- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Cloth Diapering
Flats? Prefolds? Covers?
Hi, all. I have a quick question for those more knowledgeable than I.
I'll be staying at home with little Maddie Moo Cow (EDD - April) and cloth diapering because I don't feel there is an upside to disposable diapers. Convenience, for me, is outweighed by cost and that whole "green" thing everyone is shouting about. ;-)
We have budget concerns, with me not working, so I'll probably be using flats (cheaper) and pins. I haven't gotten the folding part down quite yet ... but I'm confident I'll get there. No one wants to let me practice on them. LOL With my first daughter (10 years ago), I bought AIOs and used those. Our budget can't sustain the cost, this time around. :-(
I'm wondering if anyone has positive experience with Gerber Birdsweave Flats, if you use the waterproof covers (also Gerber) or if you went with something else?? Also, I saw the prefolds and remember using a couple as soakers/liners with Briana Banana, but 10+ years have rotted my brain to the consistency of melted cheese.
I am - also - open to suggestions if there is a diapering system that is easier than flats and also economical. I can't say as to Maddie, but her big sister grew like a weed and it seemed I was constantly buying new AIOs. Sadly, we just can't do that, this time around.
I appreciate the advice, in advance!!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Flats? Prefolds? Covers?
Gerber are not ideal at all. You could get some great priced prefolds and covers if you bought from seconds sales or even shopped around for deals on new stuff. I bought a package from www.diaperjunction.com that had 24 prefolds (diaper rite was the brand, & I love them) and 4 covers for under $80. I know that www.nellsnaturalbaby.com also has some good package deals.
Lots of ladies on here rave about GMD (green mountain diapers) prefolds. I think the brand is actually clotheez?? You can check out that site, www.greenmountaindiapers.com and get a better idea.
Also they have snappis to close the diapers now, so no pins needed
You will need a couple of those as well, they run super cheap.
If you want to do prefolds and covers first and then switch to a one size option that is economical then maybe consider an All In 2 system. Flip and Bestbottom seem reasonably priced and get pretty good reviews. Check out www.nickisdiapers.com for the best bottoms.
Sorry that is a lot of random information. Basically just look at a bunch of different websites and try to figure out what you think would work for your budget.
The ladies on this board are AMAZING at helping with any questions!
I'm going to also highly recommend the Green Mountain diaper pre-folds (Cloth-eez). We have the organic ones and they are very absorbent, soft and have worked great. Thier website is filled with useful information.
As far as covers go we use thirtsties, Gen-Y and wool soakers. I'm not familiar with Gerber but have also heard they are not ideal or very absorbent. Hope this helps and GL!
I would also avoid Gerber. For my first I did a diaper service for about a year, then got some one-size bumgeniums which were GREAT, and really easy for daycare. With my second (due in feb) I'm going to use green mountain prefolds with covers (bummis super brites and thirsties) until she is big enough to fit into the one-size diapers from the first time around.
Prefolds and covers seem a really reasonable way to go, and prefolds hold up better and are less sensitive to your wash routine as AIOs or pockets, but for daycare the one size pockets are way easier.
With the prefolds I didnt bother using pins OR snappis--I just folded them in thirds, laid them in the cover and popped it on her, quick and easy!
Good luck!
I haven't read the other posts so forgive me if this has already been said. What are you looking to spend? I'm not sure what Gerber prefolds and rubber pants run, but I know Gerber pfs are very thin. Also, rubber pants would seem to me to be bad for baby, they don't breathe.
We use prefolds and covers, the most economical option of cloth. We got our prefolds from greenmountaindiapers.com and covers from nickisdiapers.com (they offer free shipping on all covers). We really liked Bummis Super Whisper Wraps for the newborn stage and ended up buying them for the bigger stage as well. We spent $200 on our newborn stash - 30 pfs, 7 covers, 2 travel wetbags, 2 pail wetbags and 30 wipes. We spent another $200 on the next stage - 30 larger pfs, 7 covers, 30 more wipes (we ran out too quickly before), 1 more travel wetbag. The second stash is what DD (now 2) is still wearing. We just had to invest $35 in a few pockets for overnight.
The pfs are so easy, no pins. We just fold it in thirds and lay it in the cover. We tried snappis, but I couldn't ever get the hang of it. Good luck! We've loved using our pfs and covers!
I don't know exactly how economical you want to be, but I'm pretty sure you can do a lot better than Gerber flats, rubber pants, and pins (PINS?!?!?!?!) for a REALLY cheap price.
For instance, I bet I could get by with 3-4 thirsties duo covers ($12.75/ea), two snappis at MOST (in case you lose one) @$3 each, and a 3-4 dozen high-quality prefolds (~$)25/doz..
So that total would be: ~$120-$160
You would have to buy a larger sized prefold and larger sized wraps about 6 months down the line, but it would be a similar investment, and you can always sell the old wraps.
You're looking at the girl who spent about $250 over T-giving break building up a stash since she was dropping her diaper service (because they use Gerber prefolds, which are crap), and now that I have all these AIOs and pockets and who knows what else, guess what i have my baby in right this very minute? A prefold and a thirstie duo wrap. I bet I could have saved a ton just stocking up on more prefolds.
Someone tell me I'll get use to these pockets?