What would you do?? Baby on the way...

[StrawHatBrat]

My baby is coming, and I am sewing the cloth diapers myself. I made one for my toddler... and it worked out well.
Should I sew a bunch for the new baby before she comes?? Or wait until she's here so I can fit them to her body type?
I don't want to make 2 dozen diapers just to find out they leak because her legs are too skinny or fat, you know?? But I'm also sure I won't want to use all my energy sewing once the baby is actually here, either.

I guess if I did make a bunch that didn't work out... I could give them away. But then I'd have to buy all new fabrics. Maybe I could make a couple now and send them to people with newborns to test?? Do people do those sorts of things? That way... it would be a couple babies with different body types and we'd see how well they worked on multiple babies?

I just don't know what to do. I want these diapers ready when she comes, but don't want to waste my money!

Help! What would you do?

(And I'm inpatiently awaiting my MM fleeces and HB pattern in the mail that I ordered last thursday!!)

[amberthesugarcat]

I would make a ton of smalls (that fit until 15 pounds or something like that) and not so many newborns. They grow so quickly. Could you use PFs for the first month or so? I used small FBs from the first 2 weeks and they fit and lasted until 4 months, so I guess if you make adjustable diapers they might be a bit big at first, but fit ok. Just make sure you can adjust the waist and the legs seperately. You change them so much those first months...

[crunchykids]

I'm pretty much in the same boat, so I'll tell you what I'm doing. This will be my 3rd and my first 2 were within 1/2 oz of each other and grew at pretty much the same rate, so I'm guessing that I'm sewing for a 7lb nb that will reach 12 lbs around 3mns. I'm using my 18mn to refine my design so the diapers are what both dh and I like from the fitteds that we currently have (soaker, trimness, bum coverage). The mystery is always bf poo, which, let's face it, is an animal unto it's own. I'm using predominately "grabby" fabrics for the inner layer (terry, velour, maybe flannel) and hoping it helps some.

Given what we diapered our first two with during the nb period, I find it hard to believe that I wouldn't meet my expectations.

[momma_andi]

I also started making some nb/sm pocket diapers a few days ago and was wondering the same thing. I am still waiting for my aplix to arrive so I can finish them, but once they are finished I was wondering if there would be any moms of nb's that would want to try them out for me. I was thinking of posting in my local community to see if anyone nearby would like to try them on their nb. I wouldn't charge them anything, obviously...I just want to know how they work so I could make more of them. Because like you, I know once baby is here, i'm not going to have time to make diapers.

[StrawHatBrat]

Maybe I will just make the smalls, and skip NB size. That's a good idea. I mean, my 1st baby was 9.5 lbs. The second was smaller... 7.5 lbs but only due to a 2 vessel umbilical cord. I may not even have a NB sized baby!! The doc thinks I'll have another big one... and if not, I can use prefolds or buy some kissaluvs and covers.


But still... I have a fear that what I sew just won't work with *my* baby no matter how wonderful they turn out.

[LeosMama]

Originally Posted by StrawHatBrat

Maybe I will just make the smalls, and skip NB size. That's a good idea. I mean, my 1st baby was 9.5 lbs. The second was smaller... 7.5 lbs but only due to a 2 vessel umbilical cord. I may not even have a NB sized baby!! The doc thinks I'll have another big one... and if not, I can use prefolds or buy some kissaluvs and covers.


But still... I have a fear that what I sew just won't work with *my* baby no matter how wonderful they turn out.

I saw this post from you on our co-op, I didn't have to answer then, but I'll try to make sense now!
My current plan is to make a bunch (dozen?18?) of AIO's from pre-folds and MM fleece and/or PUL. This will be economical for what I want to accomplish, which is trimness, ease of use, fast drying. I know it's more economical just to use CPF's and a few covers, but the bf poop always gets on the covers, I'm just not talented enough to keep it off with a folded CPF. So AIO makes more sense to me, as long as the cover is always dirty, just attach the dipe to the cover. I think I'll also make them a little bit bigger than NB and do a fold down front with an extra row of snaps and wrap-over wing snaps. This way they'll last me longer.
We use Wonderoos mostly, but I'll have two babies in dipes and my boy didn't fit into his wonderoos until he was nearly five months, he's just so skinny and small.
HTH, that's my plan (currently, I'll change my mind in the months ahead, that's just me!)
-Lindsay