Cloth diaper help!

[sewaneecook]

DH and I are planning on using CDs. Our main reason is b/c they are so much cheaper than disposables. My problem is there are so many different types and styles available that I get lost in it all. So, I need your help.

What do you like best and why? Where can I get them? Keep in mind I'm doing this as a cost saving measure so the pricey ones can be left out of the discussion!

PLEASE, don't use any abbreviations and explain the styles you are talking about ... the last time I regularly used CDs was on my little sister 16 years ago and the only option was using pins and rubber pants. In other words, I'm ignorant with it all!

Thanks for sharing!

[Yin Yang]

I love basic chinese prefolds diapers with a dipers cover over them. I really do. I never liked All-in-ones or fitted diapers. Also my favorite - Fuzzi Bunz with prefold in them. Simple and cheap. We were really broke with our first one so we bought the very basic - I had about 3 dosens of prefolds and about 3 covers and 3 Fuzzy Bunz. Yes, I had to wash every day, but I did not mind. When they get into medium size they stay there for about a year - that's the best money saving size :lol Newborn is outgrown really fast. Mine NEVER fit into newborn size! He went straight into small, stayed there for about 3 months and then medium.

I did not say what diaper cover I like most - I love Bumkins. They are very thin, very water proof and cheap. I don't like bulky diapers.

[Yin Yang]

Forgot to say I like to shop at http://www.kellyscloset.com/ for diapers. Or www.babynaturale.com - that's actually my friend's business :love

[sewaneecook]

Pavlina, thanks for your preferences. It's the exact sort of thing I'm looking for. Thanks for giving a plug to your friend's buisiness!! I'm all about supporting friends and friends of friends! I'll definitely investigate the sites you suggested.

[ma_Donna]

If cheap is your biggest concern, I'd say flats and Bummis wraps.

I prefer flats over prefolds because they are much more adjustable with how you can fold them, double them or triple them up, They're so thin that you KNOW they're clean each time and will dry faster than anything, saving on the dryer. You can use the same size from birth to potty. I got mine from kellyscloset.

I love how Bummis covers fit Noah and there is no washing wool and getting sucked into purty stuff :lol They do have prints

Personally I do have a lot of fitteds and wool covers and 14 fuzzi bunz that I stuff with flats. I have been using the bummis covers more recently since Noah seems to get poop on the wool covers every time he poops!

If you'd like some wool, my absolute favorite is from Celtic Creations. Their covers fit extremely well and the leg gussets are fantastic. They look great, don't bleed and they hold prefolds or flats quite well even without Snappis/pins.

If you'd like to try other stuff (pocket diapers, wool, fitteds) DEFINITELY check out the Trading Post!!

[Yin Yang]

I never liked Bummies - they always leaked after while. I don't mean around the edges, I mean the fabric. I might have done something wrong with them, not sure what, but they leaked, always.

[sewaneecook]

Are snap or velcro closures better on the covers? Does one wear out faster than the other? What about cloth wipes? Do regular wash cloths work or are they too abrasive?

Thanks for all your input and putting up with ALL my questions!

[ksjhwkr]

Ok, when I started doing cloth diapers, I needed it to be CHEAP! So, I used prefolds and covers. I really liked them. Then, when I had Seth, some of my friends got me a bunch of Fuzzi Bunz. I like those, dh LOVES them! So, we've invested in some more! :)
As for the prefolds - I got the unbleached cotton prefolds from Weebees (http://www.weebees.com). I also bought their side snap covers. I really like those. They are white, but I have dyed a lot of mine with food coloring and vinigar! They are great, they grow with the baby and for the older kiddos, the snaps are not easy to get undone!
I also LOVE the Stacinator wool and fleece covers for night time. If you are going to do prefolds, get a couple snappi's. I used pins with Emma until she was mobile, then i started using the snappi. Wow, it made my life SO much easier!!! Let me know if you have any other questions!!!

[momsmyjob]

I think to start fuzzi bunz would be best, which are pockets and micro inserts, stuffers. IMO they don't work well on a new babe, unless your like me and you spit them out a 10-12 pounds, otherwise, prefolds and say stacinator covers are the best in the beginning.

[Miss Juice]

Prefolds and covers are the easiest, cheapest system. I admit I haven't tried flats, though some good points have been made about them. You can get Chinese prefolds (CPF) or Indian prefolds (IPF), and you can get them bleached white or unbleached, natural color. It's good to have a couple of Snappi fasteners, though you can fold a prefold in thirds and simply lay it in a wrap-style cover like Bummis or Bumkins. I've always used Bummis and they have never leaked, not around the legs and not through the fabric. I think the velcro (aplix) fasteners are faster and easier to use, and you get a good fit every time. There's sometimes an awkward time where none of the snap settings seem to fit quite right, but as it's been mentioned, snaps are harder for babies to take off. Some people like snaps much better and won't use aplix.

I agree it's nice to have a few Fuzzi Buns or other All-In-One style diapers for going out, but you can get away with just a few and you don't have to have them at all. It's just easier to change a wiggly baby in public into a single-piece diaper, than to deal with snappis and covers etc. No biggie, but a nice convenience IMO.

For cloth wipes, you can use baby washcloths for sure. You could use just about anything, but baby washcloths are nice and soft, and they get the messes off well. Big-people washcloths are more expensive, and thicker than you need for a baby. Lots of online stores sell wipes, and some are very nice. You can get them for cheap on the TP as well.

I guess my advice would be to start simple, and try other things one by one if you need to. The reason there are so many choices is that everybody likes different things, and what works perfectly for one family drives another up the wall. The good news is that if you get something you don't like or doesn't work, you can sell it on the TP or elsewhere and recoup a great deal of your cost to try something else.

[Miss Juice]

Dang I cannot write anything shorter than a novel! But my favorite site, which gave me tons of helpful information and gave me the courage to swith to cloth, is www.greenmountaindiapers.com.

[Yin Yang]

Dang I cannot write anything shorter than a novel! But my favorite site, which gave me tons of helpful information and gave me the courage to swith to cloth, is www.greenmountaindiapers.com.
That is very good website for a beginner :thumb

[carouselrider]

You've gotten tons of good advice. We did the cheap route with our first DD, and we used unbleached chinese prefolds and bummis or prowrap diaper covers. I didn't really love the prowraps, but there was a place at the time that you could get factory seconds cheap. I didn't use infant size prefolds very long, switched to premium size at around 3 months and then we used that size all the way through toddler years. I used cheap washcloths for wipes, and fleece liners as inserts that I bought but are very easy to make. For nighttime I used Stacinator Fleece covers. I used diaper pins with those, but didn't use pins with the other velcro covers. I tried a snappi and it worked fine, but I was used to pins by that time.

I agree to keep it simple and you can always build on a good base as money permits. With our second we used more all-in-ones, but we didn't really need to. The cheap system worked just fine.

[sewaneecook]

WOW! You are all so great! Such helpful info. I may have to put in an order soon.

ksjhwkr - I like the idea of being able to dye the covers!

momsmyjob - IMO they don't work well on a new babe, unless your like me and you spit them out a 10-12 pounds
Ouch! I think I could handle 8-9lbs., but those are some big babies!

ma_Donna - do flats absorb as well as the prefolds?

mytwogals - some great and thorough info! I'll definitely have to look in to the all in ones. Thanks for the great website!

[sewaneecook]

carouselrider - great to know about the useful sizes!

More questions: How many prefolds and covers should be bought (and in which sizes) if I plan on washing around 2x/wk? Or is that on the websites and I haven't seen it yet?

[Mama2ABCD]

i'm another for prefolds and bummis (velcro). this will be my 4th butt using this system. it's easy, efficient, and very economical.

the prefolds have been great and i keep them in reach so all my kids no to get one to mop up a spill. very absorbant! any old ratty ones (and it takes alot of wear to get to that point) i use to mop floors.

i've never had to go beyond medium bummis.

the trading post here is a great place to stock up. i just restocked smalls. i always tend to give away my smalls when my babies outgrow them. luckily at least one is in a medium when i get pregnant so i don't give those away.

[LeosMama]

Flats are the same material as prefolds, generally. They are both cotton twill. Just one has been folded and stitched, pre-folded. Flats absorb very well.

I have 19 Wonderoos with good inserts, a bunch of homemade (by me) fitted dipes and covers that all work well and I love. Yet I still prefer a folded prefold with a snappi and a homemade cover.

Pro-raps are ugly. But they are work horses. They are inexpensive and last forever and hold in all the wet. Usually all the solids, too, if the size is appropriate for the baby. I think the sizes run big. If you don't mind folding and snappi-ing and don't mind ugly covers, You can get a cheap system of flats, snappies, and pro-raps in two to three sizes and that will do you through potty training.

If you can sew a little, you can make wool longies for your baby, too. Just cut the arms off of a wool or acrylic sweater, sew them together, roll over and stitch the waist and thread in elastic. Voila! Cheap diaper cover plus pants in one article!

[~pi]

Just subbing to the thread as another first-timer. :)

Laura, I haven't made any of these yet, but I found a great link here (at the diapering board, I think?) for making your own recycled and cheap :thumb dipes:

http://fernandfaerie.com/frugaldiapering.html

[Max'sMama]

I agree that prowraps aren't cute but they are 'workhorses'!
If you can sew I would sew diapers for your babe. A secondary benefit is that it helps with some of the nervous energy in the month before delivery (I made 3 doz ++ diapers then)! I used the honey boy pattern, which can be altered to make fuzzy bunz type stuffers, or fitted, all-in-ones, contoured diapers, really anything. You can get prowrap seconds by calling the company towards the beginning of the month. This is what I did and I got them for like 3 or 4 dollars a piece, that way I got newborn, small and med sizes. 800-397-8594 is the number to call to get seconds from proservices. The seconds are not faulty in any way, just the stitching may not be 100% perfect or the velcro may be sewn on a little crooked.

I ended up loving wool longies and wool covers in general. I actually focused my knitting obsession on it for a while;) I started with the 'butt sweater' pattern (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Oaks/1126/buttsweaterpage.html) before moving onto the knitted variety.

Now is a perfect time to find pre-felted wool at the consignment stores, too:p

I love love love my unbleached prefolds that I got in a package at www.earthbbaby.com They have some really nice package deals available too.

If you know that people are going to throw a shower sign up online at a diaper shop and see if you can get some 'special' diapers too.

[JoyofBirth]

I plan to get this http://www.mtdiaperstore.com/product_info.php?cPath=40&products_id=122 package for our new peanut. I'd also like to get a few fitteds as dh doesn't fold diapers. Fitteds are shaped like a sposie and has snaps or velcro and then you put a cover over it. I also will get some all-in-ones for the diaper bag when we're ouy. An all-in-one is just like a sposie, yoou just put it on and change it. No cover needed. Hope this helps.

[lotus.blossom]

I'm a newbie too so I don't have any practical advice but over the last year or so I have managed to collect over 50 diapers/covers in various sizes and styles so that I have a good selection. I bought exclusively from the trading post/ live journal/ ebay. Nothing new. I could recommend looking for kissaluvs as they are a decent priced fitted and reportedly work well.

I also knit and sew my own longies and I just made a heap of adorable wipes by sewing flannel together with a nice edge stitch! I am definitely bit by the cd bug. I had a nightmare last night that none of my diapers for the babe worked and I woke up in a panic! I just have a little anxiety about it.

[CamsMama]

I've never cloth diapered a newborn, but we started with Fuzzi Bunz and that's still what we use most. I bought mine from www.cottonbabies.com because they offer free inserts with each diaper. Their microfiber inserts have worked really well for my son. Again, I'm not sure of their fit on a smaller baby. Our new baby will be wearing mostly AIOs and pockets sewn by me from the Very Baby pattern. Very Baby diapers can be bought from lots of retailers, including www.bluelakediapers.com. I've only used the size large on my son, but I've heard lots of good things about their fit on smaller babies, too. After typing all of that, I remember that I really am a newbie, too!

[sewaneecook]

:notes:

The paper I have all my noted jotted down on is filling up ... keep the great info coming! I'll definitely have to search through the TP and ebay!

[JennInSeattle]

Well we're having a girl and I knew with a girl I wouldn't use PUL (the material used in non-wool covers, not including fleece). I've kept about 4-5 All-In-Ones in Nathan's stash as he's grown and I use them for quick times like at church but he can get rashes from them easily (just heat rashes) because his little skin needs to breathe (just something I've learned over time). The heat rashes go away within 24 hours if I don't put PUL on him again but it makes me feel bad for him so I use them sparingly.

I knew with a girl I'd only do wool with her, our parts are so sensitive and the flora/fauna can lose it's balance too easily. I wouldn't want PUL used on me (personal preferences only). :) Now, in order to keep my wool washing to a minimum I'm skipping prefolds. Prefolds can leak if not rolled properly and that's fine on PUL covers because it all gets thrown in the wash but on wool I'd need to hand wash it. So I'm doing all fitteds and wool. I realize there will still be some leakage (little babies can have very forceful poos) but I'd like to do my best to cut down my work. ;)

I started sewing diapers (though I'd sewn virtually nothing else - not since the 8th grade) about a year ago. I'm sewing all of this baby's stash. I'm doing 24 newborn sized fitteds. 10 in the newborn Darling Diaper pattern and 14 in the XS Very Baby pattern (Very Baby's are available for purchase already made). I'm making 36 smalls in a combination of the two patterns and making 10 side snapping in case I prefer side snappers by the time we're in smalls.

Oh and I'm doing all the newborns with internal soakers because I'm told that it's really hard to fuss with soaker pads in diapers during that newborn stage.

I'm making 10 wool covers in each size and adding in some wool longies and shorts and wool sleep sacks so she doesn't have to wear a cover at night and I can change her really quickly at 2 am in the dark. :thumb

I keep about 60 wipes on hand for each child - it takes two cloth wipes (8x8) for Nathan's poos and I think I remember little poos being no less messy - just less smelly! lol

So I guess you're getting the spoiled side of cloth diapering but I'm doing it all on the cheap. Each diaper is costing me $2 to make and each cover costs $3 to knit and if I couldn't knit I'd be recycling sweaters at the thrift store or buying wool jersey. :thumb

And that's about it - I doubt you'll have any questions for me but if you do feel free to ask. :)

_____________

Oh and I got some of the worst diapers on ebay - be careful, if you're not absolutely sure of the brand ask us here. :) Kushies are generally not good! lol

[ma_Donna]

ma_Donna - do flats absorb as well as the prefolds?

One flat isn't as absorbant as, say, one infant prefold, but that's just because there is less material. I'd have to figure out the total area of each (since prefolds are multiple layers all sewn together), but 2 or 3 flats should provide the same amount of absorbancy.

I didn't discover flats for a while, so Noah's pee volume had decreased by the time I started. I use ONE flat in a fuzzi bunz. But, the thing about flats is that they are SO much more adjustable and again, super easy to clean and dry.

Hemp is also fantastic for absorbancy, but more expensive and can hold odors either by not getting clean enough, or the detergent building up on the fibers. I really do like hemp doublers like joey bunz and there are lots of these types out there, they look like cloth maxi pads (and in fact a common fabric for cloth pads).

As far as wipes go, my favorite is cut up flannel. My friend used pillowcases from the thrift store, I used a cute pattern on sale at the fabric store. The 8x8 size is perfect IMO and fits nicely folded in half in a wipes warmer :D I just cut them straight (no zig zag) and there was just a little thread shedding at first, but they've been stable for 2+ years. I have 36, but keep some in the diaper bag, too and need to replenish :)Personally I don't care for baby washcloths because they curl up.

The SAHM (Stay At Home Mom) wipes that are nice and thick are great for wiping faces, hands, etc. and make better washclothes than those sold as such!

Also www.thediaperhyena.com is a fantastic site on cloth diapering

Hope this isn't getting too complicated! I would definitely recommend a core stash of something simple that you're pretty sure will work, then if you want to have some fun, slowly add some fun fluff :D
HTH

[Sandrine]

I used Mother-Ease One size diaper(MEOS). www.mother-ease.com They say that it could be use from 8lbs to 35lbs. I found that it fitted better after 12ish lbs and ppl will say the same thing. As for 35lbs, it all depend on the shape of your 35lber. My friend's dd couldn't fit in them after 30lbs as she was chubby(and short) compared to my 30lber(tall and slim), that the dipe still fitted.

As for cover, the Mother-ease AF cover, is also a great cover. I loved using it with the MEOS. i also used Kushies cover that i was able to buy at Walmart or Sears. They worked for us.

As for velcro or snaps, it depends mostly on what you prefer. Some prefer snaps and some velcro. I didn't mind.

I also have some prefolds, dh liked using them. I not as much. They are good to have if you don't have enough dipes to last 3 days or to use when you are doing the diaper laundry.


HTH

[JenMidwife]

This is a great thread- I'm learning so much! I'm another CD newbie (ducking in from the August club). Have been spending tons of time online researching & just started dabbling @ the TP.

I'm thinking that for the first 3 month stage, we're going to get 36 prefolds, some Bummis or ME Air Flows in small, experiment w/ wool @ night, a few fitteds from TP, & a couple Fuzzi Bums for going out.

OMG... I sound llike someone who's in to cloth diapering!!!! :)

[ma_Donna]

we're going to get 36 prefolds
36 prefolds is a lot, especially in the newborn size since they're outgrown so quickly. My breastfed son was quite average at birth (7#13oz) and chubbed up fast. We were completely out of smalls by 3 months and found 24 prefolds plenty, especially if you're going to get a few fitteds. I would recommend your third dozen being flats so that if you get a little behind on laundry you've still got diapers, but they'll still fit for a very long time. JMO

[JenMidwife]

Thanks Donna- that's just the advice I'm looking for! Here's another question- do you really need newborn size PF or could you just use smalls (& have them be big at first)?

[Yin Yang]

Thanks Donna- that's just the advice I'm looking for! Here's another question- do you really need newborn size PF or could you just use smalls (& have them be big at first)?

I never had newborn size. I only bought small and I think when he was about 7 months old I bought the toddler size, but still used both sizes for a very long time.

[bfoster2000]

I'm a CD newbie as well but I've heard really good things about Motherease one-size. You can also request a sample package pretty cheap on their website. I think I'm going to get that and try it on my 19 month old to see if I'm really up to CD-ing the newborn! I know I will but dh will feel better about the investment if he sees that I'm ok with using them on DJ. One advantage for me is that with the one size diapers, I can use them on both babies.

Kushies seem to be one of those brands that you either love or hate, there is no middle ground. Some people rave about them and others curse them. I imagine it has to do with how your baby is shaped because the biggest complaint I've heard is about leaking around the thighs.

I've also been looking at Elimination Communication for this new baby. I was skeptical at first but the more I talk to people who are doing or have done it, the more I think I'll do it at least part time. Dh thinks it's crazy but he's pretty much given up on me anway! Check out: http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/links/no-diapers.html

Good luck!
Barb

[ma_Donna]

do you really need newborn size PF or could you just use smalls (& have them be big at first)?
I ended up getting the preemie size prefolds after Noah was born because the infant size was so darned bulky (7#13oz at birth). He wasn't in them for long, but they seemed more comfortable to me. He was out of the infant size prefolds (size and absorbancy) easily by 3 months. Now, this was before I discovered flats & hemp doublers and I think I would have been happy with flats in the beginning w/o any preemie prefolds. Having a dozen or two infant prefolds is nice because they FIT (although bulky at first) and can be used for doublers & more later. I'm sure you can put a regular sized prefold on them at a pretty young age, but good luck getting any clothes to fit :diaper

Newborn cloth diapering is TRICKY because they're so darned small, plus they're peeing often and their poop is loose. I still have all my prefolds, but for the new babe have aquired some used kissaluv 0's for the first month or so. Cuteness factor of a NB fitted is part of it :lol I used disposables (except for pictures) for the first 11 days until Noah's umbilical fell off, then we jumped into it. My goal with this baby is no disposable diapers ever.

Prefolds, flats, etc are EXCELLENT to have around for other purposes as well, spit up rags, under the babe during changes, over the boys during changes and now spills, splashes from the tub, cleaning up pee from the rug (he's slowly working on PT).

I have a pretty nice stash of Mediums including a few hyena (very nice, arty) pieces (covers, not dipes), but I see zero point in spending much on the NB/S sized diapers. Noah's been in Mediums since he was 3 or 4 months old and he is now 2y4mo. So, that's 2 years of use rather than 2 months!!

HTH and this is just my experience :wave

[homemademomma]

with ds1, i had 24 infant prefolds and a handful of PUL covers, and one wool. now that i am doing it over, i have about 40 infant prefolds (which is overkill since they grow out of them so fast!), in addition to 24 kissaluvs size small, and a couple other random newborn dipes. i have 2 wool newborn covers, a fleece, and like 1000 PUL covers. i inherited a lot from my friend who had a baby a year ago, and is not planning on having any other kids.

truthfully i rarely used a cover on my newborn, never ever when we were home. i like to know right when they wet so i can change them immediately, and call me lazy but changing a diaper 20 times a day is hard enough without adding extra layers (thats why i cut all my onesies into tshirts too :lol ).

wool is far superior to pul, imo. ive always found it very easy to wash. and you can get wool wraps that are machine washable. i have one, but i forget what brand it is. i think it came from sunshinediapers.com. i could never afford multiple wool covers, but i have been lucky to inheret a good assortment over the years. i ahve 5 or 6 in the 1-2 year size, so that will be nice.

anyway, you only need a few newborn diapers, 24 is good. they grow out of them SO fast. you can use them as doublers or dish rags after that, though. start small, buy an assortment so you can figure out what you like.

[JenMidwife]

Thanks again everyone!

homemademomma, I love the idea of going coverless. My logistical, how-do-you-make-it-work question is: how do you keep the pee from soaking through to the blanket or sling baby is laying in?

[lotus.blossom]

I'm now considering flats, thanks to ma_donna! Can you get them anywhere or are they like prefolds where they are a certain quality in the megastores and a better quality from WAHMS?

Heres what I have for my newborn stage

8 premie prefolds
12 infant Indian prefolds
8 nb pockets (harleyz, HH, Miniroos)
3 nb fitteds (SPB, Mutt)
6 sm WAHM flannel/hemp fitteds
1 sm sugar peas fitted
12 kissaluvs 1's. (don't know when they will fit)

And I have 3 nb prowraps, 4sm SWW, and a couple of homemade wool soakers. I've also made a bunch of flannel liners and wipes. Will I be ok?
I'm also considering using bumkins covers with my prefolds. Is that a good idea?

[bfoster2000]

Anybody know anything about Little Lambs diapers? It's a one-size AIO...sounds almost too good to be true. They're pretty inexpensive too and they have an e-Bay store where you can get them really cheap. Just curious...

Thanks!

Barb

[JenMidwife]

April, what does SPB stand for? Just out of curiousity, why did you choose Indian prefold over Chinese?

Thanks!

Jen

[ma_Donna]

Can you get them anywhere or are they like prefolds where they are a certain quality in the megastores and a better quality from WAHMS?

I got my flats from Kellyscloset.com I'd suggest doing a search on the diapering board for other recommendations.

[CalebsMama05]

my very favorite is the flatfold and the snappy. I am using rubber pants (ugh) and they suck. the snappi is the best invention EVER. I am using the gerber birdseye flats but I don't recommend them since they are rectangular and small. I'm going to use them for the new baby but I'm gonna get some square (30"X30") for Caleb. I want to try teh bummis super whisper wraps for a new cover.

[lotus.blossom]

Barb- I have heard nothing but negative things about Little Lambs. Everything from the time it takes to receive them, customer service, bulkiness, leaking....etc. However they are very cheap on ebay so it can't hurt to try!

SPB= SugarPlumBaby

I actually bought the Indian prefolds off ebay for a really good price. I also want to try chinese but I think I remember hearing that IPF's are thicker? Or maybe they are trimmer? I can't remember now :)

I want to get some tie dyed flats, I think, so maybe I will check out some WAHM's. I don't feel confident enough to tie dye on my own!

[ma_Donna]

I also want to try chinese but I think I remember hearing that IPF's are thicker? Or maybe they are trimmer? I can't remember now
I think they're shorter so you don't have to fold them down & they fit trimmer. I've never seen one.

I want to get some tie dyed flats, I think, so maybe I will check out some WAHM's. I don't feel confident enough to tie dye on my own!
Ah, go for it! Get a kit from Dharma or your craft store, heck RIT does well, too. Dye-ing is addictive and heck, they're diapers if you don't like how they turned out you don't have to see them :LOL

[JenMidwife]

So glad to hear that a novice can experiment w/ it!

WHat's Dharma?

How about w/ covers (like Bummis or similar)? Can you dye white ones? Are there any websites that give tips on dyeing dipes?

[bfoster2000]

Thanks lotus.blossom. I kind of figured you get what you pay for which is why I wanted to ask before investing!

[bfoster2000]

This may be a dumb question but I really don't think I've seen the answer anywhere! What is the difference between "ordinary" prefolds, Chinese prefolds, and Indian prefolds? Thanks!

Barb

[Max'sMama]

This may be a dumb question but I really don't think I've seen the answer anywhere! What is the difference between "ordinary" prefolds, Chinese prefolds, and Indian prefolds? Thanks!

Barb

I found a little tidbit here from cottonbabies.com
Wondering if you should go with Indian prefolds or Chinese prefolds?
Indian prefolds benefits:

Softer cotton
These are probably made of gauze cotton
Unbleached diapers wash up quicker (3 washes)
More absorbent
Indian prefolds drawbacks:

May wear out faster than the Chinese prefolds.
Lighter weight thread is used when sewing the ends of the diapers so the thread may wear out faster than the fabric does.

Chinese prefolds benefits:

Heavier duty stitching
These are probably made of twill
Due to being made of a heavier-weight fabric and stitched with a thicker thread, these prefolds will probably stay nice longer than the Indian prefolds.
Chinese prefolds drawbacks:

May pill up more than the Indian prefolds.
These diapers are still soft but they are definitely rougher than the Indian prefolds (when washed and dried in the same load)
It takes 7-10 hot wash cycles to make an unbleached Chinese prefold usable and absorbent.


This is a good article too!
http://www.cutofcloth.com/article_prefolds101.asp

Those are really it that I could find offhand!

[lotus.blossom]

Yay! Thanks for reminding me why I bought Indian!
I've been doing some research on flats and found a great price at greenmountaindiapers. I may just add some cheap gerber ones to my registry and experiment with dying on those. If they don't work as diapers I can always use them as burpcloths. I'd just hate to mess up anything good quality. I really thought I was done with my cloth stash but I don't think a stash is EVER done (until potty training!)

[bfoster2000]

I took the plunge! I was on eBay this morning and bought some newborn Fuzzi Bunz, a couple of diaper service AIOs (3 for $4.25...I figured they were worth trying out since I was getting a few other things from the same person anyway), a couple of polar Bummis, and a cute little wool diaper cover. I'm still having a hard time believing that wool or fleece will prevent leaks during the night but I'm willing to give it a try. All of these are for the new baby but I'm still shopping for a starter stash for DJ. We get paid on Friday so I'll probably go ahead and order some prefolds and covers for him because I'm so excited to get started now! Thanks for all of your advice!

Barb

[lotus.blossom]

Seems like such a shame all the great deals I find on ebay are girly colors.
Check out these mutts (http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Newborn-Muttaqin-AIO-Cloth-Diapers-GUC_W0QQitemZ7749697733QQcategoryZ26269QQssPageNam eZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem). I wish the purple one was a different color! Ah well....

I don't *need* newborn diapers anyway, I'm more looking for one sizes to add to my stash, but its so addicting! :innocent

[bfoster2000]

No joke!! What is it about diaper shopping that is so addictive to a pregnant woman?? I usually hate shopping and I really don't even get into baby shopping all that much but lately it seems like I'm totally obsessed with diaper shopping. And yes, there are TONS of cute girly dipes out there but we have one boy and we don't know what the new baby will be (I'm thinking girl but who knows?) so I have to hold off on all that. I still can't really get into all the hyena stuff like some of the people in the diapering forums ($50 for ONE DIAPER??) but I'm definitely hooked. Actually, what's a little scary is that from the ones I've gotten so far, I think I may actually like plain old prefolds (or *maybe* contours or fitteds) in a plain old cover better than the pockets I've got. Like I said, all I've got so far is for the new baby so I haven't tried it out but the first time I tried to stuff a Fuzzi Bunz, it just seemed like way too much trouble to get the liner tucked in there just so and it seems just as easy to slap on something simple and wrap it up! I'm so lazy!!

[Miss Juice]

Actually, what's a little scary is that from the ones I've gotten so far, I think I may actually like plain old prefolds (or *maybe* contours or fitteds) in a plain old cover better than the pockets I've got. Like I said, all I've got so far is for the new baby so I haven't tried it out but the first time I tried to stuff a Fuzzi Bunz, it just seemed like way too much trouble to get the liner tucked in there just so and it seems just as easy to slap on something simple and wrap it up! I'm so lazy!!

Truth be told, when I started CDing I bought a bunch of different kinds of things, and I have always come back to prefolds as my favorite. Tried and true, versatile, easy to wash and dry. Same could be said of flats, though I still haven't used them much. I have a couple of cute AIOs, and we use pockets for daycare, but prefolds are still my diapers of choice.

[bfoster2000]

Two of my aunts are sewing fanatics and we were discussing CD the other day. I told them that I want them to make me some diapers and that if they turn out well, how much they could sell for. When I first told them the prices, they were shocked but then when I explained that I was talking about fitteds, AIOs, pockets, etc., they just kind of looked at each other funny and asked "what's the fun in that?" They said (and my mom agreed) that folding diapers was one of the things they enjoyed when they were having babies. I don't know if I'd go quite that far...but from what I've seen so far, I think I'll prefer keeping it simple.

[Max'sMama]

I have to agree with the 'aunts' there is something cathartic about folding the diapers. To me this is the simple way. Strange since I made a ton of fitted and AIO's for ds. I will still use them but the unbleached prefolds are my workhorses and the staples of what I use. Pins and all!