[JennyClaire]

Okay, I'm at the end of <b>day three</b> and looking for some encouragement. I plan to keep going, but would like to be reasured that not everybody loves CDing right away.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/redface.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Embarrassment"><br><br>
1) The company I ordered diapers from didn't send all the covers with my order. This has been taken care of, and they should arrive by Friday.<br><br>
2) No "washing" <b>or</b> "how to put on baby" instructions either, so I have no idea if I'm doing this right!<br><br>
3) The diaper pail I bought is too small --- it is completely full at the end of day three. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">: Walmart.<br><br>
4) I neglected to wash the diapers (1/2 of which are non-bleached) more than once, so they aren't absorbing properly.<br><br>
5) The covers seem to get wet and smelly very quickly (this is when they're not getting poopy). How many covers should I be going through in a day (I have Bummis)?<br><br>
6) Do you get used to changing the diapers twice as often?<br><br>
7) Do you really dunk your diapers in a TOILET? I've been rinsing mine in the bathroom sink, which DH thinks is disgusting!<br><br>
8) Is there a diaper primer out there somewhere?<br><br>
Thanks! ~ Jenny<br><br>
Oh --- at least now I know he's getting enough milk!

 

[scheelimama]

Okay, I'll try to address a few of your issues:<br><br>
1. If you are breastfeeding exclusively, there is no reason to dunk the diapers. It will all wash off just fine in the washer. (Do a cold pre-rinse.)<br><br>
2. Yes, I really do dunk the nasty poopy toddler diapers in the toilet. It's gross, but I get over and then I wash my hands really good.<br><br>
3. You should probably rotate out the covers and let them air dry. I would use the same 4-6 covers in a 3 day period.<br><br>
4. You should probably wash every 2-3 days. I have a kitchen trash can with a pail liner in it and it's pretty full after 3 days.<br><br>
5. When you wash next time, I would wash and dry at least 3 times so that your diapers are more absorbant and hopefully you'll have better results when you try next time.<br><br>
6. Yes, you really do have to change them twice as often, and yes, you do get used to it. The upside is that you know they aren't sitting in yucky chemicals. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"><br><br>
7. Tell us what kind of diapers you are using and maybe we can help you with how to put them on.<br><br>
I hope that helps some. It'll get easier!

 

[jchizever]

I totally understand where you are coming from - I could have written your post just a few short months ago and now I LOVE CDing! I am actually addicted. I will try to respond to some - my brain does not have the ability for all <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/dizzy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Dizzy">: Hopefully some other wise mamas will chip in there two cents.<br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
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<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>JennyClaire</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7933238"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">didn't send all the covers with my order. This has been taken care of, and they should arrive by Friday.<br><span>How frustrating! Glad they should be coming in soon - I know what that is like - happened to me too!</span><br><br>
2) No "washing" <b>or</b> "how to put on baby" instructions either, so I have no idea if I'm doing this right!<br><span>Yep, I remember! I did exhaustive searches on google looking for "washing cloth diapers"</span><br><br>
3) The diaper pail I bought is too small --- it is completely full at the end of day three. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">: Walmart.<br><span>Just bought a new one at Linen & Things - I actually just bought a kitchen garbabge pail and use a pail liner with it.</span><br><br>
4) I neglected to wash the diapers (1/2 of which are non-bleached) more than once, so they aren't absorbing properly.<br><span>No worries - wash them again.</span><br><br>
5) The covers seem to get wet and smelly very quickly (this is when they're not getting poopy). How many covers should I be going through in a day (I have Bummis)?<br><span>hmmm - I guess it depends my dd gets poopy on her covers at least once or twice a day - I just bought a bunch more covers that way when one goes out of commision I am not stuck.</span><br><br>
6) Do you get used to changing the diapers twice as often? <span>yep</span><br><br>
7) Do you really dunk your diapers in a TOILET? I've been rinsing mine in the bathroom sink, which DH thinks is disgusting!<span>nope. I stopped doing this. I put all my diapers - poopy and all - in the diaper pail and wash them all toghether. My liner has a little area for essential oils that help with the smell. The diapers may be stained but are clean so I don't worry - they are diapers!!</span><br><br>
8) Is there a diaper primer out there somewhere? <span>Don't know what this is.</span><br><br>
Thanks! ~ Jenny<br><br>
Oh --- at least now I know he's getting enough milk!</div>
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<br>
I hope all this helped! Just stick with it!

 

[icxcnika]

Hi Jenny,<br>
I thought I'd address each question individially like the previous posters. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"><br><br><b>1) The company I ordered diapers from didn't send all the covers with my order. This has been taken care of, and they should arrive by Friday.</b><br><br>
Having the extra covers should help a lot, especially with a very young breastfed babe (poopy leaks onto the covers more often).<br><br><br><b>2) No "washing" or "how to put on baby" instructions either, so I have no idea if I'm doing this right!</b><br><br>
What kind of diapers do you have? Are they prefolds, fitteds? If they are prefolds, are you using a snappi, pins, or just laying them inside a wrap cover? Once we know what kind you have, we can give you lots of advice! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br><b>3) The diaper pail I bought is too small --- it is completely full at the end of day three. Walmart.</b><br><br>
Personally, I think that's just fine. I actually just use a large sturdy plastic pail (with a handle) I bought at the hardware store. I wash when it's full, which is usually every other day, though sometimes I wash every 3 days. I wouldn't want to wait much longer than that, but that's just my preference. Each time I wash the dipes, I wipe out the inside of the pail with a little cloth rag dampened with water and a squirt of grapefruit seed extract (you could also use a few drops of tea tree oil) as a disinfectant. Then I just wash the rag with the diapers.<br><br><b>4) I neglected to wash the diapers (1/2 of which are non-bleached) more than once, so they aren't absorbing properly.</b><br><br>
This is really important. When I get new prefolds (which, to be fair, I only do once in a great while since they last so long), I wash and dry them about five times before using them. Wash, then dry, then back in the washer, then back in the dryer, and so on. I wash on hot with a little detergent, just like usual. I suppose all that seems a little wasteful, but I think using the reusable cloth diapers for any stretch of time more than makes up for it. If you wanted, you could wash them with some of your regular laundry (towels or other clothes) if they don't take up a full washload. After that, they will be soft, quilty and absorbent. (I only wash and dry new <i>covers</i> once before using them, though, since they don't need to be "broken in" and aren't absorbent.)<br><br><br><b>5) The covers seem to get wet and smelly very quickly (this is when they're not getting poopy). How many covers should I be going through in a day (I have Bummis)?<br></b><br>
It really depends. With Bummis, since they are clothlike inside, I let them air-dry in between uses. Just drape it over the box of wipes, or the edge of the changing table or whatever is near your diaper-supplies area and use another cover while it air-dries. When it's dry, if it's not stinky I will use it again (about three times max, but usually just two times total). If it's too stinky, I'll just stick it in the diaper pail. With covers that are "plastic-y" inside (like proraps or mother-ease), I do the same thing, but it's a little easier since they aren't absorbent inside and don't get as wet or stinky, and dry faster. Anything poopy just goes in the pail, of course.<br><br><br><b>6) Do you get used to changing the diapers twice as often?<br></b><br>
Yup!<br><br><b>7) Do you really dunk your diapers in a TOILET? I've been rinsing mine in the bathroom sink, which DH thinks is disgusting!</b><br><br>
I don't dunk diapers at all. With an exclusively breastfed babe, I just stick poopy diapers directly into the diaper pail. With toddler poopies, I just take a small wad of toilet paper and scrape off as much of the poopy as I can, then flush the poop and toilet paper and stick the diaper in the pail, or just shake the poopy off the diaper so it goes in the toilet, then flush it down and put the diaper in the diaper pail. Some moms use a mini-shower attachment to spray off the diapers, but I've never tried one. If you ask around here, I'm sure you could get some mini-shower recommendations!<br><br><br><b>8) Is there a diaper primer out there somewhere?</b><br><br>
I think there are some websites that give cloth diaper primers. I can try looking some up later. But really, each mama's diaper routine is different (which is part of why it looks really confusing at first, I'm sure), and after listening to everyone's advice, you may just end up trying out different things until you settle on what works right for you!<br><br>
Hope this helps! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug"><br><br>
icxcnika

 

[annakiss]

<b>1) The company I ordered diapers from didn't send all the covers with my order. This has been taken care of, and they should arrive by Friday.<br></b> Well at least that's in order! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"><br><br><b>2) No "washing" or "how to put on baby" instructions either, so I have no idea if I'm doing this right!<br></b> Washing - for an exclusively breastfed baby washing should be a cinch. I do a hot/cold wash with Biokleen premium powder laundry detergent (my preference, but you can use almost anything). I like to do a presoak and have a setting for such on my washer. I put vinegar in a downy ball for the rinse and a few drops of tea tree oil in the wash (not rinse) for its anti-odor, anti-bacterial properties, though there was a recent study about overuse of lavender and tea tree oil and their estrogenic effects, but I still do it... Then I just throw everything in the dryer (except my wool, but it doesn't sound like you're there yet <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin">).<br><br>
For folding check this out: <a href="http://www.thediaperhyena.com/prefoldwrapfold.htm" target="_blank">http://www.thediaperhyena.com/prefoldwrapfold.htm</a> (personally I don't stuff the end of the prefold in the pouch of the bummi because then the cover can get pee directly on it (for a boy) as opposed to on the diaper where it goes, but aside from that the directions are fine)<br><br><b>3) The diaper pail I bought is too small --- it is completely full at the end of day three. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">: Walmart.<br></b> How many diapers do you have? Use a tall size kitchen trashcan with a lid. I like to use a pail liner too. I have <a href="http://www.heinyking.com/store/p/4-Bummis-Totes-Wetbags-Pail-Liners.html" target="_blank">2 Bummis pail liners</a> that I trade out. I wash every 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 days, so having a full pail at the end of three is beyond reasonable. It's best to do a load as soon as you have enough for a load as opposed to waiting longer and having more with more who-knows-what growing on 'em. For a 1 month old, 3-4 dozen diapers oughtta do ya quite well. 8-10 covers should be plenty as well, depending on what kind of pooper you have (my first pooped with every dipe, my second pooped once a day). As far as the cheaper covers go, Bummis are alright, but I much prefer the containedness of <a href="http://www.heinyking.com/store/c/72-Proraps.html" target="_blank">Prowraps</a>.<br><br><b>4) I neglected to wash the diapers (1/2 of which are non-bleached) more than once, so they aren't absorbing properly.<br></b> It's important to wash and dry the diapers 4 to 6 times, more for unbleached.<br><br><b>5) The covers seem to get wet and smelly very quickly (this is when they're not getting poopy). How many covers should I be going through in a day (I have Bummis)?<br></b> For Bummis, I'd go through at the very least 4 covers a day. At the <i>very least</i>.<br><br><b>6) Do you get used to changing the diapers twice as often?</b> I had nothing to get used to personally because I used cloth from day one, but look at it this way - it's better for the baby. Since you have a very young babe and it's getting warm (finally), you might want to try just using a prefold held on with a snappi. That way you can change immediately with every wet diaper without going through the covers.<br><br><b>7) Do you really dunk your diapers in a TOILET? I've been rinsing mine in the bathroom sink, which DH thinks is disgusting!<br></b> I think it's kinda gross too to rinse in the bathroom sink, but I'm a bit of a germaphobe. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/bag.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Bag">: I didn't start dunking my dipes until there was solid-food poop, so since your baby is so young, you really shouldn't have to! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"><br><br><b>8) Is there a diaper primer out there somewhere?</b><br>
Scroll way down <a href="http://www.clothdiapershouston.com/" target="_blank">here</a> to "Cloth Diapers 101." There's another one <a href="http://moxie.blogs.com/askmoxie/2006/03/qa_cloth_diaper.html" target="_blank">here</a> too.<br><br>
Good luck! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up">

 

[JennyClaire]

Thank you all very much for the tips and links! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"> They were really helpful! I am relieved that the toilet dunking doesn't have to happen while we still have BF poops. I am commited to doing this for as long as I can stand it, 90% because of the environment. But I'm not letting myself buy more stuff until DS is in the next size up (15 + lbs.).<br><br>
BTW, I have 24 DSQ prefolds (bleached), 24 unbleached prefolds, and (when they all arrive) I will have 4 Bummis (small) and 2 Bummis (NB). Poor DS is wearing a wet wrap until a clean Bummi is ready! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad"> But at least I can wash them with other clothes.<br><br>
I'll let you all know how my first wash goes later this afternoon. Thanks again for helping this poor soul drowning in baby/toddler/diaperland!<br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbsup">

 

[Jenlaana]

I just started CD'ing yesterday, and I hear you on changing babe more often. My DD is 18 mos and its a bit of an adjustment.<br><br>
Have you considered using another type of diaper? I wanted to use prefolds too, but a kind momma loaned me some pockets and they are really awesome. Very easy to use. Just stuff a liner in the pocket (or on top? last night I put one in the pocket and one on top and it worked really well for night time) and you're good to go. They go on just like a disposable, but way more comfy. No folding frustrations for you or dad, no covers, etc.<br><br>
As for washing, I think you can be a little less cautious with prefolds because they're bleachable, but I did a no soap cold rinse, 2 hot washes w/ a very small amt of detergent, then a rinse w/ a tbs of vinegar, dried the inserts on regular heat and hung the pockets out over the porch railing. (I need to get a clothesline)<br><br>
Buying used (if you don't think its gross...personally I don't because they're well washed when I get them) really made a difference I think, as far as absorbancy. Atleast, I know mine work great and I didnt have to wash a hundred times first.<br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">7) Do you really dunk your diapers in a TOILET? I've been rinsing mine in the bathroom sink, which DH thinks is disgusting!</td>
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If I have to dunk diapers in the toilet I'm going back to disposables <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad"> Just yucky. Although I am washing atleast once a day right now because I don't have a bunch yet. I heard about a sprayer that attaches to your toilet and looks like a shower sprayer that seems to be a great solution. They're like $35 on diaper websites. Maybe cheaper at lowes?<br><br><br><br>
I hope you get to a point where you're happy with it. If your babe was a bit older you could get their "opinion" but as it is, it must be frustrating trying to figure it all out.<br><br>
I do have to say though that the cloth diaps are SO much softer (not sure what mine are lined with, but I cant imagine any cloth being as uncomfortable and chemical ridden as disposables)<br><br>
And if all else fails, just remember that for every baby diapered with single-use diapers for a 2 1/2 year period, over 2 tons of waste is generated and it takes nearly 500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose, where a cloth diaper decomposes in 6 months. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> (that was what I used to convince my DH that cloth was better <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> well that and the $2000 we'd be saving (plus some since we're having another baby and can reuse). <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[Pepperdove]

Please let yourself buy more covers. It will totally change your life. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> Seriously, the more covers you have in rotation (to a point, obviously) the happier and easier the whole wet poopy experience will be. Add 3 or 4 small Proraps (cheap and indestructable) and see how much it helps. The covers will leak less once you have washed the diapers more and they are more absorbent, too.<br><br>
When baby is a little bigger, too, treat yourself to a nice wool cover for overnight - nothing like it! If my Aristocrat fit under clothes, it's all I would use. Amazing. (You do have to wash it in the sink, but only once every couple WEEKS - how great is that!)<br><br>
I remember the first month or 2, CDing was just really hard. The folds were awkward, the washing was stressful. Now? I HATE putting a sposie on him. It just smells gross and I feel like I'm not treating him well. CDing is soooo easy and just second nature. I figured out a lot all by myself on the way too, different folds, systems that worked for us, etc.<br><br>
So no worries, it will (eventually) come. Be stubborn!

 

[mchalehm]

Even in my two weeks of CDing, I'm doing much better with it than I was at first. (The first day she peed on my husband...twice.) Partly, I figured out a couple of things that helped:<br>
* I agree that you need more covers. All of the estimates I saw were too low (in the "how many do I need?" Q&A pages on the web). We have a bunch now--I'm not sure how many, because I've made them instead of buying them--and we use them all. I'll be making more.<br><br>
* The Snappi doesn't work for us. I'm not that coordinated. We're using pins now, which is easier for me.<br><br>
* I bought some AIOs (BumGenius). Originally I was going to do JUST prefolds/covers, but my husband doesn't do well with them, and they aren't always enough for long trips in the car. I can use a BG with a prefold stuffed inside, and even if I can't change her frequently she stays pretty dry. (I do that at night, too.) They're just really nice for going out; easy to put on, easy to fit under her clothes, easy for other people who don't CD to use.<br><br>
* Just accept the fact that you're going to have a few leaks at first until you get good with the prefolds. It's not a crisis to wash a few onesies.<br><br>
And when you get frustrated, take comfort in how cute your baby looks in cloth. That's what I do.

 

[tinkerpuppet]

There is no doubt a learning curve when you first switch to cloth from disposables. I think you got a lot of great advice here, I don't have much to add to it. Give the dipes a few more washes, washing every 2-3 days is pretty average (especially considering the number of dipes a young baby goes through), a few more covers will make your life alot easier, and I also do not dunk, I dry pail (although my ds was ill so I tried dunking once, it did not go so well).<br><br>
And from experience, my ds was in sposies until 21mths. When he was a newborn, almost every day he had a huge poop explosion leak that would mean washing his entire outfit, possibly my outfit, whatever blanket he was sitting on (fingers crossed he was on a blanket!), etc. I had no idea that with cloth diapers, such leaks are very rare. I was so surprised to hear cloth mamas upset if they had one leak. I was just resigned that sposies would always leak. If I knew then what I knew now...<br><br>
It really does get better once you find your groove. Good luck!

 

[Erin M]

I'll only answer # 7 - No, not really<br><br>
I've only dunked 1 diaper, it wasn't gross until I had to get the thing from the toilet back into my bedroom and the pail. I use a microfleece liner (buy a yard & cut it up yourself). food poop just rolls right off the fleece into the toilet, no dunking required.

 

[sagira]

One of the things that convinced me to do cloth diapers is the fact that I do laundry almost every day any way and have been toilet dunking ds' underwear when he has his accidents -- at home and away from home. Bring it on.. I've seen it all <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
And I hear fewer people who cloth diaper toilet dunk anyway.

 

[TushasAmi]

For me detergent made a big difference when I started. I was using a detergent with enzymes and brighteners that I think were building up and making my dipes less absorbant. Then I got leaks around the legs and blamed my Bummis cover. I kept thinking - why do people love these so much?? Then I switched detergents and finally the diapers were absorbing the pee instead of the cover, so the covers stayed much drier! So your cover situation should improve once you get the dipes washed a few more times.<br><br>
Here is a good link about detergents:<br><a href="http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.co...entchoices.htm</a><br><br>
Here is a diaper primer that I like. Check out the step-by-step diaper change:<br><a href="http://diaperpages.com/index.php" target="_blank">http://diaperpages.com/index.php</a>

 

[angelcat]

1) The company I ordered diapers from didn't send all the covers with my order. This has been taken care of, and they should arrive by Friday.<br><br>
2) No "washing" or "how to put on baby" instructions either, so I have no idea if I'm doing this right!<br><br><b>Well, I can't help, as I can't get prefolds. I sue flats. I don't wash before first use, and no problems. I used to cloth diaper my dolls as a child, so I know how to fold them, but besides that you aren't using flats, I wouldn't know ho to explain how to fold them.</b><br><br>
3) The diaper pail I bought is too small --- it is completely full at the end of day three. Walmart.<br><br><b>I"m just using a pail, like you'd use for cleaning, and I have similar problems. I wash once a week. (I don't have my own washer & dryer). I use 1/2 cup of Borax in the pail, and it works great.</b><br><br>
4) I neglected to wash the diapers (1/2 of which are non-bleached) more than once, so they aren't absorbing properly.<br><br><br>
5) The covers seem to get wet and smelly very quickly (this is when they're not getting poopy). How many covers should I be going through in a day (I have Bummis)?<br><br><b>I use rubber pants. Some Gerber, some Small Wonders. I have about a dozen, as I won't reuse them after a really wet diapers, or a poopy diaper.</b><br><br>
6) Do you get used to changing the diapers twice as often? <b>yeah</b><br><br>
7) Do you really dunk your diapers in a TOILET? I've been rinsing mine in the bathroom sink, which DH thinks is disgusting! <b>I dunk them in the toilet. I have a toddler, and I rinse them really well in the toilet, and it makes it way easier & less gross to wash. I don't even want to think about what the water in the diaper pail would look or smell like if I didn't. I do rinse rubber pants int the sink sometimes, and then I use a lysol wipe to clean the sink right away.</b><br><br>
8) Is there a diaper primer out there somewhere?

 

[StormySar]

If you're looking for an extensive diaper primer, look at the do it yourself cloth diapering handbook - <a href="http://www.clothdiaper101.com" target="_blank">www.clothdiaper101.com</a> tons of info in it <br><br>
And be assured, not everyone likes CDing right from the start. I had a lot of problems when I got started also (one reason for writing the book!), despite access to great sites on the net, but it got worked out... I wish you the best of luck!

 

[ber]

I think everyone else has done a good job of answering your questions but I just wanted to add that I've never dunked a diaper in my toilet. I have fleece liners (like someone else mentioned) and for the times that the poop still sticks, I have a mini-shower to spray the poop off into the toilet.<br><br>
Also, detergent - I use Seventh Generation detergent (and I only use a couple tablespoons - you really don't need more than that!) with about 1/2 cup of baking soda. Every once in a while, I throw some vinegar in the rinse cycle. I choose the hot prewash with a cold wash and a cold rinse.

 

[TxMominCT]

I won't answer the questions either just offer support. Everyone kept telling me "cloth is SO much easier than disposables" okay, I didn't really believe them, but when it became so much more work I still felt betrayed!!<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/duck.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Duck">: <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/redface.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Embarrassment"> We've been CDing for a few months now though and I have totally adjusted. I feel so good about our decision to switch. It does take a while, especially until you figure out what works for you. We are a pocket diaper only family. I also started CDing on a much older baby! You are still making so many adjustments with your one month old! I salute you! It does get easier. Good luck!

 

[JennyClaire]

Thank you everyone for all of the great advice and links! I will be referring back to this thread for months to come!<br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbsup"><br><br>
Ber, everyone else has said to start with a cold wash because of stains setting (although the diapers are staining anyway). How do you find <b>starting</b> with a hot pre-wash effects stains?

 

[SaraFR]

You already got some really great advice but I wanted to say I don't think I've ever dunked a poopy diaper in the toilet (and my son is 2.5 years old). I do a good cold rinse cycle (or sometimes two, depending on my sons bowels during that time period) and then a hot wash (soap only during the hot wash). When your little one is older you might find it helpful to use disposable liners. Those can be flushed in the toilet, along with any solid waste. If you're really looking to save money they can often (depending on size) be cut in half and since liquids go through you could probably use it again until you get some poop in that liner.

 

[kittygrrl523]

I think everyone has pretty much answered your questions so I just want to tell you that it will all get easier...just like anything worth doing cloth takes a bit more effort at first but you've adjusted to it it's so easy...Also as a pp stated...sposie leak too! So if you do have a few more leaks it's no big deal.<br><br>
Keep up the good work! Your babes butt will thank you for it! (many many many times a day, in fact<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/redface.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Embarrassment"> )