NB questions, and just a little showing off...

[perstephone]

but it's not a very impressive creation to be showing off. It's just my very first attempt at sewing a dipe. Second thing I've sewn with the machine (which, of course, is my very first sewing machine, too).
I'm a little bit proud of myself, seeing as how it has elastic and at least LOOKS almost right- I bet with practice I might not suck at this! I used the MamaBird pattern, and jersey for the outside with quilter's flannel for the soaker part. All remnants I picked up at JoAnn's for practically nothing, specifically to fool around with to see if I can really do this. The edges are off, and I don't really know that I'd trust it to work, but...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...e/PICT0167.jpg
Anyway, I'm thinking of making my stash- I'm due in April with our first. It's hard to just guess what will work best, having absolutely no experience to base it on. I'm thinking some very baby and some darling diapers to have some variety. Is that enough to work with, or should I throw in something else in case I have a *tall, fat, short, long torso'd, chunky legged, skinny* whatever (!) baby?
There are just SO many options.

You all seem to be the people to ask... Any advice?

[Rachel Flores]

Hey, I think your diaper looks AWSOME!!! And they'll just get better as you do more. You should see my first attemts, not very pretty, but they are functional. I don't know how good of advice this is since I'm pretty new to diaper making too, but I would make a bunch of newborn stuff (I've heard that tiny poopockets are really good for newborns and really easy to make, but have never tried them myself), and some smalls and then wait till the baby is born for the rest cause I guarantee that you'll find you like some style and don't like others and some fit better, ect. I can think of reasons you might not want to do it that way, time, sticking with one pattern, ect. but that's what I would have done if I had started making dipes before my dd was born. HTH

[anniegirl]

Good work! I wish my first dipe had come out that nice, LOL! You'll be a pro in no time. I think you'll be good with those two patterns. It'll be even more fun when your babe is here, it's easier to experiment tweaking patterns and making your own to find exactly what you like.

[boscopup]

I think your dipe looks awesome! Good job! And yes, it will probably be completely functional. I haven't made a non-functional diaper yet (although with the sewing mistakes I had last diaper... I'm getting close ).

I agree with PP about making a variety in the tiny sizes and then waiting to figure out what you like best before making bigger sizes. I only had prefolds and covers when DS was a newborn, and I ended up having some issues after a couple months and stopped CD'ing completely. I wish I'd had other things in my stash to try, so I would have seen what WOULD work for my DS instead of giving up. Now I know better, and we're back in cloth, and I'm figuring out what I like (I do use prefolds and like them now, but for a preemie newborn who peed alot, they were too much bulk for his skinny body). Next newborn, I plan to use alot of fitteds and covers in the beginning, then switch to AI2s later when the explosive poop stage subsides. I'll still have prefolds as well, of course.

[jenamiles]

I am also due in April and have started sewing my dipes. I have three kids already and this is the first one I will be cloth diapering.

I plan on making 24 newborn and 24 small diapers. I figure 24 is fine if I do a load each evening before bed and then I can add to the small stock after baby is born and I know what I like to extend time between washes. Here is my list of what I'm making to try (I haven't had this list "approved" by the group, but this is what I've come to after reading all of the other posts. My dh and I are also used to disposables so I am doing fitteds and AIOs to start... if they work, I won't use prefolds):

XS/NB (mix of Mamabird and Very Baby)
9 prefold fitteds
6 true fitteds w/ birdseye pique
3 prefold AIOs - 2 PUL, 1 Fleece cover w/ birdseye pique
3 true AIOs - 2 PUL, 1 Fleece cover w/ birdseye pique
3 quickdry AIOs - 2 PUL, 1 Fleece cover w/ birdseye pique
4-8 covers for fitteds - 1-2 fleece, 1-2 PUL, 2-3 wool (knitted myself), 1-2 acrylic (knitted myself)

*This list has changed slightly because I found two sets of twin flannel sheets in my closet that haven't been used in at least 3 years (I mentioned them to my dh and he doesn't remember ever seeing them.) I just cut out 12 fitteds from the flannel sheets and think I have enough to do a few AIOs and I've only used 1 sheet set.

SM
6 prefold fittteds
6 true fitteds
6 true AIOs
6 quickdry AIOs
4-8 covers
*add 12 more of what works once I have experience with the NB sizes.

*My fitteds again may all end up being made of flannel sheets. Well see. Since I'm having a girl, I'm anticipating that we will be in smalls for awhile and I wouldn't mind some cute diaps instead of ALL red flannel w/ bear paws and snowflakes all over them.

[perstephone]

Oh, y'all are just TOO sweet!
Yeah, it'll be a ton easier once we meet the little bean, of course. Thanks for the advice, and the ego-pat It sounds like I'm at least on the right track with what I had in mind to start with (which is nice to know).

Nice to meet you!
stephanie

[criscutho]

I am having my bub in January and have come up with this stash to date:

12 NB fitteds
20ish small fitteds (currently at about 8)
2 NB PUL covers
2 Small PUL covers (these apparently can be used for most NB's particularly over bulky nappies)
Multiple knitted wool covers (I am knitter more than sewer)
2 Small Fleece covers (small size as cover is a bit more bulky than PUL, and hopefully will fit smaller bub and I can skip NB)
36 one size fitteds with snappiable outer (currently at 12)
12 muslin flats (summer baby as I live in Australia)

I have supplemented this with some bought and handmedown diapers:
30 terry flats
16 flannel flats
2 WAHM one size fitted
3 WAHM one size pocket
3 Fuzzibunz pockets small (second hand)

This seems like and awful lot when I write it down like that... Anyway, I would recommend having some terry/flannel flats available (not as many as I have obviously) for the days when the washing machine explodes.

Cris

EDD 1/7/06

[michellerene]

Well, I know my baby is an unusual case, but I'm glad I didn't sew up a bunch of NB or even small sized dipes, as my boy was 11.8 when born!!! I just finished his main stash (used sposies for the first little while-- nb's poop A LOT!!!!), and he now weighs 15 lbs at 2 months! So... prefolds & covers might be a good choice right at the beginning, or sew up a bunch of different sizes just in case. Or, just use a pattern that is very adjustible, like cuddlebuns or poo pockets. Just a suggestion from my experience.

[Veritaserum]

I like preemie prefolds snappied with preemie size Diaper Covers Deluxe for my newborn bubs (7 lbers). With my last one I made around a dozen covers in the preemie size (which fit perfectly over the newborn Very Baby fitteds I made). Prefolds are the most adjustable, so it's always good to have some on hand.

[boscopup]

Michellerene, my boy was just a little over 1/3 the weight of yours! I had to order preemie prefolds when he came home and the infants were more than huge. I definitely recommend having that size around. Even if you give birth to a 3 month old like michellerene did , you can still use them as doublers. I love my preemie prefolds now that DS is almost 17 months old. They are the perfect doubler size. Infant prefolds often add a bit too much bulk that I don't need.

My next baby, I'll definitely sew up some newborn size fitteds, just because there's a slight chance of going preemie again (although it's a small chance - I had PROM at 29 weeks - no prior warning in my otherwise perfectly happy and normal pregnancy).