Should I try something new?

[mylilmonkeys]

My twins are a year old now.  It's always around this time that I start getting frustrated with cloth diapering.  The poops are solid-ish from their growing diet, so washing becomes more complex.  Often I'm pregnant again at this point or soon to be and I can't cope with swishing diapers along with MS.  Hopefully this last fact will not be true for a long while yet, being twins. ;)  But my twins are struggling with really bad diaper rash, too, and I'm wondering if our diapering system is contributing; just when I think it's cleared up, it'll break out again as bad as ever.  Often, I'll just switch to sposies at this point, but I really don't like sposies at all and can't afford them for twins anyway.  A part of me is thinking maybe I'm just hankering to buy something new and change up our routine.  DH just asked me if he thinks the twins don't sleep well at night because they are uncomfortable in the bulk of their night diapers.  One twin especially has this little wiggle that I've termed "the poopy butt wiggle," although sometimes she's just wet.  But they do this a lot when they're laid down at night.  He thought maybe we should pick up a pack of sposies.  I'm pretty sure I would get lazy and just use the sposies instead of having to swish poops, and we really, really can't afford to do that full time!

I've been using Kawaii pocket diapers with micro inserts.  I wash in Dawn and do a vinegar rinse every couple weeks.  

I'm thinking of just switching to natural fiber prefolds.  Probably GMD, or does anyone have a recommended source for quality toddler sized prefolds?  I've run the gamut with flats, nappies, prefolds, and fitteds before, so I have experience with folding, etc.  I do prefer a fitted for containment, but at this age they're not EBF'd anymore.  

Also, does anyone have a favorite liner for catching poops?  I bought some disposable liners on Amazon (I think it was Bummis) to try, and they just bunch up and are pretty icky to separate from the diaper, but maybe I need a different brand?  Does using a diaper sprayer make enough difference for the investment?  Or any other ideas for the sticky, semi-solid poop at this stage?

I just feel really uncertain.  I do have several receiving blankets I can use as flats, and I think maybe I'll see if the change in material will impact the rash.  But I probably only have enough for half a day or so. :/

[AdinaL]

Two things that kept us going were a diaper sprayer (best $40 I spent) and fleece liners. We put the pail next to the potty and sprayed the dipes off and tossed them in the pail. Worked fabulously. The fleece liners made it easier on the dipes that weren't fleece (we used primarily FB) to get the poop off with a minimum of fuss.

You might try a couple new dipes and see if something works better before you invest in a whole new system. We really like the FB for night time, with a wool soaker over the top. They were thinner than other options and the wool just helped to keep everything contained in case she did pee hugely.

[cristeen]

Well, sounds like you have several different things going on, and maybe breaking it down would help with troubleshooting...

Rash - when does this seem to be at it's worst?  First thing in the morning?  After poop?  Right before stripping the dipes?  What does it respond to/not respond to?

Sleep - this may be discomfort with the feeling of wet if you're relying on liners.  Liners never sufficed for night-time with my guy.  I had to get a dipe with a fleece inner, because any wet touching his skin meant bad sleep.  PUL also is bad for my guy at night.  We use it all day (pocket dipes), but at night he has to have a wool cover - PUL gets too hot and he winds up with ammonia burns.  I know my guy's night-time dipe is hugely bulky, but he's bothered far more by wet or PUL than he is by the bulk. 

For cleaning, I really can't recommend the diaper sprayer enough.  It was SO amazing when I got that how much easier life was.  And then it just recently broke and I've been having to scrape (dunking/swishing does nothing for this sticky toddler poo), and it's not nearly as effective as spraying.  I'm waiting for the new sprayer to arrive any day now. 

Spraying also helps un-complicate the wash routine... at least it did for me, since most of the poo is off before going into the washer.

As for paper liners, you can try the Imse Vimse ones.  They're supposedly thicker.  I didn't have a whole lot of luck with them, myself.  I found spraying to just be easier than dealing with an insert and a squirmy toddler. 

[mylilmonkeys]

I think the PUL may be a source of the discomfort for us.  After switching to the cotton flannel and covering with some knitted covers I still have, the rashes are looking so much better.  They've been appearing occasionally with poops, and are immediately raw and bleeding.  I let them have some air time.  I used to use a homemade concoction of coconut oil and lavender EO, but it wasn't really working on this type of rash, so I switched to Desitin with liners to protect the diapers.  That does the job better, but it still takes some days to heal up.  Oh, I also use ACV in their bath.  

DH and I decided to make due with the cotton dipes I have on hand for a few days and see how things go before making a new purchase.  Like I said, the rashes look better, but last night was a terrible night.  We're all dealing with a cold or flu virus right now so it's hard to say if they were that disturbed by diapering changes or just not feeling well.  I have lots of fleece scraps so I'll cut some to size and try that overnight.  We didn't have any leaks, though. 

I think investing in a sprayer will probably be a good idea.  He's handy enough that installation shouldn't be a problem.  I just hope the other kids don't get any bright ideas with it. LOL

[rinap]

Diaper sprayer diaper sprayer diaper sprayer. It's awesome. And it removes the complication of washing. We put the diapers in a little bucket, then, when I have a chance, I run them up to use the sprayer on them. And then they just go into the diaper laundry bag. (I do a cold cycle, then hot, just like I was doing with the EBF diapers)

We tried the liners, and still use them sometimes when we're out, but I agree. They bunch up and just get annoying and nasty. But I've only tried the Bummis.

We switched from pockets to prefolds recently (at about 9 months), and found that the girls sleep fine through wetness, though pooping *always* wakes them up. As does having to poop. And some days every sleep and every nap is woken up too early because of pooping. Sigh.

And the nice thing about prefolds is that they're cheap. (though I'm struggling with putting prefolds onto babies who just want to go over there)

Also, even with twins, even EBF, my cycle was fully back by four months PP. Totally not fair. :)

[cristeen]

If you're getting rash/burns immediately with contact with poo, then that's not a diaper issue at all.  That's probably a diet issue.  I'd start looking for patterns.  My little guy has a few food allergies, and the surest way I can tell if he's had something he shouldn't is when his butt breaks open on contact with poo.  It took me months and lots of testing to find the culprit (citrus for us, specifically oranges), and in the meantime his butt was raw for weeks on end, I'd just get it to heal and then it would flare again. 

[iowaorganic]

yeast might also be part of your rash problem.  In that case no sugar and loads of probiotics both by mouth and on the rash.  And you must buy a diaper sprayer.  It will rock your world.  seriously- I will never go without one. 

[mylilmonkeys]

Yes, I have found that food is an issue!  I've been through tons of stuff over the past 4-5 months because I've learned how badly my body isn't tolerating a lot of food.  No sugar, no dairy, no corn, no wheat.  I'm on GAPS, so no grain or starch or beans.  I discovered for my one twin who was having the worst problem with the poos that she was reacting to apples.  So those went, too.  It was my other twin who broke out most recently and worst.  I'm not sure what she would be reacting to, though, as we haven't introduced anything much different.  Although, on second thought, she did get into the kids' Easter candy.  Other than that, they've never had sugar.  I don't keep much in the house that I can't eat, cause I figure that the kids have a certain likelihood of intolerance, too.  

Actually, it's a good possibility she broke out this time because we were coming down with the cold/flu bug.  The diapers may not be the source of the problem, but they seem to take an insanely long time to clear up using them.  I just don't think they let them breathe enough.  Well, we'll take a break from pockets and probably end up adding in some prefolds when I can save enough to purchase them.  Maybe I can get by with a dozen along with the other dipes I dug up that I forgot I had. LOL  I'd sewn some back when they were tiny, and they still fit okay, but not for much longer!

I appreciate all the input!  I really don't want to spend money I don't have to.  

Has anyone attempted a DIY sprayer?  DH figures he can rig a kitchen sprayer to do the job.  He's done some plumbing, but he's a learn as you go sort.

[mylilmonkeys]

You know, I think I might hook the sprayer up to the laundry sink and spray the dipes into a bucket.  Then I can empty the bucket in the toilet.  Do you think that would work?  I'm really nervous my nearly 4 yo and my 6yo will have way too much fun with a sprayer in the bathroom. 

[rinap]

Laundry sink into a bucket sounds great. I've worried myself about games with sprayers.