Diapers Q&A

Cloth Diapers?

I am going to be a stay-at-home mother and we have been thinking about doing cloth diapers (when we go somewhere we will use throw-away diapers) Has anyone used them? Are they very difficult? I don't know anyone my age (28) that has used them. Anybody have any thoughts on this? Thanks for your imput!

Public Comments

1. My SIL used them for a short time. You have to rinse the poop out in the toilet, even with a diaper service.
2. I have never used them, but I never even considered it when my son was born. They are very messy and you have to wash them out. I would much rather just wrap up the diaper and throw it away, I guess it is a personal preference. If you don't mind washing them out and then I would say go ahead, but I think it is more work than it is worth and it really don't save that much money.
3. I"m in my 60's, I used them many years ago. Remember, you have to use what we called rubber pants to prevent wet spots in the crib , your lap etc. You must soak them before washing to remove any odors and stains. You must also remove the solid part of the babies bowel movement before soaking and washing. Use a baby detergent such as Dreft . There's alot of work involved.
4. I am 28 too and I plan to cloth diaper when my baby arrives in July. I know 3 or 4 other people who cloth diaper that are in this age range. There is a lot of laundry involved, but it seems like overall, cloth diapering is much easier than it was when my mom was doing it. Also, they are much cheaper if you buy wisely. I read that disposables cost an average of 1500-2000 per child (until they potty train) whereas cloth may cost around 400-500. My friends have recommended bumGenius all-in-ones or Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers. Another idea to avoid the toilet swishing is to buy a diaper sprayer. My friends all swear by them and think they make the entire process so much easier. Hope this helps!
5. I love them! I use prefolds and pockets and they're so much fun to use. They're so cute and I love how soft they are when they're out of the dryer. We still use disposables at time, since I'm still building up my stash. Don't be intimidated. I'm 24 and know absolutely no one who has used them, except for a high school friend i no longer talk to. Become a member of diaperswappers.com and you'll learn so much. There are also many mamas on here who know so much about them. I was intimidated at first about washing (don't have a washer and dryer) but it still managed to save us money and it's so easy to clean up and use. I've also begun buying used diapers from diaperswappers and they work so well. I also like how they're already prepped and save me the trouble of extra washings. Start with a few that interest you and then see how you like them. If you don't, they have a resale value and you can sell them at diaperswappers.com. ETA: please don't think it's a lot of work. I sometimes handwash my pfs and I work full time. You wash them every other day, if you can. It's just an extra load. When they're wet, you toss them into a covered can with some baking soda. If they're pooped on, you put the poo in the toilet and can rinse if you'd like. You use very little detergent and you can line dry because the sun removes any stains. Also, plastic pants are not necessary. We now have PUL material, fleece and wool for those that needs covers (flats or prefolds). Pockets are like regular diapers except you stuff them with cloth. AIO's are exactly like sposies except you wash them. They are all a bit bulkier, but they're all so cute! ETA: You won't get good advice from those who don't cd. They have a lot of misconceptions about it. There's a great mama on here who cd's, named alberta mama. Track her down and she'll help you out so much! ETA: (last one, I swear) I love my one size BG! Bumgeniuses are so great!!! I also like Haute Pockets and Huggabuns. There are so many other great brands out there.
6. We used disposables with our firstborn, because I went back to work when he was a few weeks old and our childcare center required them. Our second is on the way, and I've been talking to everyone I know about disposables versus cloth. The first important thing to bear in mind is that there's a wide variety of cloth diapers - from the old school flat ones that you wrap and pin yourself, to all-in-one models with an absorbent liner and a waterproof shell. I've included a link to bumGenius. They've been recommended to me by two other parents who have successfully cloth diapered. However, even hardcore cloth diaper families have admitted that they *do* use disposables for travel and even in a pinch - especially with a newborn, it's easy to fall behind on the laundry. Personally, I'm leaning towards gDiapers. They're a hybrid - the pants are reusable, but they contain a flushable liner. The only problem is that they come with a "swishstick" to help flush the contents. So, again, they're not a great out-and-about option. But even if you end up tossing the liners, it's not nearly as environmentally damaging as conventional disposables. I do think the challenge is to consider your lifestyle - and if this is your first child, there's a lot of guessing involved. But I would say that there appears to be a version of cloth diapering - or lower-impact diapering - that can work for everyone. Good luck!
7. My future SIL used them, your age, except when traveling. She likes them. My mom did, too, and she recommends them. I guess you just to laundry more frequently and buy more bleach :) EDIT: those bum genius diapers look fabulous!
8. I am exactly your age (28) and we use cloth diapers in much the way you suggested. I use them at home but take disposables on the road. I wanted to use cloth from the very beginning but was too overwhelmed for the first few months to try something new. Now I see that it's not that big of a deal! We save some money, don't have as much garbage, and her bottom is actually softer with cloth than disposable. I have taken a bit of flack from older women who used cloth back in the day before prefolds because they don't understand how much easier it is now. I am really happy with my decision. **i'm sure you know not to use bleach as another answerer suggested.
9. I have been cloth diapering since my daughter was 3 months old. I love cloth diapering! I wish I would have started from birth. I have tried many different kinds and brands and here is my opinion on them ... You need about 24-36 diapers. There are many different kinds of diapers ranging in price and level of convenience. It really depends on your budget, lifestyle and baby when it comes down to the question of "what's the best cloth diaper?" And sometimes, you will want a few different kinds for different times of the day. Do you prefer economical diapers? Do you prefer convenient diapers? Do you have the time and patience to fold diapers, get them on the baby, fasten them and then put on a cover? Would you prefer one step? Do you need diapers that dry fast? The cheapest route is pre-folds with covers, but it is the most inconvenient. You will need 24-36 pre-folds and 6-8 covers. You also may want to buy some snappi fasteners and liners or doublers. You have to fold the pre-fold diapers to fit on the baby, then fasten, then put on the cover. Example of pre-fold diapers: http://www.parentingbynature.com/201_unbleached_prefolds.htm Example of fastener: http://www.parentingbynature.com/04_snappi.htm Example of cover: http://www.bummis.com/en/Products/covers/SuperBrite.html The middle option (for both price and convenience) is fitted or contour diapers with covers. Again, you need about 24-36 diapers and 4-6 covers. Fitted diapers and contour diapers don't require folding. Fitted diapers will have fasteners included, either velcro or snaps (poppers). Contour diapers require a fastener, or a snug fitting cover. Both types need to have a cover over them. Example of fitted diaper: http://www.bummis.com/en/Products/covers/Bamboozle.html Example of contour diaper: http://www.softclothbunz.com/Kissaluvs-Contour-Diaper_p_0-166.html The most expensive route is pocket and all-in-one (AIO) diapers. These are the most convenient though as they have either velcro or snap closure and their cover is built-in. All-in-one diapers consist of a waterproof outershell (normally PUL or nylon) and layer of absorbent material sewn on the inside (flannel, hemp etc). Pocket diapers are also a PUL outer shell with a stay dry liner (normally fleece, mirco suede, velour or minkee) interior --- there are no absorbent layers in a pocket diaper, they must be added. Pocket diaper have an opening in the back or front of the diaper where you need to add absorbent inserts, usually micro terry or hemp fleece. All-in-one diapers will take longer to dry, while pocket diapers are quick to dry since the absorbent layers are separate. Again, you will need 24-36 of these diapers, but you do not need covers, as these diapers are already waterproof. For pocket diapers you may want to buy some extra inserts if your baby is a heavy wetter. Same with the AIOs, you may need to buy some doublers to increase their absorbency. Example of AIO diaper: http://www.thebabymarketplace.com/securestore/c153258p16870526.2.html Example of a pocket diaper: http://www.jamtots.com/Baby-Kangas-One-Size-Pouch-Diaper-C502.aspx Personally I chose to use pocket diapers during the day and fitted diapers at night. You can save some money by buying one-size (OS) diapers so you only have to buy the diapers once instead of multiple times as your baby grows. I use the Tots Bots Bamboozle diapers above for night -- they are highly absorbent and come in 2 sizes. I use the Baby Kangas one-size (OS) pocket diapers shown as an example above and I also use bumGenius OS pocket diapers during the day. I prefer pocket diapers because they are quick to put on (my baby is an acrobat on the change table), they dry fast and the absorbency is adjustable by adding or removing inserts from the diaper. You can lay doublers inside AIO diapers but they bunch and just don't work as well I find. It is best to buy the diapers online. Once you have an idea of which type or brand of diaper you want you can go to their site online and most will have a locate a retailer section. If you have a local baby boutique or natural foods store that sells them you can go take a look at them. However, I find that most retail stores charge $2-$5 more per diaper than most online retailers. When you decide on the diapers you want do a lot of price and stock comparisons. Try to order most of your diapers from the same place so you can save on shipping costs! It is best to buy a few different diapers and try them to see what works best for you and fits your baby the best. Then you can invest in more of a particular kind. As for poop ... well it does need to go down the toilet once your baby is eating solids, whether you are using cloth OR disposables. Landfills are not equipped to handle human feces, but everyone ignores this! If you are using cloth diapers with fleece, minkee, micro suede or velour the poop will just fall off into the toilet. There is really no need to dunk, swish, whatever you want to call it! If you are using cotton or hemp diapers it can be harder to get the poop off, so you have three options to help you out with this. Disposable liners, reusable fleece liners or diaper sprayers, all in the links below: http://www.jamtots.com/Flushable-Diaper-Liners-C87.aspx http://www.jamtots.com/JamTots-Microfleece-Diaper-Liners-C88.aspx http://www.parentingbynature.com/05_minishower.htm In my experience cloth diapers fit better, do not leak, prevent diaper rash and save you money! I used to have some poopy problems in disposables but have never had a leak in cloth diapers, even during the runny breast fed baby poos. It is really important to make sure your diapers are rinsed clear of any detergents when washing them. If you have a build up of detergent in your diapers that can cause leaks and rash and smelly diapers! I use Country Save detergent, which washes really clean from diapers and I have never had any problems. Those who say the savings with cloth are eaten up by the cost of water and detergent are wrong! There is significant savings with cloth diapers, normally around $1000, the more children you cloth diaper the greater the savings. Also, once you are done cloth diapering you can re-sell your diapers and make some of your money back --- a disposable diaper certainly can't do that! There are some excellent articles about washing on this site: http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/basics.htm Also, take a look at their great chart for choosing detergents: http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm We used to do cloth at home and disposables out of the house. I was really unimpressed with disposables though after using cloth diapers. I tried gDiapers for outings, they were better than disposables, but didn't compare to my cloth pocket diapers at all. So we are doing cloth 100% now. All you need is a good wet bag for dirty diapers and you are set. I have one from Happy Heiny's that is okay, but I love the one I have from Happy Tushies: http://www.happytushies.com/category_s/36.htm I think these are great too and I am going to get one as soon as I can decide on a fabric (she custom makes these for you from a choice of over 200 fabrics/prints!): http://www.happytushies.com/category_s/49.htm Oh, and I love cloth diapers too because they are so cute! Email me from my profile if you need anymore information!