Cloth Diaper Advice

O girl I HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY OLD SCHOOL EVEN THE INSERTS BROKE HER OUT IT HAD TO BE OLD SCHOOL CLOTH DIAPERS IMAGINE THAT. I NEVER SAW THE INSERTS THAT YOU WASH.

oh my god !!! one more thing im going to have bad dreams about after being reminded. CLOTH NAPPIES ARRGGGHHH. I hate them. yes they are good (maybe) for the planet but they also make more washing and also they tend to wet through them all the time. ALSO THEY MAKE THERE BUM BUM LOOK HUGE !! Your girl is gona think shes j-lo.

(totally taking the you know what people) Though I do hate cloth nappies they are great for cleaning windows with. Thats only the clean ones. xx

I used a Canadian brand called Kooshies for my two sons. They had good points but a few bad ones too. If I even had another baby (heaven forbid!) I would investigate a different brand of washables.

The good points of Kooshies (apart from the environmental and cost ones that apply to all of them): Velcro fastenings. The ‘paper’ liner - flush it down the toilet and never (or almost never) have to scrape revolting stuff off the diapers. It wasn’t exactly paper, but it broke down in the sewers, so it worked well. The ‘flap’ on the diapers where you could add several layers of cloth pads to make them more absorbent. Really groovy patterns on the fabric (but you get sent whatever they like, so you may get a few weird designs too). Fairly effective waterproof over-pants - but I think some other brands may allow less leakage around the legs.

The disadvantages:

I think they were designed to look just like a disposable nappy made of cloth - this may not have been the most effective design. They need a lot of drying time because they’re so thick - hanging them outside on the washing line is best but in winter you have to have a tumble dryer. Some brands use lots of thinner layers and dry quicker, I believe. Some over-pants seem to have more of a ‘flap’ around the legs and the waist, and I think this helps prevent leakage.

Now, my snooty friends in the south of England got to use a nappy service (diaper service to you Americans), where the dirty nappies were picked up in a van and clean ones left. It sounds crazy but it’s apparently very environmentally friendly - ‘economies of scale’ I’m told.

However, in the remote and primitive North of England (joking, honest!) there was no such thing and I had no problems putting a nappy bin next to the toilet and leaving them to soak in water with bicarb of soda for a day or two before putting them into the washing machine. Always use rubber gloves! (Advice from one who didn’t.) The smell is way less offensive than a cat’s litter tray, and most pet owners put up with those, so I don’t think they’re unhygenic or anything.

I totally recommend the idea of washables - they save a huge amount of money, even if you include the electricity for washing and drying. They also make much less of a dent in the environment. I loved them. (But I will be honest, after four and a half years in a row of kids in nappies, I rejoyced when the little one finally got potty trained!)

Very best of luck (and I love the photo of you and the little one!)

I pay around $40/month in diapers. Stray animals like to dig through my trash to eat the diapers. It would be one less thing I have to throw away. Plus I want to have another kid someday… It is just something I’m looking into. For example: I have no idea which material to choose for the liner.
Enna- NO WAY would I do the safty pin thing. I’m talking about Happy Heiny and Bum Genious and all those other brands. They have the outside cover with stretchy velcro straps like regular disposables and you buy an abundance of inserts that you wash.

LOL GOOD LUCK WIT THAT I DID THAT BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER WAS ALLERGIC TO DIAPERS IT IS A LIVING NIGHTMARE BUT IF YOU MUST! I USEED GERBER CLOTH DIAPERS THEIR ARE 2 KINDS MAKE SURE YOU GET THE ONES THAT HAVE THE THICK DUBBLE PADDING IN THE MIDDLE THEN YOU HAVE TO BUY THE SAFETY PINS AND THEN YOU HAVE TO BUY THE PLASTIC UNDERWEAR TO PERTECT FROM LECKING THOOSE SAVE YOUR LIVE ALL OF THIS STUFF IS IN THE SAME AREA WITH THE BABY STUFF IN WAL MART THE CLOTH DIAPERS ARE $11.00 THE PINS ARE $2.88 AND THE UNDERWAER ARE LIKE 4.00 AND COME WITH 3 PAIR HOPE THIS HELPS FUN MAIL ME WITH ANY MORE QUESTIONS

I can’t really answer the question, but I have to wonder why you would not just go with disposables.

The packages say “8-12 pounds”, “12-18 pounds”, “18-30 pounds”, and “30+ pounds”. Just pick one of the “30+” pound sizes. I can’t imagine a new born excretes more than maybe a pound a day, so one of the “30+” pound sizes will last nearly a month!

(I’m sorry. I’m sick and warped and just couldn’t resist)

awe, how cute. I’m a dork again after 30+ years!

O HOPLEY I NEVER NEED IT AGIAN I HAVE A NEW BABY 7 MONTHS SO FAR HE HAS NO ISSUES WIT DISPOSIBALES LOL THANK GOODNESS

megan, I hope you realized my answer above was intended to be humorous.

Of course I did. dork ;)

http://www.happyheinystore.com/ This is just one of the brands that I found.