Advice on new stash

[niccig]

We've decided to give CD a try with our baby due in 2 weeks. It took a little bit to convince DH, but a CD lesson from Deb really showed me how easy it can be and he's willing to try (Thanks Deb). So here's my thoughts on a stash.
I'm thinking of getting the newborn plus package from natural babies:
24 x infant prefolds
12 x kissaluvs 0
3 x classic proraps (1 newborn, 2 small)
3 x Bummis Industrial super whisper wrap (1 newborn, 2 small)

Plus:
Extra 6 kissaluvs to give us 18 in total, DH really liked the look of these so anything to make it easier for him.

2 cute covers (one newborn, one small): either Litewrap or bummis super print. Or any other options for cute prints (this will win DH and my mum over to CDing)

So in total
24 prefolds, 18 kissaluvs, 3 newborn covers, 5 small covers, and a mini shower (DH wants this sooner rather than later)

Am I getting too much or too little of anything? I'm going to put my order in today.

I'm still a little worried that CD may not be for us, but we're wililng to try.

Thanks for all your advice - I've been lurking for quite a while and I've found these boards to be very helpful.

[mudder17]

Oh, congratulations!!! That's really great news.

Okay, your stash sounds very similar to my initial stash, except I had 2 dozen preemie PFs in addition to the infants, and I only had 12 kissaluvs.

Depending on the size of your newborn, the infant prefolds may seem rather bulky at first, but they can still work. I know they dwarfed Kaya when she was born (she was 7 pounds), which is why we started with the preemies. As long as you're going to have the PFs, I would suggest getting a couple of snappi's. You can get by without them by just trifolding the PFs and laying them in the wrap, but personally, I think the snappi's helped contain the newborn poop better so that I wasn't washing the covers with every change.

In terms of the covers, I loved the cute froggy print BSWW, but until I really got the hang of folding the PFs so that the gussetts were firmly around her legs, I really preferred the covers with the gussetts. That would be the Proraps and the litewraps. Actually, for her first 2 months at least, I used only proraps and color raps. If I had to go back and do it over, I would have just gone with the proraps (the colors always left red marks around her thighs). Once her poop slowed down a little, I used the BSWW and litewraps (although I would have started with litewraps earlier if I had known about them). I was able to get by with 3 newborn and 4 smalls.

Minishower? Definitely!!!! We installed that days before DD was born and played around with it to figure out how to spray without shooting water all over the bathroom walls. :) Yes, it's that powerful. Anyway, I thought it made doing the laundry a lot nicer with most of the poop sprayed away. And somehow, men (and women) find it gratifying to spray off the poop (pow!). :P

Good luck and let us know if there's anything else you need!

Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/16994.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 9 months and counting

[niccig]

I wasn't sure about preemie prefolds. I know the infants will be too big for a little while and it will take some folding to get them to fit. I could always get some preemies. But if the kissaluvs fit better than the infant prefolds would that tie me over until the infants fit better?

Thanks for telling me about the frog print BSWW - I definitely want gussetts so I'll try the literaps and get the frog later on (really like that print). I think the diaper package BSIWW means the Bummis Industrial Super Whisper Wrap and they have gussetts. I'll check first with Colleen.

Snappis are on the list too.

I could forgo the package and make my own custom arrangement: 12 preemie prefolds, 12 infant prefolds, 18 kissaluv, 3 proaps, 3 literaps and 2 bummis industrial super whisper wrap - this may be more flexible?

[rrosen]

Just to give you one more option, Bumpy Day covers have gussetts too. Colleen carries those as well.

[mudder17]

Well, I did diaper laundry every 2 days, so 12 kissaluvs would not have been enough!! I think I changed her diaper...14 times in a 24 hour period? So I think the minimum for doing diaper laundry every day would have to be 2 dozen. But again, I think you could probably use the infants with the trifold method initially and just not worry about the poop that gets onto the covers. After all, that's what the covers are for, right? :) Oh and if you have enough covers, you can probably rinse the poop off with the minishower and then toss them into the regular wash (like with baby clothes).

If your babe turns out to be small, you can always start off with your current stash and order the preemies when she/he gets here. With Kaya being 7 pounds, I used the preemies for at least 2 months, from what I can recall.


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/16994.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 9 months and counting

[mudder17]

Yes, actually that sounds more flexible. If your babe is big, you can always use the preemies as doublers later on (DH still uses the occasional preemie as a doubler at 9.5 months).


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/16994.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 9 months and counting

[niccig]

I may just make up my own package - more fun in choosing.

Just to check - do only the newborn proraps have the cut out for the cord? I know the Kissaluv 0 do, but if you put a newborn cover that doesn't have the cut out, will that defeat the purpose? Will a prorap cover work over kissaluv or do you need to use a different cover?

So many options...thanks for helping me to streamline things.

ETA what's the difference between the kissaluvs cotton/fleece and fleece/terry? Colleen only has the unbleached fleece/terry in a 6pk.

Should I consider a double or liner or insert to increase the absorbency of the kissaluvs for night time - that's if the baby sleeps more than 2 hours at a stretch!

[mudder17]

I think only the newborn covers have a cut out for the cord. I was able to use the newborn proraps over my Kissaluv 0s until at least 2 weeks, which was after the cord had fallen off and healed. I was actually able to use the newborn proraps over the preemies for at least 4 weeks. I started phasing in my small covers as soon as the cord fell off.

I don't really know the difference between kissaluvs cotton/fleece and fleece/terry. I think most of mine were fleece/terry, although I can't be positive because I got mine as seconds at the kissaluv outlet store. In fact, the outlet currently has k0's available (http://kissaluvs.com/outlet.htm):

Size 0
Some unbleached, mostly melon orange.

$89/dozen
$45/half-dozen

You probably will find that you don't need a doubler or even a microfleece insert for night time. We changed her often enough that she wasn't usually soaked for very long. You can use a microfleece insert if you'd like, just to help the baby feel drier. I didn't bother until DD was maybe 8-10 weeks? Something like that.


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://www.babysfirstsite.org/newtickers/ticker/16994.birthday.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_amber_9m.gif Breastfed 9 months and counting

[niccig]

After reading about making prefitteds and a quick phone call to my mother in Australia (she arrives here in 5 days), I've revised my stash again. Instead of getting 18 Kissaluvs 0, I'll get 12 and buy extra infant prefolds to make into prefitteds. So I'll have 24 prefolds (12 preemie and 12 infant), 12 kissaluvs 0, and several prefitteds, plus the covers sugested above.
I now feel ready to CD. I just have to wait for DS and the CDs to arrive!

Thanks to everyone for their generous advice. I really feel that I can do this.

[KrisM]

Congratulations on the baby and on CDing.

I've read all your revised lists and it sounds good to me. We used the Kissaluvs at night, since they were easier to change, and the prefolds during the day. We had infant prefolds and they were a bit big for a couple weeks, but DS was 9.5 lbs at birth.

I'd also recommend the Bumpy covers. We found that DS had, and still has, skinny thighs and the prowraps left marks on his waist when we got the thighs tight enough. Bumpy's were more adjustable and just fit better. They are more expensive though.

I don't think anyone has mentioned wipes. I would get 3 dozen cloth wipes to go along with the diapers. I like mine that are from Lucy's Hope Chest. They are soooo much better than disposible wipes.

My DH was a little reluctant to CD, but now wonders why more people don't do it.

[DebbieJ]

Yay Nicci!

Everyone has given you good advice on your stash. You saw my stash--I keep it nice and simple--so I really don't have anything to add there.

CDing is great fun and I'm sure you'll do great.

Best wishes for an easy and fast delivery!

~ deb
Mommy to my sweet boy
B born 12/03
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/10023.jpg http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/10029.gif