Hello & overwhelmed!

csandroo

Hi all! I've been a lurker on this board and only posted once or twice ... I'm Cari, a FTM due Jan 8th to a boy We live in Metro Detroit and I will be a SAHM indefinitely. I felt like I didn't have much to say on this board yet until I actually experience CDing .. But I post over in Jan14 often.

After finishing our stash over this weekend with the great deals, I set out to wash all our CDs today and realized how overwhelmed I feel and I think being more active on this board would be good help and support!!

We took a CD class at our local baby store and I thought I had a good grasp on things but now as I'm trying to fumble with folding/stuffing etc. I find so many questions coming up ... I can't imagine how many more will come when there is actually a baby in these diapers!!!

Did/do you all get overwhelmed with CDing at first? What helps?
Best ways to set yourself up for success in CDing?

I am planning on bringing a couple CDs to the hospital to try and start right away. Is that realistic?

Our stash to start is

12 nb clotheez prefolds
12 small clotheez prefolds

2 sbish fitteds (1 sm, 1 m)
1 thirsties fitted (size 1)

4 BG pockets
1 applecheeks pocket

7 covers total (weehuggers size 1, bummis super whisper small, rrooz OS, 2 thirsties XS, 1 best bottom, 1 grovia shell)

5 BG AIO
2 thirsties AIO size 1
1 grovia NB AIO

We also have 17 inserts.

Any thoughts on this stash? We got a lot of em at our shower but besides that I went for a variety to see what we love, and based on what was on sale of course.

The inserts and folding intimidate me the most ...

Look forward to getting to know you all and share in the CD ups and downs

unaveragejane

Yes, I was quite intimidated to start cloth diapering. We didn't have a good NB stash, so I didn't really get started until he fit our Charlie Bananas and small FBs. Once we got going, it really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. We did have a lot of leaks at first b/c I didn't know how to get a good fit and didn't realize they needed to be changed so often. (I had zero baby experience!) Otherwise, it wasn't bad at all.

Do you have something to fasten your prefolds with? Wet bags? CD safe detergent? You probably do, but I feel like it never hurts to ask. I have a feeling you're going to want few more NB options, but you may be okay with what you've got. You could always order a diaper trial to kind of fill in the first couple of weeks if you find yourself running short, and that way you get to sample some more brands.

Also, I'd try looking up a prefold folding tutorial and practice a few folds on a stuffed animal if you can, just to get a feel for it.

Anything in particular that is daunting about the inserts?

csandroo

Thank you! I hadn't thought of a diaper service ... We have 2 pail liners, amd medium&small wet bags.. We have ecos free & clear detergent.

I practiced some folds from YouTube tutorials before I had snappis and felt like I did an ok job at it ... But now that I have snappis I feel like I can't do the folds at all and find the snappis very hard to use ... I hadn't thought to practice on a stuffed animal I'm going to try that right now actually !! Maybe it will help get a better feel for the folds.

With the inserts I'm nervous about having the part touch him that isn't supposed to go on his skin ... Knowing when and how many to use .. What to mix and match with... Etc

sarenu1

Yes it was overwhelming until I got started. Don't let it intimidate you and know that you can always take some disposables home from the hospital as back ups.

Newborns are small, make sure the covers for that phase are as well (unless you have a family history of big babies).

You'll need 24 to 36 changes to wash every other day. I'd stress closer to 36. And at least 6 covers.

I second checking the folds and practicing on stuffed animals.

Also, the smalls might work in a pinch, but on my 7.5 lb newborn I have to fold down the NB prefolds to fit under his cord.

csandroo

That's good to know about the sizing ... Do you find the NB prefolds harder to fold since they're so small? When I'm practicing I find it more difficult.

I'm 34 weeks and baby is 5.5 lbs based on our growth ultrasound this week so I'm guessing he'll be pretty average size - maybe slightly above average. I was worried about wasting money with too many NB options but figure I can reuse the prefolds as inserts after he's outgrown them? If he is too small for some of my options will using doublers and such work to make it more snug ?

YellowLily2013

Welcome!! And take a deep breath!!

They are just diapers. You might put them on wrong and you might get pooped or peed on! BUT you will learn on the job.

That said I'm in the minority and WASHED DAILY (this is the amazing part if cloth diapers -- you can't run out you just have to wash more often). We had 13 BG NB AIOs that we washed daily. We also had some prefolds and covers but I was overwhelmed in the beginning -- and they were bulky and not my favorite.

I contemplated taking cloth to the hospital but in the end didn't. And I wouldn't recommend taking it because diapers are free there. The nurses aren't used to it. And if there are any complications and they want to weigh the diapers for output. It's easier if they are all the same. Plus who want to "run out of them" at the hospital. Or walk in the door with a tiny newborn to take care of all on your own. And need to start diapers?!
It was intimidating to start cloth at home but we got Into the grove quickly an even ended up with disposable diapers we never used!!

haileyq

I was SO overwhelmed when we started cloth at 7 weeks... FTM and no family around, DH and I were overwhelmed with life in general. But, I was disgusted by all the diapers we were throwing away. This board gave me a lot of advice and support and will for you too! The best I got (maybe from @unaveragejane? I don't know it was so long ago) was that it's okay to start small, and slowly. We started out with a handful of diapers and quickly learned that our giant baby fit into OS diapers, not newborn! So, the diapers leaked all over. But, I didn't give up. So, it's okay to fall back on disposables when you need to save your sanity (really, it's OKAY) but then get back on the horse and try again later. Leaks happen, fit issues happen, but it's no big deal. And in the end you feel great because you're doing something great for your baby and the environment, and if you don't get too addicted to cloth (you will!) you'll be doing something great for your budget too. I second the idea of a newborn trial to fill in your NB changes, a lot of people, myself included, did not end up liking the "style" they thought they would, and what you like changes over time as baby changes. A trial will help you get a feel for what works for you guys.

jane8188

I started in the hospital, I figured if I've never used a disposable then I won't have anything to compare the cloth to. Obviously if I had complications I would have used the hospital dipes. I plan to bring our cloth to the hospital again with the new one. That's awesome that you got so many cd gifts at your shower!

unaveragejane

carisue143 said:

Thank you! I hadn't thought of a diaper service ... We have 2 pail liners, amd medium&small wet bags.. We have ecos free & clear detergent. I practiced some folds from YouTube tutorials before I had snappis and felt like I did an ok job at it ... But now that I have snappis I feel like I can't do the folds at all and find the snappis very hard to use ... I hadn't thought to practice on a stuffed animal I'm going to try that right now actually !! Maybe it will help get a better feel for the folds. With the inserts I'm nervous about having the part touch him that isn't supposed to go on his skin ... Knowing when and how many to use .. What to mix and match with... Etc

I did the diaper trial from Jillian's Drawers. They sent us options for about 12 different changes (prefolds, AIOs, pockets, etc), and we got to keep them for 3 weeks. In the end, you send back what you don't want to keep and you're only out $10 plus the price of the diapers you decide to keep. There are several other companies that offer trials, so you've got some options there.

I still find my Snappi tricky. I bought a set of Boingos, and they work better for me with some diapers. It just takes practice with both.

With the inserts, the rule is that natural fibers and fleece are okay next to the skin, but microfiber is not. (It sucks too much moisture out of the skin.) MicroFLEECE and MicroFIBER get confused name-wise easily. Microfleece is going to feel like outerwear fleece tops or baby pajamas. Microfiber feels like a very rough towel. You can put any insert into any pocket, so long as it fits. HTH!!

csandroo

This all helps A LOT!!! Grateful for this board already!!

JEPES1348

Welcome from a fellow Metro Detroit-er! My baby was a 32 week preemie but was up to 7 lbs 12 oz by her due date. At that size, she was nowhere near fitting into OS diapers (even though most say they can be used as small as 6 lbs), so we used Rumparooz Newborn covers exclusively. They fit and worked great. However, we had about 10 covers and also washed everyday. Actually, I still wash everyday. I prefer to do one small load each day and not have to remember if it's "diaper day" or not. This also allows me time to line dry all my covers and inserts/prefolds so I don't have to be harsher on them by throwing them in the dryer. I would suggest a few more newborn covers - you'll be surprised how many you go through each day! Likely the Rumparooz OS and almost definitely the Best Bottom cover will be too large for a NB. I haven't used Grovia, so I can't comment on their size for a newborn. Good luck, and while it's overwhelming at first, you'll catch on quickly. 

PipSqueak0313

I had a 5lb14oz LO in March 2013 (24 days early) and I had 6 preemie sized prefolds and 6 whatever the next sized up is called prefolds and a couple of covers to start with and I just kind of eased into cd...did a change here/there with the cloth for a couple days and then just jumped in and did a whole day of cd and never looked back.  I too did cd wash every day while he was in the preemie sized prefolds.  When he outgrew them I got 12 more prefolds and started going 1.5-2 days between washings.  Then I got 18 medium Best Bottom inserts and the prefolds became my "emergency supply" in case I didn't get diapers washed on time.  Now I'm going back to prefolds and attempting wool covers.....

I definitely felt more comfortable starting with the prefolds since they are harder to ruin and cheaper to replace if I did manage to ruin one. (which I didn't)  We started when ds2 was about 2-2.5 weeks old since he escaped the NICU but wound up back in the hospital from 4-10 days old.

If the Snappi is too hard to use (was for me and dh) try using Boingos or traditional diaper pins.