gDiapers, cloth diapers, disposables.....

[ADAMANDLISA]

I'm really interested in making the switch from disposable diapers to something a little more environmentally friendly. Reading about all of the different options and companies is making my head spin!

I'm hoping that you all can help me out a little!

 

[MoeFam]

I am working on this project as well- for our little guy due in November.

I am starting with prefolds and covers for the newborn stage.
Three dozen prefolds and 6 Bummis Whisper Wrap Covers in small, and 2 Thirsties covers in XS.
I bought 4 BumGenius 3.0 OS for the next step, and also hope to make some of my own diapers using the Chloe Toes Pattern. I may get a few AIO's to make sure I like them before making the Chloe Toes.

I agree- it is mind boggling the types, and brands and all the WAHM kinds too! My favorite sources for info have been Diaper Swappers, and Diaper Pin.

I am trying to not spend too much until I know I can handle it! I know I still need a liner for the diaper pail and a different HE detergeant for our FL machine.

 

[LadyShea]

We went with all in one cloth. No covers or folding to fuss with, they go on like a disposable and have fitted legs. The ones I bought are simply white with adjustable snaps and made by stay-at-home moms. You could buy in bilk packages, which IMO saved us a bundle (I think we paid 650.00 for all the diapers he has needed). We have used them since DS was born and been very pleased.

Note: I do use disposables when traveling, and starting at about 14 months have been using disposables at night.

 

[bumbershoot]

gdiapers seem like the hugest pain to use. You're taking the worst part of each. You have to disconnect the flushable part without getting yourself messy. You have to swirl the thing in the toilet so it comes apart. Then you get a possibly messy cover to take from the bathroom to be washed. Sounds like a pain! Though the covers are absolutely adorable and I wish they sold them separately.

DS was in disposables until he was under my control when we got home during his 43rd hour. I never actually dealt with a disposable for him, other than throwing away the one when we got home. But I dealt with them on friends' kids and with babysitting, and that was enough for me!

We used cloth exclusively, and it's just lovely. And interesting aside...the Pampers website is quite clear that the proper disposal of "waste" is in the toilet, so they tell you to put solid wastes into the toilet and THEN throw the diaper away. If you're going to follow the instructions, you might as well use cloth.

When DS was itty, unless it was something horrendous like rotavirus poop (in which case I left the dipe in the bathroom sink for hubby to deal with, so I didn't have to throw up from the smell), I just put the dipe in the washer, I didn't bother with putting things into the toilet. Since that does get things into the sewer system, it's all the same. As DS's poops got more solid, then I would put those into the toilet, then the dipe went into the washer.


I used "pocket diapers" mainly. First FuzziBunz and then I found the brilliant and lovely Swaddlebees side-snapping pocket dipes. Loved them.

I did switch around a bit, and ended up spending about 1K total on dipes. And they are all sitting there, waiting for another baby (which would halve the cost, relatively) or to be sold (which would probably get a quarter of my cost back though maybe it would be half, maybe). People who don't get as tempted as I did spend far less. Others who get into the "hyena" camp of fancy diaper buying spend more.


After several attempts at figuring out a washing routine, I went with the "university" on sunshinediapers dot com, and used some sprays of Simple Green into the whole wash, along with a handful of *washing* soda. Very very simple and effective. Then line-dry the covers and the shell of the pocket dipes, and dryer-dry the inserts and any All In Ones I had, and it was all good.

I liked kellyscloset for buying my dipes.

 

[luna99]

I would check around your area and see if any place sells them so you could see them up close and in person. I got lucky and found a woman near me who is really pushing to make cloth diapers the norm. She sells them out of her home and let me come over to get a private demonstration for free. I didn't know there were so many options to choose from!

I don't know if it's against the rules to post other websites here ... and I swear I am not affiliated with this woman or her business, but I just feel so grateful that she let me come over and she was so sweet.. that IF you are interested in seeing her website, private message me and I will direct you to it.

She told me that for infants she would definitely recommend just using the prefolds with a snappie to hold it and then using the little covers that go over them. Actually, she said that infants pee a lot more frequently since they are mostly drinking breast milk/formula and you have to change them so frequently that the prefolds are the easiest.

You could use those for a while and then maybe slowly try some of the other options as the baby gets bigger... since there are so many different types you really sort of have to just try them out to see what you and your baby prefer.

I'm not even a mom yet but I already feel like an advocate for cloth diapers... and the best way to be an advocate for them is to use them and be an example for others!

good luck with your choices and yay for cloth diapers!

 

[bellebud]

i used cloth for dd8 and ds7. back then, there wasn't as much to pick from on line... I used fuzzy bunz and loved them.

tmi but might be helpful... as far as getting rid of the poops, if it wasn't solid, when i was changing my baby, while i was wiping their bottom, I'd wipe the diaper too. then the diaper was ready to put in the poopie pail to wait for washing. if the poop was solid, I tossed it in the toilet. very easy either way.

good luck and enjoy cding... it's actually 'fun'!

 

[emh1129]

We use cloth diapers most of the time and my favorites are the pocket diapers with joey bunz inserts.
I just like how pocket dipes come apart for washing and they are very easy to figure out, so if we have Grandma or Aunty over here babysitting, they don't have a hard time.
Once you play around with the different styles and brands, you'll find your favorite.
They really can save you a lot of money, especially if you plan to have more than one child use them.

 

[ADAMANDLISA]

Nope, this is the last one! Wish I would have started with DS#1!

 

[mrsannb]

I've cloth diapered since my 6 yr old was born.
My current favorite are the bumGenius all-in-ones.

 

[Ariel8676]

http://www.diaperswappers.com/ This has a ton of info and you can also sell your diapers afer you are done with them!! Congrats and good luck on making the change to cloth, its great!

 

[Tasmen]

I thought about trying G Diapers but the house we bought is on a septic system and g diapers + septic = do not mix. Instead we are using some 100% biodegradable disposables call Nature babycare diapers (http://www.diapers.com/Shop/Brands....ERS&BrandCode=NATY&BrandName=Nature babycare). You have to order them online as I have yet to find a store that carries them. We've found them extremely absorbent and hold all the 'booty explosions' our LO has had so far (she's 4 1/2 months).

Everything I've read says there is no real environmental bonus to cloth v disposables as one adds to landfills and the other requires a lot of energy use to get them clean. I figured at least using completely biodegradable diapers was reducing the environmental impact of one option a little more. Plus, hopefully, it means I get to avoid poop on my hands (I know..dream on..dream on).

 

[emh1129]

Nope, this is the last one! Wish I would have started with DS#1!

Well, you can always sell them when your baby has outgrown them (or hold onto them for a little while, in case there is a 'bonus' baby that comes along I have two close friends who 'thought' they were done, too.. and are about 8 mos. pg right now )
You'd be surprised, I think, at the resale value most cloth dipes hold. Especially Fuzzi Bunz, Bum Genius, Swaddlebees..

 

[emh1129]

http://www.diaperswappers.com/ This has a ton of info and you can also sell your diapers afer you are done with them!! Congrats and good luck on making the change to cloth, its great!

Great link

 

[emh1129]

Everything I've read says there is no real environmental bonus to cloth v disposables as one adds to landfills and the other requires a lot of energy use to get them clean. I figured at least using completely biodegradable diapers was reducing the environmental impact of one option a little more. Plus, hopefully, it means I get to avoid poop on my hands (I know..dream on..dream on).

I actually used to think that, too, and on the surface it might seem to be a toss-up, but if you really research it, cloth diapers are more environmentally friendly than regular disposables.

And FWIW, I've never gotten poop on my hands

How do you like the biodegradable diapers, though? I've been thinking about trying them for when we travel or take overnight trips.

Here is a neat link about cloth dipes:
http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/diapers/joy-of-cloth.html
Some will argue that in areas where water is scarce, disposables are the better environmental choice. However, carrying this argument to the extreme, we should be wearing disposable clothes, and using paper plates and plastic utensils. Washing cloth diapers at home uses 50 to 70 gallons of water every three days--about the same as a toilet-trained child or adult flushing the toilet five to six times a day. A diaper service puts its diapers through an average of 13 water changes, but because of the economies of scale, uses less water and energy per diaper than one laundry load at home.

 

[disneymoon0606]

I love CDing and highly recommend giving it a shot! My DD is seven months now, and we started CDing two months ago. Since we're mostly doing it to save money, we started off with pf's and covers. I LOVE using these and actually find that they are really simple, and the most versatile of all the cd's. DD can wear them with a snappi, without a snappi under a cover, trifolded in a cover, under wool/fleece. At night we use pockets with microfiber inserts and haven't had any leaks yet.

 

[Tasmen]

And FWIW, I've never gotten poop on my hands

Even the remote chance that it could happen makes me go 'ick' I'm easy to gag. But we'll see. Maybe those mommy hormones will make me immune now. I found myself picking a baby booger the other day and didn't even give it a second thought.

How do you like the biodegradable diapers, though? I've been thinking about trying them for when we travel or take overnight trips.

We like them a lot. They are pretty soft and work well. The only time I've had leaks is when she's decided to let go crazy with the peeing (ie., pee more than usual). They hold well overnight. Those particular diapers do run small btw so you may have to order up a size. My daughter wears size 1 pampers but is in a size 2 of the Nature babycare diapers. Another thing to note about those diapers is that they are completely compostable if you have a compost pile. Now if only we could put those in our yard waste bin with the other yard/food scraps.

 

[emh1129]

Even the remote chance that it could happen makes me go 'ick' I'm easy to gag. But we'll see. Maybe those mommy hormones will make me immune now. I found myself picking a baby booger the other day and didn't even give it a second thought.

You really will surprise yourself

 

[ADAMANDLISA]

Well, you can always sell them when your baby has outgrown them (or hold onto them for a little while, in case there is a 'bonus' baby that comes along I have two close friends who 'thought' they were done, too.. and are about 8 mos. pg right now )
You'd be surprised, I think, at the resale value most cloth dipes hold. Especially Fuzzi Bunz, Bum Genius, Swaddlebees..

My worst fear!!!

 

[ADAMANDLISA]

Ok, so I'm still overwhelmed.

What is the easiest to start with and how much do I need?

 

[ADAMANDLISA]

Ok, so I'm still overwhelmed.

What is the easiest to start with and how much do I need?

BUMP