cloth diapering people in here please!

Okay I want to do this. I didn't do so with dd and since we're really going to have to cut down on costs after moving into a the new house, I figured this was one area I could do it. Not to mention in the county we'll be living in, they have special trash bags, can't use regular and they are a dollar a piece.

SO here are my questions

what do I need to get started?
How many of whatever do I need?

How much does it cost initially?

and anything else you can help me out with. I need to get this ball rolling because I'd like to have what I need before we move in May- once less thing to worry about when we've just moved.



I think we're just going to go with disposables for newborn since they aren't in them long anyway- we didn't even use a whole package of newborns with dd.


thanks!

 

It really depends on how often you plan on washing. For a small baby just out of newborns I would say 18-24 diapers for daily - 1½ days of washing. If you want to span it out to 2-3 days (I wouldn't go further than that) I would go upwards of 36 diapers. The cost is going to depend on type, there are so many choices nowdays. I also suggest a pail liner or 2. I have 2 so when one is in the wash with the diapers the other is in the pail. You "can" get a wetbag (holds dirty diapers in the diaper bag) for while you're out. I have 2 so I know I always have one clean one.

pm if you want to chat more. I make them as well as retail so I can help you find what would work best for your family & budget (even if they're not from me) :wink:

 

I tried cloth diapers with my ds' and they were both very allergic to all the baby detergents that I tried. So, we finally went to disposable diapers and the rash went away.

 

you don't want to use anything with enzymes, brighteners or fabric softeners. That will cause build up (which can cause rash) or repelling. A simple free & clear detergent should be enough. I have a website i refer to that has tested detergents on cloth diapers.

 

Never used them, just wanted to wish you the best of luck with them. I know you can do it of you set your mind to it. I'm sure there are plenty here who will give you all the advice you need.

 

I never used them either, but I do know you have to watch there little skins. They do have special baby wash soap get that and use that.

 

I started using cloth when my youngest was 4 months old. I wish I would have started a lot sooner! I use cloth during the day and a disposable at night- I could never get them absorbent enough to go all night.

At first, you will be changing a cloth diaper about every 1 1/2 hr to 2 hrs. Keep that in mind when you figure out how many diapers to get. I wash my diapers 2-3 times a week. My MIL is a wonderful sewer and she made the majority of my diapers- we use the pocket style diapers. You can google making cloth diapers and come up with a ton of different resources for making them.

Also, check out http://www.babycottonbottoms.com/
Click on the bargain basement. People list cloth diapering stuff that they want to sell. I got an assortment of stuff from there to try out to see what I liked the best. I found out I preferred pockets with the hemp inserts.

Hope that helps!

 

Here is our cloth diapering page... with pictures
(It is five years old, but it may give you something to build on...l)
http://www.jennifererix.com/htmls/diapersone.html

 

what do I need to get started?

I did not start until my second was about 6 months old. I would say if you are able to wash every other day that 18-24 of whatever type you choose would be good. Here are the different types you can research:

flats, prefolds and fitteds: all cloth and will need a cover of some sort

pockets: you stuff and has a water proof outside

AIO's (all in ones) are just what they say all in ones.

You will also need a diaper pail or wet bag to put them until you wash


How much does it cost initially?

This will depend on which type you decide to go with. Prefolds and flats the "old" type are the cheapest way to go. Pockets brand new can be $13-20 a diaper. There are websites that sell used one that you can get cheaper.


I use prefolds, fitteds and pockets(these mostly for when we are out and about). I have gotten most of mine used. I use a 5 gallon bucket to store mine until ready to wash. I use All free and clear to wash them (a side note here, you do not use that much to wash them with like only 1/4 a cup). Oh, you can buy a diaper sprayer for about $40, but I just dunk the old fashioned way.

I feel like I am leaving something out, if you have more specific questions please ask.

 

OK, I thought you had decided not to go cloth....good luck........I would never have survived (although I see the economic and environmental benefits)....DH has just deployed for most of the diaper years.....

Just make sure the little Coastie as some cute boy ones

 

If you sew, I can send you a pattern to make your own fitteds. All I have to buy is Velcro and Elastic. Everything else I use to make my diapers comes from around my house (old towels for soakers, old clothing for inner and outers, etc).

 

For the most part I did not clothe diaper my two. Would liked to have but the added water bill would have out weighed the savings on diapers. In Fla where we lived the city made income off of the utilities and the sewerage cost about 3-4 times what they charged for water. The added toilet flushes and laundry would have killed us. I still feel guilty about the land fill issue and the kepts me vigilant about recycling etc.

I can remember my mother using cloth one my little sister, however. Just buy lots and lots of diapers. I had several dozen cloth diapers that I used as burp clothes, to soak up spills, spits, and sh___ and everything else that leaked here and there.

Cloth diapers rock in terms of absorbancy. I did use a few along the way as diapers. What I found useful was a pant that looks like kinda like a disposable diaper that is like two layers of cloth with perhaps plastic or water resistant fabric in between. It has a mess area inside and flaps that velcroed to the front much like a disposable. YOu can fold up a clothe diaper, and the mesh areas hold it in place and the prefolded types with these folded in thrids down the center as well.

Perhaps someone else can give the name of what I am describing.

 

Rhonda, I still haven't completely made up my mind yet but if I can get a good routine down I think it will save a lot of money.


I read somewhere that diapers can cost around $1000 for the first year. That's a lot of money we could put in the bank!

I think I'm going to go with the prefolds and buy covers. I did find a package deal for 124. I may just order that to start off with and see how it goes. I think I'll wait till till baby is around 4 months old though.

Jennifer, I was laughing so hard reading your website. But it was so helpful! You're a nut!

 

Make sure they are a good quality prefold- they can vary quite a bit! Good luck!

 

Both of my kids have never had a disposable diaper. Mainly because of the cost of them.

I was going to say that I used some plain prefolds, the mid size I can't remeber but they had green stichting. 2 dozen on sale for like $1 each plus shipping from pumpkinbutt.com (they have since changed owners)

Then I got some proraps prorap.net(i might have spelled that wrong) covers by calling the main place and ordering seconds (800) 397-8594. I think it makes the covers like 4 each, plus shipping. they are plain jane covers with velcro but they work great. I used the orginals I bought for both kids.

With #2 I found a WAHM who was going out of business and sold me some Fuzzy bunz for like $6 each. I really really love them, but they are so expensive normaly I couldn't reccomend them, unless you buy used or cheap like that. It would be nice to get just a few to use for town trips etc. They NEVER leaked.

http://www.thediaperhyena.com/ This is the website that I used for info on how to care for them etc. I didn't dunk or anything. I shook off the chunkies, and tossed in the pail. I washed every other day, and line dried. I used just a little bit of reg. det. with some borax and if they were extra smelly some vinegar in there to air them out.

As a plus both my kids potty trained fairly easily as soon as they started walking well.

 

I just started CDing about a month ago. I decided to go with the pocket diapers because they fit our needs the best. I did hours of research and also asked for help. This is what I bought:

18 BumGenius 3.0 pocket diapers
1 diaper pail
30 cloth wipes
1 wet bag
1 diaper sprayer

We spent about $450 but we will be about to save about $1000 even though we waited until dd was 10 months to start. And if we have another the BumGenius diapers can be used from 5-35 pounds, so we will be all set.

I am really glad we did it. Check out www.diaperpin.com for tons of good info.

 

I second the recommendation for ProWraps. Those are the covers I use. They are amazing! NEVER leak and cover any diaper.

 

My favorite cloth diaper forum is www.diaperswappers.com
go check it out.

 

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but have any of you ever used cloth menstrual pads? I have seriously considered buying some of these. I find that I often get irritated skin in the creases at the tops of my thighs when I wear disposable pads (especially the kind with wings). Soft flannel sounds ever so much more pleasant. Just wondering if anyone has advice on these before I drop $20+ on a set on Ebay! Thanks!

 

Kari, somewhere on this site are photos of homemade cloth pads somebody made. I can't remember who it was. They were really neat.