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Cloth diapering moms please come in.
I'm thinking about making the switch. The CD board has been helpful in that I found their FAQ section and have looked at some websites, but I'm still too overwhelmed with abbreviations to really get much from the board.
What type do you use, and what brand?
How many did you buy?
Can you use your brand/type as the baby grows or do you have to buy a different size?
My husband and I are going to take a trip to Soft and Cozy Baby tomorrow to check things out in person.
Is it do-able to work and cloth diaper in your opinion? Give me any advice you've got. Thanks!!
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Re: Cloth diapering moms please come in.
What type do you use, and what brand? - We have a mix (pockets, all-in-2s [AI2s], all-in-ones [AIOs], hybrids, fitteds, prefolds, flats), which we'll use depending on the occasion/who has him. For daytime, DH prefers our hybrids (we use Flip covers w/ either a trifolded Indian cotton PF or a trifolded birdseye cotton flat), whereas I prefer our pockets. We use strictly fitteds + fleece covers for nighttime b/c DS is a heavy wetter, and this is the only combo that doesn't leak. In addition to having a mix of types, we have a mix of brands - Flip, Thirsties, Kawaii, BumGenius, Green Mountain Diapers, Stacinator, Vermont Diaper Co., Hemp Babies, various WAHMs, etc.
How many did you buy? - Currently, our stash is one size, sized, and newborn (I found a killer craigslist deal on an entire NB stash that I couldn't pass up) - in that, we have (and this is approximate guesses for all of these - I haven't actually counted in a while!): a dozen pockets, 2 one size AIOs, a half dozen NB AIOs, 2 one size AI2s, 2.5 dozen prefolds, a dozen flats, a half dozen sized fitteds, 2.5 dozen NB fitteds, a half dozen one size PUL covers, 8-10 NB PUL covers, 2 fleece covers, a pair of NB wool longies, various hemp doublers and inserts, and fleece liners. I'll be adding to the OS/sized stash when needed for #2.
Can you use your brand/type as the baby grows or do you have to buy a different size? - We do have a NB-specific stash (one size options won't work on LOs until they're 10-12 lbs), but most of our things are one size, which means they'll grow w/ DS. Unfortunately for us, he is REALLY tall, which means he's already outgrowing the rise on some of his one size stuff, so we'll replace w/ sized options as necessary, but he'll still be able to get quite a bit of wear out of it. The only thing we buy that are sized are his fitteds for nighttime, b/c we stuff them w/ extra inserts for increased absorbency, so I buy bigger in those to allow room for stuffing!
Is it do-able to work and cloth diaper in your opinion? Give me any advice you've got. - It absolutely, 110% is doable. We LOVE our CDs - I love the flexibility of absorbency levels (when we're stuck using sposies - which is basically only when we're on vacation and don't have access to laundry - DS leaks through them CONSTANTLY), the fact that we're doing a tiny bit to help the environment, that we're not blowing through ridiculous amounts of money each month, that these can all be used again for our next LO, the fact that we can resell these when we're done and make back some of the money we've spent on them, etc. It doesn't hurt that they're cute, too!
It's a definite learning curve (esp. figuring out what wash routine/detergent works best for you, and troubleshooting issues as they arise), but there are SO MANY great resources to help you through that, that it's really not a big deal, and once you find what works for you, you're golden. Early on, when issues would arise (diaper stink after going through the laundry, absorbency, etc.), it was easy to get frustrated, but we were determined to stick w/ it and researched solutions, tried them, etc. Now, when issues arise, we're completely committed to CDing, so troubleshooting doesn't bother either of us and we know if we try something and it doesn't work, we can always sell it off and try something else until we find the answer.
I haven't found the additional laundry to be a big deal, either - we wash one load of diapers every 3 days (which is really the max you can go between washes, but we've never had a problem going that length of time), so it's really only 2 additional loads per week. Even when I was working full-time, it wasn't a burden. Once LO#2 is in the mix, I figure I'll go to washing every 2 days, but for now, we'll stick w/ what's working for us.
GL and have fun tomorrow at S&C - I've never gotten to check it out, but I'd love to sometime!
... every single day of forever.
I'll just give my advice, I have cloth diapered 2 kids so far.
Your wants and needs will change. Some babies do better with fitted diapers and natural fibers because the pocket diapers give them a rash. Some have skinny legs and need the tighter fit of fitteds. Some babies pee a ton and pockets with different inserts will help
With my first I started with pockets and AIO, then went to fitteds for a while, then back to pockets. I bought "sized" diapers, so when she outgrew them I needed to buy more, but there wasn't much option for one-sized back then
With #2, almost all her diapers are one-sized pockets. I can add more inserts overnight - although both my kids, oddly, don't pee overnight, starting at 6 months, so I never needed super duper overnight solutions.
I preferred snaps for DD #1 because she was always pulling her diaper off. I prefer velcro for #2 because even though she pulls her diaper off, she moves way way too much for me to fiddle with snaps. Plus she is skinny, and you can't get a perfect fit on snaps sometimes.
As for cloth diapering and work - if your daycare provider is okay with it (and it's not illegal, don't let them tell you that!) it's just a matter of washing every 2-3 days. I wait until the diaper pail gets full. I have 2 kids, I do laundry almost every day anyway.
I don't know how many diapers I have, I have never counted, but I have enough to wash every 2 days and still have plenty in the drawer so that I am not rushing around.
Brands - that is personal for what you like. I have fuzzibunz, some WAHM brands (bought of hyena cart) mommy's touch, tiny tush. I have never run into a "bad" diaper so far.
Ditto PPs- like Pastor's Wife we use a mix of types of diapers and have a mix of brands.
The only non-newborn (I didn't start w/ cloth until DD was 4 months old) new diapers I bought for DS are some fuzzibunz perfect size medium pockets. Other than that we are using the same prefolds, fitteds and pockets we used with DD.
Is your oldest still in diapers?
Do you think you will have another child?
Several online CD stores offer "try-it" sampler packages where they send you a variety of types and brands of diaper and you keep what you like and return what you don't, for credit, etc.
I also second the recc to look on CL for diaper deals, I have bought some and gotten some for free off freecycle.
I have a mix of AIO, pockets and fitteds. I like my fitteds the best. Right now, we're not CDing due to a combo of factors but I'm holding on to all of my one size diapers for potty training, the rest are currently for sale.
Francesca Pearl is here! Josephine Hope is almost 3!
Thanks everyone! I'm in.
We went to Soft and Cozy and I'm taking advantage of the risk free trial. We're starting with Flips and inserts.
I assumed that pockets meant you don't have to change the outer cover each time so I'm glad we saw it in person since it looked like the pocket is actually under a layer attached to the cover, so it WOULD have to be changed each time. Either way I think we got a great deal and I'm looking forward to the savings!
Glad to hear you were able to figure out something that appealed to you! DH loooooves the Flips b/c you don't have to toss the cover in the pail after each change - he likes how economic it is to reuse the cover a couple times (we usually rotate between 2 covers each day, then toss them in the pail at the end of the day). Flips were what we started w/ too, and the only issue that we had right off the bat were the dampness of the inserts (we do have some of the Flip organic inserts, but primarily use trifolded prefolds and flats in our Flips) against DS's skin - he didn't mind it, but it bothered me, so I bought a yard of fleece fabric at Walmart and cut it into rectangular liners (a yard easily made 3 dozen liners). Super easy and cheap, and when laid on top of the insert, it's a perfect stay-dry layer between the insert and DS. They just go into the pail too and get washed w/ the rest of the dipes.
GL w/ your new venture!
... every single day of forever.
Congrats- adding to above, the one baby I watched wore flips a lot, and I found that the poopy diapers were less likely to leak into the cover if they were used like a regular prefold w/ a snappi than just laid in the cover like an insert, if that makes sense?
Flips weren't around when I started CD'ing w/ DD, so we did prefolds & thirsties covers instead, plus fitteds, pockets, etc. I have to say I am very impressed w/ how our happy heiny's have held up, of all of the diapers that I bought for DD they are the ones that have held up best.
miscarriage on 11/26/09 at 5w6d
Chiming in late. I've gotten a lot of cloth diapers at Soft & Cozy baby. I also bought some used at greenberries.
DD was VERY small, so I did not end up using cloth until she was about 8wks old. Nothing would fit her.
We started with NB Indian style prefolds and covers (Bummis, Grovias and some Thirsties)
We we started daycare, we switched to pockets and a few AIO's (xs bumgenius). We use mostly Thirsties duo diapers size 1, with a happy heinies and a bum genius AIO. We use pre-folds and covers at night and we have a few fitted kissaluvs size 1. We also have some rumaproos that people have given us 7 a few fuzzibuns. I really like the Thirsties pockets because they are non-CD person friendly with the aplix.
Since DD is small, (4lbs at birth and at 6mos is only 12 lbs), she still fits pretty well in the Thirsties Size 1 duo diapers. (They were pretty much the only pocket one-size she fit in. She can now wear Blueberrys, happy heinies, & bum genius).
Initially, we bought a dozen prefolds and a friend gave us another dozen.For dcp, we have about 21 diapers (pockets). At home we have about 18 prefolds, 6 fitteds and about 4 pockets we don't send to dc because they have snaps. We send a bummis medium wet bag to daycare and we wash diapers every other day. That seems like alot, but once you get into a routine it is not so bad.
We get home from work and DH or I put the diapers in for the cold water rinse. Then we do a hot wash/cold water rinse with an extra rinse for heavily soiled clothes. We also put them in the dryer, or at least the inserts. Washing every other day helps us keep on top of the daycare diapers, meaning that we really could wash every two, but we don't want to stay up waiting for diapers to dry. Once you get into a routine, you get used to it. I find washing bottles, pump parts, etc more of a pain than the diapers.
FYI, I go to a center and I needed a Dr.'s note for them to use CD's.