Why start with disposables? - Page 2

[MamaMonica]

Originally posted by cchrissyy

2) say you stock up on one "system" and it doens't work for you- you'll have to use disposables while you order a new kind.

Yes. It's easier now with the internet- but still takes time. Especially if you need a newborn size and only have smalls in covers. By the time you get the newborn size in the mail, you'd need the smalls anyway.

[PeachyMama]

We had been planning on starting in disposies, because we did not have enough money to build a stash of both newborn and small dipes. My first baby was fairly large, and we knew our son was on track for being big, so it seemed like a waste to buy newborns anyway. The idea was that the disposies would hold him over until he could fit into the smalls.

Well, he came out weighing 9 lbs, 4 oz, and he fit very well into some small fitteds that I had ordered from Granny's Ark. Thank goodness that I had ordered a dozen. And thank goodness Pam and Wanda made them a little smaller than their usual smalls. I tried prefolds and Bummi's, but I couldn't get them to fit him properly until he was a bit older.

Bear in mind, that I have an easy time with birthing, and lots of help for the first couple of weeks. I also did my homework, and was ready with written instructions for a washing routine.

[stafl]

I started with disposables because I didn't know any better, and I really believed it when everyone told me they were easier.
I switched to cloth recently, and will cd newbaby when the time comes, from day one.

ONE, disposables did not hold in those early breastfed poopie blowouts, no matter what brand or size I tried! I was changing DD's clothes, blankets, my clothes, sheets, etc. at least four times a day! ICK! I'd much rather have some stained Kissaluvs or prefolds than stained everything else.
TWO, cloth isn't really any harder or more work than disposables, in my opinion. With either, you still have to learn how to get the thing on just right to prevent leaks and to fit your particular baby. Since the poopie blowouts meant I was doing laundry every day, cloth diapers wouldn't have made a difference in that respect at all.
THREE, cloth diapers are easier to customize the fit. My little bitty baby girl just never did fit quite right in premie, newborn or size 1 sposies.
FOUR, cloth is so much less expensive in the long run.
FIVE, the unbleached cloth diapers don't contain toxins like dioxin (produced during the bleaching process), which have been linked to all sorts of horrible disorders, like endometriosis, which I have. If there's anything in my power that I can do to reduce the risk of my babies living in pain their entire reproductive lives, I'm going to do it.

[mlia]

Originally we had planned to cloth diaper the twins beginning at 15 pounds. This was so we could get BF established and develop a routine. Well we only came home with one baby and major feeding issues, failure to thrive and eventually her heart problem. I didn't even think of cloth. I just existed. Around 4 months I started trying but of course I had planned to cloth at 15 pounds (and she wasn't 15 pounds til closer to 6 1/2 months) so I had to borrow some smalls and buy a few to get us through. But once I got started I never looked back.

I don't know what I will do if there is a next time. I probably won't buy an expensive newborn system either but I won't wait 4 months either.

[Benjismom]

I did not plan to start out with disposables but my preemie daughter was 4 lbs 12 oz at birth and didn't even come close to fitting into the diapers I had bought for her. She was in the NICU for two and a half weeks; although I could have brought in cloth diapers to use with her, I was going back and forth every couple of hours (insanely pumping in between) and couldn't even think about ordering preemie size diapers, much less worry about being home when they were delivered (I live in NYC so just leaving the package is often not practical). I'm happy to say she is now growing like a weed and wearing a variety of dipes all of which I learned about on this board!

I agree that it could be difficult when starting out with a newborn for the first time to also be doing laundry, especially if (like me) you do not have machines in your house/apt. But I also agree with the poster who noted that disposables really do not contain the newborn poopy blowout well at all. Looking back at my son's clothes (I used disposables with him) I see so many stains. My daughter, on the other hand, has had maybe one or two blowouts and they were much smaller (due to positioning). So you could end up with a lot of laundry either way.

Beth, Mom to Benji 3/23/00 and Maggie 1/24/03

[jackson's mama]

For myself, I can sum it all up in one word...FEAR.

I was nervous about using cloth, even though we knew that we'd eventually get the hang of it. We used disposies exclusively until the meconium was gone, then started bringing cloth into the mix. Honestly I sometimes felt like throwing on a disposie was easier at first, and it was nice to have some handy for when I just didn't feel like dealing with which dipe and which cover or which AIO. With all the emotional upheaval of a first baby, I felt like I had enough to deal with! I know that sounds like a cop-out, but that's really how I felt. It was just kinda' overwhelming at first.

For the next baby, whenever that may be, we'll do cloth from the beginning (and maybe bring some to the hospital too).

[pip]

I bought a whole lot of fitteds which were supposed to fit from 10lbs to 22lbs, so they were way too big for a newborn. I used sposies for the first month until he fattened up, and don't regret it. I couldn't justify the expense of newborn sized fitteds and covers, and was way too unsure to use prefolds. Also I found that for the first three weeks or so I was so busy looking at this gorgeous little creature, I didn't want to think about ANYTHING else. I can't even remember doing my own laundry although I guess it happened. I had a c-section and my laundry is outside
(basic I know) so the extra work wasn't worth it. By the time I started using cloth I had more energy to experiment and didn't worry so much about the odd leak 'cos by then I had learnt that sposies leak too!! I also could really appreciate that smug feeling as I breezed past the sposie aisle at the supermarket and didn't have to waste money on the horrid things

Go with whatever you feel happy with, and congrats on your impending mommiehood!

[MamaMonica]

It has been interesting to see that I'm not the only cding mom who used disposables because her baby was too small for her cloth diapering supplies. The second time I could have purchased a newborn system ahead of time, but I was guessing my second child would be bigger and fit the smalls... that wasn't the case... I was also too cheap to invest in diapers I might not use back then, and knowing nothing about diaper resale value.