Today, we talk cloth diapers. Fair warning-this is a long post-but there is pictures!
We've been cloth diapering since Andrew came in 2010...
My sister got me started on it, you can check out her business and blog here. She's a doula in Nebraska, she's also done a guest post for me.
When I first started looking into it, she told me she could tell me all about it, but it might be simpler to just read about it at my own pace. Believe it or not, there is A LOT to learn about cloth diapers! So my sis sent me to Green Mountain Diapers. They sell all kinds, and they also educate the buyer on what it is they NEED, what's "fun", what the different kinds are, what's different about them... You get the idea? Now, there's awesome resources.. There's places on Facebook and in a lot of major cities where you can buy used diapers.
My personal favorites are All In One One Size Pockets (I think I have that name right). They have your protective (water proof) cover, they have a fleece pocket, and they come with microfiber inserts. You stuff the diapers with the microfiber.. Now, you can always buy more microfiber inserts, or you can go to your local Dollar Store and buy car washing microfiber rags.... Or you can just get a pack of Gerber prefolds and have extra stuffing... Which is extremely helpful for days out and overnight. Also with this kind, they come with (what seems like) about a million snaps.. You can put baby in them from about 7 lbs (my 6 lbs newbies didn't fare too well with the legs fitting.. and trust me, you want the legs to fit) to about 25 lbs was when mine grew out of them.
My personal favorite diapers are Kawaii. They are less expensive than most, but just as good in my opinion. We were given ours as baby presents when Eva was born in 2012. They finally wore out last year-but just the covers, I still have ALL the inserts.
Or, if you want to go with the old fashioned diapers, you can do that! Gerber has those at any retail (though I personally wouldn't buy Gerber ever again, I know price is a huge factor.. and they are cheap). My sister has used bamboo prefolds and LOVED them. There's also flat folds-and YouTube videos to show you how to fold them... I always need a refresher course. I prefer using the prefolds with no cover while babe and I are laid up in bed for the first couple days.. They are more gentle on their skin and I'm holding baby pretty much 24/7 those first few days at least anyway, so with no cover it's fine. Now, if you choose this way, you don't have to stress over the old fashioned pins, they have new covers that will hold the diaper in place without needing any type of pin, or they have this awesome little gadgets called Snappis that aren't poky, but hold the diaper on simply and pinless.. They have the little gripper like things the ACE bandages use to come with.
Now, there are a ton of pictures and I will try to explain as much as I can.
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| My leftover inserts, a flat fold, a few homemade prefolds, fleece linings and a few covers and the awesome little things that replace diaper pins! Keep scrolling. (Just think Dory from Finding Nemo lol) |
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| This is a closeup of the microfiber Kawaii inserts.. There are two kinds hidden in this pile. There's regular and there's heavy wetter. The heavy wetter ones have more layers. Now, you see that blue cloth at the bottom? That's a microfiber rag from a store.. Just tri-fold it to fit in your diaper. You do not want the microfiber up against baby's skin, which is why they are best used in pockets-you'll see that later... be patient. There are also fleece pieces, they are cut roughly the size of a baby's bum.. I mostly use these with the prefolds, the fleece wicks the moisture away from baby's skin. |
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| These are those pin replacement thinga-ma-jiggys. They look complicated, but they aren't. I promise. They are called Snappis. I found them at Green Mountain Diapers. |
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| Here is one of my cheap pockets... Only used in a time of distress! LOL ... or for potty training ;) |
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| This is a BubuBibi cover. No, I have NO IDEA where I got it from. I have 5, and I bought them 8 years ago.. I have had to restitch some of the edging back on.. I should have unsnapped this all the way... That whole double row of snaps makes it adjustable-like the velcro on disposable, the flaps on the side also have a double layer of snaps to make it smaller.. There's snaps (that are snapped) to make the butt part smaller... Now (I just learned this when Hannah came 2 years ago), you see that lonely looking snap in the middle? That's to snap the middle of the diaper down to keep it off the umbilical cord. All of the One Size diapers have it. |
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| Cloth Diaper love!!! A cool thing about cloth? Fun designs usually don't cost extra, unless it's personalized.. Some of this stack are Kawaii Minky-the outside (attached to the waterproof lining) is the minky fleece!! <3 Love me some minky fleece!! These are all, All in One One Size Pocket Diapers. |
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| I didn't have specific newborn cloth until I had Hannah-and those were a few hand-me-downs from my sister. These are specific newborn All in One Pocket Diapers. They will go from about 6 lbs to 10 lbs. There are a few covers hidden in there... I think I got a picture, stay tuned. |
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| This is a pair of wool "underwear".. Those times when baby is getting a rash but you REALLY don't want to (or can't afford to) go buy disposables ('sposies)... Put babe in a prefold, pull these up over. They let baby's skin breath while you still have that extra layer of protection. I've never actually used these before, but I've seen my sister use them. |
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| This is one of those newborn covers.. See all those snaps!!! You just put a prefold or flat fold in the middle and snap it on babe just like a disposable. |
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| The inside of a pocket diaper. That's all fleece to make it nice and soft for baby's skin. There is a pocket between this layer and the layer of waterproof to stuff it as thick as you can. |
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| Microfiber inserts for the newborn diapers. They are about half the size of the inserts from above. |
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| Prefolds. These are not your momma's prefolds!! Prefolds can now come in different sizes. (Seriously.. I had no idea until my sister told me! lol). There is at least two sizes.. maybe 3 in this picture... I've seen as many as 5 sizes on websites. There is barely a difference between each size, but they sew them with different colored thread on the end so you can tell. |
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| Homemade prefolds... Are now becoming burp clothes... Because my sister is awesome. Even if you don't want to cloth diaper, buy a pack of prefolds for burp cloths. They are inexpensive, absorbent and easy to tell from your towels. ;) |
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Flat folds. These are your momma's diapers. Or grandmomma's diapers... Depends on the family lol. This is also a reason why I say I wouldn't buy Gerber again.. On the right, is a Gerber I bought with Andrew... On the left is a (I have no idea what brand or how old...) but it's one I got from my sister. You see that size difference?!?! All that "extra" is that much more absorbency.
Right now, almost all of the diapers are in the baby's dresser.. Simply because I wanted them out of the tote that was in the way... But they will be finding a new home soon-in the bathroom on the shelf.. When baby's clothes come out of storage.
I am slowly getting things out and ready for baby.. Obviously, I can only go so fast-which is a slow pace right now lol. But baby will be in our room for awhile, then move into a bigger kid room depending on girl or boy. So we can't just take up a whole corner (or two) of our room for a long time before baby comes. So, a little bit at time, we'll get things out.. and share with you.
See my first post about getting ready for baby here.
Have a great week!
~Tabitha
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