• Last updated 11/9/12 by Melanie Mayo

Anyone that is even remotely interested in learning what modern cloth diapers is all about, or currently uses cloth diapers, should join in the 2012 Great Cloth Diaper Change (GCDC)! This event is a great way to increase awareness about cloth diapering. GCDC brings caregivers of all kinds together no matter the reasons they chose to use cloth diapers. Some parents use cloth to save thousands of dollars over the diapering life of their children. Some parents use cloth because their baby has skin that is sensitive to the chemicals in disposable diapers. Some... read more

• Last updated 4/14/12 by MDC Tutorials

Let me start by saying that I support a person’s right to choose to do what they wish with their own body. Period. I know that unless I support a person’s right of choice, that I can’t expect my own right to choose to be supported. Especially when these choices are controversial. This means that I support your right to do any manner of things. You wish to do drugs, go ahead. (Yes, I think they should be legal, but that is another post, for another day.) You want to have an elective c-section, fine. Breastfeed, great.  Not breastfeed, yes, even that.  Ultimately, the... read more

• Last updated 11/9/12 by Melanie Mayo

You have heard that cloth diapers are better for the environment and for your wallets, but what about the babies themselves? Doctors recommend that babies be changed every 2-3 hours (except in the case of nap time and overnight) and even more frequently for newborns since they poop more often. A baby sitting in any diaper for a prolonged amount of time will result in a rash, though this is not the only source of rashes by any means since rashes can also be caused from food allergies and teething among other sources. Unfortunately, our society has... read more

• Last updated 11/9/12 by Melanie Mayo

With Real Diaper Week approaching, many cloth diaper users are considering ways to educate their communities about cloth diapers.  On Thursday, 4/19, one of the focuses will be on educating daycare providers about cloth diapers.  But how easy is it to use cloth diapers in daycare?  Read on to find out… Choosing the right daycare is one of the hardest decisions parents face when going back to work.  The desire to cloth diaper your baby does not have to add to the anxiety!  With modern cloth diapers, it’s just as easy to use cloth in daycare as... read more

• Last updated 4/4/12 by Hoyamum

As a new mother, I recall wondering whether I would ever get up off the sofa.  The first day that I was left alone with my newborn, ill-prepared for the intensity of babycare, I found myself without food or a drink nearby, glued to the sofa feeding my baby. Fortunately, this has not always been the way.  Once my baby and I had more practice with breastfeeding I found little blips of time in between her feeds to get some food, take her for a walk to buy a newspaper, and sing to her as she kicked on her blanket.  We settled into a rhythm that suited us both.  But there... read more

• Last updated 11/10/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Each day of Real Diaper Week will focus on a different way to advocate for or educate about cloth diapers.  On Wednesday, 4/18, we’ll focus on the savings that families can achieve by choosing reusable cloth diapers, making them a great choice for low-income families.  Read on to educate yourself, then find a way to bring Real Diaper Week to your community. There are many reasons to consider using cloth diapers. You may hear things like “Do you have *any* idea how long disposable diapers will be in landfills?!” or “Have you seen the super cute new prints... read more

• Last updated 4/19/12 by Mothering Editorial

The AIDS War on BreastfeedingDavid CroweApril, 2012 Allopathic medicine was at war with natural birth and childrearing for much of the last century, but the battles were most intense over breastfeeding. Natural infant feeding started a comeback in the 1970s with increasing support from doctors (Wolf, 2003) but then along came AIDS. All of a sudden, millions of women around the world had suspect breasts again, supposedly teeming with deadly viruses, and the life-giving act of nursing their own baby was viewed as deadly. Now we know that there was indeed a slaughter, but... read more

• Last updated 11/10/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Yes, YOU can. Sewing cloth diapers can be very intimidating at first. Patterns and fabric choices can be overwhelming but, with a little guidance and thought, it can be a breeze! The key thing to remember in diaper sewing for yourself: It has to catch and hold whatever mess your little one is going to produce until you get the diaper changed. I started on the cloth diaper journey when my oldest child was born 10 years ago. Seemed simple enough, I took a cloth diaper a friend gave me and took it apart, I looked at a disposable, and traced that. Then, I... read more

• Last updated 3/31/12 by Hoyamum

Let’s face it: our society loves to measure things!  Our breasts don’t have little lines on the side marking the number of ounces they contain so sometimes knowing whether your baby is getting enough milk can seem like guesswork.  Fortunately there are some tried and true ways to tell if your baby is getting enough milk. Often mothers wonder whether they are making enough milk.  One of the most frequent questions or concerns I hear is that a mother believes she isn’t making enough milk.  There are an incredible number of ‘false alarms’ that might make you wonder whether... read more

• Last updated 4/5/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Liz Laing Issue 133, November/December 2005 Acne Treatment and Facial Cleanser Wash face with a mild soap, rinse, and gently pat a breastmilk-saturated ball of cotton (not a synthetic material) over the entire face. This process is great for removing eye makeup as well. Burns and Sunburn Apply breastmilk gingerly to burns and they will dry up and look much better the next day. A burn treated with breastmilk and mashed-up blueberries will dry up within an hour, wrote one mom on a Midwifery Today online forum.1 Elena Michaels, PhD, CCH, LMFT, a traditional... read more