Which cloth diapers do you like best

[MamaToGoose]

I'm pregnant and due this summer and I really want to use cloth diapers. I have just begun to research them and wanted some opinions on what brand and types moms like.

Thanks!

[Bokonon]

I liked pockets at first. I have FuzziBunz and Happy Heinys, and like both, but preferred the FuzziBunz.

Now I like fitteds and covers. I have a bunch of random fitteds that I got used off Craigslist, and my favorite covers are Thirsties DuoWraps and Blueberry Minky covers.

I didn't start CDing until Peepers was about 4 months old though, so I can't speak to an opinion about newborn diapering.

There are so many options out there, and favorites vary from parent to parent. I have enjoyed trying a few different styles.

[cristeen]

Personally, I prefer fitteds with quick dry doublers. Many people like prefolds, but my guy pees right through them like they're tissue paper (urine hitting the floor). He hasn't been able to pee through the UtN prefolds though - but those are really expensive, so I only have 4 of them. I also really like my Disana Tie nappies, but those are even more complicated to use than prefolds, and I know many people hate them. I stuff them with my UtN prefolds and they're great for going coverless.

Most of my stash though is fitteds and wool covers, and that's definitely my preference. As for brand of fitted - Dream-Eze is one that has worked beautifully for us so far. I also really love the sugar peas AI2 (not the fitteds, though). And Little Beetles (snap) are really absorbent, we use them as night-time dipes sometimes. For One-size dipes, Goodmamas and Little Beetles are great, but the Sustainable Babyish pin dipe is my fave so far (next to my Disana).

Basically though, I just bought a few dozen random used dipes off Diaperswappers to figure out what I liked. Once I knew that, I went back and bought more of those particular ones. I've purchased very little new - just those ones that I couldn't find used and knew I wanted to try.

[mamapixie]

Currently the ones I've been making, a mixture of Wee Weka pocket fitteds(and a few regular fitteds thrown in) and DDU fitteds. I like how I can make them in fabrics I like, and customize them to fit DS best.

Otherwise, I probably grab for my few Bumgenius OS the most, I only have 4 though, and one has been relegated to the car for emergencies.

[guestmama9971]

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[mambera]

Originally Posted by Kmarie42

Maybe there is something I am missing- but I don't get the point of pockets or why people like them. Why wash two things? Why not just put a prefold on and a cover- then you only have to wash one thing?

Easy-on for dads and day care? One-size? Dry-touch inner?

Anyways, personally I agree with you about the laundry burden, that's why I like AI2s (we use Softbums). Selling points are

- one-size, birth to potty training
- soft, comfy, dry-touch inners
- minimal laundry burden (replace insert, reuse cover)
- perfect-fit adjustability avoids leaks
- snap-in insert is easier to put on than having separate diaper and cover
- super cute!

Diapering is pretty personal; everyone seems to have very different preferences. What I did when we started was: order one of each kind, and try them all out for at least a week. Then you can know what to order more of.

When we were starting I read a lot of reviews on diaperpin.com and bought one each of a few kinds of highly rated diapers. It took a little bit of time but ultimately I found a system I love.

[mamapixie]

Well for me, I've been making pocket fitteds to stretch the lifespan of my prefolds, as most of the GMD red's I have in DS's stash are starting to fall apart. Making a pocket fitted and using the prefolds to stuff is going to allow me to use them until he potty trains. I'd make a regular pocket diaper, but sewing with PUL mostly scares me. LOL Besides, where else could I get Batman or Transformers diapers?

As for the use of other pockets, I like being able to stuff them for the circumstances, if we're just around the house, one insert or a prefold is fine. Running errands, overnight, etc, then I'll stuff them more and with different materials.

[Blueone]

We started out using Gro Baby All in 2 diapers but my son is sensitive to feeling wet. I was having to change him every 1.5 hours because he's a frequent pee'er but doesn't pee a lot each time. They were very good diapers otherwise and I rarely had a leak with them and they held in poo very well. I just ended up converting them to snaps because I hated the velcro.

A couple weeks ago we switched to Flip Stay Dry and I love them much more. They are very absorbent and keep him feeling dry so I don't have to change every 1.5 hours and he now sleeps through the night. I like that the shells are PUL and can be wiped clean between uses, don't feel damp after a use, or retain a urine smell after a full night. We always tossed them into the wash after a full night, but they would smell in the morning.

While I do wish the Flip had a snap to hold the liner in place sometimes, it's nice to be able to pull it out one handed.

Those are the only 2 diapers I've used. I'm an AI2 fan all the way. I never liked to concept of having to unstuff a diaper then stuff it after washing them. They also take up much less space in the diaper bag.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by Kmarie42

I also don't like the fitted diapers or All in ones as much for the same reason. They take twice as long to dry after washing them, and All in ones- the whole thing has to go in the wash.

I have some prefolds that take longer to dry than some of my fitteds. It all depends on materials. And like I said above, when the stream of urine goes right through a prefold and keeps on going, you know that prefolds aren't cutting it. Not to mention the fact that even after 4 months, my DH still can't manage to get a prefold on in such a way that it will stay on.

[kirstenb]

With DS1 I loved my Fuzzi Bunz diapers. With DS2 I decided to try some prefolds, and those are my new go-to diaper. I love the price of them, plus once I put the cover on I never get leaks. I pair them with Thirsties covers, which I have always been able to get a good fit on. I also like the Thirsties fitteds. I have been slowly buying them for when I go back to work. I have a few of the Fuzzi Bunz one size diapers for DS2 which I like, but I use those more for when we are running around town and I may not get to change DS as much as I normally do. They leave him feeling dry longer than the prefolds.

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by Kmarie42

Maybe there is something I am missing- but I don't get the point of pockets or why people like them. Why wash two things? Why not just put a prefold on and a cover- then you only have to wash one thing?

I like pockets because I can customize their absorbency. I can put in a hemp liner for overnight. If Peepers poops, I'd have to change a prefold and cover anyway. And it's easier for me to change her with a pocket dipe because she squirms all over the place and it's hard to get a prefold to stay in place while she does that.

And DH doesn't want to have to touch a dirty prefold when he changes her (into a sposie, LOL), so I'm fine with him throwing a pocket diaper with the insert still in, into the diaper pail.

[mariekitt24]

I started out with a bunch of bumgenius pockets, because they seemed pretty popular. I followed all of the instructions for proper washing, and no matter what, I couldn't get them to stop repelling. (the pee wouldnt soak through, just leaked right out of the diaper.) I've got a couple rumparooz pockets that don't seem to have that problem, but those are more expensive. I just don't really trust pockets anymore.

I bought a few green mountain prefolds in different sizes because from what I read, those were the best quality prefolds. They really imtimidated me at first but once I tried them they weren't so scary to put on. However, they never seemed to fit my chunky baby just right, they would either be too long so folding them down was troublesome and bulky, or not wide enough so the snappi would barely reach across.

I haven't had too much experience with all in ones for the same reason as pockets, I just dont trust the fabric NOT to repel. I really dont want to bother with leaks, and they just seem too touchy as far as washing instructions are concerned for my liking.

So far, fitted diapers are my favorite system. I use bumgenius bamboo fitteds, which run SMALL, but worked fine for a while. I wish they made an extra large cause the large is already getting tight on my 8 month old. Very soft, but take a little longer to dry. (I do two drying cycles, one on medium, and then one on low. for all of my diapers.)

another brand of fitteds I use is thirsties fab fitteds, which are about the same price as the bumgenius fitteds, but run larger and come in fun colors. They are great, they dry fast, and are very soft. I'd say their weakness is probably arent as absorbant as some diapers, and the velcro will wear out (or get strings stuck in it that you have to pick out) but thats with any velcroing diaper. I just lay a doubler in them sometimes to help absorb more, but no matter what they dont leak anyway, they just feel more soaked than the others.

Velcro has its downsides but its still faster to use and more adjustable than snapping diapers.

and the other brand of fitteds we use is kissaluvs. those are snapping, and I dont like them quite as much for that reason but they are very soft and absorbant like the others in any case.

Oh and we have crickett fitteds, which I dont like. they never seemed to fit right either.

for COVERS over fitteds, we mainly use thirsties. They fit great, come in nice colors and are affordable and we wash and dry them right along with everything else. We probably change them every other diaper.. because while the fitted gets the most dirty, the elastic around the legs of the cover still gets pee on it so it cant be reused that much without washing.
The thirsties duo wraps are great too, but keep in mind they wont fit as well as the regular thirsties because they are 2 sizes fits all. I have found that the large thirsties duo wraps arent big enough to last through the end of diapering like they claim. Still nice, but you are gonna want some regular thirsties too.

the other cover brand we have are baby beehinds. they dont have the leg gussets like the thirsties do which is their main downside, but otherwise work just as well and also come in very nice colors and cost about the same.

and the last cover brand we use are bummis super snap covers. I dont like these as much since they dont always contain the fitted in the leg area so his clothes get wet sometimes, but they have snap closures that dont wear out like velcro would, and its also harder for a playful baby to undo on his own when he's older.


for wipes, my favorites are thirsties fab wipes, they are thick and soft and come in pretty colors. I mostly use baby washcloths though because they are affordable, and believe me you want to have a big stack of wipes. I keep them in a lionheart cloth wipes warmer and just pour water mixed with a little baby soap over them. I store the water in a gallon jug next to it and refill as needed. He used to always cry at changing time before we got the wipe warmer.

Dont forget to get wet bags. two large ones to line a trash can with for dirty wipes and diapers, and one medium one for trips. the zipping kind are great for traveling, and the elastic banded kind are great for trash cans.

I think thats about all of my cloth diapering wisdom for you!
Just get a few kinds to try at first, you'll never know what you'll end up loving. At first I was SET on NOTHING but bungenius pockets but it didnt turn out like that.

You can sell what you dont use and buy more of what you like. Different babies have different needs and not every diaper fits every baby.

for detergent we use arm and hammer natural free and clear for sensitive skin, and do one long wash cycle on hot with an extra rinse.

[ShwarmaQueen]

Day- Prefolds (I use littlelions because I am frugal) and just about any cover that fits- we still have BM blowouts often so I rotate covers quite a bit.

Night- Goodmamma fitteds are my new love- DS is a heavy wetter and these rock with a wool cover.

[Juliacat]

Prefolds and Bummis.

That said, most of the bazillion diapers sold through reputable stores work for most babies most of the time. It's personal preference and the individual's size and shape that make most of the difference.

[guestmama9971]

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[guestmama9971]

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[columbusmomma]

www.blueberrydiapers.com

[mamapixie]

I hate diapers that take more than one drying cycle to dry. I'll only purchase or make quick-dry fitteds as a result. when I make them, even if the pattern calls for an internal soaker, I alter it to make it an external trifold soaker.

[4JMJ]

For home I like fitteds (favorites are bamboo) with a bumGenius Flip cover.
When we are out and about I like pockets (Fuzzibunz and bumGenius one size). I do not CD at night but if/when I do, I will use pockets.
We started CD'ing when DS was about 3 mos. I'm not sure how the OS dipes fit a newborn.

[Pippi L.]

Originally Posted by mariekitt24

I started out with a bunch of bumgenius pockets, because they seemed pretty popular. I followed all of the instructions for proper washing, and no matter what, I couldn't get them to stop repelling. (the pee wouldnt soak through, just leaked right out of the diaper.)

I'm not the only person who hated bumgenius!!! They always leaked for me, too, and I'm not patient enough to strip them every week. Prefolds and fitteds (mostly kissaluvs) with bummis super whisper wraps were our solution. I love prefolds because they dry so much faster and are so durable, but when my daughter went through her diaper-changes-are-evil stage it was all I could do to snap a fitted on her and let her run coverless. At night we always did a prefold with an infant prefold doubler and an Aristocrats wool cover.

I'm being crawled over so I better go! HTH!