Building cloth diaper stashes?

[HappiLeigh]

I know there is a whole section of the board devoted to cloth diapering, but somehow I felt like this is really a question for my due date buddies.
Are you all getting together a cloth dipe stash yet? Are you worrying about just the tiny sizes, or trying to get set for bigger bums to come? The newborn size dipes look *so* tiny, and the next size up don't look that big either--would the next size up just fall off a newborn? And for you experienced mamas, how many different sizes of diaper covers did you end up needing? I have some small/medium wraps, and some very large ones (bless my CDing friends and hand-me-downs!) and there seems to be a huge difference between the sizes of the little ones and the big ones. Do I need stair-step wraps, or are they just pretty flexible and one-size-fits-many-ish because of the velcro?
I made a few this weekend by copying off ones I already have and they are so cute (can't wait to use them!!!), but I want to be smart about accumulating what I need, and not tons in sizes I don't.

[Megs Mom]

Good questions! I am divesting myself of my stash as I cannot handle the laundry with four children under five, but I can still answer some of your questions.

You'll want the first couple of sizes...newborns & smalls. They grow out of nb quickly but smalls will be too big at first. I needed fives sizes ultimately - lots of mediums, lots of larges, & a few x-larges.

[jessiemom]

i am starting to build my stash too. I have just started cd'ing my youngest, 16 months, so i am not sure if I have any advice right now but I have found wrap sizes make a definite difference in the rise even though they have adjustable waists. I just bought some hemp fleece fitteds and they are awesome, really absorbant!!I have some mudpie aio's coming that I am going to try but I think I'll probably have mostly fitteds and covers because I find those to be the most convinient, personally. I am just going to buy a few newborns because both of my other kids were over 8lbs at birth and over 11lbs at 1 month so I figure why waste a bunch of money on some fancy diapers when they will only wear that size for a while.

Jessie

[MamaChel]

You'll want NB and smalls to start with. I've CD'd at least partially 2 now, one starting at 8 months and one from birth. My 8 pounder fit into NB diapers for a month or 2 actually. I have a variety of cover sizes, I;m not sure what all I have as I just scored a major cover stash from freecycle. You do need the stair step sizes, especially in teh covers, too large and it will leak and too small won't work either. I prefer pull on covers and wool so that's what I focus on although I do have a large stash of velcro covers now. All I need to do is get some more tiny dipes and a couples snappis and I'm set.

[honeybee]

Well, it really depends on what kind of diapers you want to get and how much you want to spend! If you're using fitteds and all-in-ones you will need those newborn and small sizes at first. But, the babies DO grow out of them very quickly! My ds is a skinny little guy, but even if he didn't grow out of them waist-wize, he still grew out of them lenght-wise. The mediums and larges tend to last longer.

Prefolds last a lot longer. The infant-sized lasted for a few months, and the regular size should work until potty-training. The infant-sized also make great burp cloths, bibs, doublers, and stuffers! I use prefolds for the bulk of my stash. They're really absorbent and cheap.

As for covers, you need all the sizes, because a good fit is important. I found I needed more of the newborn and small sizes (about 4-6 in each size), because that newborn poo really explodes!

Have fun collecting your stash!

[Kam]

I'm glad you brought this up. I dread wading into the diapering forum to read because I end up spending waaaaay too much time sifting through it all, but I'm so out of the loop now that I must do it.

We CD'ed Meg from about 4 mos. At first I used FBs and HHs, but then really liked Elbee Baby and Fireflies with wool covers. Those are nice for later, when they use a single size for many months, but the newborn period is too short for expensive diapers, I think. So...what to get?

By the end, I remember really wishing we just had two or three types, so I think we'll start with half PFs and half fitteds. I'm thinking now that we'll get Kissaluvs 0s (1 or 2 doz) and a couple dozen prefolds, plus some Nikky cotton and light poly wraps for daytime and some Alexis Featherlights for naps. We already have some hand-me-down wool covers for nighttime.

There's also that neat wool sack! Has anybody seen that? I'm thinking maybe I'll ask my knitting SIL whether she could make one for me. They look so warm, easy, and comfortable.

Sigh. I love soft, tiny cloth diapers. What is up with that?

[rmzbm]

I am also starting up a "stash." This is baby #4 but the 1st to be CD'd. I am loving all the tips here!!

[yvonnemlv]

I use Elimination Communication, at least part time, but diapers are so darned cute... I have Imse Vimse pre-formed diapers and like those okay. They were way too big on a newborn. I also have some medium FuzziBunz as well as some Wonderoos, which I love for when I need someone else to watch the baby/child, then they can not feel so afraid doing the cloth diapers since you can tell them where to snap them shut.

With this baby, I am filling out my stash with infant prefolds (thirsties or some indian prefolds) and a couple snappis or else I will make a fleece covered elastic band to go around the waist and help hold them in place (need something fast I can whip off when baby needs to pee or poo so I can help them go in the potty).

My son was 100% diaper-free at 16 months and now at 26 months he is around the 4th stage of potty training (bringing potty to me instead of me having to ask if he needs to go, he can also pull up his pants, but down doesn't work so well cuz of his cute bubble butt).

[kellykins]

I'm interested in CDing too... But its all soo overwhelming to me. Maybe I am clicking the wrong place, but is there actually an overall forum for CD? The section I find with the show n tell and whatever in it- when you click on the main link, it takes you to a page with a bunch of different brands listed on it.

I have no idea what to get, how many to be thinking about, what sizes, as this is my first.

I'm also curious. Someone brought up to me that CDing takes a lot of water to wash and wash and wash them all the time, and that you may be impacting the environment more with that than disposables. True or False?
What are the other benefits to cloth vs disposable? Is it more economical to go cloth? (How to find that out?)

sorry to sorta question-ola...

[HappiLeigh]

Kellykins, the forum is here. Once you are on that page of advertisements, you have to click on "take me to MDC's diapering forum" or something like that.

Also, I don't have hard and fast data about the economics of CDing (although I've seen it worked out before on WAHM diaper sites), but we'd pretty much have to run our washer 24/7 to get a water bill close to the price of good-quality sposies--just go look at the shelf of them at the store. $$$! In any case, although the cost is an issue for us, I think I'd CD even if it weren't cheaper. I just hate to wear non-breathable fibers and can't stand any plastic up against my skin, or even the idea that part of my whole body might be contained in plastic. Bleah! So I'm basically assuming my kid may feel the same way. (And I'm making my dipes waterproof with 100% cotton canvas, not plastic.)

Thanks to everyone for the great advice! And Kam, I'm totally there with you. I know I'm turning sappy when I'm getting all ahhhh...and oooooh...about DIAPERS!

[honeybee]

I've just never bought into the "washing causes as much environmental damage" line. I think it's disposable diaper company propaganda. It doesn't make sense to me. I mean, the water goes back into the sewer system, gets filtered, and then gets reused. And, yes, there are some energy costs to run the washer, but when you compare that to filling a landfill with plastic that lasts 100 years... it seems like a no-brainer. And then realize that all that poop and pee in the diapers is just sitting in the landfill, too, instead of being properly taken care of in a sewage system (because, really, very few sposie users dump the poop into the toilet like they're supposed to!). That doesn't even talk about all the materials/energy used to MAKE the disposable diapers.

But, environmental concerns aside, the primary reason I chose to use cds is the health impact. I do NOT trust that gel stuff they put in the disposable diapers. Pets can die if they get into that stuff and eat it (because of the chemical, not the plastic/choking aspect). Also, dioxyn is created as a biproduct of the disposable-diaper making process. This is a known cancerous substance. And I'm supposed to put this on my baby's genitals every day for 2-3 years? There was also a German study that found a correlation between disposable diaper use and later fertility problems among men. The theory is that disposable diapers keep the testes too warm, inhibiting later sperm production capablilty.

Cost depends on what you buy. Stick to prefolds and covers, and cding is MUCH cheaper than sposies. But, you can get carried away and end up spending as much on cloth as you would on sposies.

Melissa

[Megs Mom]

kelly - good beginner site - http://www.borntolove.com

[yvonnemlv]

http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/index.html Is where I am buying my prefolds and wool soakers from (really nice inexpensive ones that look to be good quality). They have lots of resources and information for beginners. You can also call or email them directly for help on what to get for you first timers. Cloth diapering is fun and addicting.. :LOL

[amyrobynne]

I was 8 months pregnant before I dared start buying diapers last time--I was too intimidated by it all. I only bought nb size stuff because I wanted to try everything, but my son was immediately into smalls and I was stuck without much that fit for awhile. Definitely buy smalls too!

The economic, but still fun, approach is to get infant prefolds, then fitteds or AIO's for medium and large sizes. I adore the tiny fitteds but I can't claim that I'll get my money's worth in the slightest. My first outgrew newborns in 3-5 weeks and smalls by 4 months. He has been in the same medium and large diapers (Fireflies and First Class Baby/Little Caboose are my favorites) from 3-19 months with space to grow, still. I know people who dye their prefolds if they don't want to stick with white--you can buy them pre-dyed, too.

I'd get 6-8 newborn covers and 6 smalls. After that, 4 will do but 6 is easier. I like MotherEase AirFlow covers once you hit medium, but Bummis for newborns and smalls.

If you can learn to fold a tight prefold and love them, you'll save a ton of money over those of us who feel the need to get fitteds instead (and you won't have to worry about missing the next hyena stocking).

[Birth Junky]

Awww, I'm jealous. We will be using a diaper service, which will be great in terms of not having to do the diaper laundry ourselves . . . but unfortunate in that it precludes the purchase of cute, handmade diapers and covers.

[nubianamy]

Awww, BJ, you can still get cute covers for your service prefolds! =)

I made out my online registry with tons of different kinds of diapers -- prefolds, Bummis covers, Fuzzi Bunz, Kissaluv's, etc. but I will probably end up with prefolds and covers unless someone takes pity on me and buys them for me. I am too cheap. Oh, and my four neighbors are ALSO pregnant... so there goes borrowing their stash!! =)

My Bradley teacher did a demo of the bikini twist last night at class and I just thought, "Who could think this was harder than disposables??" It took about five seconds.

[Daisie125]

I'm just waiting to hear back about my VB AIO pattern... as soon as I get that I'll be getting started. My PLAN is to get my whole stash (fitteds, covers & AIOs in all sizes) done before the baby is born. I know there is a chance that what I make may not work for us, but I figure if they don't, I can always sell them and make more, and if they do, I got myself out of a lot of last minute sewing!

[Birth Junky]

Originally Posted by nubianamy

Awww, BJ, you can still get cute covers for your service prefolds! =)

You know, I hadn't even considered this option . . . I just assumed I would order covers from the diaper service itself! :

NOW I'm excited . . . I'm already about set with a maternity wardrobe, and a decent start to baby clothes. The changing table is set up, the dresser installed in our bedroom, and the registry done (with occasional tweaking). Finally, another aspect of baby preparation that I can dive into!

[nepenthesea]

I started on my diaper stash a few months ago. It's SO hard to try to decide what you really NEED, isn't it? I ordered some gently used diapers off of e-bay - some cute colored Kissaluvs fitteds, some one-size dipes that are SO soft, a few prefolds, covers, doublers, etc. Got them and realized, duh, these are for bigger babies! Gotta get some smaller ones.

So I researched for awhile, and discovered that I really should get some basic prefolds (which I want to dye) and covers, and then spend extra on other dipes if they sound good. I ordered a package from Stork Wearhouse with nb/infant prefolds, some premium cpfs for later, small covers, a diaper pail, soakers, odor discs, etc. Then I realized I really will need some NB size covers, and I wanted those cute little Bummis SWW that are printed with frogs and babies. So I ordered those at another place, and also ordered the SWEETEST little wool longies with gragonflies and bees embroidered on them! Everybody I show my stash to just thinks it's adorable; even the naysayers who didn't realize how far cloth diapering has come.


And speaking of that, don't you all get tired of people telling you that you don't know what you're in for with cd'ing? Especially because none of them have even tried it?? : My Bradley teacher kind of had me scared because she was like, "disposable diapers leak so much, that I just don't see how you keep poop from running down their legs in cloth diapers." So I ran to the cd forum, and they all reassured me that there are WAY more blow-outs and poop explosions with disposables than with cloth. I just need to not listen to people who have never even tried it, I guess.

After researching cd, I have to say that when AF returns, I am definitely going to do something different. I use tampons, but have always wanted to try a Keeper cup or cloth pads. I don't see how I can justify the waste and concerns of the chemicals in disposable products on myself, in my most sensitive area, when I wouldn't consider it for my children.

[yvonnemlv]

I love love LOOOOVE my cup! Hee hee.. Go for it! MoonKeeperDivas is a yahoo group that can help you decide which one to try and then the how-tos of use and the lil things that can come up. Cloth is great too but I like the freedom of cups, for sure!