Day 52: Fabulous Fitteds

When I found out I was pregnant with Popcorn, I was psyched about one thing and one thing only-cloth diapering!  I mean, I was excited about a new baby and all but the dipes are what really got me grinning.  You see, we got rid of all of our baby stuff. ALL of it. We were done, after all. So everything had to go, with the exception of my play yard and my cloth dipes. I did give a few away to a friend who was considering cloth.

{Side Salad was our cloth baby. We started cloth diapering him at about 5 months old to save money. I would estimate we spent about $300-$400 on cloth diapers for him. That is nothing compared to what most parents spent in a year on disposables.  We started with about a dozen prefolds, 2 covers (Bummis) and a couple of bumGenius 3.0s.  And my stash just grew from there. I need to take a stash pic, but I'm waiting on some new dipes.}

In the meantime, I'll tell you about one of my favorite fitteds.  They were made by a talented mama named Jen R. at Orange Diaper Company (formerly known as Scuttlebutts). ODC sells both ready-to-ship and custom dipes through their online store.

Cost: They are pricey, ($20-22 for newborn, $30-32 for one size) though not has horrendously priced as goodmamas.  And yes, I have one of those, too.  Back then, they were probably around $20 or $25 each for sized dipes. I honestly can't remember as it's been nearly four years since I bought them.
Quality:  These are some seriously well made diapers.  Jen uses organic fabrics so that they are safe for litttle ones.The are also wonderfully soft and squishy.  You feel good about putting them on your baby. On my first order, I opted for turned and topstiched dipes. I think most patterns look good turned and topstiched.    Here's a pic from when they were brand spankin' new.

I still love looking at them.

These were my absolute favorite dipes, my go-to diapers. Even Lettuce liked them.

And her are some pics of Popcorn in the elephant one tonight.

Here's a close up of the pirate one.  It is in pristine condition after 2 1/2 years of use. 

No stains whatsoever

Front of the dipe

                                                      

Back of the dipe

Close up of the cute heart on the soaker

The diaper looks like it has never been used. In fact, it went through 2 1/2 years of hard use. I shan't lie; I don't baby my dipes. No matter how much I love them, they are still ultimately poop catchers. Back to the dipes: I wish I could afford a full stash of them.  Though they've gone up in price over the past four years, they are well worth it.  I have diapers that cost less that have frayed leg holes, blown elastic.  When it comes to dipes, you generally get what you pay for.  The only issue I experienced with these dipes was with the ones with brown interiors (the lizard/frog and the elephant).  Side Salad's urine "bleached" the interior.  This did not happen with the other two so it was clearly an issue with that fabric.  

Overall Verdict: Great diaper, if you can afford it. This dipe is definitely worth putting a little money to the side for. If I were inclined to sell this dipe, I'm sure I could get a reasonable price for it, given its condition.  I am very happy with it and it is some seriously cute fluff.

When you start building your stash, you are looking for anything and everything but price is definitely a factor. However, once you really get to know your dipes, you find that the cheaper stuff isn't worth it.

Orange Diaper Company is 100% worth the money.

I love buying from WAHMs and local mams.  

On the 2nd day of Giveaways, a blogger gave to me.....

Today I was perusing the page of my favorite custom diaper purveyor (Jen at Orange Diaper Co) and she mentioned a giveaway on the All About Cloth Diapers blog. This blogger mama is giving away stuff for 12 freakin' days!  I missed yesterday, but rest assured, I'll make the rest of the days.  Today's giveaway is HUGE!  It's too much to enumerate here.  Just go look for yourself.

I'm just kidding. The winner gets:

• The Homestead Co diaper rash oil
• Motherlove diaper and thrush cream
• Fuzzi Bunz perfect fit
• Bac-Out, a fluff destinkifier (my typing renders it a real word)
• a Best Bottom dipe with a fleece topped, snap-in insert
• and a surprise from Bee  AllNatural

So get your sweet patootie over there and try to win!



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Looking Good, or how to birth a babe in style

So today I was sitting her ruminating about the whole birth experince and what I want it to be like.  This is my 5th baby so it's not my first ride on the merry-go-round.   I have had 4 vaginal births, two were induced-Prnicess and Squirrel, and two with epidurals-Astronaut and Squirrel.  The most medicated was Squirrel (my tiny baby)  and the least medicated was Side Salad (my mammoth baby).

Anywho, this is my first non-hospital birth.  Yep, that's right. I'm leaving the comfort of the sterile (hah!) medical fortress and going commando.  I'll be birthing at a lovely birth center with two fantastic midwives. 
[Sometime soon I will go into the mechanincs of how medical choices are impacted by finances and what that means to people like me, but suffice to say it's worth it.  I <3 my midwives and my visits are always so long. I haven't had some of the issues I suffered from with other pregnancies, such as hemmaroids and constipation.  It's different.  But I digress. I wanted to talk about my upcoming labor.]

At the ripe old age of almost thirty, I know what I want and what I don't want, and I am less afraid of labor.  By using the birth center, I can avoid things like invasive monitoring and epidurals.  I'm one  of those people Kim Zolciak refers to as a "dumb ass."  I prefer to think of myself as capable of rational thought and able to make decisions based on them. The research I have done and my prior birth experiences led me to this choice. I plan to labor in the tub but I don't know if I want to actual give birth in it. I think I'd rather use teh labor stool.  The idea of wallowing in a tub of poo kinda grosses me out. I want my daughters present, and Caeser Salad and my mommy.  Oh, and my BFF Stacy.  I want to be able to drink (Naked Orange Mango) and to eat if I'm hungry. I want to be able to get up if I feel like it. That's pretty much it.  There's a longer list of things I don't want than things I do!

Being unemployed gives me lots of time to read and drool over stuff I want and today, what I want is some labor apparal!  That's right, you can buy clothes for birthing and they are right cute, too! Binsi's stuff is pretty cool whethe you are hospital birthing, using a birth center, or birthing at home (maybe #6 will be HB. If there is a #6).  I am serious about possibly splurging on some if we can spare the moola. Why not just rock a bikini top and a sarong, you say?  Here's why:

• I'm a bit...gifted up top.  38G, to be exact.  I have yet to meet the sports bra that can accomodate my cuppage while being tight enough on my ribs to work well. 
• A bikini top *might* work, so I'm looking for one now. But it might also be a pain to put on, unlike the Binsi.
• Sarongs are meant to look pretty, not get wet. The only one I have is a gorgeous sheer turqouse number edged with tiny cowrie shells. Fancy, indeed.  Not birth worthy at all. 
• I like new and novel things and I love supporting small businesses. 

Since I'm planning on being sociable and chatty, I'd like to look presentable.  Therefore, the Thankiki and the Binis II Too would be great. The Thankini is long enough to cover up my midsection and the wrap is so versatile! I can use it for all kinds of stuff, like a sarong, a shawl, a BF cover, a light blankie, etc.


 So if you are feeling generous, you should buy me one.