Cloth Diaper Q&A pt.1

Okay, so let me start by saying this. I have only cloth diapered for about 9 months now, and have used a limited (comparatively) amount of cloth diapers. I know there are those of you out there who've done it much longer than I have, so if you have thoughts, feel free to throw em in!

Here are the main cloth diaper websites I use: Diaper Junction, Jillians Drawers, and Kelley's Closet.

What do you need to get started? - A washing machine, some decent detergent, and cloth diapers of your choosing. There are some brands that need covers and some that don't but I'll get in to that in later. I have mentioned before about the trial program at Jillians Drawer's, and I have heard great feedback about it. If you want to get a great feel for what you'd like, start there. Then the whole process won't be such a mystery, and therefore won't be scary!

And the poopy messes? - Buy some liners when you buy your diapers. You simply lay them on top of the diaper before you put it on. If you get a really nasty poop, just lift out the liner and flush the whole thing. Otherwise, you can wash those along with the diapers 2-3 times and reuse them. And before your baby starts solids, you don't have to worry about the liners. Doing a rinse load takes care of the poo.

How much does startup cost? - It really depends on what you're buying, but if you're starting your whole stash from square one, you're going to pay somewhere between $100-$200.

Is there a huge difference between brands? - Well, there's a difference between styles. I have only used One Size diapers. These types of diapers are the kinds that snap to become larger or smaller, meaning you can snap it all the way down to make it fit a newborn or unsnap it completely to fit a bigger baby. This picture shows it well:

Some diapers need covers and some don't. Bumgenius 3.0's, Grobaby, Flip, and Econobums don't. They act as their own cover. But there are several that do. Usually, it will be obvious when you buy the diaper that you'll need a cover. It should be in the information about the diaper.

How do the sizes work? - Well, as I mentioned earlier, I use the one size styles. However I've heard those might not work as well if your baby has big legs or even really small legs. Assess your child's size to determine the best fit.

How many are needed? - I had 14 and was doing just fine. We had to wash every couple of days, but it wasn't awful. I now have 20 (5 of which I won,) and I don't have to worry about running out at all. I used to count them all into the wash, and now I don't worry because I know I have plenty. So somewhere between 10 and 20, I suppose!

What do I need to purchase to switch my 6 week old over to cloth? - Honestly, you'll need to assess what kind you want and go from there. Do you like the idea of laying the insert in to the shell, and then tossing the dirty insert in to the laundry and reusing the same shell with a new insert? If so, try a flip, econobum, or grobaby. Does that gross you out? Try a diaper like Bumgenius 3.0s, Fuzzibunz or Happy Heinys that you stuff the inserts in to and when they're dirty, just toss them in to the wash and start with a whole new diaper.

Does it help with potty training? - I've heard that it does as well, though I've never personally done it. I only started cloth on my newborn because my oldest was too old by that point.

Should I start cloth on my older toddler? - I do know that there are some decent pull up cloth diapers, so you could try those instead of buying normal cloth diapers. You pay $15 for the diaper shell, and then you'll need to buy some good inserts. In all, you'll probably be out $25 per pull up, but you can use the inserts for regular cloth diapers and you'll be able to use them for the next baby! Plus, we still pay $28 per month on disposables for our oldest for the occasional nap diapers and the bedtime ones..OUCH. So the cloth gets paid for in a matter of months.

How I wash mine: I toss all the shells, inserts, and wipes in to the washing machine and run a cold rinse cycle with no detergent. Then I run a HOT wash with detergent. Then I run a final HOT wash to rinse without detergent to be certain all of the detergent is gone. Then I throw the inserts and wipes in to the dryer and lay the shells out to dry. You don't have to air dry the shells, but they'll last longer if you do.

Don't get how it all works? Here's how I can explain it the best. My main diapers (bumgenius 3.0s) came with two microfiber inserts. One is a regular insert, and the other is an infant insert, or it's also called a booster. The regular insert is thicker and longer. It can be used by itself, and the diaper is trimmer that way. If I want to go longer without changing the diaper, or for overnight use, I add the smaller, thinner infant insert in too. It makes the diaper thicker, but it helps absorb a lot more. When I want to wash them, I simply pull both inserts out of the shell, toss shell and inserts in to the wash, and go about my day.

Okay, so this is just the first part. I know there were more questions, and I will get to those hopefully tomorrow. In the meantime, if you have any questions or input please feel free to post a comment.

Comments

[Jen AM]

I can cut one step out of your wash process, don't pull out the inserts. They come out on their own in the wash always for us. Give it a try!

[Jennifer]

Thanks for this! I just switched my 21 month old over to cloth (Bumgenius 3.0 & gDiapers-bc we got those for free on freecycle). It's always so helpful to hear other people's routines (especially washing). I've been line drying the bumgenius inserts and they actually dry surprisingly fast. I was just trying to cut down the energy costs a little too. Hoping my daughter is potty trained by the time baby #2 comes in a few months or by the time we're ready to start #2 in cloth (we'll probably take it easy for the 1st couple weeks).

I've also found it helpful to take the inserts out of the diapers when I throw them into the diaper pail so I can just dump the pail into the washer & it's ready to go. I was throwing whole diapers in & that made starting the wash hard.

I'm finding I like cloth so far. It will definitely be cheaper.

[Jennifer]

I'm going to try Jen AM's tip next time though. That would be awesome. That's the only time I occasionally come in contact with pee.

[Stef]

I agree with Jen AM - I NEVER pull the inserts out. I just dump the whole bag (i use it instead of a pail) into the wash, then toss the bag in too.

I would add a nice waterproof bag to your "must haves". I don't suppose it's absolutely necessary, but for me it is a life saver. I just hang it on the back of the bathroom door and it zips tight, so no odors or leaks. Yay!

[MommyMonkey]

I'm having my second child in May and didn't CD the first...he's almost 2 1/2 so I'm not going to either. I want to CD with the baby though. Do you find that the cloth diapers make your baby's clothes fit weird? Just wondering, as I'm new to this! Also, do you use the liners like you mentioned in your post? Do you get a lot of stains on the diapers if you don't use a liner? Thanks for the info! I truly appreciate it, since I'm totally new to cloth diapering and am looking to learn more!