How to keep it simple?

TinyTeacher

Hi ladies,

I have two in diapers already and am considering CDing my third (due in Dec).

After researching and lurking a little here, I am wondering if this cloth diapering thing is just too intense for me. The diaper combinations, washing, soaking, hosing, special detergents, etc all seem wayyyy too complicated.

 Is there a easier way to do this? Our moms did it with those crappy old cloth diapers (granted, they leaked everywhere) so I'm thinking there must be some way of keeping this whole diaper thing simple.  Advice?

 Thanks in advance  

dairygirl19

I've learned on here that the people with more complicated cloth diapering systems do it because

a) they have some special circumstance

b) they think it's fun to try and do new things with diapers. Like a hobby.

Mine is about as simple as it gets. For the NB phase I had a stack of Kissaluvs and covers. When she outgrew those we moved onto a stack of BGs and a few FBs.

My wash routine is hot soak, cold rinse, hot wash, double rinse. In regular Tide. Line dry shells while inserts dry then throw them all in the dryer for a few minutes to make sure shells are really dry.

That's all there is to my routine. I could do it lots cheaper but it works, is easy and therefore I'll stick with it.

kdello

I agree with PP. You can definitely do it easy. Most ladies on this board like to experiment and try new brands and cute patterns, hence the perceived overkill.

 

I could do this simple plan and be absolutely fine. (We do have a few more than this, but this combo would work great.)

Newborn stage: GMD Orange prefolds, Thirsties Covers. 

Bigger stage: Bumgenius 4.0 Pockets.

Wash routine: cold rinse. hot wash (and let it soak a while in the washer) with Tide. Pull out the shells and throw them over the basket to dry while throwing the rest in the dryer on high. 

monkeyqueen

The washing is easy!   It seriously sounds more complicated than it is.    I use Tide (powder) ultra - I set my washer on soak (I don't do anything special - I just press that option on the washer), I then do a regular wash on hot and an extra rinse.    That's it.   It's no more complicated than doing other laundry.

As far as the choices of cloth diapers - that's all it is - choices.   I suggest you get a diaper trial (try jilliansdrawers.com, for instance) to get an idea of what everyone is talking about on here!    

BrendaLou1969

i think my wash routine is pretty simple.  One wash on cold with no detergent.  Second wash cycle on HOT with Tiny bubbles detergent with an extra rinse,

tokenhoser

It's really not hard.

You don't have to soak or rinse newborn diapers. Everything goes straight in the pail. You don't even necessarily have to use a "special" detergent. A lot of people just use Ultra Tide. 

If you want to try it out, you could get some one-size pockets for your older kids and give it a shot before the new baby arrives. 

My system is pretty simple; I have some other diapers but I'd be pretty happy if all I had was my 20 kawaii pockets and some hemp extra inserts for overnight. You don't have to have a million kinds of dipes after you find one you like.

hispenguin

BrendaLou1969:

i think my wash routine is pretty simple.  One wash on cold with no detergent.  Second wash cycle on HOT with Tiny bubbles detergent with an extra rinse,

This is my wash routine exactly.

As for the diapers, I decided on a type that was best for my family (pockets) and went from there. Our stash is BG's and some blueberry's. It's up to you how complicated you want it to be. Once you get going it's just part of the routine.

 

dulcinea03

I CD twins, and due to DH being laid off right before the girls were born, $$ was tight so finding a system and sticking with it was the name of the game. Once I found the system that worked for us (AI2's) we stuck with it until 3 months ago when we added some wool for overnights. But we don't have a huge, variable stock, and truly just have the daytime AI2's and wool nighttime systems. My wash routine has also been the same since we figured out what worked with our frontloader HE washer. Of course, I added wool care when we added wool covers, but stopping nighttime leaks made it worth it for us.

It isn't bad, if you resist the urge to try every single diapering system out there, and find one that works for your family and stick to it.  It means that I stay out of the stocking posts, and just don't look at WAHM diapers, unless there's something specific I legitimately need.

ckettenb

Like a PP, I chose PFs because they are cheap, easy to use, they work well, and I honestly feel like I can't ruin them (no matter how hard I try... I even use diaper cream on occasion, *gasp*).

My entire stash is this:

24 GMD prefolds in LO's current size. ~$60 including shipping (new from GMD)

6 Thirsties covers in LO's current size  ~$70 (new from Amazon)

3 OS happy hempys for night time  ~$15 (bought used from diaperswappers)

4 thirsties hemp doublers for night time ~$16 (new from Amazon)

2 kissa wool lovers wool soakers in LO's current size for night time (total splurge item! ~$70 new from Amazon)

2 kanga care wetbags for daycare (~$36 new from kangacare.com)

2 blueberry diaper pail liners for home (~$58 new from amazon)

1 plastic butter knife for scrapping poopy diapers (free)

 

If you forgo the splurgey wool stuff, this is a really reasonably priced diaper system. And it's all natural materials so it washes really well.  

My routine is this:

scrape poop into toilet

pre-wash all diapers, wetbags, and covers (except for the wool) in cold water

wash all diapers, wetbags, and covers  (except for the wool) in hot water with 7th gen detergent (hey, it works for us so I use it)

hang dry covers and wetbags, dry all diapers in dryer on high

Easy Peasy. 

I wash every other day... we remember by asking, "did I do diaper laundry yesterday? No?  Better do it today."  

epona3

It is as simple or as complicated as you want to make it!

Here's our simple version (I do have some I've experimented with, but they certainly aren't necessary!)

NB stage: Thirsties covers (5), DiaperRite PFs (24-36)
I never used Snappis, just trifolded it and stuck it in the cover
No hosing required

Bigger stage: Thirsties Duo Diapers, or Fuzzibuns OS (24 - 36 total)
No hosing until she started solids and had "firmer" poops

Washing: (I do laundry every 3rd day)
cold rinse cycle
hot wash w/ soap
double rinse cycle

put inserts in the dryer
air dry covers

The end. Really not too difficult!