am I lanolizing wrong???

[rn]

so this is what I do.

I take about 1/2 cup of super hot water and add about 1 teaspoon of lansinoh lanolin.

it melts and I add it to----this---

in my kitchen sink I put about 3 inches worth of warmer water that has a bit of baby shampoo in it.

I then stir up the lanolin and soapy water combo.

and then I put in my already wet longies or soaker.

my problem is it that it did not seem to work this last time. pee is soaking through.

is there a better way?

I cant afford to go out and buy those fancy special already mixed soaps w/ lanolin or spray ones so that is not an option.

tia!

[dillonandmarasmom]

How much lanolin? I haven't lanolized ina couple of years, but I always used a lot, and I made sure to really concentrate on the crotch area. I would even put it on my fingers (not melted) and rub it inot that area while it soaked.
Make sure the water you use is only tepid (not warm at all) otherwise your lanolin may not be sticking to the wool (too melted and dispersed in the water).

Good luck!

[lnupermom]

It could also be a diaper problem. From what I understand, a soaker is only as good as the diaper underneath.

WHen I prep my soakers before sending them to the recipient, I melt about an inch of lanolin in a cup of hot water with a dab of baby shampoo and stir it up well. I pour this into my basin of warm water that already holds the inside-out soaker and gently swirl it around. I leave it soaking for several hours and sometimes overnight. Every so often I turn the soaker over.

[Shonahsmom]

This video on lanolizing from Green Mountain Diapers might be helpful:

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/lanolize.htm

[Marlet]

Definitely watch the video. I have found the best way for us is to put a tiny amount of warm water in the sink, stick in my stopper, and then put my lanolin in there near the stopper. I push it down so the ends stick to the sink a bit. Then I heat a cup of water in the microwave and dump that in. Let that sit a bit, add a bit more water, and submerge my cover (inside out!).

LET IT SIT!!! I wasn't letting it soak for the tenish minutes the video suggests and my non-heavy wetters were peeing right through. I started letting it soak and not an issue anymore. I randomly will squeeze the cover while in the water and grab any lanolin floating on the surface and apply it straight to the cover as well. I use a ton of lanolin too.

Also, make sure you are lanolizing often enough. When I first started using wool I was told to go longer....lanolize every time I washed. It wasn't often enough. My kids aren't heavy wetters and rarely had blow outs so I was able to go longer between washings. I read somewhere recently you want to do it every 2-3 weeks. That has helped a ton. I think I was getting to the point of absoutely no lanolin left and then washing them and not having any "stick" left in the cover so the new lanolin wasn't holding as well. Make sense?

[Think of Winter]

Sounds like a dipe problem. Does your soaker feel tacky after you're finished, or is lanolin clumping, either on the soaker or your sink? The lanolin should be completely emulsified. I might alter your method by adding about a tablespoon of baby shampoo to the melted lanolin, and stir it up. If the water is milky colored, then the lanolin is emulsified. Then you can plug the sink, lay the inside-out, damp soaker in the sink, and pour the lanolin mixture on the soaker, especially on the crotch.

[iowaorganic]

This may be a dumb question- but is your woolie nice and thick and sturdy? Or is it a little looser knit? Mine are all really tight and thick- and I am the laziest lanolinizer alive and mine always work.

I wash my woolie in either baby wash or that eucalan stuff. Then I drain the tub. I put the hottest tap water possible in an old peri bottle along with almost an inch of lansinoh lanolin. I shake up the bottle really good and then I just squirt the lanolin/water on the places that I need it on that child's particular woolie. I lay it back in the tub for a while (until I remember waht I was doing)- then I wring mine out (of course mine are all pf, lambs pride, or cascade- so they are ultra tough) and lay them out to dry. Mine are usually tacky and sometimes I think I get too much on- but they always work well!

But I agree that you need an ultra fabulous diaper under the cover... Maybe strip your diapers or add a doubler.

[rn]

thanks for all the good ideas everyone.
I am going to try a few of those... I hope it helps.

what do you all mean good diapers?

mostly w/ longies and soakers i use fitteds... either swaddelbees or motherease. both which I believe to be pretty good diapers.

[iowaorganic]

Originally Posted by rn

what do you all mean good diapers?

mostly w/ longies and soakers i use fitteds... either swaddelbees or motherease. both which I believe to be pretty good diapers.

Do you think that they have any buildup? Stripping them helps them regain thier absorbancy... Or have you tried a doubler?

[Think of Winter]

Originally Posted by rn

what do you all mean good diapers?

The dipes need to absorb the pee, not let it run through. Wool stops wicking, basically. It doesn't hold liquid in like pul does. If your babe pees in just a dipe while standing up, w/ no cover, does the dipe contain the pee? If the pee goes right through, you need to strip your dipes. If the dipe holds the pee, but if you press on it with the cover on and get wet, it's the cover.

[gingerstar]

And I just wanted to add that I had some nice motherease that my toddler eventually just peed straight through....
Good luck!

[SevenVeils]

Originally Posted by Think of Winter

If the pee goes right through, you need to strip your dipes.

Not necessarily. Sometimes it's the baby. And regardless of that, if the baby is peeing through the diaper the pee should not come through a lanolized soaker. My baby pees through diapers, but his longies stay dry. The pee runs down his leg instead

OP: I put enough lanolin in the water to make it look milky, and enough shampoo to keep the lanolin dissolved in the water. I do start with warm water, but I let mine soak (inside out) overnight or longer.