This week I will be discussing the wonderful world of cloth diapering! I absolutely love using cloth diapers. Did you know that it takes one disposable diaper 500 YEARS to decompose in a landfill? They are also full of yucky chemicals like sodium polyacrylate which is the chemical that was linked to toxic shock syndrome (TSS) and was banned from tampons. Disposable diapers have also been linked to the rise in male infertility, more UTIs in baby girls, and even athsma! (see this source for more info)
I started using cloth diapers to save money. Then, when I started researching, I found out that there are all sorts of benefits to cloth diapering! Then it sort of became a hobby (okay, maybe an obsession...).
I hate doing laundry but I actually enjoy cloth diaper laundry... Weird, huh?
OK, so there are several types of diapers. I think pocket diapers are the most popular because they are easy to use and they dry very quickly. My favorite pockets so far are Fuzzi Bunz.

Pocket opening in the back to stuff for desired absorbency:

Snap Closure:

Great fit!:

My personal favorites are fitteds. They require a cover but the good brands are absorbent enough that you don't need a cover. I love Goodmamas, BSRB (Bagshot Row Bamboo), and Cowpatties the most. Goodmamas close with snaps and you can get BSRBs with snaps for a small fee. Cowpatties come with the option of velcro, snaps, or open closure. I prefer to have my BSRBs and Cowpatties with no snaps because I can get a better fit with a Snappi or pins.
I will show you how to use a BSRB:

Diaper has a snap in soaker:

Fold the soaker up for extra absorbency:




Fold the rise down to fit (these diapers are one size fits all):



Fold the wings in and hold in place:



Fasten with a Snappi:



Perfect little fluffy butt!:

Now for my new favorite! My friend Ali sent one of these to me and I LOVE them! These are called Goodmama Ones. They are constructed just like the Goodmama fitteds and they have a HIDDEN WATERPROOF LAYER. It seriously ROCKS! One step. No cover. Just awesome.

Fold up the snap in soaker:

Fold down the rise (these are one size fits all diapers as well):


Fasten the snaps:


Once again, BEAUTIFUL fluffy bum!:

Tylenol? No? What, then?

We don't use Tylenol, Motrin, or any medicines for teething pain. I purchased necklaces made from Baltic Amber for Punkypoo and Sprinkles.
It is a natural pain reliever. The only thing is that it needs to be worn against the skin.
Baltic amber has lots of other useful purposes as well.. It's kinda like having a constant Tylenol drip if you will..
It can help with chronic headaches, nausea, depression, joint pain, teething pain (which is what we use it for), and tons of other ailments. I use Baltic amber for natural pain relief for myself and my two children. I like that I don't have to fill a dropper and one necklace costs about as much as a large bottle of infant Tylenol or Motrin and you get to use it over and over...
Sprinkles is now teething and I can tell a huge difference when she isn't wearing her necklace. You can get them with a magnetic clasp if you are worried about the baby choking and you can get the spring clasp if you are worried about baby pulling it off. I prefer to use the magnetic clasp.
I buy mine at Inspired By Finn and I like the rounds instead of the nuggets. It's all about personal preference, though. They are all great.
People often ask me if they really work and the answer is a resounding "YES!". It doesn't hurt that they're incredibly cute, either..