Washing Your Diapers (AKA: OMG! It pooped!)

You've bought your diapers.

You've prepped your diapers.

You even put a diaper on the baby.

But then...IT happens. Your baby USES the diaper. And not as a hat. But for its intended purpose!

THE HORROR!

Actually, no. No horror! We promise. It is very easy to clean a cloth diaper, and the visions of a poop-filled washing machine you have in your head? Not gonna happen!

WASHING YOUR DIAPERS: THE BASICS

To wash your diapers, you will need a washing machine (or your hands and a bathtub if you are going to hand wash them!) and a cloth-diaper safe detergent.

WASH ROUTINES
Most wash routines consist of three parts: a pre-wash or rinse, a wash, and an extra rinse.  The specifics of each part can vary from person to person and machine to machine. Some people start with just a rinse, while some do a full wash. Some people use a small amount of detergent in the pre-wash, while some do not.  Much like the diapers themselves and the detergent, there is no one set solution that will work for everyone.

We recommend starting with some variation on the following:

1. Cold rinse (or quick wash) with no detergent
2. Hot wash with detergent
3. Extra rinse

That very basic wash routine is generally successful for a large number of people. The first rinse or wash on cold gets most of the poop off without staining. The hot wash (the hottest wash short of sanitary, which is too hot for the PUL in your diapers!) cleans the diapers. The extra rinse ensures that every bit of detergent is gone and helps prevent build up.

There is a wide range of what works within that basic set up. Some people do two full washes with an extra rinse. Some people skip the pre-rinse. Some do all cold washes; some do all hot washes. Some people use detergent in the quick wash and the hot wash. Some do two rinses at the end.  If you're having issues, you can usually tweak routine to fix them. For example, if you're having issues with buildup, you might want to try another extra rinse.

Some people find that their high-efficiency washers don't seem to work as well as regular top-loaders, because they use so little water to wash. There are a number of ways you can add extra water to your HE machine to ensure that the diapers are washed and rinsed thoroughly: you can usually add water to the cycle through the detergent drawer, you could stop the first rinse/wash cycle before it spins out so that the diapers are still soaking wet when you begin the hot wash (this tricks the machine into thinking there is more laundry in the drum, so it sends more water to wash them), or you could add a wet towel to the hot wash cycle (again, this tricks the machine into sending more water).

DETERGENT
There is a huge variety of cloth-diaper safe detergents out there, and they work completely differently from person to person. The hardness of your water, the exact chemistry of your child's urine (seriously!), the type of washer and dryer you have, the type of diaper you use...all of these factors come into play when determining how well different detergents work. Some people swear by Rockin Green; some find that it doesn't get their diapers clean at all.

You can find a list of cloth-diaper safe detergents here:

Regular washers
http://pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm

HE washers
http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/hedetergentchoices.htm

Many people choose based on what is easily accessible and what is affordable for them. If you have friends that live nearby and have a similar washing machine setup, you may want to ask them for their recommendations. You can also check this table of different wash routines to see if there is a setup similar to what you have, and try the detergent listed there.

Unfortunately, because there are a number of factors that come into play when choosing your detergent, we can't make a blanket recommendation. Try one, and if after a period of time you notice your diapers don't seem to be getting clean or don't smell fresh, try another one. Many people don't have issues, though, and the first detergent they try will work just fine for them.

How much detergent? That's tricky. You want to use the least amount of detergent possible to get the diapers clean.  Most cloth-diaper safe detergents have good guidelines on the package (for example, Rockin Green recommends 1 tablespoon for HE machines and 2 tablespoons for regular machines, and that's a good place to start for most powdered detergents).  Watch the last rinse cycle - if there are still bubbles or suds at the end of it, you might be using too much detergent (or you might just need to add another rinse cycle). If you're using too much detergent, you may get ammonia build up. If you're using too little detergent, you may get a barnyard or dirty smell (smelling the wet diapers as they come out of the washer is a good indicator - they should smell fresh!).

Most people just use detergent in the main wash cycle, but some will throw in a bit during the first wash as well. Whenever you're using more detergent, be sure that there are no residual suds at the end of the extra rinse cycle!

ADDITIVES

If you talk to ten different people, you might hear ten different things that they add to their wash cycle. Vinegar. Bleach. Tea tree oil. RLR. Blue Dawn. Grapefruit Seed extract. Funk Rock. ecover.  They all have different purposes - softening, freshening, stripping, disinfecting, etc. Because there are so many, I'm not going to discuss them in detail here, and I generally recommend keeping your wash routine as simple and purse as possible. But you can Google any of the above with "cloth diapers" and find information.

DEALING WITH THE PEE

Pee diapers are a cinch. Throw them in the wetbag. Wash them. That's it! Some people do choose to rinse pee diapers out, as they feel that it lessens the buildup of ammonia (a natural byproduct of urine), but others see no difference.

DEALING WITH THE POOP

There are two stages of cloth-diaper washing: pre-solids (breastfeeding or formula fed) and post-solids.

PRE-SOLIDS
If you are nursing or formula feeding your child, just throw the soiled diaper in the wetbag. Then when you have a load's worth of dirty diapers, wash them. No, really, that's it.  No separating pee diapers from poop diapers. No rinsing or scraping. Breastmilk poo is totally water soluable and will simply dissolve away in the washer. Formula poop should be as well, but I can't personally vouch for that as I haven't dealt with formula poop.

You CAN rinse or use a liner, but there is absolutely no need to do so and you're just creating an extra step for yourself. Of course, some people are uber-paranoid about the thought of poop spinning around in their washing machine, and if that's you, then by all means do what you have to do in order to ease your mind! But you don't have to do anything other than wash the diaper.

Breastmilk poop (and I assume formula poop) may stain your diapers a bright orange. That's okay. Sun that stain away!

(Note about meconium - it will come off, though you may want to swish/spray/scrape the diaper [see below], and any stains will sun out!)

POST-SOLIDS
Depending on how you introduce solid foods into your child's diet, you may immediately see a change in their, um, output, or you may continue to see the breastmilk- or formula-type poop for several weeks or even months. We started solids using the baby-led weaning techniques, and it took two months for her poop to change from the seedy, sweet-smelling (seriously!) breastmilk poop to the "real" poop of people who eat real food. Some people, though, see the change almost overnight.

Once your child's poop has changed - and it will be obvious, trust me - you will need to start dealing with the poop. This is the point a lot of people bail. However, I promise - I've yet to get poop all over the place or even touch poop. I promise you if you were using disposables, you would have had to deal with a poop blowout at least once, if not regularly! Also, if you were using disposables correctly, you would be dealing with the poop anyway - you aren't supposed to put human waste in the trash, and are supposed to remove solids from the disposable diaper prior to throwing it away!

Eventually, your child's poop may become "ploppable," meaning you can just turn the diaper over the toilet and the solids will drop right off into the toilet.

In the meantime, your kid's poop may range from peanut-butter stickiness (um, you may not want to eat during this post) to hummus textured to mashed potato-like.  Those poops, you can't just drop into the toilet. They stick. They cling. They don't want to leave the diaper.

You have several options on how to deal with those types of poops.

1. Swish
You can hold the diaper in the toilet (by one corner, usually) and swish it around in the toilet water, eventually flushing the toilet while holding the diaper tightly so that the rushing water cleans off the diaper. Be sure to have a wetbag nearby, because you'll have a dripping wet diaper to dispose of! This is minimally messy, but it can be difficult to fully clean the diaper.  Plus? It's free and needs no additional equipment!


2. Spray
You can install a diaper sprayer on your toilet (or some enterprising cheapskates use their removable showerhead - brilliant!). You then use this sprayer to spray the poop off the diaper while holding the diaper over the toilet bowl. The key here? Don't use the full force of the spray, and spray DOWNWARD, not into, the diaper. If you spray into the diaper at full force, you will end up with a bathroom full of poop. There's a bit of a learning curve to spraying diapers, but they get diapers quite clean. You do have to purchase a diaper sprayer or make one yourself, however, and again, be sure to have a wetbag immediately available because the diaper will be dripping wet.


3. Scrape
Using a (I hope) dedicated spatula, you hold the diaper with one hand and use the other hand and spatula to scrape the poop off into the toilet, sometimes finishing up with a swish. This is a cheap and generally fairly un-messy option, though some blow-out type poops that get in the elastic areas may be difficult to get off this way. If you don't swish afterward, the diaper remains relatively dry.

No choice has a huge advantage over any of the other choices, and they can each work equally well at cleaning the solids off of the diaper. Once the solids have been removed from the diaper, you can put it in the wetbag and wash it as usual.

Solid food poop also stains, and also suns out beautifully.

DRYING YOUR DIAPERS

If you can, line dry the diapers in the sun. It helps the PUL and elastic last longer, and the sun acts as a natural sanitizer.  Your natural-fiber diapers and inserts might get "crunchy" (stiff and rough) when line dried. To combat this, you can toss them in the dryer for five or ten minutes on low to fluff them back up.

If you use the dryer, dry on low or extra low, and don't stretch the elastic until they've cooled down.

No Two Diapers Are Alike

You often hear people say that you shouldn't invest heavily in one type of diaper or diaper system until you have had a chance to test it out first.  Just like a pair of jeans wouldn't fit you, your mom, your grandma, your best friend, and Beyonce the same (the magic jeans in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants excepted), a single diaper won't fit every baby the same. A diaper that works perfectly for your child might not be what works best for someone else.

Here's proof.

(Top to bottom: GroVia, FishNoodles, Alva, BumGenius size medium, 

BumGenius one-size, Tots Bots Easy Fit, AppleCheeks)

These are all diapers that are supposed to fit a baby in the same weight range. While the difference may not look pronounced in the above picture, here, with the location of the leg elastic marked, it's more obvious:

The top diaper, a GroVia all-in-one, is narrow through the legs and trim throughout.  The bottom diaper, an AppleCheeks, is wider between the legs and has a higher rise. Even the overall shape, seen below, is different: the Applecheeks is more square, and the GroVia is more triangular (or, if we're getting technical, more trapezoidal?).

Another look:

Somehow, both shapes work well on my 20 pound, 30" tall daughter, though I prefer the GroVias under jeans and pants. However, the shapes of the diapers are so very different that they may not work the same (or at all) on different babies. This is one reason experimentation is key if you aren't happy with your current diapers!

Here are three more diapers, stacked on top of each other with the right edge exactly lined up. (I'm not positive, but I believe it's a Sunbaby on top, a Blueberry in the middle, and a Tiny Tush Elite on the bottom).  Again, much different widths that may work very differently for different babies.

Conclusion? If you aren't happy with the fit of your diapers on your baby, try a different brand!

Cloth Diaper Battle Royale : Snaps versus Aplix

Snapping diapers versus aplix/velcro/touch tape diapers. This is a question as old as time...or at least as old as modern cloth diapers.

Which do you choose? Which SHOULD you choose? Is one better?

The answer: it's your choice. No, really! As with much of cloth diapering, there's no one right answer, and the one you should get is based on which one works best for you and your baby. And in the end, many people have a mix of both.

Aplix generally comes in one configuration and almost always allows for crossover tabs (center diaper).  The only diaper brand I can think of off the top of my head that is aplix and has a different arrangement is gDiapers, which velcros on the side and doesn't allow crossover tabs.

So many kinds of snaps! And one velcro.

Middle: ones&twos AIO. Clockwise from top: Kawaii GoodNight Heavy Wetter, Applecheeks, itti bitti, FuzziBunz, BumGenius Elemental, GroVia AIO, Swaddle in Cloth fitted, Goodmama GoodNight fitted

Snaps come in as many configurations as their are diaper brands. Some have crossover tabs, some don't. Some snap in front, some snap on the side. Some are arranged in a vertical row, some are arranged in a horizontal row, some in a triangle, some in a square, some in a parallelogram (I was going to say just kidding about that last one, but there probably really are snaps in that shape somewhere).  What does this mean? It means that if you don't like the way one diaper snaps, try a different one. Each snap pattern fits a different shape of baby differently, and some fit certain babies far better than others.

________Snaps________

Pros

Longevity/durability: snaps last longer than aplix.

Baby-proof: snaps are more difficult for curious older babies and toddlers to undo, leading to less waking up to a diaper-less baby playing in their own poop (dude. it happens!).

Streamlined: snaps offer a "cleaner" look on the diaper and blend in better, or may be done in colors to enhance the look of the diaper.

Adjustability (some diapers only): some brands of snap diapers have snaps in a vertical row of two that allow the waist snaps and thigh snaps to be placed on different settings, accommodating a wide variety of body shapes that can be difficult to fit otherwise (for instance, you can have the waist snaps at the smallest setting while the thigh snaps are are the largest). See the blue Applecheeks in the picture above for an example.

Laundry: no extra step (no laundry tabs to affix).

Crossover snaps on a Goodmama

Cons

Speed: it takes longer to snap a diaper - important when time is at a premium with a toddler who won't lay still.

Difficulty: it can be more difficult to figure out the right snap settings on a diaper, particularly for babysitters/dads/grandparents/daycares who aren't as used to them, and particularly at night when you're trying to change a diaper after a week of not sleeping more than 30 minutes at a time. I often come home to find that whoever was watching her put it on a setting two or three snaps off what I would have used.

Customization: not all snap diapers offer crossover tabs, and you must choose pre-determined settings to snap the wings. If your child is between snap settings, it can be awkward trying to make it work. 

Side snaps on a GroVia all-in-one

________Aplix________

Pros

Speed: attaching velcro takes seconds (a bonus on a wiggly baby).

Customization: because you can attach the velcro at any point on the velcro patch, you can get an extremely custom fit (compared to snaps, which you must make fit certain pre-determined points).

Familiarization: velcro diapers look most like disposables, which means they are less intimidating for those starting out or who aren't familiar with cloth diapers.

Ease: it's a cinch to close an aplix diaper, and they are great for babysitters or dads or grandparents or daycares.

Aplix and laundry tabs on a Blissful Booty pocket diaper

Cons

Looks: aplix generally comes in one color: white. It stands out and doesn't offer the streamlined look that snaps do (there are a few with colored aplix, like Tots Bots new ones). 

Wear: aplix wears out faster than velcro, and gets pilly. You can replace the aplix on most diapers, but it's an extra step that usually isn't required on snap diapers.

Destructive: if you aren't careful to fasten the laundry tabs perfectly every single time, the aplix can catch on the PUL of other diapers and cause snags. 

Easy to undo: some babies figure out how to undo velcro diapers quickly, leading to the aforementioned scenario of a diaper-less toddler playing with their poop in the crib.

Laundry: an extra step to washing (affixing laundry tabs).

My personal solution to the old "snaps versus aplix" question is to have a variety of both. I have a number of aplix diapers that I save for babysitters and my husband and usually take these on the road with us (they're great for showing people how easy cloth diapering is!). I also have a number of snap diapers that I use, both because I like the fit and look of them, but also to last us longer and to be used when/if she figures out how to undo velcro.

Help! What are the different kinds of cloth diapers?

First, know that within the types of diapers, you can get several types of fits and closures.  You can read about the difference between sized and one-size diapers here, and diapers can either be snapless or close with snaps or Velcro (also called aplix).

There are six basic types (though each type has many subtypes!). For more detailed information on any type, including pros and cons, pictures, and brand lists, click on the name.

Diapers That Need Covers

These diapers need a separate cover to become waterproof. 

Flat

A flat diaper is just a layer or two of an absorbent material like cotton, sewn into a large square. You can fold the diaper into various configurations to create an absorbent diaper that is secured with pins or a Snappi, or fold it to use as an insert. A flat diaper needs a cover to be waterproof. If your grandmother cloth diapered, this is probably what she used.

Prefold

A prefold diaper is a flat diaper that has been pre-folded and sewn to create a more absorbent area in the middle. You can fold a prefold diaper around a baby and secure it with pins or a Snappi to create a diaper, or fold it in thirds to use as an insert.  If your mom cloth diapered, this is probably what she used.

Fitted

A fitted diaper is a prefold that has been sewn into a diaper shape. It looks like any other cloth diaper, diaper, but it doesn't have a waterproof layer, so needs to be covered with a cover to become waterproof.  The one above is snapless and needs a Snappi or pins to close it, but they can have snaps or velcro as well.

Diapers That Do Not Need Covers

These diapers have the waterproof layer included and don't need a separate cover.

All-in-One 




All in one diapers are just what the name says: all in one. Everything you need for the diaper is included - both the waterproof outer and the absorbent layer. All sewn together in one big happy package!  These are great for dads and daycares, as they are essentially just like disposable diapers, except instead of throwing them away, you put them into a wetbag or diaper pail.  On the downside, they usually take a long time to dry.

All-in-Two/Hybrid

 
All-in-two (AI2) diapers can be confusing, as there are essentially two types of all-in-two diapers, and they are quite different.  However, they are all named for the fact that there are two parts: the waterproof outer and the absorbent layer, and these two parts are separate.

• Hybrid all-in-two diapers are waterproof shells (covers) that can be used with different types of inserts, for instance, with a disposable insert or with a reusable insert. 
• Snap-in or lay-in all-in-two diapers are all-in-one diapers that come in two parts.  Rather than having the absorbent layers sewn into the waterproof outer layer, the absorbent layers are separate and can be snapped in or lain into the waterproof cover. 

Pocket



Pocket diapers are a waterproof cover and a liner sewn together, with a pocket opening at the front or back (or both). The diaper on its own has no absorbency, but when you place absorbent inserts into the pocket of the diaper you have a complete diaper. This allows you to customize absorbency and wash and dry the diapers quickly.

*************************

While not types of diapers, these are important components to some types of cloth diapers:

Covers

Covers are placed over non-waterproof diapers like pre-folds or fitteds to create a waterproof layer. Covers are commonly made of PUL, TPU, wool, or fleece. 

Inserts, Soakers, Doublers, and Liners

Inserts, soakers, and doublers are layers of absorbent material that are placed into covers or pocket diapers or are part of an AIO or AI2 diaper. They are commonly made of hemp, bamboo, microfiber, or Zorb. Liners are thin pieces of fabric that are placed between the diaper and the baby to help with disposing of poop, to create a stay-dry feeling for the baby, or to protect the diaper from a non-cloth-diaper-safe rash cream.

Double Gussets

Double gussets are additional rows of elastic at the legs of the diaper to help contain leaks.

Storing Diapers

Storing your diapers is half the fun - something you could never claim with disposables! Here are stash pictures from some mamas who gave us permission to share!  As you can see, drawers under the changing table and baskets are standard.

Adriane's well-organized stash inside a dresser drawer.

Alli's FuzziBunz inside a dresser used as a changing table.

Ginny's cover and pre-fold stash inside a dresser drawer.

Jennifer's stash inside baskets on the changing table - with a bonus baby shot!

Kristine's pretty setup, using baskets under the changing table.

Kristen's pocket stash inside a changing table.

Lois's baskets next to the changing table.

Lara's assorted stash, in a dresser-turned-changing table.

And don't think you even need to put them away or store them...a hamper works just fine too! :) Thanks, Mary, for keeping it real!

What do I need to get started...besides diapers?

Besides the obvious answer of "diapers," what do you need to get started cloth diapering? Really, just the diapers and a way to wash them is all that's necessary. Oh, and a baby to put them on! Otherwise we get into creepy adult diaper fetish territory, and no one wants that. I hope.

There are, however, many things that will make your life easier. (This is accessories only: diapers, inserts, and covers are not included here.)

Small wetbags:
1-2 small wetbags for the diaper bag/going out. Two is nice so you have one available while one is in the wash but not necessary.

Diaper pail:
A place to store dirty diapers. You can get a special diaper pail, but really all you need is a trash can with a lid. The more air circulation, the less smell, so a swing-top lid is a good bet.
AND
Pail liner:
1-2 pail liners. Two is nice so you have one available while one is in the wash, but not necessary. You put the pail liner in the trash can or diaper pail. It allows you to transfer the dirty diapers to the washer without having to touch any dirty diapers (just turn it inside out into the drum of the washer), and can help contain smells.
--OR--
 Large Wetbags:
1-2 large wetbags. In lieu of a diaper pail and pail liner, some people use large (usually hanging) wetbags.  Either option is fine and is totally personal preference.

Doublers:
It's always nice to have a handful of doublers to add extra absorbency in a pinch, but they may not be needed. OPTIONAL

Liners:
Disposable liners can make solid poop a breeze to flush; however, some older septic systems will clog with disposable liners, so be careful. Fleece liners will add a stay-dry feeling to any diaper that doesn't already have one, and can be used to protect diapers if you have to use a non-cloth diaper safe diaper cream (wash separately with clothes after use).  How many? It depends on how often you are going to use them! Disposable liners usually come in large packs that you'll replace as you use them. Fleece liners can be used every diaper change (for instance, if you use prefolds and always want a stay-dry feeling) or rarely, just when you need to use a special diaper cream. So how many you need depends on your anticipated use.  OPTIONAL

Cloth wipes:
24-36+ wipes. You're already doing cloth diapers, might as well do wipes too!  (But for real: they get so much more off than disposable wipes, and you are far less likely to get poop on you wiping with cloth!) Also: wipe solution.  Technically these are optional but I highly recommend making the switch!  There are a lot of ways to use these - some people fill a peri bottle with solution, some people have a small spray bottle, some people have container of solution that they keep pre-moistened wipes in.  Some people spray the wipes; some people spray the baby's bottom.  While on the go, some people will take a baggie of wet wipes and some people will take dry wipes and the spray bottle. Whatever works for you is the right way!

Snappis:
2-3 Snappies. Only needed if using flats, prefolds, or snapless fitteds to secure the diapers. Not needed otherwise. (You could also use old-fashioned diaper pins.) OPTIONAL

Cloth-diaper safe rash cream:
This can be used as a preventative, to make cleaning poop off easier (hint: it doesn't stick as much to the baby!), and to clear up rashes. CJ's BUTTer is a popular option, as is plain coconut oil.

Diaper sprayer:
Used to spray off solid poop into the toilet, where it can be flushed. However, you don't need this until your child has started solids at about six months of age. Some people opt to skip the sprayer and instead "swish" or "swirl" their diapers in the toilet (hold the diaper in the water and flush the toilet) or to scrape their diapers (using a designated spatula to scrape the poop into the toilet). Some kids grace their parents with poop that immediately can just be "plopped" into the toilet and no spraying, swishing, or scraping is necessary! OPTIONAL

Cloth-diaper safe detergent:
Don't ruin your diapers! Use a detergent that is safe for cloth diapers.

Line dryer:
Somewhere to dry your diapers outside, preferably in the sun. Get out stains and lengthen the life of your diapers! Also: clothespins.  OPTIONAL

Guest Post: Adriane from "Half a Bite"

We have some exciting guest posts coming up in the future - from several mamas who are just entering the cloth diapering world regarding their journey! We're also looking for at least one post about using cloth diapers at daycare.

Our first "new" cloth diapering mama is Adriane, mother to a beautiful five-month-old named Darian. She recently started cloth diapering and has this to share (you can read the original at her blog, Half a Bite):

_______________________________________

Fluffy bums

So, I use cloth diapers on Darian's bum. I love it now, but I made a LOT of mistakes in the beginning which could have steered me back to disposables had I not spent a significant amount of money on the things.

The Prep


Let's start at the beginning. Long before I was pregnant, I came across a thread on The Nest about cloth diapers. I was intrigued. So I looked it up, read about the virtues (Save the environment! Save money! No rash! No poopsplosions! And they're cute!), and decided that when the time came, I'd give it a shot.


Victor wasn't convinced, but since I'd be the one staying home, changing most diapers, and doing laundry, he agreed.


Once I was pregnant, I tried to read up, but was overwhelmed without actual samples to look at. At a friend's suggestion, I visited a local cloth diaper shop. The woman in the shop gave us a riveting demonstration of the different types, and we went ahead and bought the whole starter kit of 30 brand new diapers plus all the accessories.


From what I had read earlier, I thought that all-in-ones would take too long to dry, and pockets would be too much effort to stuff. So I got some Totsbots Bamboozle bamboo fitteds with covers, and some Grovia all-in-2s with snap in cotton soakers, all "one size" which would fit from about 9-35 lbs. (I'd explain it all but others have done a better job, so you can read more on The Awesome Cloth Diaper Blog.)


Victor and I had agreed to stick with disposables for the newborn stage, and then transition to cloth as parenthood became more manageable. I figured that the baby would start fitting in the one-size diapers within about a month. I was excited.


Starting out


Darian was born at 7 lbs 11 oz. The newborn-sized disposables lasted about two weeks before he started outgrowing them and we decided to try out a Grovia. He was probably around 9 lbs by then.


I snapped it to the smallest setting, put it on him and it looked HUGE. A couple of hours later, I changed the diaper and was disappointed at how wet it felt. I thought there was no way they'd last through a night.

See? Huge, right?

At one point, he had an explosive poop which scared the cat, but more importantly, leaked all over the place.


We had slightly better luck with the Bamboozles, but they were also way too bulky.


Not only that, but Darian was a very gassy newborn, and the bulky cloth diapers made it difficult for us to deal with that. Thin disposables, being much thinner and more flexible, made it easier for us to pump his legs to help with the gas.


Finally, I did find the laundry a little overwhelming. Both the Bamboozles and Grovias seemed to take forever to dry.


I started to think this was a mistake, and an expensive one.


Growing into them


So, we kept using mostly disposables through the first three months. I kept using the cloth every now and then, but by no means full time.


I also took back some of the Grovias, and exchanged them for Fuzzibunz.


Fortunately, I loved the Fuzzibunz - they fit Darian well, they are fairly trim, and the microfibre inserts dry quickly. And stuffing pockets wasn't as big a deal as I thought!

Happy bum, happy baby!

When Darian turned three months old, Victor went back to work. Left to my own devices, I started using cloth full-time. I braved night-time cloth diapering with the Bamboozles and lo and behold, they worked! I joined cloth diaper buy/sell/trade communities and sold off some of the Bamboozles in order to buy some more used Fuzzibunz (saving enough Bamboozles just for night-time use).


Also, Darian started growing into the diapers, and outgrowing his gas issues, so that they bulkiness was no longer an issue. I started noticing that the cloth was way better at containing poops (it wasn't a big issue when Darian was a newborn because poops were regular and small... but as he got bigger, they got bigger and more forceful). And I got into a groove with the laundry.


So now, I'm loving it. I almost never deal with diaper leaks, and if I do, they're very tiny. I even use cloth when we go out - even though the diapers are bulkier to carry, it's so much easier to do that than change clothes while we're out. Today was our first garbage day without a single diaper in the trash.

And they're delicious!

If I could start again...


- I'd start with trying a few different types (natural and synthetic fibres, pockets, AIOs, AI2s and fitteds) rather than deciding that one or two would work for us
- I'd try to start with some cheaper brands or buy used
- I'd consider buying newborn fluff, or at least realize that one-size wouldn't work for at least a couple of months
- I'd join a community where I could chat with other cloth diapering mamas and learn a lot more


So, that's my story. I realize that a lot of these mistakes have been discussed in blogs and whatnot (including the one I linked above), but hey... live and learn.

Ok, I have my diapers...now what?

Once you've gotten a stash together, whether you purchased a trial, nabbed some sale diapers, found great used deals, or just said to hell with it and bought new ones at full price, the next steps can be overwhelming.

Do you need to prep them? How do you prep them? Do you need to strip them? How do you strip them? Do you just start....USING them? Do you dive in full force? Do you start just at home and continue to use disposables while out and about? What about overnight?

Prepping and Washing

The easy part of that question is the prep and washing!

New Diapers 
If they're new, follow the instructions the maker gives. In general, you can divide your diapers as follows:

Synthetic fabrics (These are usually stay-dry - most pockets and AIOs. Microfiber, microfleece, and suedecloth are all synthetics):  Wash once. That's it! They don't need any prep; you're just washing to get any nasties from the manufacturing process out. 

Natural fabrics (These are not stay-dry and include most fitteds and many AI2 inserts. Cotton and hemp are all natural fibers): Wash 5-6 times. Why so many? Natural fabrics, particularly cotton and hemp, have oils in them that must be washed out before they become absorbent. They may be ready to use after three or so washes, but they'll be most absorbent after five to six. You don't need to dry between every wash; I usually wash three times, dry, wash three more times, and dry again.  And while you don't want to do these washes with other diapers (you don't want to transfer the oils to other diapers), you can wash them with other clothes.  If your cotton or hemp is in the form of an insert or prefold without snaps or elastic, you can boil them for 20 or so minutes to avoid so many washes.  Once boiled, just wash with detergent once and dry.  (I've boiled inserts with snaps before and it's been fine, but they could easily melt so I don't recommend it.)

A note about bamboo:

Bamboo is usually categorized in the "natural fabrics" section, but in reality the process to make bamboo fabrics usually turns it into rayon and strips the oils out. Bamboo usually does not need to be prepped  the same way as cotton and hemp.

Used Diapers 
If your diapers are used, you probably just have to wash them once and you're good to go. However, inspect the diapers beforehand, and you're hesitant about them for any reason you may want to strip them. You may also find you need to strip them after you've used them if they are repelling. You can visit the FAQs for information about stripping diapers.

Drying Diapers
You've probably heard it before. Line drying diapers is best. And it is. The dryer is hard on cloths. It makes them wear out faster (this goes for ANY clothes, not just diapers!). And it's especially hard on PUL (the plasticky waterproof fabric in a lot of diapers), aplix/velcro, and elastic. So if you can, line dry your diapers. Not only will it help them last longer, it will also get rid of any stains! (It's magic!) You don't have to have a backyard or even a house to do this - you can do it on a balcony or patio, and you can even do it inside. Yes, it will take a bit longer inside without the airflow and wind that the great outdoors provides, but it will dry!

That said, drying on a line isn't always possible. Maybe you don't have somewhere to do it.  Maybe you're in a hurry. Maybe you're lazy. (I admit to all of those at one point or another!) Drying in a dryer is okay. The world will not stop turning if you have to use a dryer. The key is to use the lowest possible setting. When I use the dryer (and I do quite a bit), I dry on extra low for 1 hour and 39 minutes. Why that time? It's the longest timed setting I have on my dryer. In that time, my diapers generally get pretty dry. I might have a couple fitteds or AIOs that aren't quite there, and if that's the case, I leave them hanging on the side of her crib for a couple hours. Is drying on low or even (gasp) medium or even (double gasp) regular okay? Sure. Every once in a while, if you're in a huge hurry or have a reason you need to get your diapers dry quickly, it's not going to ruin the diapers. They will, however, last longer if you do that as little as possible. One hint to help minimize dryer damage? Don't stretch the elastic on the diapers until they've cooled. Another hint: use wool dryer balls to help them dry faster (I like this shop on Etsy)!

If you do line dry, you might find that your natural-fiber diapers start to get crunchy or rough. There are several ways to combat this. You can pop them in the dryer for 15 minutes or so to soften them up (some people think they are softer if you dry them in the dryer for 15 minutes and THEN line dry them the rest of the way; some people think they are softer if you line dry and THEN put them in the dryer - experiment!). The faster they dry, the rougher they will be, so if you aren't sunning them and need direct sun, try putting them in the shade. You can also do an ecover soak or add ecover to your regular laundry routine. ecover is a cloth-diaper-safe laundry softener that uses all natural ingredients to soften clothes and diapers. You can do it as often as needed for fitteds and inserts; however, it will wear the PUL and TPU over time. For those types of diapers, try putting a ecover/water mix in a spray bottle, spraying the inner of the diapers, and letting it sit for a bit. Afterward, run a rinse cycle on the diapers. You can also "float" those types of diapers on top of the surface of an ecover soak, letting the soakers become immersed in the ecover/water mixture and keeping the PUL out of the water, floating on top.

Making the Leap

Okay! So you've got your diapers washed and prepped and ready to go. They're just sitting in a big pile, staring at you.  This is the part where you just DO IT. Take off the disposable your kid has on and put on a cloth diaper! You can do it!  Seriously, stop reading this and go do it. I'm waiting!

Really, what's the worst that could possibly happen? You get a leak? If you've been using disposables, you've probably dealt with leaks before!  Remember: some cloth diapering is trial and error. Just like all disposables don't work the same for all families (have you seen the Huggies versus Pampers wars?), not all cloth diapers work the same. I'll be honest: some diapers might leak for you. It could be the wash routine. It could be the fit of the diaper. It could be user error (did you forget to put an insert in the pocket diaper?? Been there!) But be heartened! Once you have it figured out, they will leak MUCH LESS, and blow-outs will usually become a thing of the past.

Whether you use disposables overnight, while out and about, at daycare, etc., is up to you. My personal belief is it's far easier to just dive all in at once, but there are a lot of hard-core cloth diapering families that still use disposables when they are out shopping or for overnight. That is OKAY. Do what works for you!

Here are some hints for using cloth diapers in various situations:

Cloth diapering while out and about (link coming soon)
Cloth diapering while on vacation (link coming soon)
Cloth diapering at daycare
Cloth diapering overnight (link coming soon)

The biggest hurdle though? Just getting one on the butt! So really, there's no time like the present...throw a cloth diaper on that kid!

Guest Post: Laura from "Welcome to my (Cloth Diaper) World

A good friend, fellow cloth diaper mom, and mother to a beautiful daughter wrote a great post on some of the different "need to know" things regarding cloth diapering.  She graciously allowed me to post it here as a guest post! Thanks Laura!  Be sure to visit her blog, "Welcome to My (Cloth Diaper) World."

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What you need to know

Handy (basic) Cloth Diaper Information

There are (what feels like) a million different types and brands of cloth diapers available today. It’s definitely not like in our parents' days of cloth diapering. It can be hard to distinguish between an AIO (all in one), fitted, AI2 (all in 2), prefold, cover, hybrid, etc… especially if you are just getting started. Here I will describe the different types of diapers, as well as name a few of the brands of each type. Yes, there’s a lot. And yes, it can sound overwhelming. I promise, once you get to know the basics, it’s pretty easy to grasp.

Types

Prefold – The most simple way to cloth diaper you baby is to use a prefold. You can either fold it onto your baby using one of the folding methods (newspaper, basic, twist, etc.), or fold it in thirds and place it inside a cover.



Fitted diapers - Usually made of cotton or bamboo, they also need a cover over them, since fitteds are not waterproof. They have snaps for aplix (Velcro) to close the diaper, and they often have a sewed in or lay-in soaker. There are many different brands of fitted diapers (Thirsties, TotBots, etc.) and many work-at-home-Mom (WAHM) fitteds as well.




Pocket diapers - have a built in waterproof cover and require a separate insert for absorbency. This is probably one of the most popular way to cloth diaper these days. There are tons of brands/styles of pocket diapers - most common are Bum Genius, Fuzzibunz, and "cheap" eBay diapers.





All-in-one (AIO) - are the most like disposables. They are simply on/off, no insert to stuff, no cover to put on. These are great for babysitters, granndparents and daycare. Popular brands of AIOs are Bum Genius, Grovia, TotBots. The main "con" about AIOs is that they take a long time to dry.





All in Two (AI2) - Are almost as simple to use as AIOs. They have an additional liner seperate from the "body" of the diaper, which makes for easier washing and faster drying. An example is SoftBums.


Hybrid diapers - Are sort of a mix between an AIO and a pocket. They have a waterproof cover and a snap in/lay in liner, and the liner can be changed out for a new one, while reusing the same cover (as long as it's not soiled). Examples are Grovia, Flip and Monkey Doodlez "Tuck And Go".





Terms

Inserts - usually made of microfiber, they are used to "stuff" pocket diapers. They can also be made of hemp or bamboo, or a combination of these. Inserts are the absorbent part of pocket diapers.



Doublers - Are used to add extra absorbency to any type of diaper, for overnight or heavy-setters. Doublers are usually made of fleece or hemp.

Wet bag - A small bag with a waterproof liner, to be used in a diaper bag to hold soiled cloth diapers.

One Size - A term used to describe a diaper that can be used from nearly newborn til toddler age. Many pocket diapers are One Size. They usually have 3 rows of snaps that, as you unsnap them, make the diaper "grow".










This post will be updated periodically with more basic information!






(All pictures in this post taken by me, Laura McKee)

Diaper Type Video

Along with the "Cloth Diaper 101" video series that was linked a little while back, here's another great video that explains the different types of cloth diapers for those that are just starting out or are a bit overwhelmed.






The video goes hand in hand with this blog post from the Eco-Friendly Family (a great resource for all things green!):

Cloth Diapers: So Many Choices!

Cloth Diaper Rules

This is a fantastic article that re-iterates much of what we've said on this blog before!
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A Cloth Diapering Addict's Rules
Originally featured at The Cloth Diaper Whisperer (check out their weekly Fluff Friday giveaways!).

I began cloth diapering my now seventeen-month-old son, Sullivan, a litle over a year ago. What started out as an attempt to rid him of horrible diaper rash created by disposables has becoming an all-consuming obsession. As odd as it seems, cloth diapering is now a huge part of my life. I write about it. I dream about it. I stalk diapers on second-hand sites. I have become good friends with many cloth diaper company owners and fellow cloth diapering mamas. Choosing to use cloth on my son's bum has been one of the best parenting decisions I've made. It's also one big, endless learning experience. I've dealt with every stone cloth can put in my path: leaks, rashes, ammonia stinkies, empty PayPal accounts, and occassionally having to explain to my husband why I absolutely, positively, NEED that new diaper RIGHT. THIS. MINUTE. But through it all, I've been able to help other mamas on their paths to choosing cloth. Through my trials, I've developed a few rules that help guide me with my cloth journey.

1) Nothing is a rule is cloth.
I know, confusing, right? Here I am, laying out my rules, only to tell you there are no rules! But it's true. What works awesomely for one mama is going to be a disaster for you, and vice versa. Some things, you have to figure out as you go along. Read reviews, read blogger's opinions, and talk to other moms about what works for them. However, in the end, remember that cloth is a "to each their own," adventure.

2) Don't purchase an entire stash of one brand of diapers...unless you're 100% positive you will always love them no matter what.
A second half of this rule could be, "Don't sell off any of your diapers unless you're 100% positive you'll always hate them." I started with an entire stash of Grobaby diapers, only to find out they didn't work for us. I read reviews. I researched. I went with what I thought was the best brand for us, and I was wrong. So I had to sell off every one of those diapers in order to rebuild my stash. It was a pain in the heiny. On the other end of the spectrum, I can't tell you the number of times I've sold a diaper I just didn't think would work for us, only to find that a few months later, it would fit my son perfectly. Children grow and change, as do their diaper needs. What works for you in the beginning is probably not going to work at two years into cloth diapering. So keeping a variety of diapers in your stash is a great way to ensure you always have what you need to diaper. You don't have to spend a fortune. Having some prefolds, a handful of All-in-Ones or pockets, and a few fitteds and covers won't cost you a ton, especially if you look for good sales and second-hand diapers. But a bunch of different types of diapers will keep you from having to desperately search for a nighttime solution because your old stand-by suddenly fails.

3) Be careful with second hand purchases.
I love buying diapers second hand. I can give new life to a diaper someone else previously loved. More often than not, I end up with a high quality diaper at 50-70% the cost of retail. But sometimes, I get a real dud. The problem with second hand is that the seller determines the condition. "EUC" or "Excellent Used Condition" can mean a wide spectrum of diapers depending on who's deciding. Be sure to read the seller's feedback. Be sure they use tracking and delivery confirmation. Always pay with PayPal to keep your money safe. And have fun!

4) When you find a great wash routine, STICK WITH IT!
It's so easy to be lured into the world of cloth diaper detergents. Many work-at-home-mom detergents are proclaimed as the best for your diapers. To some people, Tide is the enemy and must be avoided at all costs. To others? Tide is the only thing that works. Enzymes must be used. NEVER use Enzymes! Everything you read is going to be conflicting. Ultimately, you have to figure out a routine that will work best for your diapers and your water. If you ever move, you'll have to figure out a whole new routine (possibly). You may end up with ammonia or stinkies at some point. Remember these basics; it's better to use too much detergent than too little. Build-up is not as bad as not removing nasties from diapers. Rinse, rinse, rinse. An occasional stripping does everyone some good, and sun is your best friend. After that, anything goes. Once you find what works for you, don't change your routine until you experience problems. Otherwise, you'll end up with diaper issues, and it can be too hard to pin point your problem.

5) Don't give up.
Even the most experienced cloth diaper mamas and dads run into issues here and there. It can be so frustrating when you just can't figure out what your problems are with cloth. Maybe night and naptime diapering is a struggle. Maybe your little one has gotten yeast or heat rashes. Maybe you're dealing with leak or repelling problems. Just remember, mamas that use disposables deal with problems, too. Every time your child grows, you'll going to have to make adjustments. Reach out to the cloth diapering community. There are thousands of moms and dads that would love to help you solve your problems. It may take a little while, but more often than not, the problem is a simple one with a simple solution. Once it's solved, you can enjoy a fluffy bum again!

Sally is a full-time SAHM of a seventeen-month-old son, Sullivan. She is married to an Army Officer, and they are currently expecting child number two due in August. You can check out Sally's writing and cloth diaper reviews and giveaways at Exploits of a Military Mama. 

Newbies and Newborns and Poop, Oh My!

A great round up of videos and articles at Dirty Diaper Laundry - articles for those new to the CD world, newborn vs. one-size comparison, even an article on the different types of poop and how to clean them!

(Update: She changed the way the articles are listed, so below are links to the tags involving newborns.)

Newborns
Newborn cloth diapering
One-size diapers and newborns

Tell me about diaper trials!

When you're considering cloth diapering, you'll often hear people caution you not to invest too heavily in any one specific brand or type of diaper (read the "building your stash" posts for more information).  One way to test out a bunch of different types of is to try a diaper trial. In a diaper trial, you pay a certain amount of money and receive a number of different diapers. Once the trial is over, you can return all of the diapers and get most of your money back (most place only put you out $10-20) - or you can purchase all or some of the diapers!

For a list of some of the trials available, click here and scroll to the very bottom! Each trial contains different items, so it's important to compare and contrast to find the one that's best for you!

There are a few things to remember about trials:

One downside to a trial is that there aren't enough diapers in the trial to cloth diaper full-time, so you can fill in the gaps with prefolds/covers (super cheap!) or (gasp) even disposables.

Keep in mind that just because you don't like the pocket (or fitted, or AIO, etc.) that is included in the diaper trial doesn't mean you won't like ALL pockets (or fitteds, or AIOs, etc.).  When evaluating the diapers, try to determine if it's something about the system itself you don't like (i.e. you hate stuffing pockets, or you hate the two-step system of fitteds and covers) or if it's something about the diaper itself you don't like (i.e. the fit, the closure, not absorbent enough, etc.).  If it's something just about the diaper itself that isn't working for you, a different brand in that type could still work, so consider not dismissing them entirely. 

Also, a trial only lasts a few weeks, and it can take time to get comfortable with cloth diapering. It can also take time to experiment and find what works for you and your child (i.e. diaper/insert combinations, fit, wash routines, etc.).  If you haven't figured it out by the end of the trial, it could simply be that you need more time to play around, or that the specific diapers in the trial aren't a good match for you - not that all cloth diapers won't ever work for your baby.

Finally, diaper trials have great stuff in them! But they don't have everything.  Most don't have wool covers or hemp inserts, for example - two things that many people have great success with. They all have a very limited number of brands, and as we've mentioned over and over, different brands work differently for different babies.

All that said, though, trials are a great way to give it a shot and see what you think for almost no risk! They are highly recommended by nearly everyone!

The Cloth Diaper Finder

Trying to figure out what diaper brand and type you should try?  Looking for a diaper that meets your very specific needs?

For instance...you want a diaper that is one-size, pocket, with snap closure, PUL outer, that's made in the USA? Now there's an easy way to find it! Enter your requirements into The Cloth Diaper Finder created by Dirty Diaper Laundry, and it will spit out a result! For those search parameters, the results are BabyKicks, Knickernappies, and Icredibella [I've never even heard of Incredibella...yet another diaper to look into!].

A one-size pocket under 13 bucks? Kawaii!

A newborn all-in-one with aplix? bumGenius or Smartipants!

It's not perfect yet: for instance, I put in dual-size pocket with aplix made in the USA, and got no results, but I thought Thirsties met those requirements. However, when I dug deeper I found out it's because they have Thirsties classified as a "sleeve" diaper versus a pocket diaper.   So you may want to try your search a few different ways to ensure that you're finding everything that meets your needs.

It looks like they are searching a database of 136 diapers and growing!  It's really fun to play around with.

UPDATE: They now have user reviews as well!
UPDATE 2: They simplified their categories, so Thirsties is now listed as a pocket.