The Goodmama One

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge cloth diapering advocate. Deciding to cloth diaper Ava was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I will probably cry when she learns to use the potty full time.

These same people also know how much I love my Goodmama diapers http://www.thegoodmama.com/
They are the only diapers we currently use and much to my husband's dismay, my obsession. A Goodmama diaper actually inspired the theme of Ava's 1st birthday party. Flamenco~ When I saw that beautiful red and black ruffle diaper I instantly knew it had to have a matching tutu.



I guess I would be considered a "collector" Yes I have more than enough diapers to cover a weeks worth of changes but there is always a print or two that would look adorable with a particular shirt or underneath a dress so I must have it LOL


I literally love my Ones. After I tried our first One, a beautiful Freshcut, I was instanly hooked. I converted our entire stash over to Ones with a sprinkling of fitteds.
When you love something as much as I love my Goodmamas you hate to see others struggle with them. So I decided that I would try to pass on some hints or tips on how we use our Ones and maybe that would help others who are having problems. Maybe they could fall in love wth their Ones they way we have =)

The major complaint I hear is leaking. The first question I always ask  "Did you prep it?" Without proper prepping the diaper will obviously leak. It has been suggested 5-6 hot washes minimum to prep them. Please note this is the minimum requirement, they will get more absorbent with each washing. I don't think anyone should spend an entire day washing and drying a dipe over and over again, unless you need it right away.  I usually will do 1-2 washes and then give it a try at home. Being home I don't mind if it leaks but I've been lucky and this usually works for us. If it does leak then I just keep washing and using it over time. I also suggest testing your water temperature. Maybe your hot water isn't hot enough. If so, try boilling some water on  your stove and adding it to the water in your washer. I prefer this method instead of turning up my hot water heater but you could also do that. I just find it easier to boil a pot of water then the possibility of forgeting to turn the hot water heater back down. As I previously stated they do become more absorbent over time. I've seen alot of mamas who have tried them once or twice and then just gave up only to regret it later.

Everyone has their own wash routine and I say stick with what works best for you. I usually wash twice a week. I do a cold water prewash/soak without detergent and then a hot/cold wash with detergent. Every other week I do an extra wash with warm water and add Ecover fabric softener. I highly recommend using Ecover for all Goodmamas. It keeps them super soft and squishy. Everyone has their preference over detergent, some swear by Crunchy Clean or RockinGreen and to each their own but Ecover should definately be in everyone's wash routine. It has no effects on absorbency but keeps them so soft and gorgeous. I have a hard time telling the difference between a diaper I bought a week ago and a diaper I've used for over 6 months. I can't say enough about this stuff.

I've also found a method of putting the dipe on that works really well for us. I know when I first started with GM's I just put them on without really paying attention to the position of the insert and of course ended up with leaking. I think it's really important to "fan out" the inserts so you cover more area. If you spread the inserts out so they cover the entire inside of the dipe from left leg gusset to right leg gusset and overlapping in the middle this should aid in leak protection. **Make sure insert does not go outside of elastic on the leg gusset.






The use of the accessory is also very helpful. When the Ones were first introduced you were able to select your accessory so naturally I went for the super doubler because it was basically another insert. These are clearly the best for all over protection but add alot of bulk. Now they come with the goodboost which is excellent for adding absorbency where it's most needed without the extra bulk. I usually position this in the front between the layers. I find this works really well for my little girl. I would suggest positioning where your little one need the most absorbency.



When I pull up the front cover portion I always make sure to stretch the leg gussets nice and tight. This holds everything close together. I find when it's snug I don't have a problem with leaks. I tested this theory and if I leave the gussets too loose then leaks become an issue.



I hope these tips will help someone who is struggling with "loving" their Ones. If you still find you don't love them and want to get rid of them, you know where to find me. I love them and can never have enough LOL
If anyone has other tips or suggestions please leave a comment. I'd loved to hear what works for you =)

Best of Luck~ Lisa