suddenly feel empowered to CD, but need guidance/ UPDATE! I DID IT!!

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

Ok call me crazy, but I like to watch tutorials on YouTube, lol, discovered this while looking for a 'how to' for a faux fur baby blanket I'm working on. It is sooo relaxing somehow just sitting there letting someone tell me how to do something step-by-step.

Just now I discovered a TON of cloth dipe tutorials while looking for product reviews on a stroller (I'm easily led astray apparently, lol). Suddenly I have this overwhelming urge to use chinese prefolds, snappis and thirsties covers!!! I mean, like rabid desire to stock up on these, lol.

When I initially considered CDing I thought I might prefer the 'all-in-one' varieties, but after watching the tutorials with the chinese prefolds/snappi/thirsty cover combo - something clicked like 'OMG, I can do that'.

I am at this very moment staring poverty right in the eyes, with no respite in site, at least until this baby is considerably older. Can I afford a stash of prefolds/snappis/thirsties?? I don't even know what a good, functional stash consists of, realistically speaking. How many of each do you need to get by without having to constantly run wash??

Keeping in mind I will be a single mom with four kids, one with special needs requiring HUGE amounts of time and attention, a newborn, a grade schooler and a high schooler, and working outside the home as well -- honestly I'm not going to have time to wash dipes every day.

Being hideously poor already, I can't drop $300 for a starter stash. I only have a few months left before baby arrives, I don't know how big he's going to be, although I can assume he will be at least 8 and possible 9+ lbs. going by my history. I would like a supply of dipes that we can use a good long time, not something I would have to constantly be sizing up as he grows. Something that isn't complicated to wash or dry.

Am I losing my mind? Can someone guide me to where I need to be here? I am lost but suddenly so excited to do this. : Why didn't I find those tutorials 5 months ago??

[Lily's_Mom]

Originally Posted by Sleepyheaded_Mama

Suddenly I have this overwhelming urge to use chinese prefolds, snappis and thirsties covers!!! I mean, like rabid desire to stock up on these, lol.

This is my first-time cd stash! I skipped the newborn size prefolds and went straight to infant because the XS thirsties have enough room to accommodate a bigger diaper, yet still fit a newborn well. I bought 24 infant prefolds (organic indian cotton) and 4 XS thirsties. I'm also going to get a dozen fitteds and few more covers from motherease.

For your situation, maybe you could find a way to score a couple dozen prefolds without spending tons of $$$. Hopefully others have more suggestions, but I wonder if you can buy used diapers from a diaper service? You wouldn't have to worry about their 'history' and I bet you could get them super cheap. If you want to do cloth most/all of the time, and not do laundry every day or every other day, you'll probably need at least 36 diapers and half a dozen covers for a young baby.

I have my prefolds all prepped and folded in the change table and can't wait to wrap them around my new baby!

[SunShineSally]

we are using prefolds thirsties, bummis and motherease covers, IMHO this is a no fail system but for night we are getting fleece or wool we are also using a diaper service for at least 6ish months I loved cding ds and cannot wait to cd again

[ExuberantDaffodil]

First of all, you can do it! When I started CD'ing my son, I used pockets and AIOs because I was afraid of prefolds and covers. Late in his diapering, I finally tried it, and lo and behold, it was EASIER than AIOs!

I am hideously income-challenged right now, too. I can't even pretend to think about dropping hundreds of dollars on a cloth diaper stash right now, even though I know it will save me in the long run. Thankfully, I have been able to find some very good deals.

For example, this site has factory seconds prefolds for as little as $10.99 for a dozen. This is where I am going to buy the majority of my prefolds. Also, this site has some very inexpensive contour diapers and covers. I have 6 of the Dappi covers already, and one of the girls who works at my birthing center swears they work just fine! Clearly, I am not going to win any cute stash of the year awards or anything, but at least I can pick up the essentials without breaking the bank so that I can cloth diaper this new little wee one.

I also recently scoured ebay and diaperswappers and found some very inexpensive wool. I got two adorable handknit embellished wool covers for under $20, and I also found very extremely affordable recycled wool sweater longies, as well. I actually made recycled wool sweater longies for my son when he was a toddler, and I am not all that awesome of a sewer. I got a 100% wool sweater from Goodwill off season for about $3 and then followed a tutorial I found online. Again, didn't win any awards for cutest stash of the year, but boy those longies worked awesome for overnight!

[Krystal323]

if you're poor, than prefolds+snappis+thirsties covers sounds like the most cost-effective thing you can choose! I used nothing but those exact items for CDing my last baby until she was 12-ish months and I had money for AIOs Put 'em on credit or buy them used if you can--it's WAY cheaper than disposables in the long run.

I washed every other day and had 24 infant prefolds, 18 premium prefolds, and 5 covers (4 thirsties + one homemade wool one for backup). It was "enough", but I HAD to wash every other day, like, exactly the same time of day, or I'd run out and have to snappi a dishrag on her while the dipes were drying

I would recommend 2 and a half dozen infant prefolds, 24 premiums, and 6 covers....or possibly even 7 or 8 in the smallest size, cause newborn poos are prone to blowouts You could hold off on buying the premium size til baby's bigger if you have enough infant size ones

good luck! you can do it!!

[athenalove46]

If you don't have money to start a stash check out www.miraclediapers.com. It's application and income based and it sounds as if you'd definitely qualify. I'd at least give it a shot! I don't know how long their waiting list is though. Good luck mama and if you want to do it there are ways to find diapers cheap. Freecycle, craigslist, just dig, dig, dig!!!

[ldsmom06]

I think prefolds and covers are the best way to go! I used only prefolds and covers for my dd until she was 8 or so months( with a rare pocket no and again). I NEVER had a leak! If you just get the infant prefolds and skip the newborn size it sould last you at least 6mos-my dd was 9lb 3oz at birth so we didn't even use the newborn size. At that point you could just trifold the infant prefolds in the cover and it will let you use the infant prefolds longer. I had bought kissaluvs fitteds for my dd but they were too tight on her so I sold them. Now I use prefolds and clover fitteds on my dd most of the time with dappi pull on covers or wool. The dappi covers are great and cheap($4.99 for a 2 pack at buy buy baby). I have wasted a ton of money on AIO's and pockets and never was happy with them. IMO its easier the lay a prefold in a cover then stuff it into a pocket. Also since only using prefolds and fitteds I never have stink issues that I had when using pockets and AIO's on my ds.

Good luck!

[billikengirl]

I have this site bookmarked
http://fernandfaerie.com/frugaldiapering.html

[strawberryfields08]

You can totally do it! I second everones great ideas. I wash every other day to every two days and I started with about two dozen prefolds. It is so easy to do prefolds and covers. I used pins instead of snappis because I really liked them. And when they get older I just lay a prefold inside the cover. I would maybe splurge on one good cover for overnight (I have never used thirsties so I don't know, maybe they are great overnight) just so you aren't washing sheets all of the time, but I have never had a diaper leak overnight. My system has grown into a little bit of everything based on what I can get a deal on when I need one. I am recently getting rid of some diapers that have seen their last days. They are the ones that have been used in every cycle for the past 3.5 years! I think they definetely saved me a ton of money! Good Luck in your search.

[JohannaInDairyland]

For the frugal - I recently fell in love with diaperswappers.com - if you don't mind using less-than-pretty used diapers, you can get some awesome deals!

sleepyhead_mama, can you post the link to the tutorial? Maybe it'll convince me that I don't need all-in-ones.

[Lily's_Mom]

Originally Posted by Krystal323

or I'd run out and have to snappi a dishrag on her while the dipes were drying

[ShwarmaQueen]

I just ordered the rest of my stash from Little Lions. Their 1st quality prefolds are on sale, but their "seconds" prefolds, which are already reduced, are also on sale! They're really really cheap (like you can probably get the first year of prefolds for under $150- and there's free shipping on orders over $90). Here's what I suggest for a basic stash of prefolds for a "big" newborn:

3 dozen capri sized (sale $20.70)
3 dozen premium sized (seconds are only $16/doz.)

Covers you can buy them used on diaperswappers.com- I just kept checking for someone selling a bunch of S, M, L and saved on shipping that way. The good brands are made to last so I don't mind spending $8-$10 for a used Bummis whisper wrap vs. buying a new one.

GL! You can totally do it! We are financially tight as well, but just think about it this way- $150 would hardly get you through 2 months of using sposies!

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

Originally Posted by JohannaInDairyland

sleepyhead_mama, can you post the link to the tutorial? Maybe it'll convince me that I don't need all-in-ones.

LoL - this is some great information guys! Thank you! I am feeling more optimistic already! And Johanna, here is the link that lit the fire under my @$$ lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebhyTQvmGpO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebhyTQvmGpO

I will get back on later, but I am on my lunch break right now and have to head back to work. Thanks again everyone and keep the advice coming!

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

http://www.youtube.com/user/maddiesmommy0503

the video is titled 'how to put on a prefold diaper' by maddiesmommy0503. I have no idea why I can't make the links work, I'm sorry. But perhaps if you search under her videos you'll find it. Or just go to YouTube and type the link in...? Sorry not much help, gotta run back to work. Muah!

[ShwarmaQueen]

Just thought of you this morning mamma- there is a store called emibeans that is going out of business and there are a ton of covers on clearance- AND you get 25% off AND free shipping! Just bought a couple more covers...:

http://www.emibeans.com/

You can get a start on your covers here for used prices!!!

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

Okay critique my order before I finish...

Okay, so DD and I talked (she is 14 and can be very wise at times, lol) and she pointed out that we wont really need a stroller until next May. I know some people manage to never need one, but I am small and my babies end up being heavy (youngest hit 30 pounds by first birthday), so my carriers only work for me for so long.

ANYHOO, the point of that little digression is that the money I had been saving for a stroller I can now feel comfortable putting towards my CD stash. I found a website called Pinstripes and Polkadots and put together an order consisting of:

30 standard infant Chinese prefolds
6 Thirsties DUO wrap covers in size 1
6 Snappies
The total came to $130.50

The DUO Wraps I expect to have to size up to size 2 by six months if not sooner which is why I only bought 6. I figured if one got 'dirty' I could rinse it in the sink and hang it over the shower curtain to dry. The Snappies I kinda planned on just buying a bunch and never needing more.

But I'm hoping I made the right choice on the standard infant Chinese prefolds, do you think that is a good starting size for a baby likely to be at least 8+ pounds? Or should I get the premium infant prefolds? Does anyone have any advice in that area?

Then by 6 months maybe size up to 'standard baby' 'premium baby, or 'toddler' prefolds? Could I buy the toddler size at six months and fold to fit until he grows into it? I'm trying to get by without buying a bunch of sizes here.

Also, the wet bags they have on that site are absolutely beautiful (Planet Wise) but I don't need anything that pretty or expensive, really. I do need waterproof, which apparently the cheaper/plainer Bummis wet bags are not. Can anyone point me in the direction of inexpensive waterproof wet bags? I need a large one for the garbage pail that will be the dirty diaper bin and a small/medium sized one to carry in my diaper bag.

Thanks for all your help so far you guys!!

[Mommy2Haley]

I'm getting prefolds from little-lions.com and covers as well. My total (in getting 24 infant prefolds, 3 newborn covers, 24 capri size prefolds, 5 small covers) is less then $200. I've also made 12 newborn fitteds and am in the process of making 12 small fitteds. (I already have a stash of medium pockets from DD).

It's doable!

Also, if you're handy with a sewing machine you can make super cheap wool pants and soakers from 100% wool sweaters you pick at GOodwill/Salvation Army. I'll have to hunt down that tutorial for you (and me) ...

ETA (just saw your latest questions)

I'm not the one to ask about sizes -- this is my first prefold experience! I did want to mention that you can just FOLD the prefolds into the cover without folding around the baby (or using Snappis).
Folding prefolds into covers & sizing info: http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/prefolds.htm

I have two wet bags -- waterproof -- and they're wonderful. I put one in the pail while the other is being washed with dipes; I then switch when it's laundry day. I think I have a FuzziBunz bag and then a no-name, WAHM made one. I was given a Bummis one and it's awful if you want to avoid that pee smell. I'm sensitive to smells so waterproof is the only way to go for me!

Snappis -- you don't need 6. You only use one at a time and 6 is a ton!! I have two and one doesn't get enough love.

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

Originally Posted by Mommy2Haley

Snappis -- you don't need 6. You only use one at a time and 6 is a ton!! I have two and one doesn't get enough love.

Six is too many?? Okay, good to know, thanks! I was compensating for my tendency to sit something down and then not be able to find it again for months, lol. I figured something little like a Snappi might get lost in a hurry around this house, but then, odds are, it's going to be on the baby more often than not, huh? lol

[MamaMonica]

Moved to Diapering.

[springbride]

I only have 1 wet bag and so far it's working fine for us.
I use grocery store plastic bags as wet bags in the diaper bag.