Cloth Diapers?

[Puppmom]

Steph, I'll second what's already been said. I didn't know it at the time, but our local providers were hesitant (only one actually said no) because they think cloth diapers leak. Interestingly enough, I find that N RARELY has leaks and blow-outs were pretty much a thing of the past when we stopped using disposables. He had blow outs ALL.OF.THE.TIME in disposables. Is the place you're using a chain? If so, they probably have a corporate policy so, even though the Director's initial response was no, you may be able to call corporate and ask about their policy. If you're up for the *crusade* you can attempt to persuade them by educating them - they DON'T leak more than disposables, they ARE sanitary and they're NOT difficult to use. All you're asking them to do differently is to store your LO's diapers in a separate pail from the disposables. You do all of the *heavy lifting*. As a last resort, you could see if a note from your doctor would work. Ours wrote us a note that cloth diapers were medically necessary. Now, whenever N gets a checkup, he writes it on his Health Assessment.

Last, if the daycare won't take cloth, I probably wouldn't do it at all. Once your LO is sleeping through the night, you'll probably only be changing 2 or 3 diapers per day (depending on how long he's at daycare) and then the weekends. IMO, that's not enough to make it worth using cloth. If I were you, I might start out with disposables and take up the cause with daycare when LO is about to start. By that time, LO should fit one size diapers and you can make the investment at that time if you decide.

 

[lliang_chi]

Steph, I think your daycare is just ignorant about cloth diapers. You should bring in a pocket/all-in-one diaper and show them it's used EXACTLY like a disposable one. The only thing they need to do is 1) put the dirty diaper in the dirty laundry bag you bring home 2) and this is a nice to have: note which diaper (color, print etc) has a BM in it. It's absolutely the same work for the day care. All the day cares I visited last month allowed for cloth diapers, so it's pretty surprising they would put out a blanket statement like that.

LV, Didn't get a diaper sprayer at the shower. But one of my friends that cloth diapers got me some OSFM (bigger regular cloth) from my registry! (I'm a naughty Mommy and I'm registry stalking )

OK I'll ask the dumb question, but what are Baby Legs? How do you use them? They look like leg warmers. What do you use them for? I see them on sites like BabySteals and I'm not sure how they're used.

Thanks,
LC

 

[Loves Vintage]

Haha, that's a good question, actually! I think most people use them instead of pants, so they use them pulled up with a CD on. Very cute, but I've never actually done it. I use them, especially when we go out, as leg warmers!!!! S is tall! A lot of her pants will ride up a little, so the area btw the bottom of her pant leg and those ridiculously short baby socks is uncovered. Put her in the ergo, and it looks like she's wearing capri pants!! Another benefit, I've found, is that it will keep her socks on a bit longer. S loves to pull off her little socks!!

ETA: Kunzite - You should post that classic photo of O in his baby legs!!! You know which one I mean?!?

 

[Kunzite]

I think you mean this one.




But I like this one too




LC - We used them with onsies. I always felt like a onsie by itself was too cold, but I hated putting pants on the poor boy when he was that little because it looked uncomfortable.

 

[lliang_chi]

A HAAAA!!! (As the lightbulb goes off). I thought Oliver was just wearing pants! That's a GREAT use for them! Aw, man! Now I have ANOTHER thing to spend money on..... You ladies are DANGEROUS!!!!

 

[Loves Vintage]

Ahh, I knew you'd know which one I meant!! That's an all-time favorite Oliver photo, well, one of, I should say.

An additional benefit to baby legs is that you don't have to remove pants! I thought that's why so many CD moms used them. Makes changing a lot easier.

I really wish they would sell knee socks for babies. Why don't they? So hard to get babies to keep their socks on, and when they slip right off . . . grrr. So, I did see knee socks once, on-line, but I think they were $15 a pair. No thank you!!

 

[phoenixgirl]

Thanks for the Baby Legs tip! I had long (like covering the calf but not the knee) socks made by BabyLegs for Claire, but I never used the actual Baby Legs. I didn't CD until she was 9 months old and that was the heat of the summer. I did buy a really cute pair at my CD store in newborn size so if I like them I'll go on the hunt for more. But the long Baby Legs socks were a lifesaver when her pants were getting short but she wasn't ready for the next size yet. I think they were these ones: http://www.amazon.com/Babylegs-Baby-Girls-Infant-Stocking-Stuffer/dp/B005C81ENW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1327539348&sr=8-3

Steph, my friend is CDing and her daycare won't use them, so she only does them on the weekends, I think, just does a single load per week. But she already had them from before he went to daycare.

Me personally, I probably would still do them. At two I still change Claire every two hours (probably can stretch that but I hate to think about her sitting with a wet diaper for too long). She wears one diaper over night, but a smaller baby might be pooping overnight so you might be changing with a middle of the night feed anyway. So I would think that if you used 3-4 diapers per day, that would be enough for a small load after 3 days. 3 days is about the max you want to go, though some people let the diapers sit even longer than that.

I haven't asked about them doing CDs at preschool (I send her with 4 disposables a week) and I admit it's because I don't want to be "that mom." Without realizing it, I picked a preschool where everyone is rich and hoity-toity and no one would EVER use cloth diapers. Believe me, I'm sure. I know the other moms would gossip about me -- it would get around even if they told me no. Not that I'm ashamed or anything, quite the contrary. If it ever comes up I will definitely say, oh, we use cloth diapers at home. I just don't want to put the teachers in the awkward position of having to tell me no or do something they might not be comfortable with. I think it would be different if it were full time daycare. Anyway, we always keep disposables just in case, and I'm running short on diapers that fit my toddler anyway, so having the time when she's at preschool to catch up on diaper laundry helps me not run out. So I won't judge you if you don't want to rock the boat. But I'd at least try to figure out what their objections are. Maybe it's policy, or maybe they're just uninformed about what's involved. I know I was. I definitely thought CDs were weird when I saw my first friend using them.

 

[stephbolt]

Thanks phoenixgirl, LC, puppmom, Kunzite, and LV for your advice! I'm not sure what the daycare's objection is, I didn't push it during the tour, just simply asked something like "are you amenable to using cloth diapers?" and the director said no so I left it at that. I guess a call back to the director is in order to run it buy her one more time and find out why this is their policy.

puppmom, it's funny you say that I should get the doctor to say it's necessary because it actually was for my siblings and I - we rashed up so terribly from disposables that my mom had to CD the three of us. So I'll certainly mention that in my discussion with the director because it could be something my LO ends up dealing with as well. This place isn't a chain so if i can convince her we should be good.

LV, I like your idea to CD during the newborn time when I'm at home - we were planning on starting with a set of kissaluvs anyway and then doing a trial to figure out what kind of larger pockets or OSs we liked, or if we were in over our head entirely with CDing. I do have one friend who does CD at home and disposables at daycare, she says the good thing is her diapers have lasted through both her daughters without wearing out at all, which they might not have if the first had been in them full time.

Kunzite, O in his babylegs!

 

[Miscka]

Hey Steph! We CD Harlan, including at daycare. A few thoughts:

Yes to the suggestion of bringing one in. We had one center say no way, then we showed them his Fuzzibunz and explained it was EXACTLY the same, and they said they would consider it. We used a different center, so not sure if they would have caved but it definitely changed their attitudes.

Our current center said yes during the tour, but the teacher in his first room HATED them. The director made her allow them since more and more parents are choosing them. In his new room, they are much more accommodating. His last teacher was just stuck in her ways, though she was great with him in other aspects.

One thing I will admit to - we just sent his FB back to FB due to them basically all delaminating despite us following directions, using the right detergent, etc. While they have been gone, we've been sending him in seventh gen sposies, and using our GroVia hybrids (LOVE) at home. I think the GroVias are a bit too "involved" to send, but I love them at home. Anyway, the point is that a part of me has been LOVING the ease of the last 3 weeks using the 7th gen at daycare. It is SO MUCH less to deal with. Less to haul back and forth, and a lot less to worry about at night/in the morning. I find that by the time we all get home, it is so nice to not worry about how many diapers he has clean, is there a clean pail liner?, etc. Especially since, for us at least, the washing/drying process is not exactly fast.

I am stubborn, and have made a commitment to CDing, and I really have loved it for the most part. But the daycare part sucks, tbh. Just my .02

 

[lliang_chi]

So I'm starting to do the baby laundry now. I did the sheets/towels etc first. Now I've got the baby clothes in the dryer. I've been "saving" the diapers for last. Mostly because I'm sure it'll be the most demanding washing process.

Questions for you mamas:
1. I know I need to prep the prefolds. In addition to the ones I got from PhG, I also got some from my showers. So I was going to prep the new ones. What's the best method you PF experienced ladies used? I read I can boil the PF's I think I might do that. I've got two really big stock pots. Should I just use my regular fragrance free detergent? Do I need to add anything else, e.g. baking soda?

2. The non-prefolds that I have. Right now I have a few newborn stuff PhG that I imagine I should wash. I think they're just covers. Do I just wash those in a regular cycle and dry like normal?

3. The non-newborn diapers. I have 2 Thristies pockets OSFM non-newborn sized. Should I was these now, or wait until Baby gets big enough and wash it then? I think I'm getting a fair bit of diapers from last shower too. Suggestions if I should wash these right away (while I still ahve time and the baby's not takng over my life), or wait?

4. Last question, did you ladies bring any CDs in your hospital bag? Or did you just use the sposies at the hospital and start the CDing when you got home?

Thanks for the advice. Sorry for the really rudimentary questions.

~LC

 

[pancake]

Hey LC, I don't have experience but this is what I have done:

1. Bamboo prefolds - all have been through the wash (+/- detergent) 3-5 times. Cotton prefolds - I soaked and then boiled these, no detergent, just water.

2. Covers I just washed once in a load with 1/3 the usual amount of detergent (I put them through with other nappies I was washing). Hung out to line dry.

3. I washed some of my OSFM a couple of times - will wash them again before use but I wanted to get a couple of the cycles out of the way now. There are others that are still in their packaging which I will wash later. I didn't wash all of each kind - just a couple, as I wasn't sure what would work well for us so figured I'd wait and see which were the "best" before washing all of them.

4. I have not packed any CDs in my hospital bag. The hospital I'm delivering at provides disposables and I figured it was simpler in those first few days, and also less messy in terms of eg. meconium, husband dashing to and from hospital, doing washing etc.

Re detergent - when putting CDs through the machine I used 1/3 the amount of detergent on the box, and used a residue free "environmentally friendly" detergent that was recommended to me by one of the online stores I bought my nappies from. I also made sure that if I did use detergent on a cycle, that that particular load had another detergent-free rinse cycle afterwards.

 

[phoenixgirl]

LC, I was telling DH that I wanted to take CDs to the hospital and he was like, "For real????" They do provide disposables and I guess we don't want meconium poop diapers sitting around for a few days, so what I'll probably do is bring some and start using them on the day we know we're going home. Because I can't wait to start using them!!! I have one of these Rumparooz wet bags that would totally hold a few days' worth of newborn diapers so we'll see, I just might do it. http://www.kellyscloset.com/RumparoozKanga-Care-Wet-Bags_p_4173.html

As for the prepping, prefolds need several wash and dry cycles to be ready, especially unbleached ones (the ones you got from me are unbleached IIRC - I know I prepped them several times, three or four I'd say). The covers I'd just wash once and line dry. Same thing for pockets or AIOs (though you might need to throw the inserts and AIOs in the dryer to dry fully). If you have any natural fiber AIOs (like Swaddlebees Simplex made from cotton birdseye) then they'll need several washes to increase absorbency. Same thing for hemp. But if it's microfiber, just one wash for cleanliness should be fine. I find that some cheaper diapers like Kawaii have a weird chemical smell that takes a few washes to come out, so in that case maybe throw it in another time.

I do think even the microfiber inserts get a little more absorbent after they're "worn in," but I think it would be a waste of time and energy to spend a lot of time prewashing them. They'll work fine at first and you'll be washing them so frequently that after a week or two they'll have been in the wash a ton anyway.

As for washing the one size diapers, I'd say wait. You might decide you're not going to use certain kinds after you experiment with the newborn size ones and know what you like, so then you can sell them "new in packaging." I have this urge to fill all my little bins for the baby's diapers and have them ready to go, but I'm 35 weeks so it could be 5 or 6 more weeks (or not, ha ha), and I figured I don't want the diapers out in the open air all that time. I prepped them and now I have them in a plastic storage bin. I've decided I'll wait until 38 weeks to stash them cutely around the house.


So, score, my local CD store had a big sale this weekend!!! I got $200 worth of diapers and trainers for $63!!!! It's weird because they sucked and had no good Thanksgiving or Christmas sales, and then Friday night I got an email that there would be a sale this weekend. I got a Rumparooz G2 one-size and two Happy Heinys one-size (one organic, one not). The Rumparooz has a low rise so it won't work for Claire but the Happy Heinys fit really well, and at $8 each I couldn't pass them up. I resisted the urge to buy these really cute SustainableBabyish fitteds because I'd already decided not to use fitteds, but they were so.cute. I was good, though.

DH and I got laughing because we went back to see if they had more Happy Heinys today (I only got one yesterday). As we were walking to the store, I was like, "So, we probably shouldn't go because I don't need more diapers. But then again, I've been waiting for a certain diaper to go on sale for $8 so I could get more for Claire, and these are $8 and are better diapers and worth more. And I spent my own fun money yesterday so you can't get mad at me. We should definitely go." DH was like, "OK, this is hilarious. You just made a full circle from guilt to indecision to anger. I didn't even say anything! We can go!" That got me laughing.

 

[lliang_chi]

Pancake & PhG, thanks for the input. I just prepped/am prepping the prefolds now. I actually boiled them since I don't have the patience to do repetitive loads of laundry. Plus I had to boil my baby bottles & pacifiers so I figured might as well. So they're finishing up in a hot water load (the pre-folds, not the bottles LOL), and I'll toss them in to dry before bed.

PhG, that's super funny about your DH and you checking out the local store. LOL! And who needs a sounding board, seems like you can do it yourself.But to be honest, it makes complete sense to me and you were saying that C was running out of dipes anyway, since a good amount of yours were wearing down. Plus you got trainers so that should help too.

~LC

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Alert! Alert! Weehuggers covers are on Baby Steals for $12.99!!!

 

[Puppmom]

Pilsn, how cute were those?! I wanted the whale cover but of course it sold out within 2 minutes. What I DID get though is the hobo wet bag for daycare. I'm so excited because now I use my Planetwise bag which is gihugic and daycare uses 5 diapers per day tops. I love the idea of a shoulder bag because I have so many things to carry when I pick up DS from daycare.

Did you snatch up anything?

 

[yellowducky]

another PSA: AMP one-size duo pocket diapers (a few with very cute prints) are featured today on ecobabybuys.

 

[yellowducky]

oh, and bum cheeks one-size minky diaper are now on babysteals!

 

[Puppmom]

Applecheeks on zulily today.

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Pupp: I ended up grabbing two covers in Size 1... I read really positive reviews, and I think they're an easy diaper for DH to use.. I also read, however, that they're quite stiff and sometimes the inserts bunch up. We'll see! If I don't like 'em, I can always try to sell them!

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with this CD business... I *think* I would prefer to stick with prefolds and fitteds + covers for home use. BUT- I need to grab some AIOs for daycare. It seems to me that the Lil Joeys, Bummis, and Bum Genius are my best options for AIOs. Pockets, at this point, don't interest me. I like the idea of covers/AI2s because I don't have to wash the outer shell after each use (unless it's a messy one!)

Question for experienced CD mamas: So many of the AI2s, pockets, and even covers come with special inserts. Couldn't I just use a variety of prefolds instead? The Applecheeks, for example, come with special absorbent pads. What's the difference between the pad and folding up an infant or small size GMD prefold? Am I missing something?

 

[lliang_chi]

PPM, I'm pretty sure you can fold up prefolds and use them in covers and maybe pockets. I think the inserts etc could be used instead or you can use it in conjunction with a prefolds if the baby is a heavy wetter. I think people like inserts because they're not as bulky as prefolds.

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

PPM, I'm pretty sure you can fold up prefolds and use them in covers and maybe pockets. I think the inserts etc could be used instead or you can use it in conjunction with a prefolds if the baby is a heavy wetter. I think people like inserts because they're not as bulky as prefolds.

Thanks, LC! I thought that was the case!

So much for pockets not interesting me I bought SIX (ugh!) of the Applecheeks!! I used a coupon code (coupzu1292) for an additional 10% off the order. I figure, pockets dry faster than AIOs, Applecheeks have stellar reviews, and if I pre-stuff them then daycare should have NO issues using them. To the care provider they will be just as easy to put on as a disposable or AIO.

I'm a little lost about what covers to get... Thirsties, Bummies, Flip? Do you guys have any faves? I don't care if they're fleecy or vinyl on the inside... no preference.

Total spent on CDs thus-far: $130. 6 Applecheeks and 2 Weehuggers. I'd like to tack on two dozen prefolds in both newborn and small sizes, and maybe some Workhorse fitteds from GMD... Oh! And a few covers, of course! I figure that a year of disposable diapering costs close to $500 (wipes + dipes), and when all is said and done I will spend less than that. Right now, though, it seems like a huge expense.

 

[pancake]

Devastated. Babysteals and Zulily don't ship to Australia - I want more Applecheeks! I need a "tantrum" emoticon.

 

[yellowducky]

I think you mean this one.




But I like this one too




LC - We used them with onsies. I always felt like a onsie by itself was too cold, but I hated putting pants on the poor boy when he was that little because it looked uncomfortable.

kunzite, your son is SUCH a beautiful baby!

 

[yellowducky]

Devastated. Babysteals and Zulily don't ship to Australia - I want more Applecheeks! I need a "tantrum" emoticon.

sorry to hear that. if it's ANY consolation, i've really been wanting to try miessence products but they seem near impossible to find here in the states. (not to mention, they are really expensive here -- not sure how much they retail for in aus.)

 

[yellowducky]

so do any of you wonderful ladies have personal detergent recommendations? i know they must be buried in this thread somewhere -- and diaperswappers is just way too disorganized to wade through -- so i've narrowed them down to:

- country save (powder)
- rockin green
- charlie's soap
- allen's naturally
- other brand recommendation if you absolutely LOVE it, though i'm hoping for a natural, earth friendly brand

not sure if this is relevant, but i have a front loader and the majority of my diaper stash is microfiber pocket diapers (w/ assorted inserts). thanks in advance!

 

[Loves Vintage]

Hi YellowDucky,

Laundry soap for CDs seems to be mostly a matter of personal preference. I use Charlies Soap, which I have on auto-delivery from Amazon. I really like having it delivered that way. I never run out, and deliveries have been timed quite well, once a month, I think. I started out with RnG and cannot recall what I did not like about it. Maybe it was nothing in particular, but I wanted to try Charlies after reading about it on DS. There are very lengthy discussions about laundry soap on DS. I'm in the keep it simple camp. Oh, and I also use Charlies for all of the baby laundry, sometimes my own too.

 

[yellowducky]

Hi YellowDucky,

Laundry soap for CDs seems to be mostly a matter of personal preference. I use Charlies Soap, which I have on auto-delivery from Amazon. I really like having it delivered that way. I never run out, and deliveries have been timed quite well, once a month, I think. I started out with RnG and cannot recall what I did not like about it. Maybe it was nothing in particular, but I wanted to try Charlies after reading about it on DS. There are very lengthy discussions about laundry soap on DS. I'm in the keep it simple camp. Oh, and I also use Charlies for all of the baby laundry, sometimes my own too.

thank you! do you use the liquid or powdered soap?

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Pinky-we prefer a folded GMD prefold (orange or yellow edging) inside the applecheeks. Works great, and they wash so well. I'm not such a fan of the applecheeks inserts.

For detergent, we use tide free and clear and oxyclean. We soak in hot water with oxyclean first, rinse, and then wash with a very small amount of tide free and clear. Works great for us.

If we had poops to deal with, we'd also use diaper liners and probably bac out.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Hi YellowDucky,

Laundry soap for CDs seems to be mostly a matter of personal preference. I use Charlies Soap, which I have on auto-delivery from Amazon. I really like having it delivered that way. I never run out, and deliveries have been timed quite well, once a month, I think. I started out with RnG and cannot recall what I did not like about it. Maybe it was nothing in particular, but I wanted to try Charlies after reading about it on DS. There are very lengthy discussions about laundry soap on DS. I'm in the keep it simple camp. Oh, and I also use Charlies for all of the baby laundry, sometimes my own too.

thank you! do you use the liquid or powdered soap?

I use the powdered. Oh, now that I read Bella's post, I should mention that I have had to use powdered oxyclean, on occasion, as well to help with staining. I have never used bac out.

 

[phoenixgirl]

Pancake and anyone else -- I certainly understand the desire to try all sorts of products, so if you need somebody in the states to buy stuff and ship it to you, I'd be happy to assuming that the shipping wouldn't be ridiculous for you. If you go back to when I was selling LC my prefolds and covers, you can probably find me on DS through the link and PM me there.