Cloth diapers?

[Michele]

I want to take the plunge. I don't think dog poop is gross so why should baby poop be any different! I'm borrowing some from a mom I met in LLL. They are Mother-ease brand. I just put them on Daegan....we'll see how it goes!

I tried reading on the diaper forum on MDC but quickly became overwhelmed!!

Any brand recommendations? Any tips?

We've been having ~1-2 poop-up-the-back/day lately...But the diapers don't seem too small otherwise....the LLL mom said this doesn't happen with cloth??

[Momo]

I commend you for trying...good luck!
I got around the "poop up the back" thing by going to the next size up even if they weren't quite in the weight range. Since DS I have always jumped to the next size up, like I said it drastically cut down on the leak accidents!!

[Cumberland]

I have tried tons of different brands, and I think it comes down to an individual choice of what works best for you. It might be helpful to order a one or two of several different kinds to try em out.

Right now we use prefolds with a bumkins or a bummis super whisper wrap cover, kissaluvs ( the terry not the fleece, not absorbent enough) with one of those covers and bumkins AIOs for DD2. DD1 is potty trained!!!!!! But AIOs worked the best for us for her, esp since they are daddy friendly.

Most people seem to love fuzzibunz and wonderoos but we just always had leaking problems with them, even though we always washed them just as instructed. You can get fuzzibunz seconds pretty cheap by calling the 1800 #.

I have some extra prefolds I can send you, and some well loved covers. They were given to me and I would be happy to pass them on to you. Just PM me.

[Michele]

They are the one-size kind...the website says 8-35 pounds...when I clicked products, there wasn't many options, but it looks like the picture for the one-size dry diaper. There's a liner you can snap in if you want extra absorption. And then a 'waterproof' cover for the outside of the whole thing.

Are prefolds the things I use as a burp cloth? Do you have to pin those? DO you put a cover over them too?

I feel so uninformed and uneducated about all of this...and when I google it, there's just so much out there. Is it just like all the different kinds of carriers? Wraps, slings, pouches, etc....and then within those there are soo many variations and homemade ones and everyone swears their's is the best...but really you just find what works for you? And really most things will, you just get used to one???

For fitted...is that just custom underwear? You fit it to the baby's current size, not one that will grow with them? And is it like a pull-up?

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/newmom.htm has some basic info.

[Cumberland]

Prefolds are the things you use as a burp cloth. However, the ones you use for down below are much thick and more absorbent and pretty much can only be ordered online. I just fold them in thirds and put them inside a cover and rarely have leaks. You can use pins if you want, or something called a snappy. It is like a little elastic clip that keeps them in place. You do need to use a cover with prefolds.

Fitted diapers look like a disposable diaper only they are made of cloth. They are made in different sizes, usually just NB, S, M and L. They need a cover too.

All in Ones are a one piece cloth diaper. They have the waterproofing on the outside, and the absorbent stuff on the inside. I think they are the easiest.

Pockets are look like an all in one, but they have an opening in the back where you stuff the absorbent stuff (like a prefold). You can make it as thin or thick as you like.

There is a whole diapering lingo out there. I had a such a hard time with the abbreviations. I would go to the for sale board on MDC and the titles would be FBs, JBs, BSWWs, UBCPFs for sale, I needed a translator. Now that I havent bought any new dipes for a while I need an update on all the new brands.

[Michele]

Suwannee, we posted at the same time...

Are the all in one's just like the disposable diapers...except you wash and re-use? Is that what you mean by daddy-friendly? Russ definitely has reservations about cloth diapering...

I would love for you to send me them, but really only if they are extras for you....I'll PM you my address.

I was told that FuzziBuns leaks, but the same person really loved the Wonderoos....

Thanks so much for the help! I love my iMSN ladies!

[Cumberland]

It really doesnt have to be that complicated, for some people it is a hobby and they choose to get super into it. Another good website is diaperpin.com They have a good for sale board whereas on MDC you have to have 50 posts I think to even be able to view their for sale board.

[Michele]

Willow: Daegan was a preemie too!! He was born at 30w5d....weighing in at 3 pounds 7 ounces.....my boy is now almost 4 months old (2 months adjusted) and weighs about 12 pounds now!

I'll check out diaper pin....I don't know if the green mountain site is bogus, but I've been reading it.

I don't like the mother-ease one-size b/c it seems like there is too much material between his legs...I'm thinking that it might be b/c it's one-size and needs to be able to fit a 30 pounder....but on my 12 pounder it seems to be too much. At first I thought the one-sizes sounded like the best choice...but now I think that it's too much material to be squished up around him...and then it's just more wetness squished up around him.

After reading a bunch and thinking about it all night (obsessive much??) I really want to do this. The green mountain site seems to push prefolds a little to me...and I'm leaning towards that as a main diaper b/c I can make it narrower between his legs. But I'm a little nervous about pinning...they sell 'snappi' things to work like ace bandage clasps...maybe that would be easier? I'm thinking I definitely need some all-in-ones though for Russ....otherwise, I would be the only one doing diaper changes...The bumGenius ones look so cute! I'm a sucker for a simple, well designed website though too.

Until I get some other prefolds.....I have some that I bought at BabiesRUs...I'm pretty sure they are the cheap Gerber ones no-one recommends...I read to wash them a bunch to dissolve the wax, but then do you think I could try them??

So for cleaning....do you all really swish them in the toilet? Do you just use regular laundry soap? We have a front loader, HE washer...with a pre-wash soak option and an extra rinse option and a sanitary cycle (extra hot). It takes 2 hours though!!

This is soo new, but I'm really excited! Gosh it doesn't take much these days huh??

[Michele]

Thanks Alison!!

Another question... Do you have the BumGenius one size pocket? Do you think the between the legs part is too much for your little guy? How big is he now, by the way???

[fluffhead]

We use a diaper service, I think they're 4-8-4 diapers, and we've been using imse-vimse wraps for 5 years now. The problem with the wraps is that after 2 kids and many washes in hot water the velcro starts to give out.
I really wanted the 2nd kid out of diapers before the 3rd came, but it's not happening. Anyway, we usually use disposables for the first month or so until we get our act together.
We also use cloth wipes - just a solution of distilled water with a few drops of tea tree oil and lavender oil.

[fluffhead]

we bought several packages of cheapo cotton washcloths with DD, five years ago - they hold up great! They were the really think kind - gerber I think? They come rolled up, like 5 to a pkg?

[Michele]

Russ balked at the cloth wipe idea (ok so he balked at the cloth diaper idea too...just way more on the wipes)...I think it'll help me justify doing laundry so often....help fill the diaper load so it's a real full load instead of a weenie one.

The Green Mountain site suggested at least 50 wipes...more if you don't fully 'use' wipes (me! I'm such a wipe waster, I hate it!). Is that your experience Fluff?

[fluffhead]

I guess 50 is about right - we must have about that number. I use the diaper itself to wipe up most of the mess, and then a few wipes to get it really clean. Or in case of wetness, just one wipe is usually sufficient.

Michelle, my wife was also reluctant to go the cloth route - but since I change almost all the diapers around here, it wasn't really her decision. However, since we use a service, once she saw how easy it was, she was fine with it. She still tends to use a disposable when she takes the kids out by herself, while I generally pack up cloth and a few plastic bags.

The amazing thing is when I tell friends "well you know even with the disposables, you're still shaking the stuff into the toilet" and how they just stare at me in disbelief - everybody just tosses all that fecal matter in the trash along with the never-degrading plastic.

[Cumberland]

We make our own wipes- I think we use Fluff's or Matt's recipe. You take a roll of good quality paper towels and cut them in half, take out the inner roll and put that in a round container. The wipe solution is water, a squirt or two of Dr Bronners, a squirt of aloe vera gel, and a few drops of some essential oil, usually lavender or TTO. Pour that over the papertowels in the container. One half of a roll of paper towels lasts us over a week.

I used the "make your own wipes" thing too. I loved it.