help! CDing for 2 days and hate it :(

daisyemerson

I need help!  Long time lurker and part time poster here, DD arrived June 1st and I was so excited to finally start CDing!  I started using CDs when DD was 7 days old, when her cord stump fell off.  I only lasted two days because I hated it so much!!  

I'm extremely upset and disappointed, I really want to CD for a multitude of reasons and am especially disappointed that I bought a full NB stash and am not using it.  

I don't know what exactly I'm asking or looking for…maybe just some encouragement?  Some motivation to retry it again?  (DD is now 2 weeks old)

Here are the things I hated about it and maybe you can tell me why I'm being stupid?

(I have 12 BG NBs, 12 NB GMD Workhorses, and 12 NB GMD Prefolds.  DD was born at 8lbs 2oz, 20 inches)

1.  I hate how bulky the NB workhorses/covers are.  I didn't even try the prefolds yet, but I didn't mind the bulkiness of BG NBs compared to sposies.

2.  I hate how LONG the BG NBs take to dry.  Am I stuck throwing them in the dryer if I don't want to wait 2 days for them to air dry?

3.  When I'd take the CDs off to change her, her entire diaper area was soaking wet with pink/red skin.  I know I'm supposed to change her every 2 hours or so, but does that mean set my alarms for every 2 hours, even if baby is sleeping, wake her up and change her diaper?  She completely soaked the workhorses in about 3 hours.  I usually change her before each feeding, is this my downfall?  Do I need to change her more often and that would solve the problem?

4.  I have blueberry capri and mini coveralls and they seem so unnecessarily HUGE!  

5.  Of her 14 days of life, she has never been fussier than the 2 days she was in CDs.  Possibly a coincidence, but interesting nonetheless.

Also:  I apologize if I end up not getting back on here for a little while.  I'm still adjusting to life with a newborn and try to sleep whenever she does.  

TIA for any help or kick in the pants that you have to offer

steffaneh

When I first started CDing I had leaking issues for a month and a half but kept going and later found out that I was over stuffing. You just have to be persistent. If you are worried about bulk you may want to try a hemp or bamboo insert. They are less bulky bug they do take a little longer than microfiber to dry. A lot of starting to cloth diaper is trial and error. Nobody said it was easy but it is definetly worth it in the end. I have now been CDing for a year and a half and wouldn't change a thing. As for the two hour thing, if she has a nap schedule already try and plan her diaper changes right before she takes a nap. It's ok to change a baby more than once in a two hour period. Hope this helps. Good luck momma!

kcs7

Im not an expert...but I can offer my experience with the hope to encourage!

First, I didnt know about nb cd so I waited till about 8? Weeks old...then I didnt do cd overnight until quite a bit older than that, maybe 15 weeks? I got nightime specific cds and eventually twinkie tush night night (love!)

That all being said...I cried when I first put ds in cd! i too thought they looked huge n bulky but now I looooooove his fluffy butt!! I also love the diaper wash routine now too. Its relaxing to me. I now enjoy all the cds I bought. I love that the pooplosions dont explode out of the diaper. I love that he looks so cute if I leave him in just a diaper. (I cant stand pics of babies in sposies, blah) I love I dont have stinky garbage and a ton of diapers im throwing away everyday. I love that I never have to go to the store just because im out of diapers and have no choice but to go.

Oh and as for the drying, all my inserts go in the dryer. Maybe im not supposed to, but I dry them on high until they are dry. The covers i hang up in the bathroom and occasionally run for a few mins on warm heat if they seem slightly damp still. I have bg 4.0's and best bottoms mainly that use.

I also chalked up the crying over cd for myself as a ftm mom thing and I freaked about everything and was havng a hard time with everything! Cd's are an adjustment but try to think positive! Best of luck to you!!!!

ElleBeeDub

I'm going to basically repeat everything @Mapleme‌ said.

1) The bulk only bothers you, but as she gets bigger, you might find you actually like it My kidlet has no bum to speak of, so I really love that this fluff helps keep his pants up.

2) Yeah, AIOs are going to take quite a while to dry. Hanging them outside in the sun would help. You could also hang them to get them mostly dry, then pop them in the drier for a bit to finish them off. It's not the best thing for the PUL, but many people will put all their diapers in the drier. Just make sure you use low heat.

3) You could definitely try stay dry liners if you want, but I'm guessing it doesn't bother her as much as you. I liked to change G after feeding time (and sometimes also before!). For a while it felt like my whole day was spent alternating between feeding him and changing his diaper. If she has specific times when she's sleeping more than two hours, you might try using a hemp or bamboo doubler too to boost the absorbency.

4) Yeah, I have some photos of G as a newborn and his covers seemed MASSIVE!  It never bothered him, and he did grow into them remarkably quick. It really does bother only you. Maybe if you can figure out a good drying routine for you, you could use the BG as "daytime"/going-out diapers and the rest as nighttime/around-the-house diapers?

5) There's no telling on the fussy front. She may just not be used to them. I'm sure they feel different. Maple's right, though the stay dry liners might help her feel a bit more "normal." 

It's good that you stepped away to take a break when you needed it, but don't give up. I can't imagine diapering with sposies regularly, but cloth can feel a little overwhelming at first (especially when you're also adjusting to a new little dictator in your life). Also, please feel free to come back and ask us questions as they come up. You don't have to get it perfect on the first try

mrshudson618

1. Gonna be blunt: I really don't see why this matters. Do you just not like how it looks?
But, I would try it again. It is amazing how much a nb can fill out in only a week or two. It might seem better already. But it could be something you might have to get used to if you really care about using cloth. (Also, try the prefolds. They can be quite trim. )

2. Understandable. I hate it too, and one of the main reasons we do not use AIOs. It's a reason lots of people don't use AIOs. Again, try your prefolds! They will dry faster than your workhorses even.

3. NBs have really sensitive skin. If the redness goes away on its own after a little air time, I would not worry about it, but if it still bothers you some things besides a fleece liner you could try are adding absorbency, and using a thicker diaper cream, like Greandma Els, as a barrier.
Changing more often could help, but like PPs said, NBs are tricky a fit will get better, but adding absorbency is a good idea if she is sleeping longer than 3 hrs.

4. See number 1.
You chose to get adjustable sized covers. They will obviously be bigger and bulkier on the smallest setting. A specifically nb sized cover will be much trimmer, but not last very long.

5. Could be a coincidence, but could be that wetness bothered her, which can be fixed.
It could also be that CDs seemed to stress you out. Babies totally pick up on things like that.



CDing a nb is a whole different thing than OS CDing. Your problems were actually pretty minor, lots of people deal with leaks since it is hard to get a good fit with tiny nb legs and little experience. Your main problems seem to be cosmetic. If you care more about that than all the good reasons to CD, then maybe it just isn't for you, and we will gladly buy your stash

My main advice is to try it again for at least another couple days. Things will fit better already, and sometimes everything seems more overwhelming a week After having a baby. Honestly your hormones are still nuts around then and you probably had no sleep. Your reaction could be more emotional than you realize and some of your issues might not bother you as much. If you still hate it, stop and try again in another week or so.
but try your prefojds, and maybe consider pockets? They go on like AIOs, can be very trim, and dry MUCH faster.
And remember that it's ok if you decide it just isn't fit you. Nb stashes resale really well, it isn't a huge loss. And you could always try again when she fits into OS, and things aren't as overwhelming.
(I hope you don't take any if that as condescending,( "OMG Hormones!") but you did seem to have such a strong emotional response after only trying two days, and I remember what PP can be like, it can make you a little crazy without realizing it. We have all been there. But it might just be that you HATE using CDs )

emmylou78

I didn't like how fluffy they are on NB either. I started at 2 weeks with covers and prefolds, then bought 8 Kawaii P and Ns which I loved! Covers without snaps are going to be trimmer. Fleece will help as a stay dry liner. You should be changing every 2 hours, esp with a newborn. (They poop so much!) I still change every 2-3 at almost 8 months. No timer necessary. It just needs to be habit, or change either before or after feedings. A NB should be eating evey 2 hours anyway

freezorburn

What are your motivations for trying cloth in the first place? How committed are you to those motivations? That's what I would encourage you to think about first.

1. What PPs said.

2. Put them in the dryer on low or medium. Your LO will outgrow them so fast the wear and tear will be minimal. I dried my Simplex OS on high for 18 months before I started to notice any wear and tear.

3. When we say change every 2 hours, that's not by the clock; it's just about what it works out to, on average, for most people. Change her when she needs changing. Obviously don't wake her to change. She will be wet when she wakes up from a nap. Change. Before a feeding is nice -- DS wouldn't latch on if his diaper was wet. Sometimes he would poop after nursing on one side so I would have to change him again, then nurse the other side. And then he might be wet or poop again, so I would change him again. And then we would give him a little tummy time and need to change him again before his nap, because he would not fall asleep in a wet diaper. CHANGE AS OFTEN AS YOU NEED TO. We went through 19 diapers a day during the NB phase. If you do the math, that's quite a bit more often than every 2 hours. We are probably an extreme situation, but that was what we needed to do for our baby.

As your baby gets older they won't need to change as frequently. She will stop pooping overnight, and at some point she will poop less frequently in general. She will become less sensitive to wetness. Also she will stay dryer longer before wetting the diaper, instead of constantly leaking like newborns do. It will get easier.

4. What PPs said.

5. It does sound to me like wetness bothers her, which in the long run can be a good thing. If a baby can communicate to you that they are wet, then you know when to change her. Also this can help through potty training/learning. In the meantime, take the fussiness as a sign that she needs a diaper change.

I hope it gets better for you. CD is a wonderful thing to do for your child and for the environment. 

ABColeslaw

Oh man I put everything in the dryer.  Honestly honestly, especially with your NB stash, you won't use them long enough to do any real damage to them.  I loved my BG nb aios and those suckers went in the dryer because I used them all the time. 

As far as workhorses and covers, you're going to be fluffy, so if the fluffy really bothers you, use them at night. 

My daughter's dipes are soaked with each changing at night and her skin appears red.....it is just baby skin.  You think it is the wet doing it, when it is in fact the warm/snug dipe.  If she doesn't have a rash, chances are she isn't uncomfortable. 

I know you're associating fussy baby with this dipes/coincidence maybe?  My baby was fussiest in her first two weeks than she is now.  She is 5 weeks now.  I've cloth diapered the whole time. 

I'd say why don't you try again after the NB stage.  But if the bulkiness of the nb dipes bothers you, OS will really not sit well with you.  So I think if you're going to try again, now is the time to do it. 

And I don't know if you have a OS stash, but if you're going to try again with OS dipes, can I recommend Best Bottoms, you can get those pretty trim. 

km_md

The PPs have said everything important so I just wanted to say that if you really want to cloth diaper, don't give up! It can be challenging and even a little overwhelming at times but it is worth it once you get it all figured out. This board is so helpful. I've asked lots of questions (some of them ridiculous) and I've always gotten so much help. We dealt with lots of leg leaks because DD is skinny, and a couple of detergent and wash routine issues but we have gotten into a good system now and I'm really happy with it.

countrycotton

I can only add one thing that might help you. Most dryers have an air dry cycle. You may try tossing the dispers in the dryer and useing that cycle. No heat equals no damage. I dry all my diapers in the dryer on low. After a few minutes I pull the covers out as they are dry, and let the rest go the full cycle. In almost four months I have seen no damage doing it like this, the air dry cycle will be slower than low, but possible faster than line drying. 

Also if your worried about wetness upsetting her, like others have said its probably just newborn skin, Just cover her hiney with coconut oil to give a little bit of a barrier. During the newborn stage I used sposies. I changed my daughter as soon as she got just a little wet, so probably every hour. They pee a lot when they are new. Just remember you can't hurt her by changing too often, even if it's unneeded. 

Angela814

1.) That's my biggest complaint about CDing too. I used disposables with my first 2 and switched to cloth with my 3rd. I have pretty much all pockets and replaced the microfiber with bamboo and blend inserts. They are much trimmer, but I still find jeans don't fit as well in cloth.

2.) I dry all of my diapers in the dryer. 50 min on low followed by 15 min on medium. I did hang the covers to dry for the first month or so before that became too tedious.

3.) I haven't experienced the redness, but my pockets all have a stay dry liner. It sounds like your LO might be sensitive to wetness. Right now DD3 is changed every 3 hours or so unless she has a crazy long nap. She wears cloth overnight, which is usually about 10-11 hours.

4.) No experience with these.

5.) It could be a coincidence or a wetness sensitivity or an allergy to one of the cd materials. I'm not familiar with any of the diapers you have. I used mainly Kawaii Pure & Naturals pockets for the newborn phase. I just put them away for good, and DD3 is 14 months.

Sgriff1

Ok I posted almost the exact post when I first put LO in CDs. I had workhorses and mini coveralls/RAR covers and HATED them. I couldn't handle the bulk and I didn't like it not being stay dry and being soaked at each change. I used prefolds with Bummis covers for a while which were trimmer, but eventually gave up on the prefolds/fitteds for the NB stage and used Lil Joeys and Imagine AIOs which I looooved! The Lil Joeys of courses didn't fit long, and my LO was tiny (5lbs)...but the Imagine AIOs worked for a long time. Here are some pics. I tried to delete some but it won't let me, so pic overload. The green/blue are the Bummis at about 8lbs. Then red is a lil Joey and the elephants is the Imagine.

daisyemerson

Thank you so much everyone for the suggestions and encouragement.

Yes, the fluffiness is more my issue and just a cosmetic one. If the wetness or redness continues to bother her (or maybe just me?) I'll try the liners too.

I'm definitely going to give it another shot in the next few days. Reading everyone's posts gave me some more motivation to get back on that horse thank you so much!!

daisyemerson

Oh...also wanted to add that she goes long between feedings. 5.5 hours last night and usually 3 or more during the day. So the frequency of changing sounds like something I'll have to work through. Or add tons of doublers and extra fluff.

@mrshudson618‌ you were dead on with the PP hormones. I know that definitely played a factor.

I'll report back and let everyone know how it goes.

TJ1979

Is your LO BF or FF? Over 3 hours during the day seems like an awful long time between feedings.

freezorburn

TJ1979 said:

Is your LO BF or FF? Over 3 hours during the day seems like an awful long time between feedings.

I was wondering this too.

kassidybl

Granted, I'm still waiting on my LO to come, but I've been working on prepping my CDs for when he's here.

I've just been putting mine in the dryer with some wool dryer balls I made. Cuts down on how long they take to dry (since the wool absorbs the water from the air) and makes them super soft by beating them as the dryer goes.

Once I'm out of dryer sheets, I'll actually be using them on all our laundry and not just the baby things.

https://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-wool-dryer-balls/

Honestly, I loved making them and will probably make some other colors as well. Just sit down with a movie or between naps and knock out one or two at a time.

daisyemerson

@TJ1979‌
DD is EBF. I agree it's a long time but have been advised to follow her cues. We had quite a few visits to lactation consultants during her first week as she was tongue tied and not really eating (that's all sorted out now).
She doesn't always go over 3 hours during the day, she often cluster feeds over many hours but then will go for long stretches after that and during the night.

SarahA918

She may have been fussy if she was feeding off of your frustrated energy.

For the wetness issue, my son was in the NICU for a long, long time and would always get mad when his disposable was wet. It doesn't seem to bother him in cloth now at all and he sleeps all night without a change.

Maybe just use the diapers your comfortable with for now and supplement with disposables. No one loves all of their diapers! I thought I'd love AIOs but actually I hate them and prefer fitteds and prefolds and covers way more. When you figure out what you like, get more to use full time when LO is bigger.