How many cloth nappies on hand for EC babies?

[EcoMum]

I don't want to go overboard in the diapering department, how many do you feel are necessary for a full time EC baby? I'm due in July and I imagine that the baby will be mostly naked against my skin at first anyhow.

Can I fly with 5? More like 25?

Thanks!

[EcoMum]

Also, one thought I had, I am inclined to believe that I will be more motivated with less dipes on hand. Myth?

[Sheryl1678]

I think it really depends on your EC commitment (are you trying to get 100% diaper free?) and what type of cloth diapers you are using. There is a pretty huge range of possibilities between diaper free and full time cloth diapering.

I had close to 60 used prefolds that I bought while I was pregnant. I never, ever came close to using all of them. I used them mostly to lay her on when she was a tiny newborn and then used smaller prefolds and covers for outings and when she became mobile.

Your diapering needs will be totally different if you are using AIOs or pocket diapes. It also depends on your laundry frequency.

I probably could have realistically gotten away with 20 prefolds or so with a few covers and some wool floor/bed pads.

[KidsATM]

When I read that moms in Australia use terry diapers, I found terry bar mops. They are 14x14 hemmed terry squares, 24 for about $6.50. I use them for nakey time and folded in diaper wraps. My current baby has such tiny pees that I use folded wash cloths for her, 12 for $3.50. They are very quick to wash and dry. If you don't plan to pin it on, it doesn't need to be a diaper!

Elaine, foster mom to an EC baby

[dogretro]

My daughter was full-time eced since about 6 weeks, and we still had 36 prefolds & 6 covers for her and used them all, lol. I am of the mind that it is better to have lots of diapers on hand than to have to worry that if I do not wash them right this minute, I will run out. We also never did nakey time, so there were LOTS of changes (changed w/ every pee, or as close to that as we could). Even when dd stopped pooping her pants, we still needed all those dipes.

Our younger baby stash now consists of 24 nb prefolds, 12 nb/small fitteds, 6 nb wraps, 3 nb wool soakers, 36 infant prefolds, 6 small wraps, a bunch of ss waterproof trainers, regular trainers, a pull-up cover, and assorted wool soakers and wraps. This will be our fourth eced nb & I can confidently say that YES we DO use all these diapers over the first year!

[Adasmommy]

I'm ec'ing my 2 week old and am also really enjoying having so many diapers that I never have to worry. Not sure how many I've accumulated . . . dozens.

You might find it convenient to pee your baby on a prefold instead of going to the bathroom or using a potty sometimes, so you could have some on hand for that.

And I always want to put a diaper on when someone else is going to hold her, or when we go out anywhere.

We're not attempting diaper free (obviously) and are not close to catching all the pees (maybe 50%), so we use the dipes.

Also, dd has only pooped a few times and I have no idea what the signals/timing will be for that, so I'm glad to have diapers available when she's not lying on a wool pad!

[KermitII63]

We started EC from birth, but didn't actually try to catch a pee until DS was about 3 weeks old. We used a diaper service until I got tired of seeing other babies' poo stains, and then bought 2 dozen prefolds. It's the perfect amount. We do laundry every other day (which is recommended by the manufacturer anyway to avoid mold/staining) and rarely run out. I think it's great for peace of mind to have that many. There are days that we go 15 hrs in one diaper, and days where it feels like we go through 15 diapers in an hour!

[orangefoot]

I had a stack of 2 dozen flats which usually lasted about 2 days, 6 infant prefolds and 3 - yes just 3 - size one pastel Kissaluvs.

I used the prefolds under her bum in the sling with a piece of wool between the pf and the sling itself. She very rarely wet the sling though.

The flats were under her bum when she was lying down or sitting on our laps or asleep also with a wool pad under them.

For us, once we had moved away from the idea of a baby being wrapped in wetness we didn't really think about buying many fitteds.

The kissies lasted months because I used them as quick release little pants when we were out and about.

I would buy less than you think you might need and see how you do with washing and drying. Finding nappies in a hurry isn't a problem