My Cloth Diaper Stash

It's been two months since we started to exclusively use cloth diaper and also two months since I got addicted to it. Zohan is 3 months now. :)

When you are on your maternity leave and 24/7 with your baby, the only leisure time you'll likely have is either watch TV or browse with your mobile phone. In my case, I just keep on surfing the net. When I knew about "cloth diapers", I kept on browsing forums/reviews, FB groups and can't stop looking in different online shops. Cloth Diaper isn't really something new because our grandparents or even our parents may have used lampins as diapers. It's just this is the modern version of those.

In this blog, I will be sharing what cloth diapers are, its advantages, why it's addicting and how we wash and dry them.

There are different types of cloth diapers in the market. The common types are pockets, All-in-One and covers. They also come in snaps, hook and loop and Velcro closure system. And the same with the disposable diaper, they have an absorbent layer.

Pockets have a whole on either end which serves as a pocket for the absorbent material known as the insert.

All In One (AIO) is a ready to wear diaper since no stuffing is needed. The soaker or the absorbent material is directly stitched in to the waterproof cover.

Covers are referred to as the shells, they can be "wipeable" and therefore reusable. You just have to put the absorbent material on top then change it when it's soiled and reuse the cover.

The absorbent material known as insert/soaker/booster come in different types depending on the material it is made of. Some are made of bamboo charcoal, microfiber, hemp, cotton terry and many more.

Different Inserts

When I first tried it, I just bought 6 pcs only. In order to try and test them, whether it will be working well with Zohan or not. After a few days of observation, he seems to be comfortable and did not experience any rashes issue. So I bought another set again. Tingin tingin na naman online. HAHA :D

And there, my addiction started, I bought again another set. The prints are so lovely. But I have an a valid reason for that though ;) I need to have at least 15-20 cloth diapers to sustain using them. On the average, babies less than 3 months uses 7-10 diapers a day. In Zohan's case, around 10 diapers a day and we usually wash in the next morning after a whole day of use. But if it's poop, we immediately wash it. That is why we needed more for rotation.

So how much does a cloth diaper cost? The cheapest is around 100 pesos and ranges to 2000 pesos O_O depending on the brand. There are lots of brands in the market  and there are even locally made by WAHMS.

Here are some of the reasons why I decided to use CD's.

• It's more gentle on baby's bum since it's made of cloth
• A lot of cute designs, variety of prints and colors
• More environment-friendly since it's reusable
• Adjustable which means they can fit until Zohan becomes a toddler
• Cheaper in the long run

Now, let's try to compare the cost of cloth and disposable diapers. Of course if you want to save, then choose a cheaper brand.

Month	Average # of Nappies Used/Day	Cost of 1 Disposable Diaper	Cost of Disposable Diaper/Day (Php)	Cost of Disposable Diaper/Month (Php)
0-3 Months	10	7	10*7= 70	70*30= 2,100
4-8 Months	8	8	8*8= 64	64*30= 1,920
9 Months & above	6	10	6*10= 60	60*30= 1,800
Note: Figures used above are just my estimates.

So in 1 year of use, it would cost 23,100 pesos! Now, if you have 20 pcs cloth diapers which cost 200 pesos each, then you'll spend 4,000 pesos only for 1 year and even beyond. But of course, the water and detergent used is not yet taken into account. But still, I don't think those would cost you 20,000.

Let me share my humble diaper stash, which are composed of Alva and  Ecopwet prints and Booldeet solids. They are all pocket types with snap system.

Alva first set with bamboo charcoal inserts

Alva second set with one double gusset

Ecopwet set except the middle one and black at the bottom

Booldeet  solids with 4-layer microfiber

Single VS Double Gusset

I chose to try Alva baby brand first because of its good reviews and it's also one of the cheapest brand. It costs around 200 to 400 pesos depending on the design. After Alva, I tried Ecopwet for the sake of comparison. Then next was Booldeet. Their outer lining is made of PUL (Polyurethane Laminate),which is waterproof, while the inner is made of suede, which wicks moisture away from baby's skin. There are lots of brands out there, you may check out the facebook group Modern Cloth Nappying Pinays to know more.

Let me give my review of these cloth diapers in terms of the criteria below.

5 as the highest, 1 as the lowest.

• Fit
• Fast to dry
• Absorbency
• Stain Removal

BRANDS

Alva

• Fit - 4
• Fast to dry-5 (around 2 hours of drying under direct sunlight)
• Absorbency-5
• Stain Removal-4

Ecopwet

• Fit - 5
• Fast to dry - 5
• Absorbency - 5
• Stain Removal - 4

Booldeet

       Haven't used yet. I'll update this review once we have tried them.

INSERTS

Bamboo Charcoal

• Fast to dry- 4 (takes around 5 hours under direct sunlight)
• Absorbency- 4
• Stain Removal- 4

Microfiber

• Fast to dry- 2 (takes around 8 hours under direct sunlight)
• Absorbency- 3 (since only 3 layers, can absorb less)
• Stain Removal- 2 (poop stains are hard to remove)

Zorb

       Known as a booster because it's very thin but very absorbent. Haven't tried yet.

Every after use when there is no poop, we just put them in the laundry bag together. Then the next morning, they are being hand washed. The shells are separated with the inserts when washing. First, soak with water. Squeeze. Then soak in water with detergent. We use cycles. You may use any detergent without fabric conditioners like Downy, because they said it will affect the absorbency of the inner lining. Then, wash. When there is direct sunlight we don't spin them but since we are now back to the condo unit, we needed to spin them in the washing machine or else we'll wait a "lifetime" for them to dry. Whenever there's poop, we wash them immediately. First use water with pressure to remove it like bidet. When it has been removed, soak in water with detergent then hand wash.

As to what brand and type to choose, will depend on what works for you and your baby. If you want to save then stick to cheaper brands with good reviews like Alva, Sunbaby, Babyland, Quigle Bum, Earthbaby, Ecopwet and Booldeet to name a few. So far it has worked well for us. No wild leaks yet. Only experienced leakage when it's full and I haven't changed it right away. The secret is just a nice fit and a trustworthy insert. If you simply love them with no budget restrictions, then there are more expensive brands like Bum Genius, Charlie Banana, Prim N' Proper and Cottony Tail. Choose the brand where your baby is comfortable and where your budget is too. I suggest you try different type and brands first before fully investing. Do your research and may join the MCNP group for more information.

Zohan in his cloth diapers

As for my addiction, it has passed already ;)

 Happy cloth diapering Mommies! :D

Throwing a Baby Shower

So finally it's a boy! After months of dreadful pregnancy, now we know the gender of our baby. As excited parents, we wanted to celebrate this new milestone of our lives. And, one way to celebrate parenthood and the coming of our little one is a baby shower. So what is a baby shower? I am not even familiar myself because I haven't been into one yet. But here's what I found.

"Baby Shower is gathering circle of friends and most likely a fun occasion to shower and honor the mother-to-be..."  (https://vernflash.wordpress.com/)

Unlike other baby showers which are thrown by the mom-to be's friends or relatives, Zohan's dad and I planned ours. We thought that we could throw our own for our first child. If you want to know more about baby showers, you may read about Baby Shower Guide and Etiquette.

We allotted a month for planning everything. And I just love planning, especially when it comes to styling and decorations. If I had another job, maybe it would be party planning and styling? 😉

So here's how we prepared it.

• Date and Time

First, we set the date and time. Like most baby showers, we held ours before my baby was born. So we held it on the 7th month of my pregnancy. It was held on a Saturday noon. We thought that a Saturday would be a good idea because most of us are off from work. Thus, most of the guests can possibly attend. Also, an afternoon party would also give us ample time to prepare.

• Guest List

Initially, we wanted to invite few of our friends and relatives only. So maybe around 30 people. But as we listed them, it looks like 30 would not be enough. I also thought that not everyone we invited will be able to come so why not invite more. What we also did is divide the number of guests - half from the dad's side and another half from mine.

• Theme

We didn't really have a specific theme but just a color theme (blue and white). After you have decided the theme, then all must follow - the decorations, invitations, cakes, tokens, etc. You can find a lot of ideas and inspiration in Pinterest or simply google.

• Venue and Food

Since both of us are working, we didn't really have the time to personally find and canvass for a venue and food. So we relied online (as they say, you can almost find anything online) and after a lot of searches, we found Rooms498. One of the reasons we chose to do it here is the location, it is somewhere in the middle of north and south which our guests will be both coming from. After we decided on the venue, we then planned the menu. There are a lot of choices since they are in partner with Gloria Maris.

• Invitations

To save on paper and hassles, we just created an event page in Facebook and invited our guests there. You could see how many people are coming and you can also set the group as private, which makes it visible only to your invitees. We posted updates from time to time.

• Baby Registry

In order to avoid duplicates, we have created a baby registry where you can customize your item/product selection. In this registry, guests may choose item/s and reserve. What's nice is everyone can check on the items which are still available and which are already reserved. But the twist is we don't know who reserved a particular item. It's nice, simple, user-friendly and FREE! 😆No hassles because it's online. If you're interested you may check babylistregistry.com. Before I found this site, I looked and tried many others and this is the best that I found. Usually there are registries in stores like Rustan's and SM, however it will restrict your guests from choosing their gifts and store.

Zohan's Baby Registry Page

• Tokens

I chose customized cupcakes for the giveaways, I ordered it also online. After days of searching for a supplier, I found 57 Sweet Tooth https://m.facebook.com/57sweettooth. Chose it because of good reviews, gorgeous looking cakes, delivery location and easy to contact supplier.

• Decorations

Foil Balloon

Mini Centerpiece 

Made our own decorations 😄 (DIY) with the help of friends. Before the event started, we decorated the room with the help of our very own guests who came early at the venue. Haha. Just bought the materials such as the balloons, crepe papers, etc.

• Program

The host of the event is no other than Zohan's dad himself. The baby shower wouldn't be fun without the games so he prepared the games and prizes. We also had raffle draws.

Raffle Prize: Smart Watch

Raffle Prize: Ironman Flashdrive

Game Prize: Phone fans

It was just a simple celebration we personally organized, no caterer, no party stylist, no event coordinator and whatsoever. Because whether it's an extravagant or a simple baby shower party, what's important is you shared the special occasion with your close friends/families.

Special thanks to our friends, colleagues and relatives who came.

Newborn Essentials: Getting Ready for Baby

Waiting for your baby's arrival is as exciting as shopping newborn essentials. Oh how I love buying baby stuff EVERY single time we go to the mall!

As a soon-to-be mom and a "millennial" :P, I'm not really sure on the things I need to prepare for my baby. So, me and Zohan's Dad started asking our relatives, friends, colleagues and we googled and read a lot (Oh yes! Google is our best friend and our go-to for information). Then, I listed them down. 

Others start buying as soon as they know the gender of their baby, well as for us, we waited until after our baby shower was held. You wouldn't want to be buying the same stuff with what your friends/relatives might give right? 

Here are the things we got for Zohan...

His feeding, travel, nursery, care, clothes and diaper essentials.

(Do note that some stuff here were acquired sometime after Zohan's birth. You'll never completely know what you and your baby's needs until he arrives. Zohan is more than a month now.)

Feeding Essentials

• Bottles

We got some of his bottles from our baby shower and we just added more to it. We chose Avent bottles because I heard from friends and read some forums/reviews that it's one of the most popular brands out there when it comes to feeding bottles. Good quality and features. I preferred the natural type due to its wide neck and breast-similar nipples. This is according to the theory that babies would have some sort of nipple confusion and may not anymore latch when you are breastfeeding, once you introduce bottles. If you notice, most of our bottles are the big ones (260 mL), I don't find buying the smaller ones practical since after a few months babies would take larger feeds. Newborns won't be able to hold the small one either right? Just make sure that you have the right nipples. They have the slow flow for newborns. If you will be bottle-feeding, it's nice to have around 6-8 bottles. Personally, I planned to breastfeed Zohan. Have you heard of breast milk is best for babies? Yes? I heard it too. That is why. Wondering why I got some bottles? Just wanted to prepare in case my breastfeeding goals fail. Oopsie. Haha. And, I also thought that I will be using it soon when I go back to work. I only have two months of maternity leave though. But if you are a breastfeeding advocate and would be a full time mom, you probably do not need to have this unless you will be pumping milk.

• Breastpump and Storage bottles

Another thing we got from our baby shower is the manual breast pump. It wasn't really one of the essentials I thought of but I encountered them on some essential list I researched. They say that it is a modern mom's new essential. Thus, we placed it on our baby shower gift registry. As of this writing, I am determined (I guess? Haha) to continue breastfeeding once I go back to work. Not only you are giving the best milk to your baby but at the same time practical. I need a breast pump to do this while at work. This led me to read more about breast pumps. It went on for days and nights (got addicted to reading reviews and forums) when Zohan is asleep or breastfeeding. So, planning to buy an electric pump. ^_^ I haven't completed yet the pumping essentials but I got some storage bottles already.

• Brush and Thong

Also got the Avent brush for cleaning bottles and the thong for lifting accessories and bottles from the sterilizer.

• Sterilizer

Also given to me! Yay! Can't wait to share our sterilizer story. We were at the mall looking for a sterilizer, so there were ladies doing the sales talk. Here and there for different brands. One of our colleague told us that they got Avent before and it didn't last, so we decided that we'll just buy the cheaper one if that's the case. The one we chose was on sale that day and the sales lady was more excited than us that she left her stand and assisted us in buying other baby items. Then, Zohan's dad called a friend to seek advice from what we have put on the basket. While he was on the call, I am at the counter paying already. Just when the sterilizer was about to be scanned, he interrupted and put it out. If you could only see the sad look on the sales lady, you will still think of buying the sterilizer after knowing that our friend was giving her Chicco sterilizer away, like I did. However, (what will I do with two sterilizers?) I ended up not. There are lots of sterilizers out there. Before, (the old school system) bottles are just placed in boiling water. It's up to you on what to choose for as long as it does what it's supposed to. If you have around 6-8 bottles, then you might just use this twice a day. I do sterilize our bottles every after washing. 

• Milk powder storage

I remembered the first follow up check of Zohan a week after he was born because of his breastfeeding jaundice. Although, I breastfeed him, we also got formula milk to supplement his milk needs. Upon going to the hospital, I brought the whole can of milk because I realized I didn't have a storage. I could have just transferred it to any smaller container at home but I didn't mind anymore and just brought the can. Haha. It's not convenient.

• Food and Milk Warmer

I'm not sure if this will be very useful but I think it will come in handy especially when I pursue my pumping goals. So we got this Avent warmer. Initially, we plan to buy the Chicco warmer because it's a bit cheaper, however, the sales lady cannot explain its features. Haha. We even joked and advised her to read the manual first then we'll get back to her. We really did. Haha. After roaming around in the store and seeing her reading, still she wasn't able to explain well when we got back to her.  But that is not the ultimate reason though 😜, I found that the Avent warmer was on sale that day with almost same price with Chicco and I prefer to have the same brand with my bottles. Although, we have a water dispenser at home that comes with a hot water feature and an electric heater that boils water quickly, I think this is more convenient. It will warm milk faster and can also be brought during travel. 
Update: It comes with a defrost feature that will help thaw frozen milk.

I would also like to add a high chair but we do not have it yet. Planning to buy soon when he starts to eat solids.

Travel Essentials

You could still travel without the list below but for the sake of convenience, I prefer to have them. 

• Stroller

This Graco Fastaction Foldsport stroller was a gift from Zohan's lolo. We accompanied him when he bought this. The reasons we chose this one are because it's a three-wheel stroller which makes it easy to maneuver, it's somehow lightweight and can be folded easily (one-second fold), and it has a multi-position reclining seat, expandable canopy and has a storage basket. I love this stroller! Zohan loves to sleep here too. Since we do not have a baby rocker yet, we are using this, especially when he wants to change scenery. Yes, it helps when a month old baby cries already. Haha. Hoping to use this when we go to the mall, park or just a walk in the neighborhood.

• Carrier

Photo grabbed from BabyCompany

Carrying your baby is such a wonderful experience but not for long hours. Haha. It is a way for you and your baby to bond. So we decided to buy this Piccolo 4 in 1 carrier, which means you have four different ways in carrying your child. I think we bought the gray one (coz' I haven't opened it yet). There is also the cloth type, which is softer, but we got this one first. I think we'll love it. Hoping to use it soon since it is not recommended yet to be used on newborns.

We also have a ring sling carrier which is softer since it just made of cloth. It can be used with newborns and up. 

• Diaper bag

We got one from our baby shower and I also bought another one. It is where I put Zohan's stuff when we go out -hospital, mall or just nearby. It comes with a changing pad. But I don't think it's necessary to buy this. You can use any other bags you have even backpacks.

Nursery Essentials

• Crib

My family bought us this wooden crib. I suggested it to them because I read that this kind is more durable. It is a 28 by 54 inches crib with a huge mosquito net around. It is a big crib and I think Zohan can still use this when he becomes a toddler. The only concern I have that I didn't realize was the small space we have since we live in a condo unit. We'll figure it out on how to better arrange it. Nonetheless, I love this crib but I just wish that we live in a bigger house. So I suggest that if you have a small space like ours, you buy the smaller one.

• Musical Mobile

This sea-animal themed musical mobile was given by our same colleague who gave us the sterilizer. How generous right? Hehe. It plays wonderful baby lullabies and displays color changing stars through the projector. It is attached to the crib to entertain the baby and help in his development. 

• Co-sleeper

A gift from his lala. When Zohan is not in his crib and is with us in the bed, we place him in his co-sleeper. It's a good idea to put him here so that he have his own space.

• Comforters and Pillows

Of course, the crib wouldn't stand alone. We also received a lot of comforters and pillow sets. It's a good thing that you have more than one for changing purposes. You never know when it gets dirty.

• Walker

The walker wouldn't be used right away but sooner or later it will be. We got it also as a gift.

Zohan's dad also plans to buy the baby rocker because he feels that it would help in putting Zohan to sleep. It's an alternative to the duyan that we know. That would be hard to set-up in the Condo due to the restricted space.

Care Essentials

• Health and Safety Kit

These were the things I did not have in mind- the small stuff but very important. We got this also from our baby shower ^_^ The one on the left is a safety 1st kit containing aspirator, thermometer, nail cutter, nail file, etc. while on the right is an ear thermometer. Although, we already have a simple digital thermometer, I preferred having this ear type. I believe it's quicker and safer to use. I suggest that you bring your own in the hospital for hygienic purposes. Nurses monitor the baby's temperature when they do rounds.

• Skin Care

When we took Zohan out of the nursery, 24 hours after birth, we were given a baby kit from the hospital. It contained alcohol, diaper, betadine, lactacyd and etc. I was always conscious in sanitizing my hands with alcohol especially when holding Zohan. So an alcohol near me is very convenient. We also have cotton balls for cleaning his bum every diaper change. Soaking it with water would do and with alcohol when cleaning his navel. His cord fell of really fast that I wasn't even able to see it when he came to the room.

• Bathing

While in the hospital, the nurses were the ones who gave him quick sponge bath. Diluted lactacyd in a bowl of water was used in cleaning. Later on, our Pedia suggested that we use Cetaphil due to the starting appearance of dandruff. The pigeon liquid soap was bought before delivery and we didn't really know what brand to buy because there are a lot. I tell you. Baby stuff is indeed a huge business. Whose parent wouldn't want to buy anything for his child?

• Detergent and Bottle Cleanser

We got Cycles for washing his clothes and cradles for washing his bottles and accessories. All this time, I didn't know that babies have separate cleansers such as these, just learned this from my mom. Babies must be really sensitive and fragile. And I knew that when I first cradled Zohan in my arms. These are somehow expensive compared to the ones we use in our daily household, but if these are claimed to be safer and milder for babies then why not.

• Tub and Bather

The deluxe bather really helps especially bathing a fragile newborn baby. It serves as body support and cushion while bathing Zohan. We just place it in the gerbo tub that we got. 

Clothing Essentials

• Clothes, Socks, Mittens

It's one of the baby stuff that I love to buy - clothes. They are just so cute and adorable! But we didn't buy a lot because our little one will just outgrew them immediately. So just purchase a few enough for changing  and depending on your washing frequency. We usually change Zohan's shirt, pants, mittens and socks at least twice a day. It's good to have around 6-8 sets. If you also notice, most are in plain white, as this makes washing easier and seeing dirt.

• Blankets, Towels, Bibs

Newborns are adjusting to their new world, the outside world of their mother's womb, hence, they are seeking comfort. It helps to swaddle them. You can use the hooded receiving blankets or you can buy the swaddle me. We also have lots of lampins and blankets. We use around 5-6 of them everyday because we also use them as burp cloths. Some of our lampins are hand-me-downs from his lala. It used to be his dad's lampins. Amazingly it's still alive and is very useful. Also prepare washcloths for bathing and cleaning the baby. And last yet also important are the bibs, especially if you are bottle-feeding.

Diaper Essentials

I didn't know that diapers are costly until Zohan pees/poops on them almost every 2-3 hours. Fortunately, we also got a lot of them from our baby shower. We received different brands -Huggies, Pampers, Drypers and EQ- which is good so we could observe how Zohan's bum reacts on them. I couldn't tell the difference that much except for the Huggies newborn. It's too small for Zohan. I don't really suggest that you buy the expensive ones with super dry features for a newborn because you still have to change them every 2-4 hours. 

I included below my cloth diaper stash, which I only bought when Zohan is about a month already and when the diapers we got from the baby shower is about to ran out. I read about it and found that it's environment and bum friendly and also practical in the long term as compared to disposable diapers. What I love most about it, is the prints! It's so addicting. Haha. I even read that other moms have more than 30 stash just because of the prints. Same with other baby products, there are many brands of cloth diapers out there. Again, what I did was read tons of reviews, forums and blogs. It costs from 100-1,500 pesos each depending on the brand. What I got is the cheaper one with good reviews -Alva. Bought it online and ordered initially set of 6 for trial. If no rashes appear and if Zohan seems comfortable then I plan to buy more and use this whenever at home. :) Although, we still have the disposable ones on the side, which I plan to use when we go out.

So these are my considered essentials. So much stuff for a little person right? Haha. Lucky that we got most of these from friends and relatives. :) Heartfelt thanks to those people.

Newborn essentials do not simply mean the things you buy. It is also important that you load yourself with tons of information for your upcoming baby and you prepare yourself on how to be a mother. As a new mom, I read researches, blogs (which inspired me to write and create my own), reviews and forums and I relied on mother's instincts and the lolas. Hahaha. So good luck to expecting mothers out there! Enjoy!