Cloth diapering

CheerfulJ · December 2015

Hey There! Any mommies out there going to or currently cloth diapering? I am lending towards cloth diapering but with so many choices I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I personally don't want to go overboard and then decide to take the disposal route. Any recommendations and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

countrygrl5533 · December 2015

There's a number of us here that do. I read a blog post yesterday that really broke down each time of cloth diaper so it is easy to understand. Here's the link. https://www.sweetalyssums.com/children/the-different-cloth-diaper-choices/

What I did: prefolds and a cover during the day and at home. Disposables at night and when out and about. It is what worked best for us. I liked the prefolds and a cover option the best as it was the cheapest and easiest to care for.

Unicorn522 · December 2015

I would recommend finding a good co-op to buy your cloth diapers in bulk. I'm sure those on the CD board can send you recommendations. I used Kawaii and Sunbaby pocket diapers with DS and I would definitely recommend Sunbaby as a cheaper but still high quality diaper. We ended up doing disposables at night most of the time.

countrygrl5533 · December 2015

Also: https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12642926/since-the-cloth-diaper-board-is-basically-dead

mmemartinez · December 2015

We did it with DS. We've since moved and the new daycare did it for him when he was a toddler but made us switch to pull ups eventually. So I will probably use the cloth I have for while I'm on leave and then weekends. I liked the pre folds and covers best for infants. You change so often at that age it is worth it.

lionstigersbears · December 2015

Another vote for covers and prefolds for newborns. We like Green Mountain Diapers prefolds and workhorse fitteds with rumparooz newborn covers. Once DS got bigger and wiggly I much prefer all in ones...blueberry simplex are my guilty pleasure!
Edited for typos

DanandVan · December 2015

I was too intimidated by all the choices and the big financial investment to try cloth with my first 2 kids. I wish I had!!! The good thing about cloth diapering is even if you buy a kind you don't care for, you can sell them and get 1/2 to 2/3 of your money back. Or some places, like Kelly's Closet, have 30 day diaper trials where you can try different types out risk free.
We've tried several brands and types with our 3rd baby. Our favorites are pockets - bumgenius 4.0 snaps and Kawaii goodnight heavy wetters for overnight. I also add a thin hemp liner sometimes for added absorbancy.
Baby #3 is almost potty trained, and our diapers are still going strong with lots of life left for baby #4.
If you're on the fence, I say, go for it! Cloth is so much more comfortable, fewer rashes and poop-splosions, and you save a TON of money.

Kurrant · December 2015

I am planning to cloth diaper with Bumgenius or prefolds ( leaving to pockets though). I have yet to buy any . . . and honestly I will likely go through the newborn phase with disposables for two reasons. 1) I have read that sometimes pocket nappys don't fit newbies very well. I have no experience with this so please correct me if I am wrong cloth-pros. 2) I want some time to adjust to caring for a baby 24/7 before I am also having to run up and down stairs constantly to do laundry.

PYLWhammy · December 2015

We're planning to cloth diaper. I've been using cloth menstrual pads for years and they're so comfy, I want my baby to have cloth too! We're planning on prefolds and covers, at least at first. It seems to be the most economical option.

Chappy_jr · December 2015

We CD with our first child and will do so with the new baby. We used Rumparooz and BumGenius (both pocket style) and while I might buy a couple in some more girly prints/colors I am excited to not have to buy many diapers. The cost savings really do add up, especially since I received about half of our diapers as shower gifts.

Like another person, we used disposables for the first month or so because the style we chose didn't fit well when DS was a newborn (they fit but they were SO HUGE it was comical) plus I had a c-section so I did NOT want to do that kind of laundry. We also used disposables when we were out for longer than a few hours (I did not want to carry around more than two dirty cloth diapers) and when DS went to daycare part-time. We never saw a problem going back and forth and didn't have major issues with leaking. Although, we did find that DS needed a hemp insert added in for overnight.

It is overwhelming because there are so many brands and opinions about what type is best. But I honestly just picked a brand and went with it and got some used ones from a natural baby store to try out different brands. I ended up reselling all the used ones that I didn't like and getting my money back - they really do hold their value if you take care of them.

AdorkablePixie · December 2015

I have decided to go with cloth diapers. I purchased some on Black Friday because there were some great deals. We are going to try out the prefolds with covers, pocket diapers, and all in ones to see which we like the best.

the other thread posted above actually has a lot of great information, I recommend you go read it and try to watch the YouTube video that was mentioned!

lalala2004 · December 2015

We're going with Best Bottoms which is a two in one system. I like the idea of being able to change the inserts instead of the whole diaper if it isn't a huge blowout! I plan to work from home, so the more laundry is NBD. We won't use them until the baby is large enough to fit the normal size (11lbs or so). It didn't seem worth it to buy the newborn sizes for such a short period.

codeeye · December 2015

I plan to and have researched the crap out if it! (Pun intended)

We will be buying rumparooz pocket diapers and a few newborn covers and prefolds. Then I may buy some of the bigger covers if I find I like those for around the house. But for that newborn stage I like the idea of not needing to change everything if it's not a huge mess!

My SO was in favour of the ecological benefits but was concerned he wouldn't know how to operate them, so we made the agreement to try to stick to one brand. I have found no bad reviews about rumparoozs that didn't stem from people not using or caring for them properly so that's what we will go with.

Lusitano8 · December 2015

Just wanted to day thanks to all that posted! I borrowed 10 CDs from a friend and am looking to buy some also so this was very helpful information.

Does anyone have detergent recommendations? I've seen BumGenius has detergent, or DIY ideas on pinterest.

josie12367 · December 2015

Lusitano8 said:
Just wanted to day thanks to all that posted! I borrowed 10 CDs from a friend and am looking to buy some also so this was very helpful information.

Does anyone have detergent recommendations? I've seen BumGenius has detergent, or DIY ideas on pinterest.

Regular tide powder (don't use the liquid) works wonders and you can buy it anywhere. I added vinegar to my rinse cycle as well. If you start having stink issues you can add baking soda to the wash cycle, so always have some on hand as well as the vinegar. A few drops of tea tree oil can also help with disinfecting and stink issues.

I also used Rocking Green for a commercial diaper detergent but I didn't like the smell and it didn't seem to get all the stink out. Be wary of DIY detergents, because some of the recipes have things in them that are not recommended for cloth diapers!

PYLWhammy · December 2015

Lusitano8 said:
Does anyone have detergent recommendations? I've seen BumGenius has detergent, or DIY ideas on pinterest.

From what I understand, there's no reason to use a 'special' detergent for cloth diapers. Regular detergent should be fine. That said, there are some ingredients that should be avoided. I've found several sites that compare different detergent brands and their effectiveness, here's an example: https://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html

araecasey · December 2015

Everyone has different opinions about the best wash routines. I agree that tide works wonders on diapers and is far and away cheaper than bum genius detergent! I started out using Rockin Green, wasn't happy with it, switched to Charlie's Soap but then learned it can cause ammonia burn on baby's bottom after a while. I recommend checking out the wash recommendations from Fluff Love University https://www.fluffloveuniversity.com. If you search for their group on Facebook called Fluff Love & CD Science they'll help you build a personalized wash routine based on your washing machine, your water type, your detergent preferences, etc. They do a great job of holding your hand and taking the guess work out of finding a solid wash routine that works for you.

araecasey · December 2015

@lalala2004 2 in 1s are awesome! Great choice!

araecasey · December 2015

@PYLWhammy I just got some cloth ICE pads for postpartum, I'm so stoked to try them out. They're ridiculously soft. And have a pocket for an ice pack underneath the bamboo core. My vag is gonna be so spoiled.

countrygrl5533 · December 2015

Lusitano8 said:

Does anyone have detergent recommendations? I've seen BumGenius has detergent, or DIY ideas on pinterest.

I used a cheap free and clear detergent. It what I use for all our laundry.

How I washed diapers: I soaked overnight. The next morning I would wash in hot water with vinegar in the rinse cycle and baking soda in with the diapers and detergent, 2nd rinse setting. In the summer I would hang out to dry. Winters I had a drying rack or if I was pressed for time I would throw them in the dryer.

Since I did pre-folds and covers, I only washed the covers every other wash or if they managed to get dirty. I avoided putting those in the dryer very often as the heat could break them down. About once every 3 months I would put them in the dryer on high heat for 20 minutes to re-laminate the plastic (keep them from leaking).

PYLWhammy · December 2015

araecasey said:
@PYLWhammy I just got some cloth ICE pads for postpartum, I'm so stoked to try them out. They're ridiculously soft. And have a pocket for an ice pack underneath the bamboo core. My vag is gonna be so spoiled.

@araecasey that sounds heavenly (well, as heavenly as postpartum bleeding can be). Thanks for the reminder I need to order my postpartum cloth soon!

JoMunson · December 2015

Lusitano8 said:
Just wanted to day thanks to all that posted! I borrowed 10 CDs from a friend and am looking to buy some also so this was very helpful information.

Does anyone have detergent recommendations? I've seen BumGenius has detergent, or DIY ideas on pinterest.

I'm planning on using our homemade detergent- I got it off the duggar family website. It's washing soda, borax, and phels naphtha (spelling?). It doesn't irritate my DH's very sensitive skin and since I use(d) cloth pads for my period it got those spanking clean too. Even got chocolate sauce out of a shirt that had been sitting in my hamper for three days with no pre soak! It's amazing! And you can make a year and a half worth of laundry soap for about 93 cents a load!!
Anyone have a good website to get all in one/all in two cloth snap diapers cheap? I've only seen them on Amazon but they're about $20 for one, which is a bit expensive since I want to get 24 for newborns.

araecasey · December 2015

@JoMunson I use lalabye baby diapers which can be used as pockets or all in 2, I get mine in a swap group on Facebook either new or in excellent used condition for 10-15 apiece. Can't recommend lalabye enough. They come with bamboo inserts instead of cotton microfiber (so more absorbency and a trimmer look) and they get very small to fit newborns.

araecasey · December 2015

Sorry to hijack the post a little bit, just have to share the love. This is the set I bought with organic bamboo velour topper fabric instead of the minky print. She'll put whatever topper fabric you like best, just ask for your options. She's awesome to work with. Plus, she's BLIND, so she's basically the Daredevil of cloth. https://www.etsy.com/listing/181705071/postpartum-ice-pad-set-custom-order?ref=shop_home_active_1

Unicorn522 · December 2015

@JoMunson you may find that over time your homemade soap doesn't do the trick. I used a similar diy soap on my CDs for awhile but I had some stink issues and eventually made the switch to all free and clear. The diy soaps do appear to work initially but in my experience you'll find build up and stink to be issues eventually.

Anyone have good recs on detergents for hard water? Powders are better in hard soap, correct? I think I'll have to invest in some Calgon too, our water is terrible right now. We don't even drink it. :-/

JoMunson · December 2015

@Unicorn522 that might happen with other DIY's but we've been using ours for about 5+ years and have never had issues.

CheerfulJ · January 2016

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions. I will definitely chexk them out. Nicki's diapers has a starter pack with 4 different types of cloth diapers. I think I'll be purchasing prefolds and covers and some all in one's so the hubby can assist with changes.

Sharra13 · January 2016

My sister uses them. She found a pattern online and my grandma (who loves to sew) just made a ton for her and gave them to her at her shower. The sizes are adjustable, so she is still using the same ones 6 months later. It seems like a great way to save money in the long run and is probably better environmentally. They are REALLY bulky, though--way way more bulky than regular diapers. And of course, if you use them on the go, it means you have to carry the dirty stuff around with you everywhere.

Cassandramariec · January 2016

I am planning on using kanga care lil' joeys at first, then Bumgenius 4.0 and Flips. I figure the 4.0 will be best to have prestuffed for occasional other caregivers or when time is an issue (but easier to wash than an all in one) and the Flip better for general use, since the reusable cover is both more economical and less washing-- a few covers a day, and mainly inserts, as opposed to X number of full diapers.

Babies run big in my family (I was the smallest, at 7lb 9oz, my sister larger, and my brother a whopping 10lb 11oz... And we are expecting a boy, so I'm not sure what to expect!) Because of this, I am hesitant to get too many newborn sized diapers, but I hope a minimal stash will get me through the sensitive belly button stage at least, and before long, the one sizes will fit. If that's not the case, I can always pick up a few more, or supplement with disposables (I am not against using them at all ever, but I'd rather not unless necessary for travel).

With any luck, I can pick up the lil joeys used, so if I end up with a big baby who barely touches newborn sizes, I don't end up wasting too much money, since I'll want to prewash before delivery, and returns won't be an option then. In the meantime, they are on the registry. Not sure many people around me are familiar with cloth diapering, so I imagine several relatives and family friends are going to be surprised to see them on the registry, and especially by how many!

Anyone else have concerns about newborn sizing and big babies?

Copernicus08 · January 2016

I CD'd my son and am planning on CDing this baby too. I tried every single diaper known to man (well, almost) and can say that I HATED pocket diapers. Stuffing and unstuffing SUCKS. Fitteds with covers (especially for overnight) and AIOs are the easiest to clean and for other people -- daycare, grandparents, etc -- to use.

As for detergent, we do the homemade kind: https://wellnessmama.com/462/homemade-laundry-detergent/

dmunoz81 · January 2016

We are going with Cloth Diapers. We have spent a lot of time researching. While we were drawn to the cost savings and simplicity of prefolds and covers, we decided that athe flexibility of a hybrid was the best fit for our needs. We are going to go with the Grovia hybrid system. Baby Gear Lab has a lot of useful information that helped us decide. It was all so overwhelming! https://www.babygearlab.com/Cloth-Diaper-Reviews

lionstigersbears · January 2016

@Cassandramariec if you're concerned about a big baby not fitting for long you might want to consider something other than lil joeys. They run the smallest of the small newborn diapers. Some that tend to fit a bit longer are blueberry newborn simplex but they are a few dollars more. I loved rumparooz newborn covers and newborn/small Green Mountain Diapers prefolds in them for newborn phase. They fit my DS until 4 months, which overlapped with him fitting one size diapers a starting at 2 months. The key is their legs need to bulk up a bit before one size will fit!

CheerfulJ · January 2016

same here I mentioned it to a few folks and they weren't very encouraging. I plan on having a few disposals for travel,caregivers,time resistant etc.
it's cheaper environmentally better and safer for the baby why not try them at least

JoMunson · January 2016

Random tangent- what is the craziest thing someone has told you after telling them you wanted to try cloth diapers?
For me it was how disgusting it was. I'm not licking them! I use reusable pads. You rinse it off and wash it it's really not that big of a deal. It's more disgusting to me to have pounds of human waste sitting in landfills!

PYLWhammy · January 2016

I haven't had anyone say anything crazy/judgmental, though mind you we've only mentioned it to a couple people. My husband probably had the most surprised reaction when I told him I wanted to use cloth, but he's 100% on board now and interested in learning about the different types, washing routines, etc.

As for the people who think they're gross..DIAPERS are gross! No matter what kind you use, they hold poo, and poo is gross! But at least with cloth they look cute on the outside

Cassandramariec · January 2016

Lions-- that's good to know! I always hear the lil joeys are best for newborns and have less leaking than other options for that stage, but I suspect the smallness is why! I've also been thinking since I last posted that AIO may not be the best choice for me anyhow. As often as newborns need changing, there would be a lot of washing and especially drying time to account for-- meaning I'd need to have even more on hand.

Now I'm leaning towards maybe few AIO or pocket to keep prestuffed and handy for times when speed or convenience demands, but primarily covers over inserts and prefolds. Unfortunately, big box stores don't carry many of those in sizes that I've heard do well for newborns, so registering for them won't be the easiest. I'd better start searching for used options!

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