Cloth Diapering Ninja

With Eloise I was a cloth diapering ninja. Perhaps because so many people told us we wouldn't stick with it, and definitely because she was our first and only child, not only did we cloth diaper for more than two years, we did so with a smile on our faces. I will still be the first person to defend cloth diapering as not being difficult and definitely the healthier choice for your baby and the planet, but this time around I'm just not that into it. 

I still love my cloth wipes - they can't be beat when it comes to poop cleanup - but the two-step newborn diapers we have currently feel like too much work. I also think Spencer's little 'super soaker' makes his cloth diapers much wetter than Eloise's ever were and this wetness could be a contributing factor to him sleeping no more than a few hours at a time. For the time being we are only using cloth diapers during the day and I'm not even feeling that guilty about it. Don't get me wrong, the gigantic garbage bag filled with 75% diapers that we put out on the curb last week was a little discouraging and pained the recycler in me but right now convenience wins.

{the honest company}

When it comes to disposable diapers I am still conscious about what we use and a diaper that is as eco-friendly and additive-free as possible is important. We can also justify the difference in cost between an "eco" and conventional diaper since we're not using disposables 100% of the time. In preparation for Spencer's arrival I ordered some newborn diapers from The Honest Company. These diapers are not processed with chlorine, don't contain fragrances, lotions or latex and are super, duper cute with patterns like anchors, giraffes, bicycles and cherries. All of this really made me want to love these diapers but I just didn't. They were okay, but in the early newborn stage I found it hard to get a good fit over Spencer's cord clamp and later his cord nubbin since these diapers didn't contour down like other disposables. As a result we had lots of leaks so I think I'll table these for now and try them again when he is a little bigger. 

{earth's best}

Trial and error with disposables for vacation when Eloise was small led us to my current fave, Earth's Best Chlorine Free Diapers. These diapers don't have fun and pretty designs like the Honest diapers, but they are made with less petro-chemicals than conventional disposables, contain no latex, dye, or perfume and fit really well. They are also fairly comparable in price, and were on sale at London Drugs last week for $11.99.

I hope my feeling about using cloth diapers will be different once Spencer fits into our plentiful collection of all-in-ones, but at this stage I am giving myself a pass.

Un-Funky

{rockin' green}

I know this won't come as a surprise, but a pail of dirty diapers really smells. You can't smell them when they're in the pail - the liner and a tight closing lid keep that under wraps - but once a full bag a dirty diapers is ready to go into the wash the smell really is something. No worse than a sausage of dirty disposables leaving the Diaper Genie though.

After a while cloth diapers also develop a bit of an ammonia-y odor. You can try sunning diapers in mother nature's natural odor remover, but we don't see much sun in Vancouver winters so this isn't the easiest option for us. Instead, I've been using Rockin' Green Funk Rock to take the smells out of my diapers. This product can be used on other things that get peed on too, even for pet accidents. I wish I had known about this with Granby was a puppy.

Stinky diapers be gone, Funk Rock is a cloth diapering essential.

Disenchanted with Diapers

I don't know if it's because I want Eloise to potty train or because I am just bored of dealing with poop, but I am so disenchanted with diapers.

Our stash of cloth diapers has dwindled, many of the covers requiring new velcro tabs and elastic after being used and laundered every other day for 22+ months. Some of our diapers have held up better than others, but our heavy wetting kid requires a super diaper for naps and nighttime and we now have a limited few that do the job. Honestly, after too many leaks and wet beds I've succumbed to disposables for sleep. But guess what? We've discovered Eloise leaks through disposables too!

All this aside, we've had a wonderful experience with cloth diapers and I wouldn't change a thing. I have my favourite diapers and tools to make cloth diapering easier, so once again, here is what has worked the best for us.

Blueberry One-Size Pocket Diaper with hook/loop
I always recommend these diapers because they are a great fit and the quality is also unbeatable. Our Blueberry Diapers have been laundered the same way as every other diaper we own but they look nearly new. The elastic has stayed stretchy and tight and the hook/loop (aka velcro) is still sticky.

bumGenius Freetime All-in-One One-Size Diapers with hook/loop
We discovered these diapers too late because they are awesome and so, so easy to use. The liner is attached and does not need to be stuffed into a pocket before use, they simply fold one on top of another and boosters can be added for more absorbancy. My only concern with bumGenuius diapers is that the elastic and hook/loop have failed on many of our 4.0s which means a lot of fiddly repair work before our next child.

Wool Soaker
We need a wool cover for naps and bedtime because Eloise is a super heavy wetter. These covers absorb wetness and keep both Eloise and the bed dry, in theory. In reality, Eloise is such a heavy wetter that many mornings she wakes us with a wet diaper, cover and bed. These covers worked better when she was small and would be excellent for babies with more chub.

Wipes Warmer & Cloth Wipes
If you are going to cloth diaper it makes no sense to use disposible wipes. Actually, even if I didn't use cloth diapers I think I would still use cloth wipes because they are just that good. Think about it, if you have a spill and can either use a half piece of paper towel or a dish cloth, which is going to do a better job? The warmer itself acts as a storage container for wipes moistened with a solution of olive oil, baby soap and water, ready for clean ups. Plus, wouldn't you prefer a nice warm wipe at 3am?

Diaper Accessories
We have a few wet bags in rotation and they've been both good and bad. We started with two Kissaluv pail liners but one de-laminated so we replaced it with a Bummis wet bag, which also de-laminated. I can't say if one is better than the other but maybe the Kissaluv solely based on length of use. Our take along wet bags have been consistently great; we use one by Itzy Ritzy, and one by Bummis.
 

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.

Reason #1685 Why I Cloth Diaper

{image}

It's no secret that I'm happy about our decision to cloth diaper and you know, they aren't actually as crunchy granola as you think. Cloth diapering is not as time intensive as it was for our parents and grandparents; they don't require safety pins or stinky rubber pants, no poopy-diaper-toilet-dunking and no laborious hand washing. The diapers we use are cute, trim, and colourful.

More than anything, cloth diapers are a healthier choice for Eloise. On Saturday the Vancouver Sun ran an article called "Babies Under Threat" exposing many of the harmful chemicals found in certain baby products. Disposable diapers were on the list since chlorine bleaching used in the manufacturing process produces a carcinogenic toxin called Dioxin and the effects of the 'stay dry' additive sodium polyacrylate (SAP) is not totally known. No thank you.

There are certainly less toxic, chlorine-free disposable diapers, but finding ones that are free of absorbent gels is more difficult. We use disposables when we're on vacation and don't have access to a washer and have had the best success with 7th Generation, though after writing this post I won't be buying them again. I've just learned that they actually dye their diapers brown for the purpose of distinguishing them in the marketplace (huh?) and that they too contain SAP. We've tried Naty by Nature Babycare diapers as well and though I like that they don't contain plastic, I find them really stiff and not a good fit for Eloise. 

For more information about chemicals in the products we use on our children and ourselves, check out Environmental Defence.

Cloth Diapers: A Year Later

Cutest cloth diaper bum.

The mystére surrounding cloth diapers still amazes me. When Chris and I tell people we have used cloth for more a year now they often remark how gross it must be and that they just don't have the time. Here's the thing: cloth diapering is not difficult, it's not gross and you can't slag it before you try it. Yes, we have to do an additional load of laundry every other day, but it's an easy trade for Eloise's health and the health of our planet. By choosing to cloth diaper we are not contributing to the 27 billion (BILLION!) tons of waste that disposable diapers make up in landfills each year.

So what have we learned a year later? Lots. Deciding to cloth diaper Eloise was a great choice and I want everyone to know that they can do it too. Read on to find out what worked for us.

Newborn to three months:

We started with a rotation of 18 Kissaluv Kissa's Cotton Fleece Fitted diapers (size 0) and six Bummis Super Brite covers (size small). One cover lasts until it gets soiled so you can reuse it a few times before reaching for a new one. This combo was unbeatable for containing messes we didn't experience one dreaded newborn 'blowout' or any other leakage, even with a round the clock newborn poop machine. When your diapers get streaky (trust me, it'll happen), an afternoon in the sun will take out even major stains and removes odours too. For reals.

Three to six months:

When Eloise got a bit bigger we added six AMP Stay-Dry All-in-Ones (size small) to our rotation which were easy to pack for outings and trimmer under clothing too. We also switched to medium Super Brite covers and continued to use the same size 0 Kissa's until around six months.

Six months to One year:

Once Eloise reached around 10 pounds, we added pocket diapers into our stash. We have around 30 and our favourites are bumGenius 4.0 One Size and Blueberry Diapers One Size for both fit and durability. We like pocket diapers with a hook/loop (aka velcro) closure and love, love, love Blueberry Diaper's bamboo inserts which are trim yet amazingly absorbent and our go to for night or long car rides. Eloise is a skinny baby and we've used gDiapers, FuzziBunz, and Baby Kangas as well but struggled to get a good fit. We have nine AMP Stay-Dry All-in-Ones (now in size medium) and enjoy how little room they take up in our always overflowing diaper bag.

Speaking of night, now that Eloise sleeps through the night we swear by wool diaper soakers from Babyology to keep her dry until morning. Wool is super absorbent and naturally antibacterial so it's the perfect solution for heavy wetters and we can't put Eloise to bed without her soaker. Solid food also brought on new challenges to diaper 'clean up' and we are huge fans of Bummis Bio-Soft Liners. These awesome, flushable liners allow you to remove solids and they provide a barrier to protect diapers from cream which we always need when Eloise is teething.

Washing:

We currently have about 40 diapers in rotation and wash diapers every two days. We use Country Save detergent to wash and the wash routine is as follows: dump diapers and wet bag into the washer, rinse cold, wash in hot water with 1/8th of a scoop of soap, rinse with hot water and rinse a final time with hot water. This routine does take a good deal of water but I was finding one hot rinse was not enough to get all the soap residue out of the diapers. Once and a while I add 1/4 cup of vinegar to the first hot rinse which helps to eliminate odours and reduce build up. I put liners and all-in-one diapers in the dryer and hang the rest to dry, in the sun if possible (ha ha).

Accessories:

Our pail is a simple plastic garbage can with a tight fitting lid and we have two diaper pail liners (or wet bags). We have found Bummis Fabulous Wet Bag to be better quality than other pail liners and I like the zip closure too. We have two wet bags to pack in the diaper bag (one to use, one to wash) and enjoy the fun patterns available from Itzy Ritzy.

At home we use Kissaluv Awesome Terry Knit Wipes and keep them at the ready in a Prince Lionheart Warmies Wipes Warmer. The wipes warmer was one of those items that seemed extravagant at the time but has become my number one 'must have' for cloth diapering. It is always stocked with moist wipes so we have a warm, clean cloth at the ready when needed. Cloth wipes do a WAY better clean up job in much less time than disposable wipes and just get tossed in the wash along with your diapers.

Next up? It's potty time.

What's in My Diaper Bag Part 2

Before I get to what's on the inside, I should mention that we've accrued a pretty sweet collection of diaper bags over the past year. My original diaper bag was a lovely, non-baby Longchamp Le Pliage, a shower gift from my besties that I love. Unfortunately, once Eloise and I started doing more and required an arsenal of supplies, the Longchamp simply wasn't big enough. We transitioned to Lululemon's Destiny Duffel (similar here) which seriously holds everything I could need in a day, but its rather cumbersome. After I nearly took out a display of glassware at the Bay I knew it was perhaps not the best choice to cart around in malls.

And so we're onto bag number three: our fabulous Scout by PPB (that's Petunia Pickle Bottom, in case you wanted to know) Journey Pack. For music class, lunch with friends and strapping onto the umbrella stroller, the Scout is our current fav. It's definitely not an all-day-long bag - I'll leave that up to the Duffel or Le Pliage - but it easily holds the essentials for an afternoon. The Scout also has a built-in change pad, wipes container and is messenger-style, so I can throw it over my shoulder and still have both hands free, essential for my busy girl.

Here's what's inside:

• 2 AMP Stay-Dry AIO diapers (the most compact diaper we own)
• Wet bag
• Diaper Cream
• Diaper Liners
• Wipes
• Bottle 
• Sippy Cup
• Mum-Mums
• Wysi Wipes
• Facecloth
• Egg shakers
• A book

And I always bring my house keys. They are attached to a big, colourful flower key chain and it is Eloise's favourite. Gross you say? Maybe, but sometimes it's the only thing that keeps her content (go figure) that I'm not going to fuss over where it's been (bottom of my purse) and for how long (it's 10 years old). 

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.

Eloise and the Amazing Technicolour Diaper Stash

Eloise has come a long way since her Nook. Our once four-and-a-half-pound peanut is growing bigger everyday, with four teeth, her daddy's curls and a spunky little personality to boot. She is not yet mobile but with all the gear, goodies and clothing that come with a growing baby, I am thankful that she has her own room in the new house. Actually, I don't know how well we would have managed in the condo now that we are clearly a family of two clothes horses!

Eloise's room is full of handmade projects and special items saved from my childhood. I made the butterfly mobile above her crib, the magenta paper pom poms in her reading corner and added battenburg lace and pom pom trim to gussy up a simple roller shade. The rocking horse and chair belonged to me and even the valance about the window is a holdover from my 'princess room' days.

On top of an extensive closetful of clothing and shoes, Eloise has the best, most colourful collection of diapers. Her 'Amazing Technicolor' diaper stash would put Joseph and his Dreamcoat to shame! We have a perfect dresser-turned-changetable to store her stash - a Craigslist find I lovingly refinished myself - which is also a place to keep sleepers, tops and bottoms close at hand. Eloise's bedroom closet has been usurped by my clothing (oops!), but one of the armoires we used in the condo is perfect for hanging Eloise's cute little dresses and storing her socks, shoes, hats, bibs and blankets.

It may be small, but Eloise's pretty room is my favourite in the house. It's been so fun to decorate and although it's currently 'done', I must say I've got a hankering for more pink...

Every Day I'm Diapering

It's been more than nine months since Eloise was born and I, like other moms, am now an expert in diaper duty. Hundreds of diapers, many leaks, a few blowouts and thousands of loads of laundry later, I am also pleased to report that we have not given up on cloth diapering.

Blueberry Diapers One Size Deluxe

Baby Kangas One Size Pocket Diaper

Through trial and error we have figured out how to make cloth diapers work for us. We started with Kissaluvs Kissa's and Bummis Super Brite covers for Eloise's tiny tush and once she reached the eight pound mark we added AMP Stay Dry All in Ones in small and bumGenius One Size 4.0 to the mix. At about six months we transitioned to all pocket diapers, including the awesome Blueberry diapers and Chris' favourite, Baby Kangas. Now that Eloise is nearly 15 pounds we're using the next size up in AMP Stay Dry All in Ones as well and our 'healthy' diaper stash numbers around 40!

So, what are our favourites? Hands down, the Blueberry diapers win my vote. They are beautifully made in the USA, are soft and hard working and have super absorbent, yet ultra-thin, bamboo inserts. We have both snap and hook & loop (aka velcro) Blueberry diapers and I can't say I prefer one over the other, though the hook & loop certainly wins for ease at 3am diaper changes.

I like to think we have this cloth diapering thing figured out, though every stage in Eloise's growth brings new challenges, like the recent introduction of solid poop. Gross I know, but there's even a solution for that and Bummis Bio-Soft Liners have made clean-up much more pleasant. I wonder when we can start potty training?

Dear bumGenius,

bumGenius 4.0 one-size

Dear bumGenius,

I credit you, the 4.0 one-size diaper, for allowing my daughter to sleep for several hours at a time. I think I speak for everyone here when I say your presence has made our mornings much easier.

I will admit I was not initially impressed by you, bumGenius. To be honest, I found you too bulky on my petite child and felt your pocket system to be cumbersome. You were pushed to the back of our diaper stash but one night we chose you for bedtime and awoke, six hours later, in awe that Eloise had slept so long and impressed that she was dry, too. Since then it is safe to say we're hooked and you have become an important part of our bedtime routine.

Thank you bumGenius, I think I just might love you.

Sincerely,
Jordan

What's in my Diaper Bag?

My baby bag is a large, black Longchamp Le Pliage that I received as a shower gift from my girlfriends (thanks Girls!). It's more of a diaper purse really, so I can wear it with everything from sweats to suits. Made of durable nylon with leather straps, it can be hand washed in warm water and is strong enough to hold all the baby paraphernalia I pack around, and some!

And here's what's inside:

• Change Pad
• Wipes
• Wipes Clutch
• 2 cloth diapers
• 1 diaper cover
• Wet Bag
• Nursing Cover
• Burp Cloths
• Facecloths
• Pacifier
• Pacifier Pocket

Plus my wallet & change purse, cell phone, lipstick & gloss, Carmex, and sunglasses all thrown in together. Phew! It's a good thing the bag is so big!

Diaper Duty

AMP Stay Dry All-in-One

For the first few weeks Eloise was too tiny for even the smallest cloth diapers. While neither Chris nor I enjoyed using disposables I was concerned that we'd give up on cloth before we even started. Luckily it was the complete opposite, and after two and a half weeks we couldn't wait to get Eloise into cloth.

What we've learned over the past month is just how easy cloth diapering is. Sure we do lots of laundry, but if you make a habit of washing every other day it just becomes part of your routine. We use cloth wipes too, so after each change both soiled diaper and wipe go into the pail. Cloth diapers work when we're out and about too; we pack soiled diapers in a zipper-top wet bag that keeps messes and smells at bay.

And you know what? I'm confident you can cloth diaper too! Try out the recipe below and you'll be surprised at just how easy cloth diapers can be.

Ingredients to Cloth Diapering with Eloise

Start with:
18 Kissaluv Kissa's Diapers, size 0
6 Bummis Super Brite Covers, size NB
3 AMP Stay Dry All-in-One Diapers, size small*
3 FuzziBunz Perfect Size Diaper, size extra small
6 Kushies Cotton liners

Add in:
24 Kissaluv Cotton Terry Wipes
1 Prince Lionheart Warmies Wipes Warmer

Finish with:
2 Kissaluv Pail Liners
1 Sterilite Garbage Can
1 Itzy Ritzy Wet Bag

Add if desired:
1 Prince Lionheart Dresser Top Diaper Depot
1 JJ Cole Diaper Caddy

Combine all ingredients and repeat a dozen times a day for cloth diapering success.

*AMP's Stay Dry All-in-One diapers are my favourites so far. Easy to use, absorbent, and cute to boot, we just ordered 12 more from New & Green who happens to be running a sale right now!

Cloth Diapering Momma Pt. 2

From zero to potty training, Chris and I will change around 6000 diapers. Holy crap (pun intended). We're planning on diapering in cloth from day one, but with so many options it's hard to know where to start. At the recommendation of the knowledgeable team at New & Green, we're going to try out a combination of diapers to find what works best for us.

Kissaluv's Fitted Newborn Diaper

For the first few months we're interested in the teeny tiny 'all-in-one' newborn diapers from Kissaluvs. Made of cotton fleece, these diapers are supposedly super absorbent and user friendly too. You need to use the Kissaluvs with a diaper cover, but we've heard that with the diaper and cover combo there's not a leak in sight!

The One Size bumGenius 4.0 

AMP's One Size Duo Pocket

Once our babe is big enough to transition into a 'one size' diaper (that fits babies from around 10-35 pounds with snap adjustments) we're considering two types, a pocket diaper and a hybrid diaper. Pocket diapers, like the bumGenius 4.0 or the AMP Duo Pocket allow you to stuff the pocket with one or two absorbent liners and then toss in your diaper pail once soiled, much as you would a disposable.

The gDiaper 

Flip's Hybrid Diaper

The hybrid diaper gives us two options: a cloth insert and a disposable insert that can be flushed, composted or thrown out. Hybrid diapers by gDiapers and Flip are a multi-part system that allows you to reuse the cover by loading a clean cloth or disposable insert into the liner. Both brands sound like they'd be a convenient option for traveling or babysitters, but the disposable liners still contain sodium polyacrylate, the absorbent beads found in disposables, so I'm on the fence about these.


Have you found a cloth diapering system that you'd recommend?

Cloth Diapering Momma

Cute AND functional.

Call me crazy, but I'm looking forward to becoming a cloth diapering momma.

When I learned that disposables produce 3.4 million tonnes of landfill waste every year and that each one of those diapers takes about 500 years to decompose, I knew that this was not something I could contribute to. What's more, harsh toxins found in disposable diapers like dioxin, a carcinogenic by-product of the bleaching process, and sodium polyacrylate, the chemical that makes up those 'super absorbent crystals', are not something that I want next to the perfect skin of my baby. To top it all off, using cloth diapers will be much less expensive and by the time our babe is potty training we will have spent a third less than diapering with disposables.

In November Chris and I took a totally empowering cloth diapering course from New & Green Baby Co. which helped us demystify some of the cloth diaper jargon we'd been struggling with. We learned that cloth diapers are not what they used to be - not a safety pin in sight - and that cloth is really user friendly with so many diapering options available today. Thanks to this very informative seminar, we also figured out just what we want and don't want in a cloth diaper, which is always half the battle.

All skeptics aside (*ahem, you know who you are), I know that cloth diapers are the right choice for us. Now comes the hard part: choosing our diapers!