Starting cloth diapering a little late in the game

[BansheeTaco]

My DS is now 9 months old and I very much want to move to cloth diapering instead of disposables. My husband and I had done a bunch of research before he arrived and had decided we would go the cloth diapering route, but would start a "few weeks" after he was born to give us a little time to get used to the idea of being parents first. A few weeks has turned into 9 months! I guess getting used to being new parents took a little longer than we expected. But better late than never, right? ;) 

DS is a good sized boy... 20 lbs. and 30 in. And he is VERY mobile now.. crawling everywhere and pulling up to a stand, probably will be walking very soon as well. He also eats lots of variety in solids now so his poops are getting quite interesting and unpredictable. I'm wondering if some styles of CD work better for an older, more mobile baby? I'd love suggestions on brands, styles and such that have worked best for those CDing an older baby.

Also, what do you find to be the best way to wash them? I've heard lots of different techniques, but not sure which ones really work best.

Thanks in advance for any feedback! I'm excited to finally do away with disposables, just need a little guidance first. :)

[amautik]

DD is still only 6 months old, breastfed, and just rolling as a way of getting around, so I'm not of much help when it comes to the older baby diapering, but when it comes to laundry, I like to encourage people to keep it simple.  Cloth diapering can be just as simple as disposible diapering, but it often becomes complicated.

I wash hot with the recommended dose of detergent, then rinse.  I don't have a dryer, so I hang dry.  (When I stayed with my mother, she had a dryer, and it seemed SOOOO easy!)  If I were to add anything to my routine, it would be a warm rinse before the wash.  A warm rinse helps get rid of the organic matter on the diapers before you even get to the wash-with-detergent point.  Unfortunately, my washer only rinses cold, and my cold water is REALLY cold, too cold to be of any use!

http://blog.bummis.com/2011/10/laundry-science.html has some really good advice.

[sassyfirechick]

We use Mother-ease one sized snap with same covers or bummis covers.  Friend of mine was a nanny in college and the 3 kids used these diapers til potty trained with no issues of leaking or bad fit.  DD is currently 10wks, but she's a big girl at 24" and 13lbs.  I'm loving these diapers!  Had DH set up a sprayer on the toilet, and I've got a wet bucket with a lid that i fill with water half way and a little charlie's soap to pre soak before I have enough to wash (about 10).  Sometimes I toss the covers in w the diapers other times they end up in regular laundry.  I run the sanitary cycle with charlie's soap (doesn't leave residue and it doesn't smell) then toss in dryer (will line dry when the weather gets nicer).  Every couple washes I toss in vinegar in rince cycle as a softener/stain prevention.  I'm convinced these diapers could be used to plug the hoover dam!  I have some inserts for nightime/big kid to give them extra absorbtion layers but haven't needed to use them yet...might start at night now that she's mostly sleeping thru and 9hrs is a long time betweeen changes but otherwise totally satisfied :-)  Even our non-CD friends love to changer her - they are so easy!

[rubyjune]

Snaps..get the ones with snaps, my DD learned very quickly to open the velcro 

[rinap]

Yeah. Velcro is quick and easy and more adjustable (so perhaps better for the smallest sizes), but one of my girls can undo her velcro inside her clothes.

[cristeen]

There are lots of things that go into the decision of what type of dipe you want to go with... is cost your primary concern?  Do you have a problem using synthetic fabrics?  Do you have your own washer/dryer or will you be using a shared one?  Do you line dry?  Will babe be in daycare?  Do you have a plan for dealing with poo (at 9 mos you're jumping right into solids poo)? 

All sorts of things to think about.  But my personal favorite diaper for a toddler is Rumparooz.  It's a OS pocket dipe.  The drawback is that it is entirely synthetic, so it can have some stink issues.  But I haven't found a better dipe for catching everything regardless of what my toddler is doing.  And my 39 inch, 40+ lb 2 yo still fits in them just fine with room to grow. 

[BansheeTaco]

Thanks for the great suggestions on diapers and washing everyone!

Cristeen - Cost is not a huge concern, I'm open to fabric type (synthetic or non), I do have my own washer/dryer and I typically use the dryer for most clothing items, but I do line dry a few select things (I think I assumed I would use the dryer for diapers though), Baby will not be in daycare for at least another half a year but may be eventually, and I don't have a solid plan for poo (pardon the pun) but I had considered buying one of the sprayers that hooks onto the toilet.

With those factors, any other specific thoughts?

Thanks again everyone! :)

[PhotoDoula]

We didn't start using cloth until DD was 11 months old.  The sprayer has been a great tool (even through potty training when you inevitably have to spray out underpants as well.  We did not have a washing machine in our apartment when we first had her, and hauling to the laundromat was too much to consider.  We started with some prefolds and Motherease Sandy's diapers.  At the time www.greenmountaindiapers.com had a starter pack where you could try different types of covers and diapers to see what fit best.  Snaps work best for older kiddos and mobile kiddos.  And natural fibers help keep stink out of the equation.  A nice wool longie for overnight is a great thing too:)

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by BansheeTaco 

Cristeen - Cost is not a huge concern, I'm open to fabric type (synthetic or non), I do have my own washer/dryer and I typically use the dryer for most clothing items, but I do line dry a few select things (I think I assumed I would use the dryer for diapers though), Baby will not be in daycare for at least another half a year but may be eventually, and I don't have a solid plan for poo (pardon the pun) but I had considered buying one of the sprayers that hooks onto the toilet.

Considering all that, I'd go with a pocket, myself.  Since you may eventually be using daycare, they're far more likely to take a CD'd kid in a pocket or AIO which goes on just like a sposie than with a 2 piece system or a PF.  And since you're moving into toddler times, standing diaper changes are so much easier with pockets.  Like I said before, Rumparooz are my fave.  They usually have a package deal where you buy a whole set for a cost savings.  Something like 15 dipes, which is plenty for this age and going forward to wash every other day now moving to every 3rd day later.  At 2 my DS is using maybe 5 dipes/day plus his night-time dipe (we don't use Rumparooz for night-time). 

[terraka]

I did not read all the posts in detail, but since you are at 9 months, I would suggest specifically for the poop- you can totally start ec-ing. Why deal with cloth-diapering and poop? We exclusively cloth diapered for the first 6 months (even on trips- day or more). Shortly after the 6 month b-day, we started seating her on the potty, she likes it and can stay there for awhile playing. My cue to put her on the potty is her face- she would show this grimace of unease, tensing, pushing, etc... sure enough, that was my sign.

First few weeks were hit or miss but now it is pretty regular- she is 8 months and a few weeks now. While she was eating dinner tonight (I also breastfeed) she all of a sudden made this straining gesture, and I took her off the high chair, put her on the potty, and let her play with a toy and a few minutes later, she did the business. I also give her a verbal cue "tryts", but I am not sure if she co-relates it at this moment.

Regarding peeing, the cloth diapers do well during the day.

During the night, I put a disposable now because at this stage of my sleep routine, I just can't deal with changing her during the night and the cloth diapers get so sooooo soggy if I don't. A disposable can do well for a full night. I wonder when the time of dry nights will come.

Good luck! Cloth diapering has not always been easy for me, but I am happy I have been doing it. It feels good.

Let me know if you have any questions. I am terrible with brand names of cloth diapers. I honestly don't even know what I am using now... I have a few different kinds. Some of them look like squares that I can fold or do with the snappy, and some of them are like full on diapers with their own snaps. And then there is a cover.

[BansheeTaco]

Thanks for all the great feedback and suggestions everyone! This helps me a lot! 

Terraka, that's an interesting idea.. I hadn't thought of doing a mix of diapering and EC. And I definitely do already know some of his cues for poop time, so it sounds really doable. (And I would be happy not to change/wash poopy diapers more than I have to! ;)