Please welcome my friend Didi! Didi and I met via blogging back in the old “Choosing Home days.” We talk about everything from knitting to kids to nursing babies, but lately, the conversation has turned to cloth diapers. I used cloth with my first three children, then moved to a geographic location with rusty and expensive water. That combination was not good for cloth diapering. Now, with a new little one, and water that makes clothes white – I’m back to using cloth. I’m enjoying it. As Didi mentions below, there are a lot of options out there. Mothers are no longer relegated to using Gerber and pins and plastic pants – unless they want to. I’m sorry for the spacing issues in the post – I give up. I don’t seem to be able to eliminate them.)
Holly has invited me to write a little about cloth diapering. I don’t claim to be an expert by any means, but I will share my experiences with you, favorites diapers, and helpful web sites. Please feel free to ask questions and share about your experiences too!
I never thought I would cloth diaper. I heard about people who did, but thought they were a little “out there”. Why would you choose pins and awful plastic pants when you can use Pampers? And dunking poop in the toilet? No thank you!
But then I had two in diapers. One day, when my little girl was 8 weeks old, I saw the mound of diapers growing by the door. Right then and there I thought, “Okay, I need to switch to cloth. I am creating waaay too much waste. Not to mention I’m spending a small fortune on disposables.” So, I started researching and I was suddenly overwhelmed. I had no idea there was such a huge cloth diapering market. Goodbye pins and ugly plastic pants…hello adorable diapers!
So, I took the plunge and ordered a sampler 4 pack. I was impressed. I loved the colors, the softness, and surprisingly, how easy they were to use. My husband loved the Velcro tabs. But I didn’t like some of the diapers I got. So I started trying more brands. And more types: pockets, all-in-ones, prefolds, wool, flats. Through trial and error, I have found a stash that works for us. Here are some of my favorites (and ones that have the best reviews):
The majority of my stash is pocket diapers. These are diapers you stuff with microfiber inserts. My favorite is bumGenius because it is a one-size diaper that fits babies 7-35 lbs. I double stuff them for nights. I can go out and about with them and never worry about leaks. My husband loves the Velcro tabs. You can buy the new style (called 3.0) at nickisdiapers.com for $17.95 with free shipping. Or you can still get the old style (called 2.0) at http://www.cottonbabies.com/sale.php on clearance for $14.95. If I could recommend one stash, I’d buy 2 dozen bG’s. That would cost $360 (the clearanced ones) and will last you until potty training! You’ll spend at least $1000 on disposables.
I also like Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers. They are also on clearance at nickisdiapers.com for $13.95 (I’d stick with the old style. The new style is getting bad reviews.) They have great colors, but come in small/medium/large, so you’ll have to buy more. I’ve never had leaks with these either and I do love the color variety.
I also have a few prefolds, with a snappi (the modern, easy version of pins). If I were being very frugal, I’d have a stash of prefolds, with a few FB’s or BG’s for going out. I thought pf’s would be a pain, but with a snappi, they are actually quite easy and very easy to clean. They are an inexpensive way to extend your stash.
My favorite prefold cover is Thirsties ($11.25 http://nickisdiapers.com/catalog.php?category=216, free shipping). No leaks, ever, plus cute colors.
For prefolds, I love the prefolds at greenmountaindiapers.com. This link will take you to a picture tutorial on prefolds. http://greenmountaindiapers.com/prefolds.htm This is a GREAT site with wonderful customer service.
Here are a few more websites I found to be helpful:
http://pinstripesandpolkadots.com/basics.htm — good site for diapering basics
http://diaperpin.com/home.asp — for diaper reviews
Diaperswappers.com – message boards and place to buy/sell used dipes
fuzzibunzonline.com – good site for 2nds and clearanced fb’s
fuzzibunzseconds.net – good site for fb 2nds
So, why cloth diapering? You are saving some landfills and saving money. Despite the fact I’ve tried a lot of things, I’ve kept to my budget of $300. I love seeing my baby in cute diapers…perhaps this is the best thing about cloth diapering, in my opinion! Diaper changes are not a chore, but actually fun. “Let’s see…what diaper to put on today?”
There’s a lot more I didn’t talk about: wool, fitteds, washing routine, accessories, etc. Again, please feel free to ask questions or share your expertise!! Here are some pics of my little one in cloth!
This is my daughter in a “Blueberry Stuffable All-in-One” (Cute, but would leak occasionally.)
And here she is in a prefold that I embellished by sewing material to the center of the diaper, held together by a snappi.
January 7, 2008 at 9:18 pm |
Didi,
Thank you so much. You did a great job, and your little one is so cute!
Your suggestion to try different diapers is a good one – I know that many of my friends have tried a brand of cloth diaper, become very discouraged, and have given up the entire thing.
Sometimes, too, we expect a cloth to “act” like a disposable. I have learned that I do need to change cloth a little more often than disposable – but then again, I probably should have been changing the disposable more often.
I’m thrilled with the thought that I’m not putting plastic and chemicals directly on my baby’s skin – although I’ve done my share of that – it just feels good to NOT do it.
As a mom of many, I’m already doing so much laundry (about 4 loads a day) and diapers really don’t take up much more. I am finding that I only need to wash a small load every 3 -4 days. It’s not even a full load.
As I mentioned above, I cloth diapered my first three. Those were the days of pre-folds and plastic pants. I still use a good amount of pre-folds, and they do work quite well. I love the embellished look, though, and think they would be so fun! Thank you for the idea!
Before Mariam was born, I made up a sample diaper, in a smaller size. I used pink rosebud flannel in layers – then pink fleece inside. That was so much fun – and so cute. In retrospect, I need more layers. But you can do so many creative things.
I DO have lots of questions – but I’ll let someone else talk. I’ll be back to check in later today.
January 7, 2008 at 9:49 pm |
I have three little girls and have cloth diapered the bottom two. (Right now, the almost two-year old is actually in disposables, but only for a season … she has a love of blackberries that is doing quite a number on the cloth, if you get my drift). *wink* Anyway, we have done prefolds the whole time and love them. I’ve never had issues with the extra laundry and such. Actually the only (very minor) hassle that has come up is that the church nursery is not very excited about my cloth diapers. We do keep a small stash of disposable for Sundays. With my first cloth diaper baby, it wasn’t that they weren’t willing to change the diaper, no one knew how, and even with lessons, she usually came home leaking out the side or something.
Thanks for a great, informative post on diapering.
January 8, 2008 at 12:26 am |
I did cloth diapers until a. the washer broke and/or b. the baby started solids. The solid food thing just makes diapering yucky to me. Just breastmilk diapers seem to not need any dunking or anything – just a wash. But solid foods! yech. Is there any method that isn’t so icky?
I made my own AIOs which was kind of fun.
January 8, 2008 at 12:27 am |
OH and thanks Didi and Holly! Very helpful.
January 8, 2008 at 1:03 am |
Sara, did you have a specific link or pattern? I’ve tried making my own all in ones in the past, but didn’t use the PUL – which I would imagine would be helpful.
Didi makes a cover that is fleece. It is rather neat. I didn’t realize that fleece could be used as a cover.
January 8, 2008 at 1:05 am |
Okay, Didi. Here’s some of my questions:
Do you wet soak or dry soak the diapers as you wait to wash them?
What do you do for stains? You have mentioned “sunshine” but what to do in the winter? Hang them out anyway? My M-I-L hangs clothing out in frigid Minnesota ALL winter long.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on wool covers. I’ve thought of knitting a soaker to try it out.
January 8, 2008 at 1:13 am |
I never did cloth diapers until I had one in diapers and one in pullups and that was it. I left the one in diapers (because we didn’t have a washing machine and I had to drag laundry and two children up and down 3 flights of steps and use quarters to do laundry) but I did make my own pullups. We used plastic pants, “big girl” underwear and rags made from old towels–which I washed out by hand each day in our bath tub. (We didn’t have spare cash to buy anything at that time.) It worked pretty well and the rest of the time I let my oldest (age 2) run around with no pants on.
We did the same for the next, and then for the next. 
January 8, 2008 at 2:19 am |
Holly, I used a Very Baby (I think that’s the name but I can’t find the pattern at the moment) pattern. I did use PUL for the outside. I orignally made the inside from birdseye but when I had to make bigger ones and I was out of birdseye and I didn’t want to spend any more money, I used some of the gazillions of flannel receiving blankets that were handed down to us.
January 8, 2008 at 2:36 am |
Just have a moment to share my two cents.
I have been cloth diapers for about 3.5 years and LOVE it. A couple of things:
Sarah- when the babies start doing solids, yes it is a bit messier. But, you don’t have to get too involved (especially if you don’t mind a stain or two on the inside of the diaper). Basically I just shake the solid contents into the toilet, sometimes using a flushable wipe or toilet paper to help things fall. Then toss it into a dry pail. Before you wash do a pre-wash cycle (or a short wash cycle or rinse cycle if your machine doesn’t have a pre-wash). That gets the extra gunk off the diapers before you are actually washing to clean them. No dunking or anything else required. You can also buy flushable rice paper liners to go on the diaper that lifts the solids right off and flushes them. I used to do that, but stopped. It makes it super easy.
Holly-I’ve done both dry and wet pails. I like the dry a lot better as the pail stays lighter and if it does get knocked over there is no mess. But on the other hand I think that with a dry pail and an older baby it does get a bit smellier and so I wash every other day or every two days instead of 3-4. I think that most cloth diapering mama’s develop a personal preference and system and just go with it. I haven’t noticed a difference in staining or anything like that one way vs. another.
Motherease are a fun diaper to dabble with initially. They are a one size diaper, which is nice on the pocket book. However, sized diapers are my preference as I just prefer the snugger trimmer fit of them. Both work great though.
Really, with cloth diapering (much like any baby item) you can really spend a lot or very little. I have decided to invest in some more “boutique” diapers. Not to replace my whole stash, but just to beef it up some. Now that I know I am very committed to cloth diapering I don’t feel as concerned spending more money on the diapers. At the beginning I didn’t want to spend much until I knew I was going to stick it out. Even if you buy extremely expensive boutique diapers (And they are out- and SOOO cute) you will still save money off of disposables, just not as much as you initially would have if you went with pre-folds and one size.
As for one-size all in ones, I love the Happy Heiny’s/Stacctinator ones. I think they are the best I’ve used. Hold up really well. Wonder Wrap makes a one size cover (which I like better than a one size diaper) that comes in tons of cute colors. Fuzzi Bunz are also one of my favorites for pockets. Pockets are super great because they dry so fast and you can double stuff them for night time and heavy wetters.
Holly- I have never with the exception of a few months this summer, sunned my diapers and they don’t have stains from poop. They have a few diaper ointment stains, but nothing much. If we had a place with a clothes line though I would hang them out just because there is something I love about the look of diapers drying on the line.
Plus sun shine kills bacteria.
Sorry, I’ll stop going on and on and on now. I just love cloth diapering! and there are so many fun options that I really think if more moms checked out they would have as much fun as I do with it.
When you’re really addicted you try and coordinate the outfit to the diapers for the day….it might be a sickness then
And after you are doing cloth diapers it is a very small jump to Mama Cloth, which I also love. But I’ll save that soap box for another day.
January 8, 2008 at 2:37 am |
Oh-and extra flannel receiving blankets make great baby wipes!
January 8, 2008 at 3:03 am |
Oh Golly, you guys. This is fun.
I think I could adopt a sickness very quickly – what with the coordinating and all.
And Tiff – what do you mean by Mama cloth? Go on – this is a soapbox I’d like to hear from you on.
Heather, I HEAR you on lugging the laundry up and down stairs, and paying in quarters, and hauling two littles with you, too boot. I’ve been there! I’ve been to the washing them out by hand because there IS no extra money, too! There are some VERY fun frugal diapering sites – they show you how to use materials from thrift stores to make some very cute diapers…using cast – off team sweatshirts to make diaper covers, wool sweaters to make soakers, etc. If a girl could hit the $1 a bag sale, she could stock up on enough material to make some very cute/extremely cheap diapers. I have bought flannel to line diapers this way – it’s great!
January 8, 2008 at 3:04 am |
I think I’ve made a mistake, y’all. I was so eager to post this post from Didi that I didn’t even ask if she was going to be home today to join in talking. Oh, I feel like a creep!
January 8, 2008 at 3:40 am |
I’m here I’m here! I’m 2 hours behind most of you and we had hair appts this morning and intensive pt’ing going on! No worries, Holly!
Tiffany has some great advice/suggestions. I too use liners to catch poop past the b-feeding stage. There is something called the mini-shower that attaches to your toilet (or sink or shower) that is basically a handheld sprayer. Put rubber gloves on, spray the poop off, and voila…all done. No poop on your hands at all! (You can google mini shower and the site will come up.)
Tiffany, I agree…cd’ing can become a bit addicting. I am getting into more “boutique” diapers too. I just got my first muttaqin and I’m very into sustainable babyish wool and hemp diapers….loooove them! My husband thinks this new obsession is quite strange!
Holly, I use a dry pail because I’ve heard bad stories about wet ones. I actually use a “Fuzzi Bunz Hanging Diaper Pail” It hangs on my doorknob and the top never closes completely, so air circulates. Believe it or not, there is no stink. The circulating air prevents it. And if it gets dirty, I just throw everything together into the wash.
January 8, 2008 at 3:45 am |
Holly mentioned fleece covers as an alternative to PUL (the plasticky stuff). Another alternative is wool, which Holly also mentioned. Wool is extremely absorbant and has antimicrobial properties. Our grandmothers probably wore wool on top of their diapers. I actually have some of my grandmother’s knitting patterns…full of baby soakers! Holly, I can photocopy them for you!
Right now there is a huge wool market. Knit pants are all the rage. Check out:
crankypantshome.com and link to their knitted longies and shorties. Cute, huh?
I have wool interlock soakers from sustainable babyish. They are wonderful, but extremely hard to get. That site is: hyenacart.com/sustainablebabyish
You only have to wash them (and lanolize them) every 2 weeks or so. The diaper may be soaked, but the wool soaker is completely dry on the outside. Ingenious!
January 8, 2008 at 3:59 am |
Okay, one more thing. The SUN. It is wonderful in cloth diapering! Here in Colorado, we have 300 sun days a year, so I can almost always sun my diapers if it is above freezing. Wash your diapers and lay them out in the sun…in a few hours, they will be bright white. Stains…gone. If they are particularly stubborn, add a few drops of lemon juice to the stain. And the diaper really needs to be wet to sun well. I wouldn’t sun them below freezing though because frozen elastic really does last very long!
In long midwest winters, I’d sun them if I could (on a windowsill) or wait until spring! Stains just bother us…not the baby!
Even if I don’t have stains, I sun things because the sun kills bacteria that can grow, especially in the microfiber inserts, if you use pockets.
Okay…enough from me!
January 8, 2008 at 4:07 am |
OH and if Mama cloth means what I think it does, I do that too.
January 8, 2008 at 4:17 am |
Mama cloth…not brave enough for that yet! For those of you who are wondering, think Kotex.
January 8, 2008 at 5:18 am |
Between breastfeeding and pregnancy, I have had very little call to use that stuff for the past 4 years but it is my preference for when those days return. They are, ummm, comfortable – not sweaty or bunchy like plastic can be. I use (red) flannel. Oh Tiffany, I just stole your soapbox. I don’t tell too many people because the reaction is usually very mixed. But hey, I don’t have to see anyone’s sneer online. Holly, if this is too much for you, you can delete without offending me.
January 8, 2008 at 6:02 am |
Um…okay. There is an ENTIRE diapering world that I am unaware of.
I have just googled some of the key words here that Didi mentioned.
Fun.
January 8, 2008 at 6:08 am |
Sara, no way. I’m not deleting that. It’s in every store and always on television commercials. We can handle it.
I’m with you, anyway. I’ve been nursing or expectant for almost 17 years. I have made the switch, too, for those rare times. I have to say…very, very nice. I really like it! I thought that I wouldn’t. It is NO BIG DEAL! It’s probably just like the same hurdle many of us have made regarding cloth diapers.
I doubt that many men are really reading the comment section of a diaper post, anyway.
Talk freely.
January 8, 2008 at 6:09 am |
Tiffany – girl – you are not feeling well! I will be praying for you! (She has pneumonia and an ear infection!)
January 8, 2008 at 6:19 am |
Isn’t that baby JUST the cutest?
Didi – Tiffany – Sara – What soap? Arm and Hammer, I know…Scent free – Charley’s Diaper Soap?
January 8, 2008 at 6:25 am |
I have to use the high efficiency detergent with my washer so I use Tide HE dye and perfume free.
I wasn’t always such a stickler for the dye and perfume free stuff but my little one is sensitive and seems to have eczema (or severe contact dermatitis or is that the same thing?). I hate to admit this but sometimes I miss that laundry soap smell that signals clean to me.
January 8, 2008 at 6:32 am |
I should say he HAS had eczema or whatever. It’s much better now.
January 8, 2008 at 8:52 am |
I too am wondering about detergent. My children and I have sensitive skin, and I use Era usually. I just purchased two cloth diapers to try. Right now I am almost 20 weeks pregnant with our fourth baby and still have two in diapers (my 3 almost 4 year old is sooo stubborn about the potty training. She can do it, has done it, but says she doesn’t care about underwear, she likes diapers!!! It has me insane at the moment. Praying she will be potty trained by the time this baby arrives!). Two in diapers has been extremely expensive and my hubby and I desire to cut costs so we can pay the school loans, etc. off earlier. I would love any advice, because I am nervous about cloth diapering, but would love for it to work. Oh, I purchased bumGenius one size diaper to try with our 15 month old and if we like it would like to purchase enough for the two babies. As I said…I would love some advice and love what I’ve read so far!!! Thanks each one of you for all the encouragement to think about trying this! (Just writing what you’ve written has inspired me!)
Thanks!
Amy
January 8, 2008 at 8:54 am |
Purex Free & Clear
Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin
Country Save
Charlie’s Soap (although I have heard complaints from this kind)
Most importantly, no fabric softeners. Although not officially recommended, plain ole Tide works for alot of people. I was having stink issues with Arm & Hammer, so I switched to Tide and stink disappeared.
There is a list on the pinstripesandpolkadots website of good and bad detergents.
I like to do a cold rinse followed by a hot wash/cold rinse cycle.
January 8, 2008 at 9:08 am |
I can’t figure out how I am reading comments from Jan 8, when it’s only the 7th. Hmmm. This is a great conversation you are going to be having!
I cloth diapered for my first and the first half of my second (when hubs was in med. school, the washer was in the basement, and my sanity was on the brink)…and now I’m thinking I might go back for our one year old. I used Motherease and LOVED them. They were a bit pricey, but they made it easily through all of my diapering needs and will last for number three too! I also have big babies, so they don’t seem too big from the start. Though I will admit they are not nearly as cute as some of the brands mentioned here!
I have to say though that my very favorite part was the wipes. I had a stash of about 24 cloth wipes (one side flannel and one side baby terry cloth) that were awesome! I kept them in the bathroom, and I’d just get one wet on the way in to change a diaper. Less chemicals and no detergents; they were a God-send for my sensitive skin, and they cleaned like no disposable wipe could ever dream of cleaning!
Holly, thanks for allowing discussion on this topic! It was just when I needed it!
January 8, 2008 at 9:14 am |
Oh, I forgot to mention that NEVER ever worried about leaks when my kids were in cloth! It was always when they were in disposables (on trips or at church) that we had terrible leaks – ug!
January 8, 2008 at 9:20 am |
I’m enjoying this discussion even though my youngest is 18 – years! Wow, I wish all this had been available when my kids were in diapers. They didn’t even have diaper covers with Velcro until my last one came along, so it was the stiff, sticky (in hot weather) plastic pants from Gerber for me. It almost makes me wish I could have another baby, but that ship sailed a long time ago so I’ll save the information for my future grandchildren.
January 8, 2008 at 9:52 am |
Amy, I was just reading the other day that Era is a bad choice for washing cloth diapers. If you want an inexpensive option, I’d use Purex Free and Clear. Like I said, BG are my favorite! I’d try to get the 2.0’s on clearance now before they run out. The 3.0 have great reviews, but I don’t think they are significantly better.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions…I’d love to help or troubleshoot if you run into any frustrations. Really, cd’ing is so fun, but there are some things that can be frustrating if you don’t have support.
January 8, 2008 at 10:31 am |
Holly,
I was wondering if you planned on using cloth diapers with Miriam. With all that was going on during your pregnancy and with your move, I didn’t take time to bother you. *(although I might take this moment to bother/ask you for pictures of your ‘easy’ scrapbooking again : )
Do you have a clothes line? There is something peaceful and refreshing about haning out diaper laundry. Maybe it is just me? The diaper addiction phase didn’t last, but I never tire of hanging the diapers out when the weather is nice.
As for mama cloth, since I favor the prefold, Sckoon.com fits right in with that. But that is another topic.
~Nikki
January 8, 2008 at 10:35 am |
I just started up parttime with fuzzi bunz and have had limited success – mostly because my son is kind of between sizes and it leads to leaks! I’ve been reluctant to invest more in other styles (although I have one Bum Genius old style). I guess I’m waiting it out. My little man is a super soaker, too – an avid water drinker and I think that cloth just cannot keep up with him at certain times of the day!
January 8, 2008 at 11:00 am |
you asked about stains and hanging out in the snow. NOT a problem. Snow is great for getting rid of stains.
not so good on plastics, but on plain material diapers…works just fine.
January 8, 2008 at 7:41 pm |
Hey everyone,
I’m showing my ignorance here, so be gentle with me please. This whole conversation fascinates me. I’ve never used cloth diapers, but would consider them in the future. Could you please tell me, why the specialized laundry detergent? It would seem like the cost savings of cloth is wiped out by buying more expensive detergent. (We buy the cheapest stuff we can find in the 5 gallon bucket at Farm & Fleet). And why no fabric softener? (I’ve taken to cutting mine in half with vinegar per Holly’s suggestions, but if I go straight vinegar, the static cling is unbearable.) I hate to even bring it up…this may be the wrong crowd…but I haven’t heard any mention of bleach. Is this personal preference because you all prefer more natural methods? Between all the mud and manure of the farm, two all-male boys, a special needs daughter (very messy eater) and a toddler, it’s kind of a staple at our house.
January 8, 2008 at 7:57 pm |
One other question..how do you handle cloth diapering when you are away from home? Do you just put the dirty ones in a ziplock bag until you get home?
January 8, 2008 at 8:55 pm |
Michelle,
Fabric softener reduces the absorbency of the diapers. I wouldn’t use it on bath towels either. Some say it prematurely wears the cloth as well. I don’t have a problem with cheap detergents so long as my kids don’t have a reaction to them and as long as they get stuff clean. But maybe they are hard on diapers too – someone here can probably answer that.
I’m not a hardcore cloth diaperer so I usually used disposables outside the house – especially since we rarely leave the house. If you use cloth outside the house, you’ll need a container for your cloth wipes (I’m assuming you’ll not be near a sink when you’re out) as well plus a container for dirties. Ziploc bags work pretty well and are compact enough in a diaper bag.
January 8, 2008 at 8:55 pm |
Oh and I’ve found a second rinse eliminates most static cling.
January 8, 2008 at 9:02 pm |
Oh goodness, Michelle. You can ask what you want. Funny girl.
I’m no expert – (I’m still mostly a basic diaper girl – but I believe that the laundry softener reduces absorption. It serves to create a smoothness, a sheen, that makes clothing feel soft – but also makes the diapers hold less.
Bleach probably does the same thing to the diapers with fabrics other than basic cloth (PUL, etc.) Even with your basic flat white diaper, constant and repeated bleach will destroy the fibers eventually, and yes, some don’t want to put the bleach back on their baby’s bottom. I do know many moms that bleach their diapers once a month or so, and I’m not opposed to doing that with a basic Gerber that has been through several rinses. I would not do it to a better, more expensive, high quality diaper. I’m grateful to learn that the sun will take care of so many of the stains…I have GOT to ask Jeff to put up a clothesline for me! Our new climate will allow sunning most of the year.
Also – regarding the detergents – I think it’s the same thinking as the softener. The dyes and additives affect the waterproofness of the covers. Purex and Arm and Hammer aren’t too expensive. I’ve been reminded while washing diapers again that you don’t use very much detergent, because it isn’t a heavy load of jeans. It’s a small load, particularly if it is only one child in diapers. I would think you *might* be able to still use the detergent from Fleet and Farm. Basically, some of the more expensive detergents have the most additives and are thus the worst for the diapers. (But I MIGHT be wrong on everything I said.
Isn’t that pathetic?)
January 8, 2008 at 9:03 pm |
Ah ha! Sara posted while I posted. I need to go read what she said….
January 8, 2008 at 9:03 pm |
OH! and I use bleach for almost everything except the diapers. I use it to disinfect doorknobs and toilets and I use it on my whites even though it wears out fabric, and I’ve even used it to make a Dakin’s solution – but on diapers, it really just ruins the fabric AND you’d need to be super careful to rinse thoroughly so baby doesn’t get a rash.
January 8, 2008 at 9:05 pm |
oh, Holly we commented together!
January 8, 2008 at 9:06 pm |
Shelly, I knew you had trouble with the Fuzzi Bunz. I was hoping you would have a chance to chime in.
I wonder, too, about having a heavy soaker. My Ben is SUCH a soaker – I can’t imagine putting him in cloth right now. (He’s so near potty training that he will go straight to underwear, anyway…but I still can’t imagine it.)
January 8, 2008 at 9:09 pm |
Nikki -
My scrapbooking is BURIED probably for the next six months.
Didi, on the other hand….has some good basic and simple scrapbooking ideas…maybe she’ll show us how on her blog! 
Thank you for asking…someday I’ll dig it all out again! 
I’m into knitting right now!
Nikki sells diapers, y’all! She runs Integrity Diaper over there in my sidebar.
January 8, 2008 at 9:15 pm |
Okay….those longies and crankypantshome.com are SO cute! Little monsters and sock monkies! Adorable!
January 8, 2008 at 10:22 pm |
What is the best diaper COVER, hands down? The one that is easiest to use and washes up the nicest? I use homemade fitted cloth diapers, made mostly from flannel. I love ‘em, but I use the Gerber covers, and, though they work, I’d like to try something, well, “better”. (Sorry about all the commas.)
I have read through all the comments thus far, but I still wanted to ask this question.
January 8, 2008 at 10:33 pm |
Sheila, from my own experience and all the message boards I’ve read, hands down, it’s the Thirsties cover. Go to nickisdiapers.com and click on “covers” on the left side. They are 11.25 with free shipping. They have leg gussets, so even b-fed explosions won’t leak!
And they have cute colors!
Anyone else have a recommendation?
January 8, 2008 at 10:43 pm |
A problem with FB’s is that there is a gap in sizing between Smalls and Mediums. I had that problem too. Baby doesn’t fit in smalls, but the mediums leak bc they are too big.
I don’t have a supersoaker, so I can’t speak directly to that. I have a friend who has one and uses Happy Hempys with success.
About detergent, you can find inexpensive ones to use. Holly is right about fabric softeners/dyes/enzymes. Bleach…I’m not sure exactly why not to use it. But, I do use it occasionally on my microfiber inserts when they get stinky, but that is all. I know that if you use a “wrong” detergent, you can get repelling issues (pee just falls off and does not absorb) or baby can get a rash or stink.
You want a detergent, not a soap. No enzymes, optical brighteners, dyes, perfumes.
You use should use about 1/2 the recommended amount and set your washer on a large load. Diapers need lots of water and less than normal detergent. It sounds confusing, but really, it isn’t!!
January 8, 2008 at 10:46 pm |
I do use cloth out and about and just take an old Target bag to put the used diaper in. Some use ziploc or there is something called a wet bag. It’s cloth on the outside and pul on the inside. If you google wetbag, I’m sure you’ll get lots of options.
When I travel, I just use disposables. I’m not that hard core!
January 8, 2008 at 11:10 pm |
Good to know about the water amt., Didi. I did not realize that.
January 9, 2008 at 12:35 am |
I just wanted to throw it out there that when we originally decided to use cloth, hubs and I sat down and figured the cost of using disposies and the cost of using cloth (including electricity, water, expensive detergent, etc.). Even with the expensive detergent, we figured we come out ahead using cloth. Also I started out with expensive stuff, but if I did an extra rinse I could get away with using less expensive detergent. I used white vinegar as an additive; it worked great to soften and un-stink the diapers; though you might get different results in different water.
January 9, 2008 at 1:19 am |
Good point, Jen. And as a bonus – it’s not going in the landfill. (Although, as I mentioned, I can’t pretend that I’ve not created my own personal landfill with my past three children.) I try to potty train early and shave a year off of that landfill contribution.
(And I’ve also had a resistant child or two…who was quite a bit older when potty trained.)
I often think of Bobbi McCaughey…the mother of the septuplets….potty training seven at once….I’d love to meet her!
January 9, 2008 at 2:49 am |
Sheila,
There is no easy answer to the best cover. Depends on what you are expecting the cover to do for you, how your baby is shaped and your baby’s…um….pooping habits.
I am partial to the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap. I use and abuse this cover and it has fit my babies well thus far. This would be my vote for the Best cover : )
I do have a Thirsties. Personally, I don’t think it preforms as well. It is flimsy compared to and looked ‘worn out’ sooner than, my Bummis and I don’t use it nearly as much. It was nice though to have so many color choices with the Thristies. It reminds me of the Proraps Classic just with out the fold back tabs.
Pocket diapers for us (we do have a couple for at night) are always more work, there are so many ‘issues’ that they have, for the price. I prefer the velcro Happy Heiny’s to the snaping Fuzzi Bunz.
Wool: I do have one type of wool cover that I like to use. Imse Vimse makes a Bumpy wool cover that is machine washable. I use a W.O.W (wool ones wash) bar of 30% lanolin soap (other bars on the market are only 10% lanolin) Because of it’s high lanolin content I have never needed to lanolize my covers ~ this helps make wool ‘do-able’ for me. Using the the fast spin on my front loader washer gets the cover dry and usable by the end of the day. I don’t pin or snappi with the wool or Super Whisper Wrap.
Didi, I always order from nickisdiapers.com when I try new covers, she has good prices and free shipping on them. And if you would/could post some good basic and simple scrapbooking ideas I would be greatly ENCOURAGED!
Holly, thanks for the mention-you didn’t need to. I loved the sweater you made Miriam, you will have to show off what you are working on.
~Nikki
January 9, 2008 at 2:54 am |
Yikes that was a book. So sorry.
January 9, 2008 at 3:19 am |
I think Holly must be thinking of someone else. I *wish* I had great, simple scrapbook ideas.
Nikki, I’m glad you mentioned the BSWW…that is another cover that people also like. I’ve never tried it, but I’ve heard people say good things about it.
I think you touch on something important that I haven’t explicity said…there are brands that people generally love, but it does all depend on your baby and your own preferences. I know people like Swaddlebees, for example, but I’ve had terrible leakage with them. So, I think it’s best to try a few diapers first, before buying a dozen of them! I have experimented so much (and that gets very old) and so I just wanted to recommend a few brands that I like and that *in general* many others do too.
January 9, 2008 at 3:41 am |
Remember, Didi? One time we were talking about it – and you mentioned that you just do one page a month? Very basic stuff…or am I thinking of someone else?
Seriously, (friends, ladies, girls, y’all, yous guys….), I am enjoying looking at all of these different diapers/covers/accessories. It IS a lot of fun. I love to learn new things.
What I think is SO cool is: mothers all over the world have taken one of the most mundane of all tasks – diapering their babies and cleaning up waste – and made it fun and fulfilling and are able to earn money as they do so. There are a lot of SAHMs who have diaper businesses to help out their families.
January 9, 2008 at 4:16 am |
Wow, a girl gets pneumonia and the conversation just goes right on without her! (This will be kinda short, as I should be getting back to bed….)
Anyway-Mama Cloth. Already been discussed some, but here is what I love. The Mother of Eden cloth pads. From the makers of Fuzzi Bunz and so are super soft with pretty color choices for the liners. You have water proof liners (like the outside layer of a fuzzi bunz diaper) that snap around your underwear, and then the actual pad snaps into the liner. MOE brand comes in a liner, a regular, and super. With color choices of Pastel, Bold, or Bright. Because I’m silly I color coordinate the color group with the type of liner.
There are a lot of choices though for Mama Cloth (just like with diapers!). These are the only ones I’ve tried so far. I think you would want something heavier for Post-Partum, but for regular cycles they work amazing. And like has been mentioned they just feel so nice. It is really like wearing underwear intead of plastic. And also, then you don’t have all those icky chemicals next to sensitive areas. One can also purchase Tampon alternatives like Sea Sponge, and The Diva Cup. I haven’t used either but I have friends that swear by them. All of it is something that seems a little strange at first until you stop to think about the fact that women have only been using disposable items for avery short time comparatively, and really with the technology and options we have now using cloth is extremely simple. I think Mama cloth is actually a lot easier than cloth diapers.
On the topic of soap- that is the part of cloth diapers I find really confusing. different sources say different things. I’ve heard that Dreft is bad, then I hear it isn’t. I hear that using an actual soap is best (like dish soap) then I hear it isn’t. The things though that seemed to be universally agreed on are:
*no fabric softner- reduces absorbsion
*no bleach- reduces the life of the diaper and can irritate babe. (although I have heard of many using just a little bleach every so often, just not everytime you wash your diapers)
*no artificial dyes or perfumes- hard on baby skin
*use less soap than recommended normally (amount seems to varry from person to person)
*baking soda and vinegar can be great additives (although the maker of BumGenious says to not use vinegar on her diapers)
*essential oils can give you that great clean smell. Lavender and Tea Tree are most common.
Ok, this is getting long. I need to go nap now.
January 9, 2008 at 5:14 am |
Holly, I totally forgot about that. Yes, I guess I do do easy layouts! I’ll take some pics and show off then.
Tiffany, so sorry you all are sick. It sounds bad. Thanks for clarifying the soap stuff. And mama cloth…you sure do make it sound kinda fun!
January 9, 2008 at 9:07 am |
Sorry, I just got back to this thread. I did get one medium FB, and it seems to work better than the larges – although according the sight I bought them from, my little guy is right in the range for the larges and would be out of the medium in a few months. It’s funny because I have 6 larges – and the two that have prints work better than the 4 solid colors. I can tell there’s a difference in the elastic – it may be just the sizing. But I am 100% certain that the large leg holes are where the leak begins…I’m not crazy about my Bum Genius. It fits, but seems too small in some ways. I’ve had leaks, but not as major as with FB.
Washing is so easy. I haven’t had one bit of problems there. I just do the suggested FB wash routine with Arm n Hammer every other night. I dry my inserts in the dryer and hang my fleeces on our kiddos b-ball hoop. I restuff in the morning and am ready to roll. I was hanging my inserts at first, but they take way too long to dry.
January 9, 2008 at 12:29 pm |
Wow! What a great post and such a discussion. Glad to hear so much about cloth. We have been in cloth for a almost 3 years now and it is such as change from when we were little.
I agree with many of the others here – people should try different cloth diapers and different techniques until they find the one that works for them and their baby.
~Beth
January 9, 2008 at 9:07 pm |
So – just to get this straight regarding toddler poop.
You are saying that if I rinse it well enough into the toilet, squeeze it out, and put it into a hanging diaper pail it won’t smell? (Because I’d like to believe that I can continue on with this cloth diapering beyond the baby stage.)
I used to do it (a decade ago! WOW!) with a wet soak. I’d put water and a little vinegar in the pail – but it would get gross in just two days in the summer. And, it was messy…heavy to lift, haul,refill.
I have a diaper pail now…it’s a cool little thing from the thrift store – but it doesn’t hold very much, even of infant diapers. So, I’m thinking that in a few months I will buy the hanging diaper pail thingy ma bob.
One more question while we’re still on diapers. IF you use prefolds, do you buy a certain thickness past the newborn stage? JavaDawn gave me some fabulous small prefolds that are perfect for a little baby…but they won’t fit a bigger baby. I have some Gerber regular, but they just don’t seem like they are going to be very absorbant. (That is one hard word to spell!)
BTW, I am using a newborn Gerber plastic pant cover. It actually works pretty well. It’s dull…but it works!
January 9, 2008 at 11:01 pm |
I haven’t actually cd’ed a toddler, but that is what I hear! Maybe someone else can better speak to that! Now J2 is on solids and we do have stinkier poop and I haven’t had any smells as of yet.
I just clicked on Nikki’s name bc it just occurred to me that she was the one who had Integrity Diaper. Nikki is probably the real expert here!! She can probably speak well to the prefold question.
But yes, there are differing sizes and absorbancies of prefolds. I hear that Gerber actually has polyester in their diapers, thus making them less absorbant. I bet Nikki has some good ones at her site!
I also like the ones at nickisdiapers and greenmountaindiapers.
January 9, 2008 at 11:30 pm |
Is J1 already potty trained?
January 10, 2008 at 2:13 am |
I wouldn’t say that mine doesn’t smell. But I’ve never tried the hanging pail thing. I’ve thought about it and this may be the push I needed. Besides we are trying to sell our house and being able to hide the diaper pail under the sink would be good.
Cloth diapering toddlers is more of a commitment. But it is surprising how fast you get used to it. After all the diaper contents change is a gradual one. If you had to go from new born poop to 2yo poop over night, that would be scary, but you have two years. Where I find most resistance of cloth diapering of older babies is from family. Most simply refuse to change cloth diapers. Which with my first was fine, I’d just put her in disposables. But with my second, she can’t be in disposable at all with out getting a horrible rash. I mean at all….not even 1 diaper. So we’ve had some small hurdles to jump there, like with the church nursery. It has been a really great opportunity to teach people about cloth diapers though and show them there isn’t anything to be afraid of. Most everyone is willing to give it a try when they know it is of medical necessity that I not use disposable. Sort of a “I’ll do this because I have to….oh wait, this isn’t so bad afterall….hey, it is kinda easy….maybe I’ll do this too….” It has been neat.
January 10, 2008 at 7:20 am |
That’s neat, Tiffany. Too bad that you have to have a reason….but I’m glad they are accepting.
Do you wash your covers with your diapers?
(See, I keep thinking of questions!)
January 10, 2008 at 8:09 am |
Sometimes I do. Generally I wash my covers with my baby clothes. It was on suggestion from Cara at Greenbeanboutique. Sometimes I just wash my diapers by hand, and then throw them in with the final rinse with the diapers. It seems to be easiest for my wash routine right now. Of course then there are the times that my 3yo tosses the diaper with the cover into the pail, cause she is trying to help.
Then that cover stays right were it is. I am a hard core cloth diaperer but even I don’t reach into the diaper pail unless absolutely necessary.
January 10, 2008 at 8:20 am |
Thank you Tiffany. How are you feeling today?
That is something that I have been doing wrong…I washed the covers with the diapers. (But only twice.) Never again.
January 10, 2008 at 10:41 am |
Holly, you didn’t ask me, but I just can’t help but jump in here:
I diapered my first two well into the toddler stage – my oldest until she was pted. One thing about the diaper contents is that it usually is easier to dump, so though dumping it sounds aweful, it’s not too bad. Also toddlers don’t usually poo very many times a day, so there aren’t just tons of “bad” diapers in there anyway!
I used a dry pail for my toddler dipes, and they weren’t too bad. I use a regular trash (one of the stainless steel kitchen ones with a lift out plastic bin) can with a tight fitting lid. I used to stick one of the “odor absorber” stick-ups in the top of it; it wasn’t harsh odor, but it did seem to help a bit. I also would dump just a bit of baking soda in the bottom of the bin. And as long as I kept the pail away from the heat vent and the sunny window (oh, the day I let it sit there was a bad one!), all was great! I did dipes every third day usually. Inside the pail was not a nice smell, but it wasn’t so bad that the room stank when I would put a diaper in or anything!
January 10, 2008 at 11:46 am |
Thank you, Jen.
I really appreciate the advice. It’s funny how much I’m learning the second time around! I’ve even learned new ways to fold and pin a diaper. I am LOVING it!
January 10, 2008 at 8:19 pm |
[...] by the number of choices there seem to be in modern cloth dipaers. However, I just read a very informative post on this topic on Holly’s blog. The guest writer, Didi, does a great job of explaining things [...]
January 11, 2008 at 12:53 am |
Everyone is probably done reading dipaer info………I go in spurts on reading here, so I missed the last 10 comments!
Didi ~ I can only relay expert advice on diapering my cookie cutter boys. It has been fairly easy so I am not terribly well rounded in all the diapers out there. Rashes and stinky diapers are subjects I minor in. : )
Toddlers around here usually pooh once a day. I don’t dunk. We have food allergies which give yucky poohs that are never ‘flippers’. : ) I put the soiled dipaer in my washer and run a short wash/rinse on cold. We wash every day, because I only have a handful of diapers for the baby(personality issue………..I am a minimalist) and also so the toddler ones do not get to smelling too badly in the hamper.
I checked out the pinstripes and polkadots site, she has a ton of well written and researched information. I enjoyed reading it.
~Nikki
January 11, 2008 at 5:16 am |
I do the same pail routine as learningpatience. Works well.
Forgot to mention the option of no covers. Sometimes (when there aren’t any tummy issues that would make it too exciting) we’ll do diapers minus covers. It just is a nice way to keep everything breathing for a baby really prone to rashes. It also lets me know as soon as she needs changing without making the mess that letting her run diaper free would. It also means I get to cut down on cover washing.
Holly, don’t stress about washing your covers withyour diapers. I only learned that it was better not too 6mo. ago and my covers have survived just fine.
Diapering out and about was asked about earlier. I am rather hard core in that regard because I have to be. I wasn’t with my first at all. If you are going to be diapering consistently out and about I advise to go ahead and buy the 10 dollar wet bag. Much easier than a zip lock or trash bag. And no one will accidentally throw it away….. What most moms I know do is simply leave the wet bag in the car so it doesn’t take up room in the diaper bag, and you’re not hauling the used diapers around all over town with you.
Some moms with have two wet bags, one that holds a couple of diapers and one that holds a bunch, for days/trips that are longer. It really is a personal organizational preference thing. I actuallly did cloth diaper for two months away from home, which was exciting. I enjoyed it though. Basically cloth diapering on trips is really easy if you ahve access to a washer. If you don’t I suggest leaving the cloth at home.
Oh and in the what not to do category….if you live in a climate with fruit flies, never ever ever under any circumstance leave a diaper sitting out that is poopy. It is really reeally bad. The stuff that horror movies are made of. Of course the same is true with a disposable, but I’m just saying….
Holly, I’m feeling a bit better. Not 100% but I can tell I am on the mend. Still taking it easy though. Do not want it to turn into a big deal that leaves me in the hospital. Much rather let the children watch cinderella for a week and order pizza than have that happen.
January 12, 2008 at 10:18 am |
Tiff – YOU have been thru a hard time lately…praying!
January 14, 2008 at 11:26 am |
Ok. just a question. (I’m not pregnant, by the way – just interested!) If I were going to go for cloth nappies, I guess the ones that would interest me most would be the easiest ones. The pocket nappies sound really good. Would, say, 24 nappies such as bumgenious be the way to go? Would that be all I needed? I don’t know that I really want the ones you have to fold or fuss about with. Which would be better – 24 bumgenious, or fuzzibunz sized nappies? I think the negative side of the fuzzibunz is the fact that you need to keep buying the next size up as your baby grows. Are bumgenious good for all sized babies?
Thanks!
Valerie
January 15, 2008 at 3:21 am |
Gee, Val. You’re so smart. You come in here and figure out in just a few minutes exactly what I would do if I were to start all over again. It took me 8 kids to figure that out!!!!
I’d do just what you said. 24 Bumgenious would be enough to fit your child from birth to potty training, and maybe go thru 2 kids. You would never have to buy other sizes. For less than $500 US, you would have diapered one or two children. No way could you do that with plastic diapers!!!
Smarty pants!
January 15, 2008 at 7:09 am |
LOL! So, they would only last a couple of kids? Not longer? It is still a lot cheaper (but I’d be doing it mainly for the health benefits) but I didn’t know they would deteriorate so much.
January 15, 2008 at 11:17 am |
My two cents (well, by now we are up to a 1.50 at least I suppose….) is if you are going to go with a pocket one sized diaper, Happy Heiny’s/Staccinator is a much better diaper than bum genius in terms of durability. I purchased one of each at roughly the same time and the Happy Heiny has really held up better. (and they come in more colors too!). If Fuzzi Bunz ever came out with a one size, then that would be a good choice too.
The only problem with one size though is when they are really small. It is all well and good to say a diaper starts at 8lb, but generally speaking it is going to be at least 12lbs before the baby isn’t totally swallowed by the diaper. Just really really bulky. So, if you think you might not like that aspect you could always by size small pocket diapers and then do a one sized pocket for M-XL.
How long they last seems to really vary. I’m still using my Motherease OS and will be able to at least for one more baby, probably two (this is second baby so far). It really depends on how many diapers you buy-thus how often then get used, and how often then get washed. I have a friend who full timed cloth diapered with only 13 diapers, but they were shot after one baby because they were washed so much.
January 15, 2008 at 9:11 pm |
Ah, thanks Tiffany. Always good to get the perspective of someone who has been doing it for awhile.
As I mentioned before… I had always used the good ‘ol prefolds and plastic pants and pins. Those DO last for baby after baby. Didi has sent me some fuzzi bunz that her little one out grew, and I LOVE them! But I’ve not experienced long term usage for more than one child.
And Val, my love…even if you have to replace after two children it is STILL amazing savings! Plastic diapers cost SO much, only to be thrown away. A pack of a good brand costs about $12-14 for 40 or so (size 1) or 24 (size 4)…and those don’t last very long at all! A week? And if you carry that out through 2 or 3 years, wowzers!
January 17, 2008 at 12:19 pm |
Wow, what a conversation! I’m way behind on my blog reading, Fiona seems to have her fussy time right during my computer time, and of course she doesn’t want to be held sitting down! I used disposables with my older 3 and was about to write off cding just one baby (F is our last) as maybe not that economical. Plus, I’m a horrible housekeeper and am not the best at keeping up with the laundry anyway. I had this nightmare vision of piles of stinky diapers and dh being REALLY upset at the mess and wasted money on cd’s. But I’ve been reading at GCM’s cloth diapering forum and getting excited about it, then you’re talking about them here too, so I think we’re going to do it! Dh was even asking seriously about what it would cost to get a stash over Fiona’ diapering years! Anyway, thanks for the conversation, all the advice and all the great links!! Of to explore . .
January 18, 2008 at 7:36 am |
O.K., so here is where we are in the process. I think we would like to use the prefolds because of the cost savings, but use them with a cover which has a flap like the Bummis pictured in the Green Mountain tutorial because it looks easy enough that John thinks he could handle it. I really like the idea of a one size (again cost savings) but realize that it would probably be too big on a newborn. So a couple of ?…..
1. Can I go straight to infant sized prefolds and skip newborns? (My last 3 were born at just shy of 8# each) Any thoughts on the brown vs. blue vs. navy blue sized diapers for older infants? Or does anyone know of any one-sized fits all prefolds worth mentionning?
2. Does anyone have any experience with the Bummis or know of any other brands with the front flap?
3. Any insight on pins vs. snappis vs. just folding it up and putting it in the cover?
4. What’s all this about not washing covers with the diapers? I totally missed that one! I thought the whole point was to do a load of diapers/wipes/covers at the same time.
This is kind of fun. John is talking about building me a diaper changing table that goes in our bathroom because he thinks we need to be near the toilet. I stopped by the local clothing drop off today and found some old flannel shirts and pj pants that I can cut up into diaper wipes.
January 18, 2008 at 10:05 pm |
Michelle, SO neat! I am out for the day, helping my mom, but I will be back tomorrow (hopefully!) to answer your questions. Haven’t forgotten you, okay?
January 18, 2008 at 11:43 pm |
Just found your blog again. Congratulations and blessings to you all- what a beautiful baby!
I actually miss those days (mine are now 19, 17, 13) We used flats back then and folded them according to the Curity package and I used nylon, not plastic pants, and pins… the cute diapers were just starting, but I already had the “plain jane” stuff. Love the ribbons on the diapers and then neat Y shaped doo-dad to hold it closed.
So glad to find you all discussing cloth diapers
About laundering… when you get past the multiple-poops-a-day stage and into more just-wet diapers, I just hung those wet diapers up to air out, and just threw them into whatever laundry load I was washing. Its just urine and urine is actually a pure substance- just smells some, mostly when wet. Never used any special detergent here, just TIDE powder. This way you only soak the soiled ones and you keep more of your supply clean all the time. Well… if you do laundry as you go, instead of saving it all up for one day. I have always started a load first thing in the morning, any day that there’s enough laundry to do. I don’t like letting it build up. My diapers used to get kind of thin after a year or so of being dried, but I had an old dryer that had HOT drying only. Our new dryer, we only use on LOW and it works beautifully and is not eating our towels/sheets so much. Enjoy your baby days. They truly grow up TOO fast.
January 19, 2008 at 11:30 pm |
Thank you, Susan!
Some great advice! I just rediscovered nylon, thanks to Nikki. It’s neat, so soft!
Michelle, I’m e-mailing you…
January 19, 2008 at 11:44 pm |
Nikki has some WONDERFUL natural pre-folds. They are so soft! She has been wonderful to work with – she’s at integrity diaper in my sidebar.
Michelle – How cool that you thought of using flannel for wipes! It doesn’t have to be expensive, does it? Didi taught me to use a little fleece rectangle to line the diaper…soft on baby, repels wetness, and reduces stains.
January 27, 2008 at 6:19 am |
I googled something and found this post. My name is Michawn and we have 3 children. We are pregnant with our 4th (due in March). The oldest just turned 4 a couple of weeks ago.
We are missionaries in Brazil. We’ve been here since June, so I’m still learning the language…everything is new. We have been married for almost 7 years now and are about to make our 10th move. Can we say “Whew!”
We have travelled alot also up until now. We’ve never even given cloth diapers a nod of consideration due to that fact…just way more convenient in the nomad kind of lifestyle to use disposables. But, now that we are about to make our final move for a while (hopefully) and are travelling basically none, I decided to really look into it. I’m almost sure we will make the change.
Some questions I have for you though (which are just some of the questions I have…there are many more that I have and that will come in time I’m sure):
I’m sure everyone has that list of wants.
1. We just now got out of 2 in diapers. For a few months there (after my 3rd was born) we even had all 3 in diapers. But, now we are headed back to 2 in diapers and I was wondering about how many diapers we should buy…what would be a wise number considering that I will have 2 in diapers, I can only do one load of laundry a day (the washers here take forever and I already average a load 5-6 out of the 7 days in the week), and I have no access to a dryer (as is the case for most of the rest of the country).
2. I have only really been researching all of this for a day now. I expect to learn so much more even, but from what I’ve gathered already, I, like Valerie, would want the easiest, most practical way…and one that is the least bunchy also. The pocket diaper sounds the best and out of the pocket diapers, the bumGenius and the Fuzzi Bunz sounds the best…just from what I’ve seen in my limited researching. Out of the 2, I don’t know. Of course I absolutely love the idea of having a diaper that will work until they hit 35 pounds (my almost 3 yr. old hasn’t even hit that mark…am I right in assuming that they could possibly last until potty-trained if that’s the case?). I have big babies (8 lbs. 4 oz. was the smallest, 9 lbs. 14 oz. the biggest), but they tend to level off and are tall and skinny in the end. I would prefer to have snaps…do most have snaps even if they have velcro too? Also, of course I’d like them to be very absorbent, trim and snug, and affordable as well.
3. Then there are the questions of accessories…and sizes if I go with the non-one size type. I don’t even have the money (as of right now) to buy a starter pack, much less have the resources to buy some of several kinds to try them out. Plus, then there’s the problem and expense of shipping here…not as simple as you might think. So I’m really just praying that we get the best one for us and babies in the first shot. Also…plan to have more (biological and adopted), so we really need tips on making these last as long as possible…for as many babies as possible.
Anyway, tons of questions because there are just tons of options, right? Can be pretty overwhelming, huh? Thanks so much for posting this and I am loving all the info. gained.
January 27, 2008 at 9:29 pm |
Michawn,
Thanks for visiting – I will try to hop back on later today or tomorrow to try to answer some questions!
March 31, 2008 at 6:29 am |
[...] a more cheerful note, ever since Holly convinced me to try cloth diapers this time around and her musings on being “crunchy“, I’ve been thinking about [...]
April 19, 2008 at 1:37 am |
jessica andrew music code…
knoppix linux distro…