Cheapest Method?

[Crabigail76]

I'd be grateful for your opinions on this.  After 3 bums, my Fuzzi Bunz are shot.  The elastic is worn out (and I have no desire to fix them) and with my skinny legged babies, they just don't work.  We're expecting #4 in March.  I'd like to use cloth again, but I don't know if it's worth it to spend the money on a whole new stash.

So, what is the cheapest way to build a cloth stash (other than second hand dipes)?  Do you think if they only get used for one baby that it is still worth it financially?  Also, I don't mind using prefolds.  The inserts for my FBs are still good.  My babies are usually on in size S and M before they are potty trained.

Looking forward to getting input!  Thanks!

[npl]

I found prefolds and pul covers were the cheapest and very reliable. I used them almost exclusively for my first 3 kids, dabbling in the occasional fitted and a couple of FB. With my youngest, I've invested in some fitteds, and although they are about the cheapest you can get (Motherease Sandy's) they are definitely more expensive than prefolds and I have more laundry issues with them. But, the convenience when I'm dealing with 3 older kids, carpools, and explosive poop well past infancy due to a medical issue, made it worth it.

But, dh still goes for the prefolds whenever he changes dd!

[chel]

Since my kids are so far apart, I've had to buy 2 stashes. Yes, I think it was/is worth it.

Like pp, I use prefolds and mother ease covers.

I only have 24 diapers and 4-5 covers that fit at a time

[crunchy_mommy]

I think it depends on how early you potty-train. If they're always out of diapers by ~1yo, then it might not be worth it, but otherwise, it probably is. I think one-size diapers (all-in-ones or pf/covers) are the most economical because you can just buy a dozen or two and they'll last until potty-training. There are some inexpensive MIC all-in-ones on ebay and one site I like for made-in-US ones (by a WAHM) is http://www.clothdiaperwholesale.com. The WAHM ones run small and the MIC ones run big but my 2.5yo is still using both & will fit in them probably until he's 4 (though I sure hope he's out of diapers by then lol!!) You might find prefolds and a one-size cover to be even cheaper... look up Kawaii Baby covers, they are similar to the Thirsties covers but cost less (though MIC).

[Crabigail76]

Thanks so much for the input!  The older kids potty trained at 3; the littlest is still in diapers at 2 1/2.  I borrowed prefolds and Bummis covers w/ DD1 for a while and liked them.  I'm going to have a hard time convincing DH it's worth it financially to totally restock.  But the idea of using disposables makes me sad, mostly because I think cloth is best and by using them I can be an advocate.  

[Carynia]

An even less expensive way to cloth diaper would be to use prefolds with pins or Snappi fasteners---and a waterproof pull-on pant, like Bummis Whisper Pants or waterproof pants from Dappi. If you upgrade to an Aplix or Velcro-closing cover then you wouldn't need the pins or Snappis. There's a new economical Bummis Super Lite available now too, or for a few dollars more Bummis Super Whisper Wraps or Super Brite covers are also a great option. A nice perk about Bummis 'Super' styles is that their MD size range is for 15/16 to 30 lbs, so when you get to Medium it usually fits all the way up to potty-training. :)

Let us know if you have any questions! We have lots of diaper and cover options on our website if you'd like to visit us at Baby Bunz.

On our homepage there's also a link to our Coupon Codes for more savings.

Happy Diapering!

[EmTheWife]

flats are really cheap, and even cheaper if you buy the flour sack dish towels at target or walmart and use them as flats (I do, and they work just as well as the GMD flats that I have).  Pad fold and pair them with some PUL wraps and you're set!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-5pk-Flour-Sack-Kitchen-Towel-White/14938258

[hasya]

I use Bummis prefolds + covers set. Only the covers in M size are shot after a year of use. I replaced them with covers with snaps. They're even coming out with designs in the fall. I had to buy only whites :-(.

I have looked at other options too, but I think this is the cheapest way to go. Even if he/she'll be out of diapers by 1, you could always make some of your money back by re-selling them. Or if you can afford it and are feeling altruistic, donate them.

[jksmith]

I use flats too, and they're great because the grow with your baby, and dry much faster. They're also really cheap or you can make them yourself with bargain bin flannel!

I also like mother ease, bummies, and kushies covers. But pull-ons are cheaper if you don't mind using pins.

[usagi629]

We use unbleached prefolds from clothdiaper.com and thirsties covers with snappi fasteners. I usually get the covers from Abby's Lane - you can get a discount code from the mailing list for 5% off, but they do Thirsties sales throughout the year. There's also a Thirsties outlet store online, but I've never had luck finding covers there.

My son is 2yr 8mo. We've been working on potty training forever it seems like, and there are small improvements everyday, but he's just not ready yet to lose the diapers. I have materials and plans to make some cloth pull-up trainers for him since those things are crazy expensive apparently. You can also make your own prefolds/diapers out of old t-shirts and other things if you're crafty/handy and want to save money on dipes.

I've been so happy with prefolds and Thirsties covers. Thirsties have guessets which are what set them apart IMO. I love the new version with all the snaps. They are amazing and will last and last and you can probably resell them when you're done. We've been using prefolds and covers since birth with ds and it's been nothing but great. :-)

Oh, and I also got a few dipes off Freecycle once. Can't beat free!! :-)

[jemmyk]

I like the best bottom covers. The best bottom covers have the inner gussets which I think are a life saver as far as leaks are concerned. For the inserts I like to use prefolds rather than their inserts.

We've been using them since our DS was 6mths old and he is 17 mths and they are still in great condition.

[allisonrose]

I used pocket diapers a lot with ds1. Some of my FBs were shot after just one bum! (Even though I liked the fit, I won't buy them again.) So I needed to get more diapers in rotation cheaply. I bought some flats and pulled out some Thirsties I hadn't used in a while. I pinned for a bit which helps contain poop. For now I'm padfolding. The pockets I have that are still functionable I use them as covers with a padfolded flat. With padfolding and a mostly BF baby (we do BLW style solids - no purees), the poop is pretty much guaranteed to get on the cover/pocket that is being used at the time. I have enough that I just toss it all in the wash.

I am also very glad to be rid of the microfiber inserts because of stink issues with them.

I would say yes it is worth it to get CDs even if you only intend to use them on one baby. Some of my diapers only made it through one baby but I firmly believe they still saved us money.

To save money, Diaper Swapper ladies love Cotton Babies seconds, well loveds, last chance diapers. I've bought a Flip cover and a BG 4.0 as seconds and I think both just have a bit of crooked stitching. Entirely cosmetic, barely noticeable, 100% functional. I actually really like the Flip cover and would buy more if I needed more covers. Recently they sold some last chance diapers: 12 diaper for $24 but some of those diapers require repairs. I missed that sale which is good because I might have caved and bought some!

[tiff86]

I would have to agree with it being worth it to cloth diaper just one child as well. Not only $$ wise, but saving that little bum from all of the diaper rash! We used disposables w DD as a newborn and such a hard time with diaper rash (and it was worse with the sensitive diapers) and we haven't had a problem since switching to cloth! And I still think we are saving money even though we got started late! We're just using prefolds and thirsties covers. I definitely would go w the snaps if you choose them!

[Mom2M]

We saved a lot of money using prefolds/Thirsties covers or Lite Wraps compared to buying disposables! DD1 used disposables and DD2 uses cloth and we know it cost a lot more for disposables. When she outgrew the newborn/small sizes, I was able to sell the covers and prefolds for half price since they barely have wear on them and used that money to buy bigger diapers and covers.

[Justmee]

I used prefolds and bummies covers (thirsties when they came out, but they weren't out 7.5 years ago! I think for sure it's worth it even for 1 kid, have looked at the price of disposables????

[Brambleberry]

Wool covers are surprisingly easy to make yourself from used sweaters.  You can find several sites with directions but the easiest and most successful way I found was to just use a borrowed wrap for a pattern (warning - don't use a pocket diaper as a pattern - they're a lot narrower than a wrap and won't contain another diaper inside them well).  I preferred wraps for the infant stage, and pull-ups for 10 months on.  The nice thing about wool covers is that they don't off-gas nasty chemicals like PUL covers or vinyl.  They are easier to care for than you would think, and last much longer than plastic covers.

Prefolds are really cheap compared to what you will end up spending on disposables.  We do use fitted diapers because we had some explosive poo issues for a while and the elasticized legs help a lot.  I was able to find some handmade ones on etsy.com for less than the commercially made diapers, and we like them better than the several commercial brands we've tried.  Ebay is the best place to find cheap diapers, new or used.  Most of our diaper stash came from ebay, and I didn't pay more than $3 each (including shipping) for any of the used fitted diapers I purchased.  

[Brambleberry]

On a related note, for cheap baby wipes, you can cut them out of an old cotton t-shirt.  T-shirt material doesn't need to be hemmed, and it makes a nice soft wipe -much easier on the bum than terry cloth.  You can cut them to whatever size you prefer or find a good container to store them in and then cut them to fit the container.  A trick to keeping the wipes wet and ready to use without them mildewing is to put 5-10 drops of tea tree oil in a quart of water and use that to wet the wipes.  I don't use anything else on the wipes anymore, but if you feel like you want a little extra cleaning power, there are recipes out there for wipes solution that use baby shampoo and olive oil (I forget the proportions), and then also add those 5-10 drops of tea tree.  

[Ola_]

If you are not opposed to China-made dipes (although even FuzziBunz may be made there now anyway) there are some good inexpensive options in the pocket world.  Definitely look for reviews though.  The ones that seem to have good feedback from my research are Sunbaby and Kawaii diapers.  In reading it appears that Sunbabies will often fit newborns but may not be good for chunky babies later on, while Kawaiis fit bigger and may gap on skinny kiddos early on.  Based on this I got some Kawaii pockets and find the square tab ones quite similar to FuzziBunz.  Just thought I'd suggest this since it sounds like you have used mostly pockets, prefolds are not the only option if you need to cut costs.  Also there are co-ops often running (on Yahoo groups or various message boards) where you can get them for even a bit less and cut costs further if you don't get the inserts (since it sounds like you prefer the prefolds for that?).

For wipes we got some fabric from a local fabric store and my mom rolled and sewed the edges for me.  They work great and are nice and soft, plus you can again reduce cost by getting fabric from the clearance bin (I went for the cut prints instead, lol) or reusing fabric you have at home that you don't need.  I just use a spray bottle to wet them down when I'm ready to change DD.

[myk]

i love my prefolds and wraps. i also have expensive pockets, but if i didn't have the money, i'd do the prefolds and wraps no question.

[dovemama]

Old thread, baby might even be here now
But how about econobum?