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cloth diapers?
"tigger" wrote in message om... Anyway, my question: Is anyone using cloth diapers and, if so, what has your experience been? Add me to the list of very happy cloth diaper users. We used Chinese prefolds that we got online - my mother got me some from Target that were way too thin to absorb my ds's monster messes, so we ended up using those as liners (we'd fold them in thirds and place them down the middle of the main diaper for extra protection at night). I don't want to promote any one website, but many sell this great gadget called a Snappi, which has 3 arms and soft "teeth" for closing and holding the diaper. That's what we used instead of pins. Covers are so individual (my best friend adored the ones I hated the most) that I'd say buy one each of a few kinds until you figure out what you like (I liked Bummis, she preferred Gerber). And we did not use a service, just washed every other day. Really, it's no harder than washing a load of towels. As to the leaking that folks warned you about, I cannot compare cloth to disposables, but a friend used disposables that she was given at a shower for the first month (even though she told everyone she'd be using cloth, several people "just knew" she'd change her mind!) and she said they (disposables) blew out all the time. She was so happy when she switched to cloth, and will be doing so for her second child as well. I commend you for being willing to give it a try. It really is easy, and you child, the planet and your checkbook will be better off for it Kat |
#12
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cloth diapers?
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#13
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cloth diapers?
Just wanted to respond and let you know I've used cloth with my 2 kids, girl
and boy. With my daughter they worked GREAT, and actually she got a rash whenever we used commercial wipes, or disposables, so it was an easy stay. We bought our own - which I highly recommend! For roughly $100 investment you'll probably go to 6-8 months, where (at least here) a service is $50/mo. It's not that difficult to wash diapers. To add to you "con" side, with my son we didn't go full time cloth. At night he wet through everything - even disposables including nighttime huggies. Keep in mind this is not like we are leaving him in diapers for days, this was from 10-11pm and he'd be wet through by 2-3am. Anyway, now he uses disposable at night and underpants in the day and sometimes a diaper when we go to the store, etc (he's 14 months). It's probably a little easier to throw away disposables, but we used to carry a diaper bag everywhere anyway, so it was no big deal to put the diaper in there when we changes the kid(s). "tigger" wrote in message om... I'm mostly a lurker, but there is such a wealth of knowledge here and I'm hoping that you all can chime in with your experiences. I'm 36 weeks pregnant (expecting a girl) right now and we're hoping to come to a decision soon. =) Anyway, my question: Is anyone using cloth diapers and, if so, what has your experience been? DH and I think we'd like to use them, but we keep hearing horror stories from friends and family about how they will leak all the time and don't contain messes as well as disposables. We keep thinking that they'll be healthier since they don't contain all those chemicals... Also, if you have any ideas on which is better - using a diaper service or doing them yourself - that would also be appreciated!!! We have the option of a diaper service where we live, but I'm not sure if it's worth the expense, know what I mean? Thanks! -Lesley |
#14
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cloth diapers?
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#16
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cloth diapers?
Thanks for all the advice! Please keep them coming!
We want to at least give cloth diapers a try as it seems like there are a lot of benefits to using them. DH equates it to breastfeeding - it's a lot better for the baby, but a lot of people don't want to do it because of the "inconvenience" (real or perceived). We were looking at the chinese prefolds with velcro wraps. Are the "fancier" cloth diapers really any better than these? Are pins/Snappies better to use with wraps or is it kind of redundant? -Lesley |
#17
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cloth diapers?
"tigger" wrote in message om... Thanks for all the advice! Please keep them coming! We want to at least give cloth diapers a try as it seems like there are a lot of benefits to using them. DH equates it to breastfeeding - it's a lot better for the baby, but a lot of people don't want to do it because of the "inconvenience" (real or perceived). We were looking at the chinese prefolds with velcro wraps. Are the "fancier" cloth diapers really any better than these? Are pins/Snappies better to use with wraps or is it kind of redundant? -Lesley Hi Lesley, One more happy cloth diaper user here. We use a combination of cloth and disposibles...I keep the disposibles in the diaper bag for when we are out, and always have some on hand at home in case I don't get to the wash ontime. We have WAY fewer leaks with the cloth than with the disposibles. My little guy is a heavy wetter/pooper, so I am sometimes absolutely amazed at what those velcro wraps keep in! It sounds like you are breastfeeding...if so, washing the diapers yourself is no big deal at all. You just need to run them through a soak or rinse cycle before washing. As for which diapers to pick...there are so many diapers, aren't there?!? We primarily use Chinese prefolds with velcro covers (We have a mix of Proraps, Bummis, and Litewraps with a couple homemade fleece and wool soakers thrown in). I think they work great. I've also tried Kissaluvs (which are great for a newborn, but don't last long) and a few AIOs, and just picked up a couple Fuzzibunz for night...IMHO, once you get the hang of the prefolds with velcro covers, they are the most convenient and work the best. Also, once you start getting into the fancy ones, they aren't nearly as cost effective. One thing I WISH I would have had on hand when DS was born was a package of Birdseye flat diapers. DS was a skinny little 6 pounds at birth, and the infant prefolds were way too bulky until he was almost a month old. We ended up using disposies the first week, then one of my aunts brought over some flat diapers that she had cut down to fit him, and they worked great until he was big enough for the prefolds. I do have a few Snappis on hand, but usually don't end up using them. Just laying the diaper in the cover works great. Also, I wanted to second someone's earlier recommendation for diaperpin.com, and put in a plug for my favorite diaper store (hope that is ok!), naturalbabies.com. The woman who owns it is so great, and her diapers and prices are really good. HTH! -Michelle Mom to Owen 3/17/04 |
#18
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cloth diapers?
We used cloth with #1, and now with #2, but I guess we're one of the few
to use diaper service. MIL paid for the first year or so with #1, but we've been on our own since. You could go both ways, get service for a few months, then use that time to figure out which covers you like, and try different types of diapers once in a while to see what you want to use when you buy your own. It could be a good gift registry thing too, for people to pay for a week or a month of diaper service for you. We tried a bunch of different covers. Decided we didn't like the rubber pants because if there is a blowout, pulling the pants down over the legs always resulted in spreading the blowout over every inch of the child's lower body... We tried covers we found in the store (Target, BrU) and they self destructed very quickly, I tried wool and found them too fussy to care for for my taste. I prefer anything that touched pee and poop to be able to be practically boiled in the washer and incinerated in the dryer, and I just didn't get what to do with the wool ones. It seemd to me I wasn't actually supposed to wash them very often, and I just couldn't get my mind around that. And then when you did, they needed special soap or something. Mine were in tatters very quickly. We have finally settled on the Bummis Whisper Wraps, which state in their write-up that they can withstand industrial washing, which is exactly the kind of thing I want! They have worked great for us! You can make/buy washable liners to beef up absorbancy for naps and night, or use a couple of diapers at once, with one or two folded inside one put on reglarly, and maybe one size bigger cover for night. -Karen, mom to Henry who will be 4 very soon, and William 4 weeks new- |
#19
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cloth diapers?
"Kim E." wrote in message a.net... I was getting ready to post a similar question, so thought I'd piggy back. I would like to use cloth diapers as well and was wondering what people have found to be good brands/types. In looking I have found the traditional kind available at Target and everywhere, and then some expensive but nice and cozy looking ones online (that have velcro fasteners and built-in waterproof exteriors.) I will definitely launder myself. Does anyone have brand recommendations? Also, are some types better for newborns? Thanks! -kim Hey Kim, I am only 2 1/2 months into this, but I thought I'd share with you my favorites. As far as diapers themselves go, I've used Gerber flat diapers, unbleached Chinese prefolds (from an online vendor), and Kissaluvs. Of these three, the prefolds work the best and will have the longest life, but the other two had their place as well. We used the flat diapers when DS was just a couple weeks old, because he was so small that the infant-sized prefolds were way too big for him. They were absobant enough for a newborn, but they certainly wouldn't work for him now. I think we used them for about 2 weeks total. The Kissaluvs were great for the first month...again, absorbant enough for a newborn, and really easy to get a good fit. In those first few weeks when we were just getting used to taking care of a newborn, they seemed less scary than the prefolds. Of course, they are really expensive and don't last long, so I'm not sure they are really worth the money, but gosh, are they cute! Now we just use the prefolds with velcro covers, and they are terrific (and much easier than I expected). For covers, I've used Proraps velcro and snap, Bummis, LiteWraps and some fleece and wool covers of my own concoction. Fit is important with covers, so you may have to try a few before you find the covers that work best for you...and you may have to change brands as your baby's shape/size change. The Proraps worked great for us when our baby was long and skinny, but now that he is chubby and short, I like the LiteWraps and Bummis much better. When you buy your covers, I'd recommend going with an online vendor that has a good return policy. I'd recommend picking up a few different types of covers to try. Hold them up to your baby when you get them, and send back the ones that don't look like they will give your baby a good fit. Also, many of the online companies are run by WAHMs (work-at-home moms) who really know their stuff. Email them, let them know what size/shape your baby is, and they will help you pick the covers that are likely to work for you. www.diaperpin.com is a great site for recommendations. Just wanted to second something that Angela said about covers...The ones that have fold-back tabs for the wash are the best (Bummis and Litewraps have them, Proraps do not). Otherwise the velcro opens in the wash and the covers stick to everything. The only diapers I've bought that I have regretted have been the AIOs. They aren't that much easier than laying a prefold in a velcro cover, and they are much more expensive and a pain to launder. Some people love them, though... HTH! Michelle Mom to Owen, who loves a good clean diaper 3/17/04 |
#20
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cloth diapers?
Thank you for all the tips! I figured the Target cloth diapers were
probly best for burping! I never thought about the velcro causing a pile o' diapers in the laundry. After looking at some of this stuff online, I think I will probly go with a combination of Chinese prefolds and shaped diapers. I am sifting through all the recommendations to try to decide which shaped ones to go with. I have a few more questions: -Do those snappies really work to fasten the diaper securely? They looked like a great idea that might not stay put from the pics. -What kind of covers are good to use with the prefolds? As in pull-up vs velcro closure, wool vs fleece vs cotton etc. -With the diapers you use, the mother-ease, you said the diapers will last until potty training - does this mean the same size fits from newborn to toddler?? That seems to be what you are saying, but it seems to good to be true! -What would you recommend for night time specifically? Thanks!!! -kim In article , says... Unless you can afford no better, you may prefer to steer clear of the diapers available at Target, Fred Meyer, or other chain stores. These tend to sport an "absorbent pad" which in reality is less absorbent than the plain cotton would have been, and....no. If you wish to use prefold diapers, spend your $2 each and search the net until you find Chinese Cotton Prefold Diapers. These can be used pinless with velcro wraps, or with pins or Snappies and pull-on or snap-on pants or covers in any variety of types (PUL, wool, fleece, etc). There is nothing wrong with these, and if money is a concern, this is the inexpensive way to go. If you wish to use shaped diapers, well, I love the Mother-Ease system. At about $9 per diaper, it's a substantial initial outlay, but the diapers should last until the child is potty-trained, so the per-use cost is very low. Plus, it fits most baby body shapes from newborn to 35 lbs (and I can confirm this is true. I have used these for those sizes.) If you want the kind with velcro tabs, make sure you get some with fold-back patches so you can fold the tabs back for laundering. Otherwise you will have a ball o' diapers when you take them out of the dryer, and you will not be happy. I personally do not like velcro. Babies learn to undo it pretty darned fast. And I don't like the feel, but your mileage may vary. There are some beautiful work-at-home-mom-made velcro (and snap) diapers out there. You will save money if you choose a one-size diaper. Many kinds of diapers, including the pocket diapers such as the Fuzzi Bunz system, come in various sizes, so you will be buying new ones (and they are expensive) all along as your baby grows. But, the pocket diapers are appealing if you really mind baby having wetness against the skin. My kids have never cared, so I haven't either. If If you can get back to us with what style you think you like best, maybe we can point you toward better information? |
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