Quite a whiiiiile back, we organized a Giveaway offering great prizes generously sponsored by Lovely Goody – mainly for a chance to win JOLI diapers (Read my review of JOLI diapers here: http://clothdiapermalaysia.com/2011/03/review-joli-diapers-wetbag-discount-code/). I know many of you have been waiting for the announcement, and I’m really very sorry for the HUGE delay in announcing the winners. So here it is, finally!

The main theme of the Giveaway is to invite participants to share about how they store or organize their cloth diapers. And were there a lot of fun ways to do so! Thank you to everyone who participated and shared your ideas. Hope this would encourage other moms to figure out creative ways to organize their cloth diaper, stash and then motivate them into having fun with cloth diapering!

Here are my top 5 favourites (In no particular order):

1) Can I hear all of you say “OH MY GOD” to Mei Hooi’s cloth diaper organization?? A WHOLE FREAKIN’ CLOSET!!!

Source: Epic of Life

2) Storing in a handled basket, like Cassandra does allows maximum mobility. You can easily diaper change anywhere, fast!

Source: Cassandra’s Fac ebook.

3) A super organized way to store cloth diapers is to keep them in tiered drawers like this one. Each drawer for each type of cloth diaper – easy to use, easy to find!

Source: Danial & Eva’s Diary & RUMAH KAMI

4) Storing your cloth diapers in small, easy to reach boxes such as these are convenient, visual eye candy and easy to maintain!

Source: Siti Hafidzatun’s Facebook.

However, the CUTEST, most ADORABLE, and totally UNEXPECTEDLY UNIQUE and CREATIVE way to store your cloth diapers are……

In a laptop carrier bag! How unbelieveably unique is THAT?

CONGRATULATIONS to ASHLEY HAU YI,

you are the winner of THE GRAND PRIZE!!!

(You may just have a small cloth diaper collection (for NOW), but you’ve won our hearts over!)

Not to forget we have also chosen the winners for THE LUCKY DRAW!

(All winners selected using Random.org):

1st PRIZE: Deena (http://arvanees.blogspot.com/)

2nd PRIZE: Anne (Anne Chan)

3rd PRIZE: Nuyul Mohsan

4th PRIZE: Zufina (http://www.mdanial.blogspot.com/)

SPECIAL PRIZES (x5):

Cassandra (Cassandra Samuel)

Mazlyna (http://mazlyna.blogspot.com/)

MH Yap (http://epic-of-life.blogspot.com/)

Rozy (http://arryrozy.blogspot.com/)

Liana (http://destinasikuabadi.blogspot.com/)

CONGRATULATIONS! And hope to organize more Giveaways for you soon!

**The winners above will have to e-mail info@lovelygoody.com to confirm their shipping address for the delivery of prizes within 1 WEEK. Failure to do so will cause your name to be forfeited and a new winner will be chosen.**

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SELAMAT TINGGAL 2010, SELAMAT DATANG 2011!

We would like to wish all of Cloth Diaper Malaysia’s readers a HAPPY  & BLESSED NEW YEAR! May the new year bring joy, success, happiness and health to you and your families. Keep up the good work of giving the best for your families by choosing an eco-friendly, natural and healthy lifestyle!

2010 has been a memorable year for me. Why? It was the year my first baby was born – and he taught me a lot of things about life, he made me think about the choices I had to make, he made me more aware about the importance of health and well-being. Yes, if it weren’t for this little person, I wouldn’t have lead this sort of lifestyle that I have on today!

Let’s review what were my favourite Cloth Diaper things (and more!) that I have used, reviewed and in the end, fallen in love with for the year 2010!

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1. Value-for-money Malaysian cloth diaper brands - It was a good year for the local Cloth Diaper market. Malaysia should pride herself for producing local brands which were not only wallet-friendly, but also delivered superior quality like the international brands. Not to mention, the growing number of entrepreneurial mothers who custom & make their cloth diapers, and also those who start their own online shops. Let’s see more Malaysian cloth diaper brands in 2011! My favourites: BambooLite diapers, Bouncy Baby diapers.
2. The growing Cloth Diaper community – I have been hanging out with other moms who cloth diapers on the Diapers Asia forums and made many new friends. It’s great to also see many newbies who are interested to switch to cloth diapers! Throughout the year too, the list of Malaysian Cloth Diaper Moms grew, and recently – there was a Facebook Group called “Malaysian Cloth Diapering Parents” was launched, and allowed an even bigger and happening community of conscious parents who are in love with cloth diapering! Keep it up everyone!
3. Organic & natural fabrics - We all know that cloth diapers are made from many different types of fabric. As for me, I have several favourites, for example, I really love pocket diapers which have microsuede inner lining like the ones from Moo Moo Kow and also Bouncy Baby. However, my favourite items are made from natural or organic fibers such as bamboo, hemp and cotton. They are not only safer, healthier and more eco-friendly, they also have such qualities like antibacterial, super soft materials, and good absorbencies. I love the bamboo and organic fabric-made products from Baby-Mel, Itti Bitti & BambooLite; organic cotton All-In-2 diapers from GroVia, the gorgeous Envibum diapers which is also made from cotton, and any brand of hemp inserts!
4. Switching to Cloth Pads – If our babies are benfiting from using cloth products, why not us mums too? If you haven’t already known the dangers of feminine disposable products, please read about it here! I first started using cloth liners to replace my daily disposable panty liners while I was pregnant, and I have never bought any disposable products since then! Currently, I’m a 100% Cloth Pad/Liner user, I use cloth liners daily, I used Cloth Pads during my confinement (post-partum), and recently for every time I have my period. I can thank Mama Patch for introducing me to the wonders of cloth, and the other brands I have tried are Momiji, Saffa and Snexy. I will definitely try out more brands!
5. Prefolds, Flats & Covers, my perfect newborn cloth diapering solution – This was when my cloth diapering journey started. As an excited first time mom, I initially had problems with my cloth diapering experience. Cloth diapering a newborn was indeed a unique experience, and after trial and error sessions, I went back to basics with the prefolds, flats and diaper cover option, and it worked best for me and baby. It was simple, versatile, less hassle and 100% cloth and comfy! I used the basic flat diapers (kain lampin) and Freshbots prefolds, doubled them up with boosters and inserts, and used them along with newborn-sized diaper covers from Thirsties. Please read more about how I cloth diaperes my newborn baby here.

I hope you have enjoyed your journey to a eco-friendly and healthy living too. I also wish that Cloth Diaper Malaysia has managed to share with you some useful and valuable information about cloth diapering and more. I’m very happy for all the friends I have met in the past year, and hope that we will continue to support and share with each other, for better living in 2011 and beyond!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Now this is a useful baby gadget or toy which will help make changing a wriggly and active baby much easier alright!

I know I have been away for soooo long and this poor website has been soooo neglected (more on that in another post). However, keep the Cloth Diaper passion and spirit burning, with or without Cloth Diaper Malaysia ok!!

Meanwhile, I present to you some tips you can use to make cloth diaper changing a breeze for you and your active baby. These mostly come from my own experience of  patiently struggling to change my active 10 month old’s cloth diapers. These tips will come in handy when your baby is constantly resisting wriggling  (can’t sit still – instead moves bout like a caterpillar) during diaper changes, and also when he starts to turn himself on his back. Boy, what an act diaper changing time can be!

Remember, the safest way to change an active baby’s diaper is on a flat surface and away from elevated surfaces which might risk baby falling off and hurting himself. Do NOT leave baby alone on a higher surface, like the changing table or bed even for a second because they can be very quick, and accidents can occur! The floor is your best bet!

8 TIPS FOR CLOTH DIAPER CHANGING

• Make sure you have all diaper changing essential ready – The key is to be quick, so ensure things like wipes, clean diapers, diaper cream, etc are already right next to you. The last thing you want is to go around looking for something with your your baby lying impatiently butt naked (literally).
• Choose easy to put on cloth diapers – Generally, Velcro type cloth diapers are faster to put on compared to Snap ones, so use them instead. Cloth Diapers with side snaps however are very good because you can fasten the snaps in advance and easily pull up the diapers like a pair of pants/pull up pants. You can even change him while he’s standing!
• 
• Change at the same spot – Babies love routine and familiarity. Therefore, try to change your baby at the same place each time so he knows what to expect and he’s comfortable in that place. Pick a calm and quiet area too so he will not be agitated. You can even decorate the area with colourful wall stickers, hang a mobile and also keep your diaper changing essentials there.
• Distract with a toy – Always keep baby’s favourite toy next to the diaper changing area, so he can be keep himself busy while you quickly change his diaper. It can also be any interesting item that will capture his attention like keys, a box, a bottle, or whatever. For me, my baby’s favourite “toy” seems to be the bright red coloured diaper cream tube. Hey, whatever works!
• Talk/sing to him – It’s always good to talk to your baby and explain to him what you are doing during the whole process. Capture his attention with animated voice, interesting gestures and body language. Invent a simple rhyme or tune you can sing each time for diaper changes, this works too!



• Play Peek-A-Boo – This is a great way to make diaper changes more fun. While he’s lying down on his back, slowly bring your baby’s legs together up in the air in front of him and say out “Up, Up, Up!” Try to hide your face behind baby’s legs. Then ask “Where’s Mummy…??” And open his legs wide to expose your smiling face by saying “PEEK-A-BOO!”
• Make use of your feet! – It’s easiest to change diapers on a flat surface. To stop baby from moving about/crawling away/flipping sides, make a “barrier” with your feet to try to prevent movement. Sit with your legs extended in a “V” shape with baby in between your legs. If need be, you can also quickly use your feet to “clamp” your baby down while you quickly change him.
• Prepare for emergencies! - During diaper changes, your baby might decide it’s the best time  to pee or even poop! To avoid messy situations, change baby on a waterproof mat/surface, and always have some napkins/wipe cloths around to quickly “cover up” the problem (especially for baby boys), or to wipe any messes. A better idea is to cover baby’s genitals with the cloth when it is exposed to avoid such emergencies.

The key is to make diaper changing quick, efficient and still fun. Try to ensure a positive experience each time, and avoid crying or making him uncomfortable. This will make diaper changing a pleasant experience for both you and baby. Good luck!

P.S: What do you think about these ideas? Do you have any other diaper changing tips, or even funny stories? Please share in the comments section!

Cloth Diapers itu suatu pelaburan. Jadi bagaimana cara untuk membuatnya tahan lama? [sumber]

Katanya menggunakan Cloth Diapers itu menjimatkan. Katanya juga Cloth Diapers (terutama jenis “One-Size”) boleh digunakan dari bayi baru lahir sehinggalah 3 tahun. Kemudian, boleh pula digunakan untuk anak-anak kita yang seterusnya.

Adakah ini benar?

Sebenarnya kita perlu ikutkan logik juga. Contohnya, jika kita hanya mempunyai beberapa helai Cloth Diapers, tidak menjaganya dengan betul, dan juga jenama yang dibeli tidak begitu berkualiti, jangan terlalu berharap agar ianya tahan sebegitu lama.

Di sini saya akan mengutarakan tips untuk mengekalkan kualiti dan jangka hayat Cloth Diapers anda.

Bagaimanakah cara untuk membolehkan Cloth Diapers tahan lebih lama?

LAKUKAN LAH YANG BERIKUT:

1. Paling utama, beli lah Cloth Diapers yang berkualiti atau yang diketahui umum sebagai jenama yang tahan lama (tanyakan lah pendapat ibu-ibu lain yang ber-Cloth Diaper untuk mendapatkan tips).
2. Pastikan stok Cloth Diaper mencukupi, dan lebih bagus jika mempunyai Cloth Diapers dalam jumlah yang banyak. Ini kerana apabila Cloth Diapers yang sama dipakai dan dibasuh berulang kali, ia akan menyebabkan ianya cepat lusuh dari “wear and tear”. Diibaratkan seperti pakaian kita lah, kalau ada 5 helai sahaja dan kita pakai dan cuci hari-hari, mesti tak sampai berapa bulan sudah lusuh atau mungkin koyak, bukan?
3. Pilih Cloth Diapers jenis “Snaps” atau butang berbanding Velcro untuk mengelakkan Velcro nya cepat “haus”. Secara umum, Cloth Diapers snaps akan kelihatan “baru” lebih lama berbanding Velcro.
4. Jaga lah Cloth Diapers dengan teliti. Pastikan cara pembasuhan dan penggunaan harian mengikut kaedah yang disarankan jenama Cloth Diapers tersebut. Kaedah penjagaan meungkin berbeza bergantung kepada material yang digunakan.
5. Gunakan cecair/serbuk pencuci yang sesuai untuk Cloth Diapers! Jangan gunakan pencuci yang ada peluntur, enzim, fosfat, pengawet atau pelembut/pewangi di dalamnya. Bahan-bahan ini boleh menyebabkan Cloth Diapers bocor dan mudah rosak.

6. 

7. Jika anda ingin menggunakan Cloth Diapers untuk anak-anak yang seterusnya, belilah Cloth Diapers yang bersaiz (sized diapers) berbanding “One-Size”. Ini kerana Cloth Diapers bersaiz kurang kerap digunakan dan kualitinya akan tahan lebih lama jika disimpan. Bayangkan, Cloth Diapers “One-size” dipakaikan semenjak bayi baru lahir sehingga 2 tahun, betul kah ia boleh digunakan dengan sempurna untuk adiknya pula?
8. Sesekali, lakukan “strip washing” untuk menghilangkan bau-bauan dan juga kulat (mold/fungi) yang mungkin tumbuh di Cloth Diapers. Keadaan ini boleh menyebabkan Cloth Diapers rosak.
9. Keringkan Cloth Diapers dengan menyidai di bawah cahaya matahari (gantung/sidai kan dengan cermat) berbanding menggunakan opsyen “Spin Drying” dalam mesin basuh atau menggunakan mesin Dryer.
10. Untuk All-In-Two (AI2) diapers dan juga diaper covers, bahagian luarnya (diaper cover) tidak perlu dibasuh dengan kerap, dan elok dibasuh tangan kerana ianya tidak begitu kotor. Ini boleh mengekalkan kualiti lapisan PUL pada diaper cover tersebut.
11. Beli Cloth Diapers yang diperbuat dari material sintetik seperti microfiber kerana ianya lebih tahan lasak berbanding material semula jadi/organik seperti bamboo dan kapas (cotton).
12. Gunakan “laundry bag/net” jika membasuh menggunakan mesin basuh dan menggunakan opsyen “Spin Dry”.
13. Jika menggunakan Cloth Diapers jenis Velcro, sematkan Velcro pada “laundry tab” sebelum membasuh untuk mengelakkannya tertarik/terlekat pada Cloth Diapers yang lain.

Jemurlah Cloth Diapers di bawah matahari – jimat masa, elektrik dan juga sesuai untuk mengekalkan kualiti nya! [sumber]

JANGAN PULA LAKUKAN YANG BERIKUT!

1. Jangan perah Cloth Diapers terlalu kuat untuk mengelakkan getah (elastic) cepat lusuh.
2. Jangan gunakan sebarang berus yang kasar untuk menggosok/menyental Cloth Diapers.
3. Jangan gunakan pencuci yang ada peluntur, enzim, fosfat, pengawet atau pelembut/pewangi di dalamnya. Bahan-bahan ini boleh menyebabkan Cloth Diapers bocor dan mudah rosak.
4. Jangan basuh Cloth Diapers dengan air yang terlalu panas kerana ini boleh merosakkan PUL (waterproof layer). Jika perlu, gunakan air suam sahaja.
5. Jangan gunakan krim lampin (diaper/nappy cream) bersama Cloth Diapers kerana ia mungkin menyababkan kebocoran (gunakan lah krim yang sesuai untuk Cloth Diapers atau pun lapik Cloth Diapers dengan nappy liner jika menggunakan krim tersebut).

Cloth Diapers itu suatu pelaburan (investment), bukan? Setelah menelaah, melakukan kaji selidik, dan melakukan proses pembelian, sudah tentu kita mahukan yang terbaik dari wang yang kita laburkan pada Cloth Diapers, betul tak?

Namun begitu, kita juga perlu realistik dan tidak boleh beranggapan bahawa Cloth Diapers yang kita beli itu boleh tahan sampai beberapa tahun… Saya berharap tips yang saya utarakan ini boleh dijadikan rujukan untuk anda untuk ber-Cloth Diaper dengan bijak dan pintar!

PERSOALAN: Berapa lama sudah anda menggunakan Cloth Diapers anda, dan adakah kualitinya tetap sama seperti baru? Bagaimana cara anda menjaga kualiti Cloth Diapers anda?

Seeing my boy’s cute butt snug in a cloth diaper is reason enough for me to continue cloth diapering

Isn’t using cloth diapers troublesome and inconvenient? Don’t cloth diapers take up a lot of time to handle and aren’t they a chore to wash? What about the POOP???! Eeew… What the heck should I do with the POOP!!??

These might be some questions running through many mother’s heads when they first heard about cloth diapering. Today, we are so used to everyone around us using disposable diapers. It is not so common to know mothers who cloth diaper. Also, many of us even started off with disposable diapers before learning about cloth diapers. The transition from the convenience of disposable products to the more “challenging” reusable cloth diapers might put off mothers to use them, or some even give up after some time. However, I’m here to assure you that with more awareness about how easy it is to use cloth diapers these days (plus they’re cuter too!), how they are affordable and money saving in the long run, how much better they are for your baby’s health and also to the environment, more mothers are choosing to use cloth diaper entirely. Hooray to that!

However, (as much as I would like to say cloth diapering is easy-peasy) using cloth diapers in the very beginning might not be so easy, and they might require some modifications to your daily routine or lifestyle, and some preparations or things to look forward to. Here are some things that you have to take into account, based on my personal experience.

[source]

CLOTH DIAPERING IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE…

(at least not until you know how to deal with the problems )

1. More laundry: Since cloth diapers are reusable, you will need to be prepared to wash them at least every 2 days. Washing cloth diapers is simple though, just wash them in the washing machine with the rest of baby’s laundry (make sure you use the right detergent!) Yes, you might have to handle more teeny weeny baby things to hang dry, sort and fold later on, but it’s thereapeutic for me to do so . To learn about how I wash my cloth diapers, go here.
2. More encounters with baby’s “organic matter”: If you were used to simply scrunching up a soiled disposable diaper and dumping them in the dustbin, the thought that you have to deal with your baby’s pee and poop if you use cloth diapers might be scary. However, if you line cloth diapers with nappy liners (either disposables/reusable), they make it much much easier for washing up later. And trust me, sometimes it’s important to monitor what sort of stuff comes out of your baby as a health check
3. Cloth Diapers need extra loving care: You’ve invested in your cloth diaper stash and they’re not (exactly) so cheap. What do you have to do next? Just like how you buy yourselves expensive shoes and handbags, they require special care too, especially if you’re planning to use them for a long time. With cloth diapering, not only do you need to prep wash them before using, you also need to ensure they are properly washed (and with the right detergent), and once in a while you might need to strip wash them too. Check out more cloth diaper care tips here.
4. Your cloth diapers might leak: “Oh no…..! I thought these diapers are supposed to keep messes in and there’ll be no leakage!! But why is my bed/sofa/lap wet now??!!” Relax… You might encounter this problem occasionally, and it’s perfectly normal. There are various reasons why they might leak, and for a complete post on this go here. Oh, but for your information, if you use  cloth diapers (especially on newborns with expolosive, runny poop), poop blow outs RARELY happen!
5. Difficulties in converting other caregivers to use them: In the beginning, the husband, grandparents, babysitters or daycare people might not encourage or approve too much of using cloth diapers. So what? It’s YOUR baby, and you know you’re doing so for the best, so don’t let others influence your decision. Be firm, patient, and lead by example, and soon they’ll understand why cloth diapers are really better than disposables!

These are some problems that you might encounter when you (begin to) cloth diaper. However, with a little practice and patience, your cloth diapering journey will be much smoother along the way. Don’t believe me? I had problems too myself when I started (My 10 Problems in Cloth Diapering a Newborn), and look at me now – a happy Cloth Diaper Mom (with a happy Cloth Diapered Baby too ) Good luck in your cloth diapering adventure!

NEED YOUR FEEDBACK: What were your problems when you started cloth diapering? Do you still have the same problems today?

No, we didn’t pack our baby like this… (Sorry to say)

I’m sorry I haven’t written in a while, this was because I was on the road (and air!) traveling, and I’m still out of the country for now. I am currently in Bucharest, Romania with my husband and baby, and we’ll be here for 2 months, InsyaAllah. I would like to take this opportunity to also wish “SELAMAT BERPUASA” to all Muslims back in Malaysia. (By the way, it’s crazy period for puasa month here since it’s summer time – Subuh at 4.00 am and Maghrib at 8.30pm!!!!)

OK enough chit-chatting. I’d just like to briefly share my diapering experiences and updates while we were away from Malaysia all this while below. This was our FIRST time traveling overseas with our baby - on air, land, and on sea! Alhamdulillah our little boy was such an angel throughout, xoxoxoxoxxx

• I had to go disposables during air travels and while on the road. Since I didn’t have access to washing machine or laundering services, 4 days were spent with those dreadful disposable diapers. However, it was also a great chance for me to utilize Seventh Generation’s Chlorine-Free Diapers! (review will be out soon)

(Left): Diaper changing in hotel lobby before Checking In the hotel.

(Right): Changing on the grass in the park! hehe.

• No luxuries of Diaper Changing facilities. Back in Malaysia, if we were out somewhere i could always count on going to public washroom to use the changing table, or using the specific Mom & Baby rooms in shopping malls to change my baby’s diaper. It wasn’t the case this time! Thank God for a good changing mat, I had to change my baby ANYWHERE I can lay my baby on. Hehe. Talk about being practical
• I discovered the importance of Wetbags. How can anyone go around diaper changes without them? I have 3 in different sizes which I not only use for storing soiled/dirty diapers on the road, but to stuff toilettries, baby medicine, clean clothes and everything else. I also hanged one on the door to store dirty cloth diapers before washing at my in-laws’ place
• I am loving my All-In-Twos (AI2s)! For my 2 month stay at my in-laws, I brought all my AI2s along with me (GroBaby/GroVia and Itti Bitti D’Lish SIO). I love that it saves me a lot of space in my luggage!

  

• My baby just started his solid feedings! This is truly an exciting moment for me, but scary too because I will have to anticipate changes in his poo-poo soon (because he was in the easy-to-manage-and-wash-runny-breastfed-poop period) – Eek!
• I am now out of Nappy Liners! I packed only a small amount with me because I thought I’ll just buy more here. However, I’ve been searching EVERYWHERE for nappy liners and they don’t sell them in shops! Now I’m stuck with only 3 pairs of fleece liners Oh man, they’re VERY important to me!
• Thank God I brought my own Cloth Diaper-friendly detergent and also laundry nets. I have peace of mind while doing laundry, knowing that my Cloth Diapers will be “safe”. Ngeh heh heh.

QUESTION: What were your experiences traveling and (cloth) diapering? Share below!

I think we’ve experienced at least a leak or two when we Cloth Diaper our baby or toddler. It’s not so pleasant is it, to see that your baby wet the bedsheets, carpets, mattress, etc OR even worse if it leaks on your lap or yourself! It certainly is not fun either if you just began to Cloth Diaper, but then it leaks, and you feel like you have wasted your time and money on them!

Don’t worry, and don’t give up on Cloth Diapering just yet! Also, before you throw those leaky Cloth Diapers out the window, (or sell them off on Diapers Asia ), check this list below to find out WHY CLOTH DIAPERS LEAK!

WHY DO MY CLOTH DIAPERS LEAK??! Here are 10 Reasons Why:

1. Insufficient prewashing: Most Cloth Diapers and their inserts, depending on material, will require 3-4 washes (some even up to 8 washes) to reach their full absorbency. For newbies: Did you actually PREWASH them before using them the first time?
2. (For Pocket Diapers) Inserts not properly inserted: Make sure when you stuff your Pocket Diapers, the inserts lies nicely flat inside the pocket and along the entire length of the diaper – not folded on the sides or twisted.
3. Your baby pees too rapidly: The Cloth Diaper material might not absorb the pee fast enough (instead, the pee trickles on the sides or back). Consider changing to a different type of Cloth Diaper, or use another type of material.
4. Your baby’s gender and sleeping pattern: For boys, try to increase absorbency on the front, and for girls on the back. Also, if baby sleep on tummy increase the absorbency on the front side and vice versa.
5. Poor Fitting: Even though many Cloth Diapers are “One Sized”, however you adjust them, they might still be too large for a tiny newborn OR too small for a large toddler. Consider getting SIZED diapers instead of “One Size” for a much better fitting around the legs and back.

6. 

   Insufficient absorbency: If you are using Cloth Diapers for longer periods or during the night, consider adding extra inserts/doublers/soakers/boosters with them for additional absorbency. Consider changing the diapers more frequently too. This can prevent leaks when the diaper gets too “full”.

7. Are you wearing your Cloth Diapers correctly? If you use diaper covers, make sure it wraps the baby snugly and all diaper material is tucked inside. Also, ensure that you fasten the snaps/velcro on the waist at the right setting to get the right fit and also correctly.
8. Wrong use of detergent: Have you been using detergent or cleaning materials which has any enzymes, softener, bleach, additives in them? These substances can greatly reduce the absorbency by coating the material, or even spoil the waterproof qualities of your Cloth Diapers!
9. Detergent build up: After some time of usage, Cloth Diapers might have detergent trapped in them. This will cause your diapers to repel water (water just stays on the surface instead of being absorbed). You need to strip wash your diapers to remove detergent build up.
10. Faulty/Low Quality Cloth Diapers: If you have really exhausted all the reasons above, contact the seller for help and advice. You might be unfortunate enough to discover that your diapers are actually defective! On another note, keep in mind the principle of “You get what you pay for…” Very very cheap Cloth Diapers might not work so well, or might easily deteriorate over time.

Easily said, any Cloth Diaper WILL leak once it is full. And they will also leak if the fitting or sizing is not right. Now that you know these reasons, perhaps your Cloth Diapering journey will be a more pleasant and successful affair!

QUESTION: How do you ensure your Cloth Diapers do not leak? Share with us in the comments below!

Just a quick post about the matter. A Cloth Diaper Malaysia reader e-mailed me and asked:

“Do you think it is okay for me to wash my baby’s Cloth Diapers and clothes together in the washing machine? I usually just dump everything at the same time”

In my opinion… IDEALLY, Cloth Diapers should be washed on its own, and separate from baby’s clothing.

Why?

• Cloth Diapers might have poop on them and it might be unhygenic and unsafe to wash them together with baby’s clothes.
• Baby’s skin might develop rashes or allergic reactions if they wear the baby’s clothes which has poop residue.
• Also, Cloth Diapers and baby’s clothes might require different type of detergents for each.
• For example, you might wash the baby clothing with normal detergent (which might contain anti-bacterial properties, includes softener, bleach, etc).
• However, when washing Cloth Diapers, detergents used should be FREE from enzymes, softeners, additives & bleach. So don’t mix those two together and use the wrong type of detergent which can ruin yo diapers!

**E-mail me this password for 1 EXTRA ENTRY for the Baby-mel/Knickernappies Cloth Diaper Giveaway: “ORGANIC COTTON”**

If you don’t have much time to wash Cloth Diapers and baby clothes separately:

• Run your Cloth Diapers under Rinse, then Spin cycle on your washing machine (or rinse VERY well with running water, and remove as much water as possible if you prefer to do it by hand).
• Then you can wash them together with your baby’s clothes (Just load baby’s clothes in the machine after the above is done).
• The first steps will remove the poop away from the Cloth Diapers (not entirely, but most of it at least).
• Make sure you use suitable detergent for washing Cloth Diapers!
• Note: If your baby is exclusively breastfeeding, the poop is easier to come off from the Cloth Diapers (because the poop is soluble in water), compared to baby’s poop who is fed solid foods.

You might agree or disagree with me on this. Although, if you’ve washed Cloth Diapers with your baby’s clothes before and it works just fine… I don’t see why you should not continue with that routine. However, keep these things in mind next time!

QUESTION: Do you wash your Cloth Diapers together with baby’s clothes and it works out for you (no rashes/allergic reactions)? Or do you always separate the two?

Basically, you need these things to Cloth Diaper while traveling or going out:

1. Clean set of Cloth Diapers to change
2. Changing mat
3. Wetbag
4. Cloth wipes (with wipes solution in squirt bottle), or disposable wipes

See, it’s quite simple! You are packing most of these things in your travel or diaper bag anyway, only you replace disposable diapers with CLOTH DIAPERS

The tip is to make it simple and convenient, therefore use suitable types of Cloth Diapers ideal for traveling. For example, it might be a little tricky to bring Prefold Diapers or Fitted Diapers with Diaper Covers everywhere you go. Therefore, bring these types of Cloth Diapers instead:

• All-In-One Cloth Diapers
• Pocket Diapers (with inserts already stuffed inside from home)
• Hybrid Diapers (Read also about: Cloth Diapering while Traveling – Hybrid Diapers)

Share with us how you Cloth Diaper away from home. How do you make it easier?

Read up more Cloth Diaper tips here: http://clothdiapermalaysia.com/topics/cloth-diaper-tips/

I received an e-mail from Cloth Diaper Malaysia reader all the way from Canada, Isha. She has a particular situation involving diapering while traveling. Below is what she wrote to me:

“I will be traveling to Singapore and KL. I would absolutely LOVE to continue to use my cloth while on holiday but, unfortunately, traveling arrangements, a rigorous visiting schedule and frequent changes in accommodation make this an impossible endeavor. So, I have been researching eco-friendly disposable alternatives and only came across one brand called Moltex Oko available in Singapore.  I thought I would drop you a line to see if you have any other suggestions/recommendations that I might have missed?”

Cloth diapering while traveling can be a challenge. You are not in the comforts of your own home, so you might be concerned with things such as:

• How many cloth diapers should I bring? Which type?
• Should I bring along all my other cloth diaper accessories?
• How and where to launder my cloth diapers?
• Will I have the time to wash and care for my cloth diapers?

So what are the options to diaper my baby while I’m traveling away from home?

ECO-FRIENDLY DISPOSABLE DIAPERS

There are many ways to make Cloth Diapering during your travels possible. Isha mentioned one of them: To use eco-friendly (disposable) alternatives. It is not entirely “wrong” to use disposables, let us remind ourselves that disposable diapers are meant to be used for its convenience. So while travelling, it could be the most logical thing to do.

However even if you use disposables, you can still make a difference to mother earth by choosing the types which are eco-friendlier (I specifically mention eco-friendli-”er” because you are still creating some amount of waste because you throw them away after each use. However, the difference is the type of waste you’re creating, they might be less harmful for the environment).

Isha highlighted the eco-friendly disposable diaper brand, Moltex Oko. It can be purchased in Malaysia through the  blogshop Baby Kiddies. Apparently it’s the only brand available over here though.

So what I would like to offer to Isha is another solution: Hybrid Diapers.

WHAT ARE HYBRID DIAPERS?

• “Best of both worlds”: Diapers which combine the convenience of disposable diapers along with the reusabililty of Cloth Diapers.
• Consists of: Reusable diaper cover and use of disposable insert/inner (thrown away after it is used). Hybrid diapers also comes with washable inserts, so you can fully use cloth when you’re at home.
• Advantages: Less plastic waste is generated because only the insert is thrown away; more convenient to use compared to cloth diapers especially when travelling or going out (no need to store wet/dirty cloth diapers to bring home); Inserts are usually eco-friendly/biodegradable; Also means babies are less exposed to chemicals, and it is less harmful to the environment; Flexible 2 in 1 system -Fully cloth diaper at home, and while travelling use disposable inserts!

WHAT ARE SOME BRANDS OF HYBRID DIAPERS AVAILABLE?

Here are some brands of hybrid cloth diapers that you may find in Malaysia:

1. MyEcoNappy – Proudly a Malaysian designed hybrid diaper!  You may find these in retail outlets such as Babyland, Planete Enfante Mamours, World of Cartoons & Bebe Homes
2. Mothercare Smart Nappy system – available in Mothercare retail outlets in Malaysia
3. Gro Baby – Available at My Baby Pit Stop, My Cheeky Boo, BabyMyLuv, Mia Bambina online stores.
4. Flip – Available at Babyz N Mom online store.
5. gDiapers – I personally feel these has a great design. Unfortunately, no Malaysian retailers carry these yet.

Personally, I feel Hybrid Diapers are such a great innovation! You can get a set and use the reusable, washable inserts for home, and when you are out or travelling, there is an option to go (semi) disposable! Super!!

Question: Any Hybrid Cloth Diaper users out there? How do you like your Hybrids?

What do you need to Cloth Diaper outside home? Read about It’s Easy to Cloth Diaper on the Go