I found you recently when I was looking to replenish our supply of *Snappis before the birth of our second child.  Tell us, what is Natural Pure Essentials?  *a Snappi is the modern solution to diaper pins.  kidHaven is a huge fan!

Natural Pure Essentials is a natural baby online site that is dedicated to providing parents with authentic natural baby care products. Our blog features information and articles on different natural parenting topics to help parents make informed decisions. We are currently expanding to offer workshops on cloth diapering in the fall.

Now let’s get to the nitty gritty.  Tell us why cloth diapering is the way to go.

Cloth diapers offer several benefits over disposable diapers! Using cloth diapers saves money because you re-use the diapers instead of throwing them away, plus the diapers can be used for subsequent babies. Or, if you are diapering two babies at once, then you can use one-size diapers to fit both babies. Another benefit of using cloth diapers is babies tend to experience less diaper rash. Most parents are lead to believe disposable diapers prevent diaper rash but that is not true. Cloth diapers are breathable so they do not heat up the diaper area like plastic diapers. Heat trapped in the diaper area causes an increase in the enzymatic activity of the bacteria found in human waste which breaks down the skin and cause diaper rash. Cloth diapered children also tend to be potty trained earlier than kids who wear disposable diapers because they know when they are wet which is an important step towards being potty trained. One of the most overlooked benefits is that when we use cloth diapers we are helping to reduce landfill waste and water pollution. One baby will generate enough disposable diapers to fill a football field within one year and we often forget that plastic takes thousand of years to break down. There is also the issue of bacteria and viruses that might be found in sick babies’ waste that will seep into our water ways. Waste matter from cloth diapers gets properly treated in the sewer system. Lastly, cloth diapers are just way cuter and more stylish than disposable diapers

One baby will generate enough disposable diapers to fill a football field within one year

Give us some of those statistics comparing cloth diapers to paper diapers.  For example, I’m always shocked every time I’m reminded at how much paper diapers cost per child in comparison to cloth diapers.  Not to mention, thinking about how long paper diapers sit in a landfill makes me sad.

A recent visit to BabiesRUs quickly reminded me of why I choose to cloth diaper. A 120 count box of disposable diapers retails for about $45. Newborn babies will generally use 10 -12 diapers a day, which means 70 diapers a week and 280 diapers a month. At the minimum, it will cost you $85 a month to diaper a newborn in disposable diapers. You will spend on average $1,020 a year on disposable diapers and about $ 3,060 by the time your child reaches 3 years old.

Even if I chose the most expensive type of cloth diaper for my baby, I would spend about $580 for my entire stash of diapers. Many diapers are now being designed to grow with your baby from birth to potty training. Cloth diapering might be more expensive up front, but it definitely saves you money in the long run.

I remember when I was learning about cloth diapers before the birth of our first child, I was shocked at the variety of cloth diapers available!  It was intimidating, actually, just trying to figure out what type of diaper would work for us.  Can you give us a brief tutorial on the types of cloth diapers that are out there?

Cloth diapers today are not your mama’s diapers! There are myriads of diapers available to suit different lifestyles and budgets. The most basic and economical cloth diaper is the prefold diaper which is very absorbent and long lasting. The prefold diaper requires some shaping, pinning and a waterproof diaper cover.

Next in line are the fitted and contour diapers which are already shaped, have either velcro or snap fasteners and require a waterproof diaper cover.

Pocket diapers have a waterproof backing and fastener built into the diaper but requires a soaker to be inserted into the back of the diaper.

Finally, the most expensive are the cloth version of disposable diapers – you put them on and your all done!  These are known as all-in-ones or hybrids and are the easiest to use which makes them great for traveling, spouses, grandparents or day cares.

I have to ask – what is your favorite cloth diaper and why?

That is one of the most difficult questions for a cloth diapering mama. There are so many cute diapers. BumGenius and GroVia are my favorite so far.  I love them because they are one-size and well made diapers. Cloth diapers are subjected to repeated use, washing, drying and if not properly made the diapers will fall apart. Most parents are also looking to re-use the diapers for subsequent babies and to resell them when diapering days are over.

I’m frugal and didn’t experiment much with cloth diaper covers.  I had what I had and made it work the first time around.  With the recent arrival of our second child, I’m “treating” ourselves to some new covers.  What would you recommend?

First, I would recommend one-size diaper covers because you can use the cover on both children since they are designed to fit from birth to potty training. A good option is the Bumkins diaper cover because you just wipe them clean instead of washing them after every use.

What other essentials do parents need to cloth diaper their baby?

You will need a diaper pail liner, a wet bag for traveling and some Snappis.

What is the biggest misconception about cloth diapering that you’d like to dispel?

One of the biggest misconceptions is that using cloth diapers causes diaper rash. Disposable diapers actually contain chemicals that can cause skin burns and rashes. Pampers new ‘dry max’ diapers have come under fire recently for causing diaper burns.

Alright, I feel obligated to ask – what’s the downside to cloth diapering?

There’s not many, but one I have experienced is that cloth diapering requires a bit of extra planning.  You will need to decide how and where you will store and wash the soiled diapers. A few cloth diapering companies have introduced hybrid diapers where you can interchange cloth inserts with biodegradable or flushable disposable inserts.

Another downside some parents face is that daycares do not generally accept cloth diapers.  However, there is now an online directory which list daycares that accepts cloth diapers: daycare.realdiaperindustry.org/

I noticed on your blog a few recipes for making your own cloth wipes solution.  Before I beg you for your trusted recipe, tell us about making your own cloth wipes.  Is it easy?  What do you use for the actual wipes?  Please, will you share your favorite wipe solution recipe?  Please!

• How to make your own wipes:

Cloth wipes are fairly easy to make. You can sew them by hand, but the best way is to use a sewing machine because by hand is time consuming. You first need to decide what size you want the cloth wipes to be.  Some common sizes are 8×8, 4×8 or 6×8. Next, decide on the type of fabric you are going to use for example terry cotton, velour, flannel, etc. You can really use almost any type of fabric with the exception of fleece because it does not clean up well. I recommend making a double layer wipe if using flannel cotton or any other thin material.  Simply stitch two pieces of thin fabric together with the wrong side facing out.  Single layer wipes can be made using a thick material such as terry cotton.  Thick single layer wipes only require a straight or zig-zag stitch along the edges.  Here is a video tutorial on how to make your own cloth wipes:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmvKgklWK68&feature=player_embedded

• How to store your wipes:

Once your wipes are ready to use, fold them in half and store them in an old disposable wipe container, ziplock bag or whatever you find works for you. As with disposable wipes, you can moisten your own cloth wipe with a pre-mix solution. My favorite wipe solution uses 2 cups of warm water, 2 tablespoons baby soap or shampoo, 2 tablespoons calendula oil or olive oil, and 2 drops of lavender essential oil (optional). Add all the ingredients in a jar and shake. Add to wipes if you prefer to pre-moisten your wipes or store in an old shampoo bottle for easy dispensing as needed.

I read that your daughter has super sensitive skin, which is really what prompted you to start your own business.  Based on your knowledge of baby products, what would you recommend parents do as a first-step toward eliminating toxic chemical exposure to their baby?  BTW, I give you permission to name names (like common products you think are really bad for babies but readily available that parents should avoid).

It is important that we understand that the skin is the largest organ and whatever substance you put on it gets absorbed directly into the blood stream including the chemicals found in baby care products. The first thing that I would recommend parents do is to learn what ingredients they should avoid in their baby’ skin care product. Parents should also develop the habit of reading the ingredients on all the baby products and not just the labels. Labels are a marketing tool so be careful of choosing a product just based on the label! A product labeled as “natural” may only contain one or two natural ingredients and the rest of the ingredients are synthetic chemicals. Be wary of companies who do not disclose the ingredients in their products. Here is an example of what you should look for:

• natural emollients such as avocado oil, shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, coco butter instead of emulsifying wax, coconut fatty acids, alcohol compound such as cetyl, benzyl, butyl, alcohol, PEG compounds such as PEG -40 hydrogenated castor oil, petrolatum.

• Choose products that are preserved using natural ingredients such as tea tree oil, lavender, myrrh or vitamin E (d-alpha Tocopherol) instead of chemicals such as parabens, sorbates, benzoates and formaldehyde
• Avoid surfactant -suding agents- such as sodium laureth sulfate-SLS which is known to dry out the skin, sodium laurate, and all the other sodium laureth compounds.

The environmental working group (EWG) also has a data base that ranks baby products on their level of toxicity. Many of the conventional products available in the store such as Johnson and Johnson have a rating of 8-10, with 10 being the most toxic.

If parents have other questions about cloth diapering, natural baby products, etc. how can they reach you?

I can be reached by e-mail -navine@naturalpureessentials.com or by phone at #203-228-2615.  Don’t forget to check our my online store at www.naturalpureessentials.com.