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Any recommendations?
Last night DH threw away a poopy CD. I'm preggo and was too nauseous to deal with that particular smell at that particular moment. He said he was only going to put DS (2 1/2 yoa) in disposables from now on and that CD was my project. For that matter, DS is resisting CD. Especially the covers (AF), alternately saying the same cover is either too big or too tight. We use disposables when we leave the house (no wet bag yet) and this seems to increase his resistance.
Also, I can't seem to keep the smell out of the diapers or covers. I'll strip or oxy-clean/ vinegar/ baking soda/ borax /dish soap them until they're better, and then a week later they reek again. I've switched to soapnuts. What am I doing wrong?
I'm feeling very discouraged! We just started CD a month ago and I'm too stubborn too just give up! Thanks in advance for any advice/encouragement! From Beautiful Rockport, Texas |
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I'm sorry you're having a hard time with DH. That's really too bad about the diaper too. I've had similar experiences with both my DH & DS. My husband resisted cloth strongly when our 1st child was born. Our deal was if he was doing the changes, he got to pick what kind of diaper. To be fair, I was borrowing my CDs so I didn't have the financial investment I do now, but it worked pretty well cause I was changing most of the diapers and he was happy he didn't have to change the cloth. DS is 3 1/2 now and hates having the cover put on. I think it's about control (at least for him) and hating the process of stopping an activity for a diaper change.
I decided with DH that I had to respect his feelings and if he felt that strongly about it, I wasn't going to make him change cloth.
DH is reluctantly on board now cause he's seen over time how much money we have saved, even with having to buy a new stash for DS2, but he still occasionally puts on a disposible for reasons like "the disposibles were closer"
RE: Smell - how much detergent are you using? Maybe it's not enough instead of too much. Maybe a different detergent would work better. I use a Canadian brand, but I've heard great things about Allen's or country save. Also, "Bac-out" is mentioned on other forums but I can't comment cause I haven't tried it. Everyone's raving about soapnuts too so maybe that will work.
Note of caution about the oxyclean - motherease just posted a warning about soaking the diapers in oxyclean, apparently it can eat right through the fabric.
Final thought - if you need to take a break until the nausea passes, do so, or if your son has predictable bowel habits, you can use cloth when you know it will only be wet.
Good luck and hope you feel better soon! |
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Ok, hmmm, first, for going out. If the only thing stopping you from using cloth outside the house is the fact that you don't have a wet bag, you really don't need one. You can just as easily use plastic grocery bags, empty bread bags or Ziploc type bags...
For hubby, I don't know that there's much you can do to get him on board. Patience and just setting an example is about all you can do. Nagging will likely just result in him digging his heels in further... My hubby had a similar attitude in the beginning and I just let him be. He refused to change poopy cloth diapers for a long time and I just changed them myself. I would, however, make a stink about him throwing away dirty cloth diapers though! That's money down the drain! Even if you both decide to not do cloth any longer you can always sell them to someone who will be only too glad to take them off your hands! You could have always just handled the poopy diaper later on, there's no rule that says it must be 'handled' that very instant.
As for the odors, maybe tell us what your routine is or was. More details might help us figure out the problem. But after only a month I'd be surprised if you had already dealt with one or more bouts of build-up. I'd suspect something else like too little detergent or washing too infrequently. You mentioned switching to soap nuts, how long have you been using them? How many do you use?
For your covers, do you put them in the pail with the diapers? Do you wash them with the diapers? Some people do this without problems but normally it's best not to, especially putting them in the pail as this can cause odors to really set in the PUL. Covers can easily be washed with regular laundry, they don't really need any special 'treatment' except maybe line drying.
Also, just to clarify, what ME apparently said was that they advised against soaking in hydrogen peroxide. It's true that Oxy-Clean does form hydrogen peroxide in the wash but there's also concentrated forms that some people use for washing that are MUCH stronger. The fact that ME didn't say oxygen bleach or Oxy-Clean leads me to believe that *perhaps* they didn't mean those particular products.
Karen.
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| I think starting with a toddler would be harder than starting with a newborn. Toddler poop must be washed off before putting it in the bag, which is less than pleasant even for avid cd-ers. Also, I have to do an extra wash cycle to get the smell out now that DS is older - although I only wash once a week, since he's in 'sposies at daycare, so things sit around a lot longer. But, I do a cold prewash, with no soap, a heavy powerwash, warm, with 2 Tbs detergent and 2 Tbs borax (I find the borax helps deodorize) than, a warm normal wash with 1 Tbs soap/1 Tbs borax and an extra rinse cycle. I am about to have #2, and I'm looking forward to BF poo. Straight from the baby to the bag - no hosing required! No stink, no ammonia smell in the morning diaper, no complaining that he wants the monkey/fishy/froggie cover that is dirty... |
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I have a question that might seem kind of random, but what kind of washing machine do you have?
I've used CDs for over 3.5 years, with very, very few problems, but having recently moved back to the US from the UK, I've been battling stink issues for the past several months. I've found this tremendously frustrating, and I am a committed CDer (with DH fully on board) who knows how lovely the experience can and should be!
I've been trying to figure out what is the source of my troubles (not easy, since we've been moving around and there have been many, many variables), but part of what I've been looking at is washing machine issues. In looking into front-loaders, I discovered that efficiency standards for top-loaders were tightened in 2006. Although they still use waaay more water than a front-loader, they don't use quite as much as older washers--but, according to consumer reports, anyway, they don't get the clothes quite as clean.
I acquired some build-up issues after a month at my in-laws with horrible water and probably too much detergent, and dealt with them through hot water and vinegar soaks once we got to our temporary apartment here in CO. That took away the worst of the stink issues, but very soon they started smelling like ammonia pretty strongly again. I've been dealing with this in varying degrees ever since, and I have to wonder if maybe it was the new top-loader in the apartment, just not getting things as thoroughly rinsed out.
We've moved into our house now and I've bought a front-loader. I would like to believe that this will cure my diaper woes (but even if it doesn't I'll be saving a ton of water and electricity), but who knows.
I'm sure there are many CDers with new top-loaders, so it can't be completely that, but I have to wonder in my case. I think that if I had to use the newer top-loader for longer, I would eventually figured out the right way to wash the diapers.
Throughout this, I've realized how demoralizing stinky diapers are to deal with. I like others to see how easy CDing really is, but it's hard to get support when your child smells like a sewer.
Hang in there; CDing should be enjoyable and not too hard, but sometimes it takes a while to find out what works best for your situation. I'm sure hoping I figure it out soon, too!
Hey--one thought that I just had about your reluctant toddler. Many of us use fleece liners inside the diaper to keep baby's bottom dry and to make cleaning up poop easier. I wonder if you could let him choose some fun fleece bits at the store, and then when it's time to change the diaper he can choose which color/character/whatever? Don't know if that would work for you, but just trying to think of ways to help with buy-in.
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Another idea besides the fleece is to use disposable liners. The ones I have are flushable, so you just take the whole thing out and toss it. It covers the entire diaper, so it's less gross to deal with. I realize that some people don't want to throw anything away, but if your DH is reluctant, maybe that would help. I use fleece when I expect a wet diaper, and disposable liners when I expect poop. I have a very weak stomach, and this is one way I can help reduce nausea.  Hope that helps, and good luck! |
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Hello again, and thanks for all the input! 
For the update: it turns out DH is not completely anti-CD, just changing the poopy ones. DS had not pooped in a CD since the first time a month ago, and was asking to go poo on the potty (he was still happily pooping in disposables, though). Gradually he started pooping in the CD again, and I think DH was angry about that more than anything.
Incidently, it seems DS started pooping in the CDs after he started wearing the covers more often. Oddly, when naked, he'll go in his potty every time -- poo and pee. In a CD no cover, he'll pee and then asked to be changed, but asks to poo on potty. And in a CD with cover its a struggle every time to get him to let me change him. Usually by the time I talk/coerce him into a change the diaper is completely soaked to the snaps! Could that be contibuting to the smell? Do y'all wash completly soaked diapers differently? Unfortunately, this house has carpet, so I was only letting DS go naked in the kitchen. Now he refuses to stay naked and in the kitchen. I also wasn't letting him on the couch/beds with no cover -- too many wet spots! Now he wants a cover on all the time. 
Ok, I bought some 1 gallon ziploc-type bags but haven't actually changed him out of the house yet. But we are going on short trips in cloth. 
Hm. Soapnuts. DH says he doesn't notice a difference in the laundry, which I think is fine -- that means the soapnuts are doing the job of the detergent and the softner too with no artificial chemicals, right? I haven't really gotten into a "routine" yet. I've just started soaking the diapers in the washer (way before 2006 -- maybe its just too old?) instead of in the diaper pail on hot with Borax. No measuring, I just shake it in there. Then at night I'll run a prewash (same Borax water). Then a hot wash with 6 soapnuts and a drop or two of tea tree oil. I started with 3 soapnuts, but decided maybe that wasn't enough. Sometimes a second cold rinse if I think of it. I re-use the soapnuts a few times untill they're all squishy. Maybe I'm using them too many times? I'll try only using fresh soapnuts on the diapers. I have other questions about the soapnuts, but will post them in the soapnut thread.
The covers I wash with the regular laundry on warm. DS puts them in the diaper pail with the diapers -- maybe I can teach him how to separate them. Um, having a little trouble bringing myself to re-use the cover when I change DS. Especially since they're completely peed inside. Do y'all rinse them out, wipe them down or something? And when DS is completely soaked around the hips and everywhere should I be hosing him off in the shower? Wiping him down? It feels weird to put a clean diaper on a wet bum!
Thanks again! From Beautiful Rockport, Texas |
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| Wow... you guys are really getting into the washing thing... I guess I am lucky in that I haven't had any problems *yet!* Here is what I do- I put everything into a dry pail. I wash about every 1 1/2 to 2 days-when the pail is full or about 18-20 diapers. I have a frontloader so I put the machine on the heavy duty cycle, hot-cold water, and I do a prewash. I put about 1/2 cup of vinegar into the detergent bin and about 1/4 cup of simple green into the actual machine. I don't really know the exact amounts because I just dump the things in. Then they wash and then I dry for 20min in the dryer and then line dry unless it is too humid or rainy. Then I just dry them. I haven't had any smell issues with the clean laundry-just the pail smelling like ammonia so I started putting a bit of vinegar in the bottom of the pail and now seems to be better... I have only been cding for 5 mo. though so maybe I will have problems later on but thus far okay. If anyone knows of something I am doing wrong that will cause problems let me know... I also use rice paper liners so I can just flush the poo as I too have a weak stomach. I didn't know about the covers though so I will probably start seperating! I am considering trying fleece at night as he is starting to sleep longer and rarely poos at night. As far as the DH issue or not issue... mine isn't on board either other than the fact that we don't have to spend our precious money on sposies... I do all the changing but once in a while can get him to put a clean one on. I don't care though... I think in my particular case my DH is confused about all the snaps and I have some WAHM dipes too so he gets frustrated and doesn't want to "ask for directions!" LOL I just figure it was my idea and the baby was basically my idea and I don't mind doing it so why get into an argument with DH about it! |
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| Wow... you guys are really getting into the washing thing... I guess I am lucky in that I haven't had any problems *yet!* Here is what I do- I put everything into a dry pail. I wash about every 1 1/2 to 2 days-when the pail is full or about 18-20 diapers. I have a frontloader so I put the machine on the heavy duty cycle, hot-cold water, and I do a prewash. I put about 1/2 cup of vinegar into the detergent bin and about 1/4 cup of simple green into the actual machine. I don't really know the exact amounts because I just dump the things in. Then they wash and then I dry for 20min in the dryer and then line dry unless it is too humid or rainy. Then I just dry them. I haven't had any smell issues with the clean laundry-just the pail smelling like ammonia so I started putting a bit of vinegar in the bottom of the pail and now seems to be better... I have only been cding for 5 mo. though so maybe I will have problems later on but thus far okay. If anyone knows of something I am doing wrong that will cause problems let me know... I also use rice paper liners so I can just flush the poo as I too have a weak stomach. I didn't know about the covers though so I will probably start seperating! I am considering trying fleece at night as he is starting to sleep longer and rarely poos at night. As far as the DH issue or not issue... mine isn't on board either other than the fact that we don't have to spend our precious money on sposies... I do all the changing but once in a while can get him to put a clean one on. I don't care though... I think in my particular case my DH is confused about all the snaps and I have some WAHM dipes too so he gets frustrated and doesn't want to "ask for directions!" LOL I just figure it was my idea and the baby was basically my idea and I don't mind doing it so why get into an argument with DH about it! |
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I noticed that you mentioned that your DS's diapers are totally soaked. Have you tried adding in a liner if your not already? This may help with the smell a bit.
Good job and keep up the good work |
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| Yep, that's with a liner. The first time I put him in a OS with no cover he peed and it landed on the floor! We've used liners everytime since! Is toddler pee just smellier?From Beautiful Rockport, Texas |
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toddler pee can be more smelly. they tend to drink a bit less than enfants so the pee can be more concentrate and when they pee it's usually lots more less often. not all are like this, but lots are  |
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With the re-using the covers question, my DS#1 was a heavy wetter as long as he was breastfed. That meant a snap-in liner with every diaper, and covers that often seemed too wet to want to reuse. When that was the case, what I would do was give the inside of the used cover a quick rinse under the tap and then hang over the shower rail to dry. I'd use a "new" cover with each diaper, but really that just meant rotation through the covers, just grabbing a now-dry one off the rail pre-change. Then I'd wash them all whenever they started to get smelly. They got a lot smellier faster after he stopped breastfeeding, and since I wanted to wash them more often, that's also when I switched over to the one-cover-per-day method that a lot of people use. That method has worked fine with DS#2, who has never been a heavy wetter.
With really wet diapers, you can always just give him a quick wipe with a damp wipe (I just use cheap baby washcloths and have a little tub of water above the changing table). That's what I do in the morning, and any other time it seems appropriate (and if you're using cloth wipes, it's no more wash or money to be generous with wiping him off, since you're already doing the wash anyway). |
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