Local Store Review: Baby Cotton Bottoms

Group member Dorinda B. is an self-described "avid customer" of Baby Cotton Bottoms.  Here she shares her review on what makes this local store so great!

Baby Cotton Bottoms (BCB) is a small, mama-owned business in old Colorado Springs. They are well stocked with cloth diapers and diapering accessories, but also carry a wide variety of other items including natural sunscreen and diaper lotions, soft structured baby carriers and wraps, nursing bras and necklaces, swaddle wraps, and toys.  BCB also hosts a variety of classes (informational, Mama and Me Yoga, cloth diapering) and mama meet-ups at the store.

The store works hard to support other small businesses (especially US-based ones). Even though they are a physical store, their prices (especially diapers, wet bags, and carriers) are extremely competitive with online stores.  BCB knows and loves their customers and bends over backwards to help.

Here's my story:  I was seven months pregnant with our first child when I started exploring Baby Cotton Bottoms.  I planned on cloth diapering, but didn't know where to begin.  I just knew things had changed a lot since I used Curety flats and Gerber plastic covers on my younger siblings.

"What do I need to get started?" I asked.  How many diapers?  How many covers?  And the staff started showing me my options. Part way through the explanations, I mentioned that some friends had handed down some cloth diapers to me, but I had no clue what those diapers were or how to use them.

"Bring them in!  We'll help you!" they said.

I scurried out to the van and brought in the box.  The staff gathered around and excitedly started going through the hand-me-downs.  Worn Kissaluvs, assorted homemade fitteds, and hand-made woolies were all exclaimed over and explained.

"You're set!" said the ladies.  "You just need a few covers to go with these."

I walked out with three covers, wet bag, a bottle of diaper detergent, and a great respect for a store that was more concerned about helping me than they were about making money off me.

The customer service has continued to be exceptional.  They helped me (after store hours!) learn how to wrap my seven day old in my Moby.  They welcomed my husband and me with our 40 pound hiking backpacks as we tried on soft structured carriers to find out which one would work best for hiking into the backcountry.  They custom-ordered diapers and toys for me and shipped them when I couldn't make it to the store for two months.

Curious as to which baby carrier will work for you AND your broad-shouldered husband?  Try them all on without having to purchase and re-sell.  Wondering about AIOs and pockets and AI2s and fitteds?  Want to see the difference between the Freetime and the Elemental? Stop by.  Put your hands on the products.  Get the expertise.  See and feel and know what you need.  And forgetting waiting for the fluff mail to arrive -- shop local!

Cloth Diapers: The Basics

Group leader Jillian D. shares her cloth diapering expertise with us,  outlining the different types of diapers available, addressing washing concerns and giving us the basic 101 class alongside pictures of her very cute, fluffy-bummed toddler daughter. 

Venturing into the world of cloth diapering can be a very overwhelming process.  Who knew there could be so many choices? Cloth diapers have come a long way since our parents used them on us or maybe chose not to use them.  There are so many brands, styles, colors... it can be hard to pick which ones to use. 

Some of the big reasons people cloth diaper is because it saves money, it is better for the environment and there are no chemicals against sweet baby's skin like there are in most disposables.  So let's break it down by styles of diapers.


Prefold held together with a snappi laying on a Thirsties cover (PUL)

Prefolds:  This type of diaper is what most people think of when they think of cloth diapers.  It is a layered piece of cloth made typically from cotton that folds around the baby into a diaper and can be held together by a Snappi.  A Snappi is a modern day diaper pin, no need to worry about poking the baby.  Most of the time a prefold is used with a diaper cover. Prefolds can also be used as an insert for a pocket diaper.  For a more in-depth look, read this wonderful post specifically about the prefold.
Pros: budget friendly, dry quickly
Cons: a small learning curve, requires a cover to be waterproof

Flats:  This diaper is similar to a prefold but instead of a multilayer piece of fabric it is a single layer.  A flat can be folded in many different ways to put the most absorbent part where the child needs it the most.  This site shows 10 different ways to fold a flat.  Like the prefold this diaper can also be used as an insert for a pocket diaper and requires a cover or frequent changing.
Pros: a variety of folding techniques, fast drying time
Cons: learning curve, requires cover to be waterproof

Fitteds: This diaper is a personal favorite of mine.  A fitted diaper is a piece of fabric with a soaker that is either sewn, snapped or laid into the diaper.  It has elastics in the back and legs which makes it great for keeping messes contained.  This diaper goes on similar to an all-in-one or pocket, it just does not have a layer of PUL, therefore it is not waterproof.  While PUL is nice for keeping clothes and mommy dry, it does not allow much air to get to the skin.  I like the fact that the baby's skin can breathe, especially on hot summer days.  Again, these diapers require a cover or frequent changes.  Fitted diapers also come in the cutest prints!
Pros: baby's skin can breathe, super cute
Cons: requires a cover or frequent changing

Wool longies (diaper cover)

Covers: These are typically made of polyurethane laminated fabric (PUL), fleece or wool.  PUL covers are a simple piece of fabric with elastics in the legs and back that either snap or velcro over the prefold/flat/fitted diaper.  They are waterproof, easy to clean and affordable.  The downside to PUL is that it does not breathe.  Wool covers are simply a cover made from wool.  Some snap on and some pull on.  They come in the form of soakers, shorts and pants.  Wool is the most natural way to cover and is very breathable but can be expensive and hard to care for.  Fleece covers are like wool but not quite as breathable and are synthetic.  They also come in the form of soakers, shorts and pants.  Fleece is a much more affordable and easier to care for choice than wool.

Pockets:  This type of diaper is probably the most commonly used.  Once it is assembled it is the simplest to put on.  It is an outer waterproof layer, like PUL, and an inner softer layer, typically fleece, that you place an insert between.  This is a very customizable option, more than one insert can be added to increase absorbency.  There are also a variety of inserts that can be used, microfiber, bamboo, hemp, cotton... and don't forget about a prefold or a flat. Here you can read more about the different types of inserts. Pockets come apart in the wash so there is no need to pull the insert out before laundering.
Pros: inserts can be added to customize, simple to use
Cons: requires assembly after laundering 

All-in-ones (AIO): AIOs are exactly their name, everything all sewn together in one diaper.  There are no inserts, no covers, no assembly, just put it on and go.  This seems like the obvious answer to what to get, however there are some down sides to this diaper.  It can be more expensive than the other options, there is a much longer drying time because the layers do not come apart and they can be harder to get clean, again because they do not come apart.  I think a couple of these are great in every stash, they are great diapers for out and about.
Pros: ready to use after laundering
Cons: longer drying time and can be harder to clean

All-in-twos (AI2): The name, all-n-two, also describes this diaper well.  It is basically and outer shell made typically of PUL that you snap an insert into.  One of the great things about this diaper is that the shell can be used a few times before washing.  Most can simply be wiped clean and a new insert can be added.  This is assuming that a major blow out does not happen.  With this diaper only one cover is needed for every 2-3 inserts. 
Pros: cover can often be reused
Cons: cover can get dirty after one use

Just a cute fluffy bum!

Washing: Washing cloth diapers always tends to be a scary process for moms, it shouldn't be.  That being said, every person washes differently.  Maybe this is why people are always so nervous about the washing process, there are so many opinions on how to do it correctly.  Here is what my process looks like, wet diapers go straight into the diaper pail, poopy diapers get sprayed off into the toilet (more on the diaper sprayer in a minute) and tossed into the diaper pail. Note: exclusively breastfed (EBF) baby poop does not need to be sprayed or rinsed, it can go directly into the diaper pail because it is water soluble. Once solids or formula are introduced spraying or rinsing is necessary. Now for the actual washing part, put diapers, covers (not wool), wipes, wet bags... into the washer, one cold rinse cycle with no detergent, one full wash cycle on hot with detergent (I use Tide powder, gasp, no I don't use cloth detergent) followed by an extra cold rinse cycle. This final rinse cycle is in addition to the rinse cycle that the washer automatically does when it washes.  I always wash on the biggest load size.  When the diapers come out they should smell clean, not like poo.  If they smell like poo the process needs to be adjusted.  Often people think they need to use a lot of detergent because the diapers are really dirty; this is not the case.  Using lots of detergent causes build up which results in stink.  As for drying, I line dry almost everything (I actually use the octopus hangers form Ikea) followed by a ten minute fluff in the dryer with no heat to make them soft.  The dryer is hard on the elastics and on any PUL.  If you choose to use the dryer, dry on low heat.

Diaper sprayers (like a sprayer on the kitchen sink but for the toilet) are not necessary and not everyone uses them.  Some people just swish the diaper in the toilet to rinse.  I personally think a diaper sprayer is a lifesaver and makes my life easier.  The installation to the toilet is also really easy, I installed ours all by myself.
 As for the quantity of diapers that are needed, the rule of thumb is 12 diapers per child per day.  So if there is one child in diapers and washing is going to happen every other day (this is what I recommend), then 24 diapers would be needed.  Lots of people, myself included, have many more than this for a variety of reasons.  The more diapers in rotation, the less they get used which makes them last longer.  Also, sometimes things come up and washing every other day doesn't happen.  The biggest reason I have more than 24 is because buying them is just plain addicting, they are so cute and there are so many different kinds to try. 


Aplix diaper that I had converted to snaps by a local mama

I should also mention that most diapers come with snaps or aplix (velcro).  While the aplix is easy to fasten and unfasten, especially in the middle of the night, it does tend to wear out.  Snaps are a little more difficult to use, not much, and last much longer in my opinion.  I always go for snaps!

I know there are so many options and it is hard to know what will work best for you.  I suggest going into a local cloth diaper store and touching things for yourself.  When I started using cloth diapers, I bought a few of each kind.  That is the way I like my stash, there is a diaper for every situation.  Some people prefer to have all of the same kind, that is also fine.  It is all personal preference.  Now it is time to go out and put more fluffy bums into the world.  Fluffy bums are the cutest!

Battle Bumms

As many parents know, the total cost of diapering a child from birth through potty-training can be very expensive.  Disposable diapers, after all, are one-use only and a newborn can go through ten or more a day!  It adds up quickly.

More and more parents are turning to cloth diapers, but unfortunately, the start-up cost can be a little daunting.  For example, the cost of just a single BumGenius 4.0 pocket diaper is almost $18.  A whole stash of just 30 diapers can easily run $500 dollars, which can be a lot of money to put down at once, especially for families who may be living paycheck to paycheck on one income.  

Military spouse Victoria Emry started cloth diapering her son in June of 2012.  

"After spending nearly $500 to get started my husband and I looked at each other and said, at the same time, that there had to be a cheaper way to get started," she said. "From there it went from us thinking about making our own line of diapers with more affordable prices, to us deciding that we wanted to focus on helping military families get started and it was all details after that."

Victoria decided to started her organization Battle Bumms.  With the help of donations, she puts together cloth diaper starter kits.  These kits include 12 diapers, 12 cloth wipes, a wetbag and a pail liner.  These kits are then given to eligible low-income military families stationed in Colorado Springs and Buckley Air Force Base.  So far, the organization has donated sets to five families and has another five in the works, three of which are for families awaiting the arrivals of their babies.  
Battle Bumms is accepts donations to be used in these kits.  Both used and new diapering items, (specifically pockets/prefolds/flats/fitted diapers, diaper covers, gently used Snappis or Boingos, inserts, wetbags, pail liners, and cloth wipes), can be dropped off at the Cloth Diaper Market.  

"In addition to collecting donations and donating starter sets, we make and sell wetbags (small, medium and large sizes) and cloth wipes (in two sizes) to help raise funds," said Victoria.  "100% of the proceeds go back to the organization. Our products are sold at Cloth Diaper Market, as well as from our website as custom orders."

While Battle Bumms is still a bit of a small operation, Victoria hopes for it to eventually become a countrywide non-profit, with branches spread across the military communities.  (Fellow cloth diaper enthusiasts have already contacted her about wanting to open branches in several states!) However, she would first like to build a solid foundation for Battle Bumms as well as register as an official 501(c)(3) organization.

To learn more about Battle Bumms, make a monetary donation, or to check eligibility, visit their website, http://www.battlebumms.com/.

**This post was written by Paula R.

Want to help break a world record?

Well, if you have a little one still in diapers, you can!  The Great Cloth Diaper Change is coming up on the 20th of April.  The current world record from last year boasts 8,251 cloth diapers changed at once!  And you know what?  I think we can beat that!  

This year, the local event will be held at the Chapel Hills mall with the change taking place at 11 a.m.  Those who cloth diaper should bring their cloth diapers and those who don't will be lent one!  There are a few guidelines/rules that can be found here at the preregistration site.  For more information on the local GCDC event, please check out the Southern Colorado Great Cloth Diaper Change facebook!

Cloth Diapering 101: The Prefold

Courtney K shares her wisdom on cloth diapering with prefolds. This is an old post from her personal blog, but updated to include some extra and more relevant information. Enjoy!

As cloth diapering gains popularity, I've had tons of mommy friends, new and old, who want to get in on the fun. The problem is "where do you start???" It seems easy until you Google "cloth diapering" and you realize all the choices. It can be overwhelming! I was fortunate enough to have a friend who started while I was pregnant. I got to watch her try 'em all out, learned all the lingo, and by the time my belly popped, I knew exactly what to buy and from where! But we don't all have a good friend whose mistakes we can learn from and everyone has to start somewhere. I decided to blog a bit about them and today I'm gonna feature the infamous prefold!

Do not run, ladies and gents! Stop in your tracks; this is not your grandmother's cloth diaper. For some, the prefold is not for you. Many people want their cloth diapers to be exactly like a disposable, only washable. That is not the prefold; however, here are a few reasons you might want to take a closer look at the prefold:

1. This is by far the CHEAPEST! You can get a high quality dozen prefolds for around 20 bucks. You only need about 18 dipes, though some choose to have more. 18 gets you to washing every other day.

2. They are the SIMPLEST! Not in the action, since they do require a cover, but they are cotton, nothing more, simple, easy to clean, natural, cotton!

3. STREET CRED! Some might not care about this, but let me tell you, vintage ladies love to see you using what they used, and once you master the prefold, anything found on the floor of your van can become a diaper in a snap! if need be. :)

Choosing your prefold

They come in various sizes (four that I know, maybe more?), but here are the three I own.

Premie/newborn (green): These are so small, I don't think anyone should ever buy them. Seriously, they are for 5-lbers or less I'd say. I only use these for layering or butt wiping; trust me, you don't need these!

Infant: PERFECT, these are the best size to start with.  They will get you up to about 15 lbs, give or take a lb. These are the most common and come in a few varieties. Bleached (really white), Unbleached (cream colored), Egyptian or Chinese, etc, but really it doesn't matter. I've had both, they all worked great, just buy what you find the best price on.

Premium (tie-dyed): Usually these are white, I paid a bit extra to have some dye,d which is fun but white ones are great. These are great for when you outgrow the infants or if you are starting out with a kiddo bigger than 15 lbs.

A prefold is really a layered piece of cotton that is a little thicker in the middle.  Unlike the flat dipes of the old, there is no real folding.  You might fold it down in front while your baby is a newborn or fold it a bit more narrow for a skinny, but truly there is nothing to it, you can do it! 

For holding a prefold in place (if you clicked the video, you are already in the know), pins are a thing of the past!  This draws flocks of vintage ladies with pin-scarred fingers to the church nursery changing table.  Nowadays, we use Snappis!  A Snappi is a Y-shaped stretchy band and on each tip it sports a plastic version of an Ace bandage hook.  The hook digs into the dipe and holds it in place, but will not prick your finger or, more importantly, your baby. 

Snappis do not make good bed companions, so keep 'em
near the dipes where they belong.  I have been bitten
by a rogue Snappi or two in the middle of the night!

To finish it off, a prefold requires a cover.  However, while prefolds can fit sizes for longer, the covers will need to be sized up more often/quicker.  Fortunately, you do not need as many covers as prefolds.  You can use a cover three or four times before you switch it, more if you let it air out between changes.  I'd recommend owning four or five covers.   

Covers can come in a varieties of colors.  You will be shocked.  Many are PUL, a kind of plastic waterproof cover, but trust me it is a soft baby-friendly version of plastic.  These come with snaps or velcro.  I like snaps for babies who like to remove their diapers; I like velcro for cross-eyed mommies at 2 a.m.  These cost about 10 bucks each.  A few of my favorite brands are Bummies and Thisties. I also like covers like Econobum covers because they grow with Baby from newborn to toddler.  While PUL covers are the most common and probably the easiest, there are more options!  Fleece covers (like the one above) are super cute.  (Yes, fleece is moisture-wicking, so this keeps the baby and all your stuff dry.)

Wool is another great option!  You can get wool shorts or pants or simply a wool diaper cover.  You have to lanolize wool, which is really just a soak in the sink with a lanolin product, but they are your cover and your pants.  I love these because in my mind wool was how they had to have stuff done back in the day.  Before plastic (PUL) and all the fancy stuff, there was cotton and wool.  Two of my favorites spots to score super cute woolies are Cabbages and Kings for new and the Spot's Corner on Hyena Cart for lightly used.

I love diapering in simple prefolds made from natural cotton. They are so versatile.  You can add a soaker for overnight or a heavy wetter, or simply double up.  (That's what I use those teeny ones for now.)  You can dye them however and have fun.  We never have rashes and they are easy to clean!  Give them a try, you won't regret it!  One of local babywearing members even sells dipes and covers of all types:  Nappies and More...

Saying Goodbye to Beth

Earlier this month, Colorado Springs babywearers had to say goodbye to one of its members Beth White; the military has sent her away from the mountains of Colorado and to the cold state of Alaska.  Beth reflects on her babywearing journey, both as an individual and as a person who has helped the group develop into a close-knit community of babywearers:

Many wearers can pinpoint exactly how they came across the idea of babywearing, whether it was a chance encounter with someone wearing an Ergo, or coming across a picture of someone wrapping on an online forum.  But not Beth; she is a second generation babywearer!

“I’m not sure when I learned about babywearing,” she says.  “I think I always knew about it.  My mom wore me and my sisters in a frame pack and some sort of ring sling.”

“I started researching carriers when I was pregnant and bought a Sleepy Wrap and used that when Faith was just two days old. I loved it and so did she!  I went to my first babywearing meeting when she was two months old,” she says.  “I really liked being around other moms that I had a lot in common with and I wanted to make sure I was wearing my baby correctly!”

Over the course of the next few years, since that first meeting, Beth has watched the group grow, as babywearing has slowly gained popularity.

“[When] I first joined the group there wasn't a meeting for over six months after I went to the park meet-up. We slowly started getting together more regularly and formed a group of solid ‘core’ members that came to everything,” she says. 

The online move of the group from a Yahoo! Group to Facebook, she says, was also “really instrumental” in its growth.  With Facebook’s popularity and ease of use, it allowed for more interested mothers to find and connect with the group more easily.
 

Despite being a member of the group for over three years, Beth (who now also has a one-year-old son, Titus) feels that she can’t take much credit for the successful group the Colorado Springs babywearing group has become: 

“One of my favorite things about our group is that it’s a community effort…There has always been a wonderful group of mamas working to make any changes,” she says. 

But fellow babywearer and friend Courtney Kempe knows that Beth’s contributions deserve to be acknowledged.  In the past, she has organized events to teach people carriers, connected the group with other local organizations and ordered the group’s business cards for members to carry and pass out.  Additionally, “she is really cool about showing people how to babywear without spending a ton,” says Courtney. 

Fitting with babywearing (and the tenet of keeping a baby close as nature intended), Beth also has a fairly natural parenting style, one that includes something that, in theory, should come very “naturally,” but doesn’t always:  Breastfeeding.  She first started attending LLL meetings when she was pregnant with her daughter.  For the last year and a half, she was a La Lache League leader in Colorado Springs, sharing her personal experiences as well as supporting and educating mothers on breastfeeding. 

“I am very passionate about breastfeeding and I love being able to help others,” she says.  Also, “babywearing inevitably comes up at nearly every meeting so I love how everything overlaps.”  

The Colorado Springs group members are sad to see Beth go, but she will undoubtedly be a valuable member to whatever parenting-related groups she decides to join at her new base. 

Q&A With Beth

What do you love about babywearing? Do you have a favorite carrier/carrier style and what makes it your favorite?

I love how much more productive I can be while still meeting the needs of my baby. Faith was very high needs and I wore her a lot at home. Titus hasn't been "high needs" but when he is teething or sick and I have a three year old to take care of too - I don't know how moms manage without babywearing! And it makes running errands a piece of cake, especially if Titus wants to nurse while we are out. I love woven wraps (right now my favorite is our Didymos Marigold) for all ages and soft-structured carriers (Kinderpack) for 6+ months for back carries when running errands.

What was your motivation for cloth diapering?

Saving money and avoiding the chemicals in disposables. We use flats with wool longies/shorties.

What are you going to miss about the group?

Awww :( everything! I am so very blessed to have been a part of such a wonderful support system for the last three years. Mostly I will miss getting together with other moms and chatting for hours while we get sunburned outside in the summer.

*Written by Paula R.