leaks. When you first get your wool, you lanolize it. Most of us have lanolin in our house ( often used during breastfeeding to help prevent cracked nipples). You add 2 tablespoons to hot water 1/4 full in your sink, fill rest of sink so that it is lukewarm. ( If water is too hot it will cause wool to felt, ie shrink). Once water in sink is filled, submerge wool and leave it.  2-3 hours later, take wool out and lay between 2 towels and roll out moisture. Lay flat to dry.

Pictured above is a wool soaker.  Changing diapers is the same as always.  When wet, change.  Wool is amazing as it lets the baby's bottom breathe. There is no plastic. Wool is also an excellent option for those who have sensitive skin, or get rashes. If baby has a soiled diaper, simply change diaper, if there is any waste on the wool you can sponge it off and turn wool inside out to keep using it. To wash wool...mix a teaspoon of dishsoap / or baby shampoo in with the lanolin. Wash wool without wringing it out, lay flat to dry. I also used to use scented wool wash, you can get this at many wool stores.  I would wash my wool with ewe need it, and my whole house would smell like monkey farts ( mixture of banana and nuts).

Smallest cover Newborn fits size 4pounds-12 pounds, with a premie prefold. Trifold into the diaper cover ( ie fold in both sides). Premie prefold fits 4-12 pounds.

For the next size up in diapers, it is the infant prefold.  Fits 8 pounds -22 pounds.  Fold down the top of the prefold and fold in the sides.  If you have a boy baby the folded down area is better at the front  ( as boys pee up the front ), if it is a girl baby the folded part is better at the back ( as girls pee in the middle and back).

This is Sweet Pea One size cover ( fits 8-45 pounds). Inside this cover is our baby size prefold ( fits 20 pounds-45+).  The front is folded down just like the picture above, and it is laid into the diaper cover.

The benefits to using the trifold is that it is easy to do, and you can have another diaper cover waiting & a prefold already folded into it.  The downsides to using a trifold is the first 6 weeks the infant have "explosive" poops ( see poop video in our FAQ section).  When infant has an "explosive poop" it will run onto the sides of the diaper cover.  Trifolding works best for infants/babies when the poop stays in one spot a bit better ( ie 12ish pounds). Both the newborn cover & one size cover have snaps on the front to snap down to make the covers fit smaller.  Make sure when placing diaper cover on baby that all diaper ( prefold) is tucked into the diaper cover.  If any white diaper is sticking out, that is when you will get wicking ( leaking onto sleepers).

We are one of the only companies that does in house meetings about cloth diapers.  The number one reason we do it, is so that our customers are successful when it comes to cloth diapering.  We meet with new "parents to be" 2 weeks before their due date.  Showing them how to do different folds,, how to use a snappi, what a booster is used for, and of course answering questions.

During our meeting ( they are short and sweet usually less then 30 min), numerous topics come up. Pain relief for labour, babywearing ( carriers/ slings/ wraps), places in Ottawa to seek help with breastfeeding, as well as meeting customers while in labour. Over the last year I have gone to 4 meetings where mom was in labour,another meeting had to get rescheduled as she was in pushing stage, and another I was feeding ice chips, and catching vomit. 




  

On another meeting we might be helping a new mom with breastfeeding.  Every meeting is different & unique.  We also have youtube videos on our website & blog to assist, offer to Skype with customers if they can't meet, and answers all questions via email too. We meet during daytime hours when we are already out on the road delivering diapers.  It is not necessary that both parents be at the meeting, the information can be shared with the other one at a later date. If there is no time to meet before baby arrives, we meet with baby. We place baby on change pad/ or towels and do through all the diapers ( usually getting pooped on a couple of times during this process!).  The owner of Ottawa Cloth Diaper Service has both Postpartum & birth Doula through CAPPA.

How do I use the boosters?

Boosters add extra absorbency to your diaper. Some of our boosters are a mixture of hemp/bamboo, therefore it is important to layer them inside the cotton prefold.  Hemp material is slower to absorb, if you are laying it against baby's skin the urine might not absorb. If you layer hemp in-between cotton, the cotton absorbs, then the moisture  sinks into the hemp material. Boosters are good to use for overnights/ long car rides/ or longer naps. Your can tri-fold the prefold over the booster, then lay it into the diaper cover.

What do I do when my baby is too big for the snappi?

If baby is getting too big, and the snappi is getting tight- you can use the same tri-fold as the above photo.  You tri-fold the prefold, and lay it into the diaper cover.

When should I move to the toddler size prefolds?

Toddler size prefolds fit from 20 pounds +. You can fold down the top of them, then trifold into the diaper cover.  If you child is currently 6months and up... and is going through 65+ diapers a week, then you should look at moving up in size.  Going to the toddler size will also increase absorbency as there is more material, then in the infant prefold.


How many diapers should I expect to go through?

Newborn 10-14 diapers a day

 2-6 months 8-10 per day

 6months-12 months 6-8 per day

 1 year plus 4-6 per day

It seemed easy enough.

Bathtime with shaving cream and food colouring.  Perfect for a rainy day, or so I thought. Not sure if I put in too much food colouring, or something else, however this was the biggest mess ever.




Shaving cream- yes, much better to paint with, unless you go to shoppers drug mart where all of a sudden all shaving supplies are under lock and key.  When did this happen? Adding food colouring not so much. If you are going to encourage your children to paint with shaving cream, make sure you don't plan on washing them up after playing with this. Not possible, unless you empty the tub, and start over.

Looks innocent enough here...

It was everywhere. In the bathmat, in the shower curtain, it stains the tub if you don't wash it quick enough, and staining children's skin too.




Overall..I don't recommend. Just shaving cream works, or better yet turn off the lights and just use glow in the dark stick.

Yesterday was 32 degrees plus.  This is where I wished I was...Can you guess?  It is close to Ottawa, and is unique. The only beach I know that has an ice cream float.  A houseboat that has a freezer on it, and they dish out ice cream. http://ontarioconservationareas.ca/component/mtree/conservation-authorities-of-ontario/rideau-valley/baxter-conservation-area

The beach is sandy with lots of picnic tables, BBQ pits, and big mature trees.  If you want to go earlier there are wooden boardwalks that you can hike through the forest on ( stroller friendly). Parking is $6, and you pay and display as you come in.  There are change rooms/ and washrooms ( pit toliets).

The other huge highlight of this location is the sheer volume of boats on the Rideau river.  This equals lots of waves.

The line up for the ice cream float starts about 12:45.  Ice cream cones are $2.50.

Supplies required:

coffee filters, wooden clothespins, markers,  pipe cleaners, paint brushes, and tub of water




Take the coffee filters and colour them with markers. Trying to find markers that aren't dried out, is a huge challenge in our house.  While the marker is drying, you can colour the clothespin.  Take the coffee filter and paint lightly with water.  You are aiming for a tye dye appearance.  Leave the coffee filters to dry and make another one. Once coffee filter is dry, you gather it in the middle and secure with wooden clothespin. Option to use glitter ( which gets everywhere- I suggest glitter glue instead), and eyes. Pipe cleaners are the butterfly antenna, and are just placed inside the clothespin/ twisted around. When we hosted the playdate, we also used old prefolds as our placemats to make less of a mess. Pictured here as well.

Is it possible to find that perfect balance?  Where you can leave your child, go to work full time/ part-time and not cry all the way there?  Our first daycare was a disaster.  Not because the caregiver was mean and nasty, but because it just wasn't working well.  I would drop off my son- he would scream and cry as soon as we pulled into the driveway, then I would proceed to head to work- tears dripping off my face onto the steering wheel.

He was the youngest child there, and the caregiver I think forgot what that age was like.  He was 12 months old, and still needed some assistance with eating. She had high expectations for him to eat with fork and knife a huge plate of spaghetti. When I would pick him up, he would be strapped into a wagon watching all the other children play on the snowbanks. I interviewed 12 dayhomes within 1 week.  My husband made a graph with the top 3 and what we liked and disliked ( he is an engineer..they like charts). The top 3 were all great, but at that point we chose a live out "nanny" "babysitter", and never regretted it.  From the first day my son walked in, with no crying, ate well and napped for her.  For me it was bliss.  It was wonderful to go to work with one less worry. I was a little jealous of the "teas" she made him for lunch- grilled salmon with wild rice and veggies ( none of which he would eat at home).

There will always be questions to ask, police checks to look at, and certifications, however the biggest part of finding the one that works for you, is following your gut.  Do you like it there? Does that person make you smile and feel comfortable? Below is a list of questions that you might already be asking your potential care giver, or maybe you will find a couple to add to your list.

1. Where are all the chemicals locked up? Is there a fire extinguisher? Is there working fire alarms and CO alarms?

2. Are there safety gates on the stairs- are they pressure mounted or bolted in ( esp for a basement stairs).

3. what is their policy on discipline? on television? on giving meds? on sleep routine? Do they do cry it out? Will they contact you if a child gets hurt? Potty training?

4. How many sick days do they take? Are you paying for them? How many vacation days do they take? What if they have an apt- who watches the children?

5. What is a sample week of meals look like? Do they supply snacks? Do they cook organic? How often do they sanitize the dishwasher/ plates?

6. Will they do cloth diapering? Do you supply the diapers or do they? Do you supply wipes? Do you supply sunscreen/ bum cream?

7. Does caregiver drive the children in their Car? Do you supply carseat or do you? What is the expiry date on the carseat being used? Has it been properly installed by S.E.A.T.S? Do they take the carseats in and out?

8. Do they do trips to the park? Do they bring a first aid kit with them? How many parks are nearby? Do they go to playgroups? Do they ensure all children have a sunhat and sunscreen on? Do they reapply sunscreen? Do they bring water for children?

9. Do they have a police check done? is there a police check for everyone in the house that is over 18 years of age?

10. How long have they been doing this? Are they doing it just until their children are in school full time? What is the ratio of children? Does it follow ministry guidelines? Are they licensed?

11. What are the hours for drop off & pick up? Are you flexible on those at all? Is there a fee if I am late?

12. Do I pay if my child is away or ill?

13. How do you comfort a child? Is there a transition period to get them used to daycare?

14. Where do the children sleep? Do you supply playpen or do I? If a child is having problems falling asleep with others around do you separate?

15. Is there smoking allowed in the house?

16. Do children need to be immunized in order to attend this daycare?

17. Are the doors safe and secure? Do you have a sign in/ sign out policy for security? How do you communicate with the parent? Daily Logs?

18. Do you have pets? Are all their shots up to date?

19. Do you have a fenced in yard? Do you have a pool? If there is a pool what are the policies with using it?

20. Do you have a list of references I can check? Are we able to stop in and see our child?




Sometimes the prettiest house will be the worst daycare? Our first (ie the terrible one, had 1 room for a playroom, children were allowed in the kitchen and living room, and there was a sectioned area off they weren't allowed). That same caregiver also said they were building a fence and it would be done in 3 months. 6 years later there is still no fence. Do an interview, and also drop in at one of their worst times ( ie lunch/ pick-up or drop off's).  This will give you a good indication of how they are really interacting with the children and parents. Check out nearby parks, get feedback from other parents. When I was off with my son, I saw caregivers screaming at children. I won't recommend those to anyone. The caregiver we had for 6 years, and both my children went to her, we still see.  I bring her gossip on Cornation street- as she is british and loves the show. My children run up to her and give her big hugs, and she is a part of our family. It will take time to find the right place, but when you do you will know it.