Product Spotlight: Diapering

m6agua

Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product. Feel free to comment on threads like these throughout your time at the board, not just when they're in their week in the spotlight, if you discover something new OR are new to the board. This week it's.... Diapering!

FTMs are encouraged to ask questions & STM/+s encouraged to share their knowledge based on experience. You can use any or all the prompts relevant to you below to share info in an easy-to-read format. Pictures/screen grabs, if put in spoilers, are welcome!

For all:
Brand you like?
Any diapering accessories, you reccommend?
If you've cloth diapered, any tips you can give FTMs?

To  view the upcoming PSS schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XX4aUSPsDbdyEEK5HIzMzwH2ztOVOnNCehSgMAc5w6U/edit?usp=sharing
Next up: Cribs, Travel cribs, sleeping surfaces

jrouge12

Brand you like? Pampers. There were some poopy leaks on really bad diapers but they are still my preferred brand. Huggies gave DD a bad rash. Honest were ok but price was too high.

Any diapering accessories, you reccommend? We've used the Huggies Natural Care wipes with no problems. They can wipe a mess. Desitin was the most effective cream we tried. Shout for the stains you think you'll never get out. We have a Dekor pail that I have no complaints about.

If you've cloth diapered, any tips you can give FTMs? Oh we were going to do this. Still have the trial pack I ordered for DD. It just didn't work. DD pooped a lot. She's down to 2 a day. I still feel guilty about the waste. Hopefully we're making up for it in other ways. 

mokay19

Brand you like?  Newborn: I like the Pampers with the belly button cut-out. Now: Huggies because they’re cheaper

Any diapering accessories, you reccommend? We buy bulk wipes off Amazon. Much cheaper and DD has never had an issue with them. 

Also, if you don’t want to use/try different diaper creams, often times Vaseline works great and also usually helps my DD with tough poops when needed. 

If you've cloth diapered, any tips you can give FTMs? Nope! Our daycare didn’t do cloth diapering so it wasn’t worth it to us to buy all the tools and diapers. I have several friends who loved it though. 

cmhme

FTM so this is all theory but I have been reading a lot about cloth diapering this week. I think i am going to try start with mostly prefolds and covers and see how that goes. Main motivation for this is that i think the laundry will be simpler with prefolds (dry faster and less bulk), you can layer as many layers as needed, and covers dont need to be washed every time. Husband is not 100% on board yet so we will see.

bananapanda

We used pampers in the beginning then switched to huggies snugglers for awhile.  More recently we tried the mama bear brand from Amazon, and I think I actually prefer them to huggies, and they are cheaper! Also if you have amazon prime you should definitely get diapers and wipes on subscribe n save so you can save like 15-20%!

For wipes my daughter hasn't shown any issues with any yet, but we typically do huggies wipes and always have some water wipes on hands for when she does get a diaper rash.

adventuresawait2

Brand you like? We have liked Earth’s Best or Babyganics (get whichever ones are cheaper on Target or Wal-Mart websites - Amazon prices often seem to be higher). We tried 7th Generation and didn’t like them. Use Pampers in a pinch if we run out, but liked the more eco-friendly vibe of the others. 
Any diapering accessories, you reccommend? Water Wipes have been great. Basically just water, so no chemicals to irritate the skin. Also, we slather on the Aquaphor at every diaper change (a friend told me she wished she had known this!) and use Butt Paste or Desitin if things look red. 
If you've cloth diapered, any tips you can give FTMs? N/A. Daycares don’t allow it here and we didn’t have our own washer/dryer when we started diapering, so this was a no go for us. 

thepretzelchick

I am a Huggies girl through and through. They fit well, they hold in smells better than Pampers, and blowouts were rare. Amazon Subscribe & Save is my boo. Running out for diapers and/wipes with 2u2 is not the life I wanted to live.

I love Huggies natural wipes. My kids have sensitive skin and these puppies really work without irritating them. I still use them and have a pack in my purse.

For diaper rashes, and pretty much anything else under the sun: Bag Balm. That stuff is amazeballs. It cleared up diaper rashes faster than Desitin or other creams, and it does wonders for any other skin irritations (including eczema in a pinch, which both of my kids had and I could write a novel about eczema care. I use it when they have a flareup and I don't have Aquaphor on hand). When I fell off my bike as a kid and skinned up my knees, Mom slathered on the bag balm and I had new skin in a few days. It is the absolute shit.

I tried to cloth diaper my son, but with his skin issues, I had to use products that weren't CD-friendly and I didn't want to ruin that investment, so I sold them. Their resell value is awesome. I did feel like I was always stressing about laundry, both the maintenance of CDs and the volume of household laundry in general, so it was just a battle I didn't feel like fighting. It's really one of those You Do You things. I think it's awesome if you can swing it, but don't feel guilty if sposies are what's right for you.

mamaclownface

Here to say I'm loyal to pampers. The pricepoint is fair and the quality is good. Same goes for their wipes! I am on the opposite end of the spectrum with huggies. They consistently gave my DD a reaction and I did not like the fit/leakage.

soprano19

When DD was a newborn, we used Pampers Swaddlers all the time. Once she started sleeping through the night, especially after she turned 1, she would sometimes leak through a regular diaper at night. So we do Pampers during the day and Huggies overnight diapers at night. We tried a couple other overnight brands and that combo worked best for us.

For wipes, we usually buy Pampers, but if something else is available, we're not picky. Aquaphor is our go-to lotion of choice, though we only use it when she has a rash. I also bought a little silicone spatula thing to spread lotion on and it is awesome. We use OxyClean Baby for stains and it works great.

spiderlover25

We use target brand diapers and they are cheap and fantastic. Pampers are also great but more expensive. I have skinny girls with chunky legs... huggies leaked almost every single time we used them. I think baby shape plays into the best diaper so I would suggest buying a bad of a few brands to try out to see what works best for your babe. 

We cloth diapered when they were younger. Stopped only because daycare won’t use them and I went back to work full time. Before 6 months (or starting solids) if baby is breastfed you don’t have to spray poop. All diapers went straight into the wash. We mostly used bum genius all-in-ones just for ease of use but they do take longer to dry. We also liked the pockets stuffed with flour sack towels but they’re a pain to stuff when you’re working and have a ton of other laundry. 

pirateduck

cmhme said:

FTM so this is all theory but I have been reading a lot about cloth diapering this week. I think i am going to try start with mostly prefolds and covers and see how that goes. Main motivation for this is that i think the laundry will be simpler with prefolds (dry faster and less bulk), you can layer as many layers as needed, and covers dont need to be washed every time. Husband is not 100% on board yet so we will see.

We are cloth diapering all the way.  I don't think it's even open to discussion in my house.  Even my husband mentioned it one day without prompting by me.  I don't use disposable products for myself and don't intend to for the baby.  My two reasons are to eliminate the landfill waste and save money.  I was in a cloth diapering thread on another BMB and got a lot of really good information.  I will try and find it and link it here.  I haven't decided on brands or anything yet, but did a lot of reading at one point in time, became a bit overwhelmed and figured I'd revisit it another time.  It doesn't have to be complicated though.  Oh, and I heard somewhere along the way that not all day cares are on board with cloth diapers, so if you are planning on sending your little one to day care definitely ask about it and be prepared either way!

I guess my questions for STMs who have cloth diapered are if there are covers you liked best, and why?  What material did you like best for liners?  Also do you have a favorite laundry detergent?  Oh, and best diaper rash cream (I know some can ruin cloth diapers)?

m6agua

TIPS

1. Try out several brands of diapers, it will be easier to do when they are younger because they change sizes fairly frequently. Eventually when you get to size 3 or 4 you are there for a while. Every baby is different, the diapers are shaped a little different and you have to find what works for you.
2. Once their poops are more solid I highly recommend dumping them out of the diaper into the toilet and then folding the diaper up into the trash. It will keep everything so much less stinky between trash changes.

BRANDS

• When DD was a newborn we alternated between Pampers and Up & Up. Pampers newborns were the smallest so they fit her the best immediately. Pampers 1's were to big of a jump in size so I did Up & Up Newborn, then Pampers 1, then Up & Up 1. It was almost like going up in half sizes. Eventually we settled on Huggies and Huggies overnights from size 3 on, they fit her the best and provided better absorption than store brands.
• I LOVED Costco wipes! I did make my own in the beginning, but for the cost/time the Kirkland Signature brand was where it was at!

ACCESSORIES

• We used coconut oil for every day use, even used it on cradle cap. I got the big tub from Costco and just separated out a jar right away for use on the baby, that way I wasn't double dipping with the stuff I would use for food.
• The best butt cream/paste I found was Triple Paste! https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Paste-Medicated-Ointment-Diaper/dp/B000GCL2B8
• I also LOVE this weighted wipe holder. It fits the large Costco packs, but the weight is super helpful to grab wipe out when it gets near the bottom. https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Tot-Perfect-Wipes-Dispenser/dp/B0771FFWPX/ref=asc_df_B0771FFWPX/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198084011406&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6613695377719947266&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1016418&hvtargid=pla-391342181413&psc=1
• I also really liked the wipeable changing pad covers, I found a few at Target, but I'm sure you can get them other places too.

mamaj1220

For DS I liked Huggies they fit him best, Pampers he always leaked through we tried Targets brand too but they gave him a rash. 

That being said I think the best advice is to try a few brands and see what works best for your baby.
Also we had a diaper genie and used it I swear maybe 3 times so I’m team no to that product. Oh and for diaper rash, Buttpaste!

rox7777

@pirateduck My favorite covers are Thirsties and Bumgenius Flips. I didn’t like best bottoms because the insides ended up with a ton of snags after a while (they’re double PUL and it’s common with that particular type). Flips work well over fitted diapers so that’s mostly what we used those for. Thirstiest for everyday use. 

I prefer bamboo/hemp blend for flats and prefolds. They’re super absorbent compared to cotton and they don’t seem to shrink as badly. We use fleece liners for a stay dry top so it doesn’t feel wet against the skin. 

I use tide original for diapers. It just works well for heavily stained laundry and we also use it for MH laundry (he’s a mechanic). The only detergent I hated for diapers was arm & hammer. It was way too weak and left them smelling funky after a while. We use grovia mighty bubbles as a booster 1-2 times a month.

Diaper creams in the “natural” brands seem to be the safest option. Honest, earth mama, burts bees, etc. I personally like Cjs butter in the spray option because I’m not a huge fan of cream.

peachnectarine

We used Huggies which were great, but then switched to Aldi brand diapers + wipes, and never looked back! I honestly didn’t even notice a difference with the switch and they are so much cheaper. But I didn’t use them on a newborn, I think maybe after 6 months or so. I highly recommend!
I also really liked Buttpaste and hated the diaper genie. It gets filled up so quickly and I felt like I was constantly tying and throwing away the disgusting tube of poopy diapers. It smelled awful and looked gross with smeared poop. And you have to buy so many refills. I know some people love it though, it’s hard to say what you will actually use/like until you try it. 

pirateduck

@rox7777 thank you!  We usually use arm and hammer, so that’s good to know!

rox7777

@pirateduck Purex was okay, if you want a more economical option, but I still wasn’t super happy. I had to use a lot more of it. We use tide for diapers and MH’s laundry and Walmart “gain” for everything else. It seems to be a good compromise (I do tonsssss of Laundry). 

I should say I haven’t tried to Walmart version of gain on diapers yet, but I plan to with this baby just to see. 

chewie5990

We used cloth diapers with DS and plan to do the same this time around. Cloth worked great for us and was easy once you get into a routine. Thirsties is definitely my favorite brand as far as fit (much slimmer) and we never had leaks with them. During the newborn stage we did prefolds and covers b/c I felt they were easier with leaks and easier with frequent diaper changes. We do use disposable at night b/c I could never really get a good night system going and we would always end up with leaks. 

If if you decide to go cloth I would definitely look into boutique stores in your area - a lot of them do cloth diaper trial programs so you can try a bunch of different brands and types before buying. I also recommend looking at used sites - most people who cloth diaper take care of their diapers so they can resell - also a lot of people plan to CD and then it doesn’t work out so they sell. I’ve been able get some great used steals.  

Last thing - cloth diapering does not need to be expensive! It is kinda trendy and companies take advantage of that! You don’t need fancy detergent (tide powder works best) and you don’t need crazy accessories ( I would spring for a sprayer though). 

catem07

I used pampers swaddlers through the early part of size 3, then switched to target because she was blowing out everyday. Now we use pampers 360 cruisers which are sort of like pull ups. We also use huggies overnights. 

I wouldn’t get too attached to any one brand. What works for one kid may not work for another. 

We used to use amazon wipes, now I use pampers pure. I don’t usually wipe for pee, just poop, and don’t use a diaper cream/barrier unless she has a rash. For rashes you usually have to try a variety of things. Aquaphor, triple paste, beaudreaxs butt paste. Lotrimin for yeast. 

queenklau

We started with pampers swaddlers which is what they gave us at the hospital. Then around 2 months switched to The Honest brand. I loved the designs, the fact that they are green and also very absorbent. We had very few blow-outs. We used them for 2 years. Towards the end when potty training I switched to some cheap pull-ups for nights time/naps.

agree with @catem07, only used wet wipes for #2s and maybe just a soft wipe (dry) or cotton ball for pee and the cream only if irritated. They are so sensitive early on that the less you put on them the better.

shamrocandroll

We used Pampers. Swaddlers for the first months, and then Cruisers once he started to crawl. I agree it depends a lot on your baby's shape and their pee and poop volume. DS was a pee and poop at every feeding kid. When he started sleeping through the night, Huggies Overnites were the best for us. When he got bigger, he even started leaking through those, so I had to size up and add a Sposie liner. 100% Team Amazon Subscribe and Save for diapers. You save 20% right off the bat. We also did Amazon Elements (I think?) sensitive wipes, and I liked them way more than any other brand. The texture did a much better job of cleaning than any other wipes I tried. For bad diaper rashes, I switched to a Bounty paper towel with water. 

For accessories... I used Destin for minor rashes, and Triple Paste for bad ones. Also, for the really awful ones, baking soda baths plus an air dry worked magic! Naked time is the best, so I'm excited to have a warmer weather baby this time to make that easier. I second the weighted wipe holder @m6agua linked, and I use it in the bathroom now for his flushable poop wipes now that he's potty trained. I didn't discover that thing until he was over a year old and I kicked myself. I had a Diaper Genie and only stopped using it very recently when the diaper poops stopped completely. Oh and GET THE BUTT SPACKLER! Actual product name is the bum brush. It's a little silicon spatula thing for applying diaper cream and it's the best. If you get diaper cream on your hands, it sucks to get it off. This thing you just clean with a wipe and you're done. 

Also, tip for boys: we kept a dry wipe to throw over his penis during changes. You WILL get peed on if you have a boy. May as well reduce the frequency by adding a barrier. Haha. For that same reason, I liked the flat water proof pads to lay on the changing table over the fitted one so I wasn't changing the fitted one constantly.

Tide Free and Clear is the only detergent I'll use for my and DS's sensitive skin. If I want a little scent, I put in a splash of Dreft, but the scent is way too strong to use straight for me. Never met a poop stain I couldn't get out with Tide.

I think that's all I can think of now.

Edited to fix typos, since I wrote all that from my phone. 

ruby696

Re: Triple Paste - The stuff is amazing.  Expensive, but worth every penny. Our pediatrician told us for bad or stubborn rashes to put Desitin on top of it. The Triple Paste absorbs and heals the skin and the Desitin (ointment, not cream), keeps wetness off the area. That advice convinced me that our pediatrician is a genius and I'll never go without the combo again. 

And yes to putting a wipe or towel over little boys!!!

rox7777

I’m adding this one: DS2 was breastfed for 2.5 years. I learned VERY early to always have something to throw in the wash under him. He liked to poop mid diaper change and BF poop is not awesome. 

shamrocandroll

@rox7777 Yes, exactly. That's another reason why I switched to the flat waterproof pads over the fitted ones. Never thought I'd watch so much poop happen real time. 😂 

rox7777

@shamrocandroll I feel like you’re not fully experiencing the boy mom life until you get pee in your face and catch poop with your hands. Yes, that happened. 😂😭

shamrocandroll

@rox7777 I got pee in my eye once. Never in my mouth, thankfully. Knock on wood. And so much poop. All over everything. 😱

jrouge12

@shamrocandroll @rox7777 Little girls can spray some serious breastmilk poop too! For some reason DD would always pick DH to pee on when she was being held for .03 seconds without a diaper (usually post bath). I always avoided that somehow. 

Linsbins

We used pampers and huggies. DD had such bad skin issues that we had to use water wipes. Found them on amazon subscribe and save for an awesome price, less than half of what target sells them for. 

I also cloth diapered as much as I could. But I wasn’t bringing them on long trips away from home, and my mom was kind of half and half on using them (she’s my childcare). But I love the Bumgenius freestyle, because it’s all in one and the pads flip in and out for easy air drying. There’s a stick diaper cream for cloth diapers and I loved that. Also, cloth diaper liners for those messy poop kids. Less rinsing and mess. Lift out the liner and toss that. 

ETA- there is a CD board here, but the threads on the front page are some of the same ones I was reading when I was CDing DD. Lol. There’s lots of Facebook groups out there, Fluff Love, etc. Lots of good info. And BST groups if you’re looking to buy used, but I got a hell of a deal on Black Friday so that’s one more sale I’ll be looking forward to. 

pirateduck

When did you start your registry?  Is it ever too soon?  Thinking about starting one but worried it will grow massive by the time I’m due or I will change my mind about things.  I just don’t want to forget about things I put a bunch of research into.

rox7777

@pirateduck Usually right around now for me. 13+5 and plan on finishing mine up this week. I like to get it out of the way early because I buy a little each month. Third baby, but we’re starting from scratch and not doing a shower or anything.

I only put gender neutral stuff on my list and go back and add after we find out the sex.

I also do 3-4 to get completion coupons and notifications for sales. I plan to get big ticket items Black Friday/Cyber Monday. I’ll use my completion coupons for a double stroller, convertible car seat and stocking up on clothes. 

pirateduck

Sorry ladies, that was meant to be posted in a different thread!  Bump App issues.  I will try and remember to move it when I’m on a computer again.  Don’t reply to my registry question here, continue on about diapers!!!

Austenista

Brands I like: Pampers and Huggies are good, but Huggies>Pampers all day long. I consistently buy Up and Up (Target) and Aldi brand because they’re affordable and get the job done. If I had money to spare I’d be splurging on those Huggies though, I love them. Costco and Sams Club diapers are good too. 

Luvs and Parents’ Choice are no good. Luvs because theyre scented and smell like someone stuck an air freshener in a portopotty when they need changed. And then parents choice are just cheapy cheap. I had to rip open the seam on every single one to use from the box I bought. I was thankful when both of them were used up. 

pirateduck

How many cloth diaper (inserts) do I really need?  I have read 2-4 dozen and then another website said 6-10 dozen.  That is a huge difference.  Obviously I don’t wanna run out in a day, but I do have a washing machine at my house.

rox7777

@pirateduck To wash for a newborn every other day you’ll want 24 diapers. Roughly 12 a day. Sometimes less, sometimes more. DS2 was one that pooped every diaper change so we had 15 per day. We did flats and covers until he was about 5 months old because it was more cost effective.

We did a combo of flats and all in ones starting around 6 months. I washed every 3 days and had 36 diaper changes total. 

pirateduck

Thank you soooo much @rox7777 This seems in line with some cloth diapering sites I have been looking at and starter packages they sell as well.  The Bump has a section designed to help you build a registry and said up to 10 dozen diapers, which seemed excessive compared to what I'd read elsewhere.  2-3 dozen sounds more realistic, which would allow you to get through a weekend away or something without having to worry too much about laundry.

chewie5990

@pirateduck I think 2-4 dozen sounds like plenty..We had 2 dozen prefolds/inserts and a few AIOs and wash every other day. Echoing was @rox777 said - we also used prefolds for about the first 3 months because I felt like the AIOs didn't really fit until DS had some rolls on his legs. At 3 months we had to switch to AIOs because DS started daycare and they wouldn't mess with prefolds (understandably). 

sbishop426

I guess I’m in the minority, we use Luvs and haven’t had any issues. Our boys are skinny and seem to fit little bottoms well. Huggies are also nice. Definitely like pampers for the newborn stage though. And we like pampers sensitive for wipes and Aquaphor or butt paste for rashes. I second (or third, fourth?) amazon subscribe and save for diapers/wipes, saves $ and you don’t have to haul a box of diapers from the store! 

pirateduck

Did anyone make their own wipes and was it worth it?  Reusable or disposable?

rox7777

@pirateduck A lot of the registries give weird info about cloth diapers in general. I recommend joining some brand specific cloth groups on FB if you have it! Thirsties Groupies Official Chat, Nickis Diapers Cloth Diaper Chatter, And Grovia Families are some of my favorites. They also have online support teams that can help you with wash routines, fit help, and guidance on all the other questions you may have. And it’s a nice network if you like mom groups and talking to others in similar stages of life.

chewie5990

@pirateduck we (actually my mom) sewed us a bunch of flannel wipes and I made a super simple wipe solution with Dr. Bronners castile soap, coconut oil, and water. We used the flannel wipes for EVERYTHING and I would just keep a zipper pouch in my diaper bag and a small spray bottle with the wipes solution. If you have a surger the flannel wipes were really easy to make! 

chewie5990

Also - if you are already doing laundry for cloth diapering, then cloth wipes are just thrown in with everything else, so there really wasn't any extra hassle