What Are Your CD Questions?

chickpea912 · March 2014

A while back, I took one of my novel-length posts on a cloth diaper (CD) information thread and made it into a blog post. I know that as we get closer to the actuality of having babies (and therefore, having diapers to contend with), I'm sure more and more questions about cloth diapers might come up. To help with that, I'm planning a series of blog posts so I can easily give out the information I have accrued during my time CDing.

So far, I have written or planned:

Basic CD information (different types - pros & cons) - already written and available
Wash routines - how to get those suckers clean
Cloth Diapering on the go - what to do when you're out of the house
Cloth Diaper Accessories

Anything else that might be helpful - either from a seasoned CDer or someone who is considering it? My goal is to make these helpful for you!

tbmadeamistake · March 2014

Wipes, clothe or disposable?
What kinds of creams are safe is baby gets a rash (specifically, I use an olive oil/beeswax one that I love).
How many of each size will we need?
Do we need to pre-rinse?

I will think of more, but I'm also heading to a clothe diaper intro class at the local clothe diapers shop this coming weekend, so they may answer a bunch there as well!

Susanbeth85 · March 2014

Tips for lasting through the night

jwarnerb · March 2014

I am really looking forward to this. Is your blog up and running? Have you already shared a link that I am too dumb to see?

katekat8721 · March 2014

I am already so addicted!! I still have four more I wanna buy to finish my cover stash, then it's onto the prefolds and learning how to fold flats and omg why am I so excited about this hahaha

chickpea912 · March 2014

jwarnerb said:

I am really looking forward to this. Is your blog up and running? Have you already shared a link that I am too dumb to see?

It's my regular family blog that I haven't updated in a while, but the CD post is there - a link is in the bottom of my siggy.

KrystaJ said:

Will washing include info on stripping them? I'm terrified of ruining mine when they have to be stripped eventually. Front loader info would be helpful too, as I know it's not quite as easy as a top loader.

Proper fit for OS with snaps? I know I'm worried about not getting the fit right and having blow outs that could have been prevented.

CD'ing right away vs. using disposables until baby fits in OS CDs. I know you want to wait until the meconium has passed so you don't stain CDs, but I am still up in the air on this.

That's all I have for now (that PPs didn't mention).

Thanks for all of these - I'll definitely add it in. For the record, if you have a good wash routine, I don't think you need to strip ever (unless you have something happen, your wash routine gets out of wack, you deal with yeast, etc.).

Thanks everyone - keep them coming

katekat8721 · March 2014

b/c we're trying to go the cheapest route possible with PFs and flats, I'd be interested to know the different ways of folding them (but I'm not sure everyone does this!)

temursgirl · March 2014

@joules235‌ peacock diapers? Where? That sounds like something I need lol! @chickpea912‌ this is great and very helpful! These might be dumb questions that will be obvious once I have an actual baby: when/how do you know you're ready for the next size? If you want to do a trial, when should you order? If you're not doing a trial from a store/website, what's the best way to start out, not knowing what will work for LO, her size, etc.? What kind of laundry are we really looking at? I also second the questions on detergent, compatible creams, and number needed.

TakeMeAway55 · March 2014

I second the washing and drying question. Also- liners!! Explain the different types for each diaper, disposable vs cloth, the liners that catch poop, etc.

Mztwilson · March 2014

Do cloth diapers really help keep blowouts in the diaper versus disposable diapers? I plan on breastfeeding and if this baby is anything like my last I see a lot of outfits being ruined with blowouts.

otter1103 · March 2014

@chickpea912 you rock for doing this! I don't think I have any more to add for now. We decided to do a trial run for CD through a service so we can try out prefolds/covers vs AIO or pockets.

coffee89 · March 2014

Do you recommend a certain type of diaper pail?

Is there a difference with washing in an HE washer/dryer vs the older kind.

Is there a difference in washing/drying with front loaders over top?

Where the hell do you start? Without doing a trial this stuff is intimedating!

Newborns- cloth or disposable?

Are they actually really fluffy and bulky? Like can be obviously seen under a babies pants?

What do you do when you are out?

How many diapers do I actually need to start?

chickpea912 · March 2014

wareagle1220 said:

I have a question that I'm not sure you want to put in your blog, but do you recommend using newborn cloth diapers over disposable? If so, which brands? how many do you recommend buying?

We were going to do disposable, but I'm looking at the costs and thinking it might be more affordable to just get some newborn cloth instead.

@wareagle1220 - I'll answer this here, and maybe I'll include it on the blog -

So, the thing with newborn CDing is that it is a very short period of time. Most one-size diapers begin to fit babies around 10-12 pounds, and if you have a bigger baby, the time between 8 pounds and 12 pounds isn't terribly long.

So it gets back to WHY are you interested in CD'ing. Although maybe it doesn't - I feel like most of the reasons people choose cloth will end up leading you to CDing a newborn (although I think most people wait a few days until you are past the sticky tar meconium poop).

Cost - true, CDs have a higher up front cost than disposables - this is true regardless of WHEN you start CDing. The nice thing about newborns is that since you are in newborn diapers for such a short period of time, the wear and tear (and staining) on them is less, by virtue of the fact that you have less time to wreak havoc on them. And since they tend to be in good condition at the end, you can recoup a large amount of that upfront cost by selling your newborn diapers once you move on to your one-size stash. For example, with my daughter, I actually MADE A PROFIT off of my newborn diapers (I sold my diapers for the current going rate, later realizing that I got an incredible deal when purchasing a part of my stash, and didn't realize it until doing my accounting later). You can sell diapers online - either through places like Craigs List, or, my favorite, Diaper Swappers (www.diaperswappers.com) - you can purchase used diapers there as well as sell them.

Material/Health - some people choose cloth b/c of WHAT they are putting on that sensitive skin, so going with NB CDers is a no brainer if you don't want the material and chemicals in paper diapers on your baby's tush.

Environment - still supports NB CDing - sure, the impact on landfills is less from only newborn diapers than if you used paper diapers during their diapering days, but it's still trash that is going to sit there for hundreds of years.

I guess I make the argument to use newborn CDers (I did last time, I will this time as well), but I can see why others would wait until their kiddos get into the one-size range.

ETA: What to use if you go with newborn CDs

If you want super cheap - I'd go prefolds (GMD ones seem to be the favorites) with covers (I like the thirsties duo size 1 or the bummis covers)

Last time I used a ton of fitted diapers - last time, I used Kissaluv Size 0 (with the covers I listed above)

This time, I just bought a lot of Sustainablebabyish (sometimes shortened to Sbish) Snapless Minis (not cheap, but great quality)

Not as cheap - AIOs - this time around, I'm going with:

Blueberry Newborn Basix

Bumgenius Newborn AIO

some people recommend Lil Joeys by Rumparooz, but I've heard, like the Rumparooz one-size diapers, that they tend to run small and not last you as long.

LegalLadyBug · March 2014

Does meconium actually stain CDs? I looked it up and it seemed the general consensus was it washes out no problem. I didn't CD with DD though and I am just now starting to build a stash for the twins. Detergent info would be great too. Most manufacturers seem to say never to use free and clear detergents, only those made for CDs. However I have seen several people talk about using tide etc. Oh and I have an HE top loader...no idea how well washing is going to work :-/

chickpea912 · March 2014

@LegalLadyBug Great question - I've heard of people avoiding cloth the first couple of days because of meconium, but I don't personally have experience with it (I started when M was 2 weeks old). I did a quick google search and found this thread: https://www.mothering.com/community/t/556477/cloth-and-meconium

The OP says: I CDd DS from day one. His first diaper was a kissaluv 0 and a prorap cover. He only had meconium for two days and then moved onto breastmilk poop.

Meconium does NOT stain diapers. Yes, it's tarry and sticky and is a PITA to get off...just do a rinse before you wash your diapers and it will come out, I promise.

BREASTFED POOP STAINS!!!! Oh the stains! Oh the humanity! I longed for meconium poop...I hated breastmilk poop stains...luckily they sunned out, but finding the sun in the winter is hard for some mamas to do, so I know a lot of people suffer with stains until spring. Oxy clean is supposed to help get stains out, but I don't know...I'm not familiar with oxy clean or oxi clean, however you spell the word.

chickpea912 · March 2014

This makes me want to bring cloth to the hospital with me - my one concern this whole time is that I'm a RCS, so I'll be in the hospital for 3-4 days. Maybe I could have DH run home and throw any CDs in the wash so we don't let them sit too long.

chickpea912 · March 2014

@wareagle1220 Trial packages are a great way to see what works for you and for baby. Just remember, you'll likely go through 12 diapers a day in the beginning, so I'd aim for 24-36 diapers to have on hand - that'll let you wash every other day.

amwangel · March 2014

I'd love more tips on nighttime diapering! We used CDs for 3 years - except at night for the first 2 years. I found blueberry bamboo + jumparooz (sp?) hemp worked pretty well, but it was SO chunky that sometimes he'd leak out the side. :-/

And @joules235 - we just used a pocket diaper cover (Fuzzibunz or Bum Genius) as a swim diaper. Contains any poop and isn't too bulky/heavy! (Disposable swim diapers aren't very absorbent, either, so no worries there.)

kittenslove · March 2014

I will be sending little one to relatives for childcare, and they have agreed to cloth diapering. Are there any tips for making this work?

I also second inserts - types and materials.

LovetoLive614 · March 2014

Will I actually save money by cloth diapering?

robbinrl · March 2014

I'll second nighttime CD tips. DD was a huge nighttime wetter and started regularly wetting through at night. First I got bumgenius AOIs just for night time (most of my stash was microfleece pockets) but that only worked for a while. I tried doubling up the pockets with the microfleece, hemp, and bamboo, they either made it too bulky creating a gap or still leaked through. I eventually had to use disposables and even the ones specifically made for overnight for a while. I never tried wool covers which I've heard good things about.

I am thinking DD was just an outlier and really did just pee more than normal. She would also sleep almost 14 hrs some nights.

chickpea912 · March 2014

Thanks again ladies. I'm working on the next posts. DH commandeered the laptop tonight so couldn't do anything. Boooo.

arekeweg · March 2014

Thanks for being willing to put all this together!

Along the lines of accessories, wet bag sizes (which ones are really needed and how many?), diaper bags that work well for all-day trips when CDing, and diaper bags that work well for the shorter trips (then again maybe all of them do).

chickpea912 · March 2014

Out of curiosity, any second+ moms who did cloth want to pinch hit an article? I don't need this to be a Me Party, although I'm happy to tackle these all - with the caveat that they are based on MY experience and my experience alone - I'm no expert, just willing to share what I've learned.

So if anyone wants to help out, just let me know - I'm fine either way.

Off to work on a wash routine post

chickpea912 · March 2014

Just updated my first post and added a second - I really want to keep going, but I should do some actual work today. Maybe.

In any case - updated post on the basic types of cloth: https://thefrumkinfamily.blogspot.com/2014/02/cloth-diaper-basics.html

post on the alphabet shorthand of the world of cloth (if you think of some I don't have here, tag me and let me know so I can update it!)

https://thefrumkinfamily.blogspot.com/2014/03/navigating-foreign-language-of-cloth.html

MrsRahl · March 2014

I'm really surprised so many people on here are saying they are going with sized CD instead of an AIO like bum genius 4.0 or fuzzibuns AIO. Is there a reason why you who went with the sized kind didn't choose the AIO?

chickpea912 · March 2014

@MrsRahl - who said that? I didn't notice many people mentioning sized diapers, outside of newborn diapers.

I just re-read your question - I think you might be mistaken.

Sized diapers are different than non-AIO diapers.

An all-in-one diaper means that the diaper is all in one piece - the absorbent insert is sewed into the waterproof exterior.

A one-size diaper is any diaper - pocket, AIO, AI2 - that can be used for multiple sizes, usually indicated a way to adjust the size of the diaper - usually either snapping up or down, or, in the case of the FuzziBunz one-size pocket - through the leg elastics.

The Bumgenius 4.0 and FuzziBunz diapers you reference are pocket diapers, not AIOs, but they are one-size.

Bumgenius does make two different AIO diapers - they are also one-size diapers - the Freetime and the Elementals.

MrsRahl · March 2014

chickpea912 said:

@MrsRahl - who said that? I didn't notice many people mentioning sized diapers, outside of newborn diapers.

I just re-read your question - I think you might be mistaken.

Sized diapers are different than non-AIO diapers.

An all-in-one diaper means that the diaper is all in one piece - the absorbent insert is sewed into the waterproof exterior.

A one-size diaper is any diaper - pocket, AIO, AI2 - that can be used for multiple sizes, usually indicated a way to adjust the size of the diaper - usually either snapping up or down, or, in the case of the FuzziBunz one-size pocket - through the leg elastics.

The Bumgenius 4.0 and FuzziBunz diapers you reference are pocket diapers, not AIOs, but they are one-size.

Bumgenius does make two different AIO diapers - they are also one-size diapers - the Freetime and the Elementals.

Sorry, newb here

Yes, you are right by what I meant was a diaper that is one size. I read a few ladies mention "How do you know when to change to the next size" and that is what I meant by so many using what I thought were "sized" diapers. So to rephrase my question, why wouldn't everyone use a 1 size grow with me kind of diaper? FTM here, but it doesn't make sense to me the advantage of buying a CD that the baby will grow out of, so I'm missing something, right?

chickpea912 · March 2014

MrsRahl said:

Sorry, newb here Yes, you are right by what I meant was a diaper that is one size. I read a few ladies mention "How do you know when to change to the next size" and that is what I meant by so many using what I thought were "sized" diapers. So to rephrase my question, why wouldn't everyone use a 1 size grow with me kind of diaper? FTM here, but it doesn't make sense to me the advantage of buying a CD that the baby will grow out of, so I'm missing something, right?

So, I saw that question in two different ways.

First, it could mean going from newborn to one-size diapers.

It could also mean adjusting your one-size diaper from one size to the next.

The argument for sized diapers is that they end up being trimmer than a one-size. Many people prefer that.

chickpea912 · March 2014

Post up on washing routines, storage, prepping.... will probably do a fuller post on stripping later.

https://thefrumkinfamily.blogspot.com/2014/03/diaper-care-prepping-storing-and-washing.html

temursgirl · March 2014

chickpea912 said:

MrsRahl said:

Sorry, newb here Yes, you are right by what I meant was a diaper that is one size. I read a few ladies mention "How do you know when to change to the next size" and that is what I meant by so many using what I thought were "sized" diapers. So to rephrase my question, why wouldn't everyone use a 1 size grow with me kind of diaper? FTM here, but it doesn't make sense to me the advantage of buying a CD that the baby will grow out of, so I'm missing something, right?

So, I saw that question in two different ways.

First, it could mean going from newborn to one-size diapers.
It could also mean adjusting your one-size diaper from one size to the next.

The argument for sized diapers is that they end up being trimmer than a one-size. Many people prefer that.

I asked the size question, and I meant the first option: can you recognize when LO is about to outgrow newborn diapers so you can order your next set? Do you just wait until they're too small? I'm under the impression newborns go more frequently but the poop different from older babies, so does that change impact when you switch diapers?

chickpea912 · March 2014

Temurlang1 said:

chickpea912 said:

MrsRahl said:

Sorry, newb here Yes, you are right by what I meant was a diaper that is one size. I read a few ladies mention "How do you know when to change to the next size" and that is what I meant by so many using what I thought were "sized" diapers. So to rephrase my question, why wouldn't everyone use a 1 size grow with me kind of diaper? FTM here, but it doesn't make sense to me the advantage of buying a CD that the baby will grow out of, so I'm missing something, right?

So, I saw that question in two different ways.

First, it could mean going from newborn to one-size diapers.
It could also mean adjusting your one-size diaper from one size to the next.

The argument for sized diapers is that they end up being trimmer than a one-size. Many people prefer that.

I asked the size question, and I meant the first option: can you recognize when LO is about to outgrow newborn diapers so you can order your next set? Do you just wait until they're too small? I'm under the impression newborns go more frequently but the poop different from older babies, so does that change impact when you switch diapers?

Fortunately you have a bit of an overlap between the sizing of newborn and one-size diapers. Newborn diapers typically last until baby is 15 pounds, and one size diapers begin to fit around 10-12 pounds. You'll be able to tell new born diapers are too small when the rise (the height of the diaper from the crotch up towards the belly button) doesn't quite cover the area well (plumber's crack is a great indicator), and you'll know that you aren't ready for one size diapers when you can't get a good fit (loose around legs and/or waist).

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What Are Your CD Questions?

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