Cloth Diapers

Hi S.!

I love pocket diapers like Bum Genius, Fuzzi Buns or Mommy's Touch, but I also use some WAHM diapers and other brands. I've cd my daughter since she was 2 months old.

I got started with cloth diapering through jilliansdrawers.com. They have a try it for $10 program. They send you a variety pack with a few pockets, all-in-ones, fitted, prefolds and a cover. You make the initial investment of $100 and anything that you don't want after 21 days, you can send back. They will refund all but $10. Its a great program. My husband hated a 2-part diapering system (diaper + cover), and so we went with the pockets for the most part.

Now that I'm a SAHM, I've gone back to using prefolds with fleece soakers around the house and pockets for when we are out. Pockets are just way easier out of the house, but prefolds are much more economical and it was time to re-stock. So, I went with prefolds, and made my own fleece soakers. But, I wouldn't have known what I liked had I not had experience with both.

I wouldn't buy the prefolds from Gerber. They aren't nearly as nice or absorbant as the Indian/Chinese prefolds that you can buy on-line. The covers on-line are MUCH better as well.

If you ever get to Grand Rapids, they have a cding store. It is named Hop Scotch. Its in SE GR on Cherry. They don't have a website that I can find, but I hear that they are EXTREMEMLY helpful. (I have a friend that just recommended the store to me yesterday, and I plan to go there my next trip to GR)

Good luck!

I recommend:

"Green Mountain Diapers" for prefolds (use with a Snappi) http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/ http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/diapers.htm

and "Thanks Mama" for Bummis wraps.
http://www.thanksmama.com/

and this yahoo group to get mother-to-mother support and FAQs:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BTLdiapering/

I'm a grandma-ma and all three grandchildren were babied with cloth diapers and wraps ... much better than pins and so easy to adjust to sizes. Plus they are made of cloth grown without toxins thus better when coming in contact with baby's skin. My daughter uses non-toxic laundry soap and white vinegar along with baking soda. Wish I had these diapers and wraps when my kids were little! :-D

Hope you find this helpful! ~M.

An old friend of mine just started a company that maybe a solution for you. She has cloth diaper in a varity of sizes and patterns. You can buy individual ones or bundle packs. You can find more information at

greendivadiapercompany.blogspot.com

It's long but hope it puts you on the right track.

Altho my children are now grown I used cloth diapers and swore by Curity streach diapers, they were not prefold but would streach a little for a snug fit, I still have them after 5 kids and they make great dust cloths.

Hi S., I currently use CD's on my 12 month old son. I used prefolds (not Gerber) when he was a newborn. I bought 2 dozen and 2 covers. I think the unbleached indian prefolds really worked the best. I think I spent about $17 for a dozen. I agree that diaperswappers is an excellent website. There are lots of work-at-home moms out there who sell cloth dipes at very reasonable prices. I love supporting WAHM's! When my son got mobile, I found that fitted diapers worked great for us. I had a mom sew me some. She has a website called tinkletraps.com.

I never used bleach on my diapers because I don't like the chemicals touching my little one....however, if they get detergent build-up, you might find that you have to use a little bleach that one time. If you join the La Leche League's message board, they have a great forum about cloth diapers. You have to be a member for 2 weeks and have 15 posts to join. There are so many great moms who give excellent advice about CDing. Best of luck to you and your new baby!

I use prefolds: unbleached Chinese or Indian ones rather than the cheapy ones from Meijer. Greenmountaindiaper.com sells excellent quality prefolds at a great price. I would recommend 2 dozen, but you should only need 3 size changes (infant, regular, then toddler)- that should be about $200 total ($30/dozen) for all prefolds until potty training. I use snappies instead of pins, they work great! As far as covers, there are a zillion options and it's mostly personal preference. I started w/ Bummis Whisper Wraps which worked very well and were about $11/each (you'll need 5-6) and again 3 sizes (small when using infant, medium w/ regular and large w/toddler). When we moved up a size, I decided to try wool covers and absolutely LOVE them. I love the fact that I do not have to wash them but 1x/month, that they are SO soft (you wouldn't think that w/ wool, but they are, never a red mark on my daughter's legs.). Wool is more pricey, but will last forever! If you are interested in trying Whisper Wraps, I have size mediums left that I'm willing to sell on the cheap since I know I'll only be using wool in the future. There is also a cloth diapering store in Ann Arbor, The Little Seedling (formerly Tree City Diaper) that may be worth checking out. They sell prefolds for what you can get online and you don't need to pay shipping. They have all merchandise on their website too, before you make the trek. PM me if you have other questions. I'm happy to help out. I felt a bit (a LOT) overwhelmed when I started cloth, but I'm pretty comfortable now and SO happy I made the commitment :o) Good luck!
sara

Hello,
there is a cloth diaper store in Ann Arbor. I think the only way to find out which diapers are right for you is to look at them. This store might be a longer drive for you, but it is well worth it and they also have a FREE diaper work shop where you can learn everything about cloth diapers.
The store is called The Little Seedling and their next work shop is on Sat. Dec. 6 at 10 am.

Website: www.treecitydiapers.com

Good Luck

I know the feeling about asking a million questions - Cloth diapers are a lot to wrap your head around. I used clth diapers for child 2 & 3. I used a few differnt kinds. I also used them with a vry tight budget.
here are my thoughts:
fuzziebunz and the pocket diapers are very nice (& expensive). They are perfect for dads, babysitters, a day out or watever - ease and quick.
The wraps I like the best b/c you can use a cover more than once (so you need less covers).
the diapers themselves - By the 3rd child I began to realize that old receiving blankets were the best trifolds around. soft and absorbant. I would not buy trifolds from meijer. i ended up feeling very bummed to have spent money on something that did not feel so great.
some oher things: I did not like to pin and so rubber pants or the wool or mother pullon covers were not my thing. I did try a stint with motherease- super diapers except that they took so long to put on and off that it just wasn't worth it.
I could go on and on... I am assuming other folks are giving you lots of advice too.
ever need to talk more - You can do it!

____@____.com

hi S.. i do cloth diapers and love them sooo very much. i started doing cloth diapers (cd) when my son was 6 months. i really wish that i did that with my other two babies. i use bum genius 3.0. they go from 7-35 lbs. yeah the price up front scared me a lot, but i found someone who was willing to work with me. i paid her for 4 diapers one week, then the next week i got 3 more and such until i got 12 diapers. now with a newborn you will need more than 12 diapers iam guessing. or just stick with 12 and just wash them more. you can't just "normal laundry soap" i use all free and clear in my diapers or purex free and clear. check out http://www.zbeardiapers.com/ zbear diapers, that were i bought mine, and she is very helpful with buying daipers!! i know the pre folds, kinda like the ones you see at meijers are cheaper but you have to buy a outer waterproof liner so the pee and poo don't come out. with the ones i have, you dont' need anything extra to keep the nasties in. if you want you can email and we can figure out a time that you can come over and see my diapers. good luck with your choice

,

This may be a repeat, I didn't read the other responses. First, I would not use the Meijer kind - the nicer prefolds are worth it. And, no need for pins - look for "snapi" stretchy bans and velcro covers. All items online or at a diaper store (see below). (Note, covers can also be sewn yourself, if you sew.)

We purchased/wash our own cloth diapers, and it's been worth the investment. We have a combo of prefolds and Fuzzibuns/Bumgenius. There are pros/cons to both styles, and some of it comes down to preference and fit on your particular baby. I found the prefolds quick and easy, especially on a newborn. The Fuzzibun styles are nice and good for other changers that don't want to learn to secure the flat diapers. They do require "stuffing" after washing, which often sets me back in the washing cycle.

If you live near Ann Arbor, there is a great store http://www.treecitydiapers.com/store/, the owner does demos/info sessions on the different kinds of cloth regularly. Otherwise, you can explore on the internet. It was really helpful getting started. Also, you can find cloth diapers used and in good condition (ebay, craig's list, etc.)

I use the bumgenius one size pocket diapers. They are adjustable for size, but I have not tried them on a newborn. I didn't start cloth diapering until my daughter was 6 months old. She is now 16 months. You can find them on www.cottonbabies.com along with tons of info on cloth diapering. If you are near Ann Arbor and would like to support a local business you can try www.thelittleseedling.com. You can either order online or visit their new store which is right off of I-94 at the Zeeb road exit. They are very helpful there and have different diapering options to choose from. Some other info that might be helpful: I purchased 15 diapers, 12 flannel wipes, 2 diaper pail liners that are washable, (I just continued using the same diaper pail from Babies R Us), 2 "wet bags" to take with us in the diaper bag - these are waterproof and zip shut, Allen's Naturally detergent that I only use for the diapers, and the bumgenius bottom cleaner which you just spray on and wipe off with a flannel wipe. At night we still use a disposable 7th generation diaper and we still use some disposable wipes as well. This is what works for us. Let me know if you have any more questions, I would be glad to help.

My son is nearly 11 months old and has worn cloth diapers his whole life. We only use disposable for traveling and when he goes to child care at the gym. And they are so easy, so much cheaper, and so much better for the environment! Don't buy the ones at Meijer, they won't last or absorb anything. There are several different styles. We use prefolds, which are squarish or rectangular shaped (depending on the size), with a snappi to hold it in place instead of pins- like the thing that holds an ace bandage in place, and a waterproof cover. There are also all-in-ones, that are the diaper and the cover together. Some people really like those, but they are harder to clean and take longer to dry. We've only ever used two sizes on my son- you buy them big so they can wear them a long time. He moved up into a bigger size in April or May probably and is still wearing them. So it's not like you're replacing them each time they'd move up a size in disposibles. And, for newborns, you're going to want a lot. We had like 35 initially, and were probably doing laundry every 3 days. Now, we have about 24, and do laundry twice a week. Think about it- if you bought 12 fuzzibunz for $203, they could probably be worn for 6 months (assuming you bought the right size). How long would it take you to spend that much on disposibles? Not long. The expense is big up front, but you'll save in the long run.
I absolutely love my cloth diapers- if you have more questions feel free to ask.
Oh, and def. check out craigslist- another website is www.greenmountaindiapers.com

You don't have to use pins anymore.. you can use a snapee.. it has little claw like arms and works just like pins would.

Cloth diapers save a lot of money depending on what you use.

We've always used chinese prefolds and covers. I'd get ones that are online.. cheaper and better made.

Now my son is 22 months and we are using disposable when we go out cause he just started soaking through the cloth when we're out. I could double them when out, but it's easier for me to use disposable..

I go through one pack of disposable a month pretty much this way.

BTW, they are easy to clean too.. when they're little the poop dissolves (if you BF) I'm not sure if it's the same for formula feeding.. then when they're bigger and have solid poops it's a little more of a pain, but really not that big of a deal..

I feel like it's more than saving money too.. disposable diapers take YEARS to decompose so it's much better for the environment too to use cloth.

My friend just bought the all in one diapers and although they are expensive they'll last the whole time the kids in diapers and they are much easier than Chinese prefolds and covers.

Hi S., I used cloth diapers for all 3 of my children until the were potty trained at about age 3. Purchase the prefolded diapers at Meijers, WalMart. I tried to find that brand that was thicker and more absorbant. You'll need about 3 dozen and 6-8 pair of rubber pants to fit your babies age group. I purchased a large bucket or even a new tall wastebasket will do and added about 1/ cup of bleach with a gallon or 2 of water to soak them inuntil washed. I would dump the basket into the washer , spin out then fill with hot water, Dreft and another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of bleach. My diapers were so white and I was proud to put them on my babies. Also none of my kids ever had a diaper rash. Good luck, you will be giving your baby soft diapers to wear instead of rough disosable diapers. M.

Do you have a live journal account? They have an AWESOME forum for clothdiapering.

We don't do cloth diapering full time, but we have a couple of fuzzy buns, a couple of prefolds with a couple of covers and a few of the bumgenious 2.0s. We personally like the bumgenious ones the best though the fuzzibuns are pretty close. The reason we like the bumgenious ones are that they are a one size diaper. They have snaps in the front that let you adjust the size up & down as well as velcro to adjust the waist size. They are quite expensive but you can get a good deal sometimes with coupons at diapers.com (they have a first time customer code) and being adjustable, they'll fit for a long time.

Good luck!

HAve you thought about using a diaper service rather than just by yourselves? I used Diapers Unlimited with my son and they adjust how many diapers that you need. You can also use them for burp cloths, cleaning cloth and so much more, plus, you don't have to wash them yourself. I used the gerber diaper covers rather than deal with pins also. They just have velcro on the sides and fold up like a disposable diaper.

Don't worry, you never have to pay full price.:) I've had great luck with www.diaperswappers.com, to buy/sell/trade used cloth diapers. I've found lots of fuzzi's there in near-perfect condition. Also I buy from mtdiaperstore.com, they have great clearances and sales on "second quality" (meaning, a small flaw that doesn't effect performance) dipes. I bought a bunch of their second quality Pocket Change diapers and just loved them...very simple, no leaks, and one size lasted my girl forever. I think they were about 8 or 9 bucks. And try Craigslist!
Good Luck:)
D.
www.carrymeslings.com

I honestly bought the cheap gerber prefolds and used them until my son potty trained. I still have them and I'm planning on using them again! I bought four packages and still have them all. I was a single mom in college at the time so money was EXTREMELY tight. Every three months you will need new diaper cover and you can get away with buying only 3. Having six of each size is nice but not necessary. As for pins, check out J.'s Stuff.com. There is this thing called a snappy. IT is a rubber T-strap with claw clips. I liked using that because I didn't have to use pins on my infant. But if you do choose to use pins one is just as good as another. One suggestion is to keep a bar of soap on your changing table to use as a pin cushion, it keeps the pins sharp and easily accessible. I used the cheapest materials I could find and had great success with them, spending under $100 on two and a half years of diapers! Good luck in your diapering and congrats on your baby!

There are a few companies on ebay that sell at great prices.

check out happy hienies (sp?) they go from newborn to pottytrained. that's the one i used on my dtr and they are great, expensive, but great. i would buy 3 at a time until i got 12, and i laundried them myself. check out diapertree.com they have diaper demonstrations and they helped me decided which ones to use. hope this helps...

My best friend went with cloth diapers with her daughter. She got a huge lot of them plus a lot of accessories on craigslist for $100 (so worth it!). Check it out! If you can't find a big lot of all different sizes, you will probably be able to find something that will work for you. My friend also swore by the heated wipes warmer for her cloth wipes-- she says nothing else worked as well!
Good luck and congratulations on using cloth diapers!

check out diaperswappers.com they are used dipes and sometimes new that other cloth diapering mamas are selling or trading. saves a TON of money! they are just too expensive to buy brand new in my opinion, so look at used, and sales! =) good luck. J.

Hi S.,

I don't use cloth diapers but, a freind of mine wanted to save as much money as possible so she decided with baby # 3 & 4 cloth was the way to go. She and her husband bought velco strips and sowed them on the diapers. This was hilarious to me. But it works, it's time comsumiming but see if you can get a few ladies together with a few needles and go to work. This way should save you some money and you won't have to worry about pins or poking your baby.

Best of luck!
P.

S.,

I am going to be having my second child in May and my husband and I are seriously considering cloth diapers. However, I will not do the prefold ones like at Meijer with pins...no way. If I am going to do it I am going to go all the way and probably get these diapers - "Happy Heinys One Size Diaper"
($18.95)
That probably seems like a lot for diapers but, these are different than alot that I have seen you can adjust the size to fit a new born to I don't know maybe a 2 1/2 - 3year old, I don't know how big but that makes it so you don't have to buy new diapers and spend a gob of money every time they grow into a new size.

Here is a website I bought some from for my cousin, I felt them and they are sooo soft, they are made of fleece inside, they are wonderful!

www.happyheinystore.com

Hope that helps

I bought 3 dozen infant prefold and 2 dozen gerber unfolded thin cause you can use those a million ways! When baby was first born I used one gerber and when he was a little bigger (a few weeks) I used the green. So I like green mountain diapers to purchase from its about 25 a dozen if I remember correctly so 75 plus 20 for the gerbers. I bought a few pins and in the beginning pinned but its not even necessary cause I use velcro covers. I buy my covers from ebay they are dappi brand. absolutely perfect for infants that dont move and priced exceptional at like 12 for 6 :) Cant beat that. So total investment of about 150 for one year of diapers and covers :) (had to get 3 size covers as he grew but same diaper fit.

At a year I bought 5 dozen (so another like 140) of bigger prefolded from green mountain. These are perfect for at night and soon will be his day diaper. The infant diapers I can use as a doubler for at night when he is a bit older and the old gerber diapers I use as wipes :)

Now I have to research a few more inexpensive cover options for a moving baby!

hope that helps. Another wip hint is I use meier washcloths the cheap 3 bucks for twelve and pre wet and put in regular wipe container and use those and throw in diaper box and wash with diapers.)