All about Cloth Diapers!

I was recently talking to my friend Kim on Facebook about my cloth diapering experience and VERY LIMITED knowledge…ha ha! But I do realize that I know a lot more than I did when I first started out….so here is some info that I have compiled from MY experience. Maybe this will help some other new CD moms!!! I am starting with the essentials…… I will add pictures and more as I can! (-:

Diaper Pail:
Most of the research I did said a trashcan works just fine, and it does! I bought this one at Wal-Mart. It’s slim, so it fits discreetly in between the wall & my changing table! And no odors leak from it! Granted, if it’s getting full & you open it to put in a diaper, you may catch a whiff of stinkiness, but once the lid is closed, nothing!


Pail Liners
I bought just one. You can throw it in the wash when you wash your diapers, but it really doesn’t need to be washed every single time.

Laundry Detergent:
I did a lot of research on this too. All the hard-core cloth diaper people seem to agree that regular detergents are bad for cloth diapers. I cannot recall all the details, but mainly, they leave residue which prevents the diaper from being as absorbent as it should be. I have been using “Charlie’s Soap Powder” and it is great. I am still on my 1st bag, as you only need a tiny scoop per load. I have also used “Country Save” in the past, pre-baby, and it is also really good & fairly inexpensive. I think I purchased both from Amazon.com.
Charlies Soap Powder
Country Save

Also, instead of laundry detergent, they say to use a teeny tiny bit of regular Dawn Dish Soap in the machine to wash your diapers on occasion. This strips away oil build-up that can cause the diapers to be stinky and to not absorb properly, if I recall correctly.
I always wash on hot water cycle. I like to dry in the dryer because it makes them soft and fluffy. They also say that you should at least occasionally hang them to dry in the sun. This is a GREAT way to get out any stains. It’s amazing!!!! It really works!


Wet Bag:
A great thing to have if you plan to cloth diaper full time, even on the go! I so far, only occasionally do this, but when I have done it, it was just as easy as disposables! You basically keep these bags in your diaper bag on outings and if you have to change the baby’s diaper, you put the dirty one in this bag. Granted, I have never had to deal with a horrid poopy blow-out while using cloth diapers while out running errands…..my little one usually has the opposite problem, if she has a problem, constipation!
Kushies Wetbag


Disposable Liners (totally optional):
I bought a package of these to try them out. They are ok, but honestly, I really do not use them with every diaper change. In fact, I only use them if my LO is showing me signs that a poopy diaper is soon to come! LOL! But, they would make clean-up a lot easier if there is a big mess, especially if you are out running errands/ away from home. You just flush them down the toilet and it protects your diaper from getting stained. I have low water bowls in my house though, and the 1st one I flushed, promptly clogged the toilet.
Kushies Liners


Now the fun part….and the confusing part…Diapers…and Covers and everything in between!

All-In-Ones (AIO’s):
These are what they sound like, everything is all built into the diaper. They are ready to go…no cover needed. They are waterproof & absorbent and the “easiest”, closest to disposables, but also the most expensive! There are a trillion different AIO’s. You can look on ETSY and find many made by WAHM’s as well. These diapers can be a bit bulky. It really depends on the brand. I thought this is what I would end up liking the best, but in the end, it isn’t. But there are some great ones out there. I read a lot of product reviews and blogs and threads about diapers on Diaperswappers.com to determine which ones I would try. I ended up trying “Thirsties” and “Wonderworks” and “Nanasbottoms”…as well as a few others,they were all ok by my book, but not fabulous. Well, the wonderworks were actually great, and they are cheapie, I had 3 in a NB size & LOVED them! I guess you never know….. I would like to try some of the AIO’s by “Blueberry”… ok, so maybe this one is a pocket...either way, I do want to try it!
AIO Diaper
Bumgenius is another popular one that I haven’t ever tried….
Bum Genius
People seem to love this one!
Here is Isabella in a Nanasbottom



Pocket Diapers:
Similar to the AIO…but they have a pocket inside where you stuff absorbent inserts or a folded Prefold diaper. So, it’s like a cover and then when you stuff the pocket, it’s like an AIO. I actually have 2 brands of these that I LOVE!
Swaddlebees
fuzzibunz
This is our favorite Fuzzibunz pocket..it's an XS and still fits 13 lb Isabella! I think they also make one size ones!

Here is a Swaddlebee...we have smalls that still fit, but the mediums fit now too. (this one is a medium)

Fitted Diapers:
Tailor fitted diaper with Velcro or snap closures so cloth diaper fits closely to baby. Requires no folding and uses a waterproof diaper cover. I like these well enough, but the prefolds work just as well for me right now and are cheaper. But some that I have and like are:
Fitted "workhorse"
Kissaluvs Fitteds

Prefolds:
These are the old-fashioned kind like mom used to use with the pins.
prefolds
Here are our prefolds...

Some thrifty, hardcore cloth moms still do it that way. However, I don’t. I use these inside my pocket diapers sometimes but mainly I fold them and put them in a diaper cover and use them that way. Here’s a great “how to” page…
How To Page
Here is a cover with a folded prefold in it...


Covers:
Anything you put over a diaper to keep moisture in. These, along with the above prefolds are very economical and have ended up becoming my favorite! At least for now…maybe I will change my mind when Isabella gets bigger! I have tried (and liked)
Bummis Super Whisper Wraps
Bummis Superbright Cover
Prorap Classic
Imse Vimse Cover

You can find these used on Diaperswappers.com for about half the price!
Oh, and another favorite cover is the Berry Plush by Jam Tots!
Berry Plush

But my all-time favorite is the Blueberry Minky Diaper Wrap.
Blueberry Minky Cover
It is my latest obsession, and I think we now have 8 or 9 of them….LOL…in sizes small and medium. I have gotten them all on Diaperswappers.com for anywhere from $7 to $15 each. Usually about $10/each.

Looking forward....

As my baby girl snoozes here on the bed, and Peyton plays his video game...I know, I know....I have a minute to blog. It's so hard getting on here on a regular basis!! Life is busy, but good! The weeks are just flying by! I cannot believe that my baby is 11 weeks old today. Almost THREE months old! In fact, she is EXACTLY 11 weeks old...look at the time! (-: LOL! Anyways, I find myself looking forward to so much lately, despite the fact that part of me wants time to stand still! Peyton has his preschool open house on August 31st and his 1st day is September 1st. He will be in the 4 year old class this year, which means he will go to school 3 days a week. That means 3 days a week that I will be forced to wake up, get presentable, feed baby, get her presentable, feed Peyton, get him presentable & drive him to school. It will be good for me, no more sleeping in and being in PJ's 'til noon! Meghan starts school soon too....August 25th. I cannot believe that she is a senior in high school. I feel OLD! Granted, I was 20 when she was born.... Now when Isabella is a senior in high school, I really will be OLD!!! I don't even want to do that math right now! Meghan will be turning 17 on September 22 and I have been toying with the idea of buying her a car. A used one, mind you, nothing fancy, but safe & reliable. Her school is just 5 minutes from the house...so she could drive herself to school everyday...I feel bad making her ride the bus everyday as a senior (I didn't, although I had a 1970 VW beetle that was older than me and at the time, hated it! But, it WAS better than riding the bus!)I can just imagine how shocked and surprised she would be to walk outside on her birthday to a car sitting there with a big ribbon on it! It would be priceless!! Because she has NO idea that I am even considering it. We will see. Hopefully, I can manage it financially. I have no idea what the extra insurance will be on a new teen driver....gulp! Shane's birthday is October 1st. I have taken that weekend off from work & we are making plans to spend the weekend at Myrtle Beach. I am excited....we haven't gotten away in forever! We plan to take the kids too, so it's not a romantic weekend or anything, but it will be a lot of fun all the same! I am looking forward to the fall, to the cooler weather. Peyton turns 5 at the end of October & I want to give him a great party. We always just do little family gatherings at home for him. This year, the big 5, I want to do something special. Especially since he has a new baby sister & may be feeling a tad over-looked at times. I am not really sure yet what I want to do....I will have to think on that one! I am looking forward to the holidays...Thanksgiving, Christmas...we have so much to be thankful for! I want to start getting my Christmas shopping done soon! I do not want that stress on me at the last minute!!! Meghan & Savannah should be easy enough....money!!!! Peyton, well, he is still young enough to like most anything you get him...and of course Isabella is too young to care at all. LOL!!!! Maybe a Savings Bond for her!!! A few new cute diapers.... (-: Anyways, I guess I am kinda rambling today, I am just so excited about what the next few months holds for us. I will leave you with yet another picture of Isabella, rockin' her new wool longies! (Yet another reason I cannot wait for the fall & winter....cute, cozy baby clothes!)

9 weeks old

Two Months Old!

My baby girl is two months old already....man, how time flies! She had her check-up today, and her shots. )-: She did great though, she cried for a minute and then was all good! She is now 12lbs 6oz, 23 inches long and her head circumference is 15.5 inches. This afternoon, I got a surprise Fedex delivery....a gorgeous diaper bag from another long-time internetz friend, Deb. We met on the I-Village TTC board back in 2007. I am constantly amazed at what wonderful, thoughtful friends I have made on this journey to have Isabella. Finally, another TTC friend, Kim, finally had her baby girl this past Sunday after over 4 years of trying. Congratulations to her and her family!