cloth diapers at the hospital?

[tngirl11]

I'm planning on cloth diapering for the first time, but I just had to totally change plans concerning where I'm going to deliver. I was going to be at a midwifery center where my baby would stay with me the whole time, so I knew I'd be in charge of all the diapering--no problems. Now, due to some complications, I will be at the regular hospital, and most likely the baby will be taken to the special care nursery, at least for a little while (hopefully not too long!) But I started wondering if there will be any way I can avoid having the nurses put regular disposables on him. Anyone have any idea? I know they won't want to deal with my cloth diapers, but I was thinking maybe I could at least bring a pack of chlorine-free disposables (like Seventh Generation or something) and ask them to use them, just to make due until he's with me again. What do you think?

[rparker]

I think that asking the nurses to use something like Seventh Generation shouldn't be a problem unless he's a preemie and the regular newborn diapers are too big. It's a totally reasonable request at least. If the baby were rooming in with you I'd say even asking anyone who changed him to use cloth diapers would be reasonable.

I delivered my first in a hospital and cloth diapered. Our daughter didn't need to be separated from us, but we did just use the hospital's disposables for the first few diaper changes but we were there less than 24 hours. My main reason for using their diapers was laziness. I hadn't bought any disposables because I only wanted to use cloth, but for the first few hours after she was born I was too tired to mess with the paper liners I was using to protect the diapers from meconium (probably overkill) and it was kind of nice to let the nurses change her for me

[bjorker]

Have you checked with the hospital to be sure they use sposies at all? I had dd at a hospital, and they actually supplied cloth diapers for all babies to use. I would contact them to ask, and if they default to sposies, then ask what is reasonable to bring. I have a hard time imagining that they're going to force you to use whatever they supply.

Best wishes for your birth!

[Tizzy]

Actually, until the meconium has passed, you might just want to use sposies. At least the seventh generation ones.

The hospital where I had DS1 actually used cloth which was SO nice because I didn't have to worry about washing the sticky tar, AND they were super comfortable for him.

[mollipop]

I think bringing the 7th generation diapers is a fabulous idea. That way, you probably get less resistance from nurses and less likely that your nice cloth ones would be misplaced or accidentally thrown away. Maybe you could tape a little note inside the bassinet? We did this with DD (for "no formula/no paci"). She ended up not being out of the room much but I liked having the little sign there as a backup. I used a cute little note card and I packed some tape in my hosp bag. But I'm over-organized like that.

[tngirl11]

Thanks for the ideas. Yes, they definitely use disposables. I had my twins there, so I kind of know the drill, but at that time I wasn't nearly as, well, crunchy, I guess! I think I will stick with bringing my own disposables and writing a note. I'll have a doula too (as soon as I find one!), so I'm sure I can ask her to make sure somebody sees my note.

[SeattleRain]

Even if the hospital "standard" is to use disposables, they might do cloth by special request. I know at the hospital I'm delivering at, they typically do disposable and that's what they bring out for you and the nurses to use, but they'll give you cloth if you really want it.

Its possible if the baby is a preemie that they may not have them in the smaller size, and its also possible that they don't have that option at the NICU because there might just be too much going on there for the nurses to deal with. In that case, using your particular disposable diapers shouldn't be a big deal. I've heard that 7th Gen diapers can be a little "rougher" than regular diapers though, so if you have a preemie with thinner skin, be prepared that they might be irritating to the delicate skin.

[splath]

The nurses change the diapers? When we had dd, either dh or I changed all the diapers in the hospital.

[BethSLP]

I think its probably possible to bring Seventh Generation, but I'd probably consider just using what they use until you get home.

Both my babies were born in hospitals with a doula (I had pre-eclampsia twice) and with a birth plan asking for certain things. But I made sure to "pick my battles" as they say

If its super important to you to have no chlorine, then ask. If its not a big deal to use regular sposies for a few days, I'd just go that route. I personally think a few days of sposies won't hurt.

IMO, esp. if you will be dealing with complications, special care nursery, etc. I'd save my battles for the ones that really matter.

In my case I had high blood pressure and they wanted to give me Mag sulfate (which I refused). I conceded on other things that were not as big a deal to me just to keep the peace and keep the relationship open and friendly. Sometimes I think its not worth what you give up in terms of the relationship to ask for every little thing. JMO.

XOXO
B

[MamaMonica]

Moved to Diapering

[JenDiggity]

We know ahead of time that our baby will be spending time in the NICU. I've already got chlorine-free diapers packed and also am bringing all natural soaps, lotions, creams, etc. to use. I was REALLY worried that my concerns would be blown off - what's important to me isn't important to everyone else! But, I was told that the nurses recognize that there is a lot that is out of the parents' control in the NICU and they typically will really work with you to make sure that the things that aren't medically necessary ARE in your control because they are OUR babies, after all! It made me feel a lot better to know that.

[mum4boys]

Originally Posted by bjorker

Have you checked with the hospital to be sure they use sposies at all? I had dd at a hospital, and they actually supplied cloth diapers for all babies to use. I would contact them to ask, and if they default to sposies, then ask what is reasonable to bring. I have a hard time imagining that they're going to force you to use whatever they supply.

Best wishes for your birth!

We must have delivered at the same hospital. In special care they did require sposies because they weigh them first and write the weight on the diaper.

[Stitches]

I waited until all the meconium had passed before I started using cloth...it stains and is so sticky it would be a real job to clean off. But if you do want to use cloth immediately I think using a flushable liner would be a really good idea.