When I first announced to friends I would be cloth diapering I was laughed at, dismissed or stared at with looks of horror and disgust. Most warned me I wouldn't want to add anything extra onto my soon to be overloaded plate. I thought to myself: I'll show them...
And I have.
Gemma is 11 weeks old and we have been happily cloth diapering her since we got home from the hospital. We do use disposables on occasion, but it is rare (and I'll give you my "sposies" reco below). If you don't know anything about modern day cloth diapering it can conjure images of a washcloth and clothes pins. That is not so much the case these days. Cloth diapering has become just as easy as diapering with disposables except for the extra laundry. To me, the benefits outweigh the downsides. I actually enjoy changing Gemma's diapers!
Some people choose to cloth diaper because it's better for the environment. Some choose because it's better on their budgets. And some just love the the adorable prints and patterns they can put on their little ones' bums. We are a combo of all three.
Cloth diapering is easy once you find diapers that work for you. My husband is a huge fan of the Bum Genius all-in-one diapers. There are about a billion other options out there for sizing flexibility, lower and higher price, cute patterns, hybrid diapers (that you can put a disposable insert inside), pocket diapers (require you stuffing an insert in them, but they dry a lot faster), custom diapers... etc etc!
Here are a few questions I had and some resources you may want to check out:
How many diapers do I need?
Breastfed newborns typically go 6-10 times a day. So that you're not doing wash every five minutes you may want to stock up on 18-30 newborn cloth diapers. Some regular sized (non newborn) diapers are also one-size-fits-most. They have snaps that allow you to adjust the fit as the baby grows. If your baby is 8lbs or bigger when born you can start using some of the regular sized diapers right away. I would recommend a stash of 20 or so regular sized diapers for that next phase. More if you can afford it.
Do I have to buy newborn diapers or should I rent them?
Many cloth diaper vendors offer the option of renting newborn cloth diapers for a decent price. I preferred to purchase some new and used ones that I recently resold to another new-mama-to-be. I don't think you can go wrong with a newborn diaper purchase as resale value is pretty high. And depending on how many kids you plan on having you may just want to keep them around for next time!
How often should I wash?
48 hours is best, but you can go a little longer if you have enough in your diaper stash.
What about poopy diapers?
Some babies poop a whole lot. Gemma only poops 1-2 times a week! The beauty of exclusively breastfed babies is that the poopy diaper can be put directly in the wash. If you formula feed your baby you can "shake off" the solid poop, spray it off into the toilet with a diaper sprayer attachment (fits on your toilet), or use cloth diaper flushable liners - they catch the poo and you can toss the whole thing in the toilet.
What detergent should I use?
There are a million options/opinions but we enjoy using Rockin Green detergent. It's a powder and it comes in a variety of scents that "wash away" - leaving the diapers fresh but pretty much unscented. You can buy it in "classic rock", "soft rock", or "hard rock" depending on what type of water you have. We use classic rock and I am digging the lavender mint scent. We have a high efficiency (HE) washing machine - if you have one it does limit which detergents will work.
http://rockingreensoap.com/
How do I wash them?
Everyone has their own routine. Some people make it way more complicated than it needs to be (in my opinion!). Depending on your washer/dryer you can find specific washing instructions online. Our cycle is a normal cold/cold wash followed by a hot/cold wash with extra rinse. Then we put them in the dryer on medium for 60 minutes. And that's it!
I hear it can take awhile to dry cloth diapers. Can I speed up drying time?
Some people line dry their cloth diapers because sunning takes out stains and can maintain the health of the diaper. We use our dryer as most brands say it is OK to dry on Medium. We bought 6 wool dryer balls to help speed up drying time and it works! I love mine! I got them from a vendor on etsy who uses recycled sweaters: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ElasIdea?section_id=6653619
What if my baby gets diaper rash?
Most cloth diapered babies do NOT get diaper rash! If they do, you cannot use your standard diaper rash creams as they will mess up the integrity of the diaper. We bought CJ's Butter Jar which I love!
Can I get custom-made cloth diapers?
You sure can! There are tons of WAHM (work at home moms) that make their own super adorable cloth diapers. Many will use fabric you provide or will give you a bunch of fabric options to choose from. Try not to go too wild here: http://hyenacart.com/category/1/Cloth-Diapers
Where should I research/buy my diapers?
www.cottonbabies.com
www.kellyscloset.com
www.jilliansdrawers.com
Why should I cloth diaper again??
www.jilliansdrawers.com/
How can I save money on cloth diapers?
Join the Cloth Diaper Swap Board at babycenter.com. You can get great bargains by buying used diapers and then sell your diapers back! I have bought and sold on the swap. Also earn rewards when you buy cloth diapers from certain online vendors like kellys closet.
What's the difference between "fitteds" and "one-size"?
Some mamas prefer to have a collection of one-size diapers (OS) that will fit throughout their baby's diapering years. They have snap settings that you can adjust as the baby grows. These diapers can be a little bulky when the baby is smaller, but they are definitely a cost-effective option. Fitteds usually come in a few sizes so you can get a closer fit on your baby and usually a trimmer fit as well.
Help! I'm overwhelmed with all the different kinds of diapers! How do I know which kinds will work for me? My advice is to first ask yourself why you want to cloth diaper.
SAVE $$$ - look into prefolds and diaper covers. This is probably the most cost effective option.
WANT TO ENJOY CHANGING POOPY DIAPERS - check out itti bitti, Blueberry and Bum Genius brand diapers. These are a mix of All-in-Two, pocket, and All-in-One diapers. They all have cute patterns and Blueberry & itti bitti offer super soft muppet-like fabric!
MY SIG OTHER & I WANT SOMETHING EASY - All-in-Ones may work for both of you. It's one diaper with no loose parts. Easy-peasie.
FLEXIBILITY WITH SPOSIES & CDs - Check out "Hybrid diapers" from Flip, Grovia, or Best Bottom. These are also called All-in-Two (AI2) - you can snap in various inserts for custom absorbancy or place a disposable liner in the shell instead.
CUTE DIAPERS THAT DRY FAST - Pocket diapers dry more quickly than the All-In-One options, but you have to "stuff" the diapers with inserts before use. For some people that added step is enough to pass on the pockets.
SAVE THE WORLD WITH LESS WASTE - Any cloth diaper will do this for you & give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.
HEY! I'M STILL NOT CONVINCED. GIVE ME SPOSIES THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT & MY BABY'S BUTT - I got to check out disposable diapers from The Honest Company (www.honest.com) which I think are awesome! They held in Gemma's big watery poop and they come in crazy cute patterns. This is a "subscription" plan for getting various diapers each month. Check it out if you think you may prefer this route. I am considering supplementing our cloth diapers with some sposies from this company since they are so cute, well made, and have the earth in mind.
I want an easy solution! Just tell me which ones you're using!
Bum Genius newborn AIO (all-in-one): These have aplix that close across the baby's belly just like a disposable diaper.
Bum Genius freetime AIO/One-Size Fits All: These have several attached inserts which make them SUPER absorbent. We like to use these for night-time or road trips. They started to fit Gemma at 8lbs and are supposed to fit through her toddler years.
Itti Bitti Tutto AI2/OS (All-in-two/One-Size Fits All): I like these, my husband doesn't like them as much as the all-in-ones. They have customizable inserts for you to put in the diapers depending on how absorbent you need them to be. For example: if the baby will sleep for 5-7 hours you don't want her to wake up continually at night because of a wet diaper. You can "snap" in extra inserts and "boosters." We throw these in the wash with the inserts attached and it's no problem at all. These are also meant to fit Gemma through potty training.
Thirsties Duo All-In-Ones, Sized Diapers: These come in two different sizes for a snugger fit. I'm loving how trim they are! If you want to check these out MAKE SURE you look for the All-In-Ones because Thirsties are typically known for their diaper shells.
Ones&Twos AIO/OS: These come with an extra insert/booster for heavy wetters or night time wear.
In general, we use diapers that have aplix (velco-like) across the top of them. Most brands come with an aplix or snap option across the top. At first I didn't want any aplix because I was afraid they would get stuck on the other diapers and ruin them. You do have to be diligent about affixing them to the "laundry tabs" on the back of the diapers before throwing into your diaper bag or the wash. But they give the best fit on our baby, thus preventing leaks!
Still confused? Have a bunch of questions? Leave me a comment and I'll answer as best as I can.
Good luck!
great post kim! if this was my first, not my last, and i didn't already do TONS of laundry each week you'd have me convinced! think i'll check out the honest company though.
ReplyDeleteGreat summary for beginners! We love cloth, too. My understanding of fitteds vs sized diapers is that fitteds still need a (waterproof) cover or wool soaker over them. Charlie Banana are another brand of hybrids we like (though I haven't even bought any of the disposable inserts. I like the pockets for post-newborn dipes as I feel they will give us good flexibility to customize absorbency/bulk based on her needs as she grows, especially for overnight. And we found that the newer rumparooz one-sized diapers will work for babies smaller than 8 lbs, too (though they are expensive unless you can catch them on a great sale). Other faves: thirsties fab cloth wipes and Planet Wise diaper pail liners and wet bags for on-the-go. They all go right in the wash with the diapers.
ReplyDeleteKelly is right I messed up the description about fitteds! There are OS and sized diapers and fitteds are a whole other category. I'm going to do a CD-ing part 2 post about all I've learned in the past year about cloth and where we're at now :)
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