Day Five

 The point of the Flats and Handwashing Challenge is to determine whether it is possible to handwash and use inexpensive flats.  In real life would people supplement with disposables or go to a friends or laundromat too?  Probably.  We are pushing the extreme end to prove that the real life scenario can be done.

Today's blog topic is "What Have I Learned So Far?"

 I have ditched the origami fold for the diaper bag fold.  It just seems to fit Sweet Pea better.  The first couple of times I used my Boingos I didn't really like them.  I switched to the Snappis.  But I went back, and as they got used, they got stretchier and worked better.  Also, they work better on the diaper bag fold than the origami.

 My milk supply took a dive today.  Not sure why.  I only had one cover and three flats to wash along with my overnight with inserts.  Very discouraging.  Not enough wet diapers for sure.  Back to pumping after every feed. (I already take 6 Fenugreek and drink 3 cups of Mother's Milk tea every day.)

 Today I left my cushy life of using my bathtub and readily hot water.  I gave up hanging my diapers indoors in my air conditioning.  I washed outside with my hose in the muggy weather.  This should give a better picture of how it would be to cloth diaper in a third world country (I even used all the water on my plants when I was done with it) or how it will be for me at camp this summer. Yup, going to be doing this for 2 weeks this summer at camp.

 I had some helpers tonight too.  We plunged and plunged and plunged...

 ...but those diapers were not coming clean.  Hmmm.

I finally used a stockpot to boil water and added it to my soapy-ness and they seemed to get a little cleaner. Still badly stained tonight.  I really think hot water is key in keeping them clean.  If you didn't have access to hot water like I do in my bathtub handwashing would get much much harder.  Snug took this totally attractive picture of me washing out on the deck tonight.  I had just gotten splashed when I plunged too vigorously.  This wouldn't have happened if I was using my bucket lid, but I find I can agitate MUCH more effectively without it.

The diapers are now out on the line "drying".  I did use a towel to help dry out my covers.  I rolled them up in the towel and then wrung them out.  This has definitely aided in the drying of my covers indoors, so I am going to HAVE to use it for outdoors.  I doubt they will be dry in the morning as it is seriously humid out there.  Having used so very few diapers today I will be fine for tomorrow, but not everyone is fortunate enough to have that many.

 I have learned so much this week.