Cloth Diapers

[ceecee]

I used my cloth diapers mostly as burp clothes and sold them at my garage sale (bleached and clean) they went fast. DD was trained at 18 months, we bought a potty that stars appeared when she went in it, she really liked that. Plus she wanted Arthur panties really bad so I told her no more diapers and that was it.

[BellePrincessBelle]

Originally Posted by laurafergie

I have read this thread with interest....all these new names like Bum Genius. I am of the old school and cloth diapered my older ones because we were broke, and I "saved" the pampers for when I was out.

The diapers were a giant soft cotton square and you folded them to fit the baby. As the baby grew, you folded them larger. Overnight, you might fold two together. Plastic pants went over everthing. There was a diaper bucket to soak with a solution of water and Dreft. Then you washed separately in hot water, more Dreft and bleach, with rinsing twice. After potty training, the old diapers were used cleaning.

Cloth diapers are so much better & easier now. Even if you use prefolds there really is not much folding involved like the flats that you probably used. The covers are also no longer plastic pants they're nice covers with aplix(like velcro) or snaps. They're just as easy, if not easier than pampers. No more diaper buckets either just a nice little zippered bag.

[tasha99]

Originally Posted by laurafergie

I have read this thread with interest....all these new names like Bum Genius. I am of the old school and cloth diapered my older ones because we were broke, and I "saved" the pampers for when I was out.

The diapers were a giant soft cotton square and you folded them to fit the baby. As the baby grew, you folded them larger. Overnight, you might fold two together. Plastic pants went over everthing. There was a diaper bucket to soak with a solution of water and Dreft. Then you washed separately in hot water, more Dreft and bleach, with rinsing twice. After potty training, the old diapers were used cleaning.

I also used cloth diapers that you folded on my two oldest (now 22 and 20 years old). I never used bleach though. I put the scraped diapers into a diaper bucket that had borox and water in it. I started washing with a spin cycle, then washed in Dreft with two rinse cycles, adding vinegar to the first rinse. I think they got some bleaching by being hung up to dry in the sun. It was a strange process because you'd have thought bleach was necessary, but they came out extremely white and clean that way.

The fancy velcro wrappers some posters have mentioned were available, but I was too cheap. We used plastic pants and diaper pins.

[tinkx3]

I am so glad I came across this thread! I have been trying to find out about cloth diapering, my DD is 2.5 months and we have spent sooooo much money on diapers and diaper genie refills! Last night, my DBF went to Walmart and bought a 180 count box of diapers and they were $40 and we will be lucky if that lasts a month!!! I would LOVE some more advice and rexommendations on where to buy and what I need, Thanks

[nilseks]

I agree, OP. I used cloth with both of my kids, saved a ton, and made lots back at the end. I used a combination of chinese prefolds with covers, and AIO's. Some of the AIO's like FuzziBunz, I *know* I sold them on ebay for more than I originally paid! I recently found a box of diapers that had gone missing after I packed them up--I used those diapers with both my kids and oldest is 11 now. I sold them on ebay a few months ago, and yes, they went for a lot of $$$. Couldn't believe it!

[Lilliputian]

I love cloth diapers. I've never tried reselling them, but I have 5 children and am praying for more, so we just use them until they wear out.

My preference is for covers with velcro rather than snaps. They're faster, and you get a more custom fit. I like to buy good quality prefolds as the basis of my diapering system. The ones from Green Mountain Diapers are awesome. In fact, I still have a lot of the ones I bought for my oldest son, and they're starting to show a lot of wear, but they work great.

For covers, I like to buy cheap so I can buy a lot. For little babies, I really like ProRaps. You can buy the seconds directly from the company for really cheap. It's been awhile since I bought any, but I want to say they were about $7 each. I like to have about 10-15 in each size, and I wash them and dry them with the diapers. They don't last as long if you dry them, but that's why I buy cheap ones.

As they get older, I prefer pocket diapers. A tri-folded prefold and a cover without pins or a Snappi doesn't cut it once they begin walking. They end up with saggy bottoms. A fitted diaper plus a cover is another option, but it takes a little longer to fasten the diaper on and then fasten the cover. I do like the workhorse fitteds from Green Mountain Diapers, though. They absorb a lot for a fitted and dry pretty fast.

I only keep a few all-in-ones around, mostly for the diaper bag. They're expensive, they take forever and a year to dry, and they don't last long. Plus I've never found any really great ones that don't leak easily.

I do not like "one size" covers. They aren't all that adjustable. I bought a few Econobums the other day because I was a little short on covers, and I regret it. I bought them for my 2.5 year old, thinking it was best since he's going to be potty trained soon, but they fit my 3 month old on the biggest setting. I imagine they'd fit some slim, small toddlers, but mine is really tall and a little pudgy right now because he's about to have a growth spurt. Plus they have snaps. Velcro will get icky and not as sticky over time, but you have to be very gentle with snaps or you'll rip the diaper.

When it comes to washing, I have a washable bag in a large kitchen size trash can (with a lid). I don't do any swishing, dunking, or spraying. I just wash the diapers as they are until the waste is of a "plopable" consistency. In other words, I'll plop anything that comes off easily into the toilet, but that's it. It's always worked well for us. However, due to a family history of food allergies and a really good milk supply, my allergist and pediatrician don't recommend I give my kids any solids until they're one. Before then, it's breastmilk only. I think it's mostly the kids who are 6-12 months old and eating solids who go through that stage where it's like peanut butter--in other words, very thick and sticky. Mine go straight from breastmilk poo to more adult-like formed stools.

There probably are better brands and options out there than what we use, but when I started with my 9 year old, there were fewer options. Most interesting diapers came from small, work-at-home moms. I found a system that I liked, and we've stuck with it.

[excitedtwinmama]

Totally agree OP! Cloth diapers are VERY budget friendly and even more so when you resell them when you are done with them.

I spent $300 on cloth diapers for my twins (bought new, shopped sales), used them 2 years (potty trained at 23/24 months) and just finished selling them on a local lawn sale site on facebook, for over $250!! That means I spent $50 for diapers for my twins!!! That's less then $3 a month! Way better then the over $50 per month I would have spent on disposable diapers.

Cloth is so easy, its really just another load of laundry, anyone can do it. (Spoken by a busy working mom of twins )

[justakrazymom]

Originally Posted by TanyaS

I'll second the notion. Also a big money saver if you use your cloth diapers for more than one child.

I also sold some of my stash of cloth diapers once my youngest quit needing them (gave others to a home for pregnant teens).

Dittoing that.. I used them on all 4 of mine, some from my 1st were stil going strong by my 4th ( 11 years apart in age)

[CraftyMommy]

I must applaud anyone who takes the time to use cloth diapers. Its not for me. I'll pay for the convenience of tossing stinky diapers in the trash. OP, you got a great deal!

[BellePrincessBelle]

Originally Posted by CraftyMommy

I must applaud anyone who takes the time to use cloth diapers. Its not for me. I'll pay for the convenience of tossing stinky diapers in the trash. OP, you got a great deal!

It really takes no effort & you do realize that you're supposed to dump the fecal matter from disposible diapers in the toilet, not the trash, don't you?

[mousemommyx3]

Totally agree! I have been using cloth on my 15 month old and even DH was surprised by how much money we have saved. I did try a few kinds and was easily able to resell the ones that didn't work for us. We are using Flips and Bumgenius 4.0s now. With four kids I figure what's one more load of laundry!

[chimilady]

Originally Posted by excitedtwinmama

Totally agree OP! Cloth diapers are VERY budget friendly and even more so when you resell them when you are done with them.

I spent $300 on cloth diapers for my twins (bought new, shopped sales), used them 2 years (potty trained at 23/24 months) and just finished selling them on a local lawn sale site on facebook, for over $250!! That means I spent $50 for diapers for my twins!!! That's less then $3 a month! Way better then the over $50 per month I would have spent on disposable diapers.

Cloth is so easy, its really just another load of laundry, anyone can do it. (Spoken by a busy working mom of twins )

Yup, us too. I think I spent about the same and sold for about the same. But the $50/month would only cover one, not two. Unless you were a coupon fanatic.

The other cost that often goes unlooked, is all of the things I didn't buy because I didn't have to run to Target. Because I know I can't get out of Target without buying a whole bunch of crap I don't need. LOL

[livinlife25]

I love my cloth diapers. Unfortunately I'm not sure I have saved any money. I ended up getting sucked into the higher priced ones lol. Oh well, it's fun.

[chimilady]

Originally Posted by livinlife25

I love my cloth diapers. Unfortunately I'm not sure I have saved any money. I ended up getting sucked into the higher priced ones lol. Oh well, it's fun.

Well, there is that and the cloth diaper addiction some women get. I see women with stashes that blow the mind.

[englishteacha]

I bought some cheap Baby City diapers on eBay (from China, as many of the cheap cloth diapers are). They leak and delaminated after the second wash. So those are NOT a bargain. I like my BumGenius, Blueberry/Swaddlebees, Alva, and Sunbaby diapers a lot, and I have some prefolds and covers, too. Now to just convince DH to go for the cloth diapers FIRST!!