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cloth diapers?



 
 
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  #11  
Old May 20th 04, 01:25 PM
D&K Condron
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Default 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  
Old May 20th 04, 01:53 PM
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Default cloth diapers?

(tigger) wrote in message . com...
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?


I have used cloth diapers on my son - now 9 months - since birth. The
people who tell you horror stories have never actually used cloth
diapers or haven't recently used cloth diapers or didn't use good
cloth diapers. I heard all of it while I was pregnant, too, and found
that most people were shocked when they actually saw the diapers that
I intended to use.

We used Kissaluvs exclusively when DS was a newborn. You can read
about them at kissaluvs.com. I bought them from naturalbabies.com (I
highly recommend her site - she's a great WAHM!). They are expensive
at about $9 a piece. I had about 25 of them and that was enough. The
good news is that I resold them on eBay for almost 95% of what I paid
for them. He was basically diapered for free for the first couple
months. We used Bummis, ProRaps, and Bumkins covers and they all
worked fine and were all sold on eBay for a good return as well. If
you buy good cloth diapers, you will be able to sell them with no
problems. The diapers that they sell at Babies R Us aren't good
diapers. You can read reviews of all different types of diapers at
diaperpin.com.

I used a variety of other diapers as I was trying to find the
'perfect' diaper. The biggest trick is trying to find a good nighttime
diaper after baby starts sleeping long stretches. We use FuzziBunz and
absolutely love them. We first started using them for nighttime and
now use them full-time.

We do our own washing and I think it would probably be more difficult
to use a service really. We wash one full load every other night. DS
is breastfed and eating solids, but his poops are still not solid so
we don't dump anything or soak. It just all disolves in the wash.
Since about 5 months, he has massive bowel movements that almost
always escapes the diaper. I had him in a disposable last weekend
(testing for vacation) and he exploded out of it even worse. I never,
ever had a poop leak until he was 5 months old though.



-Lesley

  #13  
Old May 20th 04, 05:56 PM
Jaclyn
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Default 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



  #15  
Old May 20th 04, 11:04 PM
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Default cloth diapers?

(Elitsirk) wrote in message . com...
(tigger) wrote in message . com...

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



I have a piggy back question here. I've heard conflicting reports as
to which is cheaper: diaper service or cloth diapers. We have
friends who use a diaper service here in town that costs $14 a week,
which sounds decent to me. How much do people usually spend on
disposable diapers?


Well, I would think that you would spend about that much on
disposables. I just bought a pack of Huggies for vacation.
30-something of them for $9. The big determiner seems to be how often
you change them. Most people that I know who use disposables will
leave the baby in the same diaper for hours or until there is a
noticeable smell. I don't leave him in one for more than 3 hours. Day
care changes all the kids every 2 hours so he goes through 6 diapers a
day there. If he were in disposables, we'd be going through 7 a day,
so nearly 50 a week.

DH and I are looking at all our options here, though washing our own
cloth diapers is probably at the bottom of the list based on time. We
hardly get our own laundry done some weeks, and we know we'll be
adding regular baby laundry too. The last thing we need is *more*
loads per week.


We were the same way. All of our laundry for the week waited until
Sunday night and then we argued about who had to do it and it didn't
usually all get done. Strangely, we don't seem to have a problem with
diapers. We do diapers every other night. We just chuck them into the
wash when we come in the house and put them in the dryer last thing
before we go to bed. I wouldn't want a service because I wouldn't want
a week of diapers sitting around my house. I feel the same way about
disposables, too. I don't want them sitting in the garage waiting for
the trash man. If he does a very bad stinky poop, I can handle it
immediately by throwing it in the wash.

We also haven't figured out childcare for once I go
back to work (when the baby's about 3 months old)--I don't know if all
daycares will work with cloth diapers if we were to go that route
(there's a possiblility we may use a nanny or in-home person also, but
we just don't know that yet).


Both centers that are considered were fine with cloth diapers. He's
been wearing them to day care for the past 6 months with no problems.
I brought in an example when I talked to them about it so they knew
that I wasn't using the old flats and pins method and they were open
to the idea.


Anyways, just gathering data here so we can make an informed choice.
Any guesses on diaper costs would be appreciated. Thanks!


We've gone the terribly expensive route on cloth diapering and I'm
pretty sure we're still ahead. I haven't ever calculated it because
cost wasn't ever what drove me to cloth diapering. His newborn diapers
were $9 a piece, but I resold them on eBay for over $8. I resold all
his wraps for at least 50% of new. Although my initial cash outlay was
in the several hundreds (which, of course, is not necessary), I
estimate that I spent less than $75 to diaper him for the first 2.5
months. At 2.5 months, we switched over to FuzziBunz full-time. He is
still wearing the same ones we bought at that time (they fit 15 - 25
lbs). We bought 25 $20 diapers (insert and diaper), but he's been
wearing them for over 6 months now.

--Elit.
#1 due 9/20/2004

  #16  
Old May 20th 04, 11:20 PM
tigger
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Default 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  
Old May 21st 04, 02:15 AM
Shelly
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old May 21st 04, 02:25 AM
Karen
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Default 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  
Old May 21st 04, 02:39 AM
Shelly
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Default 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  
Old May 21st 04, 04:01 AM
Kim E.
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Default 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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