Cloth diapers

We have been using the disposables for now, not by choice, but that's all we have. They were given to us at a baby shower, and because of the accident, I haven't had enough money to get anything else. Well, the time has come to start using the cloth. I don't know how though. How are you supposed to put them on? Do I need to get the plastic over pants thing? I've been told that a diaper service is the way to go, but that was by hospital people who probably made good money. I think that being a poor person, I will wash them myself. Do I want to use bleach when I wash them, or will this be bad for the baby's skin? Do they make baby bleach? I know they make baby luandry detergent.

 

When I first started I bought some gerber prefolds from walmart. And some prowraps diaper covers. They are much nicer then "rubber pants". You can get "seconds" that are nearly perfect for $3 a piece I think by calling them. I'd be happy to dig up the number for you if you'd like. We use All fre and clear and have had great sucess with that soap. I don't use bleach but I know others do with no problem My total investment was $40 that help me over for about 3 months untill babe got bigger.

 

i usually use borax for cleaning. sometimes add a little vineger to the rinse. it will nutralize the acidic urine. which can sometimes cause a rash with build up. and sometimes i'll use any detergent on hand. i used cover and rubber pants on my first. liked the covers but they were expensive. you can find some resonable on ebay or look at www.diaperswappers.com i just started using wool covers on my little guy now. wool has natural antibacterial properties so less laundering. and just started with a few i made from felted wool sweaters i got at the good will. i got 2 covers and a pair of longies per sweater regular size and i was also able to get 2 xsmall for ours on the way. 5 from one sweater @ 3.00 a little time but a good deal.
look at www.diaperpin.com for all kinds of info washing,patterns,types of diapers.

good luck merrijayne

 

i've never ever known anyone who used cloth diapers. i'm not sure my husband would like it, except that i can probably appeal to his environmentalist nature....but he's got a strong gag reflex. so, i guess, i would really love to know some of the systems y'all have in place for using and caring for cloth diapers, you know, your daily routine....

 

do you guys have napisan there? I used to use that with another product called Amolin which was for sensitive skin in the actual washing process. I used to use a liner inside the nappy and this also helped to prevent chapping, and all reactions and also made it way way easier to clean up!!
I found this website that looked helpful but it looked like there were a load of other ones too so if you just google "folding nappies" yopu should hit the jackpot.
http://www.thenappylady.co.uk/Advice/Instructions.asp?InstructionID=2
I used to use the chinese fold and the kite fold and found them really good...thanks for that by the way as I always wondered what they were called!!!

 

The liner used to really help as it was just the same as a disposable...you would take that out and put it in the bin then you would put the nappies in a bucket...you can buy buckets wth lids and tong things so you don't even have to touch them to swirl them round whilst they are soaking (not that baby poo is really something t be that squeamish about but then again sticking your arm in a bunch of nappies is not the most hygenic of things to do!! When I had a full bucket I would wash them and dry them on the line as the sun and the wind and the oudoors helps with the cleaning of smell and germs and stuff too. It was a lot easier than I thought when she was small...it was when she got bigger that I gave in to disposables as she started daycare and it all got a bit complicated....for my daycare that is not me!

 

Hippylandscaper - go to mothering.com and ask about cloth diapers there.

You will NOT regret it.

They have ones now that snap on exactly where the adhesive tabs would go on the disposables. You snap in a liner strip which you take out and wash. You add more or less of these depending on how much of a piddler you have.

You typically put some frankly stylin little PUL layered stuff over it, snaps on the same way.

Wash with some of that stuff they sell in hunting stores to eliminate odor completely - it's biodegradable and unscented etc.

Solid material in a diaper can be tossed into the toilet, and the diapers put into a pail as normal. Especially if you use hemp liners, they won't stink very much at all.

Many of these places will make em to order - you provide or select the cloth. We have ones with little sushis, little fish, cherries, etc. My son had one with a flame job on it.

And the resale is as high as the initial cost - so you almost get your money back.

 

Frankly, if you can handle disposables, the cloth ones they make now are a breeze.

 

When we were using cloth diapers with our oldest son (now 5 years old), I had the old fashioned ones. You know, the cloths that you had to fold yourself, fasten with safety pins, and top with rubber pants. But now they are making modern cloth diapers that are totally awesome, so definitely check it out!

{{{HUGS}}}

 

Yeah, the kind hippychickmommy and the diaper service use (prefolds) are not the way to go.

Look into modern cloth. It's awesome. No pins, no fuss. No industrial bleaching.

 

I used (and will be using soon) the flat fold gerbers with pins and rubber pants. Only kind I could find in my area. They're cheap. I only had to buy 2 packs of cloth then the rubber pants you replace as the baby grows. I dunked the poopy ones in the toilet to rinse & threw them in a bucket till laundry time, then soaked them in hot water 2 - 3 times till water ran clean. I used plain 'ol laundry soap - No bleach, I was told it will ruin the absorbancy of the diaper. For eight months we didn't have a washer or dryer at our house so the laundrymat was a hassle but Sooo worth it in the long run~ for many reasons! I personally think the fancy modern ones are a little pricey.

 

They might be, but they resell for what you pay for em.

 

I just had my first baby and i use cloth diapers. In fact, just finished changing the baby 20 minutes ago. A flannelette flat fold diaper with pins and rubber pants. The old-fashioned way! It's really easy to learn how to fold and pin cloth diapers and once you get the hang of it, you will be able to whip through a diaper change from start to finish in just a couple of minutes, no problem. Here's a list of what you will need.


3 dozen flannelette diapers.
6 pairs of rubber pants size medium.
6 diaper pins.
1- 10 gallon plastic diaper pail.
12 baby wash cloths.

Just a little tip for you, find a friendly, helpful neighbourhood mother who has raised her own children in cloth diapers, and have her come over and show you a few things about cloth diapering. Most neighbourhood mothers i know would be glad to show off their cloth diapering skills. Good luck with it and have fun!

 

I ended up getting the regular flat cloth diapers, and rubber pants. None of the local stores carried those ones Irongoth was talking about, and I didn't feel up to going all the way into town. My mom used the cloth diapers on me, so she knew how to do it. Between her and a few helpful websites, I think I have it figured out. Thanks for the advice everyone

 

heya, you might want to think about wool covers instead of the "rubber pants". wool is so much nicer~it breathes, so less of a chance for diaper rash, y'know. and for some reason, wool holds the wet in. if you can sew, you can make butt sweaters for next to nothing. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Oaks/1126/buttsweaterpage.html just make sure you test the wool to make sure it's the really soft kind.

ps, did anyone mention snappi's yet? http://images.google.ca/images?q=sn...-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&tab=wi
they're a really inexpensive nifty gadget that replaces pins.

 

I always used flat bird's eye diapers and pins. They're inexpensive and one size fits all. You can use 2 for night time. You really only need a cover for going out, I never used a cover unless I was taking them out of the house. Of course, you have to change baby more frequently, but it's better for baby if you do anyway.

 

i brought it up to my husband and he's completely against it. *sigh* sometimes he has the most rigidly unpleasant memories.

 

some places have recycling programs for disposies, but really, it's better for our planet to avoid that whole cycle in the first place.

mynameiskc~would your hubby be into trying out a diaper service for a while?

 

i just don't know. there are several things he has a real problem with from being brought up so poor, and cloth diapers is one of them. i'm considering getting a few sets of maybe the pocket diapers with snaps, and letting him see them in action. if he still doesn't like them, then fine.

 

So he doesn't want to use them because he doesn't "need" to financially?? They sell $30 dipes, just go that route, I would, but I'm too poor LOL