How many should I start with??

[owlgirl]

Hi!! Expecting first baby 12/21. My last baby shower is coming up and then I need to buy essentials I didn't get. In regards to prefolds and covers how many should I start with?? I have 1 dozen newborn and 1 dozen infant. a couple covers in each size.

How many dozens prefolds total?? How many covers??

THANK YOU for any guidance!!!!

[blessedwith7]

I haven't cloth diapered a newborn yet but I looked into this since I will be very soon. It depends on how often you want to wash but previous threads here and different cloth diaper sites recommended 3 doz. prefolds and 6-8 covers. That's a comfortable amount for washing every 2-3 days. I would either get another doz. of newborn or infant or of each if you don't mind the extra$. If you have a bigger/fast growing baby you may not use the newborn pfs much if at all so if money is tight go with the infant size. You can always fold down a prefold if it is on the big side.

Theresa

[chel]

i started with 1dz orange and 2dz yellow gmd prefolds with 3nb covers and 2sm covers.
as long as you are willing and able to purchase more quickly. i wouldn't worry about getting a large stash.

now at 10m i have only added 3 med covers. will be adding 2dz more diapers and 3r large covers soon.

[ChetMC]

Minimum

I managed with about twenty diapers when our first was a newborn. It was doable, but I had to wash very frequently. It'd be a stretch to say that I washed every second day because I couldn't really go 48 hours between washes, it was more like every 32 to 36 hours in the very beginning.

I always found that I needed a lot of covers with a newborn because even with fitted diapers we had explosive poops. The cover contained the poops when a disposable diaper would have failed miserably, but most poops got the cover dirty. I haven't figured out how six covers are enough for three dozen diapers with a newborn even though you see the recommendation all the time. For three dozen diapers I'd probably want 10 covers.

Going with prefolds you'll get lots of use out of them beyond the newborn stage. They make great doublers and stuffing for pocket diapers. My smaller prefolds (I only have infant and toddler) have been in constant service for six solid years in one capacity or another. I don't think you would regret having another dozen prefolds.

I do agree though that if you can easily buy more diapers or covers I wouldn't worry too much about stocking up now. Once you get a feel for how things are going it will be easier to figure out exactly what you need. You've got a good start.

[Smidge]

I like having 3 dozen pfs in each size and 6-10 covers in each size. You'll want more covers when they're having blowouts in the early days

This allows a little wiggle room on wash days, especially when all you're doing is feeding and soothing

You'll use your pfs until they're PLed since you can stuff them in pockets

[owlgirl]

Thanks!!

I live an hour from Portland so I prefer to have a good stash to start. I think I will do the 2-3 dozen newborns with 8-10 covers to start. Better safe than sorry and like everyone has pointed out pfs are useful for just about everything. I know women with 10 year olds using old pf stashes as rags for cleaning still!!

Thanks again!!

[Mosaic]

Originally Posted by blessedwith7

It depends on how often you want to wash but previous threads here and different cloth diaper sites recommended 3 doz. prefolds and 6-8 covers. That's a comfortable amount for washing every 2-3 days.

That's what I did for my 2 newborns, and it worked well.

Originally Posted by ChetMC

I haven't figured out how six covers are enough for three dozen diapers with a newborn even though you see the recommendation all the time. For three dozen diapers I'd probably want 10 covers.

Yeah, I started out with only 4 covers, and that was NOT ENOUGH! If you're washing every other day, 6 will usually do just fine; though on crazy days you might end up hand-washing a cover so that you can make it until the dryer finishes.

Originally Posted by Smidge

I like having 3 dozen pfs in each size and 6-10 covers in each size. You'll want more covers when they're having blowouts in the early days

Snappis were the key to saving my covers, but I'd agree that if you're looking to buy more of anything, get some extra covers.

For the record, now that I have my little one in daycare, 8 covers is the bare minimum to have some back-ups and home, back-ups at school, and still washing every other day.

[Mosaic]

Originally Posted by owlgirl

Thanks!!

I live an hour from Portland so I prefer to have a good stash to start. I think I will do the 2-3 dozen newborns with 8-10 covers to start. Better safe than sorry and like everyone has pointed out pfs are useful for just about everything. I know women with 10 year olds using old pf stashes as rags for cleaning still!!

Thanks again!!

LOL! My little sis is 28 and my folks still use their prefolds as rags!!

[chel]

i guess i lucked out with poop, as i rarely had blowouts. i did use a snappi with my prefolds. i would say, if you want to have over 6 covers, possible look at os covers. might be alittle big for a newborn, but doable. i use a blueberry coverall as my back-up. not as good a fit as my motherease airflow but it does the job. it's also great as my prefolds are getting small, and i can lay a prefold in the blueberry.