Planning to cloth diaper? X-post

[cyncyn]

I just posted my newborn cloth diapering plan on my local cd Yahoo group and thought some of you might be interested too. I am an accredited Real Diaper Association diaper circle leader so I am a huge cloth diaper advocate. If you have any questions about cloth diapers, ask me! And if you are in the Portland, OR area, join our group. We have over 100 members and get together every month to support each other.

I will just list styles, not brands, because I make most of my own anyway. Since my last baby was over 10 lbs., I am doing mostly size smalls, with a couple covers in newborn sizes for the first week or two. Also, the wool and fleece will be used as outer clothing & pajamas, not just diaper covers. I am hoping to not use much PUL this time around. I prefer more breathable fabrics for summer. If I have trouble fitting wool or fleece covers under clothing in fall, I will get some pull-on nylon covers because they are so trim fitting, and still more breathable than PUL.

12 infant prefolds
2 snappis
24 newborn/small fitted diapers
6 contour/semi-fitted diapers
12 diaper doublers
12 flannel liners (for the first few icky poos, then toss them)
2 PUL covers
3 wool wrap covers
3 pull on wool covers
3 pairs wool shorts
3 pairs wool pants
3 windpro fleece wrap covers
3 pairs 200 wt. fleece shorts
3 pairs 200 wt. fleeece pants
6 windpro fleece all-in-ones

After about 15 pounds, I will be moving to mostly side snap pockets: non-waterproof fitteds under fleece or wool pants/shorts, and some water resistant windpro fleece pocket AIOs too. I will use microfiber towels from Target and the infant prefolds as the inserts for the pockets.

Anyone else feel free to reply with your newborn wisdom!

[proudhsmommy]

We're cloth diapering with our youngest right now and definately plan to with this little one. I'm still working on the newborn stash, not getting too many but we'd like to have this one in nothing but cloth right from the start!!

[tatermom]

We are cloth diapering DS and plan to use his stash for the next little one as well. We mainly use prefolds with Bummis covers during the day and FuzziBunz at night. We couldn't afford all the fancy stuff the first time around (and can't this time either) but a friend of ours used motherese through the whole first year and loved it (it's highly adjustable). Just a word of advice to the novices-- don't go too overboard with the newborn and even small sizes since the babies grow so fast! We spent most of the time (from 4 or 5 months old to about 18 months old) in size medium.

[HopesMom]

I use cloth diapers on my son (almost 2) and have since he was 3 months or so. My kids seem to grow so fast in the first few months, I'm hesitant to go to cloth until they get a bit bigger. Otherwise I'd be investing in diapers that won't fit for long.

[gothmommy]

Will be cloth diapering here, too. DS#2 was CD'd and DS#3 is still in cloth diapers. I have a decent stash left over from them, but I'll probably get some new covers and a few new little diapers.

[suzysprite]

I'm going to be cloth diapering, but I'm not sure where to start. A little hippie store down the street was having a going out of business sale a few mmonths ago, and I bought a couple of (I think they were?) all in ones. I have no idea what kind will be the best for us to use. I'll be WOH part-time, so I'll need something that a family member or care provider who's used to dispoables will find easy to work with. Also, I hear that depending on how your baby is built, certain kinds might not fit right? Given that, should I even build the bulk of my stash before I see what size and shape of baby I have? Do you use covers only for prefolds, or for the other kinds, as well? So many questions. :

[cyncyn]

I wouldn't buy too much before the baby comes. Lots of people who eventually use cloth start out with sposies. It can be pretty overwhelming those first few weeks with everything that is going on. Plus, babies outgrow the newborn size cloth very fast so it can be more economical to wait a bit. Most babies are in mediums the longest, over a year in many cases.

I am doing so many different kinds because I have a lot of experience and I make my own, so cost is not an issue.

These are the absorbent part and need covers:
12 infant prefolds
24 newborn/small fitted diapers
6 contour/semi-fitted diapers

These are covers (waterproof layer):
2 PUL covers
3 wool wrap covers
3 pull on wool covers
3 pairs wool shorts
3 pairs wool pants
3 windpro fleece wrap covers
3 pairs 200 wt. fleece shorts
3 pairs 200 wt. fleeece pants

These are AIOs (waterproof and absorbent sewn together):
6 windpro fleece all-in-ones (easiest for caregivers)

These are accessories:
2 snappis (for fastening prefolds)
12 diaper doublers (for adding absorbency)
12 flannel liners (for the first few icky poos, then toss them)

[DoulaClara]

I want to get into cloth as well! So far, I've bought a handful of AIO's and liners, but I have a little more experience with prefolds with my little brother(this will be my first living baby, *in Jesus' name!*)

I will probably use 'sposies until the meconium poop is all flushed through the baby, and then probably use up the pack and move into prefolds. The AIO's I will use when we go home to visit the family (which, I feel like a lucky girl that my mom and my in-laws are very down-to-earth people with some major crunch to them!)

Clara

[suzysprite]

Thanks so much for all the info, cyncyn! You've been so helpful. I'm thinking maybe the diapers I bought are the fitted or semi-fitted, since they don't appear to have a waterproof exterior. I'm so excited to start buying cute dipes right now now now, but I understand that waiting would probably be a good idea, and I guess I'll hold off for a bit.

[gr8tfulmom]

We're going to have to break the nb's and smalls out of storage. We have mostly kissaluvs (fitteds) and some covers and a bunch of fuzzi bunz, a few AIOs and some WAHM fitteds. I would really like to build up our small size WAHM & AIO stash before this babe shows up.

Suzy, AIO's are my personal favorite. The ones I like best so far are Bumkins.

[bbrandonsmom]

At first that seemed like a lot of covers, but I guess you are doing 2 covers per diaper it seems? I didn't think you'd need that many wool ones though?

Anyhow, we started cloth with ds at 2m and then started ecing shortly after that. I had 2doz prefolds with about covers. Then I got about 7 fuz bunz for night time only. We ditched the prefolds and went to snap pants around 6m when ec started going better. He's been in underwear since 12m.
With this baby, I have the 2doz and got another 12 of brand new indian prefolds, so I think 36 will be good for the first 2-3m? Then I'll cut down the prefolds and gradually go to snap pants earlier this time. I'd like to get some new med fuz bunz or make my own, as well as make some wool covers. So my stats would be
36 prefolds cutting down to 24, then 12 every other month
3 small prowrap type covers
12? fuzz bunz med or similar I make or 12+ wool type instead
12 or so ec snap pants med, I might make some small pending baby's newborn weight/size
12 hemp inserts like the hemparoos-I really like those
8x8 flannel/terry cloth wipes I make-bunches and bunches
1 snappie that I stop using soon as baby starts moving around more-rolling etc.

[Mel L]

Didn't read all the posts...so this may be a repeat. We can afford some of the more expensive diapers (bought 2-3 of them for ds...weren't really impressed), but I am really happy with my prefolds, snappis, and bummis. I sew so I am spending money on good fabrics rather than on expensive diapers now. You can get great fabrics from co-ops for a good price.

For a newborn/ small baby, I plan to use fitted diapers with covers. They seem to hold/contain bf poo better than the prefolds. There are a TON of great free patterns out there, and there are some great patterns for purchase. I will be making quite a few smalls and nb diapers, but my first son was in nb for 8 weeks. I figure that I can always donate them if a bunch of them don't get used. I think this is our last...unless it is a boy...then we will try for a 3rd boy. Ha, ha!

[2much2luv]

I used prefolds and Bummis with my first. With my second I started with those but by the time she'd potty learned I'd used lots of different things on her. My third was fitteds and wool. I'll do a combo of fitteds and prefolds with mostly wool this time.

[imgr8ful]

of course!!

i've already got a decent sized newborn stash since i collected some for my sister - who didn't use them - so they're still basically new! some are from ds2. in the first few weeks, i really like fitteds. then once they "unscrunch" i go to all prefolds. i have a few pul covers but mostly knitted wool. and since i've learned how to knit, this babe will have plenty of soakers for the summer!

i like to have at least 3 dozen dipes and a dozen covers.

[sleet76]

I have CD'd both of my kids the majority of the time. With DD, I used mostly prefolds, snappis, and covers, but loved the few side snap-pockets I had. With DS, I caved and invested in side-snap pockets, so for this next baby, I will have a complete pocket stash. I love it!

[ChelseaG]

We CD too - but I am lazy - so we have switched to nothing but AIO's - : - kushies are my favorite - and bumware, and bumkins (though the bumkins fit a little tight on the thighs of my girl).
I went crazy and bought a bunch of all different styles (fitteds, cpf, covers, wool, pockets, etc.) before my girl was even born, and ended up giving a bunch away that we weren't using. We will use kissaluvs fitteds and bummis covers for the first few months (cuz that is what we have left over from last time and I don't want to buy more) - but I definitely love the ease and convenience of AIO's - and they are easy for Dh and MIL and others to figure out.

[amnda527]

I don't want to "hijack" the thread or anything, but I'm so confused about the whole cd thing. What are prefolds and AIO's? Where do you get these? I occasionally lurk around the diapering forum but I'm still just so lost. When I hear "cloth diaper" I picture those solid white cloths that are thick in the middle and thin and flexible on the sides. Anyone care to inform this newbie??

[Isaac'sMa]

Originally Posted by amnda527

I don't want to "hijack" the thread or anything, but I'm so confused about the whole cd thing. What are prefolds and AIO's? Where do you get these? I occasionally lurk around the diapering forum but I'm still just so lost. When I hear "cloth diaper" I picture those solid white cloths that are thick in the middle and thin and flexible on the sides. Anyone care to inform this newbie??

The diaper you are picturing is a prefold and lots of mamas aroud here swear by them. For a good list with pros/cons and some explanations about different "systems" look at http://www.cutofcloth.com/article_differentsystems.asp This might help you sort out some of the differences. There's tons of info on the net if you're willing to do a few google searches. Or maybe you can find a family in your area who uses CD and would be willing to show you their system? HTH

[Isaac'sMa]

We'll be CD here too! With DS I used sposies till the meconium was gone, but this time it'll be cloth from day 1 (I mistakenly thought the meconium would be a nighmare to wash out- apparently it comes out just fine in the wash.)

We've got DS in Bumkins AIO's and Swaddlebees now. I find these fit best under fall/winter clothes and his skin is just fine during the colder months even though they're not as breatheable as wool (which I like for summer). I have plenty of kissaluvs and wool that he wore this summer and they'll fit him next summer too. When he was NB, I had 40 diapers that I made and they fit him until he was 6 months. But, I didn't love the pattern and they were hard for FIL, MIL, etc to use. I always ended up with way more laundry to do! For the new babe, I plan on NB kissaluvs and wool. OOOooo...I just love the wool for summer! So cute and breatheable!

[beana's mommy]

definitely!

We've cd'd our dd since the beginning. Shouldn't need to buy much, if any, for next baby.

Our favorites now are the bumGenius one-size pockets.