Tips on Cloth Diapering



Hi Mamas! This is our first Friday Fan Day, where we answer YOUR questions. Our first question was, "Tell me more about cloth diapering." Thanks to the mama that asked! We know that choosing cloth or disposable diapers can be a huge decision, so we asked a couple of cloth diapering mamas to help us out. We asked them 5 questions, and these were their answers:

First up we have Confessions of a Messy Mama, who can be found every day at:
http://confessionsofamessymama.blogspot.com/2012/07/why-do-i-use-cloth.html


1. Why did you choose to cloth diaper? 

I chose to cloth to save money.  I kept cloth diapering because of how easy it was.

2. What items would you say are a MUST for cloth diapering?

A clothes line is a must if you are going to cloth.  You cannot bleach those dirty stains out but the sun will gets those stains out naturally.  

3. What items are not a must, but are nice to have to make it easier?

Rubber gloves will save your sanity with the extra dirty messes.

4. What should someone who is just starting expect?

If you are just getting started I think you should expect to love or hate cloth diapering pretty quick.  It's not for everyone but if it is for you chances are it will become an addiction.

5. What are some tips for saving money or making it easier?

 If you are looking to save money, buy used cloth diapers.  Lets be real, your little one is going to poop in them.  They won't be new for long, might as well save money by buying already not new.  


We also asked the same questions of Jaynessa from Birbitt Thinks, found at: http://birbittthinks.com


1. Why did you choose to cloth diaper? 

For us personally the decision was made because my babies are very sensitive to every disposable we ever tried so when I was pregnant with our third baby, to avoid the issues we opted for cloth.  

2. What items would you say are a MUST for cloth diapering?  

What you need is going to depend greatly upon what specific type of diaper you use, and my personal experience was with pocket diapers and covers so for that style of diapering you will need:

2-5 covers in each size: I suggest small, medium, and large unless you expect your baby to be under 7 lbs.  We had 2 small covers, 4 mediums and 5 larges but your stash could look very different.

8-10 diapers per day multiplied by how many days you want to go between washings.  We had 36 diapers which allowed for me to wash diapers every third day and have a few extras just in case.  If your baby is a heavy wetter, you may want to consider some more absorbent diapers for night time to avoid middle of the night changes.

diaper pins - yes it seems old fashioned but with a pin I can make my pocket diapers any size waist and we tried snappi's and found them to be very uncomfortable for our boy.  Diaper pins may be old fashioned but when it comes to diapers nothing beats the standard! 

Since we used pockets we also needed fillers for the diapers, We found that the cheap prefold diapers found at walmart make excellent day stuffing, and a few bamboo inserts to add with the prefold at night. 

You will also need a good diaper safe laundry detergent, ideally you want one that specifically says "cloth diaper safe", is unscented, and dye free.  Our favorite was a homemade soap, but there are many others that will work. 

If you are going to use cloth wipes as well, then you will need the wipes and a recipe for a good wipe solution:  a very simple recipe is to simply add a teaspoon of baby wash to 2 cups of water and a teaspoon of olive oil. 

You will need a diaper pail to hold your diapers while waiting to be washed, I used a mesh bag to prevent any mildew from the moisture, and always rinsed our diapers before tossing them in the mesh bag.  You may also wish to have a diaper sprayer to spray off the "solid stuff", I found this unnecessary since I could easily rinse in the toilet. 

You will also need a wet bag if you intend to cloth diaper even while you are out and about with your baby, these are readily available online, or you can find a pattern to make your own.  I just used zip top bags, it was easier for me and meant less washing.

I know this all sounds like a lot but really it's not, the only 'extra' item not used with disposable diapers is the extra laundry pail.  

3. What items are not a must, but are nice to have to make it easier? 

A diaper sprayer might make it easier for some, but for us it was just an extra space filler.  Flushable diaper liners make cloth diapering much easier since any "solids" are on that tissue and can just be flushed down the toilet.  We did use these for the first few weeks in order to protect our diapers from the sticky newborn poo.  Another awesome addition that isn't a must but sure makes life easier are wool "sorties" and "longies" which are basically shorts and pants made from wool yarn that can be used instead of covers and worn like bottoms therefore you only need to put a shirt on baby.  

4. What should someone who is just starting expect?  

You should expect to have an initial upfront investment that may make you feel like you are spending more, but once you have your stash you will not need to spend much to keep it maintained.  You should also expect to spend few weeks getting used to your system and finding your groove, but once you do it's no more difficult than changing 'sposie diapers.  Also you might find that until you get into your routine it is best to have a few 'sposies on hand for emergencies and for when you are out.  Nothing is worse than finding a cloth diaper left in the diaper bag for several days before being discovered...

5. What are some tips for saving money or making it easier? 

Pick a diaper style that fits your lifestyle, and don't be afraid to use 'sposies once in a while, really it does not make you a failure to do what is easiest for you, and works best for your family!  There is not right or wrong way to cloth diaper, just like anything else in parenting.  You do what works for your family and your baby!

Thank you to these lovely mamas for sharing their experiences with us! We appreciate it! We hope this answers your questions, mamas, about cloth diapering! 

Next week's Friday Fan Day topic: Breastfeeding in Public!


9 comments:

  1. thanks for sharing all the pros and cons about cloth diapers.

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  2. I love the word sposies! My hubs makes fun of me for using it all the time. If my daughter is sick I use sposies a lot to save from diaper rashes. Sometimes the urine can be strong or harsh on the bottom so sposies do pull it away a little better. :O)

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  3. Love this. Jaynessa didn't even tell me about it! Great article!

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  4. Wonderful article. I was always clueless about cloth diapers and kind of scared to try them. Lots of great info.

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  5. Thanks for sharing this! I love all the tips!

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  6. Thanks for all the information I will keep in it mind for the next little one i have

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  7. Great info on cloth diapers! I wish I had learned more about them before I had my son. This would have been SO helpful!

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  8. This is a great review! Very detailed and good to know for expecting mothers out there!

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  9. I'm almost done with diapers (thank goodness) but I wish I had known this years ago! Great article.

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