New to Cloth

[moncheechee]

I am 8 mos preg. and having a boy. I am new to cloth diapering and have purchased a fuzzi bunz and a bum genius one size. My husband really likes the ease of the bum genius' and the velcro sides. I think that is what I want to use. I just do not know anyone that has used cloth before. The bum genius I got comes with an insert and I was wondering if I need more or have to purchase a different kind for different times of the day? Should I use more than one insert? Also I do not know how many to purchase of the cd or the inserts. I would like to do laundry every other day as a SAHM. Also I want to know what to do when we go out and he's wearing cloth? Or when we go to church and he is in the nursery. Please help if you have any suggestions or can point me in the right direction.

[luvsviola]

FB and BG are awesome. Those are my favorite dipes for once you get past the newborn stage.

DD is 6 months. We use the inserts that came with the BG. The inserts that come with the FB are not as absorbent. I tried them first, but after a couple weeks, I replaced all mine with the cotton babies (Bum Genius) inserts. That makes the FB work as a night time diaper as well. We can go about 12 hours without leaks with the cotton babies inserts at night. During the day, I change her about every 3 hours.

In the beginning I used 10-12 diapers a day. I have about 30 smalls because some live in the diaper bag, two live at grandmas, a couple are downstairs in the pack and play, and they tend to wander. You can buy them used on DiaperSwappers.com, which is a great way to make your money go further, though having new ones is always nice. AAfter the first kid, you get over the "it has to be new" phase really quickly or at least I did. I boiled any used inserts I bought on the stove in water for 5 minutes and the KLs I bought but you cannot boil BG or FB.

I did not have good luck with either FB or BG in the beginning though. DD had really skinny legs and the pee leaked out the leg holes even on the smallest setting. She did much better in a fitted diaper with a cover--I liked the bum genius bamboo ones best with a bumkins cover, but there are many opinions on this board about newborn dipes. DD was 6 lbs 6 oz at birth and we didn't fit into the FB smalls or BG until almost 3 months old. For the first week, we used sposies most of the time (shh...don't tell anyone) because she was so little that the kissaluvs seemed to be as big as she was and splayed her hips out really far. By the time you got a cover on there, half her back didn't touch the crib. There have been threads about them, but I feel very little love for the KLs because they got dripping wet really fast. I was really happy when DD was big enough for the FB.

I bought 2 Bummmis wet bags in the smallest size to keep in the diaper bag for going out (that way if you only wash every other day, you have a clean one once the other is dirty). For church, since DD is only there for about 90 minutes, I change her when I get there and she has always been fine. BG are really easy and anyone should be able to figure them out. I bought a BG All in One for the nursery and baby sitters and keep it in the bag, but no one has ever had to change her.

Unless you have great restraint, you will get hooked on buying dipes, so if you are buying the BG One Size to save money (which I did, silly me) there is always the possibility you will get bored with them and want to add. Buying diapers is addictive, especially since Nicki's Diapers has free shipping on all pocket diapers so you can get just one or two to see if you like them without having to pay shipping.

Another good place to find forums is DiaperPin.com. There are many many people there and reviews of individual retailers as well as diapers.

Some people use cloth wipes. In the beginning I used baby washclothes with just warm water. But DH hated having to go make them wet and it was kind of a pain so we use disposable wipes most of the time. DD doesn't seem to care one way or the other.

Good luck! Its really fun, I promise. No one says you can't use sposies too sometimes. Through friends giving me their leftover dipes, I have always had some on hand "just in case" but rarely use them--maybe once a month. When DD was 6 weeks old we went on a trip for a week and I took both Swaddlers and Huggies and poop leaked out the leg holes every time on both brands. I couldn't wait to get home and get back to my cloth. Fitteds and covers will contain almost any newborn explosive poo. As for traveling, you get more confident the longer you CD. In the beginning I was freaked out to take CD to my MIL's when we go for the weekend. Now I don't think twice about it.

[MommyAllison]

Only have a minute, but just wanted to chime in about the church nursery. We started CDing DD at 8 months, and have always just sent her to the nursery wearing a pocket diaper, with another pocket in the diaper bag, along with a wetbag. When I check her in, if the caregivers haven't watched her before, I explain that she's cloth diapered, show them the diaper in the bag and how easy it is to put it on. Now I usually send her in a OBB Marathon diaper (it's aplix, like velcro) so it really goes on and off just like a disposable. When I used to send her in Fuzzibunz, they never snapped her as tight as I said to - and once even put it on backwards, lol! But it's never caused any real problems, I just check her after I pick her up to make sure her diaper isn't falling off loose. :) Going out with cloth, especially if you are using pockets, is really no biggie. You just need a small wetbag to take with you and can put everything in there as you take it off your DS. HTH a little!

Allison
Mama to DD 11/05

[moncheechee]

Thanks so much! Your information has really helped. I was concerned about him using CDs when he's a newborn because my mom kinda freaked when she saw how big the BGs were and even compared it to pampers newborns. How many fitted diapers and covers did you have to get in the beginning? Are the fitteds velcro too or just the covers? Also thanks for the link to the CD trading/selling webstie. We really are trying to save money and I don't care if they are brand new. I am so thankful for your information and generosity. If it is not a problem I would like to keep in touch with you in case I have more ?'s. Like I said before my mom used the original cloth diapers on me like 25 yrs ago so she is not much help. I do not think I could have done it if I had to fold and pin! LOL!

Crissy

[trales]

We used the Kissuluv's size 0 (they have snaps) with velcro covers for our DD from the day she got home from the hospital. They worked really well. DD is very close to growing out of them so we are also using BumGenious 2.0's and I am trying some other one size diapers right now. I just ordered a Happy Heiny's one size and a swaddlebee's organic velor one size (so luxurious).

I do use sposies when we leave the house. Plane trips, day trips into the city, long car rides etc. If I am going to be out for more than one diaper change, I want to throw them out wherever I am.

Good luck, as pp's have said, buying is addictive. I had a very frugal diaper buying plan, now I buy a diaper whenever I am having a bad day.

[cinnyf]

I waited a week after my daughter was born before I started cloth diapering. They just seemed so huge on her (compared to disposables) when we got her home from the hospital (she was even a big baby). I started with 2 dozen infant CPFs, about 4 covers, and 2-3 Snappis. I also had 6 kissaluvs fitted size 0. I really loved using the kissaluvs (and so did her pediatrician) for going out, or when someone was watching her because they're so easy to use. They do such a great job holding in BF poo. They were a bit of an investment (~12.50 each), but they lasted for about 5 months. You can't beat that!

I honestly don't think that we started using pocket diapers until our daughter was about 3 months. By that time, your changing less frequently. Also, those one size are huge on newborns. With the inserts for pockets, you only use one per shell. My daughter is now 8 mos and she sleeps in pockets. If you happen to have a baby that really is a super soaker, you could use to inserts at night or add a doubler. By the way Green Acre Designs makes some of the cutest pockets that I've seen. She'll even custom them. They're not one size, but it's nice to have some that aren't one size. Right now my personal stash includes 6 BG 2.o and 2 green acre designs.

When you're going out, if you want to use cloth, you'll need a wet bag. I bought both my wet bag and pail liners from SNAP-EZ. They do a great job keeping the stink in when closed. She also makes the most adorable wipes (I have 2 dozen of her wipes)

If you are looking for a place to buy diapers, check out Abbys Lane (I think it's www.abbyslane.com). Her prices are competitive and her shipping is free (depending on how much you order.. it use to be only $25 but I think she changed it recently). If you join her Yahoo group, you can get a code for an additional 5% of your order.

I think a really great resource for CD is Diaper Pin (www.diaperpin.com). There are so many reviews on everything from covers to diaper pail liners.

[moncheechee]

I too think that the one size seem too big for a newborn. We have some sposies from shower gifts to help us out if we need them. I was thinking of doing the bum genius bamboo fitted but they are being discontinued. :O( So, I have been looking around and found Thirsties. They have fitteds and covers to match that are made for newborns with the lowrise and the belly button cut out. Has anyone ever used this combo before? They have gotten pretty good reviews from what I can tell but I would like to find out more. I thought about buying about 10 dipes with 4 covers to start. I just don't want to be stuck with something if they don't work out. But, I guess that is everyone's issue with CDs! Anyhow please keep the advice coming, it has really helped!

Crissy

[luvsviola]

I just got my first Thirsties fab fitted and I am in love. The first time we used it, I ordered 3 more (they only had a couple in the colors I wanted and its a good thing or DH would kill me). I just ordered 2 Thirsties covers to match and haven't gotten them yet.

The medium dipe fits my 15 lb (80% for height 25% for weight) DD just fine, even though it says 18-25 lbs. I kept her in it for 4 hours and while her skin was damp, it was not excessive and there were no leaks.

I think you'll love them!

[lizajane]

i won't chime in on dipes since we are out of dipes completely in our house and there is new stuff i don't know about.

but as for out and about... just use ziploc bags. you can keep using them until they wear out- saves money and waste. the only thing that goes in it is a wet dipe, so won't matter if another wet dipe goes in it. as for the poopy ziplocs, they got tossed.