First Time mom...... Need advice for Clothes diapers

[new_mom_sd]

Hi all,

Need little help here. I am going to have my first baby. I started looking into Cloth Diapering couple of weeks ago and can not stop looking at cute diapers.

Have been lurking on forums to get some info on cloth diapers

I am trying to prepare before the baby comes and need your help.

I think I would start CDing (with this stash) after the baby is 3-4 weeks.

Here is what I have or have on order -

Diapers -

6 Chinese PreFold (wanted to see if CPF+cover would work for me, but now I think I should get atleast 6 more)

2 AIO (NB up to 11Lb)
1 FuzzyBunz (Small)
1 HH pocket (small)

4 AIO (onesize)
1 Wonderoo(OneSize)

1 MotherEase(needs cover)(OneSize)
* trying to get hold of few Kissaluvs 0


Covers -

2 NB - 1 prorap, 1 diperap
3 Small - 2 BSWW, 1 ME airflow

Inserts -

1 Microterry insert
1 ME Snap In Liner


I am thinking of getting 2 more inserts- 1 JoeyBunz and 1 Wonder-Fulls.

Sometimes I'm scared that I collected too many variety which might trouble me later.

What else do I need? What do you all think is missing?

Thanks,
Surabhi

[momceecers]

You've got a nice variety right now. I wouldn't order any more prefolds until you figure out what systems you are going to use. They are great, but not everyone likes them. I would get the additional inserts. I did the same thing when I was starting out. It was a little problem for DH he never knew what to do with each one, but once I figured out my system and it was easier for him. The only thing I might suggest is trying a wool cover. Good luck with it.

Cindy

[SlingMama11]

I think you have a good stash of dipes already.I started out with Fuzzi bunz - what were great first but then they just did not fit anymore and I think my DS developed a rash to the fleece.
I must say I love the idea of AIO diapers so I searched around and found

www.drybees.com
and
www.daisy-doodles.com (my absolute favourite diaper system)

Good luck and I am sure you will love CDing

[mudder17]

I would say that for a newborn (and a 3-4 week old is still a newborn), you should first look at the newborn link near the bottom of the CD 101 thread (posted at the top of this forum). I collected quite a few newborn threads in one post there. They should help you get better ideas of what you want to use.

Personally, I would get AT LEAST 6 more PFs because even if you don't use them for diapers, they are awesome as burp cloths, changing pads, cleaning up messes (oh my, I remember the cranberry juice spill at around 8 weeks!!! the cranberry juice was easily wiped off by the PFs and it didn't even stain!), etc.

In general, I would say that pockets and AIOs will not contain leaky BF'd poop very well (not sure if you're going to BF or FF). With newborns, you generally want to keep it fairly simple and unless money is no problem, it's nice to keep it fairly inexpensive because newborns grow so quickly in the early weeks.

The onesize diapers work for some babies but not for others. The only way to know is to try them. I tried a variety of them, including wonderoos and motherease, and none of them fit my babe too well. I usually ended up with leaks or with just a fit that looked rather odd. By the time she fit the MEOS well, she had outgrown the absorbency of the diaper. But again, some babies do well in some of them.

In terms of collecting too much of a variety, the only way for you to know what will work with your baby is to try a variety. You can always sell off or trade what doesn't work.

For CD'ing full-time, I would say you need a minimum of 24 diapers to wash every day and a half. Newborns go through 12-14 diapers/day easily and of course, you need some diapers while the others are being washed.

For the small covers, none of them have gussets, which means they may not contain BF'd poop very well. Also, from what I've heard, the small ME AF is pretty huge. But if you don't end up using fitted or PF diapers (which all need covers), what you have is something you can start with, although I would add a few more diapers. What you currently have is almost enough to wash every day.

But if you look at the newborn threads, you'll notice that a lot of the recommendations are for PFs, fitted (Kissaluv 0s usually), or prefitted (transformed PFs to semi fitted), snappi's and 6-8 covers. Newborns are pretty easy to experiment with in terms of figuring out prefolds and even if you don't bother figuring out the PFs, they can be trifolded and laid in a wrap and easily put on the baby. We usually recommend PFs and covers for NBs because of the cost and because if you trifold them, there's not even much of a learning curve. (Snappi'ing isn't that hard to learn and will help contain newborn poop a lot better, although covers with gussets will usually prevent leaks onto clothing.) Also, AIOs and pockets ARE more expensive (usually) and they just don't do as good a job at containing newborn poop. Several moms here have had success with pockets at around 8 weeks when their babe's poop has slowed down a little. They tend to use them at night when their babe doesn't poop. I never thought of that because DD just didn't sleep long enough at night for me to need a better system than PFs and covers until she was starting solids at 6.5 months. I did attempt pockets the first time at 4.5 months, but quit after two major poop leaks (out the legs).

Anyway, I hope this helps you out a little. Feel free to ask additional questions. I know I always had questions after reading the CD 101 thread. :)

Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://lilypie.com/baby2/040222/0/0/1/-5/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif
12.5 months: 30", 19.7 lbs, 47 cm head

[KrisM]

I agree with Eileen.

Also, you can use prefolds as inserts for pockets. So, even if you end up going with pockets, extra prefolds don't go to waste.

We started using a small FB at about 6-7 weeks, when he stopped pooping at night. Yes, he still woke a bunch of times, but he woke up more fully with a diaper change, so we skipped it. But, we were able to use a medium FB at about 10-11 weeks. So, I wouldn't get too many pockets in size small, since you're not starting until 3-4 weeks. Now, I had a big kid, so the timing might change for you.

We have a medium ME Airflow. It didn't fit him until maybe 17 lbs and still fits him at about 23 lbs. It's listed as 10-20 lbs., so the sizing is off a bit. I don't know about the smalls.

[new_mom_sd]

Thanks all. I am off to read the thread Eileen suggested.

I forgot to mention that I also got that biodegradable disp. liners, Do they work?

What covers do you suggest I should get (with leg gusset)?

Thanks,
Surabhi.

[tarahsolazy]

I wouldn't bother with liners in a little baby. I am thinking that they might be nice now, when my kiddo is a year old, and his poops are ploppable. It was so runny, like mustard for several months, and I don't think they'd have helped much. I tossed the poopy dipes into the pail, no rinse, nothing, and the poo just disappeared in the wash. (My DS was breastfed only, though, I don't know about formula poo).

Gusseted covers: Proraps, Green Earth, Litewraps, Bumpys I liked the Green Earth ones, and got them from www.lilbunz.com

[mudder17]

Okay, let's see...the disposable liners...some people like them, but I'm not sure what brands they use. I know they make things easier for some people, but based on the recs of people on this board last year, I actually just bought some microfleece (a yard) from Joanna Fabrics and cut out rectangular pieces and used them as liners. With my minishower, the poop just sprayed right off with no problems.

For covers with gussets, proraps, literaps, bumpy's, and green earth are all popular ones around here.

Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya, www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya
http://lilypie.com/baby2/040222/0/0/1/-5/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif
12.5 months: 30", 19.7 lbs, 47 cm head

[tbriese]

hello! i started CDing the moment we got home from the hospital. i loved the kissaluvs in the first couple months b/c they allowed my DH to get on board with CD and also, they were great for a quick change. i, however, liked the "challenge" of the prefolds. they really weren't hard, i just liked using what everyone else thought was too complicated just to show it wasn't. i've only used the prorap covers but they are AWESOME! i started using small FB about 9-10 wks of age and they've worked for us without being too leaky.

good luck :-)

[pritchettzoo]

Also, keep in mind that what works for a newborn might not be what you wind up liking for an older baby. The crazy explosive poop will slow down (2-3 months? I think? It's all a blur!) and you'll be able to try more things. You'll also have the hang of CDing and might want to experiment more. :)

The Motherease One Size is HUGE! I wouldn't count that toward your newborn stash. I've never seen/used a Wonderoo one size, but I probably wouldn't count it either, at least until the poop slows.

Overall for a newborn, you'll need 12-14 diapers per day. And maybe 3 covers per day. For washing every other day, I'd say 24-28 diapers and 5 covers is a good number. I prefered covers with gussets like proraps to the Bummis during the early days. Don't forget a diaper pail liner or bag. I like having two (one to be in the wash and one to use).

Good luck and have fun! :)

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and a BOY! (coming July '05)