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View Full Version : Diaper v. Cloth



lisajane
12-22-2003, 07:14 PM
Hi Folks,

I'm a newbie to this, expecting my first in March, and just now starting to think about diapers. Is there a good discussion on this or another forum that someone could point me to regarding the pros/cons of cloth and disposable?

And, is there also a discussion or list of what one needs to get started with CD'ing, including not just names but a quick description of what each product is? I just printed out the acronym list posted by HeatherSanders which has been helpful for reading through these posts!

I actually nanny'ed for a friend of mine almost ten years ago, for her daughter from 6-11 months, and she used cloth diapers, with just flatfolds in rubbery covers. They seemed fine to me. I'm just trying to figure out if CD'ng is really so difficult. And if washing them at home is so difficult.

Thanks much for any input!

Melanie
12-22-2003, 08:41 PM
Okay, I did not CD when my son was a newborn...but ever since we've switched it really is not that big of a difficult deal. You'd think it would be, coming from the disp. mindset, but it wasn't!

Have you seen Heather's website about the "diaper drama?" That's a good pro & con article....

http://www.punkinbutt.com/diaper_drama.html

Oops...kiddo's awake...I'll try to BBL.

Melanie
12-23-2003, 01:19 PM
As for getting started, you will want enough to wash every 2-3 days. If you are used to flat folds, you could go with prefolds as the least expensive route. I think with our next I will do prefolds at first b/c they go through SO many diapers at that age, and they hold still for changes. If you get prefolds, DO NOT BUY GERBER or anything you can find at BRU. Chinese prefolds are the best. Punknibutt still has some preemie & regular in stock. She's going out of business so they are a good price. I've heard Preemie is good at first, but you won't get a lot of use out of them unless you use them as doublers or pocket-stuffers later.

Can I be more confusing? Who here has diapered a newborn and can help with how many diapers and covers she will need?

egoldber
12-23-2003, 03:13 PM
The standard newborn advice is either Kissaluvs size 0, and a combination of preemie and infant size prefolds. Newborns poop a LOT, so I would get 3 dozen of some type of newborn diaper.

For covers, again for the newborn stage, I would stick with something inexpensive like Proraps velcro covers and get at least 6.

As far as pros and cons of cloth vs disposable, here's my take and I have done (and still use) both. You already know that cloth is not the horrible mess that the average new parent fears. It just isn't. What I have come down to is using cloth at home and for short trips, and disposables for long outings and travel. This way I get the benefits of both.

As I see it the main benefits of disposables are that they are easy for anyone to learn, they are compact and they really do hold an amazing amount of pee. The main cons of disposables are cost (pretty shocking when you add it up), environmental, and that some babies don't get a good fit with any brand disposable.

The main benefits of cloth are: (it can be) inexpensive, fun (truly!), there are so many choices that you can customize a fit for your child, and they truly are superior at containing blow-outs and leaks. The main cons of cloth are: start up cost and bulk (most clothing is not sized for cloth diaper butt, especially toddler sizes).

HTH,

pritchettzoo
12-23-2003, 04:05 PM
I've been cloth diapering DD since we got home from the hospital, and it's not difficult at all. As long as you don't mind doing laundry.

My research began here. I did searches on this site on all combinations of "newborn" "CD" "Cloth diaper"--you name it; I looked it up! I'll pull up a few searches for you when I get a minute. I just wanted to write briefly now...

I started with 12 Kissaluvs and 24 infant prefolds and proraps for covers. I also started using 6 Sugarpeas about 1 week in, but DD was 10 lbs at birth. I still use those Kissaluvs, and I've added 6 size 1s and some Nikky covers. For newborns, especially breastfed newborns, my "dream stash" (do a search on that and "newborn stash" too!) would be 24 KL size 0s and proraps. I've heard that Green Earth covers are exactly the same as proraps but softer, but I haven't tried them personally. You need the tight gussets on the proraps to keep in the BF poo.

I'll edit this later--my best advice is to just read this forum--go back through the "archives." You will learn more than you ever wanted to know!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

papal
12-23-2003, 07:03 PM
10lbs! Wow! Way to go!! Anna... if you don't mind me asking..what was your birth experience like? I am still recovering from mine and Leela was just 6pounds 7 ounces. She is almost 10 weeks and still just 9 pounds.

lizajane
12-23-2003, 08:58 PM
post and question hyjack...

i had a 9 1/2 lbs baby in 11 hours with 30-45 min of easy pushing. it all depends on YOUR body, really, not your baby's body. :)

ORIGINAL QUESTION!
i never even considered using disposables. we used them for 2 weeks, until my giant fit into small covers (we knew he would grow out of newborns too fast to bother with them) and until we were ready to do laundry. my very personal opinion is this: cloth diapers are NOT hard to put on a baby, are NOT hard to wash, are NOT inconvienient and are MUCH better for the environment and your wallet. (because i only use inexpensive diapers and covers) if someone tries to tell you that washing the diapers makes them bad for the environment, remind them that someone has to MAKE all the sposies in some big ol' factory with a bunch of nasty ingredients like CRUDE OIL and very unnatural chemicals even before they start filling up landfills. (please excuse soapbox rant...)

i have no problem with people who use sposies. really!! they just are not for me or my family, but i realize many folks in the world are not able to do the laundry. of course, i would just tell them to get a service. :)

good luck making a choice! whatever you decide, it will be right for you and your family and that is great.

papal
12-23-2003, 09:13 PM
Hijacked-post-reply-response.
9.5 pounds!!! 45 minutes of EASY pushing! I am starting to feel like a total wuss now. That is truly AMAZING.

Original post reply (i never did reply the first time.. i was just in awe over the 10 pound baby):

We started doing cloth from the time we brought Leela home from hospital. Since we never used disposables (except one day when we made a day trip to Richmond.. and we kept staring at her bum because she was looking so trim for a change), I guess we never had a chance to get used to their convenience factor. I think that is the main advantage of disposables. You dont have to worry about bringing home dirty diapers..you can buy diapers anywhere if you run out..your diaper bag is trimmer...and your babys bum is trimmer... it is however not as much fun. :)
Cloth is really easy to manage once you have a system down. Doing laundry is no big deal...we do it once a day (mostly because i just have one firefly nighttime that i HAVE to use these days at night) .. and at some point i started enjoying folding those clean nappies.
Once you get started researching and get your first fluffy mail you will get really excited about starting to CD.
Good luck!

pritchettzoo
12-23-2003, 10:38 PM
She was 10 lbs, 1.3 oz and delivered by c-section. We tried to induce labor (she was only 1 week late, but they knew how huge she was and we were sure of the dates), but after 12 hours of pitocin, I had weird contractions and no progress. I never dilated and only got 50% effaced. The doctor gave me the option of trying the induction again the next day or going ahead with the c-section. All 4 doctors in the practice had expressed surprise at the small diameter of my pubic bone (upon the fabulously comfortable internal exams) considering my "birthing hips" :), so I knew going into it that it was likely to result in a c-section. I know c-sections are sort of controversial here, but I was confident in my doctor (especially the one who performed the c-section) and do not have any feelings of "failure" from the fact that I didn't deliver vaginally. I'm not trying to stir up any cans of worms here! The only thing I was concerned about was the end result of a healthy baby, which I have. I was feeling okay and moving around without any pain to speak of by the 2 week checkup.

I hope you fully recover soon!
Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

papal
12-24-2003, 10:47 AM
You are absolutely right...as long as the baby is healthy and the mom is healthy.. the type of delivery is inconsequential. Having said that... i was all about the 'i want to do this the way nature intended... no medications.. blah blah'... but as soon as i was checked into the hospital i threw that theory out of the window and had just one word to say.. EPIDURAL!

Thanks for sharing!

Melanie
12-24-2003, 12:53 PM
LOL at the doctors telling you that you had birthing hips and a small pubic bone...how did you not flatten them!? ;-)

I'm glad your 'little' sweetie is doing well.

toomanystrollers
12-24-2003, 01:24 PM
Ok, I had to chime in on big babies :) Neve was 10 lbs, 23", vaginal birth and the easiest recovery ever??? I guess after 3 kids - I'm all stretched out LOL

papal
12-24-2003, 03:06 PM
Wowee! That is amazing Pam! 23" and 10lbs.. i am in complete awe!!
Leela is almost 10 weeks and still just 9 pounds and 21 inches. I guess she will never be a tall or big since both dh and i are just 5'3'. but I cannot even imagine what carrying a 10pounder would be like.. i had trouble walking and sleeping with a 6.5 pounder. And had 4th degree lacerations (tear and episiotomy) to recover from.. ouch! I certainly hope it gets easier the second and third time around!

Congratulations (albeit late!).
(I really should start another thread.. dont mean to hijack this one again!)

lisajane
12-24-2003, 10:01 PM
Thanks to all! Your responses are so helpful, as is Heather Sanders' website.

I've had so many people say that the negative environmental effects of disposables versus having to wash all the diapers basically equal each other, but I don't really see how that could be true.

mudder17
12-31-2003, 09:44 AM
Wow, I've been gone for 5 days and seem to have missed quite a bit. It's been really fascinating catching up on all the posts, especially the birth stories.

Anyway, quick question about the BRU prefolds. I had a friend recommend the Kushi prefolds that sell at BRU. Why are they not as good as the CPF's? Any comments on the various brands of prefolds out there and their pros and cons for newborns/infants? After reading through a lot of the posts, I'm starting to get an idea on covers.

By the way, I should mention that I'm planning on BF, so the poopy will probably be very runny.

Thanks!


Eileen
Mother-to-Be in February :)

nitaghei
12-31-2003, 10:49 AM
Rashmi,

(continuing with the thread hi-jack)

If it makes you feel better - you have company! DS was just 7 lbs 2 oz (but almost 21") and I had massive tearing, beyond the episiotomy. I was on restricted activity for SIX weeks (no driving :() And yes, 17.5 hours of labor (including back labor); 2.5 hours of hard pushing; 2 rounds of Pitocin, and DS still needed a vacuum extraction (very short cord). I would have been better off with a C-section, I think.

Nita
mom to Neel 01/05/03
dog mom to a cocker and a PWD

daisymommy
12-31-2003, 01:02 PM
Eileen,
I haven't seen the Kushies prefolds, so I can't comment on those. But the Gerber ones are not nearly as absorbant, and defiently not as soft. A good prefold is buttery soft after several washings!

As far as quality goes, most prefolds don't have a brand name, only a "type". Listed below are the types of prefolds, in order from BEST, to WORST.
-Indian or European prefolds (softest, but extremely hard to find--I've never seen them for sale, and the center panel or crotch area is more narrow).
-*Chinese Prefolds (CPF's)What most moms here use, very soft and absorbant, easy to find.
-Diaper service quality (DSQ)
-Gerber diaper servive quality/store bought type.
-Birdseye/flats (the printed type of Gerber burp cloths; don't even bother!).

I have bought all my Chinese prefolds from Naturalbabies.com, and LilBunz.com and LOVE them. I prefer the unbleached ones because they are softer, stain less, and some say they are more absorbant.

Good Luck!

mudder17
01-03-2004, 08:18 PM
There is a person (granitesmith) on ebay that is selling the European prefolds, in case anyone is interested.


Eileen
Mother-to-Be :)
edd 2-24-04

NEVE and TRISTAN
01-04-2004, 05:47 PM
That's what we use, wee bees sells them too...I bought mine from granitesmith though, but the wee bees site goes into a nice schpiel about them. I was told they were the ones to get (I'm not saying they are I don't know) but did buy those...

Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

mudder17
01-04-2004, 10:18 PM
I wasn't absolutely positive what to get, so I e-mailed granitesmith (Teresa) and she was very helpful. In the end, I ordered a dozen each of the Euro (preemie), Indian (infant), and Chinese Prefolds (infant). I also got a couple of the Classic ProRaps (newborn), a couple of the Color ProRaps (infant), and one of the DSQ Raps (infant), all with the leg gussets. I can't wait to get my order. :) Anyway, it was very pleasant doing business with Teresa because she answered all of my questions and helped me place an order that I felt good about. I think we must have sent 8 (x2) e-mail messages back and forth!


Eileen
Mother-to-Be :)
edd 2-24-04

daisymommy
01-04-2004, 10:44 PM
It sounds like you got a great mix of things to try :) Let us know which type (Euro, Indian, or Chinese) you prefer when you get them. Obviously some prefernce will haev to be once you try them on your baby, to see what fits, and which is more absorbent. But once they are properly washed and fluffed, I'm sure you'll know which ones are the softest and plushiest. I love to get Fluffy Mail! :D

NEVE and TRISTAN
01-04-2004, 11:07 PM
I think the Euros are known for not being the softest...but they are knon for their absorbancy and durability (that's just from the little I have read about them)...

I'd love to here a review on all three...
Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties