Diapers Q&A - Cloth Diapers?

Cloth Diapers?

Would anyone suggest using cloth diapers? If so where do you get them and how do you go about cleaning them?

Public Comments

a coworker of mine tried it. lots of laundry...and it is messier than say a pamper.
Oh no! That is so outdated! Also, your house is gonna smell like POOOOOOP! I say just stick to the disposable ones. Do you really wanna poke your baby with the safety pins while trying to put cloth diapers on him/her? Poor boo boo!
NO
I had to use them with my son because he was allergic to disposables (this was 25 years ago) and they were SUCH a pain. I have a daughter now who is 3 months old, and I wouldn't go to clothies unless I absolutely had to. You would either have to have a diaper service, or you can still buy them in department stores in the baby clothing section but...you have to rinse them out every time you use them. Poopy diapers you rinse in the toilet (yuck) and you can't just store them until you get a whole load to wash. They'll get mildewed. I had to soak them in a bucket of Dreft detergent until I could wash them. Lemme tell ya...let the baby poop in a public place just once. You don't want to rinse it out in a public toilet so you end up putting the poopy diaper in a baggie and carrying it around until you can get home. It's just such a hassle. The other downside is that they don't keep the baby nearly as dry as disposables. You may save some money if you wash your own, but a diaper service would cost as much as disposables.
No, i tried them..yes you save a little bit of money but the time and hassel is not worth it...just think every time your baby poops you have to go and rince off the diaper cause you don't want it stinking up the place.
Cloth diapers are great. But use a diaper service.. they drop off clean ones and pick up dirty ones and you just carry on... I used a company called "Stork".. they were fabulous!
You will need to see if there are companies locally in your area that will drop off and pick up diapers to launder them. I'm not sure what you reasons are for wanting to do it, but I've read that the amount of washing it takes to clean the cloth diapers rivals the environmental impact of disposable diapers. If you are worried about what your baby will exposed to, you might find natural options at stores like Whole Foods.
I don't use them but I can answer one of your questions. You can get them at any store that has baby supplies. Some that come to mind are Babies r us, Target, Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory.
I wouldn't. I really think that good diapers, huggies or Pampers, are a good investment for your child. My son has never had a diaper rash. The new diapers keep the babies so dry. Would you want to be in a wet rag? That is one old fashioned thing I'm glad is old fashioned!
Eww.. Haha.. Lot's of laundry and hassel. At least with disposable diapers its a quick process. But a lot of people still use them.
I tried it, it's a hassle. You can get a diaper service or get them at Babies R Us. We used them for burp rags.
dont use that on a baby ever!!!!!!! its bad for the enviorment you waisted points on this dont its non biodegradable ok
I have heard of a lot of people using them. I think they are great for the environment and more cost efficient than disposable diapers.
Cloth diapers are certainly more work but are better for the environment. You should be able to get them at any large department store. You will need a diaper pail in which to soak the diapers before laundering. You want to clean all the large solids from the material before washing them in your machine. Usually, bleach is the best disinfectant for diapers. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
I don't think you should use cloth diapers. I know it saves money but you have to think about like when you are in the car or some place else and baby has an accident then you are not going to be able to wash it out so I would reccomend just buying th eregular diapers
I would recommend them. Try target or look up in the phone book , I have seen diaper service. Clean them in the washing machine, separately from anyone else's clothing, no bleach, change often.
You can get them anywhere...Babies R Us, Target, etc....You have to wash them in a Borax and Soap solution...store them in a diaper pail filled with water and some borax solution (for smell) and you have to wash the poopies out in the toilet...wringing them out.... Oh....it's just too gross. I did it with my oldest and refused with the second. I even line dried them.... even in the winter... no thanks....I LOVE Huggies! PS- There is a smell to the babies that disposable babies do not have....
I'm from the generation that used cloth diapers. While I think disposable diapers are great, they can become costly and some babies are allergic. It certainly makes more economic and ecologic sense to use cloth diapers. You could search online, but I'd imagine you could still buy them at stores like JC Penney and Sears, etc. I would also think stores like Babies R Us and some maternity clothes shops would carry them as well. You'd probably do best, however, to buy them online. I always kept about 5 dozen. You rinse them out in the toilet when they are soiled and then keep them in a pail with a small amount of a solution of baking soda and water until you're ready to wash them. You can also purchase stick-on cakes of baking soda or other air freshner paks to stick to the inside of the diaper pail lid. Wash the diapers in Ivory flakes, Ivory liquid or Borax laundry detergent/soap and a small amount of nonchlorine bleach. Be careful not to oversuds, and be sure to select the extra rinse cycle if your washer has it. You CAN put the diapers in the dryer, but use low heat so they don't shrink since they're 100% cotton and often gauzy in nature. The newer diaper bags have plastic-lined compartments for wet diapers, face cloths, etc. Even with that feature, I'd recommend keeping a double-lined (freezer-style) ziplock gallon-sized plastic bag or two in the diaper bag to hold soiled/wet diapers that accumulate when you're out shopping, etc. And, if there is a diaper service in your area and it fits your budget, obviously that's an even better choice than doing your own laundry.
Use those cloth diapers for burp rags. They are horrible to put on a baby, they always leak, and are hard to clean. Everything the baby comes in contact with will get wet. Babies that wear them are more likely to get diaper rash. I know because I had six babies,and when cash was tight I would use cloth diapers. They were horrible!
Yes I sure would you can buy them at wal-mart the pin also. I just had two grand baby's and bought them for my daugther. She never used them all the time but said they sure did come in handy when she would run out of the others. You just wash them in the washer.when they pooh in them I always washed them out in the toilet frist than the washer.
My mom used them on me and my 2 brothers. Its a messy business. You'll need to put those rubber-pants on over them, they leak and you always have the issue of cleaning them. You're gonna have to take the diapers w/'poo' on them to the toilet and dump it, then you have to use bleach water to clean/scrub them. Not to mention trying not to pin the baby while it wiggles.... I don't recommend them, although my mom still recommends them. But if you want them you can get them in any store's baby dept where diapers and such are found...
Okay, ignore them! lol, if you are considering it, you should try it. It's not really that hard. You can buy them at wal-mart or any place like that. you also need some sort of diaper cover, plastic preferably, so that you don't have leaks. and a Diaper Genie. all you have to do, is when baby goes poo you need to knock off the soild stuff, (into the toliet) and put the diaper into the genie, when you get a few diapers..do a load of laundry..It's that easy...Kinda a lil messy, BUT think about the enviromental impact you will be making. NOT TO MENTION the money you will save!!!
I am a grandmom and when my children were born there were only cloth diapers. They are very hard to clean. And if the soap is left in them.....even the tiniest bit.....it will cause your baby to have diaper rash. This is very painful and the baby will cry and cry without stopping. If you can afford it, use throw away diapers. But if you insist on using cloth diapers, here is what you must do when the baby has a bowl movement.....you hold only one edge tightly, push the diaper down into the toilet's water, flush the toilet, slosh the diaper up and down in the water as it flushes away. Wring out the diaper. Wash your hands with soap. Later on, wash the diapers in the washing machine.
please, do yourself a favor and stick with disposables.
I used cloth diapers with both of my children. It was more work but much cheaper. I truly believe it was healthier too. I would put them in a bucket after I dumped and flushed any poops in the toilet. I also got little blue liners from Sears (I think) and then I would take it out and dispose of it. I washed them in hot water and regular laundry soap. My mother-in law made hour-glass shaped diapers out of a fabric called birdseye. You can also buy cloth diapers thru diaper services or at Sears.
They are a real challenge. They breathe a little better than disposables but they are also not very absorbent. Everything gets wet! Bed, clothes, everything! To clean them you have to dump the contents (poop) down the toilet then swish them in water to loosen the remaining poop. Then you will wash them in the washing machine! They are a lot of work! You can buy them at Target or walmart on the isle with bibs & Burp rags
It was 6 of one half dozen of the other. Didn't make any difference to environment at one point in time. Now studies say cloth is better. Almost any store that sales baby clothes has them. There are some on the market that work just like pampers. There are shaped & have velco fasteners. No more folding or safety pins. U drop feces in toilet. Let all diapers soak in cold water in a diaper pail. When U have enough for load of laundry wash according to instuctions. I washed mine in hot water with bleach & hung them outside. But that was a few yrs back things may have changed. Good luck.
Why would you want to in this day and age? But if you really want to deal with rinsing and storing them (even with a diaper service) they are just not that sanitary(plastic pant over them, ugh!). They stink and make your house stink. Disposables are the only way to go! They are more sanitary and healthier for you baby.
Good for burping them & dusting, Only time you need to use them is if they have a bad rash-otherwise, don`t bother. I thought I would go that route.But those disposable are so great-They never feel the wetness-will sleep during the night.You do not have to change it ALL the time. You can let it get a little "heavy"-with urine only .poopoo ALWAYS clean as soon as possible- Thats what causes diaper rash. I know I`m going to get thumbs down lol I`d checked Shera-even if she gave me a thumbs down lol
in the Country where I'm from there are no diapers like we have here.after each time the baby does his thing soak it in water so it doesn't stick to the fabric(it will be very difficult to clean) and just put it on the washing machine, but I understand you being concerned if you are worried about the clothe you put in later getting dirty do a was with Clorox to clean the machine inside.
do a search engine for cloth diapers....you will get addicted!!...be careful i loooove my cloth diapers.....i use hemp growing greens fitteds.....they are also a one size fits all....meaning the diaper grows with your child....it's the only diaper you ever have to buy birth to potty train you will buy them from website....even check out ebay i got my stash of growing greens from ebay for a hell of a deal and to wash....EASY........i put them in the washer no toilet sloshing, no dunking, no bleach and bla bla bla whatever diaper system you buy you have to purchase quality.....that is the key to being happy....you cannot expect to pick up a pack of prefolds from Wal-Mart and be happy with them so good luck and happy shopping!! omg?!!!!! i cannot believe the negative response here!!!....i cannot believe the ppl that don't know what they are talking about ......modern cloth diapers are so unlike the old prefolds and pins of yester year i have not regretted a single second of cloth diapering....and my baby is breastfed and her poop doesn't smell
I think newborns (who have extremely sensitive skin) should have well washed solf cloth diapers at least for the first few months. When skin toughens up, then switch to disposable. Sears, Pennys, etc. used to carry them but don't know about now. I'd go online to find distributor now. Using cloth diapes ... when just wet - store in an airtight bin until enough have accumulated to do a wash. When soiled - hold one end firmly and dunk repeatedly in toilet until most of material is gone. Then store it also in airtight bin. When ready to wash, soak for a while first using your hottest water and a very mild soap or detergent. Then do normal wash - not delicate. Also, wash them separately from regular wash.
Go for it! I used them the whole time for my first, and for a year with my second. We found that you need to get organized and into a routine eg. have bucket set up (with soaking agent in the early days) and cloth wipes, and it's not so bad. Good place to locate them is on ebay, or there are heaps of internet sites - just google cloth nappies/diapers. I used the ones that are sewn to look like a disposable (called zappy nappies) and it's easy. Does take a bit more effort, but when you look into how long it takes a disposable to break down - the world we are creating for our children may not be the same as we know it now - it's worth it.
Cloth diapers are awesome!! Would highly recommend!! You buy them, use them, and then wash them. Repeat (except for the buying part, but plenty have fun doing that too!). It's that easy, honestly. I wash mine in hot water w/ a little bit of baking soda (for freshness), vinegar (to help soften), and whatever detergent is around (my son is not sensitive, so no problems here). They dry on high heat. I use Baby Love (onesize) AIOs. They provide good protection from leaks (at night a doubler is used), are fast-drying, and really cute. Very comparable to a disposable diaper b/c of the trim fit and ease of use. Try Google for the various places to find cloth diapers. Your best bet is going to be online. Here is a great website to educate yourself about cloth: http://www.diaperpin.com/home.asp There is a dictionary, reviews, and FAQs. Just go for it! You will be happy you did and save thousands of dollars as well. The upfront cost only takes a couple months to pay for itself.
If you wind up getting disposables like most parents do, it's a good idea to keep a supply of the cloth kind on hand (the Velcro kind are good) for emergencies if you should run out of disposables in the middle of the night or suddenly find JR has gone up a size! Get them where you buy diapers. Stores that cater to babies should have a selection to choose from. Purchase the plastic "pants" to keep leaks from happening. Really get as much "doody" out from them as you can into the toilet, then scrub in the sink. Soak in water with a splash of bleach until you can get to a washing machine. Launder, but please, no fabric softener! It can contribute greatly to diaper rash, and makes clothing more susceptible to fire/flames.
I use cloth diapers about 75% of the time (I would use them 100%, but I have not baught extra smell trapping bags for the daycare providors) I use the brand Bum Genius. They velcro close just like a disposable diaper, so you don't have to worry pricking your precious little one with pins. Also, it makes any babysitters more comfortable to use them. You can order them right online or look at e-bay. They are a little more costly than the cloth diapers that use pins, but you will still save quite a bit over disposable.
Don't listen to the anti-cloth diaperers. They're easy to use and they make potty training go much smoother since the baby has been more aware of their bodily functions for longer. Some good basic advice can be found at: http://www.diaperpin.com/howto.asp I would advise against buying the cloth diapers at WalMart and Target. They are not real prefolds, and therefore not nearly as absorbent as "real" cloth diapers. You can order them online at http://www.peapods.com/browse.cfm/2,51.html if there's not a good store near you. Peapods is a wonderful resource, it's a mom and pop store, you can call them and the "pop" (who is the cloth diaper expert) will happily explain all the details and options to you.
I really wanted to use cloth diapers this time but my boyfriend didn't. He's kinda cheap and didn't want me to spend the $200 or so to get started with them. It would have been cheaper to let me do that than buy disposables. I have seen some really cute cloth diapers on the internet. They have so many different designs and everything. If he would have let me get them I would be addicted to buying them. If you have the money to get started on them I would go for it and use them. You will save money in the long run.
Modern cloth diapering is no different really than disposables. I can't believe all these people on here giving you answers that are WAYYYYYY off-base! Do they all have stock in Pampers or something? You do NOT need pins or bleach! Your baby will sleep as long and will not feel wet sooner with cloth than disposables (use diapers with fleece, this wicks away moisture). Your baby will have LESS diaper rash, not more! You only have to do laundry every 2-4 days depending on how many diapers you have and really, a baby takes lots of laundry so you are used to the extra loads already! I have had less leaks with cloth diapers than disposables as you can adjust your absorbency with cloth diapers. There are several kinds of diapers available depending on how much you want to spend. All in all, no matter how pricey the diapers you are buying, you will still save money! I have lots of all-in-one diapers and pocket diapers and love them! Plus you can look forward to earlier potty-training! I would recommend buying diapers online as opposed to at Sears or Walmart. You will get much better quality product and be happier with your purchase. Plus, instead of supporting a huge faceless company you will be supporting Work at Home Moms! Check out www.diaperpin.com and look at the Product review section. There is no "wonder diaper" I can recommend because every baby is different, so I recommend trying a few brands and types to see what works best for your baby. In the reviews you can find some hints as to what might work best for your baby if someone else is raving about how great a diaper fits around their babies chubby thighs, and you baby has chubby thighs, you might want to try that brand! Oh, and for those who are not disposing of bowel movements from disposables before throwing them in the garbage are unsanitary! Human feces are NOT supposed to go into a landfill, they are supposed to be processed by a sewage treatment plant. Whether you use pampers or cloth you should be flushing BM in the toilet!
Cloth diapers, I swear by them! I have two kids in plain fold up cloth diapers right now. Cloth diapers, pins, and rubber pants. You can't go wrong.