Use the cotton prefold diapers that you have on hand
Trifold a smaller prefold into a pad and lay inside of a larger prefold. This is a basic nighttime combo that you won’t have to buy anything extra for. It’s bulky, but not excessively so.

Use a Hemp diaper
Trifold a cotton prefold and lay it on top of a trifolded hemp diaper. Hemp is found to be between 30% – 40% more absorbent than cotton and can retain a lot of moisture. 2 The Root offers American-made organic hemp diapers as an add-on.

Both nighttime options can be paired with a wool cover for a leak-proof combination.

Use a stay-dry pocket diaper or stay-dry insert
The moisture wicking microfleece or suede cloth helps to keep your little one comfortable during the long stretch of time between changes. 2 The Root offers stay-dry inserts as an add-on.

I welcome you to share the nighttime cloth diapering combination that works best for you.

1. Chafing or chemical sensitivity
2. Wetness
3. Thrush – yeast infection

Whatever the cause, diaper rash can be painful for little ones and frustrating for moms and dads. Over the years I have found that air exposure helps to prevent some rashes and helps to heal others more quickly. Whenever possible give your little one diaper-free time. Diaper-free can be tricky, especially for very little ones.

If your little one is sensitive to wetness, you may try fleece or disposable/flushable liners. The fleece stays next to the skin but feels dry, and the liquid passes through into the cotton/absorbent part of the diaper.

More tips on preventing and healing rash:

• change cloth diaper every hour to two – there is a good reason the Basic 70 diaper service package is the most popular with newborn clients. Newborns eliminate up to 15 times per day. If you are sending back less than 65 diapers per week with a newborn in service, you run the risk of developing rash.
• pat, don’t rub the diaper area when cleaning.
• use plain water when cleaning the diaper area
• use a 50/50 mixture of organic apple cider vinegar and distilled water, add to cotton ball and pat on diaper area to eliminate yeast and fungal diaper rash
• clean diaper area at every change (urination and defecation) and pat completely dry before changing into the new diaper
• use a thick emollient oil like castor oil or coconut oil to coat bottom at every diaper change for rash prevention
• cloth diaper-safe (non-zinc oxide) herbal-based creams that contain calendula have been found helpful in healing rashes

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I welcome your posts about your experience with diaper rash and what you found helpful.

Are you already using cloth diapers? Are you considering more eco-friendly natural diapering products? I invite you to give cloth wipes a try. They are easier than you may think and you can save lots of money by using cloth wipes. Also, if you are a 2 The Root (2TR) diaper service client we offer a very convenient and economical cloth wipes service add-on. I personally love that cloth wipes can be what you need when you need it. Cloth wipes aren’t just for bottoms – they are for sticky faces and finger, and you can fold a few wipes together to quickly boost your diaper’s absorbency.

What are cloth wipes?
They are a one or two-ply absorbent fabric (cotton, bamboo, hemp) usually cut and sometimes sewn into rectangular or oval shapes. They range in size from 6″ to 9″. They can be as simple as cut up old jersey cotton t-shirt (no sewing needed because the jersey knit doesn’t fray). They can be luxurious two-sided organic cotton/hemp fleece and organic bamboo velour.

And yes, you can just use baby washcloths.

How to use them (these are just my suggestions feel free to experiment)
on the go…

• Add a few dry wipes to your diaper bag with a small squirt bottle filled with my homemade solution to moisten as you need.
• Place a few dry wipes in a plastic bag then add solution then shake and seal the bag. Carry the sealed bag with you for quick access to pre-moistened wipes.
• Toss soiled wipes in your wet bag take home

at home…

• Store cloth wipes in an old “sposie” wipe container or another plastic container. Either pre-moisten with wipe solution or wet as you go using a squirt bottle.
• For warm wipes sans the wipe warmer, you can use warm water when making your wipe solution and store in a dispensing Thermos container. Then squirt the warm wipe solution on the dry wipes as needed.
• Toss soiled wipes in your wet bag for home laundering or if you aren’t ready for home laundering just yet, toss in your 2 The Root (2TR) diaper pail/laundry bag for us to launder for you.

Here is my favorite homemade wipe solution

• 16oz distilled water
• 1 tsp of your favorite liquid baby soap
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1/8 tsp distilled white vinegar or 1 drop of tea tree oil (just ONE drop)

Have a really sensitive baby? Just use plain ‘ol water on your wipes.

Shake the above solution and store or use any in of the methods listed above.

I’d love to hear from you. How do you use cloth wipes and what is your favorite wipes solution?

Some of the reasons I and others love wool are…

• Wool is highly absorbent, and can absorb up to 40% of its weight in liquid without feeling wet.
• Wool is breathable, Wool’s breath-ability allows air to circulate, keeping baby’s bum from getting damp thus preventing any type of rash.  It keeps temperatures fairly constant, so it feels just the right temperature through all seasons.
• It is soft and gentle on the baby’s skin.
• Naturally fire resistant
• Sustainable

How to wash/lanolize wool

(directions for washing 1-3 wool covers – you will only need to wash only when needed which could be once every week or two)

1. Wipe any feces into the toilet and rinse the wool cover under cool running water to saturate
2. Wash the cover with a natural baby soap (olive oil-based soap works well). Don’t scrub or agitate too much. Be sure to completely rinse any soap from the cover with cool running water.
3. Fill sink with lukewarm water.
4. Add 1 TBSP of liquid lanolin oil to the sink with lukewarm water and stir (If you are using solid lanolin like “Lansinoh,” add a 1″-2″ strip of lanolin to a bowl filled with 1 cup of boiling water and stir to melt and blend. Pour the entire lanolin mixture to the sink with the lukewarm water).
5. Add wool item to the sink and let it soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
6. Remove wool item and lay flat on a towel dripping wet.
7. Roll the towel up – squeezing as you roll to remove excess water.
8. Unroll towel and lay wool item flat on towel and allow 24 to 48 hours to dry.

QUESTION: What if I am on the fence and just want to learn more about you and what you offer?

ANSWER: We also host free open-to-the-public meet and greets which allow families to ask lots of questions, learn about the different types of diapers, touch and try all of the various diapers we carry. After attending a meet and greet, families should have a better idea whether or not to start service with 2 The Root. Families can always do both, the public meet and greet and schedule an in-home demo for a more personalized and private session.

QUESTION: Are the “like free” in-home demos mandatory

ANSWER: No, the in-home demos are not mandatory but they are highly recommended. Even if you have cloth diapered before, you may learn new tips during the demo and see products used in new ways. We are a small family-owned and operated business and our clients become an extension of our family. The demo is also a time for us to meet. We like putting a face with a name and through this personal interaction you become more than an account number. We care a great deal about your satisfaction with service and will truly go the extra mile to ensure your little one has a great cloth diapering experience. Of course if you are coming back to us within one year, the demo really isn’t necessary. But if you are coming back to us for a new baby. We’d love to see you again and show you what is new in our line, and discuss what has changed in service.

QUESTION: What if after the in-home demo we decide to purchase our own cloth diapers for home laundering and not use the service? Can we purchase diapers through you and use the $45 as credit toward purchase?

ANSWER: No, the credit for the in-home demo is only for families who sign-up for service. The $45 is payment for our time in your home to conduct a private cloth 101 session and essentially bring a full cloth diapering store to you. This in-home service allows you to touch and try all of the top cloth diaper brands and styles. We deduct that fee as a gesture of “thanks” for new clients starting service. If you are on the fence about using our service and are unable to attend one of our free meet and greets, our partnering retailers are always conducting free cloth 101 sessions that you could attend, at their locations.

QUESTION: What if I have gift certificates on file, do I need to pay the in-home demo fee?

ANSWER: As long as you have $45 or more in gift certificates on file you do not pay the in-home demo fee. If you have less than $45 in gift certificates of file, you would need to pay the difference.

If you have more than $45 in gift certificates on file and after your in-home demo you decide to use our service, you pay nothing for the in-home demo and all monies are applied to your order.

If you have more than $45 in gift certificates on file and after your in-home demo you decide not to use our service, $45 of your gift certificate(s) is retained as the in-home demo fee and the balance is offered as a credit towards purchase.