New to cloth diapering

Bethany - posted on 09/30/2009

Hi, check my response to Melanie Fowler, she asks a similar question

Katie - posted on 09/26/2009

check out greenmountaindiapers.com i found lots of great info there and love everything i've tried. we use prefolds w/ covers and just got some sposo easy...love these too. someone else mentioned diaperpin.com - that was helpful too.

Brittany - posted on 09/26/2009

We love the gDiapers because they have biodegradable linings you can buy or you can use cloth diaper inserts and just rinse and wash. We attached a hose to the toilet and would just spray them right into the potty. Oh and at night we just doubled the cloth inserts and it worked beautifully! Go to gDiapers.com or ebay. We got ours off ebay and the cloth inserts too. I actually have medium and large ones that we are not using anymore if you like the look of them I would love to sell them to you. We had to stop using them because don't make extra large gDiapers and my son fits size 5 luvs diapers. He's just too big!



As for washing we just rinsed them into the toilet waited until we had a load and washed with oxyclean since it doesn't break them down and moms on the forums swore by it. Worked great for us! And we ran it on an extra rinse since it's sensitive skin down there!



Good luck!

Andrea - posted on 09/23/2009

I highly recommend the flip system by bumgenius which is brand-new and will be ready to ship on Halloween this year. The price is very reasonable. It's $50 for 2 covers with 6 inserts. I wish I could've gotten a stash of these when my daughter was born. (At first I used prefolds and have moved on to pockets) This system is super cool because they are one-size, meaning they'll take you from birth to potty-training saving you even more money. They have a stay-dry liner sewn on to each insert to wick the moisture away from your baby's bottom. How the diaper works is that you have a few covers and a bunch of inserts. When you baby poos or pees you just change the insert and reuse the cover until it becomes soiled, then you use a new cover and insert. I'm planning on buying my flips from www.rgnaturalbabies.com because they giver free shipping on all bumgenius products including the flip system. They will show up on the site really soon. To wash them I recommend using a detergent without enzymes, dyes, brighteners, fragrances, softeners, or bleach. You can use this site to help you choose one http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-ch... You can also make your own soap which can be safer and cheaper. I recommend this recipe: 3 cups borax, 2 cups washing soda, 2 cups baking soda, 2 cups sun oxygen cleaner. Use 1-2 tablespoons per diaper load. Fill up a downy ball with vinegar and toss that in there too. I wash on warm with a cold rinse. You can also do a second rinse if you feel the need. I also recommend line drying as much as you can. This will extend the life of your diapers. Keep reading the all the posts on here. There is a wealth of information from all these wonderful CDing mamas. I'm learning new things everyday, too. And I've been CDing for over a year. I'm really happy that you are considering cloth for you baby. :)

Christine - posted on 09/15/2009

I tried the Kushies that Keri was talking about and they worked ok but seemed to leak or wick onto my daughter's clothes a lot. Then I went to the plain jane prefold CD's that Jennifer was talking about and I love them! I started out using the classic diaper pins, but then switched to using Snappi's, plastic fasteners. I found mine at Babies R Us online and it was 4 for $8, but that's really all you need. Jennifer was talking about using the classic Gerber waterproof pants, which is what I started out with, but then I found that I was having to replace them fairly often because mine wore out quickly. I switched to using the Thirsties Duo Wraps, which are one size covers - size 1 fits 10-18lbs and size 2 fits 18-potty training. They run about $13 each, but when I did the math to compare buying 6 (all you really need) to how many of the Gerber pants I'd replaced in a year I realize that I'd be saving in the long run.

As for washing - my preference is a cold soak with 1/2 cup vinegar and 2tbsp baking soda, then a hot wash with SA8 Bioquest and a cold rinse. They come out smelling fresh as a daisy! I usually dry them in the dryer - not enough direct sun in my yard to dry on the line or I'd probably do that instead.

Angela - posted on 09/15/2009

Yeah they are lots of choices out there. I chose FuzziBunz because:
-no prefolding
-no wrapper
-no leaks
-fun colors
-affordable
-dry quickly
-just as easy if not easier than a disposable.

Keri - posted on 09/14/2009

Oh, there are so many to choose from! I (have daughter) and my friend (has a son) both use Kushies brand Ultra all-in-ones. We've had great success with them. My friend has used them since he was about 8-10 lbs. I started using them when she was about 10 months old. Kushies have a waterproof outer layer and velcro tabs, very similar in use to a disposable. I found them for around $7-9 each (sold in packs of 5). Walmart was actually just a cheap as I could get them for on ebay!

I make sure to shake any solids out into the toilet, then put them in a plastic laundry basket (one I ONLY use for dirty diapers) next to the washer and every two days or so wash them. They really don't smell unless you stick your nose in the basket! I hate the way closed pails build up an odor and wet pails get so heavy to dump or may spill over. I spray vinegar on any spots that look like they might stain and make sure that all the velcro tabs are folded down. Wash in warm water and detergent using a 15 min soak setting and 2nd rinse. My friend line dries hers, but I like how they come out of the dryer a bit softer. I make sure to use the low setting (high can get too hot for the liner). Personally, I never use a dryer sheet or fabric softener as it will make them less absorbant, nor do I ever use bleach as it will break them down and wear out faster. If you do happen to get one that looks stained after washing, set it in the sun for a couple hours (it's a natural whitener).

For me, I figure doing a load of laundry is about the same amount of work as taking a sack of dirty diapers to the dumpster. Also, they will cost less over the long run and hopefully she will potty train sooner, as she can feel more when she wets.

Good luck finding the ones that work for you and your little ones. Happy Diapering! ;)

Jennifer - posted on 09/14/2009

Like Dara said- when chosing CDs, it all depends on your own choice. There are your traditional prefold CDs- these are just plain janes- you have to pin them in place and use plastic pants (like underwear) as a cover protection. More work, but much more cheaper than other brands. There are other easier specially made diapers that are quicker because they use velcro or snaps instead of the pins. Some of these easier CDs don't require covers to prevent leaks. Down side is they're a LOT more expensive and from what I've seen, most come in specific sizes (like your disposables), so once your child reaches a certain weight, you have to go out and buy the next size, where you don't need to worry about that with the prefolds. Also, most of the more expensive CDs also seem to come in colorful designs- which are pretty and fun, but I don't think you can use bleach on them while cleaning without taking the risk of damaging the design. And if your more environmentally concerned, they even make organic CDs as well.



My husband and I went for just the regular plain jane prefold CDs- we use the regular Gerber brand that you can find in any local WalMart, Target, Babys'R'Us. We were able to get a pack of 12 diapers for around $10. We use covers (which are size specific, but still cheap to buy)- we've only been able to find the smaller sizes like 3-6 month and 6-9 months at Babys'R'Us- our WalMart only carries the larger 12 month and toddler sizes for those parents trying to potty train. A WalMart near you might carry differently.



As far as washing- again, it's your own preference. Some mom use bleach, others don't or can't. Some wash more frequently than others. I can tell you what works with us. We wash about every 2-3 days. While on a "off" wash day, we store the dirty diapers in a covered pail/trash can. Since we use plain white CDs, we use bleach as well. In the storage pail, we use Borax with water to keep stains from setting. Borax is a bleach like powder, without the bleach chemical smell. You can find it in your laundry aisle. Once we have a load ready, we use just a regular cycle and add more Borax plus bleach to really keep the diapers white and clean smelling. In the past, I've heard some moms talk about how they worry about the poopy diapers leaving poop in the washer, etc. A trick that I've found is that you dump the excess poop in the toilet before storing/washing. It then only leaves a minor layer or residue to clean off.



I've been using CDs with my daughter since she was 1-2 months old. We're expecting twins now and I plan on CDing them as well. It's amazing how much money you can save and it's not as "yucky" or hard as all the warnings I had gotten make it seem to be. I wish you the best of luck and if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Dara - posted on 09/13/2009

There are hundreds of types of diaper as well as a wide price rage and just as many different ways to wash them. If you would like to use the same diapers on both or your children I would recommend trying a few onesize pocket dipers and maybe some flats and onesize covers. I love my OS bumgenius pockets at night and my flats and blueberry OS coveralls during the day. BGs range from as high as $25 but I have gotten them used or seconds for as low as $10. Flats are supper cheap, around 15 for a dozen and BB coveralls are $17 but you can also find them used or seconds for less. Your choices are endless, it all depends on your lifestyle and budget. Sit down and decide how much you would like to spend and what is most important to you. Fit and style? Ease of changing? Ease of wash routine? I would try a few different types and see what you like. Every momma is different and every baby is different.

As for washing. Everyone does it different. Some people have a lot of trouble finding something the works some figure it out right away. There are also many variables in washing, hard water? toploader or front loader, natural or synthetic fiber diapers? I wash every 2 or 3 days, and use a dry pail. I do a cold rinse then a hot wash with cold rinse then a warm rinse. I use purex free and clear detergent and line dry when I can.



CDing can be complicated but can also be fun. I recommend going to www.diaperpin.com and doing some research. It is a great site. The have a ton of info on all of the questions you have asked and more, including product reviews and CD sales.

Good luck!