Friday, May 24, 2013

Flats Challenge Day Five

What is working for me? What isn't?

Honestly, I chose one method of washing (camp washer) and one method of drying (drying rack indoors with a fan) and it's been working really well for me.  I may even be getting my diapers and wipes a bit cleaner than my machine as I've noticed that my cloth wipes are absorbing liquid faster.  Perhaps it's that I can tell that I've rinsed all the soap out by the lack of suds in the bucket and my machine is leaving some soapy residue behind.  I don't know for sure, but I may be making adjustments to my machine washing routine after this challenge.

I've tried different methods of softening my flats after they hang to dry.  Twisting and scrunching them as though I'm trying to wring out water works well, but is tiring on the hands.  Holding them by one corner and pulling them through my tightly clenched fist is not so hard on the hands, but I can't help but think of the sweat and skin cells I'm leaving behind on his nice clean diapers.  Beating them against the crib rail a couple times is my favorite way to soften them up.  I hold one side bunched up in my hand and "whip" the rail a few times.  Then I switch to the opposite side and "whip" the rail a few more times.  Now I've got nice soft flats and my hands don't hurt at all.

We haven't deviated much from our normal diapering routine.  Before the Flats Challenge, we used pad-folded flats laid in covers and fastened on during the day and a large prefold with a hemp doubler at night.  These past four nights I've used a pad-folded flat laid in a kite-folded flat and fastened with Boingos.  This has been plenty of absorbency for us, though if he nurses a lot during the night his diaper is pretty darned soaked under the cover.

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