Seeking Advice About Cloth Diapering

Updated on February 27, 2007
L.K. asks from Columbus, OH
9 answers

I am going to try the cloth diapering thing with my new baby in April and was wondering if anyone has any advice or do's and don'ts. I also would like to try my hand at sewing them myself, so if anyone has done this, any info in that direction would certainly be appreciated also. I would also like to know how the cloth wipes work also. I read on a website that you take the wipes and a bottle of water, but I would like to have a little soap in there. I have made my own baby wipes with paper towels and that I am good at. Any of thrifty tips from anyone who makes anything homemade would be great as well.

Thanks so much!! :)

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A.L.

answers from Cleveland on

Good for you! I cloth diapered both of my kids and plan to with my next baby due in June. It really isn't difficult or inconvenient for us. In fact, I like it better than disposies and my kids were potty trained early and easily:) :) I started out with Diaper-Eze diaper service but when preggo with my 2nd decided I could save a lot of money by washing my own. I was nervous at first but it is nothing!
I am simple and use chinese prefold diapers with plain old Bumpkin oo Bummi diaper wraps. Nothing fancy here. I ordered mine online from Jardine's but I know there are tons of online stores now. Also, I found a forum on Delphi called Cloth Diapering Addicts that helped with learning how to wash, etc.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/clothaddict
Good luck!

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A.S.

answers from Dayton on

here is what i did with both my children 1 boy & 1 girl.
i bought at target some diaper wraps(bought 8), got chinese cloth diapers(3 dozen cost me like $40 on the internet) and used the cloth diapers you cna get at walmart etc as liners.(when they were needed) one thing is cloth diapers are not like disposables which will absorb and keep wetness away from a child. rather the child will feel the wetness instantly and want/need changed. some people like that some do not. keep in mind that usually a cloh diapered child can be more easily potty trained as both the parent and child know when the child is about to to or just afterwards same with poopy. personally with both children i figured out when they were going to poop rather quickly and as soon as i noticed i would sit them on the potty. both were poopy trained at 6 months (ok mommy was trained but hey it worked) and pee trained son at 18 months and girl at 12 months. fom the time they were first cloth diapered i would whisper peepee or poopoo on their ears so they could start identifying the word with the action. ( yep even babies can learn this). i only used disposables when were going out of town due to convenience. i also made my own wipes for both children. although the sams brand sold at sams club are awesome!!

1 mom found this helpful
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E.M.

answers from Cleveland on

We use cloth diapers and the bummi whisper wraps. They have been working great and actually smell less gross than disposable. That was a pleasent suprise for us! We also use Snappi's to fasten the diapers before the wrap goes on. It helps to keep the poop inside the diaper and off the wrap. www.cottonbabies.com has good info and products for cloth diapering.

Since my husband and I both work full time, we don't have time to wash. We use Diaper-eze. It seems to be the only diaper service in northeast ohio. For seventy diapers a week it costs $75 a month. The service has been great and really simple to use.

My sister-in-law washes her diapers and uses and loves the fuzzi-bunz. If I had time to wash I would use those as well.

We use disposable at night because the cloth seem to get too wet and soak through her clothes for that long of a time.

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4.

answers from Toledo on

L.,

I went this route, too. It's work. Lots and LOTS of work, but it's worth it. You save tons of money!

I wouldn't try to make your own diapers because there are SO many different kinds out there. I used the unbleached cotton that are fitted and they were a dream! The only complaint I had was dealing with them when we travelled, but you can figure out what works best for you.

Check out these sites. They're full of helpful information. www.softclothbunz.com
www.clothdiaper.com (the BEST, in my opinion)
www.simpleclothdiapers.com
www.nanasnaturaldiapers.com
www.greenmountaindiapers.com
www.babynaturale.com

Good luck to you.

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G.K.

answers from Cincinnati on

I cloth diapered both of my babies! The cheapest(and best)way to go is the DSQ(dipaer service quality)chinese prefolds. Not the ones you can buy at the store they just dont absorb at all. I tried them first and my daughter was constantly leaking. I finally realized that you can buy very good diapers online for very cheap and they are excellent. greenmountaindiapers.com or babybecause.com are just a couple of sites. THe combination of the DSQ chinese prefolds and Bummis super whisper wrap (a diaper cover) is super easy, virtually leakproof, and cheap! I always just bought a few big packs of washcloths to use as wipes. they are very affordable and, although not as soft as the flannel wipes you can buy, they are big and they work great. You can also buy stay dry liners (they are just squares of polyester fleece) to put between baby and diaper and it keeps sensitive babys dry and rash free! I have never made my own diapers and I just dont think you could make a diaper as thick and absorbant as the ones you can buy online. But the wipes and liners and doublers could easily be made at home.
when going out I would always just wet a few washcloths and put them in a ziplock baggie. I never liked the idea of putting soap on my babies bottom and not being able to wipe it off. If you check out the web sites you will find something called Diaper Lotin Potion it might be what you are looking for. If you have any other questions email me, I love talking about diapers!!

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M.

answers from Cincinnati on

Also, if you're interested, Toys R Us and Babies R Us make cloth diaper liners. My daughter goes to daycare, so the only time I use cloth diapers are when she has a really bad rash, but those liners work great and help absorb alot of the mess. You just flush them down the toilet. It's something like $20 for 3 rolls of them and you only use one or two sheets per diaper change.

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S.H.

answers from Cleveland on

Or you could use a diaper service

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S.S.

answers from Columbus on

Good for you! I cloth Diaper and the ones that I like the absolute best are Fuzzi Bunz. They seem to be the best as far as laundering ease and cleanliness. They Would be very easy to sew because they are a pocket style diaper. I sew also but have never bothered with sewing diapers because I felt like the time and cost of materials was not that beneficial I know there is a pattern for (another style) cloth diaper on the ottobre website. I have bought them as seconds and from e-bay. My favorite inserts are all Hemp prefolds--Hemparoos with joey bunz as doublers. Both my kids have worn Mediums from about 3mos on. the larges are so big I've never had much use for them because they leak. I also had the same fealing as you about wanting some sort of cleansing agent with the wipes. I actually make this awesome herbal spray that involves calundula water, whitchhazel and aloe vera I can get you the exact recipe if you're interested (____@____.com) e-mail me. I also make my wipes out of flannel - I just cut and serge squares. If you get a wipes warmer, you can get them wet with water or a mild cleansing solution and they're warm and ready to go. Good luck!--S.

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L.F.

answers from Cleveland on

I started in August and I swear by them now. www.diaperpin.com
www.cottonbabies.com and www.snugglehug.com

I have 8 pocket dipes, 3 all in ones and 3 I made myself. I just traced a disposable on flannel. Don't believe those who say you need to spend $1000 or more - this is adequate for me and I spend like $200. Prefold (old fashions) are just to wet on the skin for my baby. I use a car wash towel for a wipe - big and nubby for the pieces. I just use water cause my son was having reactions to everything. You can also mix water, baby shampoo and cooking oil to make a wipe solution.

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