Making Homemade Baby Food: A Picture Tutorial

August 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Making homemade baby food is a healthy, inexpensive way to feed your baby. Today, I prepared and froze about one week’s worth of homemade baby food for my twins. Follow along to see just how I did it.

What you’ll need:

  • Fresh fruits, vegetables or both
  • Peeler
  • Knife
  • Pot
  • Steamer basket
  • Food Processor
  • Bowls
  • Potato masher
  • Fork
  • Strainer
  • Freezable containers (you can also use ice trays covered in plastic wrap if you don’t have these)

First, I selected the foods, choosing those that are typically recommended as “first foods.” We have bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes and peaches on today’s menu. Don’t overbuy! Notice I only have two of each item. A little goes a long way. I’m choosing to steam all my food today, since it’s one of – if not the – healthiest methods to make homemade baby food. I started with the peaches. Try to use fruit that is quite ripe, so it’ll be nice and soft.

 

Peel them, and remove the pit from the center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, dice the peaches into relatively even chunks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the peaches to a steamer basket. I have a silicon steamer placed over one inch of simmering water. I put the lid on and let it cook for about 7 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the peaches were fork tender, I placed them in the refrigerator to cool. Then, I added them to my food processor and let it whirl until very smooth. I added a bit of  water (maybe ¼ cup? It will vary) to make it an extra-smooth, first-food-baby’s-ever-eaten consistency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now for the sweet potatoes. I started by peeling them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After dicing one sweet potato, I realized that was plenty and set the other one aside. Just like with the peaches, I steamed the sweet potatoes, let them cool in the refrigerator and pureed them in the food processor, adding water as needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neither the bananas nor the avocados need to be cooked; they already have a soft constancy, perfect for babies. Cut the avocados in half by working your knife around the pit in a circular motion. Once you’ve reached where you inserted your knife, set the knife down and twist the two avocado halves to open it. To remove the pit easily, give it a whack with your knife and twist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scoop the flesh out of the avocados by running a large spoon around the inside of the rind. Then, mash it up in a bowl. I used a potato masher, but you could also use a fork. One of my avocados wasn’t as ripe as I would have liked, and I had quite a few chunks left. So, I chose to work the avocado through a mesh strainer.

 

 

 

 

 

It was extra work, but I wanted a super smooth consistency for a first food. Here’s what I ended up with. After this pic, I added some water to make it runnier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly, I mashed the bananas in a bowl. Like the avocados, I then worked the bananas through a mesh strainer, and ended up with this – a very runny bowl of bananas, without adding any water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All I had to do from there was add the food to my containers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready for the freezer!
Filed Under: Being Green at Home, From the Kitchen, Infant Health, Kid Friendly Recipes, Living Green, Made from Scratch Recipes, Other Ways to Save, Saving Money Tagged With: , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Living Green: Making the Switch to Cloth

August 19, 2011 By 1 Comment

When I first got out of college, I knew that I wanted to be a more environmentally conscious person, but I felt overwhelmed to think of where I was versus where I wanted to be. My husband and I started taking baby steps, and while we still have big dreams for eco-friendly living in the future, I am proud of how far we have come.

One of the small steps along the way occurred to me about two years ago. I have always struggled with seasonal allergies. Over the course of my life, I have probably already consumed far more than my fair share of Kleenex. I’m also the kind of person who never has any on hand! I don’t know what caused the light bulb to come on for me, but a couple of years ago it suddenly occurred to me that I could become a person who used handkerchiefs. Truly, it was a revelation.

I became a hankie person immediately. I remembered that my husband had gotten some handkerchiefs in his stocking the previous Christmas which he never used. So that was my starting place. While I was on a trip visiting home, my Grandma noticed me using a handkerchief and said, “Oh! I’ve been waiting for years to find someone to give these to,” and off she went to her bedroom. She emerged with a whole pile of very old, very lovely hankies. I love them. Recently she bought me a whole new stash of bright, patterned ones. I try to have a hankie with me at all times now—which has come in handy in my first year of motherhood, let me assure you!

After I made the switch to hankies, I realized how easy it would be to make the switch in the kitchen, too. I had my mom make me a bunch of cloth napkins, which we have been using pretty exclusively ever since.

Replacing paper towels altogether takes a little more planning, but it can be done. I highly recommend stocking up on microfiber cloths. They are highly absorbent, which is not something of which every kitchen towel or cloth napkin can boast.


There is neither time nor space here to talk about cloth toilet paper, but let me give you the heads-up:  It’s out there and there are people who have made the switch. Once you have put your baby in cloth diapers, it’s not such a stretch.

Wherever you’re at on the eco-friendly journey, there is a place for you on the switching-to-cloth spectrum. It is yet another example of how living green and thrifty living can come together.
Filed Under: Being Green at Home, Home & Family, Keeping It Clean, Living Green, Other Ways to Save, Saving Money Tagged With: , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

How We Save Money on Our Electric Bill

August 18, 2011 By 3 Comments

Occasionally, I’ll hear friends or relatives mention how much their electricity bill was this month, and I smile a little inside because I know mine is lower. Not that having a lower electric bill is a competition, but it does feel good when I see that the effort we’ve put into paying less each month is working. If you’re wondering how to pay less for electricity, here are a few things we do around our house to save:

We started when we bought the house. Built in the 1940s, our little place needed some big upgrades. We insulated the attic and replaced all the windows to seal up the house nice and tight. We also put in an energy efficient furnace. We didn’t live in the home before making these improvements, so I can’t make a comparison, but by comparing our electric bill to other families’, I’m convinced that these upgrades had a huge impact on our energy bill.

A smaller improvement we made right away was installing a $100 programmable thermostat. With it, we can set the temp to stay warmer in the house while we’re away in the summer, or cooler while we’re out during the winter. This was especially useful when I worked outside the home; I would set it to reach the comfortable temp an hour before we got home. We also have the thermostat programmed to stay cooler/ warmer while we’re asleep.

A no-cost change is to lower the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees. Sorry, I can’t help you with how to do this. My dad (the handiest guy I know) did it for me. He said it’s easy, though. I’ve also heard of wrapping the hot water heater with an insulated blanket, but I haven’t tried that.

Use less hot water. I take short showers. I’m not certain if that’s to save money or because I’m a mama who’s lucky to squeeze in a quick one while the babies aren’t screaming. Only run the dishwasher when it’s full (why do dishes more than you have to?).


We also switched all our light bulbs to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). I’m not arguing their effectiveness, but honestly, our experience with them has been hit or miss. Some we’ve installed have burnt out after one a couple weeks. Others, though, have lasted much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Maybe it depends on the brand; I haven’t quite figured that out, yet.

One day, I’ll have all energy-star appliances. For now, I don’t. We bought all our appliances when we moved in as newlyweds, and the objective was cheap, cheap, cheap.

These changes will not only help your reduce your bills, but you’ll also be living a little greener.

Photo courtesy of Lydia.
Filed Under: Being Green at Home, Living Green, Lowering Utility Costs, Saving Money Tagged With: , ,
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Do It Yourself: Make Your Own Shampoo

August 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Nearly a year and a half ago I jumped on the ‘poo-free bandwagon. Going shampoo-free is a movement that is growing in popularity, although it is not a new idea. The theory behind living without shampoo is that the soap in shampoo dries out your scalp’s natural oils. When that happens, your scalp responds by creating excess oil, which then causes you to want to wash your hair more often, and so on.

I had two main motivations for giving up shampoo (and conditioner): (1) to save money, and (2) to switch to more natural products. The longer I live, the less excited I am about rubbing substances into my skin that I cannot pronounce. Something in me says, “Warning! Lay off the unidentifiable substances, please!”

For those of us who have dispensed with shampoo and conditioner, our new cleansers and conditioners are made from baking soda and vinegar. The baking soda mixture replaces shampoo and the apple cider vinegar mixture replaces conditioner. Baking soda and vinegar go together like ice cream and apple pie; I don’t recommend one without the other. Baking soda alone will make your hair feel like straw.

If you are ready to try it out, here are a few tips before you get started. First locate two squeeze-bottle containers. I saved two agave containers after the agave was used up. They are the perfect size and have the necessary squeeze-able top. Honey, ketchup, mustard — any of these squeeze-able plastic bottles would work. Next, prepare yourself: It’s going to take your scalp a week to adjust to the new system. Your hair is going to be as greasy as it has ever been for at least five days. For this reason, I made the switch while we were on vacation; no one from my normal life had to experience the transitional phase!


After you have found some containers, make up your mixtures. Ratios of baking soda and water will vary according to your hair type. If you have “normal” hair (not oily and not dry), start out by trying a ratio of two tablespoons of baking soda to one cup of water. Shake your bottle vigorously before each use. For your conditioner, try mixing ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water.

Perfect recipes are not necessary for this to work! I heard about the system but never read up on the details and ended up using equal parts baking soda, vinegar, and water for over a year—and my hair still looked and felt fine! Experiment widely until you find ratios that work for you.

I haven’t used shampoo for a year and a half and my hair looks as good as it ever did. If anything, I have experienced a little more body, and my natural curl is slightly more prominent now. I recommend giving it a try. You’ve got very little to lose and lots of money to save in the process.
Filed Under: Being Green at Home, Home & Family, Keeping It Clean, Living Green, Other Ways to Save, Saving Money Tagged With: , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Do It Yourself: Cleansing Your Face with Oil

August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Some folks will never make it past the title; cleansing your face with oil?! I know what you’re thinking. Some of you are cringing and protesting. The thought of lathering up your face with a dollop of olive oil makes you shiver. Nevertheless, there is a growing contingent of people who have taken the plunge and have found it quite refreshing.

The theory behind the switch to oil is that soap, aided by all of those ingredients you cannot pronounce in your regular facial products, actually makes your skin problems worse. When you dry out your face’s natural oils with soap, your face responds by creating an overabundance of oil, and so you use more soap, and so your face produces more excess oil, etc. All the while, all those big corporations are making big bucks off of this vicious cycle.

The trick, then, is to cleanse your skin of the bacteria that causes blemishes, not just to dry it out. After cleansing your skin with oil, you remove the oil with a hot wash cloth, and in just a few weeks your skin will be softer and clearer than ever.

Now, I’m not actually telling you to go to your kitchen and apply to your face whatever oil you happen to find there. That really would be pretty gross! Rather, I’m asking you to get the right ingredients and create a spa for yourself in your own home.

Your cleansing solution will require two ingredients: a cleansing oil and another oil to blend it with. Castor oil is recommended for your cleansing oil. The other oil can range from plain old olive oil to sunflower or safflower oil. Since this is a thrifty mom’s site, I won’t go into all the other expensive oils you could choose from.


The next thing you need to know is that in order for this to work, you’re going to have to keep your oil container really clean. I use a tiny glass vase. When I use up my solution, I put the vase in the dishwasher to sterilize it, and then I make a new batch. If you want a lid on your solution, save your vanilla container next time you go through one, and then use it for your oil cleanser.

Your solution will be unique to you. I recommend starting out with a mixture of 20% castor oil to 80% olive oil (or whichever oil you choose). The oilier your skin is, the higher percentage of castor oil you should use. No one would need equal parts, though. Too much castor oil can seriously dry out your skin. You’ll have to try this out over a number of weeks to tweak the solution to perfection. Only do an oil cleanse every other day or every three or four days, again, depending on your skin type.

When you are ready to cleanse, pull your hair back, run the water very hot, and pour about a nickel sized amount of your oil mixture on to your hand. Rub the oil in your hands and then begin spreading it generously on your face. I know it is counter-intuitive, but you will especially want to rub the oil vigorously on to the problem areas of your face, or if you have one of those painful bumps. Remember, the oil is cleansing your face.

After treating yourself to a little face massage, wet your wash cloth in water as warm as you can comfortably handle it. Wring it out, and then lay the cloth over your face. Don’t scrub your skin; gently wipe it with the hot cloth until the cloth has cooled. Repeat this process three to four times or until you think you have removed most of the oil.

Once you get used to the idea, cleansing your face in this way becomes a relaxing treat—a great way to calm your mind right before bed. And just wait and see: After you get hooked on oil, you’ll be saving tons of money and enjoying naturally beautiful skin all at the same time.
Filed Under: Being Green at Home, Home & Family, Keeping It Clean, Living Green, Other Ways to Save, Relax! Get Your Spa On, Saving Money, Time for Mom Tagged With: , , , , ,
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Do It Yourself: Laundry Detergent

August 15, 2011 By 2 Comments

A couple of years ago, some friends introduced me to the idea of making my own laundry detergent. I’m up for anything that is a cheaper, more natural option, so I was on board right away. I’ve never looked back.

You can find many laundry detergent recipes online. I prefer doing a dry mix because it takes only a few minutes to prepare, as opposed to the liquid mix which involves boiling water and mixing in bulk.

The advantages of do it yourself laundry soap are many. Number one: it’s cheaper. A name-brand detergent at the grocery store costs $10 for 70 ounces. The ingredients I use for my homemade laundry detergent cost half that price, and I use less of my own stuff per load. The bottom line is that homemade laundry detergent can cut your laundry detergent bill in half.

Another great advantage of making it yourself is that the individual ingredients all have multiple uses. I love to have products around that can be inter-changed. Borax, washing soda, baking soda, and bar soap all have multiple uses in addition to being the ingredients for homemade laundry detergent.

For those of us with sensitive skin, homemade laundry detergent is a dream come true because it is fragrance-free and dye- free. If you so choose, it can be an entirely natural concoction. Because saving money is one of my goals, I don’t buy all-natural bar soaps for my concoction, however the Borax and Washing Soda are all natural.


One barrier to making your own laundry detergent is the idea that making it will consume a lot of time. I have not found that to be the case. When we start to get low, it takes me about five minutes to whip up a new batch, and it is easy as can be. Here is my recipe:

  • 1 cup Borax
  • 1 cup Washing Soda
  • 1 bar of soap
  • Finely grate the bar of soap into a container with a lid. Add one cup of Borax and one cup of Washing Soda; mix. For an extra boost, add a teaspoon of baking soda. Store for later use.

When you are ready to wash your clothes, you will need to start your water on a warm or hot setting in order to melt the soap. Add two teaspoons of your homemade detergent to the washing machine for a normal, large load; you can add slightly more for a very soiled load. After a few moments, turn it to your desired temperature, and then add the clothes. For a natural fabric softener, add some apple cider vinegar. You will have to remind yourself that suds do not equal “clean”; your natural detergent will not have suds. Nevertheless, it will be working!

My family and friends have really enjoyed the switch. My neighbor claims that this method has been much easier on her husband’s sensitive skin, and that it has also helped remove the ammonia smell from her child’s cloth diapers. As for my family, we enjoy the savings—especially with our new addition to the family! Each child seems to have an exponential effect on a family’s dirty laundry.

Whether your goal is living green or saving money, do it yourself laundry detergent will be right up your alley.
Filed Under: Being Green at Home, Home & Family, Keeping It Clean, Living Green, Other Ways to Save, Saving Money Tagged With: , , , ,
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Natural Home Remedies for Baby

August 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As a mom, it’s easy to get caught up in all the “must-have” baby products, especially when you receive every type of cream, lotion and medicine on the market at your baby shower. We shouldn’t forget, though, about the tried and true home remedies for baby. Here are some natural options for a few common baby ailments:

Cradle Cap

Cradle cap is extremely common in babies. It’s sort of a baby dandruff, characterized by redness and scales on the scalp and face. It will go away with time, but until it does, it can be a real nuisance. Don’t buy an expensive cream before trying a natural remedy for a fraction of the cost.

Wash your baby’s hair more often. When you wash it, add a small amount of olive oil. Lightly massage the oil into baby’s head, and use a soft-bristled brush to work the flakes away. Continue as needed.

Constipation

My first child had recurring bouts of constipation as a baby, and our family doctor always advised against giving him any laxatives. Apparently, children’s digestive systems can grow dependent on them to function properly. Fiber is the key to keeping constipation away.

Prune juice is the best remedy for baby’s constipation. Water it down, so it isn’t too potent for your baby. I use a one-to-one ratio of juice to water. If your baby really doesn’t like the taste of prune juice and won’t drink it, add it to another fruit juice. Straight apple juice or grape juice should also help relieve constipation.  Feed your baby foods high in fiber, such as beans, lentils, peaches, apricots, plums and spinach.

Try this homemade remedy: Mix baby oil with 1 or 2 drops chamomile oil and rub on your baby’s tummy to help with digestion and gas.


Colds

Babies will inevitably get a cold or two, yet we aren’t supposed to give them decongestants. None of us, including babies, can cure our colds, but we can try to ease their symptoms. Place a cool mist humidifier in your baby’s room while he sleeps. Or, sit in the bathroom with your baby for 10 to 15 minutes while a hot shower runs. Steam will help thin mucus and relieve congestion. Avoid giving your baby milk while he has a cold. Milk will only thicken the mucus and make congestion worse. Give baby plenty of other fluids, especially water.

Try this homemade remedy: Rub a mixture of lavender, camphor and olive oils on your baby’s chest to ease chest congestion.

Photo courtesy of Clare Bloomfield.
Filed Under: Chemical Safety, Family Health, First Aid, Home & Family, Infant Health, Living Green, Other Ways to Save Tagged With: , , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Compost Made Easy

August 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I’ll never forget how amazed I was the first time I turned over a shovelful of my compost pile and saw that it had become dirt! What a miracle! All those banana peels, coffee grounds, egg shells, and veggies I had thrown on the ground had mysteriously turned into dirt. And not just any dirt—dirt that was moist and dark and smelled great; it was soil that any plant could thrive in.

Soil is simply organic material that has been broken down and transformed. The kind of soil your food grows in determines how healthy your food will be. Vegetables that grow in good soil provide more nutrients for your body. Animals that graze on plants that grew in nutrient-rich soil will become healthier meat some day. Soil is really the building block of our nutrition—of our health. Healthy soil makes for healthy people!


For all those reasons and many more, making your own compost is a great idea. Here’s the thing you should know about it: it is SO easy! It doesn’t have to be stinky; it doesn’t take up a lot of room. And, at my house, we have never known our compost pile to attract rodents. It is easy; you just need to know a few things about it before you begin.

  1. You don’t need to collect compost out in the open; get a gallon freezer bag and start collecting your compost scraps in it. Freezing compost first is actually really good for it. It starts breaking it down right away.
  2. This one is really important: As far as food items go, you can only compost RAW fruits and vegetables. Do not clean out your fridge and dump leftovers in your compost pile! That is a sure way to draw the rodents. You CAN compost: raw fruit and vegetable scraps, tea leaves, coffee grounds, egg shells/eggs, peanut shells, nuts and beans, and any plant or flower (e.g. after your cut flowers wilt or if you prune your indoor or outdoor plants).
  3. You can compost vines and stalks (e.g. after you prune or harvest your garden in the fall); however, if you can mulch those items first, it will greatly help your cause. Otherwise it will take so long for these hardier items to break down, that it will really be a nuisance.
  4. The items you compost from your house are known as “green” items. An effective, fast-acting compost pile will also require “brown” items. Brown items include straw, grass clippings, leaves, or any natural item that will help aerate the compost. Experts recommend alternating layers of brown and green items. They also recommend watering your compost pile and turning it  regularly; we use a pitchfork to do this at my house.
  5. A fast-acting compost pile should be a minimum of three feet wide by three feet deep by three feet high.
  6. Final tip: using all of these tips will help you have a fast-acting, P.h. balanced compost pile. However, remember, if you throw veggie scraps on a pile of dirt, you will have compost in a few weeks! Compost happens naturally and is pretty hard to mess up.

I have been composting for three years now, and I will never go back. I positively cringe to throw away an apple core or a banana peel at someone’s house now. Those items are pure gold!

 
Filed Under: Container Gardening, Flower Gardening, Great Gardening, Herb Gardening, Living Green, Organic Gardening, Vegetable Gardening Tagged With: , , , ,
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Save on Kids’ Clothes by Swapping

August 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Isn’t it always a little bit sad when your child grows into the next clothing size? Sure, knowing that she’ll never be that small again brings out sentimental mommy feelings, but what really hurts me is:

1)  remembering how much I paid for an outfit versus the short period my child wore it; and

2)  knowing I have to now spend more money for clothes in the next size up.

I love hitting sales and using coupons as much as the next mom, but now I’ve really found a way to save money on kids’ clothing: swapping! I’m talking about a clothing exchange site called ThredUP. There are others, but this is the one I’m recommending because I’ve personally used it.

How Does It Work?

Everything on ThredUP is by-the-box. That box is the medium size flat-rate shipping box from the US Postal Service. The boxes are completely free, and ThredUP automatically has some sent to your house when you sign up. You can also get them free at the post office.

Picking a box is so much fun! It’s like shopping. You can browse all the boxes according to gender, size, brand name or anything you feel like searching. Each listing includes a description of its contents, including types of clothing (onesies, pants, dresses, etc.) and brands.

You’re simply asked to keep your “balance” even. After you pick a box, make sure you list one, so another mom can benefit from the clothes your kids have outgrown. I was able to get clothes for my new twins by swapping clothes that no longer fit my older child. You aren’t limited to just clothes; you can stuff the box with books, toys, maternity, Halloween costumes…you get the idea.


What Does It Cost?

OK, ThredUP is not completely free. However, in my experience, the quality of what I’ve received has been well worth the small amount you have to pay. Plus, I haven’t found any online freecycling options that work for me, since I live in a very rural area (one stoplight in my entire county, which isn’t in my town).

Each “pick” costs $5.00, plus the cost of shipping. You only pay shipping to receive a box – never to send one. I have three kids aged three and under who are growing like weeds, and clothes swapping has saved me a tremendous amount of money. It’s fun, too!

*BONUS: If you sign up through my ThredUP referral link, you’ll get a free $5.00 for your first pick!

Swapping is economical, easy and green. It’s just another way for us mamas to help each other out. Happy swapping!
Filed Under: Deals and Steals, Living Green, Other Ways to Save, Recycling, Saving Money Tagged With: , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Types of Cloth Diapers Explained

July 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Once I learned about the benefits of cloth diapers and decided that I was going to use them on my new twins, the next step was to figure out which types of cloth diapers to use. And wow, the options were overwhelming. Each type has its pros and cons, and only you can choose which is best for your family. Many moms (including me) opt to buy some of each type to see what they like, before committing. I’m hoping to help make your decision a little easier by offering this beginner’s guide to the various types of cloth diapers:

Prefold With Cover

This is the most old school and economical cloth diapering system. A prefold is a rectangular cotton diaper that has been folded multiple times and stitched together so there are many layers of fabric down the middle, so that it’s most absorbent where it counts. The prefold is put on the baby and secured with a Snappy (a handy accessory that replaces diaper pins). A waterproof cover goes over the prefold to keep baby’s clothes dry. Covers are available with either Velcro-like or snap closures. Green Mountain Diapers makes some of the best cloth diapers of this type, and Thirsties makes my favorite covers.

Pocket Diaper

A pocket diaper is similar to a disposable diaper in shape and how it’s put on baby. There is an opening – or pocket – inside the diaper, where you add absorbent inserts. You can choose how many and what type of inserts to use, which allows you to vary the absorbency, depending on how heavy of a wetter your baby is. Pocket diapers are also available with either Velcro-like or snap closures. You can also buy “one-size” pocket diapers, which adjust to fit babies from birth through potty training. Some of the most popular pocket diapers are made by bumGenius and Fuzzibunz. Budget options include Sunbaby and Kawaii diapers.

All-in-One

All-in-one diapers are the most like disposable diapers in design and use. They are just like pocket-diapers, except there is an absorbent panel sewn down the middle of the diaper. Some have a pocket as well, allowing you to add more absorbency when needed. These tend to be the most daddy and caregiver-friendly, but some people don’t like how long they take to dry. They also are the most expensive type of cloth diaper. BumGenius also makes all-in-one diapers, as do Swaddlebees and Ragababe, among others.

All-in-Two

As the name suggests, an all-in-two diaper is made of two pieces: a waterproof cover and an absorbent soaker that snaps down the middle of the cover. When you change the diaper, you can simply replace the soaker, as long as the cover isn’t soiled. Popular makers of this system are Flips, Bestbottom, GroVia and gDiapers.

Photo courtesy of Moohaha.
Filed Under: Home & Family, Infant Health, Living Green, Other Ways to Save, Saving Money, Toddler Health Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page
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