Cloth Diapering check in

carafern

Hello mamas! We mentioned doing this in one of the randoms, some months ago. I wish I had written down all of the CD mamas to tag… I thought we could periodically share tips/questions/frustrations. I think there are a few STMs who might have some experience to help us FTMs out.

What kind of dipes are you using? Do you like them?

How's your partner/DH handling it?

Questions/problems/AWs:

carafern

What kind of dipes are you using? Do you like them?

We are using mostly prefolds (GMD nb) and covers, with a few workhorses and AIOs. This is working really well, the prefolds especially.  I'm actually surprised at how easy it is, so far, granted we are only in week one.

How's your partner/DH handling it?

DH is in charge of diaper changes, and he's better at it than I am! That man can fold!

Questions/problems/AWs: After just two washes, I already have some staining. I know the diapers are clean but its a bummer and I wonder if my wash routine needs adjusting.

meeshybee

What kind of dipes are you using? Do you like them?

I have a few random prefolds/covers, but mostly just the BG 3.0's. I haven't started using the BG yet because a) I don't think they'd fit her correctly until she's a little bigger and b) 3 years of use with DD2 killed the aplix and I haven't fixed it yet. I did love them with DD2, though.

Questions/problems/AWs:

What are you washing them in? I have some Rockin' Green but haven't tried it yet.

carafern

@meeshybee

How do you replace aplix?! I have a bunch of older BGs that  friend gave me. The aplix is in pretty sad shape. I thought I might try to replace it over time since DD wont be using them for a while.

And for detergent, I'm using Tide, per the suggestion of the CD board. I think the last wash I did was warm, not hot, and that made the difference.

abbyful

We're in sposies right now until our BumGenius 4.0s fit. (We've cloth diapered DS for 2+ years now, BG are our favorite.)

DH was apprehensive at first, but now he loves cloth diapers. They work better than sposies and are cheaper.

My washing routine:
- Run "quick wash" warm, no soap
- Run "whitest whites" (hot heavy-duty wash with extra rinse) with either Rockin' Green or Nellie's, whichever is on sale when I need to buy more
- Line dry shells, tumble dry hot inserts

AW: I bought a couple of these recently! She needed something pretty admist her brother's hand-me-downs.

meeshybee

@carafern - You can get refresher kits from BG to replace the hook parts, but all the loop parts of mine are shot too, so I want to convert them to snaps. And maybe I won't have to go through the let's-rip-off-the-diaper stage I went through with DD2.

I already have the right kind of snaps from other projects I've done. Here's the directions: https://www.kamsnaps.com/bumGenius-Snap-Conversion-35.html

It looks pretty easy to do.

librarygirl123

We are using newborn AIOs from Bg, imagine, grovia, and sweet pea. The bgs are our favorites and sweet peas are our least favorite. We rented these from the local cd store, and have them for eight weeks from her birth.
DH is handling well- he does most of the diaper changes. My mom is anti CDs though-she is going to watch dd once I go back to work.
We were using ecos to wash, but it doesn't get all of the smell out. We are trying country save today- hopefully it will be better!

moroccojade

We have a nice NB stash but I'm waiting till the cord falls off and until I feel up to doing laundry.

Maybe the middle of next week?

venussapphire

I started cloth diapering DD1 when she was 16 months old so this is my first time cloth diapering a newborn.

What kind of dipes are you using? Do you like them? For the newborn stage I am using GM prefolds and workhorses with different covers. The thirsties size one velcro covers are our favorites. So far so good.

How's your partner/DH handling it? Great, DH is all for cloth diapering. First for comfort for our daughers and then for money saving. 

Questions/problems/AWs: nothing really

ETA: I usually use tide. warm quick wash no detergent. hot heavy duty with detergent and an extra rinse.

venussapphire

carafern said

Questions/problems/AWs: After just two washes, I already have some staining. I know the diapers are clean but its a bummer and I wonder if my wash routine needs adjusting.

@carafern After you wash them do they smell dirty? Natural fibers will stain easier. The stains will wash out eventually. Try sunning them.

carafern

carafern said

Questions/problems/AWs: After just two washes, I already have some staining. I know the diapers are clean but its a bummer and I wonder if my wash routine needs adjusting.

@carafern After you wash them do they smell dirty? Natural fibers will stain easier. The stains will wash out eventually. Try sunning them.

They didn't smell dirty so I figured it was nbd, but wanted to avoid it if possible. Its nice to know that they will come out eventually.

Carebella

What kind of dipes are you using? Do you like them?

None of what I got worked for Jackson right of the bat with his umbilical cord. But it came off early this morning at 10 days old so I am hoping today or tomorrow we can start with our CD stash. I have GMD, Bummies, and Thirsties prefolds with a couple of GMD Workhorses for nighttime changes. Then for covers I have some Econobums and Thirsties. Hoping they will all work...

How's your partner/DH handling it? N/A since we haven't started using them just yet.

Questions/problems/AWs: None yet, and we've switched the detergent for everything to the tide free and clear powder.

staugustinewedding

I'm using disposables until she's a month old bc I am already adjusting to so much with BF and oh..being a mom AND they pee and poop so much when they are born...But our CD stash is ready to go. We have cloth prefolds and we have several different types. Charlie Banana, Flip, Bum Genius, G Diaper and Thirsties. I will lurk here until we start using them.

MalachiteDrake

What kind of diapers are you using? 

bumGenius 4.0's. We tried the prefolds, but she just pees right through them, and we used disposables at the hospital and for a few days after she got home. I was going to wait until the cord fell off to switch over, but I hated the disposables. I was so relieved when I tried the BG's at how easy and nice they were. 

How's your partner/DH handling it? 

Oh, he couldn't care less one way or another. He also hasn't changed a diaper yet and probably won't for a while. My mother and I take care of Dani 99% of the time, as my husband is almost always at work or sleeping right now. As for my mom, she loves the cloth diapers and is awesomely doing a load of laundry a day for the household to make sure we've always got clean ones available. 

Questions/problems/AWs: We use Tide Free & Clear for detergent and vinegar for a fabric softener. Works wonderful, and that's how we do all our laundry now. We also use these wool balls in the dryer instead of the little sheet for static cling (and we do dry the shells in the dryer on low). 

Sarahbeth612

Thanks for doing this!

My boy is 3 days old and circumcised.  I wanted to CD from day 1, but the meconium and circ care have me a bit worried so thinking about waiting until he's healed.  I know circumcision is a sensitive topic but if anyone has tips for CD after, let me know!

I will definitely have at least 2 brand new Lil Joeys that he won't be able to wear because he is a big boy already... PM me if interested

emmaknits

My little guy is 3 weeks old and we started using our cloth diapers just before he turned 2 weeks old. We use disposables at night because our newborn stash is really small.

What kind of dipes are you using? Do you like them?
--For newborn, we have small gDiapers that I love, kissaluvs fitteds size 0 with a Bumkins one size cover-not a huge fan, I want to get a smaller cover, and BG newborn AIO that are also great. Looking forward to trying out Kawaii and BG 4.0 when baby gets bigger.

How's your partner/DH handling it?
--My DH does fine with the diapers, I've been on diaper duty lately since he's been back at work.

Questions/problems/AWs:
--Nothing so far!

Love4Science

I haven't been super active lately since parenting is time consuming and I had a really rough recovery from a forceps delivery, but this check in will be a great place to get ideas (in addition to the CD board)!

What kind of dipes are you using? Do you like them?
We have 2 dozen Nicki's Indian cotton prefolds and half a dozen GMD workhorses with Thirsties, Blueberry, and Assunta Tiny covers. We also have some Imagine bamboo newborn AIOs and Kawaii P&N pockets.

Unfortunately we've been stuck in disposables since she was born a month ago. First we were waiting for the cord to fall off, then she got thrush, then we were traveling for Thanksgiving. We're on our way home now and my diapers are all prepped at home. I can't wait to slap some fluff on that cute little bum!

How's your partner/DH handling it?
He's pretty excited! He's the diaper changing pro, so hopefully he'll catch on quick.

Questions/problems/AWs:
I have a 7-10 year old toploading machine that has S, M, L, and XL load settings. A medium load fills the drum halfway and I was able to prep all my diapers together (minus the covers and the P&Ns) on that setting. The powdered Tide box says fill the scoop to line 1 for a medium load. Is that how much I should be using for a half drum full of water?

Love4Science

MalachiteDrake said:

We tried the prefolds, but she just pees right through them,  

Just curious, you were using a cover with the prefolds, right? Did you try a doubler to add absorbency?

MmmPopcorn

What kind of dipes are you using? Do you like them? We used disposables until the cord stump fell off and DS's circ healed. We finally broke out our prefolds yesterday (currently in GMD prefolds in NB size, but we also have a larger stash of Bummies). We will use the prefolds until the BG 4.0s and hand-me-down 3.0s fit. I like the prefolds thus far. DS soaks right through them, but the double-gusseted Bummies covers really contain the mess.

How's your partner/DH handling it? He digs the cloth. It's cheap! He does most of the diaper changes, and he really doesn't have a problem with the cloth diapers.

Questions/problems/AWs: I will probably wash my first load tomorrow. I will probably be back for some troubleshooting when that happens since I have a front-loader. Question for those of you using prefolds with Snappis: how many Snappis do you have? I think I need more.

Kristil2014

What kind of diapers are you using and do you like them: I am using strictly applecheeks and I love them! I started using them when we got home from the hospital on day 6.

How is you DH handling it?: pretty good. He hasn't had to change many diapers.

Questions/problems/AW: LO is so tiny, you have to really make sure they are on good or you have leaks. We have had a couple poop blowouts, but it's be very easy to cloth diaper.

venussapphire

MmmPopcorn said:

Questions/problems/AWs: I will probably wash my first load tomorrow. I will probably be back for some troubleshooting when that happens since I have a front-loader. Question for those of you using prefolds with Snappis: how many Snappis do you have? I think I need more.

I have 3 snappis. That is plenty for me since usually when I take one prefold off I'm putting another one on and I use the same snappi

rahkitt

Things are going well!  I used cloth for a year with my daughter 7 years ago, and only very briefly with my son 4 years ago.  I was determined to make it work this time and it is.  I use a variety of Thirsties fitteds with covers, BG 3.0, pockets, and BG and thirsties AIOs.  I started having a stink problem after about a month and was frustrated because I had that problem last time (and I had them professionally stripped before the baby arrived).  I remembered reading the Tide advice, so I switched from All Free and Clear and one wash in Tide did the trick!  They don't smell perfumed or anything, just clean.  We're still using disposables at night, not sure when we'll switch.  Probably once he's big enough to fit in the ones I used for nighttime with my daughter (dream-eze and crickets) and not nursing quite as much.  He's already pooping a lot less frequently than he was which helps a lot!  Not sure what I'll do once he starts eating solids if he's a frequent pooper, but the longer I use cloth the more money I'm saving.  I've even figured out the drying problem I had.  The AIOs are super convenient but take a lot time to dry.  So I always wash another load of clothes after the dipes (and there is always laundry I can do!) and I put just the diapers that are still wet through the dryer again with the clothes.

BridgetThoams

We are currently using diaper right prefolds with Rumparooz covers, we have the newborn size and a bunch of one size as well.  I don't mind them, the folding is a bit to get used to though.

H is really struggling with the prefolds, he can't seem to get the folds to work with LO squirming all over the place.  We just purchased a decent stash of BG 4.0 so that he can diaper more often without getting frustrated and asking me to help each time.  

I have a great deal of experience both with prefolds and BG as all of my nieces are in CD and have used both types.  H had never changed a diaper before but really liked the idea of the prefolds for cleaning purposes.  But it looks like we will be using lots of BG during the day and prefolds at night.

lincoln79

What kind of dipes are you using? Do you like them?

We are using BumGenuis FreeStyle AIO. We are doing well!

Questions/problems/AWs:

How do you know when to adjust the snap size?

We are also battling diaper rash between his belly button and groin area. Suggestions?