Cloth Diapering Questions

[homesteadmomma]

I am expecting a baby and really thinking about cloth diapering but have no clue what kind to use. I have been researching this and think it will be better for baby and also cheaper in the long run but questions, questions, questions....

Anybody want to share any opinions, experiences and or knowledge??????

 

[farmerlor]

There are some really, really cool quilted patterns that you can find if you google. They use velcro tabs. I saw some made from flannel that had the waterproof padding like you find on crib mattress covers or changing tables as the inner layer.

 

[mrbstephens]

I have quite a bit experience in this. For my son, I made him fitted cloth diapers with snaps. I still have the pattern and extra snaps and the snap applicator. Let me know if you'd like it. I bought covers that were made of fleece. They worked OK, but you could feel the wetness coming through when he needed changing.
For my daughter, I used organic cotton prefolds held together with a "snappy" which is a plastic thing that holds them closed, like a safety pin would, but without the sharp point. I also used fleece liners to keep moisture away from her skin. These I made from just pieces of fleece I cut myself. And for covers(see, you need the covers to keep most of the pee and poo off the clothes) I used wool for when she was an infant(these I felt were really hot in the summer). Then I bought from a stay at home mom on ebay. These, I think were the best. They are a vinyl(or something similar) on the outside, fleece on the inside. They have pockets inside that you stuff with prefold diapers. You can remove the prefolds when they're wet, rinse the cover and hang to dry. Then use another cover. I'd say a minimum of 4 diaper covers or pocket diapers(prefered) and 2 dozen prefolds should be a start. Also, I did tend to use disposables at night mostly in the beginning when I was too sleep deprived to fully put my attention to changing diapers repeatedly at night.

Washing.......that's a whole other story and I can give you that info too if you need it.

It's DEFINITELY worth it! Saves you tons of money and so so so much better for the planet!

Anymore questions please ask!

P.S. I have a LARGE box of gently used prefolds and other cloth diaper items that I've been looking to giveaway to someone. If you pay the postage.....it's yours.

 

[MorelCabin]

Quite honestly...after using various brands of cloth diapers on my granddaughter...and having her outgrow one set after another...I really think I would go the old fashioned way and just use the triangle with pins and plastic pants on top.
That way they don't outgrow them, you just fold them a different way...and they are so much easier to wash dry and fold. They are also ALOT cheaper so you can have alot more of them...Just my opinion

 

[homesteadmomma]

Thanks for the info, it is very helpful!

Mrbstepens, I would love to take you up on that offer, could you please let me know how much the shipping would be. I will pm you my zip code.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I have done both.
The way they make disposables now, the baby does't even feel wet and thats a good thing and a bad thing. Good for the skin, but bad because people used to be able to potty train before 2 years old and now often the child is over 3.
I would rinse the diapers in the toilet first, then put it in a pail of water with a little laundry detergent. By the time I had the days amount of diapers in the pail, it had yellow water with a smell of urine, so I figured out for myself, that after washing my babies, I would use their bath water for a second bath for the diapers. I would wring them out and throw in the tub and slouch around. Then they just went in the washer. Then just flushed the pee water and started over with a fresh pail of soapy water for the next day.
I mostly used cloth when I was able to stay at home. When I had a job outside of the house, I used disposables. Babysitters don't care to play in a toilet. Plus you don't have too much time for your home stuff when you spent 8 hours somewhere else.
When I first had a baby, they were too small for the pre-shaped diapers I had, so I just used either the birdseye or the square (forgot the name) types, and just folded them to how I needed them. Eventually I used the snap types with another diaper in the center for absorbancy.
When I had my second baby my first was only 13 months old. I would run out of diapers most days. When it would rain, I had to find a clothes dryer to use and even when it didn't rain, I had no room on the line for anything but diapers when I was drying them.
So when DD was 17 months old and I knew I wouldn't have enough diapers to last the day for both babies, I put her on the toilet and told her to make pee. She did. I put her a training pants on and chased her around the house for 3 days with a mop and the problem was solved. Then my little baby had the diapers all to himself.
I have a little girl that is almost 4 and I am still struggling.
There is certainly a lot of good reasons to use cloth, if you have the time and you aren't easily disgusted. But you can waste a lot of water you really don't need to also.
Well thats my experience.

 

[Farmfresh]

Cloth diapers ROCK! OLD mom here with three now grown kiddos and they only wore cloth. As long as you have a good washing machine handy I would do nothing else!

At first I would buy a dozen pre-folds and a dozen regular diapers. Try them out and see which ones YOU like best. Then stock up on your favorites. Any of the non preferred style will still make great burp pads and dozens of other useful items in the home, so no worries.

As for washing. I let the machine do almost all of the work. I did shake out any poopies and do a little dip and rinse, then they all went into a soak pail. When I had enough for a load I just dumped it in the washer and let them agitate a bit then spin and rinse. Then I ran them through a regular wash. Finally I ran them through a second wash this time with NO soap at all. Then dry.

Sounds like a bunch of work, but it basically boils down to dumping in the diapers and restarting the machine twice. No biggie and I had perfectly clean diapers every time!

Do check out the newer wool diaper covers!

 

[flossy]

Hiya, I have used all kinds, disposables at night, because babies wakes less if they are not wet!! and that means a lot more to me then throwing out a nappy, but I would use cloth during the day, even if out. I didn't have a job though so I had the time to do the extra washing.

I used both the traditional and prefitted kind. I found the pre fitted slightly easier, but once I got the hang of how to pin the square kind I didn't think they were that much harder to use, and as mentioned they won't grow out of them.

and they will potty train heaps earlier, which is always a bonus, unless you have a boy, then they will figure out they can make the pee go in different directions, but thats a topic for a whole other thread!!!! Congrats on the baby

 

[Beekissed]

I used the traditional cloth diapers and someone had given me a few velcro ones~these are wonderful! I once pinned a diaper right to my son.....it was awful! He just whimpered a little but I cried most of the day.

Loved the cloth diapers!

 

[MorelCabin]

Hiya, I have used all kinds, disposables at night, because babies wakes less if they are not wet!! and that means a lot more to me then throwing out a nappy, but I would use cloth during the day, even if out. I didn't have a job though so I had the time to do the extra washing.

I used both the traditional and prefitted kind. I found the pre fitted slightly easier, but once I got the hang of how to pin the square kind I didn't think they were that much harder to use, and as mentioned they won't grow out of them.

and they will potty train heaps earlier, which is always a bonus, unless you have a boy, then they will figure out they can make the pee go in different directions, but thats a topic for a whole other thread!!!! Congrats on the baby

Haha...like off the back deck with the other neighborhood 2 year old! LOL!!!