Best way to CD a newborn

[mama*pisces]

I've got a baby girl on the way, due in August, and have never cloth-diapered a newborn before. I used disposables with my ds and didn't catch the "cloth-diapering fever" until he was about a year old. This time I want nothing to do with sposies, but I am a little apprehensive on how to CD a newborn. I have vivid memories of newborn BF poop flying up the back of the disposables, and I definitely want something that can help lessen that. With my ds, I used only pockets, so I have to admit I'm a little spoiled, but I am willing to try flats or pre-folds, at least for the newborn stage. I have a friend that lent me a bunch of WAHM AIO's, and they are one-sized(I also have a few BG 2.0's), but I feel like these are going to be huge on a newborn(but I guess it all depends on how big she is!).

Anyway. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

[katie9143]

my recommendation would be 3 doz infant size pfs, and 4-5 nb/xsm covers (proraps i like best on this size). that will take you into where the babe should fit into the smallest size on a one size dipe and even a little beyond. if you have really big babies, like over 10 lbs, you might want to get small covers.....

[Equuskia]

Originally Posted by katie9143

my recommendation would be 3 doz infant size pfs, and 4-5 nb/xsm covers (proraps i like best on this size). that will take you into where the babe should fit into the smallest size on a one size dipe and even a little beyond. if you have really big babies, like over 10 lbs, you might want to get small covers.....

Yup, this is what I did. The bikini twist is really easy, because you just place under baby, twist the prefold, then snappi. If there is any excess cloth up top, you can just fold down before snappi-ing. But definitely get snappis, I love them and I don't know what I would do without them!

[mom2ewc]

We used CD on my son (now 3 months) since birth. Here's what I found:

1. The prefolds were daunting at first when he was tiny. But now I love them!!! I finally got the hang of folding them over so they'd fit well in the covers. We snappi'd them, and we rarely had any poop even get on the cover, much less his clothes. I had him in disposables for 2 days at one point, and we had many blow-outs. I think cloth contains them better, personally. I would definitely recommend getting at least 2 dozen of the smallest size prefolds (you can always use them as doublers later), and put them in BSWW, Raps or Lite Wrap covers. Pro Raps are good for newborns b/c of the umbilical cord cut-out.

2. We also used small Happy Heiny's on him when he was really little, too. Those fit well, although we did have a few poop blow-outs with those.

The BG OS that we had didn't fit him until he was about 2 weeks old.

Have fun!

[mama*pisces]

Well, Katie, it's hard to say whether I should get the newborn size or small - my ds was almost 10 pounds at birth, but I'm really hoping that isn't the case with this one since I'm going to VBAC. Girls are usually smaller, right?

Hmm, I had a feeling I would get a bunch of recs for pre-folds! Thanks mamas. I'll definitely get some snappis too.

Btw, what is BSWW?

[tellmemore]

Originally Posted by mama*pisces

.Btw, what is BSWW?

BSWW - Bummis Super Whisper Wrap

I am so glad I found this thread! I'll be looking here for all advice, since MY GIRL is due in August (16th) and I only started CDing my son at 14 months. I agree on the poo thing in sposies. It's been everywhere, including the volcano effect onto the floor at Old Navy. Hmmmmmmm...

Any advice on wool or fleece for a NB? With Kissaluvs or something for containment? I'm just now looking into wool and bamboo for my son who needs some air down there since pockets and everything else we have tried make him rashy. I keep blaming water and detergent, but I am at the end of my rope, and committed to making this work so that I can feel confident CDing my NB from the start, assuming she'll be sensitive like the rest of us. I am stocked for quintuplets on Unbleached Indian PFs and ProRaps, since I have wholesale accounts. I just hope they work well for my babies, since so far they do not on my toddler. But he never had rash in pampers as an infant. Of course he's alergic to the elastic in them now. Figures. 7th Gen disposable don't even help. Ugh!

Sorry, not meaning to take over the thread with MY problems. Listening now!

[MadiMamacita]

Originally Posted by Equuskia

The bikini twist is really easy, because you just place under baby, twist the prefold, then snappi.

we did the bikini or butterfly for the first few weeks until i found out about the jelly roll. that contained bfpoo muuuuch better for us. someone posted a how-to with pics on this forum a while back. takes a little more getting-used-to time, but after a few days i could easily do it in the dark. snappis are a prefold's best friend though, for sure!

[mama*pisces]

Originally Posted by tellmemore

BSWW - Bummis Super Whisper Wrap

I am so glad I found this thread! I'll be looking here for all advice, since MY GIRL is due in August (16th) and I only started CDing my son at 14 months. I agree on the poo thing in sposies. It's been everywhere, including the volcano effect onto the floor at Old Navy. Hmmmmmmm...

Any advice on wool or fleece for a NB? With Kissaluvs or something for containment? I'm just now looking into wool and bamboo for my son who needs some air down there since pockets and everything else we have tried make him rashy. I keep blaming water and detergent, but I am at the end of my rope, and committed to making this work so that I can feel confident CDing my NB from the start, assuming she'll be sensitive like the rest of us. I am stocked for quintuplets on Unbleached Indian PFs and ProRaps, since I have wholesale accounts. I just hope they work well for my babies, since so far they do not on my toddler. But he never had rash in pampers as an infant. Of course he's alergic to the elastic in them now. Figures. 7th Gen disposable don't even help. Ugh!

Sorry, not meaning to take over the thread with MY problems. Listening now!

No worries about thread-hijacking. We can all learn from eachother.

Congrats on your pregnancy! Your EDD is 4 days after mine. : Have you checked out the August Due Date Club on here? We have a great group of mamas in there. Feel free to jump in and introduce yourself.

[mama*pisces]

Originally Posted by MadiMamacita

we did the bikini or butterfly for the first few weeks until i found out about the jelly roll. that contained bfpoo muuuuch better for us. someone posted a how-to with pics on this forum a while back. takes a little more getting-used-to time, but after a few days i could easily do it in the dark. snappis are a prefold's best friend though, for sure!

Bikini, butterfly and jellyroll. Wow, I feel totally lost! You don't have a link to that thread do you? I can take a look later to see if I can find it if you don't. TIA

[Altair]

I use x-small fuzzibunz on my newborn and they work SO well I've never had one BF explosion leak with them. They have the cord cutout and you can snap them on the lower setting so the cord isn't bothered at all. I love using pockets, the only times I used prefolds or kissaluvs I really, really hated it. He would soak through completely in one pee and they would be dripping.

[tellmemore]

Yeah, I need to check out some PF techniques, too. I don't know nearly enough. I mostly stuff pockets with mine, but am trying some new things since my son's bum is the rashiest part of his poor body. He's just a sensitive guy, and it's maddening since I love pockets.

I'll try to remember the August expecting club as soon as I get a chance. Naked boy is running with grandpa outside (sunny!!) and I'm pulling some pockets off the line and laundering again. AGAIN! I just did it. But, my mom's FLer is a mystery to me, and I don't think 1 tsp of planet was enough. Eeew. Gonna go research that.

Way to go HBACers!!! I'm having a homebirth, too! We just need a home, since ours sold and we are stuck at mom's and MIL's for a bit. My 1st was natural and perfect in the hospital, but instantly I thought, "I can't wait to do this again, but at home! His bottom is so small. I can't wait to do this again, but at home! [I]His bottom is so small.[I]" LOL! I'm a bit obsessed now, and dreaming of being a doula someday, if my family's needs and my scatterbrainedness (is that a word?) allows it. My own doula and I are gonna chat about it soon. She changed my life. Birth alone does it, but she was amazing, and I parent the way I do largely because of her. :

[Michigan Mama]

OK, here's the jelly roll and this site lists a few more folding styles.

I plan to use a combo of prefolds and fitteds. You totally can use wool on a newborn, just plan to be washing a little more than you would with an older child because the poop does leak at times, more than a child with formed poo. I'll be using a combo of Thirsties and wool this time around, I think (btw, I'm in the Aug ddc, too!)

hth!

[bea3]

Hi, I am currently cding a newborn (my third child, second newbie in cloth-didn't start with eldest until 10mos) and I am using a combination of pfs, flat square flannelette, kissaluvs contours, fitted bamboozles in bsww, imse vimse cotton wraps, and wool soakers as well as fuzzibunz (which is what I used almost exclusively with dd as a newborn). I like the contours (for ease, but I must say the flat squares are fun and absorb like a charm) with a wrap during the day and fuzzibunz at night (wicking is a big plus). I am just getting to the blowout stage (8 wks) and think even in the wool soakers we do okay with a well snappi-ed contour or flat.

My advice would be don't choose one system. Cloth diapering is so fun, try as many as you've been hoping to try! Enjoy.

[Biscuits & Gravy]

My DS was 9 lbs 1 oz at birth. We didn't start CDing until he was 6 wks old, and the smalls were still pretty big on him. NB/XS size would have fit him in those early weeks without a doubt.

If I were to CD a newborn I'd go with prefolds and covers for the first couple of months. You go through so many diapers then, yet they outgrow them so quickly. Save the variety and trying out new things for when they are bigger. That's my opinion.

[bea3]

Originally Posted by Biscuits & Gravy

If I were to CD a newborn I'd go with prefolds and covers for the first couple of months. You go through so many diapers then, yet they outgrow them so quickly. Save the variety and trying out new things for when they are bigger. That's my opinion.

Biscuits & Gravy is right... pfs and covers are cheap and easy and effective. But I do love the experimenting!

[Equuskia]

The nice thing about having all prefold stash (or mostly anyways) is that laundry time is simplified. Dump, wash, dry, toss in basket. If i'm feeling frisky I'll fold them, else they stay in the basket and I grab from there come butt changing time. I used pockets with my first dd, and the stuffing was annoying quite honestly.

MadiMamacita, I totally forgot about the jellyroll! I used to do that too the first few weeks, but then like.....her belly got bigger or I don't know what, and I had to do bikini twist to make her fit the diapers!

Which is another thing, even though your baby may be big, they might have an oddly shaped body. DD2 was weird, because she had this big pot belly, but skinny hips and stick legs.

[mamallama]

Originally Posted by mama*pisces

I have vivid memories of newborn BF poop flying up the back of the disposables, and I definitely want something that can help lessen that.

I remember that well! We started cloth diapering when our firstborn was about 6mos old.

Our second two have been cd'd since birth.

When she was in 'sposies, our firstborn had massive blowouts--like, up to her armpits, requiring full bath including hair, car seat washing, bouncy seat washing...crazy poop on a regular basis.

That has never happened to me with a cloth diaper. Occasional leaks, sure. Massive explosions, never.

For my most recent newborn I modified a couple dozen worn out prefolds that had all ready been used on 2 kids. They weren't thick or absorbent enough for a big baby, but they were fine for newborn output. I cut about four inches off one end and zig-zag stitched them to prevent fraying.

I used 8-10 covers, some new, some old. The Bummis whisper wraps are my favorite.

[lisarussell]

I used prefolds with my NB's here's the fold I used http://www.thediaperhyena.com/twist_fold.htm so that their legs wouldn't be all bowed out from thickness.

I use snappis and vinyl pull-ups

[mama*pisces]

K, prefolds for the newborn stage, for sure. I'm kinda starting to get excited about using them, especially because of this:

Originally Posted by Equuskia

The nice thing about having all prefold stash (or mostly anyways) is that laundry time is simplified. Dump, wash, dry, toss in basket. If i'm feeling frisky I'll fold them, else they stay in the basket and I grab from there come butt changing time. I used pockets with my first dd, and the stuffing was annoying quite honestly.

Stuffing them was annoying!!

But..did you guys use prefolds in the middle of the night too? It seems like it might be too much of a hassle when half asleep...maybe I'll get some XS FB's just for night time. Hmm.

[mamallama]

yes, prefolds at night, too. I think it's one of those things you just get the hang of.