Cloth Diapers

Tracey - posted on 02/17/2009

I used cloth nappies for my own children and now use them as a childminder. I was always a big fan of Terries which I folded and used a nappi nippa to hold together then used plastic outer over top. Someone gave me some bambino all in one nappys which you just velcro on and then add the outer plastic to, these are much quicker and my assistant prefers them but they do take an absolute age to dry!!!

Meaghan - posted on 02/13/2009

Prefolds and fitteds are the best way to go in the beginning , cause they are cheap and economical, BumGenius 3.0 Onesizes will fit 8lbs to 35lbs and they are awesome

Jodie - posted on 02/13/2009

I use prefold on my 15 1/2 mth old and have never had a problem with them.  We had many comments from many people (and still get some today) when we told them that we were going to use cloth.  I found that prefolds are the best for us and we have never had a problem with them so far.  You can fold them to what ever size is needed and no worries about leeking etc...  We have been using them on her from birth.  The end result is to find one that you are comfortable using and that your little one likes.  Trust me if they are not comfortable in it you will know.  We found that the premade etc. were no good for us as our little one is still little even now.

Stephanie - posted on 02/12/2009

i've had friends who use kissaluvs (fitted) and swear by them...my lil girl is due the end of april and that is the brand i am going to try first. you can usually get pretty good deals on them in bulk packages too!

Meghan - posted on 02/09/2009

We used a mix of prefolds and fitteds when my ds was little

Sarah - posted on 02/09/2009

I would check out diaperpin.com   They have product reviews by lots more people on tons of different types of diapers.  ou just need to select 'product reveiws' at the top of the website and then choose the category.  It helped me to figure out first what my budget was, and waht type of diaper I wanted and then look at the reviews.  Or atleast pull up a website that sells diapers so you can get a picture of the diaper while reading reviews.  I think that prefolds are still the standby.  They are the cheapest, last the longest (because they are just cotton - no velcro or elastic to repair) and dry faster.  But I really like BumGenius since they seem to fit a variety of shapes and sizes well and I am just replaced the elastic in the legs after almost 2 years of use. 

Miri - posted on 02/08/2009

I am new to Cloth diapering and here is a site I found helpful, where parents rate the diapers...http://www.diaperpin.com/diapers/diaperp...

Elizabeth - posted on 02/08/2009

I wouldn't buy too many of one kind until you see what works for your munchkin and you. www.diaperswappers.com is a great place to buy used diapers (sounds gross, but they're used after you use them!) and if you have a craigs list or freecycle that is a great place to pick up a few different kinds. If you can afford them/have a reluctant spouse/daycare, etc I would suggest pocket diapers (like BumGenius or Fuzi Bunz). If money is really tight, get prefolds with some Bummi Whisper Wrap covers. We used prefolds w/ Bummi covers until he grew out of his small covers, and then I switched to the BumGenius and have been very happy. Bum Genius and Fuzi Bunz occasionally have seconds sales that are pretty good-- just sign up for the emails.

Good luck!

Amanda - posted on 02/06/2009

I agree with the others in that the shape of your baby matters. My 15 month old daughter has a long torso and she outgrew anything with snap too quickly. We have and love the Indian Cotton Prefolds we use. We use the bummis super whisper wraps with velcro as covers. We have tried the fleece liners and fleece pocket diapers but they dry her privates out because they wick away too much moisture. We don't have rashes or leaks with our prefolds - the only problem is prefolds are a bit bulky so she can't ride in her carseat in them.

Penny - posted on 02/06/2009

Tots Bots are really popular in the UK as are Bambino Mio. Personally I use old fashioned terry towels, or the Motherease One nappies which go from 8lbs to potty training, and I prefer the Motherease air-flow wraps to any other that I've tried. And I tried a lot! Terry towels have the advantage of being folded differently as her needs change and as she grows.

Samantha - posted on 02/05/2009

Check out Green Mountain Diapers. This site provides great information about the different types and even has some package deals to help you get started.

Also, check out Nell's Natural Baby for information. 

I personally like using Prefolds and Thirsties. I find the Thirsties on the cheaper end for covers, they come in bright colors, and they clean up real nice.

Kate - posted on 02/05/2009

I'm a fan of the tots bots bamboozles. They fit snugly around my son's legs so no blow outs or leaks as yet. We use mother ease and knitted wool covers. We also have a few pocket nappies - Haute Pockets & Dry Bees. We've only had them a week, so still figuring out absorbency etc.  We've gone for fitted and pockets (rather than AIOs) because they're quicker to dry. Bamboo and hemp are more absorbent than cotton (so a potentially trimmer nappy), but will take a bit longer to dry.  Oh, there's also a pile of cotton prefolds, but so far we've only used them as burpcloths & mess wiper uppers.

Has anyone else noticed that it's harder to hold a baby in pocket nappies - the layers shift around a bit.

Kate - posted on 02/05/2009

I'm a fan of the tots bots bamboozles. They fit snugly around my son's legs so no blow outs or leaks as yet. We use mother ease and knitted wool covers. We also have a few pocket nappies - Haute Pockets & Dry Bees. We've only had them a week, so still figuring out absorbency etc.  We've gone for fitted and pockets (rather than AIOs) because they're quicker to dry. Bamboo and hemp are more absorbent than cotton (so a potentially trimmer nappy), but will take a bit longer to dry.  Oh, there's also a pile of cotton prefolds, but so far we've only used them as burpcloths & mess wiper uppers.

Has anyone else noticed that it's harder to hold a baby in pocket nappies - the layers shift around a bit.

Amanda - posted on 02/05/2009

i personally LOVE my bum genius 3.0!  i have also tried dri-stuuf, which i would not recommend.  my son is only 6 weeks old and already the velcro fasteners on those are failing :(  we also have some blueberry and happy heineys diapers which keep him nice and dry.  however i don't find the legs to be snug enough and we've had a few leaks, i am now waiting until he is a bit bigger to use those again.

Cory - posted on 02/05/2009

Little more info if you can.

Age of baby, amount of money you are willing to spend, why you are wanting to use cloth, is everyone on board or do you need to convince spouse or care giver, ect..... These things can help narrow down the many, many choices out there.



For ex: prefolds or the cheapest route to go but for leery spouses or care givers they can be intimidating. AIO's are the easiest but can be harder to wash and are more expensive. Wool is a great choice for the environmentally conscious type ect........



My favs:

Bum Genius one size and fitted diapers with wool covers

Amanda - posted on 02/05/2009

It all depends on the baby.  Each brand is best suited to different sized babies.  Eg.  You may need a high rise with big legs, or a low rise with big legs.  It also depends on the absorbancy too.  I suggest trying one of each of the most popular brands to find the one that suits.  Is there a website in your country where Mums can buy, sell and swap used diapers?  That way you can try them at a cheaper rate.  That's what I do, and when I find one that suits us I buy brand new from the company.

In Australia, we prefer Itti Bitti but I'm not sure if they ship internationally.  But you can check out their website: www.ittibitti.com.au

Liz - posted on 02/05/2009

Hi, I use tots bots bamboozles and also Blueberry Minkys. I like the bamboozles but they do take a while to dry especially if you don't have a tumble dryer. The minkys are quite expensive but I love them and they always keep my little girl very dry. There are lots of types of cloth diapers out there and what works for one person doesn't neccessarily work for another so I'd suggest trying to find somewhere that will let you trial several kinds.

Angela - posted on 02/05/2009

Hey! To answer your question...I think it really matters on your preferences and your baby's shape. My 6 1/2 month old son is large (20 lbs and 12oz now). We use mostly prefolds and covers, but also have some AIOs and pockets. I have friends that have exclusively used Bum Genius and Fuzzi Bunz and have loved them, but for us, they always leak. I think with my son, his thighs are very large, so if these diapers fit his thighs, they are too loose around his waist, and he gets wet. If you are interested in using prefolds, we've loved the diapers from greenmountaindiapers.com. We've found them to be more absorbent than any other brand we tried. For covers, we like Blueberry pocket diapers, Bummis Super Whisper Wraps, and anything made by Imse Vimse. We've also tried various diapers from WAHM with various results. Hope that helps some.