cloth on a newborn

[briannas auntie]

Several of my friends keep telling me to use disposables on a newborn for the first couple of days, because the meconium will stain the cloth diapers badly and be hard to wash.

What is your view?  Should I use disposables for a couple of days until the meconium is gone, or can I use cloth from the start?  Also, what is a good cloth diaper for a newborn that won't leak?

[mimihol]

I used cloth from the beginning with my last baby and plan on doing so with my newbie due next week. I didn't have any problems with staining I wasn't super concerned about it though, You could always use a fleece liner in the diaper if your worried about stains:)
 

[ananas]

There are liners (disposable, flushable, or washable) that you can use if you're worried about staining.

[MaineCoastMama]

From all that I've heard (I'm CD obsessed and planning to CD from birth) meconium is not the nightmare you'd think and washes out just as easily if not easier than regular poop. Nothing a little sunning won't take care of, from what I hear.

[Choose2Reuse]

We used sposies for the first couple days because we were in the hospital.  We put on cloth as soon as we were ready to come home (day 2?).  The poo was transitioning then--my milk was just coming in--and it was fine.  I wouldn't worry about it.  The meconium is more horrifying than anything else (sticky!  black!  smelly!  on everything!!).  But if you're in the hospital, I wouldn't bother with cloth--a couple days of sposies aren't the end of the world.

My DD was super skinny (6 lbs 1 oz) and long, and the ONLY thing that fit her properly for the first couple weeks was a Bummis XS cover (6-8 lbs, I think) over orange-edge XS prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers.  We also had some Thirsties duo covers--they were really huge at first.  After the first couple weeks, the duos worked fine and my favorite covers became the normal (non-duo) Thirsties. The rise on the Bummis is pretty low and the diapers kept wicking into DD's onesies.  Also, we waffled over getting the XS prefolds, but they were totally worth it--she wore them for 11 weeks, I think, and they were HUGE at the beginning, so I can just imagine how enormous the S (yellow-edge) ones would have been.  Spend the extra $50 and get yourself some nice newborn dipes!  You're going to change them umpteen million times a day! :)

[Adaline'sMama]

I use sposies at first. But, I use them until babies are 10 lbs- that's just my rule, I dont cloth under 10 lbs because I dont want to buy a teeny tiny stash just for the first couple of weeks. Plus, I love the sposies for the umbilical cord "u" shaped cut that it has. 

[lindoussa]

I used the BabyKicks Hemparoo prefolds with Bummis Superbrite covers. I LOVED my newborn diapers and did use them from birth!  The meconium was not as bad as I had thought and after a few washes and some sunning the stains were gone.  

The preemie (yellow Trim) fit my baby from birth (5lbs, 13oz) until he was able to fit into his one size diapers. They are practically leak proof, when paired with a Bummis Super Brite cover. I watched many of the video's on BabyKicks YouTube channel (http://youtu.be/R0l6Wq-iVFM) and they were SO helpful. These were so absorbent, I never had a leak, and OH SO SOFT! My mind was put at ease with these super soft diapers next to my tiny baby's sensitive bottom. I really can't say enough good things about this diaper!

Congrats on the new baby and good luck!

[alaskanmomma]

I didn't cloth with my babies until way after meconium passed, but it wasn't horrible to clean off clothes, wipe, etc. Plus, diapers are meant to be pooped in and get stained :P 

[fruitfulmomma]

I've used cloth at birth on 3 of them with no problems. If they stain hang them out in the sun.

I really liked the Charlie Banana xs pockets we got for our last baby. They were easier to stuff and lasted longer than our Fuzzi Bunz.

[LeighPF]

I did cloth from birth last time. I did not have any problems with my cotton and hemp diapers.

I cut up a receiving blanket for liners that I could wash or throw out, but did not use them half the time after the first wash.

I do know some people have trouble with oil based fibers like the fleece liner of pockets, so with those I would use liners.

I like nb fitteds. the Happy Heiny and Motherease were my favourites and really did not like the kissaluv 0s because of the way they fit. Both the organic and regular. Too much wing droop. I like pull on wool covers like Aristocrats or EcoPosh and Bummies Super brite PUL wraps.

[hyde]

I planned to do cloth from birth, but my daughter was a tiny little chicken-legged thing when she was born, 5.5lbs, and even the NB diapers were too much bulk. We really started around 5-6 weeks, and based on that I'd recommend GMD Workhorse Fitteds under a Thirsties wrap for avoiding leaks/blowouts as much as possible- the fitteds have elastic around the waist and legs, and the Thirsties covers have extra leg gussets too. As already mentioned, if you're worried about meconium you can use liners in the first few days. (In the future I think I'm going to be more concerned about keeping the mec off the poor baby- even slathering her butt in olive oil, it stuck to her so bad.. aw.)

[treegardner]

I used cloth from birth without any problems.

 

[Monkey pants]

I used disposables at first because i was exhausted and had some from gifts etc... I now have some adorable tiny newborn diapers i plan on using from the beginning for this one.  In all seriousness its a diaper, stuff happends its gonna get dirty Im not sure why some get so worried about a tad of muconium. Put them in the sun after a good wash and they will be just fine.

[GISDiva]

Another vote for used cloth from the very start.  We rented some Kissaluvs size 0's for the first few weeks from Sunshine Diapers and it worked well for us.  I had a few unbleached prefolds too, but I couldn't tell you anymore what brand they were, I got them from a local store.  We had a bunch of different covers...I think an Imse Vimse or two, and some Bummis...and probably a couple of other ones, I was not loyal to one brand.  ;)  Anything with nice gusseted (is that the right word?) elastic seemed to work fine on my skinny DS.

[newbie_mary]

The hospital gave us 2 packages of sposies, so we used those up and then started on the cloth (at which time he was done with the meconium).  It is true, though, that you need special dipes for newborn and then they don't wear them for very long.  I have just a few (5 or 6) covers that are fitting my newborn right now (he was just under 7 lbs with chicken legs!) and have found that if I use prefolds folded in the jellyroll fold with snappis, the poop mostly doesn't leak so those 5 or 6 are enough for washing every day and a half.   I bought most of them used, except for a couple of Thirsties Duos that are adjustable size so he'll be able to wear those for longer.