Cloth Diaper 101: Update

*A few updates since I’ve been using them for awhile now and have bought some new diapers. Updates are in bold :-)

Cloth Diaper 101
I thought I would do a post on my experience with cloth diapers so far. Maybe it will inspire someone else to cloth diaper and show how easy it can be. Mandy was such a huge help to me and made me feel like I could do it and I hope to pass that along to someone else. We started cloth diapering Joslyn when she was about 1 1/2 months. I didn’t do it sooner because she was tiny and her cloth diapers just didn’t work. I did buy some newborn prorap covers and prefolds but they were way too bulky on her. If I could do it again, I would skip buying the newborn sizes and use disposables until she grew into the other ones, which is what we did. Using disposables that first month made me even more determined to make cloth work. We were throwing away bags of diapers almost every day and I could see them piling up in a landfill! We have switched to cloth wipes! She kept getting rashes off and on and when she did, we would use soft paper towels with water since that was what her pediatrician recommended. The rash would go away but come back as soon as we started using wipes again. We tried using Pampers Sensitive wipes and had the same issue. So we switched to cloth. I had some extra baby washcloths (cheap Circo ones from Target) I decided to try instead of buying special cloth wipes and they did the job so I got more. Now I just throw them in the container with the diaper when I change her. And we’re saving even more money not using disposable wipes! We just use water since she has sensitive skin but if you do a search online, you can find a lot of recipes for homemade cloth wipe solutions. Joslyn had a really bad diaper rash the first couple weeks she was home but since we switched to cloth, her butt looks so much better! She does get the occasional rash but nothing like when we were using disposables. I found a cloth diaper friendly diaper rash cream called Grandma El’s and we use it at every diaper change. Our cloth stash consists mostly on one size pocket diapers because I feel like they give me the most bang for my buck. I also have birdseye flats, indian prefolds and covers. I got these because they were the cheapest option but they aren’t very husband friendly and I needed something simpler for daycare. I convinced John to cloth diaper because of the cost savings so I try to remember that when making my cloth diaper choices. I caught a few good sales and even got 4 diapers for free during promotions. You can find good deals out there if you look! So here’s what my stash consists of and what I think of them.

For cloth newbies my suggestion is to buy a few different diapers and see what you like and what works best for your baby. Maybe you'll like snaps over velcro, or fitteds and covers (I don't have any of these) or want to splurge for a couple adorable WAHM diapers. If you buy one type of diaper for your entire stash, you run the risk of it not working for you or your baby and then you have to deal with selling them to get something that will work.

Note: Aplix closure = velcro

My stash:
Thirsties Duo Diaper: LOVE these! They are a pocket diaper with a double insert made of hemp and microfiber terry. The only negative is you have to make sure the insert is not coming out the back when you put them on. But I don’t really think of this as a con since the double opening allows the insert to come out in the wash, my favorite feature! I had a couple leaks the other day but I don’t think it was the diaper’s fault. I think my daughter is just a heavy wetter so I’ve started adding an additional insert and changing her more often. Unlike a one size diaper, these have two different sizes that are supposed to last through potty training. Jos is wearing the size 1 now and these diapers were the first ones she could wear because the leg gussets fit on her skinny legs. I have now moved her up to the second setting but she still has one more to go until she outgrows the size 1 and I need to buy size 2. I still feel like these are an affordable option even if I have to replace the size 1 with size 2’s eventually. They are reasonably priced at around $18.50. I have found them for slightly cheaper and you can get a better deal on some sites if you buy them in bulk. Update: Had to sell these. She was leaking all the time and I couldn’t take it anymore. They get great reviews so I think they just didn’t work for my heavy wetter. I think the problem lies in the exposed PUL near the legs. The pee doesn’t absorb fast enough into the insert and pools there which causes leaks because she always leaked at the leg holes.

Thirsties Duo Wrap Diaper Cover : I use these covers with the birdseye flats and indian prefolds. I just trifold them and lay them in the cover, easy peasy. The great thing about these are you can wipe them clean and lay another prefold/flat in it if it’s just a wet diaper. Never had a leak with these and they are the most affordable option at $12.25 each. I thought my stash would consist mostly of these when I first started because we were planning on using a diaper service that would provide the prefolds. But when we decided against the service and John let me know he didn’t like them as much as the others, I got more of the pockets when we had to purchase more. But if I stuff them ahead of time, he doesn’t have a problem using them. Like the Duo Diaper, these also have 2 sizes that fit through potty training. Update: Still LOVE and she still fits in size 1 at 5 months.

Birdseye Flat: I bought twelve of these when I decided to forgo the diaper service since I had already bought the Duo Wraps and needed something to put in them. These are VERY affordable (I paid $14.95 for a dozen), easy to use and dry very fast. I’m always running the dryer for extra time to get the inserts dry but these always come out dry the first cycle. I fold them in fourths, trifold them and lay them in the cover. I’ve had no leaks during the day with just one of these in a cover. I haven’t tried them at night yet but if I do, I can add an extra insert or an additonal flat for extra absorbancy.

Unbleached Indian Prefold: I bought twelve of these too when we decided against the diaper service. I found them on special and I got a dozen for $13. I decided to buy the infant size since I planned on trifolding them and placing them in a cover. I find I use the flats more than these but I’m not sure why. These seem more absorbant than the flats.

bumGenius 3.0: I got these on special (buy 5, get 1 free) because a new version (4.0) was coming out and a lot of websites were clearing out their stock. I also got a free one from Kelly’s Closet during a promotion. I never planned on having these in my stash but I saw the special and they looked like a diaper that would be perfect for daycare. They are also talked about often on cloth diapering sites and most people start off with them. These are a one size pocket diaper and come with a microfiber insert and a newborn insert. When I first started using these, I was extremely frustrated because she would always leak. I was ready to sell them on a swap board. But I checked online and read that the newborn insert (she was a newborn at the time so I thought I should just use this one) was not sufficient and you should always use the microfiber insert, no more leaks! I double stuff them with the microfiber insert and the newborn insert at night and even though she’s sleeping longer stretches at night now, we haven’t had a leak. She’s on the first setting now so these should last awhile. We’ll see if they fit through potty training as advertised. These are also reasonably priced at $17.95. Update: Purchased a few bumGenius 4.0’s and I like them even more because the velcro is better quality. My 3.0’s velcro is starting to get some pilling. It’s still just as functional but doesn’t look as pretty. This is a common problem with aplix closures but I’m still a fan of aplix over snaps. Just don’t expect your velcro to last as long as snaps. I don’t know if these will last for baby #2 so if you want your diapers to last for multiple babies, maybe go with snaps. I’m going to try to line dry them more to try to slow down the wear and tear. Because I’m lazy and tired, I don’t change her in the middle of the night when she gets up for a feeding. So she’s going 12+ hours in these, with a feeding or two in between. She has leaked a few times but the diaper is very saturated when I change her so I don’t think it’s the diaper’s fault. They can only hold so much.

bumGenius All-in-One diaper: I got two of these for free during a promotion. I probably wouldn’t buy them since they are sized like disposables and require you to buy more when the baby outgrows the current size. This doesn’t seem economical to me and takes away the cost savings of using cloth! They do fit more trim than my other diapers, have a pocket so you can add an addiotional insert if you need more absorbancy and are easy for anyone to use since they are just like a disposable but for me, the cost savings is not there to put these in my stash if I didn’t get them for free. I have 2 small and when she outgrows them, I won’t be buying more. I also hate how long they take to dry, even if I turn them inside out before putting them in the dryer. Update: Stopped using these. She was leaking a lot. It could be that she needed to move up to the next size but I didn’t love them enough to buy more. I did save them for baby #2.

Flip One-Size Diaper Cover: I bought two of these and 2 Flip inserts to get the free bumGenius AIO’s. I have yet to use them. I tried to use them when she was smaller and they were too big on her legs because they don’t have the tight leg gussets like the Thirsties. I do need to try these out but for some reason, I’m anti snaps and these have snaps. They just seem more difficult to me than velcro. But I do like that you can wipe them clean, lay down another insert and use it again like the Thirsties Duo Wrap. I can also use a flat or prefold with these. Update: She finally fits in these. I’ve only used it once but no leaks and I love covers that I can just wipe clean, put another insert/flat/prefold in and use again. The one negative is the Flip inserts do not have snaps to size them down, like the bumGenius and Rumparooz. You have to fold the insert to the appropriate size and this causes more bulk than the snap down inserts. But you can use a prefold/flat instead of the Flip inserts (you have to buy the inserts separately). A plus that I discovered recently is that you can get disposable Flip inserts, good option for traveling since you can hand wash the covers and line dry them. I used disposables when we went to San Jose but maybe I’ll try the disposable inserts for our next trip.

Kawaii Baby Snazzy Minky One-Size Pocket: A free diaper from another Kelly’s Closet promotion. It has snap closures and 2 inserts. This is much nicer than the other Kawaii diaper I got for free. It’s leopard print, not my favorite, but the outer and inner fabric is very soft. The outer fabric is called minky and is waterproof and breathable, more breathable than PUL which is the outer fabric on most of my diapers. Use them during the day with one insert and have not had a leak. Haven’t tried them for overnight yet. They are also an affordable diaper. Two complaints, it’s a bit bulkier than my other diapers and again, the inserts do not snap down to size. This makes it a little more difficult to stuff the diaper because she’s on a small setting and the insert is too big. I just fold it a little in the back to make it fit.

Kawaii One-Size Pocket Diaper: Got a yellow one for free during a Kelly’s Closet promotion. It has an aplix closure and comes with 2 inserts. At $9.95, it’s a very affordable pocket diaper but the quality of it is equal to the price. It does it’s job though and I send this to daycare and have not had any complaints from them about it. I have not tried it overnight but it works just fine during the day. The only complaint I have is the velcro never stays stuck to the laundry tabs when I wash it.

Rumparooz G2 One-Size Diaper: I’ve always wanted to try these because I’ve heard great things but they are pricey ($23.50). Kelly’s Closet was running a $10 off promotion so I took the opportunity to buy 2 of these to try out. I got the adorable Eco Owl and Whale Tale print, with aplix closure (also come in snaps). These come in lots of cute prints and colors and the quality reflects the price! The inside is so incredibly soft, best quality inner of any of the diapers in my stash. These are the only cloth diaper that have internal gussets to contain everything. Never had a leak with these and I want to try one for overnight with both inserts. I’ve heard they are a great overnight diaper but the BG’s work so well for overnight that I’m scared to try anything else. John loves these diapers and always reaches for them when they are clean. Since he loves them, I purchased a Gumball print one with snaps on the Cloth Diaper Swap on babycenter.com for $16. Great deal! The velcro does seem like better quality on these than my 3.0’s so maybe it won’t wear as much. I can’t say since I’ve only had them for a few weeks. My one concern is I don’t think they’ll last through potty training. She is on the second to last setting already and she’s not a big baby. But they are advertised to fit newborns (6lbs) and no other one size diaper can say that. I didn’t have these when she was a newborn but I would think they would work based on the location of the smallest setting.



Tweedle Bugs: Still haven’t used this free diaper.

Swaddlebees Econappi: I bought this on babysteals.com (LOVE this site!) because the brown and pink polka dot print was too cute to pass up and it was 50% off (they usually cost $28.95). I hadn’t read anything about this diaper so I was taking a risk. It’s a one size pocket diaper that comes in snaps or aplix. I chose the aplix. You can either stuff the insert in the pocket or lay the insert of top. I choose to stuff. I’ve only used this once but I have no complaints. It comes with two inserts made out of cotton and bamboo. The smaller insert has 4 layers and the larger one has six so if you use them together, I would think it would be enough absorbency for a nighttime diaper but I haven’t tried it yet. All in all a great diaper that comes in great colors and prints but I wouldn’t pay full price for it. I think the Rumparooz are nicer and slightly cheaper.
Egg Tooth Custom AI2 diaper: I just bought this yesterday. I've been wanting an adorable WAHM (work at home mom) diaper but they are pricey. I sold the Thirsites diapers so I had some paypal money and decided to splurge for one when I saw this ADORABLE fabric! I had to have it!

How I store my diapers:
I keep the daytime diapers in the top drawer of her dresser/changing table. I put the overnight diapers (the ones stuffed with extra inserts), prefolds, flats and extra inserts in the cabinet on the side of her dresser/changing table. Works great because everything is within arm’s reach. Since I started using cloth wipes, I keep them in an old disposable wipes container on the top of the dresser. I keep a spray bottle near by to wet them or I just wet them in the bathroom sink before I change her. John prefers the spray bottle and I use the sink.

My routine:
When I change her diaper, I throw it in a regular kitchen trash can that I bought at Target and lined with a Wahmies liner. It’s that simple! No pulling out the inserts or spraying off the poo (of course I’ll have to do this when she starts eating solids). I bought two liners so I have a spare when the other one is being washed. I originally had a large Planet Wise hanging wet/dry bag hanging near the changing table that I used to store the dirty diapers. But it would get heavy towards the end and I worried the hook it was hanging on wouldn’t hold it. I bought it to go to daycare anyway so it’s not going to waste. I also bought a small Planet Wise wet bag to carry in the diaper bag. I really like the Wahmies liner. It dries fast and I haven’t had any smell issues so far. When I wash every other day, I grab the bag out of the trash can and throw everything in the washer. I don’t have to worry about taking out the inserts in the Thirsties diapers because they come out in the wash but I do have to remove the liners from the BumGenius. I thought this would gross me out and that’s why I wanted to buy all Thirsties but it’s really not that bad. Mandy told me I would get over the poo factor and I have :-) I used a couple different detergents at first (Rockin’ Green, All Free and Clear) but Mandy sent me a sample of Soap Nuts and I really liked it so I decided to buy some off their website. I love that I can use the same little bag for two cloth diaper loads. My wash routine is one cold prewash and then a hot wash and cold extra rinse (this is the available setting on my washer). If I see any stains when I take the diapers out of the washer, I lay those diapers out to dry in the sun. It’s amazing how a little sun makes the stains go away completely! John got me a great metal dry rack that he found at Bed Bath and Beyond for a reasonable price. Now I don’t have to lay them out on the patio and lounge chairs, lol. Otherwise, I throw everything in the dryer. Oh and dryer sheets are a no no with cloth diapers so I got some of these wool balls off of Etsy. I use them for all our laundry now and I’ve noticed my drying time has shortened. I’m planning on buying 3 more because using 6 is supposed to shorten drying time even more. Of course, I could save more money line drying everything but I just don’t have the time. I stuff the pocket diapers while watching TV and they’re all set! I thought it would be time consuming but I really don’t think it’s that much of an inconvenience. My feeling may change when I go back to work but I’m determined to make it work. I’ve been back at work for over a month now and I’ve managed to keep up my cloth diaper laundry. I do a load every other day when I get home from work. I can wash, dry and stuff them before I go to bed. It’s one more thing to do when I get home but I think it’s worth the extra effort.