Cloth Diaper advice?

[countrybound]

So It's been six years since I've had a baby, and I used Fuzzi Bunz. While I loved them, I just don't know if I really want to deal with "stuffing" diapers again. So on that note. What cloth diapers do you suggest that are ALL-In-Ones? I'd also like to stick with one size fits all.

And if you've tried AIO's and think pockets are better, please leave that opinion too...

Thanks for all those that reply!

[mountainsun]

hi there!  I just wanted to say that there will be 6 years between my ds2 and this new babe....so I will be relearning alot of this stuff, too.  I am not even thinking about dipes at this point, lol, but wanted to say hi :)

[piratemere]

I've been using bumGenius pockets for four years.  While I really love them (they rarely, if ever, leak, unlike every time my boys poop in sposies), I'm in need of restashing and looking for alternatives.  This time I would rather find something organic or natural to put against my baby's butt.  I think I'm going to go with the Cotton Babies Flip diapers, with the organic inserts.  After 4 years of cloth diapering, prefolds and covers don't scare me one bit, and I need cheap!  I love cloth diapering, and am excited to get some new dipes for this little one.  Now the question is whether or not to wait until this little one is born to see if I need pink or blue dipes!?

[sallyrae17]

I used and liked the GroVia brand of all-in-ones. I didn't use them until I was closer to potty training with my son, though. They were easier to get off than a prefold and cover. I'll be sticking to prefolds this time around as well. I think they work the best!

[beaner&tiegs]

I've tried all sorts of combinations, but I have to say, my all-time FAVOURITE diaper, after cloth diapering 3 kids, is PREFOLDS!  Super easy, work well (especially with liners!), cheap and easy to wash and dry!!!!  You can get those fancy snaps to hold them together, or just use a cover to keep them together.  I think this time around I'm going to dye a bunch of them funky colours before the baby arrives, just to make them more fun:-)

[RosieL]

Prefold mamas - do your kids got to day care or grandparents for care? Do you travel much? I'm planning to go with FuzziBunz OS mostl because DH and I won't be the only ones diapering our LO. We are visiting the in laws this weekend (along with many other family members) and they were horrified whe I said we will CD. I showed them pictures of the FB and thy visibly relaxed and said "oh those don't looktoo bad!"

I too am interested in hearing how mamas feel about AIOs versus pockets.

[piratemere]

I have some AIOs, but mostly pockets, and really, I don't mind the pockets on bit. For one, they are way easier to clean than the AIO, because they separate, and if I stay on top of stuffing them when I take them out of the wash, they aren't any more difficult to use come changing time.  I also like that they are easier to double stuff (or triple, depending on the need).  When I change diapers I just always pull them apart right then when I dump them in the diaper pail - that way when I go to throw them in the wash all I do is dump.

[Blueone]

I don't like pockets in general and am a big fitteds fan.  I got a lot of used fitteds in different brands like Kissaluvs Size 0, Pipers Closet, Tinkle Traps, and some mutts etc.  I got some AIO's too in BG XS and Grovia NB (those are my faves).  If you get Grovia make sure to thoroughly prep them, from what I hear they aren't fully prepped until 12 washes.  You don't have to do that many, but getting up there, like 7 would be good.

[rajahkat]

My gripe with AIOs was that they were difficult to get clean and dry. I used tiny tush pockets and had no complaints with leaks or difficulty with use. Like a pp said, as long as you stuff them all when you take them out of the dryer, then they are just as easy and convenient as an AIO.

The downside is they're not made of natural material. I really love love love wool wraps. They're cute and warm and fun to sew. And I'd like to use them again with this baby but I don't know which fitteds to buy. I'm not crazy about hemp, because in my experience it stinks, and I've heard the kissaluvs soak through. What are your favorite fitteds?
Edited by rajahkat - 9/4/11 at 2:08pm

[countrybound]

After looking and looking and looking... I'm thinking I may just stick with Fuzzi Bunz. I mean, that's what I used before and I managed a year and half until my son used the potty. I do prefer hemp only because my experience with the micro was leaking. The hemp seemed to keep my kiddo free from leaks. I do remember the amonia smell.. not my fave.

Or is there any dipes like Fuzzi Bunz but just one size fits all?

[sallyrae17]

Hey RosieL- 

As a prefold mama, I stay home with my son and my SO and I were pretty much the only ones changing diapers. I did travel quite a bit actually (lots of plane trips in his first 6 months of life) and I generally bought some paper diapers for the plane. Once I moved closer to my family, I always brought my prefolds with and just washed them before coming home. I didn't like fitteds at all, they seemed really bulky and I couldn't get as close of a fit. My son is incredibly skinny, so I had to get the top part of the diaper pretty tight. I just used snappis to hold his diaper together. I know that prefolds can be super intimidating, but they are so easy and rarely have the "stink" issues that other diapers have. I wouldn't change to any other diaper for anything. Plus, they are SO CHEAP! :)

Believe me, family members will learn how to change any diaper you have. They have no choice, really. :)

Originally Posted by RosieL 

Prefold mamas - do your kids got to day care or grandparents for care? Do you travel much? 

[Itsasecret]

I've CDd for 21 years. The best AIO dipes I've found are Kushies. I've used them for my youngest two. They don't leak. Really. Well, unless you forget and let them go too long wet. They have a pocket so you can stuff a wool liner inside for nighttime use or if you just have a super soaker.  They really need to be hund dry, but mine did okay on low until my dh started  helping with laundry and dried them on high. repeatedly.

Anyway, I will never use any other cloth dipes.

[flavorfull1]

I use prefolds, pockets and fitteds. I used kissaluvs one sized fitted diapers overnight since DS was a couple of months old because they were the only diapers that could hold all of his pee over night!  He is a soaker and the kissaluvs marvels have worked really well with an insert as well.  I use prefolds in the beginning because I never felt like the pocket diapers were tight enough for all of that newborn poop around the legs.  At about threeish months I switched to fuzzibunz pockets and love them.  I also separate them at every diaper change so all I have to do is dump them in the wash. I also put them all together right when I get them out of the dryer so they are ready to go. I feel like pocket diapers and AIOs are the easiest for family members to understand but I also think they can learn!

[RosieL]

My FuzziBunz using friend puts the whole thing in the diaper bag and they separate out in the wash. Does that not always work?

[broodymama]

No, when I do that then the insert ends up balled up in the end of the diaper (and if it goes into the dryer that way it usually doesn't get all the way dry).

I've been using my Fuzzi Bunz (the mediums) since DS1 was 4 months old, they've been in daily rotation since the end of 2004.  The elastic in them is shot and it looks like I'll need to replace it.  I threw out all my AIO diapers, I hated them.  Still have my fitteds, I'll just need to find or make some new longies and shorties.  Another excuse to knit is always good. 

countrybound - FB makes one size diapers now, where you adjust the length of the elastic.  I bought several of them when DS2 was born and I like the concept and that they adjust without the rows and rows of snaps, but they are VERY narrow through the middle and it's hard to stuff them. 

[forestmushroom]

I am a natural fiber gal, I love fitteds, prefols, flats and wool. 

that being said, dream eze has a really lovely AIO.  I love the cute of dream eze, they fit my little ones so well.  Here is what they look like:

http://www.cuddlebunz.com/cloth_diapers/aios/naturalbaby/dreameze-aio.html

[mountainsun]

Those cuddlebunz look really cute and snuggly.  Funny, the other day dh said, "We have to get a diaper budget so you can start our stash."  LOL.  I remember really liking the newborn kissaluvs.  I loved fuzzibunz, but there are SO MANY cool dipes out there now.  I used everything with my ds2, but this time around,m I don't think I want to mess with covers and such, although maybe a couple of cute woollies would be nice for the cooler months, lol.

I bought my sis-in-law some bum genius AIOs for my nephew, and those were really cute (and easy!) too.  Decisions, decisions.  

[Liss86]

Originally Posted by forestmushroom 

I am a natural fiber gal, I love fitteds, prefols, flats and wool. 

that being said, dream eze has a really lovely AIO.  I love the cute of dream eze, they fit my little ones so well.  Here is what they look like:

http://www.cuddlebunz.com/cloth_diapers/aios/naturalbaby/dreameze-aio.html

I second everything you said!

I have used pockets, aios, ai2s, Prefolds, fitteds, wool, you name it I have tried it.

I would recommend a variety of the different types of diapers. I personally am leaning towards fitteds and wool this time, but with dd1 each different diaper served a different purpose. When she was a super soaker from the beginning I did Prefolds with a cover round the house.


Pockets:
Velco pockets for dp when he or extended family changed a diaper or middle of the night diapers when it was dark and we were too tired to try to figure out where snaps were.Every other time I prefer snaps though.

Pockets with fleece touching baby's skin when out fo the house for amounts of time that I wouldn't necessarily be able to change her diaper as often as she needed.

Organic cotton or bamboo velour pockets when I was going to someone's house and could change her as often as I needed to.

Fitteds: in my opinion are always good. I love them they fit better and the kinds with snap out Soakers are awesome. Of all the aio fitters dream eze organic bamboo fitters are incredible once you finish prepping them they dry so quickly. They are trim and fit my dd large top of upper thigh and small bottom of her upper thigh*.

Prefolds:
I love bamboo velour Prefolds trim enough super absorbent and don't stink like hemp.
Hemp is nice but I find it has a certain smell sometimes when wet different than the normal wet diaper smell I am not fond of I also don't find it to be as absorbent as bamboo.
I prefer Birdseye Prefolds 4x8x4 (layers thick) over Indian or Chinese Prefolds. I do so because my daughter would pee right through those but the Birdseye Prefold provided better spray force blockage.

Wool:
Felted "bulletproof" wool covers are what you are looking for. My original aversion to wool was that I had to hand wash and this would be solo much work. This is what I thought. Actually I love wool bc it is easier to wash. You fill up your washing machine with warm water with a little wool wash and a little lanolin swish it around so it is equally mixed with water and put your wool in squeeze each wool a little to saturate with water and push under water. Set timer for 30 mins and let soak leaving washer top open. It's okay if you forget about it and get it in 40 instead of 30 minutes. Super important you skip rinse and that you do go straight to spin. After spin take out of washer and lay flat to dry. That's it


About natural fibers:
Organic cotton is great but I find bamboo to be most absorbent. I would rank: organic bamboo velour, fleece, interlock, flannel, then organic cotton and then hemp.

Microfiber:
I would at all costs avoid microfiber. While this is soo absorbent it is the biggest pain in the butt to clean. Those I know in many states who use it have to stripe diapers and occasionally(once a month or so) use bleach to stripe when nothing else seems to work. This is even more of a problem if you have hard water. And results in the use of tide as your only option for detergent.

I live in a place with hard water and my diapers that are made of natural fibers have never been bleached and I use planet. I am certain I couldn't do this if I used microfiber. I do have a couple diaper inserts made of microfiber but don't use them in diapers. (bc they are a pain to get clean) I use the microfiber inserts to clean water dd dumps on floor with water bottle. Lol


*Speaking of size and shape of thighs and let's add tummies. All babies just like all people have different body types. Equally beautiful in every way but different as night and day. Certain brands of diaper companies are made for each type or tend to be loved by mamas with babies if a certain type.

If you want my personal brand recs I would say:

Pockets:
Apple cheeks pockets(great for overnight even with a super duper super soaker)
Blueberry pockets

Fitteds:
Sustainablebabyish fitteds
Good mama fitteds
Dream eze fitteds

Prefolds:
Osocozy Birdseye Prefolds( I would rank Birdseye, a 4x8x4 Prefold made of Birdseye as least likely to. Get sprayed through as apposed to Indian and Chinese Prefolds though they are soft and nice(especially on tender new to nursing breasts) my daughter was a super soaker and her pee would go sorry right through the others until she got to be about 1)
Swaddle bees bamboo velour Prefolds(don't make anymore if you find them snatch them up)
Hempbabies hemp Prefolds is pretty good too

Covers:
Thirties duo wrap(if you were only getting one cover this is what I would suggest)
Weehuggers


Wool:
Sustainable babyish Soakers or longies(these aren't felted but I love them and they're buttery soft and I can still wash it on hand wash and then spin in washing machine and lay flat to dry)
Clover wool covers
Really my criteria is any felted cover labeled bulletproof on diaper swappers made of 100% woolor something pretty close (preferably organic wool but I am happy with 100% or close to it if it is used)

What to do with dirty diapers before washing:
I would get four fuzz buns hanging diaper pail wet bags they stay open at the top and zip at the bottom. I have two blue and two purple. purple is for inserts, Prefolds, fitteds, and natural fibers. Blue is for pul and pockets. I wash what is inside of my purple bag full of diapers first. And then put it in my blue bag and hang up the next purple bag for the while the other is in the wash. And same with the blue. I love the fuzzibunz hanging diaper pail made of pul bc you don't have to reach your hand in ever you just unzip and it dumps into the washer.

Also I would purchase a diaper sprayer. They are incredible! We use the bum genius diaper sprayers.
Diaperswappers www.diaperswappers.com(forum fsot In other words for sale or trade) is a great place to get diapers and I also bought most of my diapers I bought new from Inge at www.diaperware.com. If you have any questions she is so helpful and not just pushing an agenda she spent multiple hours with me multiple times helping me figure out what diapers were best for us.


Good luck!

Elissa

Edited bc I put wrong website.
Edited by Liss86 - 9/9/11 at 1:05pm

[mountainsun]

Can I just say that it is taking every fiber of my being to not order some itty bitty diapers 

[rajahkat]

Originally Posted by mountainsun 

Can I just say that it is taking every fiber of my being to not order some itty bitty diapers 

Mee too! I'm eyeballing the grovia newborn dipes.