Switching to cloth diapers at 15mths?

[Zana]

Hi,

I have been reading up on CDs and have been seriously comtemplating the switch. I'm sorry if some of these questions are very naive but I would really appreciate any input (If I am being repititive I would appreiciate it you could direct me to any links etc).

1. Ds's daycare provides CDs and covers for changes while he is there (8am-5pm) - currently I bring disposables. Would you trust something like this? I guess I mean that they are washing and reusing these diapers on whoever needs them and I worry about whether they really get them clean, do I want DSs wearing something that was used by someone else even thought its washed etc etc. Am I being too fussy?

2. At age 15mths approximately how often do you need to changes a CD (for pee).

3. Right now DS sleeps through the night (8pm to 6am) and although I am not happy about it his disposable diaper is heavy but holds pretty well till morning. Would I have to wake him up to change him if he was in a CD?

4. He doesnt have big blowouts very often but sometimes his BMs are pretty loose (sorry if TMI), do CDs leak at all during these times?

Thanks a lot. Having these answers will help to convince DH too!

Zana

[mudder17]

1. I can't answer this one because I've never been in that situation! A daycare providing CDs and covers is amazing! What kind of diapers do they provide? You can ask them about cleaning methods, etc., so you can get an idea if the diapers are getting clean or if there is soap residue, etc.

2. I change Kaya every 2 hours, give or take an hour depending on whether she's peed or pooped, etc. If she's going through a rashy stage, then I'll change her as soon as she pees. But I go through roughly 6 diapers, plus a night diaper on a daily basis.

3. Kaya is a heavy wetter, but we have three fitted night time diapers plus a couple of fleece pockets with appropriate stuffings (Hemp + large MF) and it can definitely get her through the night (13 hours). So it would depend on what you get, but yes, it is definitely doable without having to wake your child to change him/her.

4. Depending on what method you choose with CDs, leaky poop can be well contained by cloth. The best combo for leaky poop is a snappi'd prefolds with a cover having gussets. You may get some poop on the cover, but you won't get the poop on the clothes. A good fitted diaper with a cover is also very good containment for leaky poop. In my experience, pockets and AIOs don't do as well with leaky poop. For sticky poop, though, most of the CDs will do a pretty good job at containing it. FWIW, I've CD'd Kaya her entire life and I've only had poop on her clothes less than 5 times, and at least 2 of those times were when she got the stomach virus and I wasn't ready for leaky poop. At least 2 other times was when I was experimenting with pockets and she hadn't started solids yet (so runny BFd poop).


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[tarahsolazy]

Are you sure they are laundering the dipes themselves? I only ask because a friend of mine has a similar daycare situation, and the daycare uses a diaper service. The dipe services clean those puppies VERY well, I'd have no problems in that situation.

I change my DS (15 mo old) about every 2 hours when we're home, but stretch that to probably every 3 when we are out of the house. He's not a heavy wetter, though. His nighttime dipe is on him for 12 hours, and never leaks from too much pee. When he was outgrowing his nighttime dipes, he did leak out the top, I think his penis points up sometimes. I know the same happens with sposies when you are nearing a size change, so no real difference.

Poo has never leaked from a CD to clothes in our 15 mo of Cding. (I've only bought 3 or 4 packs of sposies in 15mo, all for long hotel trips). We have had two sposie blowouts :(.

I think a $30 investment in a minishower is money well-spent when contemplating CDing a toddler. I got one when DS started solids, and its the thing I really miss when we are staying with family and don't have it! Makes the poo part much less gross.

[Zana]

I found out that they do use a diaper service at the daycare - never even thought to ask before! I hope we can make the switch but need some committment from DH before I try it and hes still a little reluctant.

Thanks a lot for your replies!


Zana

[nitaghei]

You can totally do it!! We started CD'g part-time at 8 months, and went full time at 14 months. DS's daycare doesn't launder dipes (lucky you) but will use them.

I change all dipes, disposable or cloth, about every two hours when awake. At that age I'd say that we went through 6-7 dipes during the day plus a night dipe.

My DS has the same sleep schedule, and we've been CD'g at night since he was 8 months old. Just get a pocket dipe, stuff it with enough absorbent material, and you won't have to wake him up at night.

CDs are much better than disposables at controlling leaks. Like PPs said, the best combo is a fitted or PF and cover. If that's too much work, another thing that works for me is a cover like Sugarpeas with a snap-in insert that makes it like an AIO. It's amazing for holding in nasty messes. IME, AIOs with serged edges are better at controlling messes than pockets. Though we've had very, very few problems with pockets - and that's only when DS had a stomach virus. And even then, the CDs controlled the mess better than the disposable that my DH put on DS.

HTH

Nita (fleece is my friend)
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a PWD and a cocker (at the Rainbow Bridge)

[Puddy73]

I started to CD Annabelle when she was about 13 months, and it has worked well for us - it is not too late to switch!

How great that your daycare uses cloth! I would just ask them if they use a service, and if not, how they launder the diapers. I think diaper services use very hot water and maybe even bleach, so their dipes are probably spotless.

I change DD about every 2 hours during the day, unless I notice that she is wet or dirty. Now that she is showing interest in the potty, she often tells me when she is wet.

Nightime CDs can be tricky. You may want to get used to CDs during the day before you start using them at night. DD is a "super soaker," so it did take some trial and error to find a nightime solution. We currently use a fleece pocket with a big microfiber towel and a hemp insert. It is breathable and keeps her dry all night.

We have less poop leaks with cloth than with disposables.

Good luck convincing your DH - mine is SLOWLY coming around!

Jennifer
Mommy to Annabelle 9/03 & a little pumpkin due 10/05

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."