Making diapers?

[Limner]

Here's a site with lotsa info and links and a nice forum to answer your questions!

http://directory.diaperjungle.com/diaperjungleforum/

I'll post pics of the excruciatingly cute prefolds I've made for Li'l Dude when we get some sunshine and better lightiing.....:mrgreen:

Limner (who is going to spend the day sewing 'cause Li'l Dude isn't here and it keeps her mind offa missing him...):-?

[Limner]

Beware. Making these things is like eating chocolate. It's habit forming and makes you feel virtuously frugal.....:mrgreen:

[Disastercat]

Now all you need is a good wool "soaker" pattern...lol, although seriously I think those would be most useful either for a baby with a skin condition (or other reason not to use plastic pants/covers) or in a really end of the world situation. I've talked to elderly ladies who had to use them on their children and well, they are better than nothing...

*soakers are hand knitted covers for diapers, they must be wool to absorb properly and its what mothers used for a couple of centuries before plastic pants were invented. They did help keep the out clothing clean and a wet baby from dying from chills. But I gather they are really messy by modern standards but good for a child with diaper rash when changed quickly.

[Limner]

Diaster cat, I don't knit...! BUT Hunny put me on the track of some soaker patterns made of poly fleece that sould like they would do the same thing, or very close. We have some plastic pants we use at night, but I hate 'em. Poor li'l guy's buns feel like they've been in a sauna all night. YUCK.

And if you haven't tried to find plastic pants, good luck. All I have been able to find are toddler sizes in Walmart, and K-Mart. Thankfully, DD had some from when her kids were tiny. Next size up (IF I get any) will have to be an online purchase.

[Beaners]

And if you haven't tried to find plastic pants, good luck. All I have been able to find are toddler sizes in Walmart, and K-Mart. Thankfully, DD had some from when her kids were tiny. Next size up (IF I get any) will have to be an online purchase.

We are out of luck finding them too. We asked at Baby Depot and they are trying to order them but they never come in. Nothing at Walmart or Target or Toys-R-Us either. My in-laws can get them at a general store near their house, but they are in Amish country and I think the demand is heavier.

I'll be trying out a fleece diaper cover pattern too. My little baby is almost 6 months old but just about into 9 month sizes. I can't try to put those pudgy little legs into the teeny tiny diaper covers and the larger ones don't hold much in. We do have some 12 month ones that we found to use in a few months.

During the day soaking through isn't too much of a problem. I can double up diapers and I can check them frequently. Night-time is the real problem. The baby had been waking up when she wet during the night so we were using a 'sposie overnight. (Actually, I think it was my husband's snoring.) She sleeps more soundly now so we can put her in two regular diapers with an extra strip of diaper to absorb more. That's when I'll be worried about moisture leaking since she is finally sleeping all the way through at night.

Kayleigh

[hunybee]

kayleigh,

depends boost inserts for overnight. we have crazy, insane pee'rs and they help a TON for overnight

[Limner]

LOL!!!! Hunny, you made today's giggle...I can just see me (fat grey granny lady) going thru Walmart's check out with a package of Depends inserts, saying, "No, REALLY!!! They're for the baby..."

[gardengal]

I looked at the link in one post and followed it to another? It showed the PUL in color prints that they used on the outside of the diaper cover. I've only found it in white and was planning on sandwiching it between an outer layer in prints or colors and a softer inner layer. Then making prefolds of flannel to place in the middle. Do you think that would work? It would mean probably changing the cover everytime the diaper was changed, but if the centers are not attached they should dry quicker.

gardengal

[hunybee]

i know that many are fans of PUL because of convenience, but i am not. FOR US, they don't work well with how we have things set up. initially, i was very excited about them and researched them alot. they sound great for ease and not leakage (big plus in that column). unfortunately, as i looked, i found that there are some drawbacks. the smell is one. evidently, they do start to smell after a while and the smell is hard to get out. the can be line dried, but it take s quite a bit longer. the washing requirements didn't really work for us. it does appear though that throwing them in the drier seems to perk them up a bit as far as repelling moisture.

for some they work wonderfully, and some people love them. for us, the initial ease of use was a big draw, but the care and upkeep of them didn't work well in our situation.

[hunybee]

LOL!!!! Hunny, you made today's giggle...I can just see me (fat grey granny lady) going thru Walmart's check out with a package of Depends inserts, saying, "No, REALLY!!! They're for the baby..."


try looking in the aisle or going through the checkout with those and no kid's diapers to go along with them and being huge and pregnant. i have gotten some smirky looks for that....

[Limner]

OHMYGOODNESS---that is too funny!!!! I think I'd have Hubby go shopping for those things. No one is gonna smirk at them, lol!!!!!

[gardengal]

Ok, I use those and buy them every payday.:oops: I had a stupid doctor when my last baby was born many years ago. This is what I do. I put the bag in my cart, then throw other things I'm buying over and around them. Thus, if I run into someone I know, they are hidden. Then when I get to the check out I sandwich them between things like the toilet paper and paper towels. And I make the cashier put them in a shopping bag! I hate buying them, but walking around in wet pants would be even worse.

gardengal

[Limner]

Hey, Gardengal, ya gotta do what ya gotta do! As my Hubby sez...Adapt and overcome. Sounds like you're managing it,and you've got a great excuse. Me, I'd be wondering how to make the DOC pay for the things. GRRR.

[hunybee]

that's right baby! you do what ya gotta do. the last kid i had, i wet myself at lest 3-4 times a day for about 3 months, and eventually stopped altogether at about six months after. i figure with this one, i should be hopefully done pee'ing my pants at about the one year mark :mrgreen:







(fingers crossed)

[hunybee]

heck, i just told everyone on the tree a month ago how fezzik scared me so bad i full on wet myself.


see, now don't you feel better :mrgreen:

[Limner]

Hunny, I am SOOO glad you are feeling better! I NEEDED that giggle.....!

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/funny-pictures-kittens-have-the-giggles.jpghttp://http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/funny-pictures-kittens-have-the-giggles.jpg

[Beaners]

I think I've told my husband not to make me laugh too hard or I'll pee myself several times in front of my mother-in-law. She's been including lots more coupons for those kinds of products in the envelopes she mails me. I never thought to stick them in the diapers though! I just might have a stash of those or something similar in my "CVS closet". I need to go through there anyways since I am trying out this fall cleaning thing.

I think a lot of cashiers don't even notice what they are ringing up. When my sister lived with us she would always call at the last minute and have me grab her a couple things from the store. I checked out once with a package of tampons and a pregnancy test and the cashier never even looked up.

Kayleigh

[gardengal]

Oh, you ladies have me laughing this morning.:mrgreen: I wish mine would have gone away after the baby, but it's permanent. Baby was in the wrong position to be born and stupid doctor wouldn't listen to me. He broke my water in the labor room and ds was almost born in the hallway instead of the delivery room. He was born so fast the doc didn't have time to do anything but catch him, so it ripped muscles on the inside. That boy is now 22. Then going through menopause hasn't helped. So I'm making sure I have a big supply of those pads for when this country goes downhill.

gardengal

[Limner]

Hey, Gardengirl....maybe you can find some patterns for those online, too?

[Disastercat]

Oh my, I had not even though that plastic pants might now be hard to find, but of course with almost everyone using disposable diapers these days, they would be. I was never able to have kids, and my days as a full time baby sitter were over thirty years ago; when disposables were coming into to use, but lots of people used cloth ones at home.

When my friend was living with us and had her baby here, we just used disposables but let the baby lay on top of one when it was warm enough, and let her little body breath with no plastic on it whenever possible. Being a Winter Baby, this was done in the parent's bedroom with a space heater on. That seemed to help keep down the diaper rash, it would have been a lot harder with a little boy...

[marsgate]

Oh, you ladies have me laughing this morning.:mrgreen: I wish mine would have gone away after the baby, but it's permanent. Baby was in the wrong position to be born and stupid doctor wouldn't listen to me. He broke my water in the labor room and ds was almost born in the hallway instead of the delivery room. He was born so fast the doc didn't have time to do anything but catch him, so it ripped muscles on the inside. That boy is now 22. Then going through menopause hasn't helped. So I'm making sure I have a big supply of those pads for when this country goes downhill.

gardengal

You might want to see a specialist if you have insurance. My girl friend had her 2 kids pretty
young and it was hard on her later as it turns out. She dreaded having a cold or a cough.
She had a hysterectomy, left the ovaries and that was a lot easier on her bladder. She
is doing great now and wished she hadn't waited so long.

[MamaTiger]

Mama pads (cloth pads for women) also work for light bladder control problems. They are reusable which saves $

[Nancyapple]

Here's a link for cloth menstrual pads - there are so many different patterns and with the inserts I bet some would be good for leaky bladder problems.

I am reading a book now called "The Hospital By the River" about Gynecologists Catherine and Reg Hamlin who dedicated their lives "to women suffering the catastrophic effects of obstructed labour." Natives of Australia and New Zealand, they moved to Ethiopia to establish a midwifery school and there found so many women with obstetric fistulas - as a result of traumatic childbirth. It is a wonderful story - there is also a documentary about it. I think you ladies would find it inspiring reading.

Whoops, forgot the link to the pad info:

http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~obsidian/clothpads/links_make.html

[RockyMountainHoosier]

1. Cloth pads way rock.

2. Limner -- check out the huge tightwad gazette book -- she had a pattern for plastic pants... I would prefer the soakers too though. (I'm such an Elizabeth Zimmerman fanatic about wool. :D May have something to do with living in the middle of the Rockies)

Nai

[Limner]

Hi, there, kiddo....ya all welcome one of my Baby Girls to the Tree!

[Carol]

When my husband had large diabetic leg wounds, I'd use 4x4's and then wrap with dish cloths I purchased at the dollar tree. These were $1 ea; very large, and 100% cotton. (NOT dish towels, but the white unbleached cloths). I must have 10-15 of these. They were washed daily and bleached. These cloths can be used as diapers, menstrual cloths, and overactive bladders cloths. Just fold appropriately...and great to use in a situation where you may not have access to "all the conveniences". I also thought if it was a htf situation, and someone needed rubber pants, they could fold a plastic groc. bag + pin. Have a blessed day!

[RockyMountainHoosier]

*waves around*

Yeah, I'm the single daughter that fills her quota of grandbabies with a pug and a tarantula. :-P

Nai

[Limner]

*waves around*

Yeah, I'm the single daughter that fills her quota of grandbabies with a pug and a tarantula. :-P

Nai

I'll claim the pug, not too sure about the big spider.....:mrgreen:

[RockyMountainHoosier]

Funny Dad was the opposite on that one...

lol

[Disastercat]

I love Elizabeth Zimmerman's pattern for baby leggings and have made many for mothers over the years. They love them and tell me how much more "interesting" they are than the "jump suits" most babies have worn since my sister was small, 40 years ago. The tell me that older folks stop them on the street and talk about how they remember their siblings wearing legging like that and younger women ask wear they can buy them! One knitting shop asked a friend if "the lady who knit that would knit for us!" That didn't work out because of distance and time factors but I was flattered to be asked, though EZ (Elizabeth Zimmerman in knitting speak) get the real credit.

She also mentioned that these garments are very important for babies living in cold or drafty houses and they seem to have fallen out of use with central heating. I've considered them a good prep item as well as a fun thing to make. For babies in warmer climates, I have made them from acrylic or wool blend yarns. Even EZ did that with some of the leggings (she admitted it) but her sweaters were always of wool. I prefer wool, but know that a baby in Mississippi is unlikely to need something that heavy in the Summer though my friend's in Sweden need all wool garments for their kids.

[RockyMountainHoosier]

my one EZ book is MIA with the last move. ARGH.

It had the legging pattern too. :(

Will find it again (Knitters Almanac) and then am sooo going to get it spiral bound.

Anyone else think it's insane that knitting books with patterns will NOT stay open?

Thank God I work at Office Max and get discounts on spiral binding -- between that and Sunday School books...

Nai

[Disastercat]

The Opnionated Knitter (published after her death by her daughter) has the pattern along with the adult pattern, Tomtem Jacket and a lot of the early stuff. The book is a reprint of the first 10 years of newsletters along with some updates and lots of pictures. If you can only get one book, you might get this one, though it also has trouble staying open. I like the Knitter Alminac because it is small and portable where the other book is not. And I think everyone should have Knitting Without Tears, but again there is a lot of repeated information in the new book.

You can order it from School House Press or at Amazon..http://www.amazon.com/Opinionated-Knitter-Elizabeth-Zimmermann/dp/0942018265
DC