Help with wool !!!!!!!!!

Sarah - posted on 11/28/2008

Check out www.kiwipie.com

They have the best wool & cashmere diaper covers. Best of luck!!! The one-size fitted is awesome too and the fitted and cover make a great match!!!

Vilate - posted on 11/27/2008

I forgot to add that with wool covers you don't need to use an AIO or PUL diaper. You can use it over prefolds or bamboo, or hemp diapers which lends to more breathability! :)

Vilate - posted on 11/27/2008

k, i will try to remember all the ?'s and answer them! :) Yes, I love wool. I wish I had found it 6 kids ago.



K, It doesn't wick the wet from the diaper, it absorbes what wetness will come out though. The lanolin that you put onto the wool makes it so that the wetness won't come through, and it changes the pee into salt water as it dries, so you only need to wash them when they are soiled or the lanolin starts to wear out - if they still smell like pee after dry. Wool isn't magical, just scientific. My hubby is a scientist and has explained all this to me, but i am just happy to know that it works, I don't care how!



I take mine everywhere. I don't use a wet bag for them. They are never wet enough I really worry about it and just throw them in my diaperbag, and put on a dry pair. They are usually good for a few diaper changes. If fact I have used one longie all day before. If you are in dire straights you can rewear a slightly wet soaker it just over taxes the lanolin and will probably not last a month. I have 3 soakers and 6 longies I use for my baby. I have a couple neutral ones that match any shirt she has and then a few cute ones I have had to make shirts to match. they really have replaced her pants. She would rather wear them than her pants in fact!



The lanolin in the wool is what makes wool great for redness and chafing. The lanolin works like (but tons better than) a lotion. It is great for dry skin. My kiddos have all had dry skin, but my baby that I have used wool on I have never had any problems with it since we started using wool. They also don't rub like a diaper cover would they are more of a pants or shorts and not right there rubbing all day!



If you mean rashes on the bum, the quality that wool has is that it is breathable -yes it is a real word used in wool circles everywhere! :) It lets air in and out so that the moisture isn't locked on babies bum.



Also, I think that one day a month for great coverage is well worth it. It isn't too much work once you get into it, I usually wash 1/2 at a time, so I still have some to use. They only take about 45 min to wash and get them soaking in the lanolin. (At most!) Come on ladies you use cloth diapers, can you really ask about it being hard to use. How many of you have had the comment, "I can't believe you colth diaper, that sounds like so much work." really now ladies . . . :) It really isn't that hard to do and I love washing them. So, here is my little secret - I love to handwash them and watch the dirt and stains just fall off the wool. It is soo cool to put it in filthy and 3 minutes later it is as clean as the day you made/got it! hehehe!



So, did I answer any of your questions? i hope I have converted you 100%



If you ladies do the craft thing, I posted a link in the links to a site with tons of patterns, Sew, knit, and crochet. There are some good ones there, but if you want more specific, just ask, I'll share, or I'll make you one! just give me a color and a size, and Ii will get you a great one! :)







My hubby likes them because we haven't had one leak out since we started! really I don't know why someone wouldn't use wool.

Jenny - posted on 11/25/2008

Oh, and I rarely use wool when I go out, I think it's best for around the house and overnight. I will use it if it's just a quick trip out...but you're right- I think sticking my woolies in a wetbag would be gross!

Jenny - posted on 11/25/2008

I love love love my wool! I am new to CDing, we started about a month ago, and fitteds with wool are definitely my favorite kind of dipes. You can use wool instead of a PUL cover over any fitted diaper. If you leave the diaper on long enough (esp overnight), the wool will feel damp to the touch on the outside- BUT whatever the baby is sleeping/sitting on should not feel damp or wet at all. I'm not sure how this works- guess wool is just magical :).

Check etsy or hyena cart stores for some cute wool longies to start you out! I just kind of dove in and bought 2 pairs to try out (they came lanolized already), and I ended up loving them. How often you wash/re-lanolize depends on how many pairs you have and how often you're using them. I have 6 pairs that I use regularly, so I don't think I'll need to wash more than once a month, maybe less.

You do have to handwash, but like I said, it's not often. You can just do it in the sink, using a combo wool wash and lanolizer. They also make lanolin sprays if you need to touch up the lanolin (what makes it water proof) in between washings.

Good luck and I hope you love it just as much as I do!

Cory - posted on 11/25/2008

Another ?

Hehehe, looks like I opened a can of worms here. I think wool is very mysterious if you have never used it! But I love the Idea of the natural fabric and breathability (is that a word?)



When out and about, what do you do when you need to change. It seem s like putting it in the wet bag would make it icky. But not sure!!!???



I think I am going to by a cover I saw as soon as I figure out my baby girls measurements and just try it. The covers are just so cute.

Alexa - posted on 11/25/2008

I'm interested in wool as well. I use prefolds and Imse Vimse and Bummi covers--but my son tends to rash and get red and I've heard that wool or fleece covers may prevent that. Any insight?

Amber - posted on 11/25/2008

So Vilate, I'm sensing that you love wool ; ) I don't know much about it at all but it seems like a lot more work. However anytime someone feels that strongly about something I am certainly willing to get more information. Do you really want to draw the moisture out of the diaper? Doesn't that mean it's closer to mommy's lap? Talk to me as though I know nothing about the uses of wool, because I don't. Thanks

Vilate - posted on 11/24/2008

so, here you go this is the whole blurp on wool. Don't be scared it just looks long! :)



The best way to get best results from your wool is to wash in in luke warm water and baby soap, I use Johnson and Johnson, just a few squirts, or you can use wool wash. Then you just hand wash it, wring it out then on to lanolizing.

You need some lanolin, you can us the lanolish that is for breast feeding (but I find that the expensive way to go) I buy it in bulk-1 lb. on ebay.

Take one cup of water and microwave it for 3 min. add one tsp. of lanolin and a few squirts of baby soap (to help emulsify) then stir it until the lanolin dissolves. Add this to a lrg. bowl (not a good idea to do it in your sink, the fiber can clog your drain.) with luke warm water, stir around then put in your soaker. You will want to soak it for about 8hrs. and every so often you want to kinda massage in the lanolin into the soaker.

When the soaker is done soaking wring it out.

Next there are a few things you can do, you can use a towel and roll the soaker up in it tight and squeeze the water out. I don't like this method because I think the towel wicks away some of the lanolin.



I prefer to throw them in the washer on the spin cycle. Then hang them out to dry, outside if possible. The longer you can wait (8-24 hrs) before using the better, it is good to have a few to rotate. I have like 8, a few soakers and the rest longies since it is starting to get cold here.



Soakers usually only need to be lanolized one a month, unless they get soiled.

In the mean time when they get wet you just hang them up to dry, the lanolin changes the urine into salt water that just needs to dry out. If they get dirty, like food, or poo then you have to wash and relanolize.



I hope this helps, if you have any questions just ask! Good luck, I LOVE wool.



I have started to make some to sell on my etsy shop. I am sewing some more as we speak. I also do custome orders, so you can get just what you want. I do crocheted ones, and ones made from re-cycled sweaters. I don't have any crocheted ones up right now, but I am working on some. you can also go to my blog to see pictures of the crocheted one I just sold.

http://www.vilatesniftynook.etsy.com

http://www.vilatesniftynook.blogspot.com



To be more specific to your ?'s -

Yes you just put it on over the diaper of choice.

Nope, the wool absorbes and the lnolin makes it water proof, so that it won't leak through.

I go a month unless they are soiled!



If you have any other questions just ask, I love wool and I would love to help convert you.

Vilate - posted on 11/24/2008

wool is GREAT for little cloth bums - it's naturally absorbent, and WICKS the moisture away from the nappy (sorry, diaper). it naturally absorbs the odours, so smells less, and can be very very soft. there are lots of cloth communities out there with patterns (if you knit or crochet), or other wool vendors too. be forewarned... once you get into other nappies and covers, you will be ADDICTED. ;)



this is quoted form another thread!