I'm about to order diapers! « Back to Group Discussions

[eirual]

I forgot how fun cloth diapers are!!

I personally love the simplicity and affordability of pre-folds so I know exactly what I want and prefer to keep things stream-lined vs. trying a bit of everything (otherwise it might be an overwhelming process).

I'm going for 30 diapers (maybe 36 if you consider the fact that I'll likely be line-drying, camping, and going up to the cottage) and 4 covers: 2 Bummis Super Lites, small and 2 Thirsties Duo Wraps, size 1. This should easily take us to at least 6 months old before we might need to get larger covers.

I also did the math on using disposables (not that I would)...but according to wal-mart's site you can get about 80 diapers for about $20. Using about 10/day (more in the early months, fewer in the later months) that means 80 diapers would last you about 10 days. That's about $730 you'd spend on diapers in a year. It makes my total of $119 on cloth a much friendlier number (I was hoping to get away with $50, but that's not going to happen).

I'm eyeing wool soakers, especially for a summer babe, they've GOT to be more breatheable than plastic-coated covers. I may ask for some for a shower if I have one. Has anyone done wool before? Is it as scary as it seems to be (i.e. are they hard to care for)?

[BroodyWoodsgal]

I am switching this time from AIOs to a mix of fitteds/prefolds and a variety of covers. I have some wool soakers that I can't WAIT to use. I'm done with my diaper shopping and am SOOOO pleased with my stash. I will be posting pics soon.

I think wool is not anywhere near as scary as it seems to get into. You want to make sure you are starting with a well made, lanolized product, first of all. If you buy something, make sure you find out if it is lanolized and ready to go, or if it still needs to be prepped. Prepping wool is not hard, buying the materials to lanolize is cheap and easy on Etsy, diaperswappers.com or any number of places.

I have had some people tell me that wool with a NB is crazy. Many others have said that wool is great from day one and that they never had any problems. I think fitteds under wool in the NB phase is a better pairing...fitteds under covers seems to be the very best, but I fell down the "fitteds rabbit hole" anyway this time, so that is okay (I just got SUCH FREAKING GOOD DEALS on Etsy and diaperswappers!)  and I don't anticipate having any problems.

In the event that the wool does become soiled by a blowout or something, the apparent trick is to keep the stain from getting down into the fibers...so like, running water in a parallel fashion over the stain...so the water is running the poo OFF the fabric, not THROUGH the fabric. Then dislodging any remaining poo with a toothbrush or something, being careful not to scrub the poo in, just dislodging it...then you can scrub the little spot with some light soap/wool bar or whatever...and rinse and let dry.

That sounds like a lot, but really I think we're mostly talking pretty small little spots, so you do that cleaning process on a small little spot and then let the cover/soaker/whatever dry. Only a small part of the cover is getting wet, so drying doesn't take too long.

Washing them for like, the FULL washing every once in a while is not too intense either. You use the right soap and don't tumble dry them. That's all!

I'm very excited for you. Buying dipes is GREAT fun and I'm so excited to try the diapers that I think will be a better fit for me this time. I would love to see stash pictures from you!! I can't wait to share mine!

[mirandamiranda]

Oooh I really want to try wool this time what types of soakers do you have? Are you knitting them or getting them already made? I love some of the ones on Green Mountain Diapers but they are kind of pricey. I've only used plastic before too, so feel a bit lost, and my husband isn't that keen on wool - I think he finds it itchy so presumes it will be for the baby. I need to convince him!

[iowaorganic]

I love wool.  I hand knit my own- and they are the cutest things in the world- and very easy to do.  Not all wool is itchy- so that is kind of a non-point.  the great thing about hand knit ones are that they are bullet proof since they are so thick and you can choose a color that is less likely to stain...  Fitteds under are what I consider a must.  I hate wool and prefolds- that is when poop gets on them and life turns sucky.  2 good fitted diapers and a wool cover are what I would consider essential for overnight.  If you don't knit and don't know anyone who does- you can easily turn a thrifted wool sweater into a cover.  just google it.  As for summer- I hate pul in the summer.  no air movement at all.  My boys have always either gone coverless in the summer or in wool. hth.

[iowaorganic]

darn I forgot to add that I am getting ready to start sewing a bunch of new fitters for my baby!  I have been sewing a ton for DS3 and have about 6 left and then will be working on new little ones.  I ordered a snap pliers and am hoping that I love them- not sure though....  So I am planning on making about 2 dozen and that along with what I already have should be good.  But maybe I will just get rid of my old nasty stuff that has gone through 4 kids and make 3 dozen...  And all my new baby wool is longies.  I have one little wool cover and am knitting a skirtie in case it is a girl.  But a couple other covers would be awesome- I have just been trying to stay out of the yarn shops....

[becoming]

I'm basically going the same route as you. I just got my first prefolds/covers in the other day. I'm going with 24 newborn PFs, 12 next-size PFs, 3 Thirsties size XS, and 2 Bummis Super Brite size NB to start. I'm also getting a couple of BG Flip one-size covers just so I'll have a couple of extras for the newborn days (they supposedly work at as small as 8 pounds). I have big(ish) babies, so I don't think we'll be in the NB stuff long. I plan to order more Flip covers after baby is a little older, unless I fall in love with Thirsties or Bummis and decide to go with the next size up in those instead. I would really rather do the one-size, though -- seems more cost-effective since they should work up to 35 pounds, in theory. I'll have spent less than $200 on my initial stash and can probably get $80-100 or so of that back when I sell them after she outgrows them.
Edited by becoming - 3/17/12 at 1:42am

[wanderinblues]

im having tons of fun with diapers too.

im like superfrugal and dont intend on spending more than 50 bucks total on my stash. ive prbably spent half that so far on some velcro, snaps and a few yards of flannel, plus some thrift store wool that i get for 5 bucks a bag.

ive sewn about 16 small fitteds/pockets, found  few prefolds and flats at thrift stores, found a bag of fitteds and covers for 2 bucks at a thrift store way before i was pregnant (dont know how many there are because the bag is buried in our basement) and am still busy sewing. 

i also made 5 small soakers and have plans to make many more. they are so fun and easy with felted thrift store sweaters and i managed to knit two wool wraps as well.

im not sure if i should be making newborn size diapers, or if my smalls will work. they seem pretty small, but this is my first and i have a hard time imagining how big/small a newborn is. i figure i will just make sure to have lots of flats /prefolds on hand in case my fitteds are too big for the first little while will that work...?.

oh yeah, i also have made like 4 dozen cloth wipes which i am now usîng myself after peeing because i noticed that we are going through twice the toilet paper now that im pregnant lol.

my latest diaper material is a white flannel sheet from the thrift store. should be able to get 10 fitteds out of it :)

im having so much fun with this!

[BroodyWoodsgal]

Originally Posted by mirandamiranda 

Oooh I really want to try wool this time what types of soakers do you have? Are you knitting them or getting them already made? I love some of the ones on Green Mountain Diapers but they are kind of pricey. I've only used plastic before too, so feel a bit lost, and my husband isn't that keen on wool - I think he finds it itchy so presumes it will be for the baby. I need to convince him!

Just get one good, used, felted wool soaker...and see how it goes! Make sure you get one that you KNOW is going to be bullet proof, so he can't be like "See, this is crap!" - and see what happens!

I have new, upcycled, felted wool soakers from Etsy...and I actually was gifted yesterday a small stash of used REALLY AWESOME hand knit soakers that my totally awesome friend knit herself. I'm pumped for wool.

[mirandamiranda]

That's a great idea to get a second hand one. I would like to be able to use them with prefolds as I have a big pile of larger size ones left over from my twins (unfortunately gave the smaller ones away...). Although we have some fitteds too. I have read that fitteds are particularly useful in the early days so am planning to get some newborn size ones.

Wanderinblues and iowaorganic, I'd love to know what pattern you use for making fitteds? Not sure if I will be sewing them, I'm kind of a slow sewer especially as my spare time is mostly once the kids are in bed and by then I'm usually ready to go to bed too! But I might give it a go, especially if it is straightforward.

Thanks for the tips!

[iowaorganic]

mirandamiranda- I love the diaperkit.com pattern.  Easy and the instructions tell you exactly how to do it.  I get my velcro and whatnot from www.verybaby.com  they are the cheapest and best I have found although my mom bought me a babyville snap press and snaps- I haven't used those yet though.  As for materials- I just made DS3 about 15 diapers out of DH's old shirts and my old sweats- so aside from elastic and velcro- they were free.  If you are buying new material (which I did for my new baby) I haven't really found it makes much of a difference if you buy joanns flannel or soendy diaper flannel.  Unless you step up to killingtons- and that stuff is awesome!  

My fav wool pattern is picky pants- they are awesome.  Although there are free ones out there too.

[wanderinblues]

ive been using the cloth revolution free pattern. i cant say how well they will work, but the pattern is very easy to use with great instructions that cover all aspects.

[mirandamiranda]

Thanks! My first project is going to be felting some jumpers/sweaters for soakers - but I have loads of old clothes that could be repurposed. So hopefully I can use them next!

[iowaorganic]

I stopped by the thrift store today and found a set of flannel sheets and a stack of flannel receiving blankets to repurpose into diapers- way way cheaper than buying flannel :) I am going to use cute stuff for the outside and the sheets for the inners and the receiving blankets will be the quick dry doublers that I love so much :)  Maybe after the kids go to bed I can start cutting them up:)  Only 13 weeks more to go for me...  I need to get busy!