How do you do it?!

Hannahsmom25

Trying to get some info on cloth diapering. Im due in November and would like to switch to cloth. BUT I really have no idea how to even get started! What is it like? Ive heard of inserts and disposable inserts. Are they worth it? Does your house smell awful? what are the steps that you have to do once you take the soiled diaper off? My MIL cloth diapered DH becuase he was allergic and she hated it. Having to rinse it off in the toilet and then wash it before the house smelled. Seems like they make it alot easier these days. Any info would be appreciated!

StellarStina26

There is a lot of good information in the FAQs at the top of the board.  It helped when I first started.

 What is it like?

Pretty much the same as sposies.  There is more laundry when a baby come regardless, so that hasn't been a bother. 

 Ive heard of inserts and disposable inserts. Are they worth it?

Inserts are needed depending on the system you go with.  I don't think disposable inserts are worth it.  They seem expensive and I am doing cloth to save money. 

Does your house smell awful?

Nope.  I haven't had any smell issues. 

what are the steps that you have to do once you take the soiled diaper off?

Until you start solids (I use Prefold&Cover and Flip system diapers) - what I happen to do is take the prefold or staydry insert out and put in pillowcase that I have in a trashcan.  If it is just pee I set the cover aside to air out, if it is poop and it got on the cover it goes into the pillowcase with the insert.

EBF poop is messy, buy water soluble.  Everything in the pillowcase and the pillowcase get thrown into the wash. 

Dr.Loretta

Welcome.

Start with the FAQs at the top of the main CDing board. It has some good overviews and resources for you to check out. And give it time. It took me a couple of months of reading posts to get comfortable enough to start a stash.

As to your questions:

It's like any kind of diapering, you just wash the diapers instead of throwing them away.

there are cloth inserts and disposable inserts depending on the system you use. Not sure what you mean by "is it worth it"

My house has never smelled because of CDs. IMO it's all about the air flow. Give it enough air flow into your diaper pail, and you won't have a smell.

Once you take the diaper off, if it's just wet you just throw it in the diaper pail. If soiled, before your LO starts solids, you just throw it in the diaper pail (nb poo is water soluble). After solids start, you have several options, including swishing in the toilet, plopping into the toilet, using a diaper sprayer, or using disposable liners. Everyone has a preference. I swish and plop.

Once you read over the FAQs, come back with specific questions and we'll be happy to help.

katenator

Hi Hannahsmom,

I'm a regular lurker on this board, and your best bet is to take a look at the FAQs in the header of the main page for this forum. It's full of useful info to get you started!

CDs have really changed since the days my mom CDed me and my 3 sibs.

GOOD LUCK! 

Kate 

Sarahbean1081

I wanted to add something as a fellow newbie and someone who was completely overwhelmed when I first started researching CD'ing.  In addition to lurking here, reading the FAQ's etc., I found it extremely helpful to go to a local CD'ing store and have the people there show me all of the many types of CD's on the market today.  For me, being able to see the items in person really helped me get how they work, etc.  Also, you can watch tons of videos on YouTube about different brands, types and so on.  I am still in the learning/developing a beginner's stash process, but I can assure you that it does seem to make more sense with each day.

Good Luck!!

babyhq

Hannahsmom25:

Trying to get some info on cloth diapering. Im due in November and would like to switch to cloth. BUT I really have no idea how to even get started! What is it like? Ive heard of inserts and disposable inserts. Are they worth it? Does your house smell awful? what are the steps that you have to do once you take the soiled diaper off? My MIL cloth diapered DH becuase he was allergic and she hated it. Having to rinse it off in the toilet and then wash it before the house smelled. Seems like they make it alot easier these days. Any info would be appreciated!

There is an FAQ button at the top that will give you some GREAT info!

What is it like? - Just like using a disposable, except you put it in the washer instead of the trash! (and no harsh chemicals, it is good for the environment, and saves $$!)

Ive heard of inserts and disposable inserts. Are they worth it? - I have never used disposable inserts.

Does your house smell awful? - never. use a wetbag or pail to store diapers between washings.

what are the steps that you have to do once you take the soiled diaper off? - If it is poopy, I plop whatever will in the toilet and rinse the rest (you could use a diaper sprayer) then put it in the wetbag. If it is just wet, put it straight in the wetbag.

HTH!

 

pixy_stix

Our house doesn't smell any worse than someone using sposies.  In fact, I think it smells better.

Dr.Loretta

pixy_stix:

Our house doesn't smell any worse than someone using sposies.  In fact, I think it smells better.

Amen, sista! DD's disposable trash is enough to make me gag.

MyBdayPresent

Hannahsmom25:

What is it like? It's easy peasy once you get a system down.

Ive heard of inserts and disposable inserts. Are they worth it? I don't think disposable inserts are worth it because you still have to wash the cover and if you're doing that you might as well wash the whole thing, plus they're pricey.

Does your house smell awful? Not at all.  I actually think disposables smell pretty gross and chemical like.

what are the steps that you have to do once you take the soiled diaper off?  Remove diaper, wipe bum, put soiled diaper and wipe in wet bag.  Wash every other day.

My MIL cloth diapered DH becuase he was allergic and she hated it. Having to rinse it off in the toilet and then wash it before the house smelled. Seems like they make it alot easier these days. BF and FF poop is water soluble and can go directly into the washer without any rinsing.  J is just starting to eat solids regularly and when her poop changes to peanut butter we will use a diaper sprayer.  Once it's ploppable we'll just plop it in the toilet.

Good luck and don't be intimidated!

amanicen

We've been using cloth since DD was about 2 weeks old and it's just as easy as it was when we used sposies. Maybe easier since we don't have to constantly take out trash, we just throw the diapers & bag in the wash every 2-3 days.

I was looking into disposable inserts this morning and found they're pretty expensive (about $0.40 each) and even the "eco-friendly biodegradable" ones have a plastic outer cover that's supposed to be ripped off and thrown away. Since you're already washing diaper covers it's just as easy to use cloth inserts.

DD isn't on solids yet so everything she wears goes in the diaper pail. Once she starts we'll use a diaper sprayer to remove poop. We only have smell issues when we wait til day 3 to wash & they've been sitting in her room; if we were more diligent it'd be no problem. My sposie friends with Diaper Genies have more issues with smell since their kids' rooms smell like soggy chemicals and baby poo.

This board & the FAQs are extremely helpful (especially when you're figuring out how to wash everything). CDing can be a great way to save money and with a little research & practice it's very easy. I love not worrying about DD outgrowing sposies or not fitting certain brands.

kaylakaylakayla

You should check the FAQ at the top of the board; there is a lot of information there.

I also have a 'cloth vlog' link in my sig; again, with some starting out broken down information.

  

momofmanyinthemitten

My LO is eating solids and sometimes her poo is a ploppable one and I just flip it into the toilet. However, for a while it was like peanut butter and I just scraped it off with toilet paper or a plastic knife/spoon and disposed of it. I have disposable liners, but her poops are not regular yet and I don't want to waste them on each change. We have an open diaper pail and haven't had any stink issues, except when I had an ammonia build up and had to strip my diapers. I agree with PP that going to a store that sells several types of diapers would be beneficial. We started out with prefolds and I couldn't stand them, but after a month of using them part-time, they grew on me. Once LO was a few weeks old, she fit into one-size diapers and we've been using them since. We bought several different types of OS dipes to see which fit her the best. Once we found a good fit, we ordered a few more. Now I still purchase new types when I have an extra chunk of change, just to experiment.

Tayrusso

I don't think its any harder than using disposable diapers.

There are so many different systems out there, its so easy to fall in love with CDing.  All in one dipes are the easiest to use, they go on just like a disposables.  The diapers that require inserts are called pockets, and they are also very easy to use, just requires stuffing the pocket with an insert (which can be tedious for some...namely ME!  lol).

My house doesn't smell.  The diaper pail and wet bag do a great job containing any odors.  If you plan to BF, LO's poo won't smell until you start solids. 

I feel like diaper sprayers are A MUST.  DH and I are what I like to call "Lazy Cloth Diaperers". 

Here's a blog post I wrote on our experience: https://growingbabyshelton.blogspot.com/2011/04/cloth-diapering-good-bad-and-rude.html

Before DD was born, this site was hugely helpful in preparing:

https://www.zoolikins.com/cloth-diapering-101.html