Diapering the newborn

[Faerieshadow]

I didn't enter the CDing world until DS was 2 months old, and I didn't find out about ECing until he was closer to 5-6 months. There's no way I can afford a bunch of newborn cds that the little one will outgrow in a couple weeks, but I know there has to be a more cost effective way to do it.

So what did you do, or are you planning on doing, for that teeny tiny stage?

[MommaSomeday]

So far, we're planning on CDing, and I'm really hoping that will stick. We might use prefolds or something like that for newborn stage, or even use disposables for the first couple weeks until they fit well into a small size, but won't outgrow it immediately.

But, you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men... :)

[Changed]

I'm sure I'll use mostly prefolds and wool that I knit. My MW actually asks us to use paper diapers until the umb stump falls off.

[lee1203]

I'm planning on cloth diapering too, and have decided on prefolds and covers. I'll probably skip the newborn size and go straight to infants though. My husband and I were both big babies, and we're both big adults (I'm slender, but tall) so I'd be very surprised if we ended up with anything much under 9 pounds. That said, I'll probably order some flats too, since those can be used on ANY size baby, and for many other things. Just not sure how willing I'll be to mess with folding a flat immediately post partum. :) We shall see!

[lizajane30]

I don't know if this is an option for you, but we used a diaper service for the first months (well, actually for much longer than we should have, because we had no washer/dryer). That way you get to use newborn prefolds but you don't have to buy them.

This time around, we have about three dozen infant prefolds that we'll use from the start (we also practice Elimination Communication from birth). Hopefully it will work out like it did with DS: we never bought larger sizes because as he got bigger we only used the diapers as backup--trifolded as a liner into the cover with no snappi--so never needed anything big enough to actually cover DS' bum.

For those new to the whole thing, I highly recommend checking out the EC forum here at MDC. EC has been so wonderful for our family (and as a side-benefit, DS was out of diapers at 14 months).

[octobermom]

I will do a combo of prefolds and tiny tots fitted

[ibusymomto5]

I've started out with infant pfs right at birth with my last 3, and they've worked great. I'll probably have a couple dozen infant pfs and will also have a dozen or so X-Small MotherEase Sandies or Kissaluv 0s or some other good workhorse nb fitteds. I'll use Thirsties and BSWW for covers and maybe one or two Loveybums jersey covers. Right now I'm planning on totally skipping pockets and aios for the nb stage.

Disclaimer... all of this is subject to change of course, but right now I'm really wanting to keep the stash super simple this go around.

[JeDeeLenae]

I started with prefolds, not from day 1, but like day 3 with DS2. I plan on using infant prefolds again for the next baby. I do have preemie prefolds, but those are for me. They were my inexpensive solution to mama pads, and now I'll use them for post partum bleeding. :)

Anyway, if it comes down to it, I'll use those on the little one, but my boys have been big so far, and it would be shocking if I had a baby under 8.5 lbs.

[lasciate]

I'm going to do prefolds (and the odd fitted if I find them cheap enough) with Bummis Super Whisper Wraps. I didn't start CDing until 3 months with my daughter and I wished I had started sooner.

[weddell]

We used cloth from birth with dd. She was only around 6 lbs and infant prefolds were WAY too big on her. A bigger baby would be fine. We used kissaluvs sz 0 and disposables until she fit the prefolds. I will probably buy some preemie prefolds if it looks like this one will be small too.

[emski4379]

We'll probably do prefolds and kissaluvs right from the start with this one. We didn't start with DS until 6-7 months.

[DreamsInDigital]

I've CD'ed three kids, two of them from newborn stage onward. We used Muttaqins, although they aren't terribly accessible anymore since they've become such a Hyena item, Kissaluvs and prefolds, all with wool, fleece or PUL covers. My favorite wool covers are Loveybums, my favorite fleece are Stacinators but they make great wool covers too, and I am fond of Diaperaps, Bummis and Bumkins for PUL covers.

[Faerieshadow]

Mutts are a hyena item now? It's been awhile since I've been in the cding world... they never did work very well for us for some reason.

With ds I ended up taking our aios and eliminating the layers, replacing with thin prefold or potty learning liners since we were doing EC.

Kissaluvs would be a great option for that itty bitty stage, I wish I had gotten around to teaching myself to knit before now so I could make some cute longies. I'm finally motivated enough and I've started the process, but doubt I'll get good enough by October to knit longies!

[leurMaman]

I CD'd DS until he was 2. You can just get a bunch of CPFs and Bummis wraps for that. I had to had scrub them in a sink and pop them into my old washer. I admit:o with DD I just used 7th gen. diapers. It cost more, but it was easier, and I was battling PPD and being a little overwhelmed. I am trying to figure out what to do with #3.

[Changed]

I love 7th gen diapers and I'm sure I'll keep some handy. :)

Faerie-you can TOTALLY make longies! I just learned to knit a few months ago and this baby already has 4 or 5 soakers and a few hats! I did the "field of dreams baby knitting". :lol As I read on someones blog. If you knit it, they will come. If you can manage to learn to knit and purl, longies can even be your first project. It's so much easier than you think.

[nhapmom]

i usually buy everythign used. w/ E i sold ALL my newborn and small diapers for at least as much as i bought them for.

[Changed]

I just bought 2 stacinator delux small covers on the TP, brand new for 10 bucks! Score!!!! I loooove fleece covers.

[Tiger Lily]

I started CD with my daughter when she was 10 months old, so this is my first go-round with CDing a newborn. I'm planning to just use prefolds and covers until the baby's growth levels off a bit. I really prefer pockets, but I'm not going to spend $15/diaper on something my newborn will outgrow in three weeks! Plus, with newborn breastfed diapers, you're changing them all. the. time. whether they are in PFs, pockets or even sposies.

[mkmb129]

I CD my 15mos old, he was in smalls until just a couple of months ago, so if the next baby is the same, I'll make quite a few newborns, as I didn't start CD'ing until ds was 4.5mos, and he wore smalls, but they were big. I have a few NB covers, so I won't make more then 1-2 until I see that I need them. I also will start knitting a couple wool soakers. I don't want to have to buy NB prefolds, but I'll probably have to. To those who already CD, how long were your littles in NB prefolds?

[Changed]

We were using infant sized (green trim) prefolds at 6 weeks. That's about all I can remember. :lol

[Faerieshadow]

I love 7th gen diapers and I'm sure I'll keep some handy. :)

Faerie-you can TOTALLY make longies! I just learned to knit a few months ago and this baby already has 4 or 5 soakers and a few hats! I did the "field of dreams baby knitting". :lol As I read on someones blog. If you knit it, they will come. If you can manage to learn to knit and purl, longies can even be your first project. It's so much easier than you think.

Ooooh thanks for the inspiration! Right now I've been just practicing casting on and getting things started while ds runs around at the park. :lol He keeps asking me when I'm actually going to make something... I've got nothing but these itty bitty circular needles my friend gave me to practice on and it's HARD to learn on such small needles.

DS was under 6 1/2 lbs at birth and I think he got up to 12 lbs by 3 months. The infant pfs were HUGE on him, it was pretty comical. If I can get some cute longies and soakers done, I'll probably go ahead and spend the money on some teeny fitteds and make up the rest of the stash with newborn pfs. I have a GINORMOUS bag of cds that I couldn't part with but they are mostly boyish. If this ends up being a girl I'll probably sell the boyish ones off to afford fun girly ones. Cding was an addictive habit for me, although it never got too bad because I didn't buy "new" stuff unless I sold enough of the old to afford it. :p And I still have to remember how to incorporate the world of ECing into the game!

[Changed]

Preemie prefolds are a good investment. You can share them as mama pads, hold one over your opposite breast to soak up leakage and later, clean with them or use them as hand towels for little ones. I'm going to order a few dozen of each size.

[Ks Mama]

We use 7th generation disposables, and start EC around 1 yr, or whenever baby starts showing interest & communicating better.

[mkmb129]

If i have a girl she'll be wearing some of her brother's boyish dipes :) I'll make pretty girly ones, but truth be told, I'm quite cheap!

[nccrunchymama]

I bought a full set of Mother Ease Sandy's diapers for dd. Now my niece is using them, but when she's done, it'll be my next lo's turn. It was a bit pricey for the first use, but they hold up so well, we'll easily use them 3 times, maybe more. And they hold their value so well, you can sell them for a good percentage of what you buy them for. Especially if you buy them used. I would rather wear mine out diapering more babies though.

[zoebugsmom]

We didn't cd dd until she was 9 months but did cloth for ds from birth. We mostly used infant CPFs and PUL covers at home and fitteds under wool or pockets when out. We didn't spend much, maybe $50. I manged to find the pockets and some CPFs used for cheap and then got some more CPFs off freecycle. I knit the wool covers myself.

[lasciate]

Do 7th Generation diapers have the same noxious baby powder smell as other disposables?

[mkmb129]

Do 7th Generation diapers have the same noxious baby powder smell as other disposables?

No! And they work great, and hold up well. And not all sposies smell, I think huggies are the worst, ick!

[JeDeeLenae]

No! And they work great, and hold up well. And not all sposies smell, I think huggies are the worst, ick!
no, Pampers are THE worst! They make me dizzy. Especially the Swaddlers. Gotta make baby smell like a baby, right? lol

[Changed]

No, they don't smell like anything. I think the cushies brand may actually be less chemical though. I can never find those.

[celtic_angel]

I did cloth with all 4 of my babies, but back then I used a diaper service~ this will be my 1st time buying/washing them myself~~
The smallest of my kiddos was 9 lbs at birth, does that mean I should skip the newborn and go right for the infant size??

[weddell]

The smallest of my kiddos was 9 lbs at birth, does that mean I should skip the newborn and go right for the infant size??

Yeah, I would probably just get the green edged infant ones. I think the preemie/newborn ones fit 5-8+ lbs or so. Infants might still be a little big on your newborn, but not for long.

[celtic_angel]

Yeah, I would probably just get the green edged infant ones. I think the preemie/newborn ones fit 5-8+ lbs or so. Infants might still be a little big on your newborn, but not for long.

not if it's another 12 pounder like my #2 DD...:dizzy:

[Changed]

How did you like the diaper service? I'm thinking I may go with prefolds but then I think, if I'm doing prefolds I might as well do a service. It's 17 a week here. If I don't do prefolds, I know I'll do kissaluvs 0's for my newborn stash. To get as many as I need, it'll be a few hundred dollars. I don't need anything else so that's not terrible. Also, I know I can easily resell them. What to do... my whole plan is going to pot! Dh told me this morning he doesn't like the name I have totally solidified in my mind!

[AllieFaye]

I sew my own AIOs and fitteds, so I can afford the cutie newborn size. I also use one-size pockets, but then I don't mind a jumbo-diaper-butt. Selling them afterwards also helps.

[mommysaurus]

I'll be cd'ing again. It will be 6 yrs since my last baby, I have absolutely nothing!!

[mkmb129]

I sew my own AIOs and fitteds, so I can afford the cutie newborn size. I also use one-size pockets, but then I don't mind a jumbo-diaper-butt. Selling them afterwards also helps.

I make all my own, too!! :)

[emski4379]

So what are your favorite brand of PF? What about covers? Which are your favorite newborn and infant covers? Also, how many PF and covers do you think we'll need to only wash every 2-3 days?

[mkmb129]

So what are your favorite brand of PF? What about covers? Which are your favorite newborn and infant covers? Also, how many PF and covers do you think we'll need to only wash every 2-3 days?

I have CP, and I prefer my own covers :) I have about 50 prefolds, and can go 4-6 days, but I don't usually. A newborn will go much more often, though. I changed my son (sposies) at least 16 times a day back when he was new!

[TinyBabyBean]

Not in your DDC but just had a baby a few months ago.

I went with newborn fitteds. Righteous Baby FLAM mostly. But, that was only because I was going to have help from my 2 daughters with diaper changes and I wasn't sure how they would handle a snappi with prefolds. When I had used prefolds in the past my DH always wound up throwing them in with the diapers and washing them in the machine thereby ruining them. So... we did:

snap newborn size fitteds
pull on wool covers, longies, shorts and soaker styles
with kimono or pull on shirts

For next time since my daughters will be older and DH more snappi savvy I would like to use prefolds from the start. They are so versatile, you can get a custom fit and when you use the side roll fold for newborns/small babies they really hold the poop in well.

For covers my first choice is always wool. I like wild child woolies soakers best of anything. And, I also like some wahm ones, or make my own of any style as long as they are pull on. My fave!

I like infant chinese or indian prefolds with snappis and pull on wool covers. That keeps it simple.