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Kanga Care is currently looking for creative writers to share their cloth diapering experiences on our blog.  If you'd like to become a contributor, please fill out this Guest Blogger Application and we'll be in contact with you about your first submission.

Curious about what we're looking for?  Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• General cloth diapering tips
• Multiples in cloth diapers
• How to wash cloth diapers
• Traveling with cloth
• Advice for newbies
• Potty training your little one
• Cloth diapers while in daycare
• Babysitting a child that uses cloth diapers

Have other ideas for blog topics?  We're open to hearing them and reading your articles.

Images: Please be sure to submit an image with your blog post that is relevant to your topic.  All images submitted must be free of copyright.

Click here to visit our website and start guest blogging for Kanga Care!

Decoding the Mommy Blog

If you're new to cloth diapering, you've likely found some of the many online cloth diapering forums or popular mommy blogs in your research. Some sites are extremely helpful, hilarious and supportive. But they can also be really confusing if you're new to the cloth diapering lingo! For example,

"BTW, MIL thinks it's crazy that I NIP. IMO, she's the crazy one! Thankfully, DH agrees and totally supports me BF-ing the LO!"  

This translates to:

"By the way, my mother in law thinks it's crazy that I nurse in public. In my opinion, she's the crazy one! Thankfully, dear husband agrees and totally supports me breastfeeding the little one!" 

If' you've ever felt confused while reading any of those sites, here's a quick little reference tool to help decode mommy blogs!

• AIO: All In One Diaper (like a Lil Joey)
• AF: Aunt Flo
• AFK: Away From Keyboard
• AP: Attachment Parenting 
• BF: Breastfed or Breastfeed
• BIL: Brother In Law
• BM: Breastmilk
• BTDT: Been There, Done That
• BTW: By The Way
• CD: Cloth Diaper
• CPF: Chinese Prefolds
• DD: Dear Daughter
• DH: Dear Husband
• DP: Dear Partner
• DS: Dear Son
• DSQ: Diaper Service Quality
• DW: Dear Wife
• EBF: Extended Breastfeeding or Exclusive Breastfeeding
• EC: Elimination Communication
• FIL: Father In Law
• FOE: Fold Over Elastic
• FWIW: For What It’s Worth
• FYI: For Your Information
• HTH: Hope This Helps 
• IMHO: In My Humble Opinion, In My Honest Opinion
• IMO: In My Opinion 
• IPF: Indian Prefold
• IRL: In Real Life
• ISO: In Search Of
• ITA: I Totally Agree
• KWIM: Know What I Mean?
• LLL: La Leche League
• LMBO: Laughing My Butt Off
• LO: Little One (baby or child)
• LOL: Laughing Out Loud
• MIL: Mother In Law
• NAK: Nursing At Keyboard
• NIP: Nurse In Public
• OC: Organic Cotton
• OS: One Size
• OTOH: On The Other Hand
• PM: Private Message
• PUL: Polyurethane Laminate
• ROTFLMBO: Rolling On The Floor Laughing My Butt Off
• SAHD: Stay At Home Dad
• SAHM: Stay At Home Mom
• SIL: Sister In Law
• TIL: Today I Learned
• TPU: Thermoplastic polyurethane (laminate used by KangaCare) 
• TTC: Trying To Concieve
• TTO: Tea Tree Oil
• TTYL: Talk To You Later
• UBCPF: Unbleached Chinese Prefolds
• WAHD: Work At Home Dad
• WAHM: Work At Home Mom
• WOHM: Work Out Of The Home Mom
• WWYD: What Would You Do?

Here are a few that we made up:

• RAR: Rumparooz - as in this.
• BWRS: Baby-wearing rock star
• FF: Fluff Fanatic
• WNSA: Who Needs Sleep Anyway?
• AURD: Always Use a Recommended Detergent
• MMTWGR: Mamas Make the World Go Round
• KCHGYC: Kanga Care Has Got You Covered

Did we forget your favorite? If you have any to add (real or made up!), list them below in the comments!

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Is Your Partner Skeptical About Cloth Diapering?

Nothing bonds a couple like welcoming a new little soul into the world together, but, not all couples see eye to eye when it comes to cloth diapering. If your partner isn't convinced, here are a few pointers to help move the discussion along from one of our cloth diaper experts and Kanga Care Guest Bloggers, Marie-Etta Collins of CheerfulHomemaker.com!

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I was pregnant with my son when the topic of cloth diapers came up. We were planning for me to stay at home and were looking for ways to save money. I was not familiar with cloth diapers but was pleasantly surprised to see how modern and simple they looked. I was sold. There was only one little problem, my husband was not on board.

Like a lot of people, my husband had his reservations:

• Would this really save us money? 
• Were they really as easy to use as disposables? 
• And most importantly: What about the poop?

Here are some common misconceptions about cloth diapers:

MYTH: Cloth diapers are more difficult to use than disposables.

FACT: Modern cloth diapers are just as simple to use as disposable diapers.

Cloth diapers have come a long way since the days of plastic pants and diaper pins. These days, the variety of styles available boggles the mind! You can use everything from prefolds and covers to all-in-ones, like this super easy to use Lil Joey pictured above. If you go with something like a Rumparooz pocket diaper or all-in-one, changing your baby's diaper is as easy as disposables!

The wash and care of cloth diapers is simple, too. Since they don't have any weird-smelling chemicals like disposables, since solid waste is flushed and since you don't have to wait a week for the trash to be picked up, cloth diapering ensures that odor is not an issue. If you do have odor issues, just toss them in the wash; problem solved! Anyone who has a newborn knows that doing a load of laundry is significantly easier than getting everyone out of the house to go buy more disposables!

My in-laws used cloth diapers on my husband and his sister. All he knew about were prefold diapers and plastic pants. He was flabbergasted when I showed him images of modern cloth diapers. All his life he had heard that cloth diapers were disgusting and a pain to use and here was proof that he was wrong.

MYTH: Cloth Diapers are expensive.

FACT: Cloth diapers offer significant savings over their disposable counterparts.

At first glance, seeing each cloth diaper's individual cost each can seem a bit daunting. After all, you need quite a few; 24 is the recommended number. Spending $500+ at once for diapers can be a bit overwhelming. If you use disposables, you will spend well over $1600 by the time you potty train your child, meaning, per child in cloth, you can save over $1000. If you use your cloth diapers for more than one child, the savings are increased.

We talked about using cloth diapers early on and were able to buy a few diapers at a time. While I was still working, I would take a little out of each paycheck and put it toward purchasing cloth diapers. Whenever I came across a great deal, I would use the money to make the purchase. By the time our son was born, we had a full stash of diapers. By purchasing a few at a time, we never had to use a huge chunk of our paycheck for them.

You can also create a registry or ask your family and friends to help you buy your cloth diaper stash instead of buying you dozens of receiving blankets and cute outfits that will only git for a couple weeks, anyway!

MYTH: You have to touch poop.

FACT: Poop happens.

If you spend any time changing diapers, it's likely that you will get poop on yourself at some point. This is a simple fact of parenting. It does not matter if you are using cloth diapers or disposables. Having experience with both kinds of diapers, I actually get poop on myself much less often with cloth diapers. Also, blow outs are almost non-existent with cloth diapers, whereas they are a fairly common occurrence for kids in disposables. For more on this pressing topic, see our post, "What About the Poop?!"

Cleaning the solid waste off of diapers does not have to be messy either. Many companies sell sprayers (pictured above) that attach directly to your toilet. This allows you to direct the mess into the toilet where it belongs without having to stick your hand into the bowl.

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In the end, I was able to convince my husband to give cloth diapers a shot after telling him about all of the money we would save. That, and the promise that he would never have to wash diapers. It took him a while to warm up to the idea, but now he tells people how great they are!

If your partner has objections, sit down and talk with them. Visit a cloth diaper boutique that offers Cloth Diaper 101 classes. Make a list of pros and cons about each kind of diaper and find the right one for you. Ask friends with experience what it is really like to use cloth diapers.

Was your partner skeptical about cloth diapering? Do you have a story of converting a cloth diaper skeptic into a cloth diaper evangelist? We want to hear about it! Share your story in the comments below!

How to Ruin a Cloth Diaper

By Kanga Care Guest Blogger: Elizabeth "Bert" Anderson, of First Time Mom

I have a confession. I, Miss Cloth Diaper Blogger, have ruined my cloth diapers. No, it wasn’t a manufacturing error; it was my own stupid fault. I am consoling myself with the fact that I know I'm not the only cloth diaper expert to destroy their own cloth diapers...

I read the instructions, I saw that I needed to “tumble dry low.” However, I assumed that that was more of a suggestion than anything else. Let me tell you: it’s not a suggestion. For one entire year I dried my pocket diapers for not one cycle, not two, but for three cycles! Not the best choice but I wanted to ensure the inserts had a chance to dry! Well, after one year of this unrecommended method, the laminate (that shiny, waterproof lining on the inside of the pocket) started to crack. I first noticed this problem when my son’s diapers started leaking in weird places like the very back of the bum, not even close to a leg where leaking is more common.

Lesson learned? Yes.

Now before we get started, a little note: Anyone who has ever seen a Kanga Care diaper in person can attest to their quality. Those things are built to last! But even they can be destroyed! Follow their care instructions and your Kanga Care diapers should last and last and look great. If you ever need help, you can contact customer service and they will be happy to help you!

This article isn't about Kanga Care diapers in particular, but they have been mercilessly destroyed by many of us, so, it does include them. So now that I've got that off my chest, let's talk about all the ways you can destroy your diapers!

There are lots of ways to ruin your diapers (including Rumparooz or ANY brand!):  

• Over-drying / drying on high heat. As I shared with you earlier, most cloth diaper care instructions say to tumble dry on low or no heat. This is to protect the waterproofing laminate within the cover, all-in-one, etc. Exposing the laminate to frequent high heat causes cracks in the laminate lining and can also melt the lining. One of my reader's said that her diaper literally melted inside her dryer. Imagine the clean up for that one! 

• Using the sanitize setting on your washing machine. Kanga Care uses TPU (waterproof material) instead of PUL. TPU uses a heat bonding process (instead of a chemical solvent) so the high heat on the sanitize cycle actually loosens the laminate from the fabric. Note: it is okay to use the sanitize cycle on inserts, but not on anything waterproof!
• Bleach! The harshness of bleach can really do a number on the elastic and waterproof lining of your cloth diapers. One mom told us that she accidentally left some prefold diapers in a bleach water solution for 36 hours! The prefolds just fell apart with use. So if a bleach water solution can do that to cotton imagine the damage it can do to the elastic and laminate! Bleach is unnecessary if you're using a recommended detergent anyway!  

• Washing machine agitator damage. The picture does not do it justice but look at the serious damage done to these inserts! A loose agitator on a washing machine was the culprit. The mom who sent us the picture bought these pre-owned diapers in “good condition.”  There were a few snags on the inserts but the more she washed it, the more ripped up it got! Make sure your machines are in top condition!

• Overwashing. As a general rule of thumb, a cloth diaper stash should be no less than 24 cloth diapers. A friend of mine learned this one the hard way. She bought 14 diapers hoping to save some money. With so few diapers, they had to be washed every day and within a year the hook and loop closures were destroyed, the pockets had delaminated and the elastic was useless. You wouldn't wash a bra every day for a year and expect it to survive! You wouldn't even wash a pair of jeans every day for a year and expect it to be the same pair of jeans after 300+ washes. Diapers aren't invincible either! Invest in great diapers and enough of them!
• Using non-compatible detergent. Not all detergents or diapers are equal! Make sure you read the care instructions for your particular brand of diapers. Detergents that have additives such as fabric softeners, borax, bleach, or any “free and clear” formulas are not cloth diaper friendly and can shorten the life of your cloth diapers. Through years of gathered data, Kanga Care has found that their products are most compatible with original Tide Ultra, Gain or powdered Ecover. If you choose to use a detergent not listed, then look for the following: 
• a) Detergents that contain enzymes (yes, really!) 
• b) Detergents free from fabric softeners, borax, bleach, and again any of the “free and clear” formulas 

• Diaper cream! A fellow cloth diapering mom I know took her daughter to daycare in a cloth diaper (big applause for the daycare for accepting cloth!). The daycare provider thought she was helping by applying zinc cream with each diaper change. Without using a liner to protect the diapers, she effectively waterproofed them. It took weeks of scrubbing and stripping to get the cream out, and the diapers never looked the same. 
  If you’ve made this mistake here’s what you’ll want to do to return your diaper to its waterproof state: 
• Hot wash of clean diapers using a squirt or two of original (blue) Dawn soap. Run the cycle until there are no bubbles visible. This should return your diapers to their pre-diaper rash cream state unscathed (fingers crossed!). If you've tried this and you're still having trouble, get in touch with Kanga Care for some expert cloth diaper help! 
  
• Oh poop! Most of us have at least one child in diapers, if not two. Therefore, it’s safe to say, we get less sleep than most people and tend to do dumb things we wouldn't do if we were allowed a decent night's sleep. One mom told us that she accidentally, without even thinking, tossed a diaper into her dryer with poop still in it! Not only did she have to clean the poop out of her dryer, but it was literally baked onto her diapers. (*gag*) After lots of washes, time spent in the sun and some (not recommended) stain remover, the diaper sort of looks the same. Plop the poop into the toilet immediately my friends. Again I say, plop! 
• Frequently line drying. Remember Newton’s law of gravity? Well, what goes up must come down! Hanging a diaper, heavy with water, tugs on the elastic and over time will stretch them out. If you don't want to tumble-dry low, then lay your diapers flat to dry.

• Machine-washing wool covers. Say it with me: Hand-wash wool. Wool doesn't go in ANY machine: washer or dryer! One of Kanga Care's own employees has banned her husband from washing the diapers after he accidentally shrunk FOUR hand-knit wool covers. Wool is super easy to care for: just toss them in the bath with your little one if they start to smell funky. The baby shampoo should be sufficient to clean the cover. Gently press the water out of the wool and lay them flat to dry overnight. That's all! 

• Too much sun! The sun is excellent at reducing stains as well as also acting as a natural disinfectant on your diapers, however, that same awesome strength from the UV rays can also damage the fibers on your diapers. We suggest using indirect sunlight when sunning your diapers because it’s gentler on the fibers and the UV rays that are present from sunlight can still do their job. Limit the time you let those diapers sun, too. 1 - 2 hours should do the trick.

• Fabric softener is a no-no! We get it. That soft and snuggly bear tells you that everything that touches your baby should be as soft as he is! But that little bear will waterproof your diapers! If you've done this, you can try stripping them with the Dawn method above and cross your fingers it works.
• Unusual drying methods... Once, a customer sent her diapers in to Kanga Care for snap repair. When they opened the package, they were astonished: the snaps had literally melted all over the place, stuck into the fibers of the diaper. The customer told them that her husband had laid the diapers on their wood stove to dry. Unfortunately, that is not covered by that snap warranty...
• Opening diapers with a little too much gusto. Often, when a customer needs a snap fixed, they need the same snap fixed on half of their stash. If you notice the same snap popping off on all your diapers, or if the Aplix is coming unstitched, then it might be a good idea to be a little more gentle when you change a diaper. (There's a reason Kanga Care gets the most snap repair claims with stay at home daddies...)

• Hungry dryers. Sometimes snaps can get chipped in dryers, or get stuck in a crack in your dryer, which then scrapes it off like this. To avoid this heartbreak, try snapping just one snap from each tab down so that they aren't flying around in the dryer. Since this isn't a manufacturer's error, it's technically not covered by the warranty, but Kanga Care is usually pretty awesome about snaps. Just don't tell them that you are positive that it wasn't your dryer that caused this... 

• Stain removers. It seems like a good idea at the time. After all, your diapers are stained and you have stain remover. But don't underestimate the power of products like Bac-Out! I mean they do remove some major stains, right? One cloth diaper mom told me that she used Bac-Out on every diaper. Over time, the laminate became cracked and the diapers leaked profusely. It’s okay to use Bac-Out and other products like it on your inserts but keep it away from anything waterproof! 
• Woops! Fluff in the garbage. This one sadly goes to a fellow cloth diaper blogger friend of mine, Polly. Polly told me that she accidentally threw a cloth diaper away! *Gasp!* I’m sure we can all relate. She was exhausted, had just moved and when she saw the diaper she absentmindedly pitched it in the trash. Guess we need a little more sleep, huh?

Now, if you're considering cloth diapering, don't let this spook you. Cloth diapering is super easy. It's just another load of wash! If you'd like a quick 101 of how to take care of your diapers to ensure that they will last and last, you can do so here!

Clearly, there are a lot of ways to ruin your diapers and most of us have done this at some point... Tell us how you did it in the comments below! 

Best Diaper Bags for Cloth Diapering Parents

By Kanga Care Guest Blogger: Julie Murphy, of MyClothDiaperStash.com

Cloth diapering parents have different needs in a diaper bag - namely, space to hold enough diapers! Remember that diaper bags get a LOT more use than a purse, so it's smart to invest in a quality bag that will survive years of hourly rummaging, sippy cups and toddlers.

If you're expecting a bundle of joy soon, you're probably getting a lot of baby gear from Santa this year. Add one of these to your list!

To make it easier for you, we've found the nicest, cutest, smartest most stylish bags for mamas of all types!

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For the "Green" Mamas

Dandelion Organic Diaper Bag

There are plenty of reasons to cloth diaper. Some do it because it's economical, others because fluffy butts are just adorable. But a lot of mamas choose cloth diapers because they prefer a more natural, ecologically kind method of diapering.

If you consider yourself a “green” mama, check out the super cute line of organic Dandelion diaper bags! They are spacious and study like a good canvas bag should be!

If you'd prefer an organic bag with a fun print, check out the Petunia Pickle Bottom Organic Cotton Sashay Satchel. This bag moves from satchel to backpack effortlessly and has beautiful earthy prints. I especially love the Adoring Autumn print!

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For the Sporty Mamas (Daddy approved!)

Scout Pack by Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bag

Not all daddies want to carry a bright pink, floral bag - even if they are totally wrapped around their little lady's finger. And not all mamas want to either! Thankfully, there are plenty of sporty options to suit.

While the chic yet sporty Heathered Gray Scout Pack by Petunia Pickle Bottom is on the smaller side, it is perfect for a quick run to the store or a play date at the park and comes with some essentials neatly stored away inside.

The Critical Mass Messenger Bag is another over the shoulder bag that has plenty of space for anything and everything dad will need all day long. It's not designed to be a diaper bag, but it would hold everything you need and last for years.

Caden Lane makes the Kyle Bowler diaper bag which- as the name might infer- looks somewhat like a bowling ball bag, which means there's plenty of room for cloth diapers. This bag has exterior pockets for accessories, a changing pad and a matching zippered sack.

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Perfect for Practical Mamas

Ju Ju Be's Be Prepared Diaper Bag

Who said practical has to be boring?? These are some smart, hard-working bags!

Ju-Ju-Be's Be Prepared diaper bag is one of the smartest diaper bags on the market. It opens up wide to make it easy to find everything you crammed in there! We love Ju Ju Be for lots of reasons (their prints are amazing!) but moreover, they are well-designed and incredibly well made. (Trust us. The ladies at Kanga Care have a collective dozen or so Ju Ju Be bags...)

Skip Hop makes a Grand Central Take it All Diaper Bag that will fit everything including the kitchen sink. This bag is perfect for a long day trip.

While the next diaper bag could fit into the category of sporty and daddy-friendly, the L.L. Bean Carryall Diaper Bag is also very spacious with built in organizational pockets and easy-to-clean fabric. You can also monogram it and choose from a variety of classic colors.

Petunia Pickle Bottom makes the Abundance Boxy Backpack which comes in multiple fabric options and has a huge main compartment and spacious pockets. There is also a build in zip out changing station with detachable changing mat.

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Ooh la la for Couture Mamas

Dapper Bags Longmont Diaper Bag

We all know that your diaper bag basically becomes your purse, so sometimes it's nice to have a diaper bag that can do double-duty: look stylish and perform well!

One of our favorites: Dapper Bag's Longmont bag (pictured). This bag is made of cowhide leather with a protective coating for durability. It has a convertible single strap which can double as backpack straps.

Tim and Leslie make super chic diaper bags that would be perfect for even the most stylish clothing diapering mama. Both the Hannah and Rachel Diaper Bags are sure to turn heads. These two bags are both made of faux leather and easy to clean with spacious interiors. They both come in different colors as well.

The Nest Diaper Bag makes a couture bag: Collins in Pacific Blue. This bag has convertible straps for the stroller and can be thrown over the shoulder. It is also spacious and very durable as it is made of glazed leather while the interior is water resistant.

Okay. We know. This adorable clutch wouldn't hold enough cloth diapers for a day out, but they are so beautiful, we just had to show you. The Marmalade Fondant Cake Cameo Clutch by Petunia Pickle Bottom features a fold-out, detachable, water-resistant changing pad, an embossed plastic Cake wipes case in coordinating color and a Cake monogrammed muslin dust cover that doubles as a reusable bag. In addition, it has a detachable wristlet that converts into shoulder strap. This bag is perfect for a special event where baby is invited, or just when you're feeling fabulous.

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Mamas just want to have fun! 

Ju Ju Be's BFF in Tokidoki Iconic

This last category is a personal favorite of Kanga Care's CEO, Julie Ekstrom. These bright, playful prints complement her sparkly personality and eye for design.

Check out the B.F.F. by Ju Ju Be in their TokiDoki Iconic print! This bag is loaded with features and has room for plenty of Rumparooz! This diaper bag will be your B.F.F. as it will carry all of your stuff in an ultra organized way and doubles as a conversation-starter! It can be worn as a back pack or a messenger bag.

For you hipster parents (we know you're out there!), Chrome makes a Custom Citizen Bag. Just mix and match your favorite colors to design your own unique bag. For anyone who lives in a big city, you've seen these on bike messenger around town - they survive incredible abuse for years (literally guaranteed for life) so they could definitely last through several kiddos.

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Whatever your style, there is a perfect cloth diaper bag for you out there! Tell us which bag is your favorite in the comments below!

Be a guest blogger for Kanga Care!

Kanga Care is looking for guest bloggers! If you'd like to review a product, share your brilliant thoughts on natural parenting or just make us laugh- we want to hear from you!

Love, Kanga Care

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