Diaper Sprayer: How do I love thee, let me count the ways...

Most people's biggest concern about using cloth diapers is the poop.  I've discussed previously how to deal with poop using disposable liners and diaper sprayers.  I want to talk more about the diaper sprayer because I firmly believe this is one thing you should definitely invest in. Now remember, the diaper sprayer connects to the domestic water line on your toilet, and typically the toilet is right beside the bath tub.  So stick with me while I recount the many reasons I love my diaper sprayer:

1. Infant Care: Everybody knows that babies' poop can sometimes be lethal - explosive, mushy and just plain gross.  And sometimes the poop is so lethal that you may just say to yourself, "we need to just hose down this kid".  In comes the diaper sprayer.  Trust me, I've had to do this a couple of times.  This is a two-man job - daddy can hold the baby over the tub while mommy sprays that poopy butt. And yes, the water may be a little cold, but, it's for a short moment in time - they'll survive.  
2. Getting Poop off the Diaper: The reason you bought the diaper sprayer in the first place, to get the poop off the diaper prior to washing.  This becomes necessary once baby is done with breast milk.  So hold the diaper over the toilet and hit the diaper with the water at an angle.  The key here is to have the right water pressure.  If the pressure isn't high enough nothing is going to happen and you'll get frustrated.  If the pressure is too high you'll have water, and maybe some poop, everywhere.  So turn it up just enough for it to be effective. I usually get asked about the "splash back".  Once again, it's all about the water pressure.  And here's my tip on getting that poop off...if you can just set the poopy diaper aside for maybe half hour giving the poop some time to dry (if it's the mushy peanut-buttery poop) then it will harden up a bit making it much easier to get off.  The water will literally peel the poop off rather than getting even more mushy with the water.
3. Potty Training: When you're child goes poopy in the potty how do you get it into the toilet? Ding ding ding - the good old diaper sprayer.  Having this thing makes it easy to rinse out the potty after a pee pee and especially after a poopy.
4. Bidet: Turn down the pressure on the sprayer and it can double as a bidet.  Ladies, who needs it more than we do?

In summary I am really happy I bought my diaper sprayer even though I resisted it initially.  It has served me well for the past two years and I have a few more years to go with these kiddies.  I can't imagine cloth diapering without it, and every cloth diapering mommy that I've met who has bought one says the same thing.  

Click here to buy yours today.