- How many diapers do I need?
That will depend on how often you
want to do the diaper laundry, and how often your baby wets.
Some babies
wet a lot at once, and fewer times a day, while other babies wet a little
many times a day. Before
calculating cost and quantity, be aware that
most parents do not buy all sizes at once, but as their baby grows. You
also need to realize that very few people want to be chained to the washer,
and do not do laundry every day. Most
parents do laundry every other day
or every 3rd day . You’ll need enough to cover your baby’s bum
every day
that you don’t want to do laundry, plus add a few extra in for emergencies,
diaper bag etc.
Our Good To Go Pack is a great place to start. It contains 8 Echo
Shells, 24 Pods and 8 Mini Pods. This will give you 24
changes which should be enough to wash every other or every 3rd day.
If you will be using the Omni Pocket Diaper, you will want to get closer to
24 shells, since once it has been used as a pocket, you cannot re-use the
shell.
- Where can I buy SoftBums products?
SoftBums products can be found in many online and brick and mortar
retail stores. If your
favorite baby store doesn't carry SoftBums be sure to let them know that
they should!
- How do I use my SoftBums diapers?
Using your new SoftBums diaper is easy. Simply use the patented
Slide2Size leg adjustments to adjust the leg opening to fit your baby, snap
in an absorbent Pod, and your good to go! If you are using the Omni
Pocket Diaper you simply stuff the pod in the pocket rather than snapping it
in. More information on Slide2Size and the Pod System can be
found in the Tutorials section of our website.
- How can I prolong the life of my diapers?
While SoftBums are made to last, please remember that reusable diapers
are a garment and like any garment are worn down with every use, every wash
cycle and every dryer cycle. Like any garment, they will eventually wear out with continual use, but its
possible to make them last much longer by following some simple tips:
- Make sure you have enough shells so that you dont have
to wash every shell you have every time you do diaper laundry.The number 1 thing that will prolong the life of your diapers is
having enough so that each one doesnt get used every single day.
The more you have, the longer all of them will last.
- Never soak your shells (or if you do only soak them in
water), never use vinegar or bleach and dont use the sanitize cycle if you
have one. These things can
severely degrade every part of your diaper, from the elastic to the fabric
itself.Gentle care will prolong
their life, sometimes by more than double.
-
Line dry your shells.
If you do use the dryer, never turn it up past medium heat unless
youre doing the 15 minute sealing recommended when you first get your
shells. High heat in the dryer
is the main reason for degraded velcro, and will also harm your bamboo Pods
over time. For best results,
take the shells out halfway through the dryer cycle and let them air dry the
rest of the way. Because they
contain no absorbent material, air drying wont take long and it will prevent
a lot of wear and tear.
-
If line drying your shells outside, arrange them with
the inside facing outwards to minimize sun bleaching.
This isnt harmful to the diaper but it can fade your fabric!
- What about rash creams?
Using cloth diapers is a great step to
reducing the chance your baby will get a diaper rash. But if you need
to use a rash cream, make sure you protect your diapers lining. Some
rash creams will stick to the lining and not wash out, this can cause
repelling and leaks. You can use disposable liner and just toss after
each use, or a reusable fleece liner will work as well, anything that
creates a barrier between the cream and the diaper's lining will work.
- Which detergent can I use?
We recommend Purex Free & Clear.
Anything with oxygenating additives or whiteners will slowly ruin your
diapers. Borax, vineger, softeners and bleach should NEVER be used. Baking
soda in the first wash will help to de-odorize them, but you shouldn’t need
it often. Every once in a while, or if your diapers are stinky after
washing, you may need to strip them. Wash 3–5 times in hot without detergent
to strip diapers, the hotter the water the better job it will do. Also you
might try soaking in the washer for a few hours or overnight if your diapers
are getting stinky.
- What if I experience leaking?
Leaks actually are a common
problem for first time reusable diaper users. Usually it’s just because they
are making simple mistakes and haven’t learned how to avoid leaks yet.
Reusable diapers may be a little more work to learn how to use, but they are
worth it. Just like anything new there is a learning curve, once you get
over that you should be leak free. Here is a list of common causes for leaks
and how to solve them.
- Prewash
Always PREWASH your diapers and inserts
before use. Depending on the material, the inserts/Pods may not reach
full absorbency until they’ve been washed 3–10 times.
- Dry Shells on Hot
After you prewash, make sure
you dry your shell on HOT for 10 min to seal all sewing holes.
- Increase Absorbency
Sometimes leaks are due to
not enough absorbency. Mini Pods or doublers can add just enough
extra absorbency to prevent leaking
- Change Baby Often
You can’t leave a baby in a reusable diaper (or any diaper) too long,
or you’ll increase the risk of leaks and diaper rash.
- Leaking at the waist or back
Boys especially
need to have their diapers nice and snug at the waist, especially tiny
babies, as they have a tendency to pee straight up and out of gapping
diapers.
- Leaking at the legs
There should be no more than a finger width of gap at the legs. If you
can see more than that, adjust the diaper tighter again. The diaper
should be snug on the baby, but not too tight. It should probably go a
little tighter than you think at first, but if it leaves bright red
marks, it’s too tight – just loosen 1/2" or so and it should be perfect.
- Where are SoftBums products made?
All SoftBums shells are made
here in the US. Many are made right here in Minnesota by moms just
like you, sewing shells in between baby wrangling. Our
pods can vary by production run. Whenever possible we make them in the
US, but occasionally they are made in China.
- What is the warranty on SoftBums products?
SoftBums warranties every item we sell against material
or workmanship defects for 365 days from the date of purchase.
This covers product stitching, seams, elastics, and any of the
products components including snaps, hook & loop closures, toggles and
fabric.
This warranty does not cover leaking, odor issues, fading,
staining, repelling, pilling, fuzzy loop closures or other normal wear and
tear, and is applicable only to the original purchaser of the products.
Proof of purchase is required.
You are solely responsible for
understanding how to care for the items you purchase.
We are not responsible for damage to an item caused by improper care,
abuse, misuse, normal fading or normal wear and tear of the product
materials.
This warranty is void when washing instructions have not
been followed; bleach, fabric softeners, vinegar, oxy-clean, or any other
caustic substances and laundry additives have been used; and when the
diapers have been subject to water or drying temperatures above 140F.
Though this warranty does not cover leaking, we at
SoftBums are ready to help you to be successful with your diapers.
If youre having problems with leaking please contact us at
info@softbums.com.
We have many helpful tips, and can usually pinpoint one or two simple
things you can do to eliminate leaking.
Items returned to us under warranty will be repaired or
replaced at SoftBums option. Please contact us at
info@softbums.com
to obtain an RMA form, which must be filled out and sent back with your
warranty items. Your name,
return address and description of problem must be clearly written and
legible on this form. Remember,
if we cant read your address we cant send it back to you!
All RMAs must be accompanied by an RMA form and copy of original
receipt from purchase. SoftBums
will not accept items that arrive in an unhygienic state, so please take
care to make sure your items are clean before sending.
Once we receive your item please allow up to 1 week to process your
RMA and get your repaired or replaced item back to you.
Please make sure youve included phone and/or email
information so we can contact you if we have questions about your
return.
- What is your return policy?
SoftBums accepts all returns purchased from
www.SoftBums.com and that have been
unused and unwashed within a period of 180 days (6 months) from date of
purchase. Only items purchased
directly from SoftBums will be accepted for return, and only when
accompanied by an original receipt.
Refund will be in the amount of original purchase minus shipping.
Refunds do not include promotions, coupons or other discounts used
for purchase; refunds will equal the amount actually paid.
Shipping of returned items to SoftBums is solely the responsibility
of the customer and will not be reimbursed.
Items that have been washed or used will not be accepted for return.
If your diapers are no longer covered under warranty or
used, they can no longer be returned to SoftBums.
However, SoftBums diapers have a great resale value and there are
many people looking for good used diapers.
You can try reselling them on Craigslist or other online forums such
as our own Facebook page.
Still have questions? All of this information and more can be found in
the
SoftBums Diaper Book. And as always feel free to email us at
info@softbums.com or call 612-216-4213
with any questions.
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"This has got to be the trimmest all-in-one I've ever used in 6 years of cloth diapering." More Reviews