A few more newbie questions

[dowlinal]

It's been a few more days and I'm still quite pleased with cloth. In fact last night I've found myself compiling my fantasy NB stash. I do, however, have a few more questions

1) fleece - I was drawn to Cding because of the cute fleece covers but now I just can't seem to make fleece work for us. I think Madeline is a fairly heavy wetter and even with a mom-and-me doubler she's still soaking though the fleece on a fairly regular basis. I don't have the leak problem with our pul covers or FBs (even with just one insert). Do fleece covers just not work for some babies?

2) covers in general - I know that this is probably a really stupid question, but how often do I need to change the cover? I know that FB are a one use kind of thing, but when I use fleece (assuming it's not wet) or the pul covers do I need to change covers each time?

3) mini-showers - is there any place that has a particularly good deal on these? I was planning on holding off on buying one until our one month trial was over but the whole dunk and swish thing is not working for me.

Thank you all so much for helping me! I never would have been able to get this far without all of your advice and support.

[Momof3Labs]

Alexis, what kind of fleece covers are you using? They are not all created equal. You may have to change her more often (or use more absorbency) when you use fleece, or maybe a different cover will work better for you. I'm partial to the Sugarpeas fleece covers.

I usually have two covers going during the day, and rotate them. That allows the other to dry in between uses. Then, at the end of the day (sometimes the next day...) those covers go in the wash and two more come out. If the cover wicks at all or gets poop on it, it goes straight in the wash. Can't help with the minishower - we haven't used one yet, but will probably get one for #2.

[pritchettzoo]

1. Tell us more about the fleece--what covers and what are you using underneath? I've even used SP fleece covers as nighttime covers in a pinch, so maybe something else is up...

2. Change them when they're icky. Gracie will sometimes go a whole day in one cover, especially if it's cute and matches her outfit. ;) Eli generally gets a little poop on his at some point, so he'll go through a couple in a day. You can alternate between covers to air them out if they get a little damp.

3. Sometimes there are co-ops. I don't know of any right now, but I'm not in the market for one. If you can't find a co-op, I'd order from some place with free shipping like www.lilbunz.com --check MDC to see if there are any codes. Sometimes they'll offer 5% to MDC members (it's on the front page of the diapering forum).

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03) and Eli (July '05)

[dowlinal]

Ok, I've been using calicobaby covers with a unbleached prefold. I started with a regular sized PF and then moved to the toddler size and then added a mom-and-me doubler. I also have a doodle bottom cover and a stitch-n-stuff cover. The stitch-n-stuff cover works better than the calicobaby one but it's VERY bulky and Madeline hates so it never stays on for long. I haven't tried the doodle bottom one -the fit doesn't seem to work for us. I should sell these but they are just so darn cute that I keep hoping that I'll find a way to make them work.

Could my prefolds be the problem? I did the whole repeated washing thing when I got them, but maybe I need to run them through a few more times.

I'm also thinking that maybe I should invest in 1-2 SP fleece covers. When I bought my covers I couldn't find any SP in Madeline's size but I just did a quick search and they're available now.

[tbriese]

alexis,

i know nothing about fleece covers...sorry :-( but i know many mamas here can help you out.

regarding covers...i use 2 at a time. i rotate the covers between changes to allow them to air out. i have, however, used the same one over again when out & about. i'm just too lazy to take multiple covers when running errands.

i don't kow of any specials on minishowers.

[pritchettzoo]

Have you tried throwing the cover in the dryer? Wash it with some clothes that you use fabric softener in or dry it with your laundry that you use a dryer sheet with. The softener causes the fleece to repel.

If the fleece is smushed between a wet diaper and some other fabric, it's going to wick moisture through no matter what (compression wicking). If Gracie is sitting in a super-saturated dipe (like in a carseat), a fleece cover will not work. Lying down it seems to be okay because the weight is spread out and not concentrated on the wet bottom. If that makes any sense.

But yes, I would try a SP cover.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03) and Eli (July '05)

[kitmama]

We have a calico baby fleece cover for baby G, and I have to say that, while it's cute and it works OK, it definitely doesn't work as well as his Stacinator covers or littleman's sugarpeas and SCC fleece covers. We've also used the sugarpeas fleece at night in a pinch, and it's worked fine.

Note that littleman's fleece covers are all two-layer, while the calico baby one is single layer. The sugarpeas and SCC covers are still relatively trim, though- unlike the double-layer Stacinator fleece covers we have for G- they are very bulky.

Oh, and we never use fleece in the carseats or stroller. Any fleece cover will compression-wick.

How wet is the dipe when you change it? Completely saturated? If so, you are either not changing often enough, the dipe isn't absorbing properly or the dipe (and doubler) simply aren't enough for Madeline, and in that case I'd consider hemp. If the dipe is only partly wet, then I'm not sure why the fleece would be wicking. . .

We do the same as PPs as far as changing covers goes- if it's just a bit damp, we let it air dry and use another cover in the meantime. If it gets really wet, gets poopy or starts to small then it goes into the wash.

And I don't know of any specials right now on the mini-showers.