Thirsties Therapy Help

We know that new and expecting parents have an overwhelming amount of decisions to make when it comes to the well-being of their babies. Choosing whether to use reusable cloth diapers or disposable diapers is just one of the decisions that needs to be made. We understand that the abundance of information on cloth diapering combined with the variety of styles and brands can be confusing and intimidating for an expecting family. We hope that the information provided below will help simplify cloth diapering and enable you to make the best diapering decision for your baby and your family.

Savings

Based on 8,000 diaper changes from birth to potty training you can expect to spend between $2,300 to $2,800 on disposable diapers and wipes. In contrast, cloth diapering your baby can cost as little as a few hundred dollars. Using these figures, you can save up to $2,500 by choosing to use cloth diapers and wipes. Proper care and use will extend the life of your cloth diapers and allow for further savings by using them on additional babies.

The #1 reason our customers chose to use cloth diapers was for the financial savings. (Based on Thirsties’ 2012 Customer Survey of 720 cloth diapering families)

Use our Savings Calculator to see how much you can save by using Thirsties cloth diapers.

Healthy for your baby’s skin

Disposable diapers contain various toxins such as Tributyltin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) and trace amounts of Dioxin. Your baby’s delicate skin functions as a sponge and what we put on it goes in it.

Thirsties uses low impact reactive dyes and processes that are eco-friendly. No heavy metals, toxic substances, or environmentally destructive practices are used in dying our fabrics. All Thirsties products are PVC (vinyl), phthalate, and lead free.

The second most important reason our customers chose to use cloth diapers was because they are healthier against their baby’s delicate skin. (Based on Thirsties’ 2012 Customer Survey of 720 cloth diapering families)

Environmental Impact

Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste and use twenty times more raw materials than reusable diapers. Disposable diapers are the third largest contributor to our landfills and will remain intact for 500 years.

Style

With the available variety of styles, colors, and prints you can customize a diaper stash that fits your baby’s personality and your budget. Thirsties offers over a dozen fun colors and several adorable prints to fashionably compliment your baby’s style.

Convenience

With cloth diapers, there are no late-night trips to the grocery store for more diapers, no emptying your diaper pail into your already full trash bin, no pins and no rubber pants. With sturdy and easy-to-use closures cloth diapers go on your baby just as disposables do but with oodles more cuteness and style.

98% of our customers think that using cloth diapers is easier than they thought or about what they expected. (Based on Thirsties’ 2012 Customer Survey of 720 cloth diapering families)

Fewer blowouts

Cloth diapers contain blowouts far better than disposables. You can sleep soundly knowing you won’t be up during the night changing outfits, bedding, or bathing your baby.

How to Disinfect Your Diapering Products

Simply washing your diapering items on hot with a good detergent will routinely help to wash away bacteria. If you are able to put your laundry in the sun to dry, that will also help to kill most germs.

However, if your baby has an infection in the diaper area, your diapering items (diapers, covers, wipes, inserts, and liners) will need to be disinfected each time you use them until about a week after the symptoms disappear. Below are some remedies that may help. Please keep in mind that we are not scientists or doctors, and cannot diagnose or offer treatment for any medical condition. This is simply information that has been researched and compiled from various sources. Also, please be sure to check with manufacturer’s washing instructions and warranty information before starting any disinfecting routine.

 

Remedy chart for disinfecting cloth diapers

 

Remedy	Grapefruit Seed Extract *	Distilled white vinegar	Tea Tree Oil	Oxygen Bleach Powder	Hydrogen Peroxide	Hot Water	High heat in the dryer	Sunshine
	20 drops in final rinse cycle	1 cup in final rinse cycle	20 drops in wash water. At least 5% cineole 35-40% Terpenin-4-ol	Use hot water. Soak for 2 hrs	1 cup in final rinse. 3% Solution	Killed after 25 minutes at water temps of	25 minutes	Hang until dry
Bacteria:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	140+	Yes	Yes
E Coli	Yes	Yes				160+	Yes	Yes
Influenza	Yes				Yes	167+	Yes	Yes
Mold	Yes	Yes	Yes		Yes		Yes	Yes
Mold Spores	Yes	Yes			Yes	No
Norovirus	Yes		Yes		Yes			Yes
Rotovirus	Yes		Yes		No			Yes
Salmonella	Yes	Yes						Yes
Staph infections:	Yes		Yes		Yes	160+	Yes	Yes
Strep	Yes
Urinary Tract Infections	Yes						Yes	Yes
Yeast	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes		122+	Yes	No
Yeast Spores	Yes	No	No	No		No		No
EPA registered?	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Colorfast	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No
Cautions		Do not pour directly on laundry.	Do not pour directly on laundry.	Do only as needed. Do not pour directly on laundry.	Do not pour directly on laundry.	Use with caution – we do not recommend temps over 140 F for any items with Aplix, elastic, laminates, or snaps, as it will void your warranty.	Do only as needed, as high heat will wear out the diapers more quickly.	Bring in when dry. Covers should not be dried in direct sunlight.

 

*GSE is said to be 10 to 100 times more effective than chlorine bleach, tea tree oil, colloidal silver, and iodine.

The most common disinfectant used in laundry is Chlorine Bleach, which kills 99.9% of germs. We have not included Chlorine Bleach on our chart, as it is toxic to the environment.

Sources include:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/washing-machines-loaded-bacteria-dirty-clothes/story?id=10751420#.T5BG3Nn4yeI

http://answers.flu.gov/questions/6062

http://econutssoap.com/how-to-disinfect-laundry/

http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/content/45/5/639.full

http://moldremovalfacts.com/tag/kill-mold-with-hydrogen-peroxide/

http://preparedness.families.com/blog/germ-laundering#

http://presscore.ca/nbg/index.php?entry=entry100824-114627

http://thehousingforum.com/how-to-disinfect-laundry/

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/three-ways-to-kill-mold-naturally.html?page=2

http://www.ehow.com/facts_7466895_kill-yeast-laundry.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_12132108_kill-mrsa-bacteria-bedding.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_4969090_kill-bacteria-grapefruit-seed-concentrate.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5638063_sanitize-laundry.html

http://www.ehow.com/info_7956702_natural-oil-kill-black-mold.html

http://www.ehow.com/way_5587959_homemade-mold-cleaner-concrete.html

http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-disinfect-laundry-without-bleach/

http://www.landofvos.com/articles/kitchen7.html

http://www.nutriteam.com/gsewhat.html

http://arizona.openrepository.com/arizona/bitstream/10150/194201/1/azu_etd_10340_sip1_m.pdf

 

 

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

 

~Sonya

 

~Written by Sonya Choron 5/17/13

 

 

I have put together some packages that will show you what you will need to start cloth diapering – including the accessories. When you are first starting off, it is difficult to know what you will need. The diapers in the packages are enough to last two days between washings.

Thirsties Duo AIO is an All-In-One diaper. This means that the waterproof layer and absorbency are sewn together. There is a tunnel inside the diaper, in which you may add a Hemp Insert if additional absorbency is needed.

I have made two charts. One for size 1 and one for size 2. You will not buy both at the same time. The warranty for your diapers starts from the day of purchase, so only purchase the diapers that your baby can wear now.

Size 1:

Product		System	Sizing	Price Each	Qty needed	Cost
Duo AIO Starter Package 6-18 lbs
Duo AIO		All in One diaper	1	$15.75	20	$315.00
Hemp Insert		Insert	Small	$9.00	5	$45.00
Booty Love		Diaper Ointment	2 oz	$14.95	1	$14.95
Booty Luster		Wipes Spray	4 oz8 oz	$6.25$11.00	11	$17.25
Fab Wipes		Cloth Wipes	8×8	$12.25	5	$61.25
Diaper Pail Liner		Diaper Pail Liner	One size	$20.00	2	$40.00
Diaper Duffle		Diaper Bag Duffle	One size	$7.25	1	$7.25
					Total	$500.70

 

Size 2:

Product		System	Sizing	Price Each	Qty needed	Cost
Duo AIO Starter Package 18-40 lbs
Duo AIO		All in One diaper	2	$15.75	14	$220.50
Hemp Insert		Insert	Large	$9.00	7	$63.00
Booty Love		Diaper Ointment	2 oz	$14.95	1	$14.95
Booty Luster		Wipes Spray	4 oz8 oz	$6.25$11.00	11	$17.25
Fab Wipes		Cloth Wipes	8×8	$12.25	5	$61.25
Diaper Pail Liner		Diaper Pail Liner	One size	$20.00	2	$40.00
Diaper Duffle		Diaper Bag Duffle	One size	$7.25	1	$7.25
					Total	$424.20

Please choose from the two charts depending on what size your baby is. Weight and age recommendations are general, so please take a look at our sizing chart for your baby’s measurements.

Please send me an email at support@thirstiesbaby.com if you have any questions!

(*This post originally posted in July 2012.)

~Sonya

Prefold definition: Rectangular diapers that have more layers in the middle and fewer layers on the sides..

You may see the prefolds labeled as 4x8x4 or 4x6x4. That pertains to the layers of fabric in the diaper.

4x8x4 = 4 on both sides, and 8 in the middle

4x6x4 = 4 on both sides, and 6 in the middle

 

Uses

Prefolds can be folded and laid into a trim cover, or folded and fastened on baby. Prefolds need a waterproof cover over the top.

Other uses:

·        Trifold and use as an insert

·        Grab for a burp cloth or a changing table mishap.

·        Use for cleaning cloths once they have fulfilled their purpose for diapers

 

Cost:

Cost can vary from $1.00 – $8.00 per prefold.

 

How many do you need?

Diapers:

Newborn: 20-24 diapers (plus 7-8 covers)
6-12 months: 14-18 diapers (plus 4-5 covers)
12-24 months: 12-16 diapers (plus 3-4 covers)
Potty Learning: 4-8 diapers (plus 2 covers)

 

*A single Thirsties Duo Wrap or Thirsties Diaper Cover can be wiped clean and reused several times before requiring a full washing.

Sizing:

Prefolds come in sized versions, or duo-sized versions. Sized versions come in sizes from newborn to XL. Duo-sized versions such as the Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefold come in size 1 and 2.

 

Different types of prefolds:

Sometimes a prefold is marked as a certain type of prefold. Those labels can mean where the prefold is made, or what the prefold is made out of, regardless of brand.

 

Indian Prefold

 Typically made from 100% cotton gauze. Thinner fabric and thread is used, so may be less durable than a heavier duty prefold such as a Chinese Prefold, but softer and more absorbent than a Chinese Prefold. Wash 3x before use.

CPF/Chinese Prefold

Made in China and exported. Typically made from 100% cotton twill. Comes in multiple absorbencies and sizes. Pilling may be an issue and they are not as soft as Indian Prefolds, but fabric and stitching is very durable. Wash 3x before use.

UBCPF/Unbleached Chinese Prefold

Made in China and exported. Made from 100% unbleached cotton twill. Comes in multiple absorbencies and sizes. Pilling may be an issue and they are not as soft as Indian Prefolds, but fabric and stitching is very durable. The unbleached diapers have not gone through a whitening process, and are hence softer. They come with many of the original cotton oils still in the fabric and may require extensive washing to make them absorbent. Wash 7x before use.

DSQ/Diaper Service Quality

These prefolds are considered to be the best quality, but any diaper can be called a DSQ as there is no minimum absorbency or thickness requirement to get that classification.

Stay-Dry Prefold

Cotton prefold made traditionally with more layers in the middle and less on the sides, but back side of prefold has a fleece layer.

 

What is the difference in the materials?

 

Prefold diapers can be bleached or unbleached. Unbleached fabrics will be softer and more durable than bleached.

 

100% cotton twill – very durable and absorbent

100% woven cotton (Birdseye; Terry/Flannel, Gauze)- durable and absorbent

Bamboo/cotton – very soft and absorbent, resistant to mold and mildew

Bamboo terry – very soft, resistant to mold and mildew

Bamboo velour – very soft, resistant to mold and mildew (not for use with a Snappi Fastener)

Hemp/cotton fleece – more durable and absorbent than cotton alone, resistant to mold and mildew

Hemp/cotton jersey – more durable and absorbent than cotton alone, resistant to mold and mildew (not for use with a Snappi Fastener)

Hemp/cotton muslin – more durable and absorbent than cotton alone, resistant to mold and mildew

Cotton/polyester (inner layers are polyester or a blend) – more durable than cotton alone, but less absorbent

Cotton/rayon (inner layers are rayon or a blend) – more durability than cotton alone, but less absorbent

 

Washing

Prep:

All prefolds will need to be washed AT LEAST 3 times to rid them of the natural oils and waxes present in the fibers. As a guideline, wash bleached prefolds at least 3 times, and unbleached prefolds 7 times before using. Maximum absorbency should be reached after 8 washes. Prefolds will generally shrink 5-10% after washing.

Care:

Prefolds are a durable diapering option, and natural fibers are easier to clean than man-made fibers. Please follow the manufacturer’s washing instructions.

 

Folding

 

Trifold Method

Trifolding means folding the diaper into thirds. This can also be called a Newspaper Fold. You do not need to fasten the diaper on baby when using this method as the diaper is laid into the waterproof cover. When Trifolding, the cover you choose to use over the top needs to be trim and snug like our Duo Wrap.

Here is a diagram of the trifold method in the Thirsties Duo Wrap:

 

 

 

The prefold MUST be up against the baby’s skin. If the cover sags, the diaper will sag, and leaks could be an issue. Trifolding may be done with any kind of prefold.

 

Fold & Fasten Method

If you are using a generously sized cover such as our Diaper Cover, then you will want to fold and fasten the prefold on baby. A sized cover may not be trim enough to hold a trifold prefold in place. Keeping the diaper up against baby’s skin is very important!

You may also prefer to fasten the diaper if there are leak issues. There are many different ways to fold a prefold or flat diaper. The type of fold you use can depend on where you need the most absorbency, as well as how large the diaper is that you are folding.

Folding Techniques

Angel Wing Fold: http://iownappies.co.uk/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Terry%20Folds.pdf

Kite Fold: http://iownappies.co.uk/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Terry%20Folds.pdf

Origami Fold: http://iownappies.co.uk/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Terry%20Folds.pdf

Safari Fold http://www.diaperjungle.com/folding-diapers.html

Terry Square Fold: http://iownappies.co.uk/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Terry%20Folds.pdf

Triangle Fold: http://iownappies.co.uk/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Terry%20Folds.pdf

 

Fastening

If you choose to fold and fasten the prefold, here are your options:

•  Snappi

“A Snappi cloth diaper fastener is a small, stretchy device used to secure a prefold, flat, or contoured cloth diaper. The Snappi’s three “claws” grab the top layer of the fabric to hold it in place.” http://www.ehow.com/how_2089585_use-snappi-cloth-diaper-fastener.html

• Diaper Pins

Yes, the old fashioned diaper pins are still around! You will need two pins, one for the right side and one for the left side.

How to pin a woven prefold:

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/videos/DiaperPinning.wmv

• Boingo fasteners

You will need two fasteners, one for the right side and one for the left side. “Just hook on one side of the diaper, pull, grip and you’re done. Boingo fasteners grip on the sides of the diaper which prevents uncomfortable compression on baby’s tummy and delicate areas”

http://boingobaby.com/faqs.htm

 

So why prefolds?

 

Affordability: Prefolds used with covers is one of the most economical systems that are available.

Durability: Prefolds should last for multiple kids. There are no components to wear out, and cotton and hemp are very durable fabrics.

Ease of laundering: Prefolds are made from natural fibers, which make them easier to clean.

Sustainability: Since prefold diapers last a long time, you will probably not have to replace the diapers with multiple children. They are typically made from natural fibers and take less processing than a man-made fiber.

Organic options: There are organic prefolds, which tend to be more expensive, but keep many toxic chemicals out of the growing and manufacturing process.

 

References:

http://www.diaperpincorner.com/2003/06/prefolds-101-understanding-the-differences/

 

As always, let me know if you have any questions! support@thirstiesbaby.com

~Sonya

I was inspired after reading an article about how to cloth diaper for little to no cost. This article spoke about how diapering products can be made from items that are already within the household. If they are not, they may be available free from community pantries or at low cost from thrift stores. Although I can sew, and used to be quite crafty, some of these ideas had never crossed my mind. Using a tee-shirt for a diaper? What a great way to re-purpose a readily available item. We realize that not everyone can purchase ready-made diapers, and for many, this can be valuable information for providing diapers and covers for their baby. This can also be a useful resource if you already have diapers, but run out and are in a pinch. (I know this has happened to some of you!)

Homemade diapers can be made from new/used fabrics, or upcycled household items such as:

• Tee-shirts and other clothing (natural fibers)
• Flannel or cotton receiving blankets and burp cloths
• Linens such as flannel or cotton sheets
• Hand towels, kitchen towels, bath towels, washcloths

Important: Diapers and inserts must be made from absorbent materials. Fabrics made from natural fibers such as cotton, hemp, and bamboo work the best. Generally, you want to stay away from loosely woven fabrics.

No-Sew Method:

• Tee-shirts:  http://sarawharding.hubpages.com/hub/The-No-Sew-T-shirt-Diaper#

No sewing, no cutting. Simply fold, and use a diaper pin or snappi to secure it.

• Receiving blankets:

Cotton flannel receiving blankets can be folded into a diaper and secured with diaper pins or a Snappi.

Folding methods: http://iownappies.co.uk/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Terry%20Folds.pdf

• Household items: Cut into a diaper or insert shape suitable for diapering. You may need to sew or serge the edges if the material will fray after washing.

For an estimate of how large to cut a flat diaper:

Small: 27 long x 27 wide

Large: 30 long x 30 wide

Folding methods: http://iownappies.co.uk/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Terry%20Folds.pdf

Sew Method: 

• All kinds of diapers: http://www.diapersewing.com/
• Upcycle Clothing : http://fernandfaerie.com/frugaldiapering.html

Homemade diaper covers can be made from new/used fabrics, or upcycled household items such as:

• Wool or fleece clothing
• Fleece receiving blankets
• Fleece baby pants

Important: Covers must be made from materials that do not readily absorb liquid. Wool and polyester fleece are two materials that will work for covers.

No-Sew Method:

• Fleece receiving blankets

Triangle fold: http://iownappies.co.uk/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Terry%20Folds.pdf

• Fleece baby pants

Simply use ready made fleece pants for a diaper cover in a pinch.

Sew Method:

• Upcycle from old wool sweaters: http://sewingdork.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-make-wool-diaper-cover-from-wool.html

http://sewingdork.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-make-wool-soaker-pants.html

• Upcycle Clothing : http://fernandfaerie.com/frugaldiapering.html
• Upcycle from fleece blankets:

http://katrinassqs.blogspot.com/2007/10/free-soaker-pattern.html

http://www.diapersewing.com/fleece_with_snaps.htm

 

For free diaper/cover patterns, and tutorials on how to sew diapering items, please check out this article from Mothering: http://www.mothering.com/community/t/717638/diaper-making-tutorials-and-free-patterns
I hope this information will be useful. If you have any questions, please let me know!

 

~Sonya