Cloth Diaper Mommas

MiniWheats

I already got some answers on Facebook from a few of the gals but wanted to post on here too.  I went to a baby store to check out cloth diapers today and I am oh so overwhelmed!  Please share what type of diapers you use (prefolds, All in ones) what brands you like, how many you bought etc!

Thanks in advance!!!!

Lindsey 

lelekay

We only use one-size pocket diapers (during the day).  I just don't think I can handle prefolds, though that's definitely the cheapest way to go.  We started with only about 6 FuzziBunz to try them out.  I ended up really liking them, so bought a few more every once in a while.  At one point I got a BumGenius 4.0 to try out.  I didn't love it at first, but I actually like it a lot better now that he's bigger.  Our stash has grown over time, and we now have a total of 18 FuzziBunz and 7 BumGenius 4.0.

I do also have a few Kissaluv fitteds with Thirsties Duo Wraps for nighttime.  Ihad trouble with any of my pocket diapers leaking overnight (he's a really heavy nighttime wetter).  They work great at night, but I find them to be bulky for daytime, so I prefer the pockets for then.

HTH! 

mrspresley

ack! i'm sorry - i promised you a FB msg about this and then forgot sorry!

so my initial stash before she was born consisted of

3 dozen orange edge GMD prefolds (green mountain diapers)

6 covers (2 size XS and 4 thirsties duos size 1 - I got the XS before the duos came out on the market)

1 BG 3.0 size XS

1 Thirsties size XS AIO

4 XS Sposoeasy AIOs

1 XS bottombumpers AIO

2 BG organic AIOs (one size w/snaps)

2 Goodmama fitteds

i was pretty sure i'd like PFs but still wanted to try out other diapers so I got a few others here and there.  i just knew i didn't want to use pockets. many many love them but i just knew i didn't want to deal w/stuffing and unstuffing them.  i think time-wise it's the same....you can take a few seconds to stuff each pocket diaper or you can take a few seconds to snappi a PF onto the baby...so i don't think it's a time thing (though some mamas prefer to stuff their dipes after washing so it's one large chunk of time vs a few seconds at each diaper change if you do it that way)

after she was born and we figured out what worked for us, i just sold the ones that i wasn't using a lot. truthfully i did not dislike any particular diaper, but i just wanted to thin down our stash to what we use the most.  now our current stash consists of 4 BG organic AIOs for going out and for outfits that require a trimmer diaper, 4 Goodmamas for overnights, and 2 dozen red-edge GMD prefolds and 4 thirsties duo covers.  truthfully she only needs 1 dozen prefolds now but i bought them when she was younger, not realizing that she would use fewer diapers at this age (since we are doing EC).

keep in mind that every mama is different, every baby has a different body shape, etc. so what works for one person won't work for another.  you kind of just have to try a bunch and see what you like.  many cloth diaper stores online will offer trial packages for this reason - that might be what you want to do.  or, you can look at the different types and take your best guess as to what you think you might like and try it and if you don't like it, then try another one.  i know it's super overwhelming at first when you start to do the research, but remember there is no right or wrong and it's all trial and error to see what you like and what fits your baby

(that said, i really wish i knew about EC when she was younger b/c i totally would have started when she was younger... esp since when she was itty bitty it was super easy b/c she'd always make a poo face when she was pooping LOL  i think mamas that start w/EC super early on have their kids potty trained before they're even 1.)

expatjen

on a recommendation from a family friend, I bought a few FuzziBunz (one size) to start (about 6) and 3 BumGenuis 3.0.  Once I knew the FuzziBunz were going to work for us, I got a set of 24 from Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/24-One-Size-Diapers-GENDER-NEUTRAL/dp/B002N3UJR6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1301985804&sr=1-1

I have since picked up 4 more, more because I liked the new colors.  We wash our every day and usually hang dry (or I'll hang dry the covers and put the inserts into the dryer).  We do not use them at night (rather we use Pampers Active Baby disposables at nighttime).  

Good luck!  

lola808

When CDing full-time, I used 24 prefolds, 3 covers and 12 BG pockets (for nighttime or going out). I liked having both, especially once he became squirmy and not always happy waiting for the few extra steps of prefolds. Infant prefolds lasted us a long time and I can still squeeze him into one if necessary. We only started using the larger premium-sized ones recently.

Now that we CD only 50% of the time, my stash is down to 12 prefolds and 12 pockets before running a load of laundry.

SanHawaii08

we started with 24 prefolds and 4 thirsties duo wrap size 1's.  LOVE the thirsties covers.  we got our PF's from cottonbabies b/c they were cheaper than GMDs, and they work fine, but I ended up getting red-edged GMDs now that we've outgrown them.  the yellow-edge GMDs (i ended up getting some of these too) are slightly wider than the CB ones, so I in retrospect, I think I would have just gotten the GMDs to begin with.

now we have 1 doz red-edged GMDs and about 1 doz OS (one-size) pockets and AIOs.  BumGenius's seem to give E a belly rash, so I've stopped using all of those - but I really liked the Elementals.  super trim, easy to use.  I actually find pockets more difficult than PFs in getting a good fit, and E is a heavy wetter so I stuff them with at least 1 MF and 1 hemp, and they're super fluffy on him. 

I've tried BGs, Fuzzibunz, Rumparooz, and Happy Heineys. I think my favorites are the FB - they're the easiest to stuff (the inserts fit well) and seem a bit trimmer than others.  I'm not a big fan of our RaR - they have the double gusset which is nice for EBF poop, but we haven't blown out of the others either <shrug>  The rise on the RaR is really low - we're completely unsnapped already, and the insert is still really long and needs to be folded over (and thus adds extra bulk).  The HH are really wide between the legs, but doesn't seem to bother E.  I also just got a TotsBots but haven't tried it yet...

If E weren't so squirmy already, I'd continue using PFs 100% of the time.  They're cheap, super absorbent, fit great, and easy to carry in the diaper bag!  But pockets and AIOs are nice to get on him quickly, and the microfleece keeps him dry...so that's why I went with 1/2 and 1/2 now.

Oceangirl22

It is overwhelming at first, but believe me, it's easier in practice and finding out what you like. 

 We started with 12 orange edge GMD prefolds, 3 XS Thirsties covers, 5 Kissaluvs 0, and 6 Bumgenius XS AIO. The prefolds and Kissaluvs with Thirsties covers were great when she was a newborn (weighed 7lbs. 3 oz at birth). After her cord fell off, I loved the BumGenuis XS AIOs. 

Now that she is about 13 lbs. we exclusively use Bumgenius 3.0 small pockets and 4.0 One size. The 4.0's are great because they line dry quickly and are easier to stuff with inserts. The 3.0 AIOs are great because they are super trim and fit great. The only drawback to the 3.0s is that they take longer to dry because they have a sewn-in insert, and a pocket that you can stuff extra ones in. They are a smaller pocket, so harder to get the extra inserts straight.

I don't mind stuffing my pocket dipes. The 4.0s are simple, and I stuff them all at one time. I thought I would like AIOs best...but if I'm not able to line dry them half of the time, they take at least 3 cycles in the dryer. I've learned to since turn them inside out, and this narrows it down to 2 dry cycles on low.

Hope all that makes sense. I love my BumGenius diapers, and haven't had a leak or blowout yet! 

mrspresley

Oceangirl22:

The 4.0s are simple, and I stuff them all at one time. I thought I would like AIOs best...but if I'm not able to line dry them half of the time, they take at least 3 cycles in the dryer. I've learned to since turn them inside out, and this narrows it down to 2 dry cycles on low.

Hope all that makes sense. I love my BumGenius diapers, and haven't had a leak or blowout yet! 

oh yes! I forgot about this... AIOs take FOREVER to dry vs prefolds..... but a trick to getting your diapers dryer faster is to throw a clean dry towel in there w/the washed/wet diapers...also wool dryer balls too

MiniWheats

Thanks guys!  That is a lot of great information.  I think I will probably try a few different kinds before investing in a bunch.

 

mrspresley

MiniWheats:

Thanks guys!  That is a lot of great information.  I think I will probably try a few different kinds before investing in a bunch.

 

yep, best advice is to not invest in all of one kind of diaper before you know what you like and what fits on your LO! 

SanHawaii08

mrspresley:

oh yes! I forgot about this... AIOs take FOREVER to dry vs prefolds..... but a trick to getting your diapers dryer faster is to throw a clean dry towel in there w/the washed/wet diapers...also wool dryer balls too

i run my dryer for 1hr 30min on medium, and everything is dry by then, including AIOs.  my PFs take that long to dry too!  but I've always suspected my dryer isn't very efficient...?  regular laundry often isn't completely dry, even on the "more dry" setting

Married2MrWright

Chiming in late...we're also in the PFs + Thirsties Covers camp...

We started with three dozen OsoCozy Infant Sized Unbleached Indian Cotton PFs and fiveThirsties covers...two XS and two S plus one Duo I (they had just come out right before she was born and didn't have many reviews.) In the beginning we used Snappis...

She was a big baby and grew quickly so by 8 weeks old she was out of all of that and into three dozen OsoCozy Premium Sized Unbleached Indian Cotton PFs and Thirsties Duo Covers Size 2 (we had three that we rotated). We stopped using the Snappi around this time too. I addded in Thirsities Duo Diapers with an additional hemp insert for overnights and that system has been bullet-proof for us.

Around 6 months we were down to just using 12-18 PFs...and sometimes will trifold one of the infant sized ones for a trimmer fit (if she's already pooped that day).

Sadly, for the past 8 weeks we've barely CD'd at all since everytime we do she gets rashy. We've tried EVERYTHING to remedy it and cleared it up with a round of antifungal and antibiotic creams. But as soon as we CD again it flares up...it's right where her thighs meet her vulva so we're thinking it's irrated now that she's walking/running (we change her at least every 2 hours and sooner if we know she needs it...she often tells us...)....So, for now, we've been using Huggies Pure and Natural. It's killing me though...I don't want to use sposies...but until we can get a handle on what's causing her to rash up, it's the only way we've found to keep her from it.

Oh, we also use cloth wipes...I've got 36 organic bamboo wipes from Etsy seller Wooldins.