Please critique my stash

[strawberrykitten]

Hi there... We are expecting our first baby in February and I am starting to buy our diaper stash. Please let me know if everything I have is enough (too much) or I would need more items.

For Newborn
20 - Kissaluvs Size 0
6 - Thirsties x-small cover

Next Stage
36 - SposoEasy AIO Small (I like that it's very trim and so far good reviews)
10 - Fuzzibunz Small (Night time) - Not sure if I need these if I'm getting the doublers

Or
36 - Fuzzi Bunz One Size diapers ( Then I don't have to worry about buying the next stage up and can use the same diaper) I can't decide so some help here would be nice

5 - Small Hemp Doublers
5 - Large Hemp Doublers

30 - Double sides Wipes - I think I might also just use wash clothes depending on what is easier and cheaper
2 - Fuzzibunz pail liner bag (big with zipper)
2 - Whammies wet bag (regular to carry around)

I'll be making my own solution


I was debating with MEOS Diapers and Fuzzibunz but I didn't want to buy covers and I thought it looked too bulky.

Thanks in advance.

[Michigan Mama]

You might consider getting a few more dipes for the nb stage. It depends on how often you wash and how often you change, but you could fairly easily go through 12 diapers in a day sometimes, so 20 dipes may not get you through 2 days. You could get some more kissaluvs, or mother-ease sandy's newborns might be nice, but I've been perfectly happy with my prefolds and covers, so it might not be a bad idea to get a dozen infant or newborn prefolds and a snappi as extras.

My other comment is to buy a couple of a few different brands/styles so you can see what you like on your baby before you buy your whole stash. The fit is different on different kids and you may decide you like one style better than another...

Don't forget to investigate laundry detergent that is good for cloth. Here's a nice list.
Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!

[strawberrykitten]

Thanks Michigan Mama..

I'm avoiding prefolds because I want this to be super Dh friendly. If I go with prefolds, I'll be stuck with pretty much every diaper change.

I live in a very small town so I don't have the opportunity to touch and feel any of the diapers. I don't want to keep spending money trying different ones so I'm aggressively reading reviews and sticking to the ones I know people have used and are successful with. Dh isn't very flexible so if I buy one kind, I'm stuck with it. I just don't want to give him any incentive to switch to disposables.

As far as kissaluvs.. since I thought we wouldn't use them very long with babies growing out of them too soon, I was thinking of doing laundry every night in the beginning. I will have help so that's not a concern.

I got a really good deal on Country Save detergent on Amazon so that's what I'll be using.

[alfabetsoup]

I would try a couple of different wraps--Imse Vimse and Nikkys are great, I'm especially loving the IV soft wrap with snaps at the moment. Also please note that Sposoeasys and fuzzibuns do not fit skinny babies. I've had very bad luck with both on my skinny-legged girls, they just leak right out the leg holes. I'm sure it's a fit issue, not a diaper issue as so many people love them. For AIOs I like BumGenius Organics OS and Imse Vimse with snaps.

We did prefolds for the nb stage and they were great. When my girls got close to the next stage, I would buy a few different types of diapers in the next size up to see what worked and then get a stash of what I liked best.

AIOs are great but they don't last the night so you'll need a few pockets or fitteds and wool for that. As far as DH-friendly goes, how many changes will he be doing? You just have to have enough that he likes on hand for when he's using them and can do prefolds or fitteds the rest of the time--save things from getting boring!

[Galatea]

Get 10 more XS/NB diapers. 30 is a good number to wash every other day, and you don't want to have to wash too often at the beginning.

As for the rest.... 36 diapers is wayyyyyyy too many. Not that someone wouldn't happily take your money, but it is unnecessary. I'd have between 18 and 24 diapers. FBOS are very nice b/c of the way the leg and waist elastic adjusts to get a perfect fit. They are having one-size rewards till the end of the year: buy 9 FBOS, get $40 in merchandise from them. (Buy 18, get $80 in store credit with them.) That way you can get your pails and wipes for free. Or some XS/NB fuzzibunz to round out your newborn stash.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fawnanddoe]

I have to agree with MichiganMama on buying a few different kinds. I bought a bunch of bumGenius OS before DS was born and while I do like them, I really would prefer natural fibers over synthetics. This is something I didn't realize until I used them a bunch. I think a dozen nb or infant prefold's would be really good to have, they are actually really easy to use, and very economical. If anything you could always use them as doublers, but I have come to love, love, love my pf's!

36 is definitely a lot. I would get an assortment if I were you. Maybe 8 fuzzibunz OS, 8 bumgenius OS, a few grobaby dipes, some thirstie's and swaddlebee fitteds maybe and some larger covers.

I would also get a wool soaker and a pair of longies, they are amazing!

[strawberrykitten]

Thanks everyone and also for the heads up on the sales. I'll definitely be looking into that.

If I scrap the Kissaluvs, how many prefolds should I purchase with 6 covers. Will x-tra small covers work for newborn? How many snappis would I need?

I'll be using the Fuzzibunz afters so prefolds is all I would need then and I can save some money with the not purchasing the Kissaluvs.

[Carhootel]

I think your stash looks great but I agree with PP's that you want some variety. Things fit kids sooo differently, you might even find that one type of diaper fits great but when you size up that brand doesn't fit right anymore. I'd try a variety of brands for sure, but your quantities seem right now. I also think having some inexpensive prefolds as a backup or backbone of your stash is always a good idea.

[Logan]

I would definitely get way more newborn ones. I was basically washing all day long (little babies create a surprising amount of laundry) and we were still always running low and I had way more than 20 newborn choices.

I personally hate prefolds (posted about it recently ) so I cant recommend them, especially for a DH because it was hard enough for me and I love cloth diapers so I cant imagine it for someone who isnt even keen in the first place.

I think 20 kissaluvs would be perfect and then 20 of something else. As for the bigger sizes you dont need as many, its really the newborn stage they go through a lot. And our kissaluvs fit for ages- I think she was still in them at 2 months and she's a chubby girl. We only put them away as the absorbency was no longer enough, they still fit. So you can get a fair bit of wear out of them. I also really liked loveybums newborn and motherease sandy's XS. The kissaluvs and the motherease bamboo take FOREVER to dry. So I really think you need a lot more than 20. Even in the dryer it was taking a good 2 hours for me to get them dry.

I havent tried the Fuzzibunz one-size but apparently they are a great fit cause of the leg snaps. I also am tending to stay away from synthetics now as my daughters skin seems so clammy in them. But if I were you I would get say 10 small and 10 one size that way you can get a feel for them and if you find you need/want more then you know which you prefer.

Id also recommend a few bummis superbrites for the really tiny stage as they are way smaller than the thirsties XS. I think around 10 covers is good for a newborn as they tend to get dirty at many of the changes.

And probably 60 wipes, sometimes you need 3 or 4 just for one change! And they're always handy. If you find its too many you can use some for wiping little grubby hands and faces- youd be surprised how soon that stage comes

[skylarsmom08]

After starting and stopping cloth with my DD (now 18mo) several times (she had 24 BG 3.0 OS) I've decided natural fibers are the way to go (the microfiber is really bad about detergent build up and have to be stripped way too often.)
I also am not a fan of the OS diapers...they are just too bulky on small babies/newborns
I had my DS 2 months ago and decided to do cloth again. I've discovered that prefolds and flats are AMAZING! The origami fold with a flat is super trim and I can use the same flat on my DD and DS.

My recommendation would be to have snappied prefolds or flats as the backbone of your stash (I like the GMD flats and prefolds because they're sized better)
I would have the SPOSOEASY AIO for my husband to do changes and for going out and in the diaper bag.
I would have some of the cloth-ese prefold fitted diapers (from GMD)

For covers I would have Wool soakers for nighttime (wool has become my newest obsession--Crankypants longies are the cutest things you've ever seen)
I like the Bummis SuperBrites, baby behinds wool wraps, and the Thirsties DUO wraps

For accessories i would have 24 wipes, Diaper Lotion Potion spray, wet pail, and 2 wet pail liners, small wet bag for diaper bag, and 2 snappis.

Good luck on your journey...cloth can become addicting

[Plummeting]

I 4th (5th, 6th? lol) the recommendation for more nb diapers. I also don't think that you have to shy away from prefolds just because DH will think it's too hard. For one thing, he doesn't have to put them on. You can save the fitteds for him and the prefolds for you. Plus, he might change his mind. My dh was against cloth diapering completely, until DD was born and he saw how easy it was. I had a mishmash of stuff and he had no problems figuring any of it out, even prefolds. But whatever you decide to get, more nb diapers and probably some of a different type would be good.

I really like one size diapers. When DD was a baby, Wonderoos were big and we had lots of those (I think they've changed and aren't so good anymore). If you do go with a one size diaper though, you will probably want some that aren't one size. Those OS diapers can be very bulky under baby jeans and such when baby is still tiny. My favorites for under pants back then were Daisy Doodles. They're an AI2 and super, super trim. She's still selling them today and I'm ordering some for the new baby.

Edit: Oh, and I personally don't think you *need* any snappis. They're nice, but they really aren't necessary. You can just fold the diaper into thirds, lay it in the cover, fan out the back and put the cover on. We used Proraps back then and that kept all the bf poop inside the covers. Sometimes we had to wipe the inside of a cover out, but like the Thirsties, they're the PUL on the inside, so it's easy to wipe out. Usually it all stayed in the diaper though.

[Erinjvrn]

I dont know about sposoeasies, but aios can take a year and a day to dry. pockets are very quick drying. Like BG aios take forever to dry and say fluffymail aios are quick dry b/c they have the soaker just sewn in at the top.

I second and third and fourth what everyone else said, dont buy 20 of anything. You never know what you will like and what wont work.

I used thirstsies covers for xs and s, but they have a very low rise, as does fuzzi bunz and my son grew out of them quickly.

I think you need more wipes, and i wouldnt be messing with a zipper on a wetbag. wahmies makes great pail liners that are elastic at the top and go on the bag easily. once you open your diaper pail lid youll want to drop and go.

I personally think 20 kissaluvs would be enough but its been 2 yrs since ive had a nb lol.

[Erinjvrn]

if you want to use pfs, dont scrap the kissaluvs, maybe just get less---like 12 kissaluvs and 12 pfs. fitteds are awesome on newborns.

I second that xs thirsties covers run big. My babies have been all over 9 lbs but I have 2 preemie imse vimse organic covers that work great on a newborn, those covers run a tad big. Thirsties covers run big in general.

I dont know how you feel about buying second hand, but you can try a bunch of things out for cheaper if you buy that way. Ive bought a ton of "washed only" or "washed and worn twice" on diaperswappers.com or hyenacart.com for a fraction of the price.

If you plan to use fuzzi bunz at night only, then 10 is plenty plenty. I used them at night and had 4 and was fine lol.

[Plummeting]

Oh yes, diaperswappers.com is a fantastic place to buy "used but new" diapers that have only been washed. Personally, I have no problem buying diapers that have been really used, so I've gotten TONS of diapers for this new babe from the FSOT at diaperswappers. In fact, I just ordered 10 washed but never worn nb AIO's for $65 over there. That's ridiculously cheap and I'm very excited to get them. Generally, I'm not an AIO person, but for outings and overnights those first few nights they're fantastic. Plus they're easy for all those who come visit to "help out" (and it's hard to resist any type of brand new nb diaper with adorable prints for $6.50 a piece ).

[Erinjvrn]

Originally Posted by Plummeting

Oh yes, diaperswappers.com is a fantastic place to buy "used but new" diapers that have only been washed. Personally, I have no problem buying diapers that have been really used, so I've gotten TONS of diapers for this new babe from the FSOT at diaperswappers. In fact, I just ordered 10 washed but never worn nb AIO's for $65 over there. That's ridiculously cheap and I'm very excited to get them. Generally, I'm not an AIO person, but for outings and overnights those first few nights they're fantastic. Plus they're easy for all those who come visit to "help out" (and it's hard to resist any type of brand new nb diaper with adorable prints for $6.50 a piece ).

Good deal!!! I buy a ton on fsot also. I just got some blueberry mini pockets that are like new for 13 ppd. Ive been on the hunt for a deal on these!