Cloth Diapering Thread!

[deliciousjones]

Welcome to the wonderful world of cloth diapering!

Huge thanks to JanaMKE for compiling all of this info over on WC!!!

If you are cloth diapering your baby or interested in starting, you've got good company here!

Cloth diapering is a great way to help protect the environment from excess trash, save some money (or spend a lot of it in some cases), make your baby happy without paper and chemicals on it's bottom, and cover said bottom with some of the cutest stuff you've ever seen. It can be confusing to start, but some of us have gotten the hang of it... heck, even becoming nearly addicted to it... and we're here to help.

We've put together some resources to help you in starting out. The sheer volume of information on CD'ing out there can be overwhelming, so this is our attempt at condensing a lot of info into smaller, digestible portions. Once you've got the basics down, it becomes much easier to understand when someone wants to know if you stuff your HH's with a JB or a CPF.

So dive right in! If you have a question, please ask. Forgive us if we spend as much time showing off our new diapers as we do talking about what works best for nighttime diapering. CD'ing is more fun than any of us imagined it would be, and this thread may be the only place where other people actually understand that rather than thinking we're crazy!

~~~

A brief introduction to cloth diapers...

Most cloth diapers consist of 2 parts: the diaper (also sometimes called a soaker) and a waterproof cover (also sometimes called a wrap).

Diapers

CPFs or Chinese Prefolds: the flat diaper that comes to mind when you think of cloth diapering. These diapers come in bleached, unbleached, hemp, and organic cotton. To use them, they can either be folded in thirds and laid in a well-fitting cover, or they can be pinned or Snappi'd (a closure device) around the baby. These run about $2 each.
http://babiesinthesun.com/images/prefold.gif


Fitted Diapers serve the same purpose as CPF's, but you don't have to fold them around the baby. They close with either snaps or velcro, and have elastic around the legs to help keep in poops. You will still need a cover with these. Fitteds run anywhere from $6 on up to crazy amounts for the in-demand ones.

Examples:

Kissaluvs
http://babiesinthesun.com/images/d0fleece.jpg

Contoured Diapers are similar to fitteds, but are flat like CPFs. Some may still need to be secured with pins or a Snappi.
http://babiesinthesun.com/images/dc0varioustiny.jpg

[kakirk]

YES PLEASE!!!!!! Oh how I love the WC-CD thread... I joined a CD community on LJ but it got too much traffic & I had to delete it.

Katie

[thedoorchick]

I'm VERY interested in this thread - not pg yet, but it's never too early to plan!

[deliciousjones]

Covers

Covers or wraps go over the diaper to keep the clothes (and you) dry. Covers can be made out of several different materials, and range in price from $4.50 for Proraps seconds to very expensive custom wool covers.

PUL or Polyester Urethane Laminate is a fabric with a waterproofing laminate applied to it.

Examples:

Bummis
http://babiesinthesun.com/images/1whiswrap.jpg

Bumkins
http://babiesinthesun.com/images/bumkins1cover.jpg

Prorap
http://babiesinthesun.com/images/prorap1.jpg

[deliciousjones]

Fleece has many uses in diapering. As a cover, it keeps moisture inside the soaker.

Example:

Sugarpeas
http://www.sugarpeas.com/catalog/images/other/infocov_fle-img.jpg

Wool can be used as a cover too. Wool covers usually come in one of 2 kinds: wool flannel or wool knit. Due to the special properties of wool, wool covers don't need to be washed as often as other covers. Wool also needs to be lanolinized in order to retain its waterproofness. Just to make things more confusing, wool covers are sometimes referred to as "soakers" as well.

Examples:

Stacinator
http://www.stacinator.com/newsnapwoolth.jpg

Aristocrats Wool Knit
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/aristo.jpg

A handkint Little Turtle Knits "soaker"
http://www.littleturtleknits.com/images/brightblues.jpg

[deliciousjones]

AIOs (All-In-Ones)

AIOs combine both the diaper and the cover in one easy piece. AIO's run from $10 to $20 each, and more for the in-demand ones.

Examples:

Very Baby
http://www.cottontailbaby.com/thumbnail_images/verybasicaio.jpg

Honeyboy
http://www.honeyboydiapers.com/images/cars.gif

Little Lambs
http://www.cybercom.net/~live2/ll2/xlsale6a.jpg

[deliciousjones]

Pocket Diapers

Pocket diapers are a unique kind of system. They consist of a cover connected to a soft liner, with a pocket between for stuffing with a soaker (either a CPF or other insert). They are open in the back for inserting and removing the soaker. They are popular for nighttime diapering because they can absorb a lot (depending on what they are stuffed with) and the liner keeps the baby feeling dry. These are about $14, and that doesn't include something to stuff it with.

Examples:
Fuzzi Bunz (and how it works)
http://mamaessentials.com/cgi-bin/image/templates/fuzzibunz.jpg

http://store.naturalbabies.com/products/thumb.asp?width=200&path=D:\webs\WAHM\Stores\naturalbabies\products\im ages/fuzzidiagram2.jpg

Happy Heiny
http://mamaessentials.com/cgi-bin/image/templates/__tn_red1.jpg

Stuffers example:
Hemparoos Joey Bunz
http://store.naturalbabies.com/products/thumb.asp?width=169&path=D:\webs\WAHM\Stores\naturalbabies\products\im ages/joeybunz.jpg

[deliciousjones]

Accessories

Doublers are used to increase the absorbancy of a diaper. They are simply laid into the main part of the diaper. Assorted examples:
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/doublersmany3.jpg

Liners can serve 2 purposes. They can be laid in a diaper to keep moisture away from the baby (these are usually made of microfleece), or they can be laid in the diaper to catch poop and help to easily remove it from the diaper.

Pins and Snappis are used to close contours and CPFs. Examples:
Dritz Pins
http://store.naturalbabies.com/products/thumb.asp?width=200&path=D:\webs\WAHM\Stores\naturalbabies\products\im ages/dritz.jpg

Snappi
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/snapg.jpg

[deliciousjones]

Cloth Diapering Links

Informational Sites:

www.diaperpin.com
www.punkinbutt.com
http://www.diaperpages.com/ a very smart CDing momma!!

Diaper Reviews:

www.diaperpin.com/diapers/diaperpages.asp

Favorite CD sites:

www.naturalbabies.com
www.babiesinthesun.com
www.kellyscloset.com
www.kissaluvs.com/outlet.htm for Kissaluvs seconds
www.ewahm.com/instock/sos/ for Susie's One-Size
www.fullmoonbabygear.com
www.thatfatbaby.com/wahmlinks.html for a list of WAHM sites
www.apronstringsbabythings.com/
www.naturalbaby-catalog.com
www.diapersafari.com/
www.stacinator.com/covers.html
www.sweetcheeksdiapers.com
www.borntolove.com/catalog.html
weebees.com/Home.asp
www.jardinediapers.com (http://www.cloth-diaper.com/)
http://www.earthybirthymama.com/
www.benjamuffins.com (http://www.benjamuffins.com/) Great fitteds!
www.nanipoos.com (http://www.nanipoos.com/) More great fitteds!
www.growmearainbow.com (http://www.growmearainbow.com/) for custom prefolds!

www.darlingdiapers.com (http://www.darlingdiapers.com/) Great wipes!
www.happytushies.com (http://www.happytushies.com/) Wet bags for on the go.

Sites for sewing your own diapers:

www.sewshoppe.com/
www.diapershop.com/
www.diaperfabric.com/
www.diapersewing.com/
www.diapersewing.com/prefold_to_fitted.htm

Sites for knitting/crocheting your own wool soakers

www.littleturtleknits.com
www.holysheepyarns.com
www.diaperpages.com


CLOTH DIAPERING ABBREVIATIONS
CD: Cloth Diaper, of course!
AIO: All-in-one diaper, doesn't need a cover
CPF: Chinese Pre-Fold
UBCPF: Unbleached Chinese Pre-Fold
DSQ: Diaper Service Quality (a term for a high-quality prefold)
WAHM: Work at home mom, makers of cute homemade diapers
FB: Fuzzi Bunz - a "pocket diaper" that needs to be stuffed
JB: Joey Bunz
MOE: Mother of Eden, the makers of FB
HH: Happy Heinys - a pocket diaper
SP: Sugarpeas
SOS: Susie's One Size
FMBG: Full Moon Baby Gear

[deliciousjones]

Getting Started - What Do I Need?

The first thing you need to do is decide how often you want to wash diapers. Most people wash them every 3-4 days, or about twice a week. The next thing you have to decide is what types of diapers you want to use and what brands you want to use. Because different types and different brands work best for different babies, a good idea would be to buy a few samples of diapers and covers and try them. Once you decide which you like best, you can buy more of your favorites. You can sell the ones you don't like on eBay or trade with other CD'ing moms.

When you baby is small (birth-4 months), you'll be changing diapers about 8-12 times per day. Older babies need fewer changes.

2-4 dozen diapers - these can be CPF's, fitteds, contours, AIOs, whatever you like best for your baby. The number of diapers depends on how often you want to launder them. If you're going with CPFs, 4x8x4 infant size or a mix of preemie and infant sizes are recommended for newborns. By about 4 months you may need some premium size CPFs.
4-6 covers

Really, that's it! You can successfully cloth diaper your little one with just what's listed above. Here are some extras that make diapering easier:

Accessories
A few doublers (more for heavy wetters and older babies) - you'll see if you really need them when the baby gets here. Preemie or infant size CPFs make great doublers.
Pins and/or Snappis if you're using CPFs
Microfleece liners to keep baby feeling dry. You can buy these premade, or purchase some microfleece at your local fabric store and cut them out yourself.
Cloth wipes - again, you can buy these premade or make them yourself out of baby washcloths or cut up flannel receiving blankets.
Diaper pail - any pail really, from the Diaper Champ to a garbage pail with a lid.
Washable wet bag - to line the diaper pail with.

How do I know what works best?

"Fitteds or AIOs? Prefolds or fitteds? Wool or Fleece??" There is no right or wrong answer to these questions. What might be the holy grail of cloth diapers for one mom may not work for you. Choosing a diapering system depends heavily on your baby's needs & your own personal preference. Don't feel the need to buy the perfect system right off the bat - part of the fun of cloth diapering is sampling all of the many choices!

Buy an AIO, buy a pocket style diaper, buy a few fitteds, sample some wool covers, try some PUL wraps. Try making some of every kind if you have a sewing machine. Keep what you love & get more. Sell or trade what doesn't work for you. Some people exclusively use one system. Some of us like to have a wide variety. Dive in and find out what works for you.

Cost

The cheapest way to cloth diaper is to use CPFs and covers. Don't be afraid to try CPFs, many moms LOVE them. They dry quickly, rival the most absorbant fitted, they're very trim, and they're cheap too. AIO's are great for going out and babysitters, so you may want to get a couple of these just to have around.

A good cost calculator for cloth diapering can be found here:

www.diaperpin.com/calculator/calculator.asp

For more info on getting started, see these links:

www.diapershop.com/howmany.htm
www.punkinbutt.com/cloth_diaper_faq.asp#how_many?

[deliciousjones]

Laundering & Care Instructions

After You Change Your Baby
- if it's wet, just toss it in your can.
- if it's a "creamy" poo (like bf poo), you may opt to toss it in your can, or you may rinse it.
- if it's a harder poo, and can be shaken off into the toilet, do so (works well with fleece lined diapers, or with a liner).
- if you can't shake it off, you should rinse.

To rinse, just fold the diaper in a way that you feel you can hold it and rinse it (without getting yourself too mucky), by swirling it in the toilet. You can also purchase a mini-shower, which attaches to the plumbing of the toilet and makes rinsing easy as well.

Make your own wipes solution. (http://fuzbaby.com/care- recipes.htm)

To Store the Dirty Diapers
You can store them in a wet pail or a dry pail.
- In a wet pail, you may wish to change to the water each day. You can use any plastic container that has a lid, or your washing machine, or perhaps utility tub, if you wish.
- In a dry pail, line the container with a bag, either disposable or laminate/plastic (can purchase from many CD retailers). You can use any can with a lid, or a diaper can like the Diaper Champ or the Diaper Dekor.

Storing on the Go
It's just as easy to use CDs out and about! Keep a ziploc bag in your dipaer bag for storing dirties on the go. Or for a more earth friendly option, invest in a small washable wet bag. When you get home, add the dirties to your pail and your done!

Make your own deodorant disks. (http://fuzbaby.com/care- recipes.htm)

Washing the Diapers
There are a lot of different ways of doing this, you'll eventually find what works best for you.

- Cold Soak (optional, and not necessary if you have a wet pail) - Soak the diapers, to help remove, or minimize stains.

- Cold Wash (optional) - Wash the diapers to help remove/minimize stains. You may wish to add a scoop of an oxygen bleach (like Oxyclean), and 1/2 to 1 scoop of detergent.

- Hot Wash (recommended) - Wash the diapers in hottest water, on the longest setting with 1/2 to 1 cup of detergent. Choose a cold water rinse. The amount of detergent will depend on your water and your washing machine, you just have to experiment. In general, use as little as you think does the job. You could also choose to add vinegar in the rinse cycle (a Downy ball works great!).

- Dry the diapers in the dryer on a regular setting. You may wish to hang laminates/PULs, to prolong the life of the plastic. You may also find that hanging diapers to dry in the sun works great, as it can remove stains.

Suggested Detergents
- Arm & Hammer Free
- All Free & Clear (but some complain of build-up)
- Sensiclean
- Tide Free (Great for hard water.)
- Regular Tide
Avoid scented detergents or those with fabric softener included.
Avoid fabric softener, it interferes with absorbtion.
Avoid chlorine bleach.

Fleece Diapers - can get linty if you wash them with your CPFs and such. You may wish to wash them seperately.

Make your own detergent. (http://diapershop.com/la undry.htm)

Wool Cover Care
Instructions vary for each manufacturer, but in general, you can wash wool covers in your machine.

- wash the covers in cold water (or lukewarm) and add a lid of Eucalan Wool Wash. Let them soak for about 30 minutes, then run a gentle cycle. Stop the cycle before the rinse and hang them to dry.

- You can hand wash them as well, if you just have a couple to do. Fill a sink with cool water, add the Eucalan, put in the covers and let them soak. Swirl them around and roll them in a towel to soak up extra water. Hang to dry.

- Do not use Woolite, as it will strip the lanolin from the dipe. Some moms use shampoo or a mild cleanser, but Eucalan has lanolin in it and will help the repelency of your dipes.

Make your own wool wash. (http://www.fernandfaerie .com/woolwash.html)

Re-lanolizing a Wool Cover

We all do things differently, and I am making every effort to word things such that there is no absolute perfect way. If anyone does things differently, or has something to add... please post in the thread (or email me) and I'll add it ASAP.

Stripping Stinky Dipes

Janamke’s process (lots out there, check mothering.com for more)

Start with clean diapers (don’t have to be dry, just no poops). Turn your hot water heater up as HOT is it will go, this will help:

A normal wash routine, only using Calgon water softener per box directions (I think it’s 1 cup). Yes it smells, but they say it's ok. Don’t need to dry after the wash.

Then with just the cloth pieces (nothing with PUL) soak and prewash cycles with 1/2 cup bleach. If you don’t have soak cycle, just turn your machine off mid-cycle and let is sit for about 20 minutes. For the prewash, just do the shortest possible wash cycle.

Then run the dipes through several wash cycles without detergent, just calgon until there are no more bubbles in the wash water. Usually 3 or 4 cycles.

For PUL stuff that smelled (FB, covers, etc.), use 1/4 cup bleach, a soak, a prewash and 2 wash cycles.

[deliciousjones]

Diaper Rash Information

Diaper Rash

TWO MAIN FACTORS

Diarrhea has been found to be the cause of diaper rash in 70-80% of cases. Liquid stool spreads over a wide area and is very irritating to the skin

Infrequent diaper changes make it difficult for the skin to protect itself from the many causes of irritation in the diaper area, including diarrhea and others listed below. Frequent changes will minimize the effects of all irritants.

OTHER FACTORS & TYPES OF RASH

Prolonged and/or frequent exposure to feces can cause rash. The mixture of urine and feces produces ammonia (high pH), which increases fecal enzyme activity, making the skin more susceptible to damage.

Hydration of skin – Urine alone does not generally damage skin, but if skin is allowed to become hydrated (filled with liquid), it is more easily damaged by irritants such as friction, chemicals or microbes. (i.e., bacteria or yeast).

Friction – When baby is mobile and the diaper rubs on wet skin, it will sometimes result in a rash. (Redness will be seen where chafing is greatest, but not in the baby’s skin folds).

Yeast or fungus infection – The main cause of severe diaper rash is infection of the skin with Candida, an organism found in feces of infants (this is more likely to happen if the child is taking antibiotics). This rash is bright red and tender, with distinct edges, and appears in the creases between the abdomen and thighs, with small red spots or pustules close to the large patches.

Heat inside the diaper may cause heat rash and may increase the growth of microbes such as yeast or bacteria. Some types of rash (e.g., impetigo) are most common in warm conditions.

Allergens and irritants – Some possible allergens and irritants are: baby wipes, plastic, chemicals, perfumes, perfumes, chlorine bleach, residues/ingredients in some detergents, fabric softeners, and paraben (a preservative in some creams and ointments).

Diet and age - Some studies have found less rash with breastfed babies than with formula-fed babies. Also, introduction of new foods can sometimes give feces higher pH and cause a rash (usually around the anus), which is possibly the reason the diaper rash peaks at 7 - 15 months.

Susceptibility - Some babies are simply more prone to rash than others.

Teething - and the common cold have been reported to cause diaper rash.

Aggressive and/or frequent cleansing of the diaper area with soap or disposable baby wipes can damage skin. Insufficient cleaning can also contribute to rash.

Other forms of rash in the diaper area are: seborrheic dematitis (may be accompanied by "cradle cap" on the scalp), intertrigo (from skin rubbing on skin, in the creases), impetigo (caused by bacteria), psoriasis and scabies.

TO KEEP BABIES SKIN HEALTHY

On average, a baby’s diaper should be checked for wetness every hour. Newborn babies urinate 8 - 20 times a day (average 10 - 12). This gradually decreases to 7 - 10 times a day at 12 months of age and 5 - 8 times a day as they reach toilet-training age.

Gentle wiping of baby’s bottom with a clean, warm wet cloth is recommended at every diaper change for newborns, several times a day for older babies. Let baby’s skin dry before applying a clean diaper.

Creams and moisture barriers (e.g., petroleum jelly) need not be used with every diaper change. Generally, after the bath and/or before bed is sufficient. It is good to let skin "breathe." Skin must be clean before applying a moisture barrier. Powders and cornstarch can accidentally be inhaled by baby and probably should not be used.

Diapers containing feces: Gently wipe feces off baby with the inside of the diaper (or stay-dry liner). Use toilet paper if necessary. Wipe girls from front to back to avoid vaginal infection. Wash baby’s bottom gently but thoroughly with warm water and a soft cloth (fold and use a clean part of the cloth each time you wipe). If you use soap, use a mild one and rinse it completely off.

If baby has diarrhea or a cold or is teething a moisture barrier (e.g., petroleum jelly) should be applied to the skin after cleaning and drying it well.

Diaper liners made of non-absorbent fabric such as polyester, will help keep wetness away from baby’s skin, and may reduce mixture of urine and feces.

Air baby’s bottom in a warm place after bathtime (or any convenient time). The use of plastic on the outside of the diaper tends to hide the evidence that a change is necessary, and tends to prevent evaporation and raise the temperature on baby’s skin.

This can cause general discomfort in warm conditions, and may increase growth of bacteria, fungi or yeast if present. The use of breathable waterproof diaper covers over cloth, may help prevent diaper rash, and is especially recommended if baby develops a yeast infection. Breathable waterproof covers do not necessarily reduce wetness on baby’s skin while the diaper is wet, but they do help prevent the build up of heat inside the diaper as well as aid in moisture evaporation.

For night diapering, ensure the diaper has adequate absorbency. Cloth diapers usually require the addition of an insert or two (or double diapering if using traditional flat diapers). Use of a non-absorbent inner liner next to baby’s skin is especially recommended for night. Apply a moisture barrier (e.g., petroleum jelly) to reduce hydration of the skin with urine during the night, and protect skin from irritants.

If baby’s skin is healthy, changing a wet diaper in the middle of the night is not generally necessary if the diaper is absorbent enough, as most of the moisture will be drawn away from the baby’s skin. Also as the baby is relatively immobile, there is not much friction on the skin.

If baby has a persistent rash, a 3 a.m. check may be advisable.

IF A RASH DEVELOPS

If diaper rash develops, let baby go without a diaper for one to three hours a day. For young babies, put them on the diaper Instead of in the diaper (make sure the room is warm). For older, more mobile babies, try to keep them in a non-carpeted area, or wait until nap time. (If urine gets in the carpet, baking soda or rug cleaning foam can be used to treat odors and stains). The next most airy option is to put baby into a cloth diaper alone (without a cover). Using a breathable waterproof cover over top is also an option that will allow some air in and out.

It is important to air baby’s bottom when a mild rash appears, to allow healing. Once skin becomes irritated, it is more susceptible to further irritation. Organisms that cause severe rash (e.g., yeast) do not generally infect healthy skin; however if present in the feces, they can infect damaged skin.

Avoid use of disposable baby wipes if baby has a rash. If allergies are suspected, eliminate possible allergens until the rash clears. Then introduce one possible allergen each week , so allergies can be detected. If in doubt, discuss this with your doctor.

Often a diaper rash cream or ointment will help clear up a rash within a day or two (consult with your pharmacist or health nurse for a recommended brand). If ointment is difficult to remove, use olive oil or baby oil on a cotton ball.

Consult a physician if a rash worsens or persists for more than three or four days, or if skin is broken or develops pimples, pustules or blisters. Prescription creams or medicine may be required to clear some types of rash (e.g., yeast infection)

IF A RASH PERSISTS

If a rash persists, or keeps coming back you may consider changing other things besides wet diapers. If your baby is under six months of age a regular detergent may be to harsh; try a specially formulated detergent like Dreft or try Ivory Snow (for clothes, not diapers) which is a soap (at least one extra rinse is necessary to remove soap residue). If your baby is older than six months try changing to a different detergent, and/or add a cup of vinegar to the final rinse (to lower pH and help remove detergent residues if present)[/quote]

CD Safe Diaper Creams:
- Burt's Bees Diaper Ointment
- Weleda Diaper Care Cream
- Aveeno
***Avoid any products that contain fish oil (such as Desitin) as these will stain and stink up your dipes!

[jenji]

Yay a new CDing thread!
I plan on using CDs and maybe even making some myself, but I am still at least a year away from being PG so at this point it's just planning for the future

[Daniel's Kitty]

yea!! I was hoping that someone here would have a cd thread. I am curios if someone knows a great place to get pre-folds really cheap. I am trying to work on collecting a small stash before my baby gets here in August

I am making some of my own AIO's and covers, and I may try to make some prefolds. I have a couple of FB's in small, an HH print in small, a Sweet cheeks(fitted) in small, and 2 one size AIO Little Lambs(atleast I think that is the brand without looking it up). I am hoping to mainly use cd's with some disposables for baby-sitters and grandmas. Although I am planning on using disposable wipes since I am allergic to some of the ingredients in most solutions, and I don't want to worry about my baby too. I am hoping to have a great stash for pretty cheap.
Kat

[abbylynn]

I never joined the other CD thread because we just started CD a month or so ago when DS was about 22 months old and that other thread was just too intimidating!

[claribella]

I cloth diapered my son for his first year. He is 15 months now. It was the best thing. I had a service so I never cleaned any diapers. He NEVER got diaper rash, but now, since I'm using disposables, he's had the worses diaper rashes. :(

I highly recommend cloth diapering and if you have any questions I'll be happy to help :)

[jenji]

did anyone here make their own diapers?
if so where did you get your patterns?
what type of diapers did you make?
where did you get your fabric?

[nancy drew]

yay! glad this thread is here too :)

can i add a few tips i have learned elsewhere? they are both wash-related.

1) a few drops of tea tree oil in a wash load can help tremendously with diaper stink.

2) throwing a DRY towel in the dryer with your wet dipes will help them dry faster.

[deliciousjones]

hey nancy drew! i tried the tea tree oil trick and it works wonders. i've never thought of putting a dry towel in with the dipes, but i'll try that later this week. i noticed last night that my prefolds dry WAY faster when i dont throw the all-in-ones in there.

[nancy drew]

i havent even tried the towel trick yet, im doing a wash right now though and plan on trying it. i use a bunch of hemp and organic cotton fitteds now and they take f.o.r.e.v.e.r. to dry, so ill let you know how it works. :)

[Daniel's Kitty]

The other thread was way too intimidating, that is why I plan on checking in here sometimes.

Does any body know a way other than tea tree oil to remove odors, and for wipes? Everybody uses it, but I have problems with it.

jenji- I believe it is Kwik Sew or one of the other major companies has a pattern for AIO's and covers. I don't know how well they work yet, but it seems like a fairly simple pattern. Sweet Cheeks Diapers has a pattern online. I have seen a lot of patterns for diapers.

[nancy drew]

jenji i havent made my own dipes yet but here are some sites with fabric, patterns, and info on making dipes:

www.onestopdiapershop.com
www.diapershop.com
www.newconceptions.com
www.sewshoppe.com
www.fernandfaerie.com
www.darlingdiapers.com
www.acutabovefabrics.com
www.thefabricfarm.com
www.diaperfabric.com
www.janellespuls.com

i could go on, there are so many! i know a few mamas who have used the very baby pattern and said it was easy and good. there are also some free patterns available online, i can direct you to those if youre interested.

[nancy drew]

Does any body know a way other than tea tree oil to remove odors, and for wipes? Everybody uses it, but I have problems with it.

youre only supposed to use a drop or two of tea tree oil in the wash or in wipes. i know if i use too much it causes problems for us too. in fact the bottle i have says not to use it on infants and children, which is why i use 3 drops maximum. but its not really necessary. for wipes you can use any essential oil. i use a few drops of lavender essential oil. i also use a generous squirt of baby oil, the lavender is just extra scent. as far as washing and getting rid of stink, you can try calgon water softener in the wash cycle, or baking soda. ive heard a vinegar rinse can help but then ive also heard not to do that. maybe someone can clarify that one for us.

[abbylynn]

I guess I've been doing the tea tree oil trick all along and didn't even realize it. I take one of those Gerber birdseye cloth diapers I used as a burp cloth when DS was younger and I put a few drops of tea tree oil on it and hang it in the diaper pail. When I do the wash it just goes in with everything else.

[Sarah]

Hi ladies! I am not CDing right now, but I CDed my DD until she potty trained at 2 years old, and I am eagerly awaiting my new baby so I can start CDing him or her! My stash for the new one for the newborn-small period is:

24 kissaluvs 0
3 proraps newborn
3 bsww newborn
24 kissaluvs wipes
6 fleece wipes
a lot of other assorted random wipes
at least 30 infant CPFS (for stuffing FB or using as cpfs)
20 FB small

I am assuming I will have another small baby who will need the kissaluvs for at least a month before fitting into the fuzzibunz smalls. Then I think the FB will last at least 4-6 months, and then I will move into mostly prefolds and covers for the medium/large stages.

[Daniel's Kitty]

Vinegar can cause more odors if you have really hard water.

Tea tree oil is in so many products, and if I am not careful it will burn my skin and hurt so badly. I try to avoid it for me, but I will probably wind up using it if it doesn't hurt our son. I hate having sensitive skin.

Sarah I am happy to see another August mommy here.

nancy drew Are any of the free ones really good? I have seen some free ones, but they don't seem that great and I would love to find a good one. I would actually like to find a good pattern for prefolds since the only ones I can find that aren't only on the internet are Gerber ones.

[nancy drew]

daniels kitty i havent tried any patterns at all, ive thought about it but dont have the time right now to start a new project. you might check out the mothering.com diaper making board (http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=319) and see if they can help you find a good, free pattern or if anyone has suggestions on making prefolds. honestly i dont think it would save any money to make prefolds as they are only a dollar or two anyway. www.naturalbabies.com has flat rate shipping so you arent going to pay a fortune for shipping either. but the mothering diaper making board has more experienced diaper making mamas. also, are you on lj? there are a few sewing communities and one diaper sewing community i know of, they might have better suggestions.

[BeachBum]

Sarah--
Do FB smalls not fit newborns well? or was your daughter just smaller than average? Was there a time that she fit in both the kissaluv 0 and the FB small?

I'm trying to decide what to buy, but am not sure if I should wait to get FB until my baby has outgrown the Kissaluvs 0, or start with some right away.

thoughts?

[nancy drew]

beach bum i just saw a thread on lj about small fb and newborns. some people said small fb fit their baby right away, some said they didnt fit for a month or even 2 or 3 months. some babies fit in their kissaluvs sz 0 for 3 or 4 months, some didnt fit at birth. its so hard to know because you have no idea if your baby will be big or small, have skinny legs or fat legs, be a light wetter or a super soaker, etc. id say get a few small fb to have on hand and see what works after the baby arrives. you know you will use the small fb eventually, it cant hurt to have them ahead of time. that way you arent stuck wtih nothing that fits. try ebay for good deals on gently used fb if you are looking to save $. i have bought a ton there and most are in new condition.

[Sarah]

From what I understand, small FB don't fit most newborns for at least a few weeks. Most people use either a fitted like kissaluvs for those weeks (but that gets expensive) or they just use either preemie or infant cpfs (much cheaper).

My DD was pretty small- 6 lbs even- and they are thinking my baby due on August 12 is coming around 36 weeks, which would mean he or she would be small, too, I should think.

[gardenmommy]

Just subscribing...

I got the first bit of my stash last week, 12 size 0 Kissaluvs...they are so cushy!

So my newborn stash plan will be...

12 Size 0 Kissaluvs
36 infant CPFs
4-6 covers (still trying to decide probably 2 nikkys, 2 nijis, 2 BSWW)
and I'm making my own wipes.

ANy other advice for newborn wraps that actually fit? I'm so hesitant to buy until I know how big our baby will be :rolleyes:

[phart]

Jennifer~~I liked the bummis, prorap and bumkins covers. Eventually (after a few months) the bumkins covers left red marks on Aiden's legs so we stopped using those. Then the bummis started wicking so we stopped with those as well. We still use proraps 19 months later:)

[gardenmommy]

Jennifer~~I liked the bummis, prorap and bumkins covers. Eventually (after a few months) the bumkins covers left red marks on Aiden's legs so we stopped using those. Then the bummis started wicking so we stopped with those as well. We still use proraps 19 months later:)

So I think I'm sold on getting some proraps :D

[phart]

Ooh, and I really liked SP wool covers too. Fairly easy to take care of too.

[Sarah]

Yeah, I loved proraps with my DD

[cantwait]

I am considering getting a few CDs for my 12-mo-old son, as his skin is getting really irritated from this summer heat and I saw one on EBay with the cutest print (I am an Indianapolis Colts fan and I just need that Colts CD!). I just want to try it and see if it works for us, and probably still use DD when we go out and perhaps overnight. What would be the best, most user-friendly CD for someone who is used to DD? How many would you recommend for just starting out? Is it even advisable to start CD at his age? BTW, he is 24 lbs.

Also, for someone who is considering switching, answer me honestly. What is the best thing about CD, and what is the worst thing?

[Marisa]

Andrea, it's never too late to CD! Sarah will tell you, she didn't start until after Sophie was a year? Older? Sarah?

For a disposables user, an AIO (all-in-one) or pocket diaper would be the easiest -- they mimic the style of a disposable. We use only Fuzzi Bunz or that style of pocket diaper -- they're an extra step compared to a AIO, but the lining comes out when you go to wash them, so they dry faster, and I like that. :)

Next easiest would probably be a fitted diaper with a cover, and finally the prefold (white, flat) diaper would have the biggest learning curve. But you sure can get crazy with some cute diaper covers, even if the diapers themselves are a little plain.

For the last six months or so I've had about 20 FB in rotation, and I wash every three days or so. But for your purposes, why not buy one or two to try out, then see how that goes? We used a combo of disposables and cloth for a couple of months while I figured stuff out.

For me, the best thing about cloth is knowing that I don't have to run out and buy diapers, probably *ever again* -- and my son is only 17 mos. Also, you can't beat how cute they are. :) Then there's all the benefits to baby, like less rash, as you said... The worst thing might be the 'tweaking' we had to do to our system when we started not changing him overnight -- it took a lot of experimenting and damp sheets before I realized that Mr. Heavy Wetter needs THREE hemp stuffers in his diaper at night. :D

[phart]

The worst thing for me is grapes in my washer and dryer but even that isn't so bad;)

[Marisa]

OMG, Shannon after tonight I'm changing my mind! The *worst* is opening the washer mid-soak-cycle.... I sorta know that there's poop in there, but I *so* don't need to see the water all poop-colored.

I did an extra rinse tonight, just 'cause I happened to see it. (Normally I trust that the hot wash with a vinegar rinse keeps everything nice and clean.) :rolleyes: :D

[nancy drew]

i made the switch when dd was about 3 months old. well, we still use disposables for naps and nighttime as she sleeps longer in a disposable, but the rest of the time its cloth. it was a gradual switch for us, i increased my stash as i decided i liked cloth diapering.

i agree with marisa that pocket dipes or all in ones are the easiest for those who are used to disposables. fuzzi bunz are good. i dont always like the way they fit my dd, but every baby is different. as far as all in ones, i like www.lucyshopechest.com. she is always open for orders and they are top quality dipes, totally adorable prints, super soft materials, just all around great dipes.

so far the best thing about switching is not needing to go run and buy more dipes every time the pack gets low. its a lot easier to do a load of laundry. another *best* thing is that i feel good about letting dd's diaper area "breathe" when i put her in a fitted dipe and wool cover. she has rash issues and the wool lets more air in than a disposable or a pul cover.

the worst thing is cleaning a poopy diaper in the toilet. we have a mini shower but it sprays everywhere so its still rather messy to clean those poops. one day her poops will be solid enough to shake off, i guess. but for now they arent.

[phart]

M~~Get a frontloader. You can't open it mid cycle;)

[Daniel's Kitty]

I think it is great that with cloth you don't wind up spending $20-$30 a week unless you constantly buy new ones to try.

nancy drew I know it wouldn't save $, but I am hoping to get some more sewing practice. I actually found a website that has a free prefold pattern, it uses old t-shirts or flannel shirts. The pattern is really easy and since my practice fabric is an old flannel sheet set, I will even be able to use the practice ones. I also found diaper fabric on sale locally.
The website is www.fernandfaerie.com

marisa I love the Little Miss books! (your avatar) I have a whole bunch of them!

[carolc]

Okay, I may have asked this before, but I'm going to again...

Those with heavy wetters: what is your failsafe night-time solution? Nora is still in sposies at night. Even I stuff the Fuzzibunz to death, we still get leaks. I think it's because her thighs are actually a bit too slim for the L size (anyone using the Petite Toddler size?) but I don't know for sure.

[Sarah]

Yep, Marisa, Sophie was a year old when we started CDing. We did them at the laundromat, too! We used all CPFs and covers when we switched. DD was still in mediums, and it wasn't hard, really, at all. Even though we we used to sposies, we liked CPFs much better than pockets or fitteds, and always gravitated towards the CPFs in our stash, so I would get a couple different things to try out. Maybe get one pocket, like a HH (good for older kids) or a FB, and a couple of CPFs, to try, and a good cover.

Carol- have you tried happy heiny's? Their leg openings seemed more adjustable on my skinny kid. Also, do you have any prefolds? We were always okay with a premium prefold, a JB, and even another stuffer sometimes. A good nightime cover would be necessary, too, like an imse vimse or something.

[phart]

Carol~~I wouldn't consider Aiden a heavy wetter anymore but he was at one time. Thankfully things are finally tapering of these days. Anyway, we use petite toddler FB at night stuffed with two hemp stuffins that I made and a fleece topped doubler just in case:) The large FB are too big in the thighs and almost too big in the waist too. Aiden has never been a big kid. I realize I said he isn't a heavy wetter so much of this might no mean a dan on thing but we can have him in that FB for 14+ hours (he has slept 12-13 and then add an hour for playing in his room and eating) and he's still pretty darn dry on his bottom.

[carolc]

Doh--should have mentioned that we cannot get prefolds on Angry Houdini Baby anymore. Alas. I have ten zillion of them, and about 5 almost brand-new covers, too. So I'm looking for either fitted-and-cover, AIO, or pocket dipe suggestions.

I am in denial about the too-slim-thighs issue. I just bought a bunch of new, L FB. Maybe I'll just start her on a donuts and french fry diet. ;) I'm not even sure if she's really a heavy wetter at night...it may just be that with all the tossing and turning, and the dipes not quite fitting, leaks are inevitable.

[phart]

You have her in the L FB now and are getting leaks? Only at night? Yeah, I'd try a petite toddler and see. Or just laying the prefold in folded in thrids with a doubler?

[Daniel's Kitty]

Help! My baby isn't here and I am already getting addicted to diapers! I even e-mailed a single friend this morning talking about diapers. Thankfully she had asked me what I thought about cd'ing already, and was telling me how great it is.

I am hoping that I can use prefolds and covers. I love the way the Happy Heiney's seem. I am kind of cheap though so my little one will not get too many of those.

carolc Have you thought about duct tape? :p It would stop escapee's. Good luck!

[mimieliza]

Just joining the thread for future reference. No baby yet, but I am all about using CDs from day one. I just can't imagine it any other way. :)

Thanks for all the great info, everyone!

[abbylynn]

Is it even advisable to start CD at his age? We just switched to CDs about a month or two ago and Brandon will be 2 next month. If I had realized how easy they were I probably would have switched earlier but I was still working then so it wasn't as feasible. I think we'll just CD the next one right from the start.

We use mostly Fuzzi Bunz during the day with an occasional fitted when I know he won't be in it too long. For night I've been having good results with an Ecobunz hemp fitted and an Aristocrat.

Brandon is tall and skinny so we use the Petite Toddler Fuzzi Bunz but I've never even trid the larges on him. He's on the 2nd to tightest thigh snap and the tightest waist snaps when I stuff them with two Joey Bunz.

[huango]

hi all,
Would really appreciate your help on my specific problems.
cross post from WC: CD.

I love CDing; son is 1yr old; baby#2 EDD January - would CD that baby also.

1. But right now, the stink of CDing son is making it tough to continue CDing.
What am I doing wrong? What can I do to improve this situation?

We CD in the 1st floor playroom (converted dining room). Rubbermaid flip-top trash barrel (lined w/ a plastic trash bag, since the Rubbermaid is not completely sealed), is right next to changing table. We put wetbag (w/ 1c of baking soda at bottom) in trash bag, and do wash every 2 days. I’m NOT pulling the string of the wetbag tight; is that something I should do?
These diapers stink up the playroom.

In nearby bathroom, we have a wet pail. We use the rice sheet liner, but sometimes, poop leaks from the liner to the diaper, so we swish in the toilet, then put in wet pail; do wash every 2 days. (Even the diaper genie can’t hold the stench of the poop, so we put the poop/liner into a plastic bag and throw it out in the outside garbage every day.)
These diapers stink up the bathroom.

Also, when you wash the CD, does the stench of the diapers stink up your laundry room?

We didn’t have much of a smell problem until Sebastian started people food. Now that it’s his main staple, the stench of the CD are preventing us from having guests over; I’m too embarrassed.
So the scare is that w/ 2 babies in CD, is that twice the stench? Oh please help me.

2. How often do YOU need to strip your CD/FB? I feel like I must do it every 2months, or else we’d die from the stench. We HAVE to use diaper cream (Triple Paste) often, since my son poops about 3 times a day, and that often results in rashes.
I use ~1tablespoon of Tide detergent w/ 1/2c of vinegar in the wash so I don’t think there’s too much soap buildup. I never use Bounce/etc during drying. We often line-dry.

I really appreciate any help/feedback. I hope that I can continue to use CD.

[nancy drew]

huango we dont have a stink problem at all and i have gone 4-5 days between washes. i have stripped my dipes once or twice in the 14 or so months i have been cding. you can try the following:

*use a little more detergent. you might not be getting the dipes totally clean, especially if you are using diaper cream.
*try putting a few drops of tea tree oil on an old burp cloth or prefold and hang that at the top of the wetbag. if you dont want to do that, just put 3-4 drops in your wash cycle.
*switch dipe creams. i dont know if triple paste is cd-friendly. if he gets a rash every time he poops then that sounds like a food allergy to me. that was one of stellas major allergy signs anyway. since eliminating all the allergic foods she doesnt get a rash anymore. if you are changing him as soon as he poops he shouldnt be getting a rash. diaper cream can really mess with cds. can you just use aquaphor as a barrier? that would be easier on your dipes.

[Teresita]

huango, DD is 11 months and though her poops have gotten stinkier now that she's eating more solids, our pail doesn't seem to stink much. We have a dry pail and use a few drops of tea tree oil on the sachet in our pail liner.

We use the imse vimse biodegradable/flushable liners (which I LOVE!). Those catch most of the poop, so we toss the liner in the toilet and the diapers are usually pretty poop free. We use cloth wipes, so inevitably there is some poop in the pail, but it doesn't seem to cause much of a stink.

On a similar topic, I feel like I'm spending a lot on tea tree oil. I get it at Trader Joe's for $5.95 for 1 fl. oz. Is there a cheaper source for tea tree oil online somewhere? Or, is there another option for deoderizing my pail that would work equally as well as TTO? TIA for your help! :)

[Clattercote]

I'm subscribing too - even though pg is about a year away for me as well. But I use cloth pads, so I can't even imagine putting my kids in plastic dipes.

[kakirk]

huango, I don't know because I haven't done this yet, but I'm 99% sure I read somewhere (very recently) that using vinegar can actually add to the stink factor. So maybe try stripping them, & washing with some baking soda?? :confused: Good luck!

Katie

[phart]

A mama in my playgroup swears by sportswash every couple of loads to keep down on stink issues with her FB and hemp inserts. I didn't find it to help me but ya never know, right? I say that and then remember her saying she can't find it locally (had to get it online) because it's a "hunting" item so it won't be around until Fall again.

I use Calgon every couple of loads and it helps. They don't smell like roses but it helps:-)

Do you have a top or front loader?

[Daniel's Kitty]

I know everybody has their own ideas on covers, but what would people recommend as something that isn't really expensive and works well? I don't really want pull on covers for the most part.

nancy drew Thanks so much for that website. It is the best price I have seen, for a legitimate website, on prefolds. I can make some, but buy some too, without feeling really guilty.

[phart]

The one cover that I've used through every size is the Prorap. I've gotten all of mine on either Ebay (new and used) or MDC.

[Marisa]

I like the Prorap as well, but toward the end I was also a fan of the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap. Similar in style and function, either would be a fine utilitarian choice. :)

[jenji]

for those who make their own diapers, what are your favorite patterns and where do you get your fabric?

[Chicksinger]

Teresita We get the Trader Joe's TTO too, but I only use it with one bag. I alternate with another bag that has no sachet holder and (here's my point!) I just sprinkle baking soda in that bag to absorb odor. It works great. I get the biggest box I can and use it in the wash, too. (Half a cup in the pre-wash cold soak.)

[abbylynn]

My only problem with the proraps now that Brandon is older is that he knows how to undo the velcro and likes to play with it to hear the sound.

[Daniel's Kitty]

I am worried about someone liking the noise of the velcro, but DH really likes the idea of velcro.
My mom still thinks it is funny that I would try to chase the babysitter to play with the velcro on her shoes. Although disposables have the repositionable strips that are similar to velcro and I know that some children like to play with those.

I am so lucky to have such a great place to get advice.

I have a funny story though. My mom told one of her co-workers, who is about my age, that I plan on cding. The girl thought it was so crazy and tried to laugh about me. The girl's mom told her that she cded, and there is nothing wrong with it.

[phart]

That's the thing, Kat. So many of us likely were CD'd. I know we were because my parents couldn't afford dispoables! We were at a cookout last weekend and someone commented on Aiden's big butt once we put him in his jammies. I said we CD'd and everyone asked me if we had a service because that's what they had with their kids. I smiled and told them no but was happy to hear that they all CD'd their kids:-) One (male) friend says "it's cheaper, right?" which makes me a bit hopeful that they might try it out too when the time comes.

[BeachBum]

So many of us likely were CD'd
Those of us born in the 70's and before most likely were as 'sposies were just hitting mass market.

[Chicksinger]

'Sposies were out the year DH and I were born, but my mom had a diaper service and his mom HAD to use CDs because DH was horribly allergic to 'sposies.

[Daniel's Kitty]

I was born in the 80's and my mom talks about how she had all her disposables all stacked up ready for me to be born. My mom is okay with my cding though, the bfing is another issue. Most people think I am nuts for wanting to save money and liking how soft and comfy diapers feel. Now I just have to get through the rest of my pregnancy.

[pixiecat]

I also think it's strange that people think I'm "so out there" for wanting to CD the baby... I'm like "do you think disposies have been around forever?"

Many of our parents did it, and we have WAY better stuff now! No more plastic pants! :p

pc

[lady1297]

So funny to click in here and hear about other people's reaction to us cloth diapering! I just had a LONG drawn out discusion while working out the other day about it. Some thougth I was nuts others were like cool! I loved defending my choice with stats and figures which I got through communities like this.

One woman asked me it it was the "In" thing to do with young mom's because she knows three other mom's my age that feel the cloth love! :) My response: If economically and environmentally sound choices are the "IN" thing, then I guess so! (she laughed cause she thought CD was great!) Yeah!

[kakirk]

Speaking of people's reactions -- my DH was talking with his best friend tonight (who lives in a different state than us), and mentioned that we were CD'ing. And they did the typical male joking about how they're not changing dipes, etc. But then DH, with out my prompting (!), turned it into why CD'ing is good!! Talking about how BM poo isn't like grown-up poo, and that you rinse the dipes before washing so it's "not like you'll find a little turd in your bath towel the next day." :D what a good guy!!

My Dritz pins arrived today, and I'm expecting a few more preemie prowraps (decided I wanted more than just 3 for the twinnies) in a couple days & I think I'm set.

Now, if the twinnies would just listen and GET OUT OF ME! :)

Katie

[Robertsgirl]

For those of you having smell problems....I was too, and I didn't know it. Mine didn't smell horrible but they had never smelled great, and I just assumed that they were diapers and weren't supposed to. Turns out I wasn't rinsing them enough. I would do a prerinse. A super heavy wash with a tiny bit of BioKleen and a splash of vinegar with an extra rinse. NOW, I am doing an additional regular cycle after that with nothing in it and they are much nicer smelling and much fluffier too. Hope that helps someone.

BTW, we also use TTO in our wipes solution, so maybe that helps.

[carolc]

There was a coworker of mine (a mom) who laughed obnoxiously and said "Oh, sure, that'll last about two weeks," when I told her I was CDing. I swear, I want to go over there and display my 17-month-old toddler's still-cloth-diapered butt. :rolleyes:

[kakirk]

Ok ladies...I'm really set for CD'ing. I have everythign I need, at least to get us through 6 months (I think...).

Pins, snappis, CFPs, FB's, some AIO's, kissaluv 0's, etc.

What I'm not totally sold on is cloth wipes. I went & got the cheapy washcloths like y'all suggested. I can only fit a few into my wipes warmer! I'm just not sure it's practical to use cloth wipes for twins. (does that sound as back-asswards to y'all as it does to me? Practical to CD twins, not to use cloth wipes?)

What do you all think??

K

[Sarah]

Katie-
I was never sold on cloth wipes when we CDed DD. We used only cloth diapers, but I hated the wipes, because I only had those single layer flannel ones. They were too hard to get out of the wipes box and were annoying, so we used solely disposable wipes.

With this kiddo, I have resolutely vowed to use cloth wipes, so we bought slightly better quality ones. I bought mostly kissaluvs wipes, since they had great reviews, and are much bigger and thicker. I can see only needing one for most changes. I also have some fleece wipes, which are lovely. Baby washcloths seem like they would work well, too.

It does get incredibly annoying to change a CD and use sposie wipes, because you have to make a separate trip to the regular trash can for the wipes, holding them by the very end because they get gross, etc.

As for the warmer/box issue- I am just keeping mine dry in a basket, and then spritzing them with wipes solution from a spray bottle, or spritzing the kid's bum. When we did use cloth wipes, they got all funky and hot and gross, even when we used TTO in the solution, or used distilled water. This way is easier for me to use, and you don't have to fumble with the box or warmer. But if you want to use the warmer, it shouldn't be a problem. With cloth wipes, I doubt you'll need more than one or two for a change, unless it's some huge blowout. Cloth wipes clean up a lot better than sposie wipes, which frequently take like, 5 to do a messy job.

[kakirk]

Sarah (it's so weird to see you post as something other than newmommy), thanks for the comments. You bring up a good point about needing a separate can for disposable wipes. I'd thought about that, but figured it wouldn't be a big deal. Your personal experience makes me think twice about it though. And this: Cloth wipes clean up a lot better than sposie wipes, which frequently take like, 5 to do a messy job. is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm totally one to use 5+ disposable wipes for messy poo (thinking back to my nanny days), and I was just thinking that with twins, we'd be going through them SO fast that it just wouldn't be worth it. But, if like you said, using only one or two works for the big poo then that's certainly a factor too.

Thanks Sarah -- you gave a ton of good feedback. :)

K

[Marisa]

Katie, email me or post in my LJ or something. If you give me your address I'll send you some loverly wipes that I've been making with leftover bits of flannel and terry scraps. They are all at least 6" square (some are bigger) and they are so soft and thick. They work *really* well too. It will totally sway you toward using all cloth. :)

[nancy drew]

just wanted to give another vote for cloth wipes. we were totally using 5 or 6 disposable wipes for a poo dipe change vs 1 cloth wipe. and that was back in the baby wash cloth and bf poo days. now with the "good" wipes (mine are a lot like what marisa described, some are flannel/terry, some are fleece/cotton, some are hemp or sherpa or knit and velour) and toddler poo (yuck!) its still really only a one-wipe job. as far as the wipe warmer, you dotn really need it. i have never owned a wipe warmer and i never missed anything by *not* having one. i use an old disposable wipes box, or you could get a tupperware container and store wet wipes in there. or do the dry wipes method like some do, keep the wipe solution in a bottle and squirt it on the wipes as needed. then you could just put the clean dry wipes in a basket.

[phart]

We just started using disposable wipes for outings recently but up until then we only used cloth. I started buying disposable wipes to wipe Aiden off after a meal out and it's just easier when in a public restroom. Aiden was squirmy and trying to squirt the wipe with solution was a PITA. Now we don't often have to change him while out so it's not a big deal.

We have thin(ner) flannel ones and we also have 8-12 wipes that are terry on one side and flannel on the other. Those are generally reserved for poops:)

[jenji]

the more I learn on here and share with DH, the more excited he is about one day CDing! You are all so informative

[lady1297]

DS is now at the age where taking off his aplix (velcro) covers is fun. Any advice? I've put them on about 10 times today alone and found him in his crib twice with no diaper. So much for Snappi holding them on. Oh and this is THROUGH his onesie. Help!?!


Will a snap diaper be better?

[Marisa]

lady -- LOL, Joey started doing the same thing at some point, and that's when I started using FB full time (we had also had a bunch of Happy Heinys, but I had to sell them off because he'd just rip them right off in front of me!)

Are you still making covers? I can put snaps on them for you. :)

[clzj]

Number 2 is due in Nov and with the rise in sposies I was thinking of cd. I will be a workining mom. How has it worked for any working mom's?

[huango]

sorry/been traveling so delay in my response.

nancydrew, teresita, kakirk, and phart: thank you very much for your responses/suggestions.
- i'm sending DH to Trader's Joe today to get the Tea Tree oil. will hang that on the diaper pail.
- going to research for more CD-friendly diaper rash creme.
- going to strip the diapers today. from then on, will use more detergent to fully get the creme out.
(my wash habit:
- cold rinse
- Hot wash w/ cold rinse, extra cold rinse
- cold rinse, and extra cold rinse.
do you think i need to do another plain hot wash/cold rinse?)

Really appreciate everyone's help.

next subject: we use the Bummis Whisper wrap w/ the snaps: LOVE them.
Hate velcro, and researched that snaps are harder for older kids to remove..

[happy1nuv]

Hello,
I'm a disposable diaper user ... but ds has soaked thru his diapers a couple times... once so badly that he left a puddle of projectile poo on the floor... I'd like to buy a few cloth diapers for his christening ... he's probably 10 lbs... what do you think my best bet would be for making sure he doesnt leak thru? Can I just use a cover over a disposable
? Or is there a cloth equivalent f a disposable that might work better?

tia

[huango]

happy1nuv: i use disposies when traveling and Sebastian used to do many blow-outs in disposies but almost never in CD.
you can use either of 2 options: get a cover:
- either a bummis whisper (cheaper option) or
- a wool aristocrat
if it's just for the Christening, putting the cover over the disposie would help catch whatever leaks out of the disposie, and you don't need to invest in CD like Chinese prefolds or whatever.
but i wouldn't recommend adding a cover to disposie all the time since that would be double plastic coverage and increase the heat (lack of air) to the baby's bottom.

hope that helps.

[lady1297]

lady --

Are you still making covers? I can put snaps on them for you. :)


yeah, need to work on those! I will probably take you up on that offer once I figure out how to get ALL the fabric in the FOE!! (I think I bought the FOE too thin, need 1 inch I guess).

[happy1nuv]

OK... I want to use his christening as an excuse to gradually switch to cd ... dh is vehemently against, but he agrees we need to do something different for the christening ... anyone know of a good package you can buy that has a a bunch of different kinds of diaper/cover types?

thanks!

Here are the two options I'm thinking of... any advice?

55.00
This package includes 2 DSQ prefolds, a kushies basic fitted diaper, a bummis super whisper wrap, a prorap, a happy heinys and a bumkins all in one. For another 20.00, I can add a bumkins wrap and a BabyKicks Hemparoo® Joey-Bunz insert for your happy heinys.
http://www.babiesinthesun.com/cloth-diaper-sample-packs.html

49.95
2 Prefolds (2 different sizes within baby's weight range)
1 Kissaluvs Fitted Diaper
1 Prorap cover
1 Bummis Velcro Cover
1 Bumkins All-In-One
1 FuzziBunz
http://store.naturalbabies.com/products/

What do ya think?

[huango]

happy1nuv: we jumped into cd w/ both feet in, going the most affordable route, using 24-48 prefolds, 2-6 prorap/bummis snap covers, and 2-6 fuzzibunz for at night. (got 5 kushies AIO as gift). (the ranges are for different phases depending on Sebastian's size/age).
i like the 2nd package more just because it has the fuzzibunz.

my concern about 'GRADUALLY' switching to CD: this package isn't large enough even 1 day usage. so you'd be using CD for 1/2 to 1day, then would have to do a tiny laundry wash (while using disposies) before using CD again the next day.

i hope other CD using who did gradually use CD could provide a better response.
good luck.

[bamboo]

Of the two packages, I'd go for the second one, mostly because in my experience, Fuzzi Bunz are a lot better than Happy Heinys. Happy Heinys frequently leaked for us. I think it would let you sample a variety which is nice but huango is right, they'll only get you through about half a day. I've never had a blowout in any of our cloth dipes (we CD exclusively). Sometimes it might get on the cover but that's it.

[Marisa]

happy1 - I'd definitely go with the second package too, I love Fuzzi Bunz, and I also like Natural Babies a lot, I've ordered from them several times.

huango has a good point about it not even being enough for one day's worth, though... You might want to consider adding an additional dozen prefolds in the larger size that he fits in, so that you'd at least have enough to get you through one day and then some.

Start with this package, though -- there's nothing wrong with going back and forth between cloth and disposies for a little while, that's what we did at first too. Remember that you can usually sell off anything you don't decide to use, either here or on eBay. :)

[kakirk]

When I wash them, do I have to do a soak cycle first?? Also, should I always do a 2nd rinse?? Do kissaluvs take FOREVER for everyone to dry, or is my dryer just crappy?? I swear, we dry for like 3 dry cycles & they're STILL not done!!

I'm still proud to say that they haven't had one paper diaper on their little butts!! My mom ADORES the kissaluvs, and wants to buy me more! I like them well enough, but the CPF's are just so simple. Todd actually said this morning, "I think we should buy some more diapers." :) We have plenty of CPF's, and I really think we have enough kissaluvs too -- we just have to wash them every day if we use them "exclusively."

Katie

[nancy drew]

katie i dont think i always did a second rinse or a soak cycle. i would imagine that at this newborn stage it probably isnt necessary, you are probably doing laundry often enough that one good wash cycle takes care of things. but im not an expert on that so hopefully someone else will chime in with good advice on that. as far as drying, yeah it can take forever for me too. have you tried throwing a dry, clean towel in the dryer with your dipes? i have heard that can somehow helps them dry faster. hth! and congrats, btw! :)

[phart]

Katie~~I don't recall doing a soak or a rinse cycle in the early days. I don't think that started until A was in the green edged (why can't I think of what they're called??) CPFs and even then it seemed to be a few months.

I do the towel trick these days and it works ok but not fabulous. They do dry faster for some reason but not *that* much faster. I think fitteds in generall are likely to take a little longer than preemie cpfs (or are you using the infants...there's the word!) because they're just thicker.

[Chicksinger]

Katie - (Blessings and Welcome to Hank and Lily!!!) I use the 'soak' for dipes that have sat in the pail for a day or two. (Rinses out most of the pee, loosens the poop.) I'll often throw in the "latest" diaper, after the others have soaked and spun out, to catch the true wash cycle.

I used a service for the first month (shower gift!), so my home experience starts after that. (Although I did wipes and covers, of course.)

The dry towel helps some, but Kissaluvs take a year to dry.

I always do the second rinse to make sure all the detergent (and pee!) is out. Haven't tried not rinsing.

Tell Todd he can help you pick out the next size when you're ready! :)

[happy1nuv]

Question.... i bought a sample of different types of cloth dipes... the kissaluvs...do they need a cover? they almost seem too huge to cover ... so id put that on him, then like the bummis super whispe wrap cober?

[nancy drew]

yep, kissaluvs need a cover. these cloth dipes do get kinda bulky, but its cute to see a baby with a big cloth diaper bubble butt. :)

[clzj]

My friend has found a diaper service for 200 for 12 weeks is that expensive?

[elnelson]

Subscribing - thanks to all for the great CD information! DS is due in 9 days and I can't wait to put my CD stash to work! I'm sure i'll be back in no time with questions..

[happy1nuv]

What's the deal wth the gerber cpfs? I bought a set of 12 from walmart to use as burp cloths... since wwe're going to attempt cd... can i use those? Or are they really bad to use as diapers? They suck as brp cloths - tthe middles are too thick...

[Marisa]

happy -- we used the Gerber dipes for about 2-3 months, with no problem. They're obviously not as nice as the real diaper service quality ones, but they work just fine. Joey outgrew them pretty quickly, and once that happened I moved right into pocket diapers.

[lady1297]

Gerber's aren't bad. They are part of our "laundry day" stash. We do double them up now that DS is 11 months old. He holds his pee until naps and then lets the flood gates open. But they work just fine for us.

[HSSweethearts]

Subscribing... it's never to early to educate myself. :)

[happy1nuv]

ok... i want to try using cpfs in a cover, without pins... was reading that you fold the cpf in thirds and lay in the cover, then attach cover. Umm, which way do you hold it to fold it? Either way I do it, its bigger than the cover??? Please help,... im clueless...

[phart]

I fold mine the short way when I do that. The cover will stretch a bit to cover the length.

I didn't do that unitl later though because those early, BF poops can be nasty and often needed the help of the snappi to keep the prefold tight around his legs.

[bamboo]

happy I've been doing that for a while now, because my short chunky girl has outgrown the snappi (I'd need a much wider cpf to use the snappi on her and then it wouldn't fit lengthwise). I fold it in thirds the long way. I mostly use Sugar Peas small fleece covers, or the Imse Vimse Bunmpy covers (also small), and it fits that way in those covers pretty exactly. If I want to use a smaller cover, I have to fold down the front which can get bulky but it does work. It does mean I have to wash covers more often than I used to, but it's the only option that works for us right now short of buying a lot more diapers, which I'm trying to put off a bit longer.

[Adam's Pi]

bamboo My DS is too chunky for a snappi too! How old is your DC? Do you have problems with poo leaks or blow-outs? I am REALLY wanting to try using CPFs (we have a ton that we use as inserts in FBs) instead of buying a bunch of new FBs when DS outgrows them. Any info, thoughts, recs. on doing this would be appreciated!!!

[elladee]

I haven't had a chance to read the entire thread yet, but I just wanted to thank you ladies for all the great info. I can't believe how far CD'ing has come since I had to change cousins diapers while I babysat. All I've ever seen were the pre-folds and the bulky plastic covers with the elastic legs the would get all stretched out.

Our little one is due in January and we fully intend to use cloth diapers. In fact, when I brought it up to DH, he said he couldn't imagine doing anything else and had always assumed we would use cloth. What a guy, huh?

Again, thanks for the info. I'm sure I'll be back with questions later.

[gizzyntaz]

Coming over from WC...

I just ordered two new AIOs to try out. DS has outgrown the Medium FB we were using for "traveling" diapers. I'm trying a Bumkins & Prorap AIO. Hopefully I like one or both.

I used disposies (Seventh Generation) on a two week vacation recently, and I am SOOOO happy to be back with cloth! I LOVE Cloth Diapering!

Let's see, now that DS is pooping only once or twice a day, I am only doing diapers every 3 days again (I was doing every 2 days for awhile).

- Alison

[phart]

Alison~~I have a few Bumkins AIOs that I like but I have to line them with a preemie prefold because they aren't every absorbant at all. This doesn't bother me in the least but I wasnted to share in case you were having the same troubles:)

[huango]

happy/adam'spi/bamboo: which fold do you use for the cpf that a snappi doesn't fit? i actually have the opposite problem; i feel like my snappis are too long for this fold.

i use the angel fold (but reverse - more below) as seen on the first fold of this page: http://www.softclothbunz.com/Cloth-Diaper-Folding.html
i fold the cloth opposite, so that all the folded edge are on the outside, so that the edges do not rub against my baby's privates.
so the snappi would adhere onto the 2 side edges at the waist.

does that explain it?
but i've never not use a snappi w/ a cover (DS is too wiggly).

good luck.

[kakirk]

Does anyone use a wipes warmer with their cloth wipes?? How do you do it?

Some very nice ladies gave me some SUPER swank cloth wipes, which my babies' tushes love. However, they also love *warm* wipes. It's not a big deal during the day to stand at the sink while waiting for the water to warm up, but in the middle of the night it's a drag (bothers daddy the most).

How do you use the warmer w/the cloth wipes?? We tried disposable wipes & they gave each of the babies raging diaper rash. :(

Katie

[Marisa]

Katie, I use the warmer with cloth wipes. The ones I use are probably very similar to the ones you have right now. ;)

I use warm water with a bit of baby soap and a few drops of lavendar to wet them -- I mix up a batch in a gallon jug and wet about a dozen at a time. That's just about the right amount to keep in the warmer. I don't use the little hole in the lid, though -- I have to open the whole lid and take the wipe off the top of the pile.

I leave the jug of wipe solution on the shelf below the warmer, so when we're running low I just grab another half dozen or so and put them in the warmer, and dump a little solution on top. Easy. :)

[phart]

Katie~~Glad the babes love the wipes:) We don't use a warmer but I'll tell ya what we do use. I keep a small, squirty bottle (maybe a cups worth...got it in the travel-sized section at Tar-Jay) of solution and squirt as I go. The water doesn't get cold but stays mostly at room temp.

What do you think you'll do when you are out and about? Or have you been out with them yet?:)

[Marisa]

Oh yeah, a peri bottle (from the hospital) works pretty well with what Shannon's talking about too. We had one of those for a while. (I think it's a tub toy now. :))

I pre-wet wipes and take a handful along in a baggie. I know, baggies are wasteful, but I do reuse mine. :)

[Adam's Pi]

huango I've tried the angel fold, the one where you twist the diaper, etc. As sherylb and phart can attest, I have a rather large child. He's pretty wide. The premium CPFs aren't wide enough at their shortest dimension to (comfortably) use the snappi.

katie First off, congrats!!!!! Secondly, we do what shannon does. Even in the winter, I found that the wipe solution wasn't too cold.

[bamboo]

huango- 95% of the time I just fold the cpf in thirds the long way, and lay it inside the cover (so the side without edges is facing DD). Then I just slide it under her butt and attach the snaps of the cover (I mostly use the fleece Sugar Peas covers). Occasionally if I'm using a Bumpy cover I do the twist fold- lay the cpf flat in the cover, slide it under her butt, then twist the cpf up and hold in place with the cover. The only negative I've found is that she is more likely to get poo on the cover without a snappi, now that she's pooing only 2-3 times a day.

[huango]

katie: just a thought: another option (we tried all the other options and ended up w/ this one) is to get an 'instant hot water thermos' like this:
http://store1.yimg.com/I/dmart_1854_1707772
so w/ each diaper change, we either boil some water (under 1min) (dilute w/ cold water), or pour out some water that had already been boiled, into a large bowl (dump out after each diaper change).
We don't use any soap/additives (DS' butt is SENSITIVE).

good luck (big fan of warm cloth for warm tushies)

[phart]

Ok...not that it really matters but I just realized that we fold our CPFs in thirds the long way too. Short way is much too short! Just wanted to fix that:)

[Adam's Pi]

I'm really thinking of going the UBCPF + wool cover route--has anyone tried this with the Stacinator wool cover or used this cover with a fitted? Anyone have any thoughts as to how well that would work? TIA!

[jenji]

has anyone here knitted or crocheted their own wool soakers? if so how did they do and where did you get your pattern?

[phart]

I have knit my own soakers from LTK's pattern (littleturtleknits.com) and crocheted a few wraps from tickelturdle.com. I liked both types very well. Aiden wore a soaker and a t-shirt alot last summer. The soakers are a little thick to go under clothes but they're good for night time too. I also knit longies and that was a mix of two patterns but LTK has a pattern for sale.

[huango]

Adam'sPi: loved ubcpf + snappi + Stacinator. We used them from when DS was 2weeks to ~7months, when he outgrew the wool cover. In parallel, we used Bummis Snaps, even to now (cheaper). We have a Stacinator in size large, so we'll use that when he grows into it.

similar...

jenji: didn't knit one, but did sew one from old wool JCREW sweaters. Worked great, especially for winter (sometimes I'd rolled down the 'pants' to keep DS' legs warmer. i'll post pix later.

[phart]

huango~~What pattern did you follow? I know I've seen then around all over the place but this is me being lazy:)

[red_canuck]

Subscribing so i can start learning! This thread is fabulous, thank you to all the moms for sharing your tricks!

[huango]

phart: i used this one:
http://www.diaperfabric.com/store/WsAncillary.asp?ID=3
see what I mean about the 'pants' part (leg cuffs)? I made them longer so i can leave unrolled as pants, or rolled/cuffed up as shorts.
still searching for pix of my PINK wool cover for my SON! (yeah, therapy bills) :)

[happy1nuv]

ok... kissaluv contour diapers... how do you fasten them? I tried using a snappi, but was having issues (LONG night last night, so it could just be my sleep deprived brain unable to function)... so I ended up just laying it in the cover... is that right? Or shold the snappi have worked? thanks...

Also, I need to figure out what to do diaper pail wise... what do you guys use? and... we change him half times upstairs, half times down.... should we set up two pails?
:) (I've been throwing them in an open pail of water for the time being, cause I've just been experimenting with the whole cloth diaper thing during the days we're home... but I'm kind of lking it and want to switch over, just as soon as I figure out which of the systems I like the best...

:)

[jenji]

thanks a bunch phart & huango!
I forgot about the sweater option. I had seen that somewhere

[BeachBum]

Well I ordered my newborn stash. I'm so excited!

I got
18 Kissaluv size 0
6 FB small with MOE inserts
12 newborn CPF
12 infant CPF
1 sm sugarpeas
2 prowraps
2 bummis whisper wraps
1 bummis with snaps
1 bummis polar wrap
1 bumpy day
1 kissaluvs booster
2 snappi's
baby bits
paper liners
burt bees ointment

I have some wipes (about 40), and figure I need a wet bag.
Anything else I'm missing?

[deliciousjones]

BeachBum -- your stash looks great! If you want some extra wipes, pick up a yard or two of fleece at the fabric store and cut them into squares. You don't need to sew the edges or anything. They're soft, easy and cheap!

So happy you're going with cloth :) When are you due?

[clzj]

Which wraps do you not need snaps or pins on? I am still considering this option. I want it to be the most cost effective that I can make it.

What is the recommended stash to start with? I have used disposables for the last 2 years.

[Adam's Pi]

My Sugar Peas cover arrived (!!!!!!!)--but didn't include much in the way of care instructions. I went to the punkinbutt(where I purchased the cover) website to see what they had to say, but there wasn't much more than general instructions.

Do I need to lanoize the cover first? Wash it? Is it good to go?

TIA!

x-posted to my LJ journal

[Sarah]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Which wraps do you not need snaps or pins on? I am still considering this option. I want it to be the most cost effective that I can make it.

Well, with most covers/wraps, you don't need pins or snappis for the wrap, you need it for the actual diaper underneath. If you use fitted diapers, like kissaluvs, you don't need a snappi or pins, because they have snaps, and then the cover either velcroes or snaps in place over that. With prefolds, you need either a snappi or a pin to close it, and then the cover still uses either aplix or snaps. But once the baby is a little older, you can just lay the prefold into the diaper, although it doesn't hold as well and doesn't usually catch poops.
Snappis are super easy to use, once you get the hang of them. Buying a few snappis (~2$ each, you only need 2) to use is waaay more economical than having to use all fitteds (8-15 $ each) to avoid using a snappis or pins.

[phart]

Karen~~You should be good to go with it because wool has lanolin naturally built in:) I loved my SP when A was smaller and got another one recently but it's a little on the small side:(

[Adam's Pi]

Shannon What size did you order? I got Colin a large and it seems a bit big. Odd.

[phart]

I have no idea...I got it from a friend. Maybe Aiden has a big booty.

[albuquerque]

Question about detergents--I think Phart responded in a different thread about baby detergents, and I'm interested in the POV of CD mommas on the detergent question. I bought 16 small fuzzibunz (still haven't seen them--they were shipped to my mom in the US, who will bring them to me here before EDD--I hope they'll be enough!), and I'm wondering about special laundry considerations. I think our water here is fairly hard compared to what I was used to--I notice buildup on my rings, etc. What can I do to prevent problems with my fuzzibunz? Do I have to use special detergent? This will be hard, because grocery stores here don't carry the same products you guys have in the US. I think I understood from Phart's post in the other thread that using the "free & clear" products were messing up her dipes, and that using regular detergent worked out better? And what about fabric softener, should we not use it (on dipes and/or baby clothes)? Does it make a difference whether the fabric softener is liquid or dryer sheets?

[mamax2]

albuquerque ~ I'd recommend using regular detergent and Downy ball of plain white vinegar - it's a natural softener. You may also want to get some Calgon water softener (or have your Mom bring some to you). With hard water, you may need to strip your dipes a little more often. I wouldn't use any fabric softener on diapers - it can create build-up and inhibit absorbancy. Also re: your 16 FBs - did you get anything else to start with? If not, you'll be washing dipes every day, which is o.k., as long as you're prepared for that.

[phart]

It so varies from user to user. I had read to use F&C detergents so avoid build up but got build up anyway. I switched to regular detergent and now it's better. I still have to strip my dipes every once in a while but it's less often. I have a good friend who uses FBs and hemp inserts full time and swears by SportsWash to strip her dipes every few loads. It's a detergent of sorts used by hunters to remove animal scents from clothing. I used it once and didn't notice a difference.

I've tried vinegar and it doesn't work for me so it's all trial and error. You may not need anything extra at all.

[albuquerque]

Thanks, mamax2 and phart! I've read a little about stripping the dipes on the Mother of Eden website, washing with baking soda and all that, but are there other techniques? I've never heard of a Downy ball, is it some contraption you put in the wash that releases a liquid from within? I'll have to ask my mom to pick up one of those for me, also. I do have only the 16 FBs. I guess that does mean I'll have to wash every day, I'll just have to deal with that I guess. I know that everyone's advice is always to try all the different kinds of CDs and see what works, and *then* stock up, but I don't really have that luxury from over here. There don't really seem to be many CDs available here (there must be some somewhere, at least CPFs, but I haven't seen ANY anywhere yet), and shipping and customs nightmares make ordering later impractical. So I'll just wash my FBs a lot I guess.

[huango]

albuquerque: side subject: are you living in Athens, Greece? Wow!
My DH took me there for my graduation present; we got our wedding bands handmade in Mykonos.
Love Greece! Miss the food.

as for diapers, I didn't try many types. but i would recommend getting some covers for the cpf, to help your FB stash. unless the covers get soiled, they can be used again.
i'm sure the shipping and customs regulation can be a headache.

oh, question: are you a fan of the hazelnut spread Nutella?
there was a flavor of Nutella in Greece that i fell in LOVE with in Greece, and I can't find it in the US. it was caramel and chocolate Nutella.
Have you seen any in the Greek stores? Wondering how it'd be to ship that to Massachusetts...

:)

[Marisa]

Wow, caramel and chocolate Nutella??? albuquerque, if you really do have that there, I may have to initiate some sort of diaper-covers-for-Nutella swap with you!!! :D

[albuquerque]

Nutella is one of those things I don't have in the house and don't look for in the grocery stores....because if I have it on hand I have been known to eat it by the spoonful. Til it's gone! That said....if there's caramel and chocolate Nutella out there, I might have to get me some. I'll check it out the next time we're shopping.

I love Greece, but when you're not on vacation....well, it isn't vacation. I love Greek food, too, but at this point I can't tell you what I'd do for a decent enchilada or for ten precious minutes at the Vietnamese restaurant that used to be down the street from us in NYC. The problem is that there's ONLY Greek food here. Well, not only, but it sure isn't the variety we're used to in the US. There's something to be said for the melting pot, at least in terms of food variety!!

Hm, Nutella (in mass shipments!) for diaper supplies? I could see that! :)

BTW, any time I'm feeling sorry for myself about the scarcity of enchiladas or something, I go have a crepe, with Nutella, banana, and crushed cookies--Greek style fast food, available almost anywhere, with toppings choices that make even the creperies in France look pretty pathetic. Then I feel a lot less sorry for myself! Ever had Nutella in a crepe? :)

[jenji]

huango you can go to http://www.nutellausa.com/locator.htm to find a store near you that sells nutella. we have it at several grocery stores here. there is even the caramel kind.
yummy

[mya174]

Hello! I hope that some of you may help me with my CD issues. I have used Wonderoos for about 14 mos (son is 16 mos) and lately either he is a super soaker or they aren't wicking like they used to. Suggestions?

TIA!

[Robertsgirl]

Help! Joshua is officially at an in between stage. We are a Kissaluvs and BSWW family! BUT...he is now in between the M and L BSWW and I need a new brand of covers! The M are rubbing him raw inside his legs and the L are leaking at night. SO please recommend some brands I can try that have sizes in between M and L BSWW!

THanks!!!!

BTW, any type will do. I would love to get a SP or two and maybe another Aristocrat, but Dh probably won't approve a bunch of those! ;)

[nancy drew]

I would love to get a SP or two and maybe another Aristocrat, but Dh probably won't approve a bunch of those! well, you would really only need one or two wool covers, as they just need to air out between uses. so you can switch between 2 for a day then wash them after a few days. thats one thing i love about wool, you get so many uses out of one cover without having to wash all the time. i really like the stacinator stretch wool covers. the deluxe version is better than the regular and they tend to run big (my 18 month old can still easily wear a small, yet she is in a med or large in all other dipes and covers). i dont know if id recommend it for overnight, though. but i have a super soaker so i have my own issues to deal with there as far as cloth dipes go.

[Marisa]

Amy -- has he done any growing recently? I found that Joey grew out of the Wonderoos at some point last year (chunky baby), then he slimmed down a bit so I tried one again, and it's just not the same. Something about the fit just doesn't work for us anymore, so it's all FB or hemp flats with waterproof covers.

[mya174]

Amy -- has he done any growing recently? I found that Joey grew out of the Wonderoos at some point last year (chunky baby), then he slimmed down a bit so I tried one again, and it's just not the same. Something about the fit just doesn't work for us anymore, so it's all FB or hemp flats with waterproof covers.

He has felt heavier lately. I did not think he would out grow the wonderoos. Dang. I was hoping to use them until potty training as they kinda promised. Boo. So FB work well for you? Need to check that out. Thanks for the info!

[happy1nuv]

if you ae going to do all fb, how many do ya think i'd need? would 12 be enough? i plan to use disposals when we go out ... at least at first...

And, ds is a pretty heavy wetter ... and has been known to leave puddles of b/f poo in his disposies .. any advice on what to stuff with that will keep the fb trim yet be super absorbant?

[phart]

happy ~~I think hemp inserts are the way to go with FB to keep them trim yet absorbant. Do you sew? I bought a few yards of hemp, cut them to about the size of a hemparoo and sewed the edges. They ain't prefect looking but they work just fine:)

[happy1nuv]

hmmm.... i could so do that. where did you find the hemp - locally or online? and...was it lsted as hemp? thx

[mommy2maren]

Wow, just found my way over here from the WC!

I was AKADrea over there, but wanted to join in the CD fun over here!


DD is 6 1/2 months old now, and we started CD'ing around 2 months, and I LOVE IT!!!!

We've tried just about every system out there, and I continue to use a little bit of everything.

I'm too embarassed to list my stash, as I've accumulated quite a bit over the last couple of months :o WAY more than we need, LOL!

I guess that's it for now! I haven't read through the entire thread, but just wanted to introduce myself and subscribe :D




and Shannon....can I just say that I LOVE YOUR avatar??? LOL!!! Really put a big smile on my face :D

[BeachBum]

My stash arrived in the mail. I'm so excited (how silly is that?)
I just can't believe how tiny everything is... We've got 6 more weeks till our baby arrives.

The FB I ordered seem to have a PUL type fabric on the outside. I thought they would be fleece or something all over. Are there two types?

I need to re-read the washing instructions for CPF--can someone remind me where some good directions are? Also, I need to learn some simple folds for them. Can you tell me where to look? thanks.

[Marisa]

BeachBum -- the FB are fleece only on the inner layer, and PUL on the outside layer for waterproof-ness. :) Maybe you're thinking of a HoneyBoy style diaper, which uses a waterproof fleece as the outer layer (the inner is a cotton soaker -- it's an All-in-One). (Personally, I bought a HB last year b/c it was a pirate print and soooo cute, but I really don't like it -- the fleece is too bulky.)

[phart]

happy~~I'll get back with ya. I got it on-line for a pretty good price.

AKA~~I try:)

Beach~~I have two old style FB that are fleece all around. I do agree that some HB can be pretty bulky but I had to get a turtle one and it's almost too smal now:(

[northern]

hi all, i was wondering if you had any advice for me- read back a few pages but didn't find exactly what i need... anyway, my baby is due 9/16 and i want to have a few different types of dipes on hand when she is born, then see what i like the best and get a bunch more. so far i have 6 fuzzi bunz with hemp inserts.
SO: what else are your favorites? what else would you recommend for me to try out first? i keep reading various sites and found i just ended up with too much info to keep it all straight (once i decided i definately wanted to try the FB) i think i might prefer all in ones or pockets dipes mostly. but let me know what you think, and especially where i can order the ones you recommend!! does anyone like bumkins?
thanks!!

[nancy drew]

northern my current favorite all in ones are www.lucyshopechest.com. she has such cute fabrics to choose from, she is always open for orders, and the dipes hold up really well.

[elly]

Hi :) Can any of you recommend a brand (or website) of flushable/disposable diaper liners?? I started cloth diapering my 1 year old a few weeks ago and would like to try them. I've read that some are more likely to cause a rash. She does have sensitive skin so I'm hoping to find some liners that are soft. Also, do they only work well for solid poops? (wondering if it would help at all with newborn diapers)

Thanks so much!! :)

[Teresita]

We started using the Imse Vimse flushable liners when DD started eating more solids and thus had more solid poops. I really like them. If she just pees, then we wash the liner and re-use it. When she poops, we just toss it in the toilet. They're biodegradable. It keeps our pail from getting too stinky, prevents us from having to swish the diaper around in the toilet, and protects the diapers from poop stains.

[mommy2maren]

I don't have any recs for liners, as we haven't needed them yet.



As far as CD'ing a newborn....the cheapest way is to use PF's and covers at first because they outgrow them so fast....a lot of people will wait until they move up into a size they're going to stay in longer to get the cuter/more expensive dipes.


I got a bunch of kissanots (3rd or 4th quality kissaluvs) for my next DC (whenever that may be) If you go to www.kissaluvs.com and sign up on their list they'll let you know when they stock their outlet store and the kissanots.

[Robertsgirl]

Ok, I bought some fleece covers on WC before J was born....we are finally using them. SO, how do I wash these? do you dry fleece or hang it up?

THanks!

[mommy2maren]

Fleece covers are great! I just threw mine in the dryer. It's actually good for the covers to go in with your regular wash (with fabric softener and/or dryer sheets!) It'll help make them more water repellant, and soft!

[Robertsgirl]

Oh groovy! Thanks for the help. I'll happily do them with my regular laundry! :D

[gelfnrach]

I am trying out CDing DS for a few reasons (rashes, irritation from disposables). I ordered 4 FBs and 4 Joey bunz inserts. For now we will only be CDing during the day while we are home (not overnight and not when were out for a longer period of time). I have a ton of CPFs that I use for burp cloths, but nothing else...

There is SO much info out there, I can barely keep it all straight so I figured I would come and ask you girls.

1. When I use the FB with the insert is there any special way I need to wash them. I know some fleece can become repellent, so I would like to avoid that.
What detergent should I use? Is 7th generation ok?

2. Sizing--I got Medium FBs for DS who is 19 lbs, and long/slim. Do they tend to run true to size?

3. Will 1 JB be enough to stuff the FB with or should I order more JB or pick up some other things to stuff with at BRU (think they have some there)? We will be home so I will be able to change him regularly. I also worry about them being too bulky with alot of stuffing. I dont really care about cost. I want out of the baby butt irritation club! LOL!

4. Has anyone tried Kushies AIOs? Are they any good?

THANKS!!! Cant wait to try CDing!!!

[nancy drew]

gelfnrach i do cloth part time too, and it works really well for us. she wears cloth at home and on short outings but disposables for naps and nighttime and longer outings. seems to be a good system for us, im sure it will be great for you guys too :)

1. When I use the FB with the insert is there any special way I need to wash them. I know some fleece can become repellent, so I would like to avoid that.
i wash mine with the rest of the dipes, cold rinse, hot wash, cold rinse. some say to line dry fb, some say use the dryer. ive done both methods and they seem to work equally well.

2. Sizing--I got Medium FBs for DS who is 19 lbs, and long/slim. Do they tend to run true to size?
as long as he is long and slim the mediums should be fine. dd grew out of her mediums when she was a superchunk then she grew back into them as she slimmed down. she is now 23+ pounds and 32.5 inches and still wears a medium fb.

2. Will 1 JB be enough to stuff the FB with or should I order more JB or pick up some other things to stuff with at BRU (think they have some there)? We will be home so I will be able to change him regularly. I also worry about them being too bulky with alot of stuffing. I dont really care about cost. I want out of the baby butt irritation club! LOL!
you said you have some cpfs that you use as burp cloths, you should be able to stuff with those. or you can pick up some more at BRU or online at someplace like www.naturalbabies.com. for us 1 jb would not last more than about 30-45 minutes. but my daughter is a super soaker. if your son doesnt really soak his dipes you might be fine. before you go buying extra inserts you might just experiment with what you have on hand. try 1 jb and keep an eye on him to see how wet he gets. then try a jb and a cpf. jb are probably trimmer than cpfs (i havent stuffed with a cpf so i dont know for sure).

3. Has anyone tried Kushies AIOs? Are they any good?
havent tried them, sorry!

[Marisa]

g - we do pretty much the same wash routine as Nancy. I never line dry, my dipes are fine.

Joey can still fit in Mediums too, and he's 28 pounds/33 inches tall. He's considerably slimmer now than he was last year, though -- I moved him into larges when he hit around 23 pounds b/c he was quite chubby.

You're not going to find anything better than prefolds at BRU, just the Gerber prefolds which are like the bottom of the ladder, KWIM? I use prefolds to stuff my FB sometimes, and they do work, though JB are much trimmer. We use JB at night, so give them a shot, they might be just fine (we double or triple stuff for nighttime).

MOE microfiber inserts seem to work really well for us -- the terrycloth ones that often come with Fuzzibunz from some retailers? They're trim but definitely absorbent enough for the daytime.

I've tried Kushies and I'm not a huge fan. The outside isn't very soft (the waterproof part) and they take way way too long to dry -- like 1 1/2 -2 hours in the dryer, or 12 hours+ hanging. No way could I wait that long. That's one of the big reasons we're doing all pockets.

[gelfnrach]

Thanks so much for the quick replies!!
I will let you know how they work out for us!

[gelfnrach]

Nancy drew How many diapers do you use? I only have 4 now and am wondering how many more I should get, provided it works out well for us.

ALSO for anyone...what detergent do you use? TIA!! ;)

[nancy drew]

i have a huge collection of dipes, partly because i have become addicted to buying cute ones, partly because i am anticipating having 2 kiddos in cloth very soon, partly because having more dipes means i can go longer between laundry days ;).

id say that in a 2-3 day period dd goes through about 15 or so dipes. thats how many are in the dryer at the moment, anyway. if you just have 4 you will need to wash every day and probably use disposables part of the day. as far as how many you should get, it all depends on how often you want to wash dipes. the more dipes you have the lazier you can be ;)

i use tide free detergent (about 1/4 cup and it has worked really well for me. i use mostly hemp fitteds, which tend to get stinky after a while, so i sometimes add some calgon water softener (we have hard water) or tea tree oil and that usually takes care of any stink.

[Marisa]

I agree with Nancy, about 15 should get you through 2-3 days if you find you like them. I find that I might change Joey 5 times during the day, at the most, and from about 7:30-7:30 he's in the same overnight diaper.

For our hemp stink issues (whew! did we have issues!) I would dump all my inserts into a plastic bin, and soak with Bio-Kleen Bac-Out for 24 hours. I have 12 hemp inserts for our overnight diapers, and 2 smaller bottles of Bac-Out is about enough to cover them entirely. (Obviously I used a different overnight diaper or a disposable on the nights the hemp was soaking.) I've only had to do this maybe every 3 months or so, it's pretty effective.

[gelfnrach]

Can anyone recommend an AIO? I need to buy maybe like 3 more (I have 4 FBs). Maybe I will get a variety and test them all out...TIA!!

[deliciousjones]

I really like the VB AIOs. You can get them with snaps or Aplix (velcro) closures. I have a couple of others with cute patterns but they tend to leak a bit.

[gelfnrach]

THanks. I will check them out. Are Swaddlebees pockets any good?

[deliciousjones]

Ive never used them. We've been so happy with FB that we've never tried anything else. We have some Wonderoos that we use at night because they're bulkier than FB.

[gelfnrach]

Thanks christine! I will talk to you over at LJ so we dont hijack this thread...

[gelfnrach]

Question on drying FBs...I am going to try and line dry my FBs but if I need to use the dryer, do I dry on low heat or can I go with the regular heat?

[phart]

I dry mine on regular heat and all is well

[Chicksinger]

Hee hee, I got a big package yesterday! DS (20 pounds, but loooong, at 10 mos) is almost ready to move into the large FBs, and I ordered 15 this time (in red, navy, forest, dark blue, white, butter, orange--Yippee!). He can get out of his Rumpsters and CPFs anytime; he just rips off the velcro covers, even the ones with a buckle.

I am so in love with the FB bi-colors! I ordered a sage with butter fleece and a light blue with mint fleece (weird, sounds like food). They are so nice! I even used the blue/mint this morning, stuffed with a premium CPF to fill some of the space. It worked! They look so much bigger than the medium FBs, but with a bigger stuffer and tighter snaps, I can use them now.

Sorry to go on and on; I'm just thrilled with this new set. There's only one problem; the snaps on the 2 dark blue dipes seem wrong. They don't feel like they snap closed tightly enough and they look different than any other FB I've ever bought. I'm going to check with Inge (from Diaperware) to see about exchanging these. I didn't wash them yet, because I didn't like the look of the snaps when I checked the shipment.

[BeachBum]

Speaking of FB...A friend loaned me some in small (for my soon to be newborn) but not the inserts. What should I buy? Or should I plan to use newborn CPF?

[nancy drew]

you can stuff them with cpf, not sure what size as we never used the small fb. the preemie cpfs might not be absorbant enough, i have heard they arent terribly absorbent. id recommend joey bunz or another hemp insert. my favorite are wonderfulls, they are 2 pieces, one is the right size for a small fb and one is the right size for a med or large fb. they snap together so when your baby is older you can use both together as extra stuffing. only problem is, no one seems to carry them anymore. im still waiting for backorders from may or june. they make a microterry version too, some people prefer microterry to hemp. anyway, the bonus is that you dont have to buy seperate inserts for small, medium, and large fb. you can just buy the wonderfull and use it for all three sizes. :)

[deliciousjones]

beachbum:

the cottonbabies inserts have snaps so that you can fold one end over and make it shorter so it fits a small fuzzi bunz.

hth!

[gardenmommy]

I need a little help...

My DD is 3 weeks old and we usually use a NB kissaluvs 0 at night under a cover and she is soaking through them occasionally...We are up about every 3 hours, and I change her everytime, but she is still soaking through.

Any advice for a good nighttime newborn dipe??

TIA! :D

[nancy drew]

jennifer you might try adding a doubler to the dipe to make it more absorbent. there are tons of different ones available, try www.naturalbabies.com or www.lilbunz.com (check the "diapering accessories" page). im sure other sites have plenty of doublers as well. make sure to get something with more than 1 or 2 layers, though, as it sounds like you need something a bit more absorbent. hth!

[Sherah]

Hi, Everyone! I've been cloth diapering 3.5 month old DS since he was 1 week old and am ready to thin out my stash. We are a Kissaluv family all the way. I just didn't like using Fuzzibunz as much. I have 3 small, 3 medium and 6 Hemp inserts for sale. I'll sell the 3 Mediums, with inserts for $40 (inc. shipping).
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d608b3127cce938bf8484db600000016108AZOHDVq1Zt8
The Mediums have never been used or washed.

I'll sell the Smalls with inserts for $35 (inc. shipping).
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d608b3127cce938bf85fcc9100000016108AZOHDVq1Zt8
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d608b3127cce938bf841cc8f00000016108AZOHDVq1Zt8
I used and washed the small FB and all inserts a few times, per instructions.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d608b3127cce938bf8464db800000016108AZOHDVq1Zt8

If you want the whole package, I'll sell everything for $65, inc. shipping.

My email address is Tornayt@aol.com

SOLD

[kakirk]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I don't have time to go back looking...

What do y'all use for a diaper pail?? We're currently using the Diaper Champ which I love in that it keeps smells at bay (we're supplementing w/soy formula :( so poops are stinky!), but it's not big enough for my two babies. I need something bigger (so we aren't forced to do laundry every day), but hubby is worried about the stink factor.

Recommendations???

Katie

[deliciousjones]

katie,

we use a big trash can w/ lid from target and alternate between an xlarge bummis bag (from cottonbabies.com) and one of those huge waterpoof laundry bags from the laundry isle at target. this works well for us. it does get stinky after 2 days, though.

[nancy drew]

we use a step-on metal garbage can and have 2 pul bags (one bummis and one mystery bag) that we rotate. it took me forever to figure out that we needed two bags so i could always have one in the can. the smell isnt the best after 2-3 days, but sometimes ill shake some baking soda in there, or hang a rag with a few drops of tea tree oil on the edge and that helps.

[Adam's Pi]

We use the cheapie $10 swing top/lid trash can from Target (or Bed Bath & Beyond). We also use have two mesh laundry bags ($3 at Wal-Mart) that we alternate (one is in use, one is on the drying rack). The mesh bags fit just fine in the trash can, but there is plenty more bag than can--we could probably use a larger trash can with the same bag (make sense?). This works well for us (older child--solids + BF and fewer diaper changes). When he was exclusively BF'ed, it was a bit messy. I do diapers about every 2 or 3 days (depending on stink and what I know is in there).

[Chicksinger]

we use a step-on metal garbage can and have 2 pul bags [ours are Bummis and Happy Tushies] that we rotate. ..we need two bags so i could always have one in the can... I'll shake some baking soda in there, or [put] a few drops of tea tree oil [on a fleece liner] on the edge and that helps.

Ditto! Actually--no smell problem when we wash every 3 days, though no soy poops. Our can is from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

[mollyeilis]

Subscribing...had no idea this thread was here!

We use the 54 gallon diaper pail purchased from katieskisses.com. We have two bags, a big purple Bummis bag that I *hate*, and a big bag from Mother of Eden (purchased from puddlesplace.com) that's OK. It has a little microfleece bit inside that we can drop essential oil on, and that helps on the hot days when I'm not washing.

If someone (and by someone I mean my toddler) opens the pail and leaves it open, it gets funky. But that's quickly remedied by simply shutting the pail. :)

[curlyq]

subscribing... used disposies w/ #1 and really want to try this for #2, but sheesh, my head is spinning from all the acronyms (have to keep referring to my cheat sheet from p.1) and the new terminology.

[mollyeilis]

Okay, I may have asked this before, but I'm going to again...

Those with heavy wetters: what is your failsafe night-time solution? Nora is still in sposies at night. Even I stuff the Fuzzibunz to death, we still get leaks. I think it's because her thighs are actually a bit too slim for the L size (anyone using the Petite Toddler size?) but I don't know for sure.


Carol, I'm sure you've moved past this by now LOL, but wanted to answer anyway, in case anyone has the same question currently.

We have mainly Large, but one Petite Toddler. We've decided to stick with the larges, because there's more growing room *and* he has big thighs, but if we had infinite sums of money for diapers that fit exactly right now, we'd stock up on the petite toddlers. They are slimmer, but long enough for a tall body. We really love the fit, it's a lot less bulky than the larges, mainly because we're not ending up with lots of "unused" fabric, like with the larges. With the larges we use the third tightest thigh setting and the tightest waist. With the pt size we're on the second or first thigh and the middle waist snap.

As for night-time, we only, and I mean only, use Kushies AIOs anymore. We just love them. More later on our experience with Kushies. :)

[mollyeilis]

Does anyone use a wipes warmer with their cloth wipes?? How do you do it?

How do you use the warmer w/the cloth wipes?? We tried disposable wipes & they gave each of the babies raging diaper rash. :(


We have a warmer from BRU, their Especially for Babies brand. It hooks over the side of our changing table, which we do still use even at 15 months. (cheapo Ikea changing table, yeehaw). It has a hangy thing for diapers or whatever, but we've never really used it much.

We make up our solution in a bowl, then dip the wipes (we use cheapo baby washcloths...94 cents for 8 at WalMart, that kind of cheapo), wring them out somewhat, and put 'em in the warmer. Some cut their wipes in half, but we know that we'll use the whole thing for wipe-worthy changes, so we just fold them (it's just part of our laundry routine now) and unfold for use.

Our solution is about a capful of burt's bees apricot oil, a few drops of lavender essential oil, and about 8-12 sprays of Lush Tea Tree Water (it's got other stuff besides TTO, so it's not as smelly or strong as the essential oil). The Lush stuff has lasted us AGES, we're on the second (there's a slight and tiny possibility that we're on the third, but really, we're almost sure it's the second) bottle since even before Eamon arrived. So the Lush TTWater has been incredibly cost effective. :) We don't use soap b/c I didn't want to put soap on him but not wash it off. Oh, and then we put in warm water, swish it around, then dip the wipes and so on. I try to only use enough for that batch of wipes, b/c we found that dumping the solution down the drain or putting in the toilet really did a number on the drains (the oil, I think).

[mollyeilis]

There is SO much info out there, I can barely keep it all straight so I figured I would come and ask you girls.

Has anyone tried Kushies AIOs? Are they any good?

FYI, in time, thinking/writing/talking about CDing will not make your head swim. In time you will figure it all out. It's like magic. One day you're thinking you'll never get it, the next day you're on MDC's diapering forums, understanding it all. :)

You asked about Kushies! Yay! Partial copy of something I said a few minutes ago in another reply...

As for night-time, we only, and I mean only, use Kushies AIOs anymore. We just love them. We'd tried super-stuffed FBs, we'd tried various dipes with wool (complete with fun music-band logos embroidered!), we'd tried Rumpsters (man have those fallen apart!), but nothing compares to the ease and absorbancy we've found with the Kushies AIOs.

Marisa mentioned the outside is rough, and that's true, but then the FBs aren't all that soft on the outside, either! At least to my hands. :) They soften up in time, well, at least *we've* found that, and there's just so much softness inside, where IMO it counts.

They wash really easy, though their official instructions says to do a wet pail and wash in warm. Eh, whateva'. We just wash 'em with the FBs and little lambs and all the rest. Cold soak, hot wash, cold rinse, we're done. :)

We don't have the problem with drying that was mentioned...at least I don't think we do. I haven't noticed. I've never tried to hang-dry them entirely, though. I've done it overnight just so they don't mildew in the washer, on nights that I started the wash too late (top floor of our building, don't want our downstairs neighbors to kill us LOL).

Supposedly they are sold at BRU, but I finally figured out that ours doesn't carry them. They are also sold through babiesrus/amazon.com, but that's expensive plus shipping. We've purchased a pack (they come in a cute soft plastic "box" with a zipper, I've kept it to use for *something*) from a brick-and-mortar store in OR, which was fun, but found the best deals online (*cough* kellyscloset) with free or minimal shipping costs.

[mollyeilis]

does anyone like bumkins?

We like Bumkins AIOs, as well. Just bought 6 (for a total of 7) for a day-trip to Disney we'll be taking soon. I don't want to deal with the snaps of the FBs or the inserts, and the cotton inside just seems like it would be cooler than the fleece of the FBs. :)

That being said, our workhorse everyday diaper is FuzziBunz. They didn't fit when he was brand new, but within a month or so he'd filled out so the smalls could work.

For the future, though, I'm going to get a whole bunch of Kissaluvs size 0, with some doublers, and for covers I want to try proraps (didn't like the Bummis snap covers all that much). We still have 36 CPFs, and I'm sure they'll come into play, but we really loved the (one) size 0 K'luv we had. :D

[Adam's Pi]

Molly My DS has pretty chunky legs too (love those rolls!!!) but is getting longer, and we're still using the L FBs. How do the leg openings on the Petit Toddler FBs compare to the L FBs? I'm about ready to reorder and can't decide if I want the XL's or the PT.

[phart]

Karen~~We use the petite toddler over the large and A has fairly thin thighs.

[mollyeilis]

Thigh openings...the niceness of the PT is that it's not so bulky, there's not so much unused fabric, KWIM? We're on the second snap in, at the thighs, rather than the 3rd in on the large. And that allows for a better fit under clothes.

Like I said, if I could afford to buy all the diapers in the exact size he needs, I'd use the PT right now. Since we can't and we want something he can grow into for longer, and we don't mind the extra bulk, we just get the large.

Hope that explains the PT/large (can't even think about XL!) better. :)

Oh, and the nice part of the PT is that it's just as long as the large, so it goes high enough from butt to belly, while being less bulky.

I should take a picture (since the whole diaper-picture thing doesn't seem to bother me or my husband). We have the same color PT and Large, so the comparison could be good. Later, once they're clean, maybe I'll do that (but use a link so no one gets worried).

[kakirk]

Sigh...my twins have officially moved out of their preemie CPF's & proraps. :(

Anyhow, my favorite cover is the bummis super whisper wrap, but they get stinky really fast. Anyone else notice this?? How can I get rid of the stink?

Also, I just discovered the wicked cute Bumkins print diaper covers. Begging hubby to let me get some. :D

Katie

[phart]

Katie~~I love my bumpkins but they aren't terribly absorbant so I line them with a preemie prefold.

[gelfnrach]

molly
What do you use in your Kushies AIOs at night? A doubler or microfleece liner or something??

Another question from a newbie I havent ventured into cloth wipes yet, but let me ask you...what do you do with them when they are covered in poopie? I know when I wipe DS after a poop theres a significant amount on the actual wipe. Do you rinse them after use, then put in the pail or just throw them in. I ask because I am getting totally sick of having to throw away wipes and put the dipes in my pail for laundering. I would like to just stick them all together and wash.

[lady1297]

gelfnrach- We just throw ours in the pail, poop and all. Sometimes if it's really gross, I rinse it in the bathroom sink. It's the only thing that sink is used for (rinsing diapers) so I don't worry, but you could wipe it with a Clorox after to sterilize the sink.

[phart]

gelfnrach~~I don't know how old your babe is but I only dump solid poo into the toilet and everything eles gets washed.

[gelfnrach]

So you actually shake off the poop from the wipe then wash? Hes almost 9 mos so the poop is pretty solid.

I just ordered a sprayer so maybe I will spray them and then put in the pail? Does that seem excessive? I dont have an extra sink so rinsing in the sink wouldnt work for us.

[nancy drew]

i usually use the diaper to wipe the poop off before even getting the wipe out. as i take off the dipe i sort of wipe her with the front part of it. that saves most of the poop from getting on the wipes. then i use the minishower on the diaper. i never have significant amounts of poop on the wipes.

[mollyeilis]

We don't line our Kushies with anything. It's so, well, "kushie" that it doesn't seem to need anything! He usually initially goes to sleep with whatever he was wearing, then when we follow him (well, when hubby follows, I'm usually online a bit longer) we change him into the Kushie. It usually lasts about 10 hours. Now that he's started drinking water, sometimes he goes through it faster, but normally he's fine.

You have to do it up TIGHT though! Because of the huge span of weights a Kushies covers, you have to really make sure the elastic is taut. While we usually have the FBs as little hipster dipes*, the Kushies are up like Urkel above his navel. :)

*now that we have all Large FBs the hipster look is gone, but while we were still squeezing his 32 inch tall, 24ish pound bod into the Mediums, they were low-rise dipes most definitely. :)



Poop. Now that E has started eating more solids and his poops are starting slowly to move away from pure breastmilk poop, we've taken to wiping them off with toilet paper. Wipe it off, flush the tp, throw the dipe in the pail. We have a sprayer but haven't hooked it up yet (I've had it since 2 months before E arrived!) b/c it just seems like a pain in the booty. An extra step in a system that's simple and working...doesn't seem needed.

Then again, the wipe-with-tp thing is starting to make me and Robert a bit ill, so the sprayer might be tried out soon... :rolleyes:

As for wipes, I've never thought about doing anything but throw 'em in the washer.

I always figure, if I fell in mud, or if Robert got car grease all over his car, we'd just wash the clothes and expect it all got clean. And we'd expect the washer to be clean. So that keeps us sane about poopy dipes.

And that "fall in the mud" line of reasoning even got us permission to wash dipes in my childfree brother's washer on a vacay soon! :D (of course it does help that he knows he and I were CD'd by our mom LOL)

[curlyq]

Okay, I've read all 100 billion pages and still have a few teensy questions if y'all don't mind...

w/ regards to wool soakers... are they really hot? Ie, we're from FL and it just sounds so hot - then again, polyester (or disposies plastic) doesn't sound so cool either, so maybe I just answered my own question.

Do you think I"ll need preemie CPFs? My dd was very small when she was born (5lbs 9oz). this one will (hopefully) be a little bigger, but if he's around 6 lbs, will regular old infant size work on his tiny bottom?

Also, has anyone tried SAHM converted fitted dipes? How do they compare to *brand name* fitteds? (specifically Kissaluvs).

I *thought* I had my stash finalized last night - got an "okay" from my BFF in CDing, but then discovered the diaper calculator at diaperpin dot come and some package deals at Natralbabies dot com and that threw me right off my game. I'm starting from scratch today. For a while, I was going to use disposies until he grew into size 1s, but knowing myself, I'll just keep buying disposies as I'm prone to laziness.

TIA! This thread has been a WEALTH of information.

[lady1297]

hi curlyq!! Welcome to the dark side!! :)

Wool : Because it has holes, it is supposed to be much more comfortable and cool than polyester and disposies. I use it when DS has diaper rash so the air can get to his little bum. It works for me. I only have one soaker, so that's why I only use it occasionally.

I used infant CPF's on my 8 lb 1 oz baby and I had to fold them over in the front to fit. If you expect your little on to be smaller, I would probably recommend premie. Just my thoughts. I didn't use them so I don't know how big they really are. You can use them later as doublers, so they don't go to waste.

Start with cloth. They aren't more inconvient than disposies, so I think you'll like them. List you options here and we can give you more specific advice! Hope you love the cloth like we do!!

[curlyq]

lady1297 - thank you so much for the quick response. Esp. re the preemie dipes. I guess I"m just concerned that I'll buy diapers, then use them for 3 weeks and they'll be too small, but if your 8lb. baby was still a little small for the infant CPF's, then I can expect a little more time in preemies.

I'll post my start up stash later on today - my 2yo needs a playmate, and, well, that would be me. :)

[lady1297]

No problem, mine was sleeping at the time!! Yeah, he wore them for quite awhile. Maybe 3 or 4 months? And like I said you can use them to stuff a pocket diaper if you use them, or double up a night diaper.

[nancy drew]

wool: i use wool 99% of the time (when s is in cloth, anyway). there are some wool "wrap" style covers that arent as thick as soakers, more like a very thin sweater. the stacinator stretch cover is one that i really like. i feel like wool is our best option for all weather, as it allows her bum to air out a bit (i think you know about our rash issues). i do use a soaker, like an aristocrat, when she is wearing a dress (which wont be an issue for your baby ;) ) or just hanging around the house.

[Marisa]

curly -- I will send you a couple of preemie CPFs, so you can compare the sizes. If you decide to get another dozen or so they're only about 12 bucks. Look for granitesmith on eBay -- great deals, great diapers.

[curlyq]

Thanks Marisa! :)

Has anyone had any experience w/ one size dipes (saw a package by Imse Vimse)? They seem like a dream come true once the baby is past 8 or 10 lbs, but I really doubt they'll fit even a 10 pounder... am I right?

[Marisa]

The only one-size dipes I've used is Wonderoos (pocket dipes like Fuzzi Bunz). I found that I really enjoyed using them a lot more once Joey was between 15-18 pounds... before that it just seemed crazy the way you'd have to snap and fold the extra material. Or maybe I'm just a spaz who wasn't doing it right. ;)

[Daniel's Kitty]

I am holding off using the one size diapers that I have until Ben is bigger since there is so much work with them. He is 10 lbs now so I will start to try the few one size ones now. If my memory is working today, I believe I have Little Lambs ones that I got on Ebay.
Although he is in a lot of disposables at this time since my mom and I are making most of my cloth diapers and right before he was born her finger got closed in the garage door. He does look so cute in his cloth diapers though!

[curlyq]

Thanks Marisa & Daniel's Kitty (esp. for the dipe Marisa - looking forward to practicing putting that puppy on one of Soph's baby dolls. Yes, I'm THAT new to this, I hvae NO idea how to fold, etc.)

Okay, my thought now is to dipe him up to approx. 6 mo. (15lbs) in KL and CPFs... then invest in some one-size dipes. If his sister is any indication (and she may not be, but we'll go with that), he'll be long and lean and have a fairly small hiney. ;) She's been in the same size for EVER and it's hard to find "big girl panties" for her b/c her bum is so small.

[kakirk]

Ooh, I get to help for once instead of asking questions!!

curlyqp, I used preemie CPFs with my twins from birth (7'2" & 6'5") until just recently. I would estimate that they were each about 8.5 or 9lbs when I moved them to the infant size. I had to fold the front over w/each for a bit but now I don't have to with Hank anymore (he's just shy of 11lbs). I do still fold it over with Lily (who is 9.5 lbs), but she's very lean; Hank's the chunker in my family. :)

Katie

[phart]

curly ~~Dude, spend a few bucks on the preemie prefolds then use them for burp cloths later. And I use a few of mine to line my Bumpkins AIOs.

Aiden was in a wool soaker (knit by me) and a t-shirt for most of his first Summer and never complained;)

[mollyeilis]

For a while, I was going to use disposies until he grew into size 1s, but knowing myself, I'll just keep buying disposies as I'm prone to laziness.


my thought now is to dipe him up to approx. 6 mo. (15lbs) in KL and CPFs

In case you're talking about Kissaluv size 1...wow, my guy (medium sized at birth and grew FAST) fit in his size 0 k'luv until...about 5 or 6 months? Of course at the end they were at his hips (which is how I like a dipe to fit, but not everyone feels the same LOL) and looked more like speedos than a dipe, but the size 0 kl still fit and did the job. :)

So if your guy grows like your DD did, you will do well in infant cpfs and size 0 KL for a good while!

[Adam's Pi]

Alright ladies! I'm looking for affordable (less than $20, preferably less than that) fitted diapers--BUT my kiddo is big (weighs 33 pounds) and has kinda chunky thighs. He's also a bit of a heavy wetter. I prefer fleece next to his skin.

Off the top of your head, can anyone think of a good diaper to check out?

TIA!

[Sarah]

My DD was born at 8, 10, and has been fine in regular infant prefolds from birth- I'm glad I didn't buy preemies. But since I didn't know how big she would be, it wouldn't have hurt to buy a dozen.

I bought kissaluvs, too, and used them since birth. I'm not a huge fan. I like them, but they soak through so quickly and the snaps are annoying. Nice for containing BF poop, though. I guess I'm just a prefold girl at heart. Love my prefolds. I just counted that I have about 40 infant!

[Sarah]

AdamsPi- A friend sent me a dipe I'd never heard of, and the tag says Angelwraps. It's an awesome fitted with aplix. Maybe check that out?

It's not a fitted, but HappyHeinys seem to work well with chunky thighs- they are about 15$ and you can stuff them with a cheapie prefold. And they are fleece lined. Same for FB.

[gizzyntaz]

Sarah - I'm a prefold girl too! We had 40 infant, now we have 28 premium, and I have 28 toddler on Alan's wish list. :D I've tried other dipes and never been as happy with the results... We only have 2 AIOs for Alan now, and I just carry them in the diaper bag. We use them (prefolds) with BSWW and I don't see myself changing anytime soon!

- Alison

[clzj]

Are any of you working out of the house? If so how does that work for you?

[mollyeilis]

Alright ladies! I'm looking for affordable (less than $20, preferably less than that) fitted diapers--BUT my kiddo is big (weighs 33 pounds) and has kinda chunky thighs. He's also a bit of a heavy wetter. I prefer fleece next to his skin.

Off the top of your head, can anyone think of a good diaper to check out?

TIA!


Well of course the first thing that comes to my mind is FuzziBunz. And second are Swaddlebees, since I just found out about them. However, I was reading on MDC that some heavy and fast wetting babies don't do well with them; the insert can't absorb fast enough, or something like that?

cottonbabies.com has a good deal on FuzziBunz, since they have their own insert...

[mya174]

My sweet MIL thought she was helping me when she decided to dry my CD. She was until she used a dryer sheet. Now I feel the softener on the CD and I am afraid to use them. Will they leak on me? Do I need to strip them and what does that involve?

TIA!

[Sarah]

Mya- it can't hurt to try one and see if they leak. If they do, you should strip them- I think there are instructions a few pages back. Basically wash them a bunch of times with no detergent on hot.

CLZJ- I don't work, no, but I think it'd be doable with daycare. Especially with an inhome provider. If you bought something easy to do, like Fuzzibunz, and prestuffed them, it would really be no harder than sposies for the caretaker. You could send a small bag for the dirties and wash them when you got home. Easy enough, I should think.

[carolc]

Some of my older Fuzzibunz have a problem. The waist elastic in the back has lost its "snap," and so they're leaking. What can I do? Do you think FB would fix/replace them for me? Anyone else had this problem? I don't have that many so I wash them a lot, but they never go in the dryer.

Also, the FB are starting to stink. It's not noticeable when they're dry, but as soon as a drop of pee touches them they start to reek. What do I do?

[Sarah]

I dunno, Carol, I was coming to ask the same thing. My older FB are all losing their thread that holds the elastic in the back. I was going to Email MOE about it, but I don't know if they'll replace them, since they were a gift and I didn't buy them.

[carolc]

Also, I am still looking for a nighttime no-leak diaper for us. I do think our FB Larges don't fit Nora just right (thighs too slim) and that's why they leak. I can't afford a whole new set of FB, though. I have tons and tons of prefolds, so a different cover might work. I am thinking of something with "cuffs," KWIM? (We have Bummis SWW covers and they didn't work at night for us either.) Any recs? Also, I may have asked this before, but is there a wool cover out there that you can machine wash and machine dry?

[Sarah]

Proraps, Carol! They have leg gussets, and I dry them and they're fine. They are a bit more plasticky, so tree hugger you won't like them as much, but they rock and they're cheap. :P

[carolc]

I think I have one Prorap. I'm not sure I've tried it at night. Duh. Dunno why.

Sarah, is the elastic shot or is the seam holding it in loose? I would think you could sew up the seam. I don't know if I can take out and replace the elastic, though. At least not with my very basic sewing skills.

Was just looking at wool covers on eBay. Dang, but this one is cute.

http://cgi.ebay.com/100-WOOL-DIAPER-COVER-SOAKER-BOOTIE-SET-421_W0QQitemZ7712363794QQcategoryZ26267QQtcZphotoQ QcmdZViewItem

I still just am not sure about diapering with wool in FL, though. I know it's supposed to be breathable...but geez, a wool sweater is breathable too, and I am not putting one on down here.

[Daniel's Kitty]

What are the best for a really heavy wetter?
Once I have enough in the FBs they don't fit him very well. I still have to try the ones that my mom and I made since I know the inserts for those are great. I hate the flooded mess he can make. I may try the inserts we made in the FBs and HHs to see if they work better. I am still using disposables overnight since dh does a lot of the night changes.

[mollyeilis]

I still say Kushies AIOs, cinched up tight (b/c they have a HUGE weight range within each size), are great for prolific night-time wetters.

And I confirmed it last night, the outer shell of the Kushies DOES get softer over time (compared one we had for awhile with the newer ones)...

[phart]

Carol~~I doubt that they'd replace them since elastic does eventually give out. I got a couple of my FB from a friend and when we went through her stash several of them were shot so we pitched them. I just threw another away. I'd be interested to know if they'd replace them though so, yeah, you should call;)

We love our proraps around here too.

[nancy drew]

carol ive been using wool on stella all summer (i know, not as hot as florida here but still hot) and she has been fine. i was skeptical at first but the wool does breathe. if you are looking for wool like the one you posted i recommend aristocrats (http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/covers.htm#aristocrat) . i dont know if they can be machine washed and dried, but to expedite the drying process of wool i sometimes spin them in the washer (after hand-washing, im a wimp about testing them in the dryer) which gets most of the water out and they dry much faster. if you are looking for non-plasticky pul covers i still highly recommendbumpy (http://store.naturalbabies.com/products/results2.asp?Cat=DiaperCovers) covers. they arent plasticky at all, imo. they are a little spendy but they are great.

[catmom]

I used cloth on dd for several months, and then switched to disposies because DD couldnt roll over in the bulky cloth diapers. I am thinking of switching back to cloth, but I have one concern... dd produces the most amazing wet diapers at night (confession... DH and I have actually weighed her night diapers just for fun, and they are usually 10 oz +!). DD also can't sleep with a wet tush, and I'm worried that the cloth won't keep her skin dry enough at night, since she usually goes 12 hrs without a diaper change. Is there some kind of diaper that would keep her as dry as a disposie at night, or is that just impossible?

[lady1297]

Catmom- DS doesn't like to be wet either, especially at night. He does well in fuzzi bunz stuffed with 3 joey bunz. His bum isn't wet in the morning that way.

[gelfnrach]

catmomWe use a FB stuffed with one JB and one cottonbabies mf insert and its more than enough. DS eats once overnight and wets alot and it seems to work for us. His tush is dry in the AM

[deliciousjones]

where did you guys buy your joey bunz?

we've been stuffing with prefolds and it's just too bulky. are the joey bunz pretty trim?

[lady1297]

I got mine at Kelly's closet and one or two from Naturalbabies I think. Hope that helps! Oh and they are trimmer than prefolds, but there is still bulk.

QUESTION ABOUT NEWBORN:

I want to get some more size small fuzzibunz for the new baby to be concieved one day. How many do I need to diaper at night? And wash every other day? 8? Thanks.

[phart]

lady~~I think I'm in the minority but we rarely changed at night because it ticked him off so bad for a while. I figured if he wasn't complaining then I wasn't changing:)

[BeachBum]

Ok, so this isn't as easy as I thought.... My baby is 9 days old and about 8 1/2 lbs.
I bought kissaluv size 0's---but they are so, so bulky! And I haven't found a good fit with any of the covers I bought (bummis, prowraps, bumpy) Please tell me this isn't as good as it gets. Hubby is giving me the "eyebrow" wondering why in the heck I spent so much money on CD.

I also bought some FB but they are way too big at this point. I have some CPFs but I'm still too intimidated to try them.

I could use a pep talk!

[Sarah]

BEachbum.. maybe you could post a pic or something. My DD was over 8 lbs at birth, at the kissaluvs fit fine, not too bulky. Maybe you're just not used to what a CDed bum looks like? It's nt going to ever be trim like in a sposie. But Kissaluvs shouldn't be too bulky.

I change my DD twice or three times (usually once at around 9, once at 1ish, and once at around 6) at night, so I would need like maybe 6 or 8 to wash every other day.

[gelfnrach]

ChristineI got my JBs at natural babies and thanks mama. I am LOVING them now (hated them at first).

[mollyeilis]

Ok, so this isn't as easy as I thought.... My baby is 9 days old and about 8 1/2 lbs.
I bought kissaluv size 0's---but they are so, so bulky! And I haven't found a good fit with any of the covers I bought (bummis, prowraps, bumpy) Please tell me this isn't as good as it gets. Hubby is giving me the "eyebrow" wondering why in the heck I spent so much money on CD.

I also bought some FB but they are way too big at this point. I have some CPFs but I'm still too intimidated to try them.

I could use a pep talk!


How long is baby?

My guy was under 8 lbs and 22 inches long, and the covers just looked silly for the longest time! Nothing is ever as good or as bad as it might get a day from now. Babies constantly grow, lengthen, fill in, get skinny again, and so on. So diapering changes often (usually, for me, as soon as I've bragged about how perfectly everything is going LOL).

This (http://images.snapfish.com/3449%3A6%3B923232%7Ffp46%3Dot%3E2327%3D%3C23%3D84% 3B%3DXROQDF%3E232355977%3B9%3C%3Aot1lsi) is how silly my small Bummis cover looked with a CPF when he was somewhere under a month old. This is the size 0 Kissaluv also in June, see how HUGE it (http://images.snapfish.com/3449%3A6%3B923232%7Ffp45%3Dot%3E2327%3D%3C23%3D84% 3B%3DXROQDF%3E2323567529349ot1lsi) looks? :) And then a month later it was all fitting a bit better has he filled in (http://images.snapfish.com/3449%3A6%3B923232%7Ffp63%3Dot%3E2327%3D%3C23%3D84% 3B%3DXROQDF%3E23235827%3B%3A%3A67ot1lsi).

I never read the first pages of this post, so I'm not sure if all the diaper/website weirdness has caused a moratorium on posting pictures. That's why I'm just posting links. If I missed something, and I'm not supposed to show them at all, let me know. :)

I hope my pictures show how things look odd but also change as time goes on and pounds are added.

[gardenmommy]

Carol~ We like to use Lightwraps...especially at night. They are lightweight but also have leg gussets that keep even the nastiest BP poops in, and lave snaps as well as a very large velcro area. Not too spendy either.

Beachbum I thought my NB looked riduculous in her Kissaluv 0"s too but we used fairly trim covers (lightwraps or nijis)

[Chicksinger]

Beach Bum You could try using the CPFs as stuffers for the FBs. They are bulkier than the inserts and help to fill those roomy leg holes. For example, right now DS wears medium FBs with one or more inserts, but he also fits into a tightly snapped (I even criss-cross the snaps on the top row)large FB when it is stuffed with a premium CPF.

We pretty much only used infant CPFs from 3 days old to 3 months old. Maybe a different fold is what you need. Our 2 favorites are the bikini twist and the jellyroll. You can always practice on a doll or bear to see what feels more natural for your hands. I recommend trying it out now (as if you needed one more thing to worry about right now!! :rolleyes: ), before your baby starts really moving around a lot, because it can get pretty wild once they are kicking and rolling a lot. If it is second nature by then, you won't have to think about the folding part, just about the crazy flipping baby. :D

[BeachBum]

Thanks for the advice guys.
Yes, Henry looks about like the pictures you posted Molly. The diaper is nearly down to his knees. I guess we will just keep working with it.
I haven't used the FB on him yet, as they seem even bigger than the kissaluvs.

Another dumb question:
Does the entire diaper get wet? So far when he pees the entire diaper soaks so he ends up wet feeling all over, unlike with a 'sposie where it contains the pee right in the front. Is that typical?

[Megande]

We have happily been using CFPs and covers for the past 12 weeks, but now we are running into a problem. DS is huge (He probably weighs 16 or 17 lbs and is 26 inches long) and I can barely fit the infant size CFPs around him. I bought some premium ones, but they are HUGE! Is there a fold out there that will help with that?

Also, how do you get the stains out of the covers? I bought unbleached CFPs this time, so I'm hoping that will help with the dipes (and I don't care that much anyway), but some of my covers are stained around the leg holes and it bothers me!

Thanks for your help!

BeachBum- I don't know if it is "typical" but the same thing happens to us as well. DS doesn't seem to mind, though :)