Gwoss

In Eloise's words, what I'm about to write about is "gwoss" so feel free to stop reading now. But if you're a mom (or not squeamish) then you too are well versed in the following:

I'm talking about pee and vomit.

Eloise, I'm sorry to divulge information on the internet that will embarrass you as a teen, but you are a heavy wetter. You also have a tendency to vomit everywhere if we put you in your crib and leave the room rather than rocking you to coma-sleep. It's not that we're okay with you throwing up and sleeping in it, but after a few hours of trying to get you to sleep in your crib we are exhausted and two minutes of crying really shouldn't be such a big deal. You do always manage to sleep through the night and wake up cheerful the next day. The surprise for us in the morning is a urine-dampened and/or vomit-scented baby which results in an immediate load of laundry, crib and carpet clean and a bath. (As a result Eloise's Piglet, her bed sheets and her hair are quite possibly the cleanest ever.)

Back in January we were having problems with Eloise waking up often because she was wet. We experimented with different diapers and ended up using wool diaper soakers which worked like a charm. Until now. Since Eloise sleeps 12, sometimes 13, hours a night we find that her diaper and soaker just can't keep up so we've been experimenting once again with different combinations. So far a Blueberry or bumGenius pocket diaper with two bamboo liners, an additional bamboo-terry liner and the wool soaker have worked the best but after a wet week we're back to the drawing board.

I did some research and heard about the great absorbancy of Tots Bots Bamboozle diapers so I ordered one from New & Green and a Bummis Super Brite cover for on top since we had so much success with these covers when Eloise was small (not even one newborn poop blowout!). We used a wool soaker on top of it all and I am pleased to report that Eloise and her bed were totally dry when she woke up this morning.

Unfortunately, we let her cry for a few minutes after a marathon bedtime last night and though she may not have been wet from pee, she had thrown up everywhere. Gwoss.

You're Covered

No one likes waking up wet in the middle of the night, especially not when you have to change the baby AND the bed. This was our reality when Eloise started sleeping longer than a few hours at a time. We've discovered that she's a pretty heavy wetter so extra hours between diaper changes resulted in many wet sleepers and damp sheets. Lovely.

I searched online to see what other cloth diapering parents recommended and the unanimous answer was wool. Wool is soft, breathable, anti-bacterial and quick drying. Wool soakers (aka diaper covers) can retain a third of their weight in moisture so your baby's skin and clothing stay dry all night long. In the morning you just turn the cover inside out and any dampness evaporates. Another bonus is that the soakers only need to be washed every few weeks or when soiled (washing instructions below).

I was reading reviews for wool soakers on Diaper Pin and came across covers made by a company called Babyology. I purchased two soakers through Babyology's eBay site and since the seller just happened to be located in Vancouver, I received my order in just two days. Their customer service was impressive and they actually waived the cost of shipping and included a pair of booties as a bonus. Each soaker was just $19, they are beautifully made and super, duper cute.

Stripes? Why not! Cute & functional Babyology Wool Soakers.

These wool soakers work like a dream. Eloise has been sporting hers under her sleeper, over a nighttime diaper (pocket diaper stuffed bamboo liner & booster), every night for about a month and we have not had a leak since.

Washing Wool Soakers

Fill your kitchen sink with lukewarm water and a few squirts of all-natural baby soap (or a wool-specific detergent). Add the soaker(s) and gently agitate, letting soak for 15 - 20 mins. Rinse in cold water and gently squeeze most of the water out. Roll into a towel then let dry flat.

Lanolizing Wool Covers
*Why lanolize? Lanolin is a natural water repellent that keeps moisture off the skin while leaving your soaker dry and the wool feeling soft!

Squeeze a pea size amount of Lansinoh Lanolin into a jar with a tightly fitting lid. Fill the jar 3/4 full with very hot water and shake well to combine. Pour this mixture over your freshly rinsed wool soaker and swirl to ensure full coverage. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Drain water and gently squeeze wool to remove excess. Roll into a towel then let dry flat.