Washing Cloth Diapers in Switzerland

After a massive amount of troubleshooting, I have nailed down my method for washing cloth diapers here in Switzerland. The key? Extra water because it's a front-loading washing machine and uses less water than a top loader. The second issue I ran into was finding a suitable detergent. Zurich has somewhat hard water and really different detergents than are available in the US. I've got it all squared away though. Coco's diapers come out clean as can be. Honestly, I'll put my face straight into one and give a good sniff just to be sure there isn't some lingering odor in there somewhere. There isn't!

Having an intricate diaper system would make me switch to disposables, so I keep things simple. I do a dry pail with the Kissaluvs antibacterial liner. I use a watering can to add water to the washing machine. 

Here's my washing method:

1. Turn the pail liner of diapers inside out into the washer. Set liner aside on top of washer. Run the diapers only on "Mini-Programme" (a quick 30 minute cycle at 30 degrees celsius) adding 10 liters of water as the cycle begins. No detergent. This is just a really thorough rinse.
2. Put the pail liner in with the diapers and run on "Blancs/Couleurs" at 40 degrees celsius adding 10 liters of water the wash cycle. Use 1/2 packet of Durgol water softener and one 7 gram scoop of Filetti Sensitive powder. Why 7 grams? Because I use the scoop that came with our French Press because we never use it. We just pour a bunch of coffee in there until it seems good. The scoop that came with the French Press is 7 grams, which is just the right amount of detergent for cloth diapers as it turns out! ;)
3. Dry the diapers on high. Hang dry the pail liner and any covers.

I'm pleased because it's so simple. Do you use cloth diapers? What is your washing routine?

Babies Dressed Like Babies

Omgosh! Doesn't that sweet baby in cozy white woolens make you swoon? I am completely in love! Before Coco was born, my mother remarked that she doesn't like it when people dress babies like grown-ups in miniature jeans and collared shirts. "Babies should dress like babies," she said. Well, I'll admit I've had my fun dressing Coco in jeans and mini adult clothes. Then today when dressing her in something a little less bulky so she'd fit in her bunting for our walk, I got what my mom was saying. 

Just look at how sweet her little body is in those leggings. And the knee-high socks pulled up over the leggings! Oh it's so adorable. Mini adult clothes actually hide that irresistible baby shape, which is criminal to say the least! I vow to only dress Coco like a baby as long as she remains a baby. And that won't last forever. Then she'll be wearing jeans for the rest of her life.

Nøstebarn is a Norwegian company that has woolen baby clothes perfected. As Coco begins to grow out of her current stock (sniff!) and the temperature drops, I am devising a warm, woolly winter wardrobe for her that will be simple and include lots of leggings and knee-high socks. And white. Because don't babies look so beautiful in white? 

{top photo from here}

Sweet Slumber

This morning I put Coco in her bassinet so I could assemble her darling mobile and what did she do? She nodded off all by herself. I know that while my little sweet pea is sleeping it's my golden opportunity to do things I can't do while she's awake, like eat or go to the bathroom or throw in a load of laundry or (gasp!) make the bed, but sometimes I can't pull myself away. I love watching her sleep. Her little nose is so cute and she looks so peaceful. It's overwhelming this mother's love.

A Whole New Life

With Thanksgiving approaching, J and I have been thinking a lot about how thankful we are for our life together and marveling at how different it is compared to one year ago. In the space of one year, we are living in a new apartment in the city, J has a new job that makes him genuinely happy and we are parents! Omgosh, that is a serious amount of change in one year. I can safely say I've never had more to be thankful for.

I never intended for Folio Rose to be much about my personal life. Once I was pregnant I even considered starting a second blog, but I don't have the time to write two blogs and I just neglected this one! Now that we've welcomed our beautiful daughter into the world, I want to share about our life with her here. So that is exactly what I'm going to do!