@sliztee thank you! I have registered for some of both. Really hoping we like cloth diapering as disposables annoy me with how much they are! I don't mind the extra wash(it is folding/hanging up I hate) so this would be easy until they are on solid food. Ugh do not look forward to that. Hoping dh likes or tolerates cloth!
If we are `trying out' cloth how many should we start with?
Has anyone tried or heard about: Alva baby Moomoo baby Or laimala brands?
@SweetSweetTooth our pockets were MUCH easier to clean than AIO. They’re kind of a pain to stuff at first but I would just do it while I was watching TV. We loved our Alva diapers and some of the other unbranded “China cheapies”. They worked much better for us than any of the Charlie Banana, bumGenius, and Rumparooz that we tried.
I have bought alvas, lighthouse kids, koala, and Thirsties primarily. I have a mix of AIOs, pockets, and AI2s. Mostly pockets because they're cheaper. I borrowed about 20 newborns and have about 30 one size.
@SweetSweetTooth I can't imagine why your husband wouldn't like cloth diapers. From what I hear (overwhelmingly), parents absolutely prefer them to disposables. You guys will do great!
As for the brands you mentioned, I have a 6-pack of Alva, but haven't heard of the others. I also have 2 (soon to be 3) packs of Mama Koala's. They're super cute and have great reviews.
I plan to have double the inserts that I do cloth diapers and it seems that the number of diapers you have in your arsenal depends on how often you launder them. Since you don't mind doing laundry, I'd probably feel comfortable with 15, but since I don't have a kiddo of my own yet, I can't speak to the reality of that.
Dh is worried about the strain on our washer and dryer and if there really would be any saving sfir the extra work. The brands I listed are all ones sold on Amazon that are under $5 a diaper.
The type of diaper that works best for you will also depend on baby. Heavy wetter diapers and good overnights will cost more. I have a friend who doesn't like any of her alvas. I recommend checking out some cloth diaper FB groups and sites to read reviews. I am in both All About Cloth Diapers and Fluff and Science University.
@Laumb11 my H is the same way. He's changed maybe 5 or 6 diapers and DD is 1.5 years old. He's finally coming around now that #2 is on her way and we don't have to buy diapers. He's finally understanding the cost savings vs. grossness factor.
Haha, yeah... He would do it more if we did AIO, but I wanted to make it as cost effective as possible so I use prefolds and he just kind of sucks at folding it right. Last time I came home from a mom's night out dinner he told me he thought her diaper looked weird so be prepared for the morning. Um, yeah. It was completely sideways. So I've also sort of banned him from doing it too!
@sliztee we used the Tide Original powder. It was fantastic. Fluff Love University has a really helpful section on washing diapers, including a detergent index and a section on what settings to use for specific washing machines.
@SweetSweetTooth I LOVE my Norwex detergent (I used to be a consultant). However, I've heard from many that it's not the best on CDs. I will most likely only continue to use it on clothes.
Since I am borrowing my NBs from 2 friends, they have asked I continue to use the detergent they use. So even when I use my non-borrowed ones I will use Tide Free and Gentle.
I need to test my water hardness. If you have hard water you'll want to add something like borax to your loads. You will not want to add this if you have soft water.
I use All Free and Clear and have had no issues. I've always wanted to try original Tide, but I haven't had any issues with All so I don't want to ruin a good thing.
I've seen them talk a lot about the Norwex in the fb group they have (that matches the page). Saying basically, it would take SO much soap, to completely clean all the layers of the diaper/insert, it isn't cost effective (like only a couple loads of diapers for the whole bottle). And using less than that can cause issues with absorbancy/smell etc but also risk of rashes etc since they aren't cleaning/disinfecting all the way through. We have always used era (almost identical to tide, but cheaper. Plus one of the few things we aren't allergic too) and have never had a problem. I know a lot of people end up using tide or one of the gains.
The fb page for fluff love universety is a great help. They will help you set up the best wash routine/detergents etc for your situation, if you post on the page with the info they ask for (water hardness test is one of those things. We used the ones from the fish aisle )
Just reread this and I use the powder not the liquid. Wonder if it is any better. I am ok not using it though Was thinking about this... When is everyone planning to start using cloth? I was planning on waiting until we got home and the meconium was done. But thinking about it there is the post parpartum recovery and when should I really wait to do laundry? Dh is fine trying out cloth but he for sure doesn't seem all for it. I have no issues washing the diapers but I know those first few weeks are going to be major adjustments and I don't want him hating cloth so I don't want him doing the diaper laundry. So with that how long should I wait? Or say screw it do it once we are home and let him deal with it and hopefully realize it isn't too bad. His concern is about the wear and tear on our washer/dryer. Diapers and baby clothes are smaller than our clothes so hoping it won't be that big of an impact.
I think the general consensus is that the powder actually does a better job, @SweetSweetTooth.
I plan to use disposable diapers the first couple/few weeks until things normalize a bit for us. Also, I have no idea how big he'll be, so the cloth diapers might not work well for him anyway.
He's being silly if he thinks that cloth diapers will be your washing machine/dryer's demise.
Quick question for the been-there-done-that Moms or anyone who has done more research than me lol.
Do I need to bulk my loads for prepping brand new, before-use diapers or is that just for soiled ones?
Ladybug - April 2013 Dandelion - October 2018 Angel "Aurora" - July 2020 Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021 Angel "Maxine" - January 2022 Angel "Violet" - March 2022 Baby Dove due March 2023
@mytrueloves I think that depends on your washer. I believe you should be fine in a top load as there's a central aggitator, as long as there's enough weight to wash a load. You may want to a bit if it's a front load, depending on how many diapers you're doing.
@SweetSweetTooth I plan on doing it sometime after I get home. It's going to depend on how I feel I think.
@sammierose464 thanks! I have a front loading machine so I'll just get in the habit of bulking now. And it's totally safe to just bulk with baby clothes right? Because I need to wash those anyway lol
Ladybug - April 2013 Dandelion - October 2018 Angel "Aurora" - July 2020 Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021 Angel "Maxine" - January 2022 Angel "Violet" - March 2022 Baby Dove due March 2023
BTDT cloth diaper parents--has anyone successfully used a natural laundry detergent on their cloth diapers? I make my own laundry detergent from washing soda and grated bar soap (soap is made from lard), and have been washing our clothes this way for a long time without any issue, dirt or buildup. I know cloth diapers are a whole different ballgame. I was planning on using Seventh Gen powder detergent for our cloth diapers (fitteds from GMD), has anyone used this on their diapers successfully? Would really rather stay away from Tide.
Ladybug - April 2013 Dandelion - October 2018 Angel "Aurora" - July 2020 Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021 Angel "Maxine" - January 2022 Angel "Violet" - March 2022 Baby Dove due March 2023
@mytrueloves I was always told the general rule for bulking was it couldn't be bigger than a recieving blanket (so baby clothes are fine). Just remember if you do fabric softener, you will have to do a separate rinse cycle to add the softner without the diapers/inserts or use dryer sheets (with no diapers/insert in the dryer). I remember reading that the recommendation is that you want the washer at least 3/4 of the way full (of diapers/inserts with or without bulking) to make sure there is enough friction to get everything clean.
@music11, @sammierose464 is right. I believe it often has to do with lack of enzymes and actual detergents.(Grated soaps are just that, soap, not detergent. Meant for surface cleaning. Also not in high enough amounts in the mix, to be even close to effective at eliminating waste. And washing soda is considered a booster or softner, so again, not detergent.) Without detergents/enzymes, they can't properly break down urine/feces. (There is a couple pages, one I have saved that explains a bit about why they don't advise home made soaps, of you would like the link). I hope that didn't sound rude! I really wanted to make our own soap for our diapers so I researched a bunch about it. So just wanted to share!
We're planning to use disposables during the meconium phase before making the switch to CD. Also thanks to those who posted about the Fluff Love University Detergent Index! Had no idea certain plant based detergents wouldn't work (including the one we use now) so this gives us a chance to try new ones out. I think we're gonna end up with Seventh Generation, just not sure which one.
Re:fabric softener - I read to avoid using both liquid form and dryer sheets because they can reduce the flame retardancy of baby clothes. I had no idea. Def suggest looking into it!
So from what I understand, it's only baby sleepwear (not all baby clothes) that has flame retardant (now), and most those stopped having it between 1977 and 1996. The new law for sleep wear is that as long as it is "tight fitting" (so lower chance of catching fire) no flame retardant is necessary. And when it is, it is something special woven in with polyester fabrics, not sprayed/soaked. It's also usually not found until bigger sizes (I want to say 9+ months) because infant sleepwear is made tight fitting (and they don't expect a child younger than that to be able to be accidentally exposed to flame like a mobile baby). And if it is flame retardant, it has to be listed on the tags, and list special care for it (if not it has the yellow hanging tag that talks about tight fitting sleepwear being important.) Most companies use the "tight fitting" so they don't have to use retardant now. So I don't know that it's honestly an issue much any more. (Although it may have been when all kids clothes were treated with Tris retardant chemicals)
I just mentioned separating clothes from diapers/inserts because softener can cause repelling/loss of absorbancy, of diapers and inserts (also in towels and wash clothes). So they say don't use it on them.
I personally don't use any fabric softener or dryer sheets in my laundry. It can coat everything and make it harder to get clean. I love my dryer balls though.
So I've prep-washed my diapers two times now. All of our newborn diapers are AIO. I dry them on low heat, delicate cycle before line drying over night but I find that this red circled part of the diaper, the sewn in inserts, never seems to dry!
I have a pretty small stash because I'm planning on washing them every evening and drying them overnight so they're ready to wear in the morning. But I'm worried that they won't ever be dry come morning and I'll run out of diapers. Help?
Ladybug - April 2013 Dandelion - October 2018 Angel "Aurora" - July 2020 Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021 Angel "Maxine" - January 2022 Angel "Violet" - March 2022 Baby Dove due March 2023
Re: Cloth Diapering
If we are `trying out' cloth how many should we start with?
Has anyone tried or heard about:
Alva baby
Moomoo baby
Or laimala brands?
I can't imagine why your husband wouldn't like cloth diapers. From what I hear (overwhelmingly), parents absolutely prefer them to disposables. You guys will do great!
As for the brands you mentioned, I have a 6-pack of Alva, but haven't heard of the others. I also have 2 (soon to be 3) packs of Mama Koala's. They're super cute and have great reviews.
I plan to have double the inserts that I do cloth diapers and it seems that the number of diapers you have in your arsenal depends on how often you launder them. Since you don't mind doing laundry, I'd probably feel comfortable with 15, but since I don't have a kiddo of my own yet, I can't speak to the reality of that.
The brands I listed are all ones sold on Amazon that are under $5 a diaper.
Jeff better buckle up. We're in this shit together, literally.
I've read that the OG Tide powder is king when it comes to cost and efficiency. Thoughts?
https://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/how-to-wash-cloth-diapers/
Since I am borrowing my NBs from 2 friends, they have asked I continue to use the detergent they use. So even when I use my non-borrowed ones I will use Tide Free and Gentle.
I need to test my water hardness. If you have hard water you'll want to add something like borax to your loads. You will not want to add this if you have soft water.
We have always used era (almost identical to tide, but cheaper. Plus one of the few things we aren't allergic too) and have never had a problem. I know a lot of people end up using tide or one of the gains.
The fb page for fluff love universety is a great help. They will help you set up the best wash routine/detergents etc for your situation, if you post on the page with the info they ask for (water hardness test is one of those things. We used the ones from the fish aisle
Was thinking about this... When is everyone planning to start using cloth? I was planning on waiting until we got home and the meconium was done. But thinking about it there is the post parpartum recovery and when should I really wait to do laundry? Dh is fine trying out cloth but he for sure doesn't seem all for it. I have no issues washing the diapers but I know those first few weeks are going to be major adjustments and I don't want him hating cloth so I don't want him doing the diaper laundry. So with that how long should I wait? Or say screw it do it once we are home and let him deal with it and hopefully realize it isn't too bad. His concern is about the wear and tear on our washer/dryer. Diapers and baby clothes are smaller than our clothes so hoping it won't be that big of an impact.
I plan to use disposable diapers the first couple/few weeks until things normalize a bit for us. Also, I have no idea how big he'll be, so the cloth diapers might not work well for him anyway.
He's being silly if he thinks that cloth diapers will be your washing machine/dryer's demise.
Do I need to bulk my loads for prepping brand new, before-use diapers or is that just for soiled ones?
Dandelion - October 2018
Angel "Aurora" - July 2020
Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021
Angel "Maxine" - January 2022
Angel "Violet" - March 2022
Baby Dove due March 2023
@SweetSweetTooth I plan on doing it sometime after I get home. It's going to depend on how I feel I think.
Dandelion - October 2018
Angel "Aurora" - July 2020
Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021
Angel "Maxine" - January 2022
Angel "Violet" - March 2022
Baby Dove due March 2023
There are several Seventh Generation detergants on there!
Dandelion - October 2018
Angel "Aurora" - July 2020
Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021
Angel "Maxine" - January 2022
Angel "Violet" - March 2022
Baby Dove due March 2023
@music11, @sammierose464 is right. I believe it often has to do with lack of enzymes and actual detergents.(Grated soaps are just that, soap, not detergent. Meant for surface cleaning. Also not in high enough amounts in the mix, to be even close to effective at eliminating waste. And washing soda is considered a booster or softner, so again, not detergent.) Without detergents/enzymes, they can't properly break down urine/feces. (There is a couple pages, one I have saved that explains a bit about why they don't advise home made soaps, of you would like the link).
I hope that didn't sound rude! I really wanted to make our own soap for our diapers so I researched a bunch about it. So just wanted to share!
Re:fabric softener - I read to avoid using both liquid form and dryer sheets because they can reduce the flame retardancy of baby clothes. I had no idea. Def suggest looking into it!
So I don't know that it's honestly an issue much any more.
(Although it may have been when all kids clothes were treated with Tris retardant chemicals)
I just mentioned separating clothes from diapers/inserts because softener can cause repelling/loss of absorbancy, of diapers and inserts (also in towels and wash clothes). So they say don't use it on them.
So I've prep-washed my diapers two times now. All of our newborn diapers are AIO. I dry them on low heat, delicate cycle before line drying over night but I find that this red circled part of the diaper, the sewn in inserts, never seems to dry!
I have a pretty small stash because I'm planning on washing them every evening and drying them overnight so they're ready to wear in the morning. But I'm worried that they won't ever be dry come morning and I'll run out of diapers.
Help?
Dandelion - October 2018
Angel "Aurora" - July 2020
Angel "Sawyer" - May 2021
Angel "Maxine" - January 2022
Angel "Violet" - March 2022
Baby Dove due March 2023