Wool: Part 1

I have found a new love that I haven't even shared with you yet.  It feels like forever that I've done a post on diapers.  In fact, I wrote this last week and haven't had a chance to take some super cute pics to add to this, but that never happened.  Time got away from me.

So, you want to know what my new obsession has been for the last few months? 

Wool!  I even love fitteds now, too.  I wish I had listened to everyone sooner and tried wool long ago. 

E wearing wahm knit shorties.

I had tried fitteds last year, but didn't really get the point of them.  I tried them with PUL covers, and it was like putting on 2 diapers under his shorts.  It was just too much.  So in January, I tried another fitted, the Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted with a PUL cover for overnight.  That didn't turn out so well.  The microfiber caused major stink.  So I sold them and moved on.  I kept using a pocket with a gflapper, but wasn't very happy with it anymore.  It seemed E needed something better for all night.

My wool love started with a visit to the Just Between Friends Consignment Sale in Fort Worth last spring.  I found a pair of lightweight green wool shorties for $6(!).  So I figured, what the heck?  For $6 if I don't like them it's no big loss.  Everyone had told me that wool and fitteds were bulletproof for overnight, but I was skeptical and wasn't sure about it.  Wool is what I wear in the winter, so wouldn't they just be hot?  We live in Texas, not Canada!


I also thought that wool would be hard to care for.  They have to be handwashed (I hate handwashing anything!).  And lanolized.  I thought that was just too much work.  But for $6, I'd give it a try.  In the back of my mind I just knew I wouldn't like it.

I held on to the wool for several weeks before even opening the bag it came in.  I finally did, and then lanolized them.  I had bought some Eucalan wool wash, and just used some spare Lansinoh brand lanolin that I had leftover from the early nursing days.  I line dried them in the bathroom.  I was surprised when they were still damp 2 days later. 

When they were finally dry, I put a spare fitted diaper that I had laying around under the wool.  E didn't seem to mind it at all.  I thought, okay, maybe this isn't so bad.  When it came time to change his diaper, the wool was still dry on the outside.  I guess I was a little skeptical and thought it wouldn't really be waterproof.  But it was.



Interlock wool
Wild Child Woolies



So I decided to break down and buy some wool and a fitted for overnight.  At a trip to Babies Bottoms & More, I bought a Tiny Tush wool cover and a Tiny Tush Trim fitted diaper.  I figured I would add a gFlapper to it and it would be good for overnight. 

But I didn't get the chance to try it for a couple months.  I didn't lanolize the wool right away, and then Ryan and I were in our motorcycle accident.  Life was turned upside down for awhile, and my mom took over diaper laundry.  So E continued to wear a pocket with an added gflapper for overnight.

Once I was feeling a little better, I lanolized the wool and waited the few days it took to dry (which is my biggest complaint about wool -- the long dry time).  Then I put the Tiny Tush fitted on him (with the trusty gflapper) under the Tiny Tush wool.  The next morning, I knew we had finally found the best night time option.

Why didn't I listen to everyone sooner?!

I immediately went on a search for new fitteds.  I also bought my first Sustainablebabyish (aka Sloomb, aka Sbish) wool and fitteds (and this, too!) from Baby Rear Gear.  Elise, the owner, warned me that the Sbish sized fitteds run a little small, so I ordered the large.  She was right, it does run small, but it is my favorite fitted for overnight!!  I do not have to add any inserts, it is plenty absorbant enough for all night.  I now have 3, and absolutely love them!  The snapless multi is also very absorbant, and good for overnight (though I do add a gFlapper for that).



Custom Shorties by Fluffabebe.



I have added to E's wool and fitted stash.  In fact, I sold literally half of my stash of pockets and AIO's to make room for fitteds and wool.  I found Little Fancy Pants fitteds, which, next to Sbish, are my favorites.  I also found FluffaBebe woolies.  She is local, and shared her brand new business when I asked on the DFW Cloth Diaper Group's page asking about wool.  In fact, the green woolie and the shorties you see on her Etsy page belong to E:)

I do not find the wool hard to care for.  In fact, it's easier than the diapers!  While we are at home and at night, E wears fitteds and wool.  Out of the house he still wears pockets or AIO's, since they fit better under his regular shorts.  But in this heat, the wool is breathable and keeps his bottom cool.  He's had some nasty rashes from his very acidic teething poo, and the fitteds with wool have helped clear those up quickly (with my favorite rash remedy, Grandma El's!) since the heat is not trapped in the diaper.

I'm glad I finally broke down and tried wool.  My only regret is that I didn't try it sooner.

I will explain how to care for wool (complete with pics!) in an upcoming post!