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Extremely Frugal Cloth Diapering

Cloth diapering. It might seem like a daunting idea. Never fear! It’s not as bad as you might think.

You can get set up for full-time or part-time cloth diapering for about $50 and possibly never spend another dime on diapering again, if you're super frugal.

If nothing else, having some cloth diapers on hand can help in emergencies when somebody forgot to get diapers, or you can't get out of the house to get some due to illness, weather, or transportation, or to help your stash stretch to the next payday.

You can get BB2 One-Size covers from Amazon for $8-10 each, and use cheap dish towels from Walmart (flour sack towels) or from Amazon (I like Osocozy brand). Usually $20 for a dozen.

You can get by with 3 covers, and maybe 12-18 towels/flats (depending on how often you plan to wash). In a pinch, you can use old hand towels, old t-shirts, flannel receiving blankets inside the diaper. You'll just need to wash out any fabric softener on them for better absorbency.

Keep in mind, the more diapers (covers and inserts) you have, the less often you will need to do laundry. So you have to find your perfect balance between cost and labor. Regardless, you shouldn’t go more than three days between washes, or you could begin to have mildew problems.

Just fold the towels into a rectangle and lay in the cover and diaper as usual. When wet, wipe the cover out and put in a clean towel.

When dirty, the cover may need a quick scrubbing with baby shampoo or fragrance-free dish or hand soap in the sink, then hang to dry. The towels/flats can be machine washed every day or every other day, every third day if you have enough to get by that long.

A word on wipes: I prefer to use cloth wipes. It’s actually more convenient that way because I just toss them into the diaper pail with the diapers. If I was using disposable wipes, I would need another trash can in my changing area. Simplicity is a mom’s best friend. I just cut up a few extra flannel receiving blankets to use as wipes. I use an empty disposable wipe container and simply add enough water to get my wipes damp. I go through them fast enough that I’ve never had problems with mildew.

For heat rash and other irritations, I used a mix of water, witch hazel, and calendula oil in a spray bottle. It also worked well as an on-the-go wipe liquid, just spray on bum and wipe with a dry flannel.

Osocozy Wipes - $9.95/15 There are other accessories that can be handy to have. But the bare basics can be had for super cheap.

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BTDT: The Mega List of Lists

My most popular posts are the lists. So here’s the mega list of lists. One stop shopping for my “been there, done that” recommendations.

BTDT: Hospital Bag For a self-labeled minimalist, this list may seem rather long. But I’m also of the “be prepared” mindset, and sending hubby home to grab something while you’re in labor, or while you’re getting to know your new kiddo is not a position you really want to be in.

BTDT: Postpartum Survival Kit As right as it is for the focus to shift from you to the baby, you can’t let your needs fall by the wayside, or you will quickly find yourself unable to care for anybody. Here are some tools and supplies that you might want to stock up on ahead of time, so you can help your amazing baby-making body heal itself.

BTDT: Creating a Nursing Nest If you choose to breastfeed your baby, you will spend a great deal of your time in the early weeks nursing. My body was trashed from labor & delivery. I felt like recovery took FOREVER. So having the excuse of sitting around with Ferglet nursing was a blessing. However, I did sometimes feel a little bit trapped. Which is why my nursing nest & basket were so essential.

BTDT: Extremely Frugal Cloth-Diapering You can get set up for full-time or part-time cloth diapering for about $50 and possibly never spend another dime on diapering again, if you're super frugal. BTDT: Cloth-Diapering Cheap & Easy Cloth diapering. It might seem like a daunting idea. Never fear! It’s not as bad as you might think. With good planning and a good routine, you can cloth diaper for less than $200 investment, and only 2-3 extra loads of laundry per week. That’s not so bad, right?

BTDT: Minimalist Baby Supplies - Health & Hygiene I didn’t find a lot of the baby health & hygiene accessories necessary. Here’s what I did end up using.

BTDT: Minimalist Baby Supplies - Sleep If you’re planning to co-sleep/bed-share, you don’t need a crib, crib sheets, etc. So there are really only a few recommendations I can make to make your nighttimes (and mornings) a little easier.

BTDT: Minimalist Baby Supplies - Travel Obviously, the only absolutely necessary thing is a car seat. That’s a very personalized choice, so I won’t even bother recommending one. Do your research and find the one that works for you. But here are a few other items to make your trips more pleasant.

BTDT: Minimalist Baby Supplies - Toys & Fun Babies really don’t need much in the way of entertainment. Everything they see and experience is novel and fun. And a lot of fun can be had with everyday objects, and homemade, improvised toys.

BTDT: Minimalist Baby Supplies - Clothing Sure, there are tons of cute baby clothes out there. But you don’t need them all. I got a ton of awesome second-hand clothes from local mom groups on Facebook. Here’s what got me the most mileage…

BTDT: Minimalist Baby Supplies - Six Months to One Year You’ve gotten over the hump of the “fourth trimester”. Baby is now becoming interested in the world and probably becoming more mobile and able to manipulate objects. Maybe you’re thinking of starting to introduce solid foods. So what do you need for this stage?

BTDT: Minimalist Baby Supplies - One Year (12-24 months) So many new experiences coming your way! Walking! Solid foods! Potty learning! Here's the downlow on my favorite supplies for baby's second year.

BTDT: Potty Learning Ferglet started showing signs of interest in learning to use the potty independently around 19 months. At 22 months, I decided to give him a couple days diaper-free. The whole process went super smoothly. I think we just happened to hit the “sweet spot” in his development when he was physically capable of doing it, developmentally ready for it, and emotionally on-board.

BTDT: Fave Toys (12-24 months) Around this time, kiddos do start becoming interested in certain types of toys. Basic categories include: sensory exploration, push/pull, stacking, sorting, huggable, rollable.

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Tools

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Wheels

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Creativity

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Plant Life

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Loose Parts

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Dirt!

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Water Play

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Deck Life

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BTDT: Fave Toys (12-24 months)

Fisher-Price Travel Doodler Pro Fun mess-free drawing.

Rub-A-Dub-Tugs Tugboats Simple boats for bathtime, pool, or water table. They stack and link up as a train.

Estone® Baby Kids Wooden Geometry Puzzle Simple first shape puzzle. Small and portable (fits in a quart size zip bag)

Melissa & Doug Geometric Stacker A very open-ended toy. There are many ways to play and work with this.

Melissa & Doug Stacking Cars Fun to drive, fun to stack.

The First Years Stacking Up Cups Fun to put things in, stack, nest.

Fisher Price Classic Chatter Phone Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Chatter Telephone Every toddler needs a pull toy.

Little Tikes Jungle Jamboree 2-in-1 Piano/Xylophone Because babies like to make noise! You can also play very simple songs, like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Manhattan Toy Baby Stella Doll Sweet first baby doll. Comes in male & female and several skin tones. Miniland 15.75''  Soft Body Baby Doll Nice realistic baby doll with soft body. Gender neutral, comes in several skin tones.                                   

Step2 Little Helper’s Shopping Cart Fun for collecting toys at clean-up time, transporting baby dolls and stuffed animals.

Chillafish Bunzi Gradual Balance Bike Excellent first bike for learning to steer and balance. You can start with the wheels further apart in a three-wheel configuration. Then as kiddo grows, you switch to a two-wheeled configuration to learn to balance without any need for training wheels.

Little Tikes Garden Table Not only a cute garden table to introduce gardening concepts, but works nicely as a sensory table for water, sand, beans, rice. Ferglet also likes to use it as a baby doll crib, and sometimes to sit in and pretend it’s a boat.

Made For Fun Wheelbarrow Playset, Green, 5-Piece Great for outdoor play and “helping

Step2 Play and Store Sandbox Simple lidded sandbox.

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BTDT: Minimalist Baby Supplies - One Year (12-24 months)

Clothing

Healthtex Infant Casual Soft Bottom Shoe Soft, flexible sole for proper foot growth and development. Easy to put on. Sturdy and durable for outdoor play. Lightweight to make walking, running and jumping easy.

Carter's Baby Rompers Rompers are awesome for toddlers. They look a little less “babyish” than onesies, and provide a little more protection for the legs when toddlers venture outdoors and plop in the grass :-). They’re still super easy for diaper changes, and being one piece, make it easy to take an extra outfit anywhere you go. You can get long pants & long sleeve versions, depending on the season. Because Ferglet was in the same size for awhile, we used legwarmers and hoodies as the weather got chilly, to avoid having to buy more for a new season.

Garanimals Baby Toddler Mix n Match Jersey Pants When we commenced potty learning, we had to set aside onesies, rompers and overalls, in favor of pants that were easy for Ferglet to pull down and up by himself. These fit the bill.

Health/Hygiene/Diapering/Potty Learning See also: BTDT: Potty Learning

NUK Toddler Tooth and Gum Cleanser It’s time to get serious about cleaning teeth. Kiddo can start learning to brush independently, but will still need lots of help. Chewy Tubes Best teether for molars! We bought a bunch of these. I wish now that I’d gotten the strap for them, because for awhile he was dropping them from his car seat on a regular basis.

Feeding

Gerber Graduates BPA Free 3 Pack Graduates Kiddy Cutlery Set Excellent first utensils. Thick, grippy handles, for easy grasping. Rounded edges for safety. Perfect size for small mouths.

Munchkin Click Lock Fresh Food Freezer Pops Perfect for teething! Great way to add variety to kiddo’s diet. You can do fruits, veggies, yogurt, grains, or any combination thereof. Ferglet likes banana and avocado pops :-)

OXO Tot Training Cup, 7 Ounce A good cup for learning to drink independently. It has a clear top, so kiddo can see their drink, without splashing in their face if they get a little over-enthusiastic. It has little holes around the rim, so they can drink from any spot. This is NOT spill-proof, so supervision is recommended.

18pc Ellie Kids Break-resistant Plastic Tumblers, Bowls & Plates in 6 Colors A great first dish set for littles. Pretty colors, perfectly sized for toddlers.

Libbey 6.25-Ounce Small Bowls with Plastic Lids, 16-Piece Set Nice storage bowls for small portions and leftovers.

Nourish Reusable & Refillable Food Pouch for Babies & Kids Reusable pouches. Great for yogurt, applesauce, oatmeal, or any other pureed foods you may want to take on-the-go.

Munchkin Two Snack Catchers Great for snacks on-the-go.

Sesame Street Chair Desk Ferg made one similar to this for Ferglet. Since Ferglet is petite, most toddler table/chair options were just too big. But he prefers to sit and eat independently, rather than in a booster or high chair. It also serves well for puzzles, books, drawing, and other sit-down play and work.

Traveling With Toddlers Evenflo Symphony LX Car Seat If you didn’t start off with a convertible car seat, now is a good time to get one. There are lots of good options out there. This one has some nice features, for a good price.

Regalo My Chair Portable Chair Nice as a booster, or a place to sit outside. It straps down to chairs for stability. We use it as a booster in Honduras.

BricaBy-My-Side Safety Harness Backpack Great little backpack for kiddo to bring their favorite book, toy and cup along. Optional harness with lead for extra security in crowded or wide-open places where littles might dart off. Connecta Toddler Carrier Toddler size carrier made for kiddos 24 lbs - 50 lbs. This is a lightweight and compact carrier that you can use on your front or back and can be folded up to fit in a diaper bag or purse when kiddo prefers to walk. 

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BTDT: Potty Learning

Ferglet started showing signs of interest in learning to use the potty independently around 19 months. I wasn't quite ready to take the plunge though, I just didn't have the confidence. But when he had an ongoing diaper rash that I just couldn't conquer, I got serious about educating myself.

At 22 months, I finally decided to give him a couple days diaper-free and see if it would either clear up the rash or give us some forward momentum in potty learning.

As it turned out, by the end of the first day, he was running to the potty whenever he started to pee. By the end of the second day, he was saying "pee potty" before, and successfully getting to the potty in time.

The whole process went super smoothly. I feel fortunate that it seemed to come so naturally to Ferglet. I think we just happened to hit the "sweet spot" in his development when he was physically capable of doing it, developmentally ready for it, and emotionally on-board.

He might have been ready earlier, but he was less verbal, so it might have been a bit harder on the parental end to know when he had to go. At 22 months, he was more capable of expressing what he needed.

Oh Crap! Potty Training [Kindle Edition] by Jamie Glowacki Full disclosure, this IS the only potty-training book I’ve ever read. But I chose it after quite a bit of research. The philosophy of the book is gentle, child-led, and supportive of the idea that toddlers are capable of learning to potty independently before 2 years.

Go Diaper Free Whether you’re practicing EC (elimination communication) or transitioning to potty independence, there’s lots of great resources here. I haven’t read the books, but I think they’re probably pretty good, based on the website info.

Baby Bjorn Potty Chair High back & arm rests make this super supportive and comfortable for kiddo to hang out as long as they need to in order to get the job done. It’s super sturdy, giving kiddos a seat they can feel confident sitting on (no scooting or wobbling). With only two pieces and simple lines, it’s incredibly easy to clean. This is our primary potty. I introduced this when kiddo was around 6 months old and was getting heavy to hold over the big toilet for elimination communication.

Baby Bjorn Smart Potty Very similar to the original potty chair. Two pieces, super simple design, very sturdy. This one, however, lacks the high back and arm rests. So it can fit into a smaller space, or be more easily portable.

Summer Infant Lil Loo Similar to the Baby Bjorn Potty Chair. The backrest is slightly shorter. The base is slightly wider. The plastic is lighter weight, so it feels a bit less solid. The removable bowl is a bit bigger, so I found it a bit more awkward to wash in a small bathroom sink. I like it as a secondary potty for extra bathrooms.

Child/Adult Built-in Potty Seat with Slow Close We have these on two toilets in our house. So far, it hasn’t gotten much use, because Ferglet prefers to be independent in his pottying. He can handle the little potties on his own. Since he’s young (26 months) and petite, there’s not a stool available that would get him up to the big toilet without help. But I do highly recommend a slow-close lid for potty-learning kids. When I dump the potty bowl, he likes to flush the toilet. And he’s accidentally closed lids too fast, giving us both a scare. The slow-close lid prevents that, and other more painful results of a slamming toilet lid.

Prince Lionheart Weepod Toilet Trainer Quite possibly the most comfortable-looking seat reducer ever. It’s contoured to help kiddo sit securely, has handles for extra confidence. It sits very firmly on the toilet seat. If your kiddo prefers to use the big toilet, this is a great option for getting started. Ferglet prefers to be able to seat himself, so we don’t get much use out of this, but every potty-learner is different.

Potette 2-in-1 Travel Potty Best travel potty EVER. I didn’t think I needed one. Then we went to Honduras, and it became necessary to take a little potty that would fit in a suitcase. And I’m SO glad I got this. It’s tiny, but sturdy. It’s great to take to grandma’s house or the babysitter’s. It can live in the back of the car for roadside potty emergencies or trips to the park. You can use it as a seat-reducer for big toilets. You can use plastic bags to “catch”. Hint: cat litter pan liners work well, if you don’t want to buy the official refills. You can get them at the dollar store. You can use puppy piddle pads to absorb liquid (or a cloth diaper for a non-disposable option).

Potette Reusable Liner A super useful accessory for the Potette. It’s a silicone bowl that fits on the Potette, turning it into a legit potty chair. We used this daily in our room in Honduras. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fold as flat as the Potette, but it’s still very portable.

Prince LionHeart Faucet Extender Your little potty-user will need to wash their hands. Get the water closer to their hands with this faucet extender. It won’t work on every faucet, but it will work on most. It attaches with a stretchy rubber gasket.

Burt's Bees Baby Boxers Tiny kiddos need tiny underwear! These boxers were a great introduction for Ferglet to learn to pull up and down on his own, as briefs can be challenging. We used them initially without any pants at home. These run biggish. I think the 12m size are closer to 18m size in reality.

Tiny Undies 100% cotton undies for babies and toddlers. Whether you’re doing EC (elimination communication) or have a small potty learner, tiny undies are made to fit littles from size 6m to 3T.

Gerber Unisex Training Pants Lightly padded to catch little leaks/dribbles. Interior is cotton, exterior is cotton/polyester blend. I recommend washing a few times before wearing, as they get softer with more washings.

Chinese Training Pants These and these both come in small sizes and have a layer of waterproofish fabric in the middle to catch tiny leaks. So if kiddo’s in a desperate situation and starts to dribble, you won’t have to change a whole outfit. But the terrycloth liner will let them know they’re wet. I don’t recommend using training pants during the initial phases of potty learning, as they can feel too similar to diapers, giving kiddos the feeling that they can go in their pants. But as a back-up for when you’re out and about, they can be useful.

Summer Infant Deluxe Piddle Pad, Black Back-up for the car seat. Though officially not recommended to use any add-ons to car seats, this is very thin, flexible, and has cut-outs for straps that won’t interfere with their function. If you’re spending a lot of time in the car, this can be super helpful in case of an accidental sleep-pee.

Potty by Leslie Patricelli Cute board book for your little potty-learner. I like it because it doesn’t talk about shame or rewards (no “big boys use the potty” language). It portrays a little toddler, not a 3-year-old. It basically just discusses where pee belongs. The gender-ambiguous baby doesn’t want to pee in his/her diaper. S/he sees where the cat and dog go and decides that’s not for him/her. S/he sits on the potty, reads a book, sits awhile longer, then finally has success. Mom & dad and dog & cat celebrate with her/him and the last page is filled with an array of colorful underwear. It’s simple and fun, with lots of opportunity for discussion. Ferglet goes back to it regularly, even though using the potty is old-hat for him now.

Waterproof Pad for Nighttime Learning This one is big, soft, flexible, but not entirely waterproof. GIven time and copious amounts of pee, it will soak through. But for small leaks, or if you’re able to change it right away, it’s really nice. Ferglet sleeps in our bed, so we needed something that could be changed in the night, without stripping the whole bed, but wasn’t going to annoy the adult bed-sharers. We also have this on our bed, which has been good since Day One with kiddo in our bed, and also for the random cat puke that happens... ahem. Another option would be something completely waterproof. We didn’t particularly like having these in bed with us, because of the thickness, but for a kiddo sleeping in a crib or bed alone, it might be fine. What you want is to be able to change the pad and leave the sheets, so you’re not having to strip a bed every time there’s an accident. For us, the nighttime learning curve was a couple of months, but some kids do take longer to really get it.

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Fathers are powerful allies contributing to breastfeeding success. Do not allow yourself to be excluded from this time in your child’s life. Study and learn, roll up your sleeves, and get in the game. Your family stands a much better chance of success if you actively support breastfeeding and actually help Mom breastfeed. - See more at: http://www.mothering.com/articles/breastfeeding-father/#sthash.ODtCbUzY.dpuf

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This song and video was inspired by the many moms who I have helped breastfeed and my own breastfeeding experience. This is an effort to promote breastfeedin...

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There are so many days when I just want to crawl under my covers in a dark room and hold my fingers in my ears for a little while, just long enough to let my nerves recover from the constant stimulation of being home with kids. (Children whom I love very much of course and who are precious and darling, etc. etc.) On more than one occasion, I've caught myself staring off into space, daydreaming about installing a sensory deprivation tank in our home.