A Diaper Bag Dissection; What's in your bag?

Retailer Contributed Article from the WeeLittleChanges Blog

Big or small, heavy or light, pink or blue, we all carry a diaper bag almost everywhere we go with our babies. But what should be in there? What’s considered essential and what’s just plain silly to lug around? If you have a tiny diaper bag, do you ever wonder what’s in those giant bags on other mommies’ shoulders? And on the other side, how do some moms travel with such a tiny bag, especially when cloth diapering??

I can’t speak for everyone, but I’m going to dissect my own bag. Keep in mind that I have four kids, only
one of whom is still in diapers.

First, when I’m going out for a couple of hours, say to church or a playdate, I like to carry two extra diapers. If it’s going to be longer, like maybe most of the day, I prefer to have four.  This dictates which bag I will use. Typically I use the bag pictured here for daily use, but I also have a bigger one if we’re going to be gone a while.  Here’s what I have in my bag right now:

• a disposable wipes case filled with half a dozen wet cloth wipes
• hand sanitizer
• diaper rash cream
• a few disposable wipes just in case I run out of the cloth ones
• spare pants for the baby
• a wet bag to hold all the dirty diapers
• a couple of toys
• a tube of baby sunblock
• 2 pocket diapers
• 1 PUL cover
• 1 prefold to trifold in the cover

Is all that necessary? No. The essentials in any diaper bag are simply wipes and diapers. With cloth, you
also need to carry either a wet bag or a plastic bag to carry the dirty diapers home. Everything else is extra.

So what’s in your diaper bag? Anything you know you don’t need? Something you’re dying to share with other mommies to make their lives a little easier? Tell us!

Kristi Stokes has been the mom behind the Wee Little Changes blog for nearly a year now.  She is a stay-at-home mom to four awesome kids and started cloth diapering 3 years ago.  You can visit Wee Little Changes, a Knickernappies retailer, at http://www.weelittlechanges.com and enter to win a Knickernappies diaper each month at http://www.weelittlechanges.blogspot.com.

Addict to cloth diapers already!? Meet Lara our Featured Fluff Addict!

Today our Featured Fluff Addict is a mama-to-be!  She's already super addicted to cloth and is surprisingly full of great cloth diapering advice although shes yet to change a diaper!  Read on below and meet Lara!

Tell us a little about yourself, where you are located, how many kids you have,little ones in cloth, etc.   I live in Omaha and we are expecting our first LO in early July!

What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try?  My mom cd'd all of us kids (4 total) and I have fond memories of helping with my little brother. I knew if a 10 year old could change an old-school prefold with pins, that I could do it as an adult for my kids no problem.  When we first got pregnant last year I started researching it. Unfortunately we lost that pregnancy at 19 weeks, but when we got pregnant again this year I knew enough that I'd already made my decision. No husband input - I just told him were were going to. :)

What were your friends and family's reaction when seeing the "new" cloth diapers and have they been supportive or skeptical of your choice to use cloth diapers?  It varies. My mom and family are super supportive, as they've done it before. My MIL made a face and said she tried it once but they leaked everywhere and was not happy about it. An aunt said I'd be in 'sposies within a month.  My husband wasn't super on board with it...and maybe is now still a bit reluctant...but once I showed him an AIO with aplix he saw it was really just as easy as a 'sposie and agreed to it.

What was your very first cloth diaper?  I got a little over zealous and went to Amazon.com and bought a couple of KL0s before I checked around for pricing, sales, or used. Now almost everything I have is used or was purchased on sale.

What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of; pockets, aio, onesize, prefolds, flats, hybrids? Since our LO isn't here yet, we don't know what is going to work for us best yet. So we have a huge variety of types and brands. We have 6 brands of AIOs, 11 of pockets, 15 brands of fitteds, and three brands of prefolds. I'm so excited to see what works for our kiddo!

What is your favorite Knickernappies product or which Knickernappies product are you dying to try and why?  I am DYING to try the Loopy Do and SuperDo inserts. I've heard amazing things about them - they're on my "must buy" list and I registered for them!

Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth ; a blog, message board, facebook page?  I'm on DiaperSwappers and TheBump.com's CD forum a lot. They are all probably sick of a total newbie with no REAL cloth diaper experience jumping into conversations all the time. :)

What cloth diapering item, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory?  Again, it's going to be trial and error, but I can already tell you that when the baby starts solids, my husband isn't going to change a diaper without a disposable liner. He's just like that. :)

If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them?  First, take your time! Don't do what I did and buy it all at once! I started buying thinking it would take months and months to get a stash, but it's SO ADDICTING you can't stop!!! You can wait until you're 8 months along unless it's a REALLY great deal. But spend the time before that doing research! Also, don't invest in any one type or brand of diaper too heavily. What if you buy 36 of a specific type of diaper only to find out that it doesn't fit your LO very well? Or that you really hate stuffing pockets? Or that AIOs take too long to dry? Or you can't stand folding pre-folds? Or that putting a fitted AND a cover on is just too much work for you?  Have a good variety available to try out, and then sell what doesn't work!  Buy used!

 

*Are you interested in being our Featured Fluff Addict?  Visit our FaceBook Page and the Discussions Tab for more details on how to submit your info.

Winner of our 1000 Follower Giveaway is Comment 110...Lara + Chris!

Phew what a whirlwind of a giveaway!  Just a few days and you all got us to our goal of 1000 Blog Followers and then some!

According to random.org the lucky winner is comment 110 which was Lara + Chris!  Lara will receive

• 3 Custom Fit Knickernappies
• 3 Loopy Do Inserts
• 1 Diaper Sprayer
• 1 Doorknob Diaper Pail

Thank you to everyone who entered!  We appreciate you being a fan and we promise many more great giveaways to come.

Lara, please check your email for a winning notification from us and to claim your prize!

What's the deal with Dioxin?

It's commonly brought up when advocating cloth, Dioxin, one of the gross chemicals found in disposable diapers.  But what do we really know about it?

According to the RDA:

"Disposable diapers contain traces of Dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process.  It is a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals.  It is banned in most countries, but not the U.S."

So I decided to head on over to the EPA website and see what I could find out.  Using their search feature I was presented with numerous pages of information related to the toxicity of Dioxin.

Although they are not listing disposables diapers as one of their primary sources of human exposure to Dioxin, they do go on to say what some of side effects of Dioxin exposures are...

"Skin rashes, liver damage, weight loss, and a reduction in the effectiveness of the immune system have all been attributed to human exposure to dioxins."

The EPA website categorizes their chemicals into subtopics and Dioxin IS in the carcinogen category.  Carcinogens are described as "substances that may cause or aggravate cancer."

Dioxins are dangerous because they can accumulate in the body over the course of ones lifetime.  I know what you might be thinking, that exposure through contact with disposables is probably so small...It won't make a difference, right?

Well take into consideration the fact that humans are exposed to Dioxins in a variety of ways, many times without our knowledge, and then purposefully add exposure via disposable diapers from birth up to 3yr the list!  The exposure could be tremendous.

Personally, and like most mothers I suspect, I always worried about my babies and toddlers health.  We have no way of knowing in advance whether our children will have certain allergies, compromised or weakened immune systems, neurological problems or any other issues.  The less we expose them to toxins, especially carcinogens like Dioxins, the better off they'll be.

The Health Wyze Report recently published an article that helps describes some of the chemicals found in disposables, you can read this article here.

Maybe you can't cloth diaper full time for whatever reason.  Just keep in mind that even using cloth at home, whenever you can, is better than using disposables full time.  You might also want to consider a cloth/disposable hyrbid  diapering system which usually consist of a reusable cover and a biodegradable  and/or flushable insert.

*So what are your thoughts?  Did you know about the presence of Dioxins in disposables or did you choose cloth for another reason?

Why Cloth Diapers Have Made Me Greener

Reader Contributed Article by Amanda Metro

A long time ago, my aunt told me about the benefits of using vinegar in the laundry.  I brushed off the advice because I was happy with my detergent at the time (and childless, and unmarried) and I didn’t need to remove any ‘detergent residue’ from my clothes. When I made the switch from disposables to cloth diapers, I revisited the idea of vinegar when someone suggested I add it to my diaper routine. That was just the beginning.

It started with the vinegar. I added some to the rinse cycle of my diapers and it really works for us. Then I started adding it to the rinse of all our other clothes and loved how fresh they became. I began looking up all the other uses for vinegar and I was amazed at how versatile this simple substance can be. I used it to clean my washing machine, I combined it with water to clean windows and glass, added it to baking soda for scrubbing stainless steel, and eventually filled a spray bottle with it and called it my all-purpose cleaner.

Now that my house smelled like vinegar, I had to get out of it more often. Therefore, I took my reusable shopping bags to the store! Most of the time, I would forget them at the house or forget them in the car, but gradually it became more of a habit to take them with me as I was leaving. Now, if I forget my bags when I go to the store, I bag with paper so that I can throw my recyclables in them at home. I actually enjoy carrying my reusable bags around, partially because some of them have pretty patterns. This got me thinking…

Around the holidays, I started reading about how many people are turning to reusable, cloth gift bags instead of wrapping paper to present their gifts. What a great idea! I could make one for each of my children that Santa could fill every year and I could make more to give away! And while I was at it, why not make all of my gifts? I baked cookies, made jam, baked dog biscuits, blended a lavender bath salt scrub and sewed a couple of plush ducks for my children. Not only did I minimize waste and impact on the environment, I put time and effort into the gifts I gave instead of just picking something off a shelf.

After making so much stuff at Christmas, I dove even further into cooking by making my own pastas, pierogies and broths. Then I started using old burp cloths to do my kitchen cleaning and some of my excess of cloth wipes to clean my children’s hands and faces instead of using paper towels. I even up-cycle old clothes and other items I no longer find useful. In short, my attitudes have changed a lot since I started cloth diapering. I want to be a better, more environmentally conscious person to provide a positive example for my children. It’s amazing how one change can initiate a chain reaction that can alter a person’s entire life.

Amanda is passionate about natural parenting and green living. She enjoys chasing after her two daughters, cooking, sewing, writing and gardening. In her spare time,  she volunteers as an articles editor for Natural Parents Network. Her blog, "Let's Take the Metro," is about as diverse as it could be. 

Guess who's getting a DivaCup? Lucky Comment #172...Holly Wilson from Wilson's Wonderland!

Random.org has chosen another great winner this time around!  Holly Wilson, a mommy blogger whose blog is names Wilson's Wonderland.  We' hope you're ready to become a Diva!

Thank you to everyone who entered and to DivaCup for sponsoring this GREAT giveaway!  We're super excited to have seen so much interest in trying the DivaCup.  Even if you didn't win please check out DivaCup's retailer page and locate a retailer near you where you can buy one!

Holly, please check your email and respond to our notification in order to claim your  prize!

Help us reach our goal of 1000 Blog Followers and you could win a Knickernappies Custom Fit Starter Kit! CLOSED

Help us reach 1000 Blog Followers!  Enter to win a Knickernappies Cloth Diaper Starter Kit!

We've been hard at work chipping away towards our goal of having 1000 Blog Followers!  We're getting pretty close so we'd like to start the preparations for our great celebration giveaway now!  This giveaway is open to entries but can close at any time.  We'll be choosing a winner when we reach the 1000 Follower goal!

One lucky winner will be chosen at random to receive:

• (3) Custom Fit Knickernappies Pocket Diapers in the size and colors of their choice!
• (3) LoopyDo's in the size of their choice!
• (1) Doorknob Diaper Pail
• (1) Knickernappies Diaper Sprayer

*Package Value approximately $150.00!!

Giveaway runs Weds Feb 23, 2011 and will stay open until we reach our goal!  Winner will be announced on the Blog and our FaceBook Page.

Guidelines For Entry-

• First entry requirement is to visit any Knickernappies Retailers FaceBook Page and tell them Knickernappies sent you!  You can locate a retailer by clicking here.  Please try to find a retailer closest to you if possible.  Comment back here with which retailer you said hello to!
• Please comment once per entry so that you are entered the correct number of times in the giveaway.
• Make sure you either leave your email address, blog or website address in each comment or make sure you are logged in to your Blogger account so that we can be sure to have a way of reaching you should you win.
• Contest is open to participants in the USA & Canada.
• Winner is chosen via random.org and winning announcements are posted on the Blog & FaceBook.
• Participants have 7 days from close of giveaway to respond and claim their prize.

How to earn extra entries-

• Earn (1) extra entry for becoming a FAN or already being a Fan of Knickernappies on Facebook!
• Earn (1) extra entry for Following the Knickernappies Blog.
• Earn (1) extra entry for Following our partner blog, I Love Cloth Diapers!
  
• Earn (1) extra entry when you Follow @Knickernappies on Twitter.
• Earn (3) extra entries each time you Tweet about the giveaway, please be sure to include a link to the giveaway and use @knickernappies in your tweet. (Max. 1 tweet per day)
• Earn (1) extra entry when you place the Knickernappies Blog Button on your website or blog.
• Earn (3) extra entries when you Announce the Giveaway either on FaceBook or your Blog, you may use this link and please use the above graphic if you can.
• Earn (3) extra entries when you submit your information to become one of our weekly Featured Fluff Addicts.  Visit this link for more information on how to submit your story. *You may only earn these extra entries if you submit your info and have not been our Featured Fluff Addict before.  Thanks!
• Earn (5) extra entries when you contribute an article to be posted on the KN Blog.  Please email marketing(at)knickernappies(dot)com for more details or to submit your article.
  

Good Luck!

The Great Cloth Diaper Change, Have you heard? Be there or be square.

Have you heard of the Great Cloth Diaper Change yet?  It's going to put cloth diapers in the record books!  How you might ask?  Well read on and we'll tell you all about it!

The Great Cloth Diaper Change is an upcoming event which will take place on April 23, 2011.  The cloth diapering community will join forces across the world and set a WORLD RECORD for the most simultaneous cloth diaper changes at one time!  That means The Great Cloth Diaper Change will be in the Guinness Book of World Records!

Anyone can host a location, you don't have to be a retailer.  The only stipulation is that you find a place to host the event that can accommodate at least 25 children and their parents, in order for your participation to count toward the world record. 

Don't want to be a host?  Well that's ok too.  Just visit their host location map and see if there will be location hosted near you.  Then all you have to do is help spread the word and show up with your cloth diapers!

Here's a bit from the Great Cloth Diaper Change website about this great event!

Help Put Cloth Diapers in the Record Books 

Cloth diapers have come a long way in past 10 years, and it’s time to stand up and be noticed. Celebrate Earth Day, by joining the North American and International cloth diaper community on April 23rd, 2011 at 9AM PDT to set the Guinness world record for the most cloth diapers changed simultaneously.

There are many ways to participate so please take a few minutes to explore the site to find a location near youhost a location of your own. The more babies participating the better, so every cloth diapered bum counts. Can’t attend an event near you? Consider getting involved in your local cloth diaper community by learning more about organizations like the RDIA and RDA.

Breastfeeding Hurdles? Even the most experienced nursing mom can have issues.

Just when you think you know all there is to know about breastfeeding a new baby comes along and puts you in your place. 

Reader Contributed Article by Leia Tippey

I was that annoying mom that had no issues breastfeeding my two older daughters, until Samantha was born. She began testing my breastfeeding knowledge within the first hour of her life. To start things off she wouldn’t open her mouth wide enough to latch properly. So here I am trying to encourage her to open her mouth, which means, pulling down her chin, while holding her head at the right angle and my breast at the same time.

Of course you know what happens next, her vice grip like jaw and octopus suction grab a hold of the tip of my nipple. Not so much fun for mom. One too many of these episodes left me wondering if it had been too many years since my last child or it I had forgotten how to breastfeed all together. Fortunately, we got the hang of the latch in a few weeks and everything seemed to be in place, until she began teething at six months.

My first two children did not break teeth until 10 and 11 months respectively, so even though I nursed them until 12 months, there was very little biting. I was taken completely by surprise when Samantha bit me with her puppy sharp tooth. My reaction was to let out a scream which, in turn scared her. She continued to bite every time she ate for the next 48 hours.

My reaction was similar each time. I didn’t mean to scream but man it hurt enough to make you pee down your leg. Needless to say my overreaction to the biting caused her to go on a “nursing strike” for two days. A nursing strike is exactly what it sounds like, refusing to breastfeed. Samantha would scream whenever I tried to nurse her. My only option was to give her a bottle and pump to keep my milk supply. It was a very long two days, with many tears shed by us both.

Now, you may be thinking did I give up nursing her? The answer is simply no. Things are different with Samantha. The way I get through these hurdles is to joke and talk with my fellow mommy friends. It doesn’t matter if they breastfeed or not because we have all been that sleep deprived person with the half crazy look in our eyes. We mommies and even the daddies, have to stick together.

Leia’s BIO:
I am a wife and SAHM of three daughters living in Northeastern Colorado. I like to think of myself as a waste not, want not kind of girl and love to share my ideas with others.

You can read more of Leia's articles by becoming a Follower of her Blog, Little Green Helper.

Is a One-Size Pocket Diaper Truly One Size Fits All?

Retailer Contributed Article by Kristi of WeeLittleChanges

I saw this question posed on a popular cloth diapering forum.  It got a mixture of different answers from "yes, definitely" to "absolutely not."  So what's the real answer?  Who are these diapers made for?  How is the size range chosen?

The real answer to this question is "yes, sort of."  There are a lot of factors to be considered when answering this question such as average weight in children of different ages, average potty training age, range of fit in one-size diapers, etc.

According to the latest charts from the CDC (Center for Disease Control), the average birth weight of a baby is 7.5 (girls) to just under 8 pounds (boys).  And the average weight of a 36 month old child is 30.5 (girls) to 32 pounds (boys).

WebMD has an online article that says the average age for potty training to start is 22-30 months for most children.  It goes on to say that most boys will be completely trained by 38 months and most girls by 36 months.


With all of that information in mind, I checked out a ton of different one-size diapers and found that the majority claim to fit from 7-35 pounds.  Knickernappies has a range of 8-40 pounds.  So as you can see, a one-size diaper DOES fit most babies from birth to potty training. 

So what about all the babies that aren't exactly average?  What about the ones that are taller than most of their baby friends or those that weigh significantly less at birth?  Well, sadly they may not fit as long or as well as you'd like.  Those particular babies don't fall within the "most babies" description of the fit of the one-size diaper. However, you'll still get a lot more use from them than the sized option which fits a much smaller range of sizes.

I know that my oldest son has been in the 95^th percentile since he was 1 month old.  None of the one-size diapers would have fit him to potty training, and he learned at 2 ½ years old.  By then, according to my oh-so-accurate homemade baby book (haha), he was already past 35 pounds.   


My daughter falls on the other end of the scale.  She's been very tiny since birth, weighing just 6lb5oz at nearly 39 weeks (gestational age).  One-size diapers definitely wouldn't have fit her for several weeks in the beginning.  We would have needed newborn sized diapers.  On the other hand, at 4 years old, she could likely have STILL worn a one-size diaper if she needed it-she was only 30 pounds-though she potty trained at just under 2 years old.

Having said all of that, I still love our one-size diapers.  They have a fantastic range for fit in both weight and height making it so you'll buy less diapers.  Additionally, they often have a better resale value than their sized counterparts.  And having used them daily for the last 21 months, I can honestly say they've got a lot of life left in them and they've been so easy to use.  I would definitely buy more of them (and have, lol).

Kristi Stokes has been the mom behind the Wee Little Changes blog for nearly a year now.  She is a stay-at-home mom to four awesome kids and started cloth diapering 3 years ago.  You can visit Wee Little Changes, a Knickernappies retailer, at http://www.weelittlechanges.com and enter to win a Knickernappies diaper each month at http://www.weelittlechanges.blogspot.com.




Resources: 

1. http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41l017.pdf

2. http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41l018.pdf

3. http://children.webmd.com/tc/toilet-training-topic-overview

4.   http://www.knickernappies.com/store/c/76-Diapers.aspx

Bring out your inner Diva with this Diva Cup Giveaway! CLOSED

Go Green with this Diva Cup Giveaway!

Knickernappies wants to know...Are you GaGa for Giveaways? We've got some awesome giveaways lined up for the Knickernappies Blog and this week we've got a Diva Cup Giveaway!

One lucky winner will be chosen at random to receive:

• (1) Diva Cup in the size of their choice compliments of DivaCup.com!

What is the Diva Cup?

The Diva Cup is a menstrual alternative to disposable pads and tampons!  It's a non-absorbent menstrual cup that simply collects menstrual flow. It is inserted in the vagina and sits at the lower base of the vaginal canal. It is worn internally, yet because it is soft and smooth, it cannot be felt nor will it leak when inserted properly.

*For more information on how to use the DivaCup and for a list of retailers near you, please visit DivaCup.com!

Visit their FAQ Page for answers to all the most frequently asked questions regarding Diva Cup use.

You can also visit a past Knickernappies Blog Post where we reviewed the DivaCup, visit "Outside of my comfort zone never felt so comfortable!"

Giveaway runs Weds Feb 16, 2011 through Tues Feb 22, 2011 at 11:59pm.  Winner will be announced Wednesday Feb 23, 2011 on the Blog and our FaceBook Page.

Guidelines For Entry-

• First entry requirement is to visit DivaCup's Retailer Page and find your nearest retailer!  Comment here with which retailer is closest to you!
• Please comment once per entry so that you are entered the correct number of times in the giveaway.
• Make sure you either leave your email address, blog or website address in each comment or make sure you are logged in to your Blogger account so that we can be sure to have a way of reaching you should you win.
• Contest is open to participants in the USA & Canada.
• Winner is chosen via random.org and winning announcements are posted on the Blog & FaceBook.
• Participants have 7 days from close of giveaway to respond and claim their prize.

How to earn extra entries-

• Earn (1) extra entry for becoming a FAN or already being a DivaCup on FaceBook, please also leave a comment on their wall telling them Knickernappies sent you!
• Earn (1) extra entry for becoming a Follower of DivaCup on Twitter or already being a Follower.
• Earn (1) extra entry for subscribing to DivaCup's Youtube Channel.
• Earn (1) extra entry for becoming a FAN or already being a Fan of Knickernappies on Facebook!
• Earn (1) extra entry for Following the Knickernappies Blog.
• Earn (1) extra entry for Following our partner blog, I Love Cloth Diapers!
  
• Earn (1) extra entry when you Follow @Knickernappies on Twitter.
• Earn (3) extra entries each time you Tweet about the giveaway, please be sure to include a link to the giveaway and use @divacup in your tweet. (Max. 1 tweet per day)
• Earn (1) extra entry when you place the Knickernappies Blog Buttonon your website or blog.
• Earn (3) extra entries when you Announce the Giveaway either on FaceBook or your Blog, you may use this link and the above graphic if you can.
• Earn (3) extra entries when you submit your information to become one of our weekly Featured Fluff Addicts.  Visit this link for more information on how to submit your story. *You may only earn these extra entries if you submit your info and have not been our Featured Fluff Addict before.  Thanks!
• Earn (5) extra entries when you contribute an article to be posted on the KN Blog.  Please email marketing@knickernappies.com for more details or to submit your article.
  

Good Luck!

Winners of our Rockin' Funk Rock Giveaway are announced!

A HUGE Thank You to Rockin' Green Soap for sponsoring this great giveaway!  We've chosen our (3) random winners who will each receive a bag of Funk Rock from Rockin' Green Soap!

Our first lucky winner was commenter #73, Alisha L from the Handmade GuRu Blog!

Our second lucky winner was commenter #285, Sara from the So You Wanna Win? Blog!

Our third lucky winner was commenter #303, Katrina from My Life as a Married Girl (and Mommy too!) Blog!

*Please check your email for a winning notification from us and to claim your prize!

Cloth Diapering Girls vs. Boys...Is there a difference?

Don't let the title deceive you, there is no boys versus girls cloth diaper competition, this post is going to discuss the differences between cloth diapering boys and girls.

You might be thinking, "there are no difference in the cloth diapers for boys and girls, besides colors and prints..." but that doesn't necessarily mean that what works for one gender will work for the other.

From my experience and from chatting with tons of cloth diapering moms over the years, there are always the mysterious complaints about brand new diapers leaking, clothes and bedding getting soaked without the diaper even feeling wet inside and tons of issues with heavy wetters leaking through diaper after diaper.


It doesn't take much looking over the similarities to realize that a lot of issues seem to be gender specific.  Personally I think girls are more prone to leakage than boys, at least the type of leaks when you put her in a diaper and she miraculously seems to have a soaking wet onesie and carseat moments later.

It all makes perfect sense to me.  If women could control the flow of urine like men then we'd pee standing up too!  However we can't, everyone's body is shaped differently and the flow can shoot out at all directions.  This is especially an issue with girls who are in diapers that may have a little extra room.  Imagine there being an open space in the crotch area of the diaper, she pees but it doesn't go directly into the absorbent inserts, it sprays out this way and that, trickles here, there...leaks are inevitable.

With boys there is more of a concentrated and pressurized flow of urine similar to spraying a squirtgun.  On top of the "squirtgun" effect, the tip of the penis is in some cases already up against the absorbent layers or very close to it.  The urine has less room to pool in the diaper and ends up getting absorbed more easily by the inserts.

What can be done to prevent leaks and make cloth diapering more effective for each gender?

Custom stuff your absorbent areas!  Pocket diapers work great for being able to manipulate your inserts and customize ares of the diaper where you'll need extra backup.  Generally boys need more padding in the front and near the tummy area.  They have a tendency to soak right through, especially if they're tummy sleepers.

Girls need more stuffing between the legs, especially if you're using diapers that are generously sized and that   allow for growth.  The less empty/open space there is between her legs the more her urine will be absorbed into the inserts.  You'll also need to make sure the leg casings/elastic don't gape open when she's sitting, that will definitely cause leakage.

Experiment with different inserts!  Just because a diaper comes with microfiber inserts doesn't mean that they'll end up being what works best for you.  It's vital that you have a variety of inserts in a variety of materials so that when you do have an issue with leaks or heavy wetting you can experiment and find the right combo to suit your needs.  Hemp is a great, more natural alternative to microfiber.  It provides more absorbing qualities while also being less bulky.


There are also specialty inserts and diapers out there specifically for heavy wetters and overnight diapers.  Our SuperDo is one such insert!  It combines both hemp and microfiber in a loop design for faster drying and is the go-to insert for many moms who just couldn't find a diaper or insert to get their baby through the night.


Most importantly...Don't give up!  Just because you're having trouble doesn't mean you should give up.  Cloth Diapering is all about finding the system that works for you and it may not be the pre-packaged diaper with basic inserts.  Every baby, every gender, every family is different and has a whole new set of needs.

If you having issues and need support please visit our FaceBook Page and leave us a comment, we'll get back to you with a response and often many other mamas will respond as well with their advice.  You're not alone!

Switching from disposables to cloth: A Tale of TWO [types of] Diapers.

Reader Contributed Article by Amanda Metro

I knew I wanted to use cloth diapers before my first daughter was even born. Having been an

environmentally conscious person for most of my life, I felt it was the best option for the planet before even knowing it's other benefits. I was totally “gung-ho” and even had my future husband on board, until I met the naysayers. “Why would you want to do that?”, one person said, “Don’t you already have enough to do?” Well, I thought, I guess it would be a bit more work, but I’d still like to try it out. Then I was told “Cloth and disposables are equally bad for the environment, so why go through the extra hassle with cloth?” That was the kicker and against my first instincts (and better judgment), I went with the disposables.

Several times during the first year of my daughter’s life, I thought about switching to cloth. The desire was still there but the support was not. A few (and by a few, I mean two) of my friends started cloth diapering and were starting to tell me how wonderful it was. I believed them, honestly, but I was absolutely terrified of switching.  At the insistence of my friends, I started to do research on cloth diapers but each time I started, my head began to throb with information I didn’t quite understand and I reverted to the happy valley of ignorance.


When I became pregnant with my second daughter, who would be born when my first was 15 months old, I began to panic about the sheer amount of diapers I would be changing and how much this would cost us for such an undefined period. Still my curiosity lingered and I wondered whether we could afford this switch.  After I got over my fear of the cloth diaper, I was still burdened in my mind by the staggering upfront cost. I tried to remind myself that with two children, the savings would ultimately outweigh the start-up, but it was still a hard pill to swallow. Finally, I had a talk about this burning issue with my husband and he gave me the go-ahead, acknowledging that since I spent more time with our children I generally knew what was best for them. I settled into a new level of comfort knowing that if it didn’t work, I still had disposables to fall back on.

From the moment I took the plunge, I knew I would never go back. Though I went through a few different types before I finally settled on a one-size diaper to fit both my girls, the sheer act of exploring the wide variety of diapers available became less like work or research and more like food for my new addiction. I started to discover a new world of mothers with similar beliefs and values to my own and I felt like I was making a difference in the lives of my daughters. I am very proud of the switch I made and hope to be a resource and inspiration for my friends who have not yet had children. After all, if I have to spread an addiction, shouldn’t it be one that positively impacts the lives of others?

Amanda is passionate about natural parenting and green living. She enjoys chasing after her two daughters, cooking, sewing, writing and gardening. In her spare time,  she volunteers as an articles editor for Natural Parents Network. Her blog, "Let's Take the Metro," is about as diverse as it could be. 

Today's Featured Fluff Addict is...Judi from Rock Hill, SC!

Tell us a little about yourself, where you are located, how many kids you have, any little ones in cloth?
My name is Judi C. I am married with 2 kids and live in Rock Hill, SC. I work full time outside the home as a college librarian in Charlotte, NC.  My boys are currently 17 months and 4 months old, both currently in cloth diapers, most of the time.


What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try?
I decided to try cloth diapers to save money. My friend had her 3rd son about 2 months before I had my 1st, but we were due fairly close together, her’s came early, mine came late. She had decided to cloth diaper her son but I didn’t really start learning more about “new” cloth diapers until my son was about 4-5 months old.
Once I expressed an interest in it my friend showed me her cloth diapers and how simple it was. I was so excited to try them myself until I saw the price tag. My budget was not going to handle $20 a diaper. But I didn’t give up. I did some research and found that prefolds and covers weren’t that expensive. I saved enough to buy 2 dozen Gerber Prefolds and 3 ProRap Classic covers.

What were your friends and family's reaction when seeing the "new" cloth diapers and have they been supportive or skeptical of your choice to use cloth diapers? 
My mom was supportive and helped buy a few pocket diapers for me to start building my stash. She thinks the “new” diapers are really neat. She used prefolds and covers with my 2 youngest brothers 20 years ago. While she is supportive of me using them, she buys disposables for my son when he goes to visit.


My husband was totally against all forms of cloth diapering.  He just thinks it is gross.  He indulges me and lets me do it when I’m home but when it is time to change a diaper and I’m not there to do it, the cloth comes off and gets replaced with a disposable.  I asked him once before our second son was born, what would
happen if we ran out of disposables (or I stopped buying them)? He said I would come home to a naked baby and dirty carpets.  While I don’t think he would actually do that I don’t risk it.  I figure if he uses 2-3 disposables a day while I’m a work, it would be about the same as if they went to a daycare that wouldn’t do cloth.

I get most of my support from 3 good friends who cloth diaper their kids. One even helped me start my stash by allowing me to borrow 3 XS and 3 S FuzziBunz.

What was your very first cloth diaper?
I started out with Gerber prefolds and Prorap covers but my first pocket diaper was a Comfy Rumps. I later added FuzziBunz, Snap & Wraps and BumGenius 3.0 to my stash. I also had 2 MonkeyDoodles NB for my second son when he was first born.

What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of; pockets, aio, onesize, prefolds, flats, hybrids?

Currently I use mostly pocket diapers (FuzziBunz and BumGenius 3.0). All of my Fuzzibunz are sized but I have 7 Bum Genius 3.0 OS and 3 Comfy Rumps OS.

What is your favorite Knickernappies product or which Knickernappies product are you dying to try and why?
I don’t actually own any Knickernappies products. I have enough diapers to do my part-time cloth diapering right now but there are a few accessories I’d like to have like a diaper sprayer, pail liner and maybe some CD safe bum cream. So far I haven’t needed a diaper sprayer because my older son’s poop is pretty solid and easy to dump and the baby hasn’t started solids yet so I can wash his poop. But solids are coming soon so I won’t be able to wash his poop much longer and I hate swishing diapers in the toilet.

Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth; a blog, message board, facebook page?
I was a member of Fertility Friend and I often commented and posted in the Cloth Diaper Crew message board. Currently I use Facebook to connect with other moms.

What cloth diapering item, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory?
My must have accessory is a wetbag. I cloth diapered for about 4 months before I got my first wetbag. I love them and they are great for anything wet (swimsuits, towels, burp rags, clothes). I have 3 and want more.

If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them?
Start small and keep it simple. Try it part-time on just the weekends at first. Once you feel more comfortable you can expand. Cloth diapering doesn’t have to be ALL or NOTHING.

Thanks so much to Judi for sharing her story.  If you're interested in being one of our upcoming Featured Fluff Addicts please visit the Discussion Tab on our FaceBook Page for more details.

Why Family Cloth is Right for Me!

Reader Contributed Article by Rebecca Alvarez

I haven’t used toilet paper for six months.

Well, at least not at home.  In the comfort of my own house, I prefer to use family cloth, otherwise known as cloth toilet paper.  It sounds gross, but it’s really not.  Keep reading.

Making the switch to family cloth has two major obstacles: the name and the eww factor.  The term family cloth is just awful.  Remember that dingy roll of cloth towels you used to find in public restrooms?  Yeah, that’s the image hearing “family cloth” evokes.  People automatically think that family members share the same dirty wipes, which fortunately is not true.  The reality is much cleaner and more sanitary!  Once a single wipe is used, it’s thrown into a wet bag or container to await laundry day.

That brings me to my second point.  I generally don’t have to deal with my bodily waste.  I just wipe (wetting the cloth first if necessary) and throw the family cloth into the bag.  It’s surprising how little, um, residue is left on the wipe after defecating.  Think skid marks.  On very rare occasions I may rinse a wipe if it seems especially dirty, to avoid staining. The majority of the time, however, cleaning myself with family cloth is no different than using toilet paper.

I don’t even have to worry about touching used wipes when I wash the family cloth.  I simply turn the wet bag inside out into the washer.  Since my daughter uses cloth diapers, I wash my family cloth with them, and as cloth diaper mamas know, a good hot wash and drying cycle (or sunshine) is enough to kill any germs, so I have no worries there.

Basically, it comes down to this: instead of using rough or fragile paper and throwing it into the toilet, I use soft, yet strong cloth that I throw into a wet bag.  Instead of dealing with toilet paper lint (ladies, you know what I’m talking about), I feel fresh and clean.  Instead of clogging landfills or sewage systems with paper, I simply wash my wipes and reuse them.  Instead of worrying about other environmental and personal effects of making and using toilet paper (such as massive water usage, tree usage, and dioxin), I can feel good knowing that reusing cloth is a green and healthy choice.  Instead of constantly purchasing toilet paper, I buy it very rarely (for my husband and for guests) and the rest of the time, I laugh all the way to the bank.

Intrigued by Rebecca's article?  You can read more about her reasons for using family cloth, how to make the wipes, and details on set up and usage, by visiting her profile page at Associated Content and checking out her articles.

Get funky with this Rockin' Giveaway! THREE lucky winners will receive a bag of Funk Rock! CLOSED

Ready...Set...Get funky!

Knickernappies wants to know...Are you GaGa for Giveaways? We've got some awesome giveaways lined up for the Knickernappies Blog and this week's no different!

Three lucky winners will be chosen at random to receive:

• (1) Bag of Rockin' Green's "Funk Rock" from Rockin' Green Soap!

What is Funk Rock exactly?
Here's what Rockin' Green has to say about this great product!

Product details:

Do you have the funk? Stinkies? Ammonia problems? Diapers that make your eyes water? Have you considered a kryptonite lined diaper pail to contain the smell of your dirty diapers? Did fluffy or fido have an accident on your bunny slippers? Dealing with the dreaded toddler pee? You need funk rock! This 100% natural compound is unlike anything you have tried before. It targets funk at the source and leaves no prisoners. Just 4 tablespoons is enough to de-funk up to 20 diapers in one sitting. A little to your pre-wash to keep the stinkies from coming back. That’s right, this little 9 ounce bag will keep the diaper funk away for over a month! Phosphate Free – Enzyme Free – SLS Free

Giveaway runs Weds Feb 9, 2011 through Tues Feb 15, 2011 at 11:59pm.  Winners will be announced Wednesday Feb 16, 2011 on the Blog and our FaceBook Page.

Sales & Specials:  Don't forget to shop at Rockin' Green or one of their fabulous Rockin Retailers for all your laundry needs.  Visit their FaceBook Page Wall posts for all the latest announcements.  Check them out and rock on!

Guidelines For Entry-

• First entry requirement is to visit Rockin' Greens Retailer Page and find your nearest retailer!  Comment here with which retailer is closest to you!
• Please comment once per entry so that you are entered the correct number of times in the giveaway.
• Make sure you either leave your email address, blog or website address in each comment or make sure you are logged in to your Blogger account so that we can be sure to have a way of reaching you should you win.
• Contest is open to participants in the USA & Canada.
• Winner is chosen via random.org and winning announcements are posted on the Blog & FaceBook.
• Participants have 7 days from close of giveaway to respond and claim their prize.

How to earn extra entries-

• Earn (1) extra entry for becoming a FAN or already being a Fan of Rockin Green on FaceBook!
• Earn (1) extra entry for becoming a Follower of Rockin' Green on Twitter or already being a Follower.
• Earn (1) extra entry for becoming a FAN or already being a Fan of Knickernappies on Facebook!
• Earn (1) extra entry for Following the Knickernappies Blog.
• Earn (1) extra entry for Following our partner blog, I Love Cloth Diapers!
  
• Earn (1) extra entry when you Follow @Knickernappies on Twitter.
• Earn (3) extra entries each time you Tweet about the giveaway, please be sure to include a link to the giveaway and use @rockingreensoap in your tweet. (Max. 1 tweet per day)
• Earn (1) extra entry when you place the Knickernappies Blog Buttonon your website or blog.
• Earn (3) extra entries when you Announce the Giveaway either on FaceBook or your Blog, you may use this link and the above graphic if you can.
• Earn (3) extra entries when you submit your information to become one of our weekly Featured Fluff Addicts.  Visit this link for more information on how to submit your story. *You may only earn these extra entries if you submit your info and have not been our Featured Fluff Addict before.  Thanks!
• Earn (5) extra entries when you contribute an article to be posted on the KN Blog.  Please email marketing@knickernappies.com for more details or to submit your article.
  

Good Luck!

Winner of the BabyBear Wool Dryer Balls Giveaway is....Tannis!

We've chosen the winner of the BabyBearCrafts Wool Dryer Balls and the lucky random winner was comment #35, Tannis!

A Big Thanks to Kristin of BabyBearCrafts for sponsoring this great giveaway and for making such a great product.  These wool dryer balls are a must have for any family looking to save money on their energy bill and/or looking for an alternative to store bought fabric softeners.

Please visit BabyBearCrafts Retailer Page to locate a retailer near you!

My husband made me do it!

Reader Contributed Article


My husband convinced me to use cloth diapers.

When I got pregnant, my husband suggested we use cloth diapers.  I was thinking prefolds, pins, and plastic pants.  So I objected.  Apparently he was thinking of the same system, but he was all for it.  He figured if it was good enough for his mom, I could do it, too.  “It’s easy,” he said. “When you have a dirty diaper you just hold it in the toilet and flush.”  Now I know he was talking about the dunk and swish method.  But there was no way I was going to do that.

My husband persisted, though, and brought it up several times.  Each time I told him I was just not going to deal with it, and that holding a diaper in the toilet and flushing was too gross.  Finally, one day I gave in and told him I’d look into it.  I changed my status to “Sarah is considering cloth diapers.”  What a reaction I got!  Most people just got grossed out but I got a couple of helpful starter hints.  I followed the links I got and searched for the brands they mentioned, and a whole new world opened up to me.

Very slowly, I learned about modern cloth diapers.  It took me awhile to figure everything out, but I just kept going.  I learned what a pocket diaper was, what an all-in-one was, what prefolds were (although it took me awhile to figure out why they were called prefolds if you still had to fold them) and so on.  Eventually I got the hang of it.  I read up on washing routines, detergent, and I looked into dozens of brands and stores.  I’m pretty sure all my nesting energy as a pregnant woman went into cloth diapers.

My husband has been great the whole way.  He’s great about trying all the different brands I come across, though I do try to save the easiest closures for him.  I know getting the husband on board is often the hardest part of cloth diapering and I realize how lucky I am!  He describes cloth diapering as “virtuous” and he was happy to learn about the modern advancements - flushable liners, diaper sprayers, and no more dunking and swishing. Unless, I guess, you really want to.

Sarah's Bio:
I am from Salt Lake City, Utah and graduated from Brigham Young University with a double major in Linguistics and German.  Now a stay at home mom to Nathan, born July 2010.  I'm learning how to cloth diaper on a budget while my husband is in law school.  I enjoy clogging, I dabble in sewing, and of course, I love cloth diapering! 

Sarah is also a blogger, you can visit her at her Blog Left Handed.

Knickernappies Onesize Video Review by DirtyDiaperLaundry.com

Today I thought we'd re-share a great Youtube Video made by Kim of DirtyDiaperLaundry!  Kim is pretty famous in the cd community for her thorough and professional video reviews.  She even has a gig as a contributor for the popular ClothDiaperWhisperer Blog!

Our Knickernappies Blog has grown by leaps and bounds since that last time we shared this video review with our readers so what better time then to share it again for all our new followers to see!


 

Have you ever considered doing video reviews?  Anyone can give it a try!  If you've got a Knickernappies product that you love and you decide to film your very own review of it, make sure you let us know and we'll feature you on our blog and add your video to our Youtube Favorites!  

Don't forget, creating a video for Knickernappies would also be considered a contribution and you'd be eligible to win some of our cool monthly contributor awards!

To watch more of Kim's great video reviews make sure to check out her blog Dirty Diaper Laundry!

Today's Featured Fluff Addict is...Jamie aka Triple Duty Momma!

Today's Featured Fluff Addict is Jamie, the mom behind the Triple Duty Blog!  Read her interview below and get to know her a little better.  Don't forget to become a follower of her blog too while you're here.  Tell her Knickernappies sent ya!


Tell us a little about yourself, where you are located, how many kids you have,little ones in cloth, etc.  My name is Jamie.  I'm a 25 year old stay-at-home mom and wife in Ohio.  I have 3 kids, ages 3, 2, and 3 months.  My oldest son and daughter are potty trained, so my baby girl is the only 1 in cloth.

 What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try?  I decided to try cloth diapering when I accidently stumbled upon a local eco-friendly baby shop that sells BumGenius and Fuzzibunz diapers.  They were super cute so I wanted to know more about them.  My interest had already been peaked by an out-of-state friend's cloth diapering Facebook posts, so my encounter with these diapers in person coupled with her posts got me hooked.

What were your friends and family's reaction when seeing the "new" cloth diapers and have they been supportive or skeptical of your choice to use cloth diapers?  My friends and family have been very supportive.  Some were skeptical at first, because they assumed I'd be using prefolds with big safety pins and plastic pants.  After seeing my super cute diapers, some were even impressed.  A few of my friends have even decided to make the switch themselves!  My mom used cloth on me with a diaper service, so she is amazed at how much things have changed.
   
What was your very first cloth diaper?  My very first cloth diaper was a very used BumGenius 3.0.  I found 11 of them at a large children's consignment sale for $15!  The aplix were pretty worn but the diapers themselves worked great.  You can imagine what it was like when my mom bought me 10 brand spankin' new dipes for Christmas though.  :)


What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of; pockets, aio, onesize, prefolds, flats, hybrids?  My entire stash is currently made up of pocket diapers, mostly one size.  They're actually the only kind I've ever used.  I just won some hybrids in a contest yesterday though, so I'm excited to try something new.

What is your favorite Knickernappies product or which Knickernappies product are you dying to try and why?  I bought a used Knickernappies OS with Loopy doo insert on Diaperswappers.com and I LOVE it!  It's definitely one of my favorite diapers and I plan to buy a new one soon.  I love buying used diapers to try out because if I get a used one and it's in great condition, I know it will last and it will be worth it to buy some new.  Plus, I'm super addicted so I feel you can never have too many!


Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth ; a blog, message board, facebook page, etc.?  I like to talk cloth on Twitter.  I've met a lot of great cloth loving moms there.  Blogs are another great place to get information and meet new people.  I'm currently hosting a cloth diaper blogging series on my blog (http://tripledutymomma.com) and I've asked other bloggers to contribute and help me spread the word about cloth.

What cloth diapering item, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory?  A wet bag is a must!  I actually have 3.  Two are for my diaper bag so I always have one clean if I need to leave the house before I finish washing the other, and one is a Hanging Wet/Dry bag that I use as a diaper pail.
     
If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them?  I would say to try different diapers before you buy all one kind.  When I first started cloth diapering, I didn't realize how many choices I had.  There are so many options and every baby is different, so I think it would be of great benefit to see what's out there before filling your stash.

 *Are you interested in being our next Featured Fluff Addict?  Shoot us an email to marketing(at)knickernappies.com for more details.

Winner of January's "Contributor of the Month" Award is Leia!

Congratulations of Leia of Little Green Helper!  Her contribution "Off to a Fluffy Start:  Tips for Cloth Diapering Newborns" was chosen as our contribution of the month!  If you haven't gotten a chance to check out this fabulous article you should!  She's got some great tips from her own experience and they're sure to be helpful to any mom cloth diapering or preparing to cloth diaper a newborn.

Leia receives this fancy blog award to place on her blog if she likes, as well as a LoopyDo & SuperDo in the sizes of her choice!

Would you like a chance to win?  All you have to do is submit your articles to marketing@knickernappies.com.  Contribute as little or as often as you like but remember, the more you contribute the greater your chances of having one of your articles chosen as our "contribution of the month!"

Contributors are eligible to win more than once so if you've already won don't give up!  Each month we'll choose a new winner and give out new prizes!

Giveaway & Sales Sightings!

We've got some great Knickernappies Sales Sightings and Giveaways going on around the web today!  Check these out and tell them the Knickernappies Blog sent ya!

Merrimack Valley Diapers-  Great selection of cloth diapers!  Currently having a sale, 15% off Knickernappies OS and Free Shipping on Orders over $50 on 2/2 & 2/3 when you use code SNOWDAY at checkout!

You can also find them on FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/MVDiapers.

BumCoveredDiapers Review & Giveaway-Excellent review and giveaway of a Knickernappies OS diaper sponsored by BumCoveredDiapers over on the Crazy 4 Fluff Blog!

Giveaway ends February 8th and there are many great ways to enter.  Make sure to Fan BumCovered Diapers on FaceBook for more updates and details!

Knickernappies Giveaway at WeeLittleChanges Blog-Another great giveaway over at the WeeLittleChanges Blog!  Giveaway is for a Knickernappies OS Diaper!  Ends February 27, 2011 so you have plenty of time to enter! 

WeeLittleChanges also has some sales going on right now too!  Use coupon code HAPPYU for 10% off your entire order!

Knickernappies OS Review on KellyWels.com Blog-Stacey did a great review of the Knickernappies OS Diaper over on the KellyWels Blog!  Head on over there and check it out!

Enter to win (2) Knickernappies Diapers at KellyWels.com-ClothDiaperOutlet.com is sponsoring a giveaway at the KellyWels.com Blog!  One lucky winner will receive a pair of Knickernappies OS Diapers!  Giveaway ends February 4, 2011.

Natures Nappies Giveaway at 200 Fans!-
Knickernappies Retailer Nature's Nappies is going to be giving away a cloth diapering product to one of their lucky FaceBook Fans when they reach the 200 Fan mark.  Head on over there now and become a fan to help them reach their goal!

Are you GaGa for Giveaways? Enter to win a pair of BabyBear Wool Dryer Balls! CLOSED

Knickernappies wants to know...Are you GaGa for Giveaways? We've got some awesome giveaways lined up for the Knickernappies Blog and this week's no different!

One lucky winner will be chosen at random to receive:

• (1) Set of Baby Bear Wool Dryer Balls from Baby Bear Crafts!

What are Baby Bear Wool Dryer Balls?

Baby Bear Dryer Balls are made with the highest quality 100% wool/organic wool possible. They are a great replacement to the plastic dryer balls.

Product details:

• Use 4 to 6 to optimize your dry time.
• Using these will also decrease, but not eliminate your static cling and will fluff up your clothes without using a dryer sheet.
• Made in the USA
• 100% Wool
• Approximately 10 inches in circumference
• May stick to aplix and velcro diapers

Our tests show with 4 to 6 dryer balls a 20-40% decrease in dry time.
*Please note everyone's dryer is different and you may have more or less of a decrease in drying time.

How to use:
Simply place dryer balls into your dryer and let them to all the work.  Using a dryer ball will increase air flow by creating pockets inside your clothes so the dryer can work more effectively.  Wool dryer balls also will help absorb some of the moisture thereby, decreasing your dry time.

Giveaway runs Weds Feb 2, 2011 through Tues Feb 8, 2011 at 11:59pm.  Winner will be announced Thursday Jan 20, 2011 on the Blog and our FaceBook Page.

Guidelines For Entry-

• First entry requirement is to visit Baby Bear Crafts on FaceBook and become a Fan!  Leave a comment telling them Hello!
• Please comment once per entry so that you are entered the correct number of times in the giveaway.
• Make sure you either leave your email address, blog or website address in each comment or make sure you are logged in to your Blogger account so that we can be sure to have a way of reaching you should you win.
• Contest is open to participants in the USA & Canada.
• Winner is chosen via random.org and winning announcements are posted on the Blog & FaceBook.
• Participants have 7 days from close of giveaway to respond and claim their prize.

How to earn extra entries-

• Earn (1) extra entry for becoming a FAN or already being a Fan of Knickernappies on Facebook!
• Earn (1) extra entry for Following the Knickernappies Blog.
• Earn (1) extra entry for visiting Baby Bear Crafts Retailer Page and commenting with which retailer is closest to you.
• Earn (1) extra entry for Following our partner blog, I Love Cloth Diapers!
  
• Earn (1) extra entry when you Follow @Knickernappies on Twitter.
• Earn (3) extra entries each time you Tweet about the giveaway, please be sure to include this link ()to the giveaway and use @knickernappies in your tweet. (Max. 1 tweet per day)
• Earn (1) extra entry when you place the Knickernappies Blog Buttonon your website or blog.
• Earn (3) extra entries when you Announce the Giveaway either on FaceBook or your Blog, you may use this link and the above graphic if you can.
• Earn (3) extra entries when you submit your information to become one of our weekly Featured Fluff Addicts.  Visit this link for more information on how to submit your story. *You may only earn these extra entries if you submit your info and have not been our Featured Fluff Addict before.  Thanks!
• Earn (5) extra entries when you contribute an article to be posted on the KN Blog.  Please email marketing@knickernappies.com for more details or to submit your article.
  

Good Luck!