Diapers Q&A

cloth diaper question...?

Hi, as some of you know i just switched to cloth diapers-we are using pinned gerber prefolds-but my son pees out of a diaper in a matter of a couple hours--this is getting really old and i am considering going back to the nasty disposables because he can wear one of those for 2-3 hours with no problem...what should i do i really like that the cloth dont have the chemicals but i am tired of going through 3-4 outfits a day!?? I generally use a fleece cover but on occasion i will put the rubber/vinyl pants on him if the fleece gets damp--i need to make him a few more covers! thank you all for the hints--the extra diaper or padding in the front has helped!

Public Comments

1. i wouldn't use the cloth diapers
2. Gerber makes horrible diapers. Cottonbabies.com has wonderful MUCH better prefolds, get a bummi's whisper wrap to go on top. Bum Genius is a good all in one. They are 10-13$ a piece but that's the price of one package of diapers, so get one, if you like it, buy two or three a month. They are one size fits all, so last a long time.
3. Let me ask you this question: if you were wearing diapers, would you want to be sitting in something that got soaking wet at very short intervals, or something with a stay-dry lining that pulled moisture away from your tender little booty? Or, would you wear a folded cloth as a sanitary napkin when you had your period? Go back to disposables. The baby will be much happier, and so will you.
4. Are you using rubber pants? Usually rubber pants are worn with cloth diapers to prevent the outfits from getting wet. Yet keep in mind, cloth diapers provide no protection from wetness what so ever, so when ever the child urinates or other wise it will be in direct contact with the skin. So if you do use the rubber pants, you are going to have to keep checking. A couple other concerns I have with the cloth diapers are: 1. Is your child being watched by someone else? Other caregivers are sometimes not as diligent as you in checking the diaper. 2. Are you cleaning the diapers or are you using a service? When using a diaper service the detergents and bleach they use are very harsh. I mean think about it, they have to be. All those diapers are going into one wash and since you arent getting the same ones back, they have to make sure they kill cooties really good. So I would recommend you clean the diapers yourself. You can adjust the hot water temp so your water is really hot. 3. If you are going to stick with the cloth, dont totally rule out disposables. Long trips, special occasions, when you really dont want or need a big boo boo to ruin the moment, etc. These are just a couple of things I too deliberated with when making the decsion to use cloth or disposable.
5. change him more often! it only takes a minute and it is so much better for his skin.
6. do you use the rubber pants? changing baby every 2-3 hours is normal but remember boys will pee through cloth you might need to fold one of the diapers in to a small square and pad his front side then put the cloth diaper on him..... i use to do this with my oldest son when he was little.. the extra padding will absorb the pee and might save you a clothes change
7. I think that you might want to upgrade to a different brand- like one of the all-in-one varieties. I use Fuzzy Bunz on my little guy and if I am diligent about his changings, they work really well. Don't give up on the cloth diapers. You are doing a really good thing for our planet!
8. Switch to all-in-ones or pocket diapers. If you decide to try pockets, you can still keep your prefolds and use them as inserts. I use bumgenius pocket diapers - those are good even if a little expensive. I've also heard good things about Happy Heiny's.
9. You might just need to change him more often. Think about it--it's kinda gross to leave a disposable on just because it can hold "more pee". You should really be changing it as soon as it's wet/soiled. Gerber prefolds are a bit less absorbent. You can find better prefolds and doublers from other companies, but you'll still need to change your child's diaper when wet! Also--do you use fabric softener? If so, the diapers won't hold pee. Fabric softener causes repelling. You may need to strip the diapers and try again! What covers are you using?
10. the only gerber diapers that work are the ones that for right now you can purchase from target.com - the diaper service quality ones - they are much more absorbant, and just work better than the usual gerbers - however gerber has quit making them - a 'marketing decision' when i called to find out what was going on with my local target not being able to get any more. you can try the dappi diaper cover - it is one of the cheapest out there that works GREAT for my baby - $3 - go with a larger size than what you 'need' as the rise is short, but i have had no leaks with mine (but i have a girl also - but she is a HEAVY wetter) dont even bother with the gerber plastic pants - the prowraps left my babys legs red, even before she got fluffy thighs. wool covers are wonderful (i thought i would hate them, i LOVE them) they just take forever to dry after lanolizing - even crocheted covers work for an hour or so (acrylic yarn) you may also want to try the 'snappi' diaper fastener - it is much quicker and safer (for the diaper changer) than pins, i only used pins 1 week and was ever so glad for the snappi. i would LOVE to be able to change my baby every 2-3 hours - i change her diaper every time she wets - (she whimpers) at least twice an hour - the only time it can sometimes be an hour is if we are traveling and then i have been known to pull over and change her 3 times on a hour and a half trip. most of the time though i just let her wear a shirt and diaper with cover (and socks) with a good cover you will not have to change his outfits, keep trying until you find one - it is worth it - we havent had one diaper rash with cloth - we did with disposables even in the hospital