Thanks Mama Giveaway!

We will be giving away three products by Kissaluvs with total retail value of $35.89

Kissaluvs Hybrid One Size Contour Diaper - Unbleached

• One sized, fitting babies 7 - 35 lbs
• Gentle but sturdy elastic in the legs prevents blowouts
• Closure free system allows you to use a Snappi, pins or a snug fitting cover
• Microfiber soaker topped with our comfy fleece enhances absorbency
• Uniquely sewn-in soaker/doubler for fast drying time
• Super Trim yet absorbent fit
• To adjust the size, simply fold or tuck the front and/or back to adjust the rise.

Kissaluvs Marvels One size Diaper Cover - Winner to choose color

• Made from durable, water resistant PUL (Poly Urethane Laminate)
• Matching trim and snaps for a fashion-perfect look
• Grows with baby, fits 8 – 40 lbs
• Gentle elastic (not that wimpy fold-over stuff!) in gussets provides excellent containment
• Cross-over waist snaps ensure a good fit for chubby and skinny babies alike
• No messy Velcro. Lifetime Guarantee on snaps
• Simple design – loved by moms, dads and grand parents alike

Kissaluvs Diaper Lotion Potion

• All natural ingredients
• Ultra-convenient no messy creams or ointments
• Conveniently sprays onto baby's bottom
• Soothes minor rashes and skin irritations
• Moisturizes baby's delicate skin
• Keeps your hands clean
• Brings a smile to baby's face while keeping their little bottom clean
• Rinses cleanly from baby's skin and cloth diapers

The Winner will be announced on Monday, February 12th.

To enter Thanks Mama Give Away you need to do one or more of the following and post a comment below this blog about each action you took with a link where it was done (each comment will count as a separate entry so your chances of winning increase)

1. Become a follower of this blog
2. Become a follower of Thanks Mama on Twitter
3. Tweet about Thanks Mama and include a link to any Thanks Mama product page
4. Become a fan of Thanks Mama on Facebook
5. Comment about Thanks Mama on Facebook and include a link to any Thanks Mama product page
6. Blog about Thanks Mama and include a link to any Thanks Mama product page
7. Leave a comment about Thanks Mama on Diaper Pin
8. Leave a comment about Thanks Mama on Epinions
9. Write reviews on any two products at Thanks Mama
10. Want to earn extra entry? Discuss Thanks Mama on forums and post a link to any Thanks Mama Page - DOUBLE ENTRY each forum is its own double entry!

Wool, the Natural Choice

Parents wanting to find a natural option for cloth diapering may want to turn to wool. Wool diaper covers are a natural alternative. Most cloth diaper covers are made from man-made materials.

Wool diaper covers come in many forms including pull on styles, snap on styles, and Velcro-like fasteners. Some wool covers like the Imse Vimse wool cover can be used with a folded prefold or a fitted diaper. The Sugar Peas wool cover can not only be used with prefolds or fitteds, but it can be adapted to be a Wool-in-one diaper with an addition of a snap in diaper.

Some parents who consider wool covers may wonder about the comfort of a wool cover. Wouldn’t it be scratchy? On the contrary most wool covers are extremely comfortable. The scratchy kind of wool is not what is used to make wool covers. The wool is soft and comfortable.

Caring for wool covers is not that difficult. You typically need to wash them when they are soiled and air-dry them when wet. Because wool is naturally anti-microbial you don’t have to wash them with each use. It is a good idea to wash them once every two weeks though. Wool covers should be hand washed in most cases. You can get a special wool wash and wool conditioner to keep them in good shape. You can also wash them in baby shampoo and lanolize them with lanolin. If you do get lanolin you will have to melt the lanolin with hot water and add it to the rinse. You want to dry your wool covers flat. If you use wool full-time or depend on them for night time make sure you allow at least 24-30 hours for the wool cover to dry.

Besides being comfortable and made of natural materials, wool is a great option for heavy wetters because wool absorbs without leaking. Wool covers are breathable and they keep your baby cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Wool diaper covers do tend to cost more, but you typically need less wool covers than diaper covers made from man-made materials. If you use wool full time you will only need about four covers. Wool covers are also more durable than ones made from man-made materials so they can be used with multiple children.

Wool is the natural choice. It also tops the list in terms of comfort, breathability, and durability.

The Winner of Fuzzi Bunz Giveaway

Congratulations to The Jacobsen Family! - Entry # 15
Please contact us at customerservice@thanksmama.com to claim your prize and to choose a color.

Cloth Diaper Problems

Cloth diapering is not without problems. Stains, repelling liquid, and diaper stink are issues that a cloth diapering household will likely encounter at least once.

What about stains? In cloth diapering staining does happen. Many cloth diapers are specific in their washing routines so your normal stain protocol for clothing may not work. Some stains will go away with repeated washings. But the most natural way I have found to reduce stains is to use good old Mr. Sunshine. Hanging the stained diapers in the sun for a day or two can make the stains disappear.

What about repelling liquid? Repelling liquid is a problem that can be found with pocket diapers. Pocket diapers are diapers with a waterproof exterior and a layer of stay dry material against the baby's skin. The absorbent material is then placed in between the two layers. Repelling liquid happens when there is a build-up on the stay dry fabric and the wetness does not go through the material fast enough so it leaks out your baby's legs. I have had this happen on more than one occasion. To prevent this you need to make sure you don't wash using too much detergent, fabric softener, or a detergent with additives. When you do have build-up you can remedy the situation by stripping the diapers. To strip your baby's cloth diapers you need to rinse the dirty diapers. Once they are rinsed wash the diapers on hot with a small amount of regular Dawn dish liquid. By small amount I mean about a Tablespoon in a large load. Once they are washed you need to rinse the diapers until the water runs clear. You want to make sure there is no detergent left in the diapers. If you have a lot of build-up you may need 10-20 rinses to get out all of the detergent. In some cases where hard water is present Calgon Water Softener may be necessary to get your diapers to rinse clean.

What about diaper smell? Diaper smell is usually caused by letting your diapers sit too long before washing, by using a wet diaper pail, and by not using enough detergent. You should wash your diapers every 2-3 days. If they sit longer than that diaper stink can set in. If you use a wet diaper pail, dunk the diapers in the toilet, or if you rinse out your diapers with a diaper sprayer you want to wash every two days. Leaving very wet diapers for more than 2 days can also cause diaper stink to set in. Make sure you are using enough detergent. You want to use half of the recommended detergent. So if you use a scoop of detergent for washing towels, you should use 1/2 a scoop for washing diapers. How to get rid of diaper smell? Well, it may be as simple as using more detergent. But you may need to strip your diapers like you would if you were having repelling liquid problems. In severe cases you may need to use a small amount of bleach. Be aware that this may void any warranties on the cloth diapers though.

Cloth diaper problems do arise, but solutions can be found. Diaper stains, diaper smell, and repelling issues are issues that have visited my home several times and will likely visit your home at some point if you cloth diaper. While there is no cut and dry solution that will work in every instance, the solutions I've given should work in most cases.

Potty Training

Potty training is something that every child will encounter. When cloth diapering the transition to regular underwear is a bit more natural. I've potty trained two children so far with one more little one to train in the next year.

When my boys approached the age of 3 I started the process of potty training by adapting their cloth diapers. I typically used pocket diapers with stay dry material against my toddler's skin. When potty training approached I would put the insert on the outside of the pocket so my toddler could feel wetness against his skin. After my boys turned three I took several concentrated days where I focused on potty training. I put my boys in sweat pants that were easy for them to pull up and down with no underwear or diaper underneath. I brought out a potty chair into their play area and gave them chances to sit on it. Accidents were common especially the first day. One son caught on quickly and took only a day to figure out what he was supposed to do. The other son took about three days to get the hang of it.

Once the potty chair started to be used for it's intended purpose we ventured further away from the potty chair. When we were further away from the potty chair I put my son in a cloth diaper training pant. I'd put my son in a training pant like Kushies Taffeta Training Pant or a Bummis Training Pant. I love the prints on the Kushies Taffeta Training Pants. The prints are so colorful and cute and now they have adorable retro colors. I really liked the fit of the Bummis Training Pants. The leg and waist have soft and stretchy lycra to make the pants more comfortable. I would make sure to give my son frequent opportunities to sit on the potty, but used the training pants to help catch leaks. Because we were not near the toilet accidents happened. But scheduling frequent potty breaks helped my son "remember" to go while he was playing. Over a period of weeks we were able to move to underwear. I liked to start out with the Imse Vimse Training Pants. These training pants fit like underwear, but they are absorbent and are a great choice for a child's first underwear.

Potty training when we were out and about was a totally different issue. When we first started potty training I would put my sons in a diaper when we left the house. Our trips were usually short so this worked fine. Once my boys had success at home and accidents became less frequent we put them in a cloth training pant when we were out of the house. After success with those we moved on to underwear with potty breaks as necessary.

Potty training at night was quite different. I kept my boys in their regular nighttime diaper - aFuzzi Bunz stuffed with two Hemparoo Fleece Prefolds. I stopped putting nighttime diapers on one son when the diaper was consistently dry in the morning. He was around age four at that time. The second son was not consistently or even often dry by the time he was five. At that point we went cold turkey with the diapers and woke him once or twice a night to use the bathroom. Accidents happened, but with less and less frequency. By the time that son neared the age of six there were no more accidents and no more need to wake him at night.

Potty training has been fun. I was surprised how it was quite different between my two boys. I look forward to training my daughter next year.

Cloth Diaper Giveaway at Thanks Mama!

We are going to give away Fuzzi Bunz One Size Diaper! These cloth diapers are made to fit most babies from 7 to 35 pounds, each comes with two micro-terry inserts and the inside layer of "stay dry" micro-fleece helps to keep your baby dry and rush free.

The winner will be able to choose the color of the diaper.



The Winner will be announced on Monday, January 18th.

To enter Thanks Mama Give Away you need to do one or more of the following and post a comment below this blog about each action you took with a link where it was done (each comment will count as a separate entry so your chances of winning increase)

1. Become a follower of this blog
2. Become a follower of Thanks Mama on Twitter
3. Tweet about Thanks Mama and include a link to any Thanks Mama product page
4. Become a fan of Thanks Mama on Facebook
5. Comment about Thanks Mama on Facebook and include a link to any Thanks Mama product page
6. Blog about Thanks Mama and include a link to any Thanks Mama product page
7. Leave a comment about Thanks Mama on Diaper Pin
8. Leave a comment about Thanks Mama on Epinions
9. Write reviews on any two products at Thanks Mama
10. Want to earn extra entry? Discuss Thanks Mama on forums and post a link to any Thanks Mama Page - DOUBLE ENTRY each forum is its own double entry!