Cloth Diaper Ideas?

[Out of the Blue]

Anyone use Flips? I think they're the cheaper version of BGs but I actually like them better. I was a bit reticent to try them since I thought cheaper = lower quality but they work great for my son. I like to use the Flips inserts in other diapers too. These days, cloth diapering is soooo much easier than people realize. The trick is to find the cloth diapers that work the best w/your child so you may have to try several different types until you find the right ones.

[Aqua]

I am planning to do CD for my lil one. Thats good info Chunky Monkey. I have one question though. So do we or don't we need a diaper jenie for CDs? If not what is the alternative to throw them until they are washed?

[Out of the Blue]

Aqua - no Diaper Genie...Buy 1 or 2 cloth diaper wet bags...

http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Wise-Di.../dp/B003852QL0

You can leave them in there and zip it up and there's no stink at all until you open it. You can store dirty diapers in there for a day or two and then just dump them in the wash, turn the bag inside-out and wash it as well. I prefer to use plain Tide (regular scent, etc.) for washing the diapers since it smells good and seems to do the best job. Don't ever use softener or stain remover when washing the diapers/bag. HTHs! Congrats on your Oct. baby!!!

[Aqua]

Have anyone of you tried the cloth diapering service? One of friends suggested me that and said it makes it easier for first time CDers and does not overwhelm them to give up. Any opinions on that one?

[gossie]

Have anyone of you tried the cloth diapering service? One of friends suggested me that and said it makes it easier for first time CDers and does not overwhelm them to give up. Any opinions on that one?

If you use a service, it will just be prefolds and covers. I never really got into prefolds but a lot of people love them for their easy care. A service would be fantastic (not having to wash yourself) but for me it's worth the extra work on my end to be able to use bumGenius which I find way easier than prefolds. Also, the amount of bleach diaper services have to use turned me off.

[Aqua]

Thanks gossie. One more Q. Sorry if that makes me sound too ameture in CD. I am getting the bumgenious diaper to start with my newborn. This is what I am getting from babies r us:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...uct_skn=556860

Will this fit the newborns too? And what do I wash? I would also need to get the small cloths called inserts that go into this right?
As and when those inserts are soiled I collect them in a wet bag and wash them?
How about washing these bum genious things? How many of these do you need?

[gossie]

Thanks gossie. One more Q. Sorry if that makes me sound too ameture in CD. I am getting the bumgenious diaper to start with my newborn. This is what I am getting from babies r us:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...uct_skn=556860

Will this fit the newborns too? And what do I wash? I would also need to get the small cloths called inserts that go into this right?
As and when those inserts are soiled I collect them in a wet bag and wash them?
How about washing these bum genious things? How many of these do you need?

Those are great diapers, my current favorite. Although I'm sure you COULD use them on a newborn, I found them way too bulky. I used these at first and loved them: http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_...oducts_id=1811 I used the XS size and they fit until maybe 6 weeks but it was worth it for me to have something that fit so well right at the beginning. Then I used the S size until around 2-3 months (I think you could probably use the smalls right from the start though.) And you can sell them when you are finished and make most of your money back if the $ is a concern.

The ones you linked to (the one-size/4.0 bumGenius) come with an insert. So you don't need to buy anything extra. The ones I linked to (the all-in-one/3.0 bumGenius) have the insert actually sewn it, it's all one piece, so again nothing extra to buy.

We use a simple human trash can as our diaper pail with a pail liner from Planetwise inside. When we take off the diaper, I pull (or shake if it's a dirty diaper) the insert out and drop both pieces into the pail. As long as you are exclusively breastfeeding there is no need to rinse poopy diapers, breastfed baby poop is completely water soluble. When the pail is full I take the liner out and dump the whole thing into the washing machine, turning the liner inside out in the process and throwing that in too. I do a cold rinse with some Bac-Out (you can buy at Whole Foods or online), a hot wash and rinse with a bit of detergent, and then an extra warm rinse at the end to make sure all the detergent is out. Then you can throw everything in the dryer. Once every few months if my diapers are getting smelly I bleach the inserts only.

As far as how many, I think I had 24 or so at the start and had to wash pretty much daily. Now I have 28 and wash every 2-3 days. As your baby grows and uses fewer diapers you won't go through them so quickly.

My biggest piece of advise to a new cloth diaper user is to take it slow and don't get discouraged. It gets much easier with a bigger baby...so if you are feeling overwhelmed at first give yourself a break and come back to it later. With my first we started by using them just at home and disposables when we went out. Then for a while we still used disposables at night. Just do what you can manage, even part time cloth diapering is great for your baby and the planet!

[Aqua]

That answered all my start up questions. It was super helpful gossie. Thank you so much. I browsed through cotton babies and I just cannot stop..lol. I think that'll go into my fav list and looks like I'll be more on it than FB. Yup, I am planning to breast feed for atleast first 8 mo and maybe only in the nights after that since I am going to Quit my job!!

Feels like a whole new phase for me, I am going to be a at-home cloth diapering mama and I am excited. Thanks on the Bac-Out tip too. I love whole foods! I am going to start off with the XS size.

[Aqua]

Gossie, I ordered 3 BG 3.0 from cotton babies and just recieved them. I wanted to check them out to fully understand. You said you bleach only the inserts once in few months. But the inserts are sewn in? how do you bleach only them?

[gossie]

Gossie, I ordered 3 BG 3.0 from cotton babies and just recieved them. I wanted to check them out to fully understand. You said you bleach only the inserts once in few months. But the inserts are sewn in? how do you bleach only them?

Yes, on the All-In-Ones/sized diapers they are sewn in. I found that I never had to bleach those as I used them for a short period of time (just until the 4.0/one sized ones fit) and DS was not eating solids yet. It's totally fine to bleach the whole diaper though, and some people do bleach both the insert and the shell of the 4.0, I just prefer not to as I don't find it necessary and it keeps the bleach on something that never touches my baby's skin