The Great Cloth Diaper Thread

beachmama14 · July 2018

This will be my third baby in cloth! I’m so excited to use my girl covers again. My first baby I CD until about 9 months. It worked really well for us, I just hated spraying poop so I stopped there. My second baby (boy) I used CD again but only made it 5 months because he just kept peeing out of them and I knew I didn’t want to continue once starting solids so we just stopped then. We have soft water now, so I will be bleaching/stripping my full stash just to make sure they are all clean and fresh. Most of my stash is 4 years old.

Im one of the people that can’t handle a super mismatched stash. We use Green mountain diapers prefolds and fitted and thirsties covers. I have some micro fleece liners as well as some doublers and cloth wipes. I try to keep it simple since I don’t like CD for the long term. But I do appreciate the savings for the newborn BF change diapers a million times a day phase!

I usually wash wash every other day.

dragonette505 · July 2018

Y'all... i went totally down the cloth diaper rabbit hole today!! All of this info is so good!

lovesclimbing · July 2018

dragonette505 said:

BitterBetty12 it sounds like you need a range of diapers for each stage: newborn or toddler, day or night, easy diapers for other folks...
I wish there was a cloth diaper starter pack of a mix of these products

*lurker*

There is! I've never used any of these, but I came across them when I was researching cloth.

https://www.nickisdiapers.com/cloth-diaper-101-starter-kit.html

https://www.kellyscloset.com/Kellys-Closet-Try-Cloth-Diapers-Bundle_p_6975.html

https://sweetbottomsbaby.com/collections/cloth-diaper-trial

https://www.diaperjunction.com/try-cloth-diapers.html

https://www.nickisdiapers.com/15-day-wash.html?AffId=19

https://jilliansdrawers.com/products/clothdiapers/tryclothfor10/tryclothfor10

https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/products/newborn-give-it-a-try-kit

Some of these links are to starter kits where you buy a bundle of various types and some are to trial programs where you get or choose a mix of types and then return what you don't like for a refund or store credit.

dragonette505 · July 2018

lovesclimbing said:

dragonette505 said:

BitterBetty12 it sounds like you need a range of diapers for each stage: newborn or toddler, day or night, easy diapers for other folks...
I wish there was a cloth diaper starter pack of a mix of these products

*lurker*

There is! I've never used any of these, but I came across them when I was researching cloth.

https://www.nickisdiapers.com/cloth-diaper-101-starter-kit.html

https://www.kellyscloset.com/Kellys-Closet-Try-Cloth-Diapers-Bundle_p_6975.html

https://sweetbottomsbaby.com/collections/cloth-diaper-trial

https://www.diaperjunction.com/try-cloth-diapers.html

https://www.nickisdiapers.com/15-day-wash.html?AffId=19

https://jilliansdrawers.com/products/clothdiapers/tryclothfor10/tryclothfor10

https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/products/newborn-give-it-a-try-kit

Some of these links are to starter kits where you buy a bundle of various types and some are to trial programs where you get or choose a mix of types and then return what you don't like for a refund or store credit.

I saw some of these (truly went down the rabbit hole today) and saw some good starter kits. I think I’ll get some different ones so I have a variety of styles. I can always sell or donate when I’m done:)

BitterBetty12 · August 2018

@dragonette505 The CD rabbit hole is SO MUCH FUN. I remember researching cloth diapers being one of my favorite hobbies during my pregnancy with DD. There is so much to learn. I also used to watch a TON of youtube videos explaining pros and cons of different diapers as well as reviews of different brands! I kind of miss it.

dragonette505 · August 2018

BitterBetty12 said:

@dragonette505 The CD rabbit hole is SO MUCH FUN. I remember researching cloth diapers being one of my favorite hobbies during my pregnancy with DD. There is so much to learn. I also used to watch a TON of youtube videos explaining pros and cons of different diapers as well as reviews of different brands! I kind of miss it.

Yep... already saving youtube vids! lol

lizztheo · August 2018

This will be my 4th in cloth! Although when my 3rd started attending daycare/preschool, we switched to disposables. We’ve switched brands and types we like alot over the years but my stash now is mostly grovia. I’ve never had newborn diapers (we did prefolds and covers) but I want to try an easy overnight change for this one. I found some grovia newborn and rumparooz for less than $5 each locally so I have some of those to try.

dragonette505 · August 2018

lizztheo said:

This will be my 4th in cloth! Although when my 3rd started attending daycare/preschool, we switched to disposables. We’ve switched brands and types we like alot over the years but my stash now is mostly grovia. I’ve never had newborn diapers (we did prefolds and covers) but I want to try an easy overnight change for this one. I found some grovia newborn and rumparooz for less than $5 each locally so I have some of those to try.

I want to try a mix with newborn... I'm trying to picture the rest of my fam dealing with pre folds and i cant see it...lol i want to have easy options for "helpers". Do y'all find that other people (extended family) are less likely to help change when its a pre fold?

pttomato · August 2018

@dragonette505 Yes. DH wouldn't use pre-folds. Only my mom would use them, but she used pre-folds when we were babies.

dragonette505 · August 2018

pttomato said:

@dragonette505 Yes. DH wouldn't use pre-folds. Only my mom would use them, but she used pre-folds when we were babies.

I feel like my hubs would use pre folds (especially if i tell him they are less expensive lol) but like, my mom will be helping but shes older and not got the best dexterity... i want to make it easier for her when i can... also siblings who will be around to help i cant picture them making a diaper lol

kns1988 · August 2018

dragonette505 said:

pttomato said:

@dragonette505 Yes. DH wouldn't use pre-folds. Only my mom would use them, but she used pre-folds when we were babies.

I feel like my hubs would use pre folds (especially if i tell him they are less expensive lol) but like, my mom will be helping but shes older and not got the best dexterity... i want to make it easier for her when i can... also siblings who will be around to help i cant picture them making a diaper lol

These were really awesome at making it easier to use prefolds. My mom and MIL would use them, but we bought disposable for my grandma.

https://www.amazon.com/Original-5-pack-Snappi-Diaper-Fasteners/dp/B004YWKWJO/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1533658640&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=cloth+prefold+snappies&psc=1

dragonette505 · August 2018

kns1988 awesome! I want it easier for me too! lol.... especially in the beginning when I'm juggling everything

KariAnn323 · August 2018

@dragonette505 I know that at first I said that I would never do prefolds unless I was just doing a pad fold in a cover. Granted I haven’t actually tried any out yet but it looks a lot easier than I was thinking. I showed DH the fold below and he even thought it looked pretty easy.

KariAnn323 · August 2018

@cait32 well that's dissapointing

katethemom · August 2018

I always preferred the jelly roll fold and usually (unless DS had a major blow out) didn't have any leaks with it. It doesn't really show in the image, but after you pull the front up, you kind of unroll and fan out the top before attaching the snappi fastener. It was really easy once I did it a few times, even as DS got squirmier.

tosh24 · August 2018

I believe this link is to the same website that the pics above are from- it has a number of different folds which may work for different kids at different stages. I didn't use prefolds for that long because they were waaaay too bulky and DS looked like he was constantly riding a horse his legs were so spread apart (he used to fuss so much until I changed to Lil' Joeys and then he was much more comfortable), but when I did, I only used the jelly roll fold. ETA link....duh https://thiswestcoastmommy.com/6-ways-to-fold-a-prefold-diaper/

pttomato · August 2018

@KariAnn323 I did like the angel fold and that was pretty much all I ended up using. I didn’t like the jelly roll fold.

MeggieLynne · August 2018

We used only peachy baby by AMP (except one was actually AMP). They are a cover that’s is adujustabke to basically any size with snaps, it has a pocket inside and you use inserts, but we never stuffed the pocket, just laid the inserts on top of the inside of the cover. That way, often we could just change the insert and use the same cover again. We had 12 covers, 26 inserts (12 shorter and 12 longer, and two heavier ones to fold up as needed for overnight). This was usually easily enough to do wash every second day, sometimes pushing to the third day if I was busy or lazy. We just used an open bin for dirty ones. If they stay wet, they smell, if they can dry, they don’t. Once it was real poop, we added a disposable bamboo liner to just peel off with the poop in and throw out. Everything else (covers and inserts) was just thrown in the machine with the pre wash setting on a sanitary cycle. Then two 40 minute rounds in the dryer. The covers would be done after one, and the inserts needed the second. Never had any problems. When he started soaking through every night with extra inserts, we used disposable at night, and then when he started peeing a lot more, a lot less often during the day, there was more liquid at once than the cloth could handle (the volume it could have handled, but not all in one dump, they just couldn’t absorb fast enough) then switched to disposables then.

tosh24 · August 2018

For those of you who currently or have recently cloth diapered - what detergent do you use?

When I was CDing DS 7 years ago, the CD community was all "ZOMG, you're a crunchy imposter if you use mainstream detergents instead of obscure, online only, all natural/organic, overpriced crap". I never had good luck with those detergents (especially with my hard water) and by the end I was using Tide which everyone said would ruin my entire stash. There seems to have been a shift in what ppl are using now (I see a lot of Tide users) and a friend of mine just told me she uses Persil, so just wondering what everyone else is using?

katethemom · August 2018

I used Ecos free and clear for CDing. It was one of the cheaper brands that I found recommended for CDs.

BitterBetty12 · August 2018

@tosh24 fluffloveuniversity.com has an AMAZING detergent index that will tell you how effective different regular v. Free and clear detergents are and how much of each you have to use. You can search pretty much any detergent and get an idea of if it’s recomended or not. What I will say is they almost never recommend the crunchy CD specific detergent.

I use tide and my stash is still perfect!

Ive attached one of their resources.

pttomato · August 2018

We use All Free & Clear which is not recommended but it works fine for us. DH and DD react to a lot of detergents though, particularly Tide. The only other one I've tried is Boulder which I didn't think worked very well with hard water.

tosh24 · August 2018

Thanks, guys! This has been really helpful! I'll check out Fluff Love University. And I won't worry about ruining my stash with Tide anymore

tosh24 · August 2018

Another survey for you CDers: What is your favourite diaper cream? How often did/do you use it (every diaper change, night only, etc.) I used CJ's BUTTer with DS and had pretty good success with it. I didn't use it at every diaper change, but definitely put it on at night and also once his BMs regulated, I would put it on when I was anticipating a messy diaper in the near future. I know there are new CD safe diaper cream products on the market now so just wondering what people like and have success with (I did check out the list on FLU but also wanted some personal recommendations).

BitterBetty12 · August 2018

@tosh24 I actually rarely use diaper cream with DD. She almost never got rashes (aside from one bad yeast rash we had to use triple cream on, yikes!) or irritation from BMs until she was teething. When I did use cream I would typically use the green tube of butt paste (it’s CD safe) or good old fashioned Desitin / aquaphor with a liner over her diaper so it didn’t get on the diaper.

pttomato · August 2018

I only used diaper cream when it looked like DD was getting a rash. She hardly ever got diaper rash and never had a bad one, so we may have gotten lucky that she wasn’t prone to them. I also used the green butt paste.

KariAnn323 · August 2018

I was able to get 10 small workhorses for $30 in a resale group. Any suggestions on how to sanitize? Also, I was thinking about using a seam ripper to remove the doubler (and then sew the end of the doubler so they can be used separately) in about half of them. I was thinking this might give us a little more flexibility, allowing us to use a different doubler (hemp or microfiber) or no doubler during the day if she's not a heavy wetter. Has anyone done this or heard of someone doing it?

BitterBetty12 · August 2018

@KariAnn323 https://www.fluffloveuniversity.com/troubleshooting/solving-stinky-diaper-problems/how-to-bleach-your-cloth-diapers/ this was the routine I followed when DD had a yeast rash and I had to sanitize. The website also has instructions on non bleach sanitizing if there is a reason you can’t use bleach. As far as the rest I don’t have any advice. I used them as is and then added an extra doubler when she became a heavy wetter!

jrm_14 · August 2018

::Lurking from April::

Any suggestions on cloth diapers that have velcro or loops instead of snaps?

BitterBetty12 · August 2018

@jrm_14 I used a lot of Velcro diapers in newborn size but don’t have as many in OS. The Velcro brands I used that I know come in OS were tots bots, thirsties, and bum genius!

tosh24 · August 2018

@jrm_14 I also had the 3 brands BitterBetty12 mentioned above in Velcro. All my other ones were snaps. ETA: of all the listed brands, the Velcro on my tots bots held up the best, then the bum genius, then the thirsties. That being said, they're all still in good enough shape to use on a second baby, so they all held up pretty well in general.

Want a personalized experience?

The Great Cloth Diaper Thread

Re: The Great Cloth Diaper Thread

Choose Another Board

Search Boards