Cloth Diapers - Boiling Springs,SC

If I had it to do over I would have gone with one-size pocket diapers. They will carry you longer and you can adjust the absorbency depending on nap/nighttime, etc. I like Bum Genius and Thirsties Duo. It is cheaper to go with prefolds and covers but also less convenient.

You do not want to leave your diapers to soak in between washings. This is hard on the fibers and will cause your diapers to wear out faster. It also becomes a drowning hazard not to mention really gross having a bucket of pee and poo water hanging around. You don't need or want to do this. All you need is a small garbage can with a lid and a large wet bag (this you will get from your cloth diaper provider). If properly cared for your diapers will last for the next baby further increasing your savings!

As far as poopies-if your baby is exclusively breastfed you do not need to rinse. Just toss in the pail. It will wash out. If baby is formula fed you might want to invest in a diaper sprayer that hooks to the toilet. When baby is older and starts solids you will want to use liners that are biodegradable. Makes clean up much easier. And there are some brands that can be washed and used again if baby only wet them.

Washing is easy-run a cold cycle with no detergent, hot wash with tablespoon of detergent that works with cloth diapers (I use Arm & Hammer Essentials Free & Clear), hot rinse if you have it but if you don't cold will work then a final hot wash cycle/rinse to ensure all the soap is out of the diaper. Everyone has their opinion on things like vinegar and baking soda. I've never found the need to use them and I've been cloth diapering for almost 2 years. Water is really the key to clean diapers. And yes, you probably will get stains. It's just part of the game. Some baby's have poo that doesn't stain and others it just does. Doesn't affect anything one way or the other.

Nighttime is easy! Just add extra absorbency when baby is older or sleeping longer periods of time. Use a thin hemp liner or two (as baby gets older) along with the inserts that come with the diaper. The inserts that come with the diapers are usually microfiber which is highly absorbent. Prefolds are not as absorbent for overnight.

You will want to wash every other day or 2 max. You will change baby about every 2 hours (of course that can certainly be more when baby is little) but you could probably get away with maybe 12-16 pocket diapers to start. But you will be washing probably every other day. But the washing is really no biggie. Or a couple dozen prefolds and 6 covers.

Some people use cloth while traveling some prefer to use disposables just to make it easier.

But you can also start the transition slowly-buy a couple types of diapers that you think you might like and try them before you invest all your diaper money in one type.

There is a learning curve but using pocket or all in one diapers is more like disposables so they are easier.

I like pinstripesandpolkadots.com and greenmountaindiapers.com for great diaper info and purchases. Green mountain have the gold standard for prefolds and pinstripes has pocket/aio's and really great customer service.

Congratluation first on choosing to cloth diaper. It will save you loads of cash!! Add in cloth wipes and your golden. Here's your answers since I clother diapered my first child.

1. First off cloth diapers are messier, Im not gonna lie. The urinate alot or diarehha your gonna hate it but hey its normal!

2. Put a bucket int he washroom or bathroom filled with warm water and bakign soda. Put soiled diapers in there until ready to wash. They say dont use the washer, pfffft I did worked out well! Cloth is more work but worth it!
3. Wash diapers by themselves in washing machine with hot water and use mild soap and/or vingegar rinse (use in a downy ball) Vinegar kicks the smell and disinfects as well as breaks up urine/feces! Never use bleach! can cause rashes!
4. At night if you have to use extra cover to prevent leaks and or a mattress cover to absorb excess liquid. Being a an infant your going to have to change the diapers at night often.
5. I personally for an infant buy 10-12 diapers. So your never without. Kushies is a good and very cheap brand get 5 diapers for 50 bucks at walmart. All in Ones are best!
6. Traveling and odd time, just keep a pack of diposables ready, sometimes its not worth the headache! Your kid isnt going to mind the transition its you that is!
When I used cloth diapers my kids diaper rashes went from often to almost 0. No matter how bad the poop, cloth just doesnt irriate. However also with vinegar int he wash dont use too much can cause rash from diaper, thats why i say use the downy ball. Good luck! Hope this helps!

Hi A.,
I used cloth diapers on my children. I didn't use the prefolded ones. Those would be more absorbent. I am just going to tell you what I did and you can alter that to what will work with you.
I had a diaper pail by the changing table to put the soiled diapers in. If it was a dirty diaper (poopie), I rinsed it out in the toilet and put it in the pail. I washed diapers every day. Some people would make a solution to soak them but I didn't do that. To answer the question on how much to change your child-I changed mine when they were wet. You can't wait as long with cloth diapers as you do disposable ones. You will get the hang of your child's pee pattern. At night and on trips I used disposable diapers. When I used cloth diapers at night they would soak through and the bed would be a soggy mess as well as the baby. I think I started out with at least three dozen diapers. Hope this helps. Good luck!!

I washed a load ever other day, and had 36 cloth diapers.

I put them in a sealed trash bin, every night I would rinse them out and put them in the washing machine with water, charlies laundry soap and natural oxygen bleach...

The poopy diapers I would rinse immeadiatly in the kitchen sink, if I had the time if I didn't I would put them in the laundry room and tackle them as soon as I had a chance.

At night just like disposables change them if they are wet. While traveling, I carried them around in a water proof bag, for day trips only, if you are going out of town for a few days, just use disposables. Seventh Generation works great and they are biodegradable and non toxic so no harm to baby and no harm to the earth.

I see you've already gotten some conflicting info here. I will tell you from my experience. Obviously you will have to try things and see what works for you. I started cloth about 2 1/2 years ago when I had a 2 YO and was expecting baby #4. I decided I had spent enough on sposies and filled my share of landfill space. lol. So, I started trying things out with my 2 YO to see if I could do it. My mother had done cloth way back when and had terrible experiences, so I was leery of trying it for all the stories I had heard. Thankfully cloth diapers have changed radically from that generation! It has been nowhere near as hard as I had thought, and I ended up liking cloth BETTER than disposables and sticking with them because I liked them, not because I was saving money...though I have, of course.

I have tried Bum Genius, Fuzzi Buns, and prefolds. I liked prefolds a lot when my LO was tiny, say for the first few months. They were inexpensive and since I was changing him constantly that was a good thing. They take a little more skill though and daddies and nursery workers are likely to be baffled by them, even though it is really quite simple. I kept a few BG's for Daddy to use and to bring to church and used prefolds when I was on duty. My husband looked at me like I had grown another head when I said I wanted to switch to cloth, but when I asked him how often he changed diapers and how much of the laundry he did he realized that it didn't really make a major impact on his life. lol. It was a while before he really learned to use a prefold, but a BG goes on just like a disposable, so ANYONE can do it after they get over the initial, oh, no, it's a cloth diaper, what do I do???

If you do prefolds you will probably want about 2 dozen and about 4-6 covers. I like Thirsties covers, and the Bummies super whisper wrap. There is also a white bummies wrap that comes in snaps. Love it. Snaps will way outpreform velcro. With velcro after a year or so you will either be buying new diapers, replacing the velcro, or removing the velcro for snaps. I chose to do option #3. I wish they made a BG 3.0 with snaps instead of velcro. I hear the Happy Heinies with snaps are really good too. I haven't bought any cause I have a pretty good stash and I am hoping my LO will potty train soon, but they have really good reviews and come in a lot of fun patterns. With a pocket diaper you will still want 12-24 diapers, and they will cost more than prefolds. I would say it is a good idea to do a combination. At Jillian's Drawers.com they have a combo pack where you get a bunch of different brands to try out. Some places allow you to try and send back if you don't like. There are also some new things out like Econobum that may be good. Another good place to look is www.cottonbabies.com For info, on www.justmommies.com there is a forum for cloth diapering. Those ladies are great and have helped me when i hit a few snags.

For string dirties, you need a wetbag. DO NOT store them in a bucket to soak. This is the old way of doing it. Beyond being gross it is unecessary and unsafe. Either get a hanging wetbag that you can hang in your laundry roon, or a regular one that you put in a small trash can next to your changing table. The wetbag gets washed along with your diapers, so you probably want 2. Pull the insert out of pockets before you toss them in so that all you have to do is empty into the washer when you are ready. For poopy diapers, I would shake off more solid poo into the potty, but I never did the sprayer thing. If it was really stuck on I just tossed it in the bag. My diapersdon't have a single stain on them after more than 2 years of use.

To wash you run them on a cold cycle with an extra rinse in a full cycle in the washer. Use the highest setting so they have lots of water to slosh about in. Then run them in a hot/cold cycle with extra rinse and a small amount of a diaper approved detergent. You can find a list of these on most CD websites. I use original Tide powder. Never use fabric softener in the washer or dryer cycle. It will coat the diapers adn make them waterproof. Not what you want. Dry in the dryer and do not stuff pockets while they are still hot or they will stretch out. If you can hang to dry that's great, but I never have the time.

Now you will get to the point where you need to "strip" the diapers. Despite your best efforts, some detergent will build up on them and if you have hard water like I do then some minierals will build up too. You will notice they retain some odor after washing, or that they are not as absorbant as they used to be. To strip mine I :
1. Run a cold prewash.
2. Fill washer with hot water to soak and add to large (Sam's size) scoops of Oxy-clean. Let soak for 2 hours.
3. Finish the wash.
4. Wash another hot cycle with normal detergent and a product called RLR (available at Jillian's Drawers) RLR was a lifesaver for me and removes the minieral build up from the water.

I strip mine once a month whether I think they need it yet or not.

Diapers need to be changed about every 2 hours, sometime smore or less. You will know. lol. You can also add Hemp liners if you baby is a heavy wetter.

I use cloth at night and just use a hemp liner or 2 or double stuff. With a 2 YO sometime she is wet in the middle of the night and I have to change him, but I would have the same problem with sposies. Last night I put 2 prefolds on him. lol. He looked very well padded. But he did make it through the night that way.

Most of the time I use cloth for day trips and such, but for going away longer I would probably buys a pack of sposies. simpler that way. If I'm visiting family I bring my cloth cause I know I will access to a washer.

Whew. I have written you a book! Feel free to write me privately if thereis something I didn't answer for you! Best Wishes,
B.

sometimes these are hard questions to answer via post or e-mail because there are some varieties, but here goes.....

My husband didn't want to have to deal with the poo so I dealt with it by, leave the poo dipes in the bathroom and I will deal with them - better than not using cloth at all! :)

Wet diapers are stored in a "dry" pail - actually I use a kitchen trash can with a touch top that has a washable pail liner so when the pail is full, I take the liner full of dirty diapers to the laundry room, flip the diapers into the washer and I never have to touch a wet diaper. I never soak any diaper.

Poo diapers are in the bathroom in a small pail with a small pail liner. I personally use a diaper sprayer to spray off the poo into the toilet and then flush it. The diapers are then wet and go into a smaller pail and are washed about every 3 - 4 days. The "pee" diapers are washed once a week.

The diaper needs to be changed as soon as the baby wets or poos. Actually, that is when any diaper needs to be changed - disposable or cloth. A lot of people will leave the disposables on for much longer because of the expense, but that really isn't good for baby.

Something else that isn't good for baby is that some disposable diapers have the chemical that caused toxic shock syndrome in tampons because of the absorbency factor. :(

We cloth diaper 24/7 - my daughter is allergic to disposables. You just find out what diaper or combination of diapers works for nighttime wetting. My favorite for nighttime is prefolds and wool covers.

Traveling - we have only traveled by car, but we take a "drawer" of diapers - usually twice what I would normally use, just in case! :) When she is in the car seat for an extended trip, I do like to use a PUL cover which is a bit more "waterproof" than wool that can have compression leaks.

To start out, if you are on a tight budget - I would buy 3 dozen prefolds (in the size you need) and 4 covers.

If budget is no option, I would buy 2 -3 of each diaper I wanted to try. Fitteds, pockets, AIO, AI2, prefolds, and there are variations of each of those, and different name brands! It can be overwhelming, but don't let it overwhelm you!

I also own a diaper service and so I have tried most diapers out there! :) If you would like to "chat" more, don't hesitate to call!

J.
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I know of some natural products that you can use for the diaper pail, toys, teething, baby's bath, homemade diaper wipes, baby's red bottom, and cradle scalp.
P. S

I used Kushies diapers that have the covers "built in" and flushable diaper liners, so it was really easy. Just tear off a liner (they come in rolls, kind of like toiler paper), put it on the diaper, put the diaper around the baby and Velcro. When wet or soiled, just take the diaper off, shake the liner into the toilet and flush, and put the diaper in a diaper pail. A little baking soda in a sprinkler (like you find sugar in at a restaurant) in the changing table can be helpful to sprinkle over the top of the diapers in the pail can be helpful to prevent smells. As was mentioned below, you don't add water. Then when the pail is full, throw in the wash. As a cheat, my husband just leaves the liners in when they are wet but not poopy. I throw the liners in the trash (we keep next to the changing table as we use disposable wipes, which are not flushable) when they are wet or when my daughter was exclusively breastfed (now that she's eating solids there is more poop and it's stinkier). We also used disposables for overnight, travel, or when my daughter had diarrhea once. We found that this made things easier. You mentioned your husband isn't on board, so it might be worth talking with him about his concerns are and finding ways to address those. It is a significantly greater chunk of money in the beginning, but our diapers lasted for about 16 months (all of one child's infancy and part of the second). We got 25 infant (and 20 toddler) and that meant doing laundry every-other-day. Our diaper pail couldn't hold more diapers than that, so it worked out well to wash every-other-day (also probably minimized smell).

I love cloth diapering! My DH finds it just as easy as disposables. For the last 2 years, we have used BumGenius One size pocket diapers. Some of them are starting to get a little worn out, so I bought 2 dozen prefolds and Bumkins diaper covers. So far, I love these too! Like other moms have said, I recommend just putting the dirties in a wet bag (waterproof bag in a trash can) and wash everything together. I do laundry about every other day. I find I change the cloth diaper just as often as people change their disposables, so keep track of how many you use per day. I'd buy a few extras just to be safe. At night, if you find you need more absorbency, you can add a liner. As for traveling, I pack my cloth diapers. You'll definitely want to purchase 2 or 3 smaller, zippered wet bags. Put the dirty diapers in these during the day while you are out (they're also great for wet swimsuits, wet clothes, and anything you want to keep separated!) Anywhere you go, you'll find a washing machine. I've used them camping (rinsed them in the lake and hung them to dry), in the hotel (just do like you're at home), on an airplane (just bring extras on with you in case of emergencies!). I don't reccommend soaking your diapers as it is not necessary and will weaken the fabric. I have a spatula in the bathroom to scrape of poop clumps, but I don't spray the diapers. I do give the poopy diapers a quick rinse in the bathtub, but this step can be done in the washer with a rinse before washing. You don't have to use any specific brand of deterget, just one that says "free and clear."

i tried the whole cloth diaper thing when my 8 yr old was a baby, so it's been a while but i don't think a lot has changed. gone are the safety pin type my mom used, they velcro like a disposable diaper adheres. i don't recommend the "all-in-one" types with the outside waterproof cover inclusive. they leaked the most. i went online to e-bay and other sites and bought new ones at half the price. back then they ran anywhere from $4-$8 a diaper. really it was more of a pain in the butt than it was worth. if you're a stay at home mom you ight have better luck, but if you plan on going back to work, very few providers will use them and it's just a pain. you must soak them between washes, hopefully you don't have hard water like i did. i had to wash some almost everyday to keep up and i bought a ton. there are a ton of websites to give you guidance as to what to put in the water that you soak them in off hand i can't remember. as far as poopy diapers, gerber and other brands make a thin "dry" liner that you can place in the diapers, sort of like the lining of a disposable diaper, so when they make a stinky you just throw the liner and the poopy away. i'd flush the poopy if possible and throw away the used liner, they are a one time use thing. you can also buy thick cloth liners that go under the thin liner to add extra absorbancy, you can find homemade ones cheap on e-bay, just wash b4 use. i usually had to resort to a disposable diaper at night because my little pisser was too much for the weak absorbancy of a cloth diaper. disposable diapers travelled with us too, it was too hard to store the cloth ones or rinse them out during my trips. who wants to spend their time away rinsing out poopy diapers to save $10? i think it's an admirable thing to do the cloth diaper thing, but really it's not worth the money saving to put up with the hassle. like i said if you will be at home it might be easier and saving money while only one parent is working is also good, but i just didn't have the patience for it or the desire to have a bucket of dirty diapers beside me washing machine waiting to be washed everyday. good luck.

I am a part-time cloth diaperer, which is what works best for my family. We use cloth diapers while at home or running short errands, but at night and when traveling, we use disposables. I have heard you can use cloth at night, but my son requires special overnight diapers at night, and I've yet to find a cloth diaper (even with extra hemp inserts) that can keep up with him.

We have a covered trashcan right next to our regular trashcan in the nursery that we toss the soiled cloth diapers into. We also have a regular bucket under the changing table. When my son poops, I toss the diaper in there. When I have a free minute, I dump the solid portions of the poo into the toilet and then fill the bucket to soak the diaper. This way, I don't have to rinse them in the toilet (we have low-flow toilets so it's not really possible, anyway). With my son, we've found that we need to change the diapers about every 2 hours during the day.

We use Bum Genius, which I like, and a product made by a local Mom called Tinkle Traps that I LOVE. I also bought Fuzzibunz and standard prefolds, but those haven't worked as well for us. I suggest buying 1-2 of several different types of cloth diapers and trying them to see what works for you. Then you can buy more of the ones you prefer.