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Cloth Diapering and more…

This is an old post from a few years ago when I had just begun to cloth diaper. We’re now in the process of potty training but I know that when I first began the cloth diapering journey it was a bit overwhelming. So here’s my 2 cents. And I’ll add in commentary post 2 years where necessary!

I have a couple of friends who are going to be using cloth diapers soon and I just wanted to share the things I’ve learned. Feel free to take it or leave it. Here’s the system I’ve been using and what I think of each item.

I have 2 Plant Wise pail liners . I rotate one in the wash and one in the pail. They work really well. I bought a garbage pail at Bed Bath and Beyond that has a lid, which helps keep in any stink that may develop.
I bought a Planet Wise Wet bag but found the one I bought was too big for on the go and have since been using it as her dirty laundry basket. It’s great because it hangs on the door handle behind her door and doesn’t require having a dirty laundry basket. I probably would have bought a smaller planet wise wet bag for the diaper bag but I ran across a Munchkin wet/dry bag at Target for about $10. (The link shows a wet bag only but I couldn’t find the exact one I bought). (Now with baby #2, I’ve purchased a Skip Hop wet/dry bag that I like.) One thing I like about the Planet Wise bag better than the Munchkin one is the plastic liner isn’t adhered to the back of the fabric on the munchkin one. It’s hard to explain what happens when it comes out of the wash; the liner kind of comes out of the fabric. It works fine; I’m just a little worried that it won’t hold up as long as maybe one of the Planet Wise ones. (Now 2 years post…it is still holding up just fine!)
As far as diapers go, I’ve been using a combination of pockets and prefolds with covers (thanks to Claire). The prefolds have definitely been easier with a newborn, primarily because they go through them so fast. Even now at 6 weeks old, my daughter is going through so many less than she was. Seriously, in the beginning, she was going so often that I was changing out the prefold a few times every hour! It was definitely easier to use the prefold system with the covers than the pockets. (After she got a little older, we switched to just the pocket diapers.) (Now with baby #2, I wish I would have stuck with prefolds and flats entirely with only a few pockets for when we had child care. The pockets didn’t hold up as well as I would have liked after 2 years and now on baby #2. The flats and prefolds would have been a cheaper way to go long term.)
As far as my review of each one…
Thirsties Cover -I really like these. So far, I think they might rank as my favorite cover. They seem to fit well and they have the double gussets so they help prevent leaks.
Rumparooz Newborn Cover-These also fit well and have the double gussets. They seem to fit a little smaller than the thirsties so they’re a great pick for newborns.
Flip-For some reason I just like the way these look and feel. They don’t have the double gussets like the other but so far I haven’t had any leaks with them. They do fit a little bigger than the others and will probably continue to fit better as she continues to grow.
Blueberry-I would say that I’m not impressed with these ones yet. Even though as far as sizing goes, these were intended to be the same size as the Thirsties and the Flip that I bought but they look so much bigger. I’m going to wait to use it till she’s a little bit bigger. It may actually work well as an overnight diaper because it may allow more room for additional liners. (Never really liked this one)
Those are the covers that I’ve been using. Thanks to Claire, who loaned me her prefolds, I’ve been using her Green Mountain Newborn prefolds. She cut some down to fit better for newborns, but then she later said she found out they sell premie size. The smaller ones worked better initially but now some of the larger ones are fitting better.
Now, as far as the pockets. We use these less than the prefolds because she was going through diapers so quickly. The prefolds also work better for on the go because the prefolds take up less room in your diaper bag than the pocket diapers. Nonetheless, we still use the pockets too. (And used the pockets exclusively as she got a little older).
Rumparooz-So far, these are my favorite. The only time I’ve had one leak was one of the used ones I bought. I’m planning to strip that one diaper and see if it still leaks. Most of my pocket diaper stash are Rumparooz. They are super soft and seem to draw the moisture away from her delicate little bottom. There have been times I can’t even feel the moisture on the diaper portion that touches her. The only way I know its wet is by taking the liner out of the pocket. (Now two years later, these are my least favorite diaper. The elastic in most of them gave out and I had to replace the elastic.)
BumGenius– I’ve had these leak a couple of times. There isn’t much material to them. I think if I use a second liner they would probably be okay. They are much thinner and trimmer than some of the other pocket diapers but I haven’t fallen in love with them. They also don’t have the double gussets which makes them more prone to leaking. (These became my favorite over the 2 years!)
Charlie Banana-I like this one but I’m not in love with it. It’s uber soft. It doesn’t have snaps to make it one size. Instead there is adjustable elastic in the legs. It’s kind of a different feature. (I did like this feature of being able to adjust leg size.  Especially after long time use. Make fit with baby #2 much easier.)
Kawaii– I recently received one as a free diaper with a purchase I was making. To be honest, I’m not entirely impressed. I haven’t even used it yet! It just seems so big and bulky. The fact that it’s a mauve velvet on the outside probably doesn’t help it win me over. I’ll let you know if I try it and end up liking it.
I’ve ordered some hemp and bamboo inserts for my pockets because I have been noticing some stink when I use the microfiber ones. I’ll let you know if I notice a difference. Apparently because they are natural fibers they are anti-microbial and anti-fungal, both of which help prevent stink issues. (I also bought hemp and bamboo fabric and made my own. Way cheaper if you are handy with the sewing machine!)
I have some Bumgenius cloth wipes but we’ve only been using disposables for now. Yes I know! All the waste piling up in the landfill. I can’t wait till we switch to cloth wipes too. We just have SOOO many disposable ones that we’ll use up those first. When I do I’ll make my own wipe solution but I haven’t researched it yet because we aren’t there quite yet. (We ended up using a solution of lavender oil, natural soap, and almond or grapeseed oil. I cut up a couple of my husband’s old white undershirts and use those as wipes. Works great!)
I’ve still been using CJ’s Butter unscented for her diaper rash. So far so good. (I later made a mix of coconut oil and lavender oil and used just that!)
As far as washing, I’ve used both Tide Original powder detergent and Rockin Green. Both of them have worked fine. I got the green tea Rockin Green and don’t love the smell. Because I haven’t been using the diapers for too long, I can’t say as to whether or not either of them have build up issues. Till now, we’ve had no issues. All I do is throw the diapers in the pail once soiled and then throw them into the wash when I’m ready. They do come out of the wash a little stained but within 10-15 minutes of drying in the sunlight, they are bleached white as brand new. It’s amazing how the sun does that! (I ended up using the Tide almost exclusively. Occasionally I’d throw a squirt of Dawn Dishsoap in to break down build up or Calgon water softener. Now with baby #2, I’m experimenting with detergents again trying to find something more natural than Tide.  I tried Country Save and recently got Charlie’s Soap. )
Not that this has to do with diapers but it’s on the same line of “green.” I hated throwing away so many disposable breast pads. Not to mention the cost of them. I had some Medela cloth nursing pads, and they absorbed well but there was nothing to stop it from absorbing right through to my shirt. I recently received a free pair of Bamboobies. So far, I haven’t had any issues with them. They are super thin and comfortable. Only time it leaked was after I’d been sleeping and it shifted so it wasn’t in the right position to actually absorb. I’ve had that issue with both disposables and the reusable so I can’t count this against them. If it means anything, I did just order a few more. I noticed they sell them at Kelly’s Closet, which is where I’ve been buying some of my cloth diaper stuff. The nice thing about Kelly’s Closet is that you get points for all your purchases. Eventually, you can turn the points in for credit. (Now, I absolutely love the Bamboobies! May favorite!)
I also like purchasing from Granola Babies. I found them when I was looking for a place to do a registry for my baby showers. When I found that they were somewhat local (Newport Beach), I loved that I was helping to support the community. Joe went in there to pick up some stuff one time and said that they were super friendly and helpful. I love that I know when I’m shopping I’m supporting something good. It makes paying a few extra bucks all worth it.
Alright, I finally have a baby sleeping in the moby on my chest and my back is in a kink from the position I’m in. Therefore, I think that might be the conclusion of this blog posting!

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