Adventures in Cloth Diapering

It’s official.  I’m blogging about diapers; I must be in the throes of motherhood.

I have received quite a few questions from folks interested in cloth diapering but reluctant to take the plunge.  And there is SO. MUCH. INFO. out there, it’s difficult to wade through.  Here is my experience and you can glean from it what you will.

First of all, here is what I did to prepare for baby.  I knew I wanted to do fitted diapers so I got the Flip Snap diapers.  Also, I heard about GoGreen pocket diapers and the prices were just so great, that I bought 6 of these.  The Flip diaper came with 6 inserts and the GoGreen diapers each came with 1 insert so, I started with 12 inserts and 8 covers (approximately $100).  Despite everything I read (which said I needed to spend about $300 to get started), this was the perfect amount to start…it allowed me to try it out without putting too much pressure.

And then I waited for baby to come:)

E was born 5 lbs 9 oz (I hope to post  my birth story soon-ish) and I had planned on doing the one-size diapers.  The weight limit on those starts at between 8-10lbs so he was far too small for them and wore disposables for the first month or so.  I couldn’t stand how much we were spending and was infinitely relieved when E weighed enough to start cloth diapers.  Immediately I was hooked (my dh was convinced it was a fleeting whim)!  Here are my observations and changes I made along the way (bulleted list to streamline the information…I know your time is precious).

• The Flip diapers are the superior diaper.  They feel more substantial and fit my babe much better.
• The Flip inserts…if I could love a diapering product, I would love this one.  At first, E wouldn’t sleep in cloth diapers because they didn’t wick the moisture away but these inserts do.  The side of this insert that touches the baby’s bum is suede and works wonderfully.  Seriously.  When I change him, sometimes I can’t tell if it’s wet.  Magic.  As soon as I started using this inserts at night, he started sleeping 6-8 hours.  I cried I was so happy.
• GoGreen Pocket Diapers.  They’re pocket diapers…essentially, a one-time-use diaper (and way too much laundry for me).  So I cut out the pocket and I use them as covers like the Flip diapers.  If you’re looking for more economical, they are the way to go but only if you do the same.  If you only use them 1 time, you’re going to need a lot more.
• I needed more!  I definitely wanted the Flip diapers so I bought another day pack (2 covers and 6 inserts)…another $50.  And to be quite honest, I could use another 6 inserts or so, only because they are E’s favorites.  So, that brings the grand total to around $175 (a far cry from $300).

Cleaning/Dirty Diaper Bag

The question I’ve received the most is about the smell.  When I used disposables, I noticed the smell MUCH more than I do now.  Here’s my process:

• I bought this diaper pail from the BX but if I had it to do again, I would simply buy a metal flip top trashcan.  I put an Arm&Hammer fridge disc in the top and I seriously don’t notice the smell at all.
• Currently, I just use a regular trashbag but I’ve got the fabric to make a liner that I can just turn inside out and throw in the wash with the diapers.
• I use cloth wipes (more on that below) and just wash them with the diapers.
• I wash my diapers every other day (also helps with the smell).  I throw them in the washer the night before and fill it with cold water and let them soak in about 1/2 c. of baking soda.  I run the load as soon as I get up the next morning, take out the covers and hang dry them, run the washer again on hot with a 2nd cold rinse, and dry in the dryer (if it were summer and not dusty/windy, I’d line dry!).

*Side note:  My sweet babe is exclusively breastfed and breastfeeding poo is water soluble.  When he starts eating “real” food, we will be using these liners to dispose of his solid waste in the toilet.

Cloth Wipes

• I just bought some super soft (super cheap!) fabric and cut into the size of wipes (total cost: probably 75 cents).  They are in a clay pot my brother made.  They all go in the same pail–easy peasy!
• The wipes are dry in the pot so I have a spray bottle with a homemade cleaning mixture that I spray on the wipe before I use it.  I’ve heard of other people putting their wipes in a wipes container and pouring this mixture over the top…I would just be worried about mold.
• Here’s the cleaning mixture I use:    1 cup warm water, 2 tablespoons Aveeno baby shampoo, 1 tablespoon olive oil , and a couple drops of Lavender essential oil

Hope this helps!  If you have any questions, throw them in the comments section and I’ll answer them from there:)

Resources

Simple Mom Cloth Diapering Info

Flip Diapers

GoGreen Pocket Diapers