This blog is not about the pros and cons of cloth vs. disposable, but to offer suggestions on products for the first year.
List of items
Up to 20 pounds:
5 Small Snap Covers
3 packs of Cotton Prefolds for infant
2 packs of Liners
Flushable Liners
6 Size 1 Snappi
Above 20 pounds under 30 pounds:
5 Large Snap Covers
6 Large OneSize Diapers
6 All in One
3 packs of Cotton Prefolds for toddlers
6 Size 2 Snappy
Flushable Liners
Accessories
One Small Bag
One Big Bag
Diaper Pail
One regular plastic container enough for a couple of diapers
Before 6 months: Laundry Detergent
After 6 months: Laundry Detergent
Tips & Hints:
1. How often do you have to do the laundry?
With a newborn, I did a full load of laundry every second to third day. With the amount of diapers I purchased, as listed above, I was able to stretch laundry to every 4 days after 6 months.
2. How often do I need to change the diaper?
When your baby is just newborn, they tend to need their diaper changed much more frequently, as their stomachs are small and can hold only a tiny amount of liquid. Their skin is also much more sensitive and in order to prevent diaper rash, change them frequently. Never leave a baby in a soiled diaper as the acidity will be very harmful to their skin and can cause severe burns. Once your baby is able to sleep for longer periods of time during the night, you can actually keep the wet diaper on, with cloth diapers it will actually keep the skin moist. However change the diaper after 4 hours regardless. Once the baby sleeps for longer stretches, you can leave the diaper on for up to 12 hours! Yes, it sounds amazing to get that much sleep, it does happen eventually, but be prepared for a VERY wet diaper.
3. Did you energy bill & water bill go up significantly?
We are lucky enough to have an energy efficient washer and dryer, so the bill went up with $5 per month, combined.
4. Did you purchase all the diapers at once?
I purchased all the items in the accessories list and first six months before I went on maternity leave. One of the benefits of cloth diapers is that you can have your baby in one set for quite some time, depending on their growth rate. My little one grew out of his at 6 months, but some of my friends with smaller babies still used their infant cloths until they were 18 months old. You can really space out your budget this way and by the second, third and fourth baby, you'll have all of the stages covered.
NOTE: Replace the Snappi for each child and discard the old ones as they are made of a rubber substance and loosens over time, which can cause the hooks to grab onto your baby's skin.
5. Which laundry detergent did you use?
For the first six months, I washed all the diapers with the special diaper detergent. Once I switched to the bigger diapers, I switched to regular, fragrance free detergent.
6. Are the diapers too bulky and restrict their movement?
Nope!
7. Do the cloth diapers leak a lot?
If you don't put the cloth into the waterproof cover properly, it tends to leak. This only happens a few times until you know how to tuck them in and no more leaks!
8. Do cloth diapers smell?
I have personally not have a freshly washed diaper smell badly. A quick fix though is to hang them up to dry in the sun or add tea tree oil to the wash, it disinfects and is a great anti-bacterial.
9. Why all the different types of diapers?
Large Snap Covers
I originally used another brand with velcro straps and it woke up my baby every time I changed his diaper, not so much fun at 2 in the morning when he was just ready to fall asleep! These covers allow for great airflow. They are also much easier to fasten with a wriggly toddler.
Large OneSize Diapers
These are great for the long night sleeps. I use them in combination with a cover, cloth liner and disposable liner. Once your baby starts moving around during sleep, they tend to sleep in very funny positions sometimes. For my own peace of mind, I didn't want anything that could potentially loosen (like the Snappi) and hurt them during their adventures in dreamland.
All in One & One Small Bag
Perfect for travel and outings! They are super easy to put on, you can insert a flushable liner in case of an accident, and the small bag holds 3-4 of these diapers.
Cotton Prefolds & Snappi
These are a lot more economical and great for everyday use. For instructions on the Snappi, please visit: Snappi System.
Flushable Liners
Wonderful items! They are very strong and are biodegradable and flushable! Very quick and efficient cleanup. I purchase a roll of 100 every month or two.
One Big Bag
This is a multi-purpose bag that you can use even after diapers. I send this bag with to sleepovers at the grandparent's, swimming lessons and weekends away. The bag goes straight into the laundry with the rest of the diapers.
Diaper Pail
Originally I used the Big Bag above as my only place to keep the wet diapers, but it started to smell pretty badly after a day. Upgrade to the pail! It's worth the investment. Depending on your house setup, you can purchase more than one. We have two in our house, one for the bathroom, so all the diapers from upstairs can go in there and one on the main level. They have secure lid fasteners so that small hands cannot accidentally get into their dirty diapers! Cleaning them is also very easy, warm water and soap and in summer, I placed them outside on my deck to air out and get some sun.
One regular plastic container enough for a couple of diapers
I purchased a regular container from your local store. Sometimes your best diaper skills just aren't enough to contain what's waiting for your inside! Simply place the soiled diaper in this container in a basement/deep sink with hot water and a cap full of bleach. Leave overnight, drain and rinse out before placing the diaper in the wash. (That sounds like the instructions to a recipe).
Feel free to comment or post a question...
Happy Cloth Diapering!
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