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.