Cloth diapers enthusiasts will tell you that you need a detergent specifically formulated for cloth diapers that doesn’t contain optical brighteners, phosphates and other chemicals that can increase the likelihood that your diapers may experience odor or stain issues.

I’ve tried several cloth diaper detergents and believe some work better for us than others because of the hard water we have in the South where I live.

I recently tried Ruby Moon Cloth Diaper Detergent for the first time, and overall, it seems to work well.

With the help of my co-tester, my 3 month old daughter, we washed several loads of soiled cloth diapers using Ruby Moon in the summer lemonade scent.

The scent is very strong when you smell it straight out of the bag. Almost too citrusy – reminds me of kitchen cleaner. However, the scent it leaves in your clothing is almost non-existent (a good thing).

The detergent did a fairly good job of removing the urine and waste. I didn’t notice any lingering odors, although staining remained (more than with some cloth detergents I’ve tried) on the cloth inserts that my daughter had a bowel movement in. However, this is very common, especially with exclusively breastfed babies like my daughter.

The simple fix for that is to place the clean, wet diapers or inserts in the sun. The sun is miraculous – it will remove most, if not all, stains. Even if you don’t cloth diaper, try “sunning” any clothing you have with stains.

Ruby Moon Cloth Detergent is all natural and does not contain phosphates, enzymes, optical brighteners, fabric softener or soap, which is good for the diapers/inserts and my baby’s skin.

I also tried Ruby Moon’s Wipe Bits, which I am now in love with. You take the small cube, drop it in hot water and let it melt. Small “chunks” remained and never completely dissolved, but when you swirl it around, you’re left with a silky, luxurious-feeling liquid that you can use as a wipe solution or to simply clean up any mess on you or your child’s skin. Trust me – you’ll want to use them yourself. I don’t like heavy scents or fragrances because they trigger my allergies, but Ruby Moon’s Wipe Bits have a light, refreshing scent of milk, oatmeal and honey.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with the Ruby Moon products and I would purchase them for our cloth diapering needs, particularly the heavenly Wipe Bits.

You can find Ruby Moon online at www.diaperparties.com/andream or on Facebook: Diaper Parties by Andrea or email Andrea at: andream@diaperparties.com

Although products were provided by Diaper Parties by Andrea for this review, the opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced in any way.

After a 10+ years communications career, Jamie K. recently took on her most challenging  job yet – as a full-time CFO (chief family officer). Currently, she lives in Alabama with her husband, an officer in the Air Force, and her toddler son and newborn daughter. 

When Pampers told me the exciting news that they were launching improvements for their Cruisers line I was elated. But then I wondered how they could make, in my opinion, a really awesome diaper even better. Here’s how:

Pampers is taking their Cruisers line and giving it a softer, quilted backsheet, very similar to the beloved Swaddlers that we wish all diapers were like. Honestly, I have not heard one mom say they didn’t fall in love with Swaddlers when they used them. Cruisers are also getting a longer absorbent core, for even more protection, and drier skin for your baby. And lastly, one of the most FUN innovations is….OSCAR!!!!

 Yep, that’s right folks, Oscar the Grouch is making his debut appearance on Pampers Cruisers. Just in case your child is having a rough day, you can literally turn them into a cranky pants kid. Plus it’s nice to look up and see the furry eyebrows for a laugh when you’re wrestling with your active toddler trying to get the clean diaper on.

Aside from this green grump, Sesame Street’s finest also appear on the diapers, from the lovable red monster Elmo, to the crumb creator himself Cookie Monster your kiddo will love seeing their favorite characters on their diapers. Baby C loves running around in her new Cruisers.

If you’re not a Pampers family, but have been wanting to try them out, {like a few of you who I have been chatting with here and there} your chance has come!

Pampers has offered to give one lucky MommyB Knows Best reader a chance to win their very own pack of Pampers Cruisers with the new, and improved features.

Tell me what kind of diapers you currently use. Whether they are cloth, disposable, or homemade. I’d love to hear your favorite brand. And if you’re thinking about switching I’d love to hear why. And even if you don’t use Pampers and don’t want to try them out yourself consider donating the prize to a local charity or family who is unable to cloth diaper for one reason or another.

Not Required, but we’d love it if you’d go check out Pampers here: on their website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Giveaway ends August 8th @12:00 am. The winner will be chosen at random, verified, emailed, and announced in a Winner’s post. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the email from MommyB to claim the prize, if the prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen at random. You must be a US resident and 18 years or older to enter.

I received a bag of Pampers new design diapers to try out, this in no way impacts my honest thoughts on the product, but allows me to give you a complete review.

As I began researching cloth diapering (CD is what those in the know call it), I was astonished to realize there were so many kinds of CDs – hybrid, all-in-ones, pockets, fitted, etc. No, CD today is not like it was 30 years ago – or probably even 10 years ago.

In my quest to learn more, I somehow came across the BEST online retailer I’ve found for cloth diapering – Mami’s and Papi’s. and also joined their Facebook community. I quickly learned “Mami” and “Papi” are Candace and Frank Laguna; parents of three, who began their business in July 2010 as a way to earn an extra income as a supplement to “Papi’s” military career. ”Mami” and “Papi” were temporarily staying in the same city I currently live in while he received medical care for injuries received during training. Because of that, I had the opportunity to meet them in person.I found them to be as sincere and likable as they are on Facebook and their blog. They are genuine, down-to-earth people who love family, have a strong faith and a positive outlook, and put their “all” into everything they do, including their business.

Mami’s and Papi’s carries a full line of different types of CDs, (cloth diapers) and accessories, laundry detergent (newbies, you’ll quickly learn you have to use a special detergent to get the most out of your diapers), products for mama and more.

Their prices are in alignment with what other retailers charge (sometimes less), but they also offer a standard 10% off for families of heroes (military, police, fire, etc.), frequent deals and specials, free shipping for orders over $25 ($2.95 for orders under $25) and 5% loyalty credits you can use for future purchases.

What has made Mami’s & Papi’s stand out against other CD retailers, (and I’ve bought from several,) is their incredible customer service. They are quick to answer any questions you may have, including those that are not CD related. They are honest, never overpromise and ship products super fast. They also carry, promote and sell many products from work-at-home parents.

Here’s a little recent Q&A I had with Candace Laguna (AKA Mami).

Q. What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened since you began your business?

A. We’ve made an amazing amount of friendships without ever meeting many of the families in person
in a short amount of time. One even recently rescued Papi when his car broke down in Alabama. They
made sure he got his car to a safe place and even brought him food while he waited. True friendships
and honest, good people do exist!

Q. What are you most grateful for?

A. All the blessings God has given us. Sure, we have our bumps in the road and our hurdles to jump –
but the blessings far outweigh the trials. We have a fantastic marriage, amazing children, a roof over our
heads and food in our bellies.

Q. What would you say to someone venturing into cloth diapering?

A. Just GO FOR IT! We do so many harder things in this life – teaching children to read, to be respectful
and have manners and bringing them up to become amazing adults. Those are challenges! Budgeting for
a family, keeping a marriage exciting and forever lasting – that’s a labor of love and it takes effort. Cloth is
just laundry and easy compared to other daily challenges in life.

I posted a comment on Mami’s and Papi’s Facebook page about what people love about the community, and nearly all the comments were similar – you can be yourself without fear of offending someone, you can ask for input on anything (not just CD-related) and you’ll get helpful responses, and the friendships and bonding that has occurred in a short amount of time.

I highly recommend www.mamisandpapis.com to anyone who is or wants to begin cloth diapering. If you have any questions about where to begin, products, issues you’re facing with laundry challenges, or just want somewhere “safe” to share whatever is on your mind, head over to Mami’s & Papi’s Facebook page. You’ll quickly feel like you’re part of the “family!”

If you’d like to see a giveaway on MommyB Knows Best post Mamis and Papis on Facebook wall and tell them: “I’d love to win a Mami’s and Papi’s giveaway by @mommybknowsbest!! “

This post was written by Jamie K., a first-time mom currently living in south Texas with her husband, an Air Force officer, and her 18-month-old son. She’s a professional communicator who works full-time and constantly struggles to balance work and personal responsibilities – and her addiction to chocolate. She’s making an effort to be more “green” by trying cloth diapering, buying organic food when possible and using natural cleaners – and she tries to do it while saving money and getting great bargains.

Since then I’ve received a number of comments from friends and strangers about how cool this products is. Well, the owner of Dipe N’ Go has emailed me to let me know she’d like to run a giveaway, and I’m always up for getting you amazing, free products.

One lucky MommyB Knows Best reader will receive their very own gender neutral Dipe N’ Go changing system.

Here’s how to win: Using the entry form directly below this post (NOT the comment form), submit your name, an email address that you check regularly, and the entry you are submitting. *Please note the Mandatory Entry MUST be completed before you can qualify for additional entries.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Giveaway ends August 18th @12:00 am. The winner will be chosen at random, verified, emailed, and announced in a Winner’s post. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email from MommyB to claim the prize, if the prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen at random. You must be a US resident and 18 years or older to enter.

Unfortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to deal with several blow-outs from both girls, which is why I carry an extra set of clothes for both Baby C and myself…because, well you never know! That’s why I love award winning Dipe ‘N Go, because you never know when you’ll need a changing station.

I installed the Dipe ‘N Go that I received, for lack of an easier word, really putting the Dipe ‘N Go in your vehicle is as easy as tearing off a strip of sticker backing. And of course after it was in my van Baby C gave me a great opportunity to use it….we were shopping at Target and I had Baby C in the front carrier and all of a sudden the Earth shook and I could tell the Dipe ‘N Go was going to come in really handy, blow out city! Don’t tell anyone but I had a few more items to get and my cart was already full so I finished up my shopping, don’t worry CPS (child protective services), it only took me about 5 minutes.

I loaded up the car, got Miss A buckled into her car seat, and prepared for my review. I love how the Dipe ‘N Go just folds right down for easy access. The 3 large pockets hold Baby C’s extra outfit, diapers, and wipes with extra room to spare and everything is right at my hand so no need to run to the front of the car or leave Baby C even for a second. I think the best part about this product is the large changing area. Most of my changing pads have come with my diaper bags and I’m not sure if a.) my babies are mammoth or b.) they just don’t make them very big. I’m thinking probably the latter, but not in Dipe ‘N Go’s case, they made their changing area large and I really appreciate that my baby doesn’t have to have half her body on and half off or be in an extremely awkward position for me to change her.

Using Dipe ‘N Go really saved me time and frustration and was easy to use with only one hand. I think Baby C appreciated the ease as well and ended up riding home, clean, fresh and happy and mommy was happy too!

Aside from my favorite things Dipe ‘N Go is gender neutral and cleans very easily, you can wipe the fabric down or throw it in the washing machine. I found Dipe ‘N Go was cheapest at Amazon.com but you can also buy yours here. Note that Dipe ‘N Go is made for hatch back vehicles with a good amount of room for baby this is not something you would want to use in a standard car. That would just be plain scary or funny, depending on the parent!

Have any funny diaper stories???

Butt Spray? What’s that?? Well, I have to say this is the one and only time I have ever, or will ever say, “butt” and “yum” in the same sentence, but Little Stinker Butt Spray smells yummy!

I found Little Stinker on Twitter and thought it was such a neat idea. Little Stinker Butt Spray is useful for getting rid of stinky smells using natural, organic ingredients. By using safe ingredients instead of harsh chemicals, Little Stinker Butt Spray is 100% okay to spray directly onto your little one’s bottom. Can you believe that??Not only is this spray great for babies tooshies, but you can also find it useful as a diaper pail deodorizer, (you know those diaper pails get a little nasty, especially when your kiddo is eating solids), and if it’s bad enough to stink up the ENTIRE room, feel free to spray away!

Little Stinker’s Butt Spray also contains moisturizing elements, so if you’re feeling a little dry why not sneak a little spray onto mommy and go. Everyone will be asking what that heavenly scent is and for once you can tell them it’s you!

It’s $11.95 for this 4 oz bottle which sounds a little pricey, but if you’re looking for something that smells better than those diaper pail deodorizer disks and is a multi-use product good luck finding something other that you can spray on both the pail and your child, well at least that is healthy for both.

Look out for more scents of Little Stinker’s Butt Spray along with a couple of nursing products coming out soon.

You can find Little Stinker at www.LittleStinkerBlog.Blogspot.com and also follow their tweets on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/myLittleStinker

What tricks do you use to make your diaper pail, or kid for that matter, smell “yummy?”

Their designs are warm, vibrant, colorful, friendly, and energetic-distinctively Chelsea & Main. Designed hand in hand with a team of new parents, Chelsea & Main offers the greatest attention to detail, up-to-the-moment looks and best quality, all at a fantastic value.

Best yet, all of their bags are available at Walmart.com and $25 and under! I love my Chelsea & Main Flap Pocket Diaper Bag. While the name isn’t very flattering, I love so many things about this bag. Before my Chelsea & Main bag I had been using a Nine West bag-turned diaper bag, so the bag wasn’t really made for diapering or mommying but looked cute. Well, my Chelsea & Main bag has both. I love the cute flower print, since I’m having another girl I figured it was appropriate.

At 14 inches wide by 13.5 inches tall by 4.25 inches deep this is one of their larger bags, and I’m one of those moms who has to have anything and everything in her bag, “just in case.” Compared to my other bag this one looks a lot smaller, but in actuality it holds a lot more, must be the 10 pockets! It’s very deep so be careful you may lose a child in there! And one of my favorite features is the front flap for easy access to my keys and wallet instead of having to dig around the cheerios and diaper wipes.

With the Flap Pocket Diaper bag and most of Chelsea & Main’s bags you can easily attach them to your stroller for added convenience:

Fortunately for the Dads in our lives Chelsea & Main makes some great non-girly designs for them too:

Buy yours here: Walmart.com

Want to win one of your very own?? Chelsea & Main is giving away a bag of your choice to one lucky MommyBKnowsBest reader.

Here’s how to win:
Using the entry form directly below this post (NOT the comment form), submit your name, an email address that you check regularly, and the entry you are submitting. *Please note the Mandatory Entry MUST be completed before you can qualify for additional entries.

Giveaway ends March 10th @12:00 am. The winner will be chosen at random, verified, emailed, and announced in a Winner’s post. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email from MommyB to claim the prize, if the prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen at random. You must be 18 years or older to enter.