So, now I've got my CD, what do I do?

[egoldber]

With these diapers, I would just throw them in the washer 2-3 times in warm or hot and you'll be good to go. They will continue to get more absorbant as you wash them, but they will be fine.

I didn't mean to make my wash routine sound complicated! I think it's simple. I wash once in cold with a soak cycle. I then wash again on hot.

Sometimes I add other stuff, but usually not.

There is generally no need to prepare covers. I wash my covers along with my diapers and I hang them to dry. Putting covers in the dryer will age them faster.

HTH,

[Melanie]

I have a washer/dryer in my garage so I will try Beth's system. I washed our new dipes tonight and used barely any detergent and there still were suds at the beginning of the second rinse! This is eye-opening...I think our detergent is going to last us a lot longer now.

If all goes well, I'd like to phase them out completely, but we haven't started yet, so I'm being realistic! I'll probably start with daytime to see which work well, then when I figure that out, go nighttime and then out & about. When I *finally* get my other two orders I'll only have enough for 6 diaper changes, and that's IF all systems work for us. I have one package of disp. diapers that we bought recently, and I'd like to make them last twice as long. I tried Ds' Bumkins AIOs on him today, and he looked so cute in them! They didn't look any bulkier than his disp., but I suppose using a PF or fitted with a cover will be a bit bulkier. They're in the dryer now, so hopefully tomorrow will be day One!

Edited to add: thanks for the tip, I checked out their site and like most WAHM there's nothing in stock for us! I'll check again later.

Mommy to Jonah

[sparkeze]

She usually doesn't have diapers in stock. They're made to order so if you're interested you can order one from the site and I think it takes a couple days for her to send it out. But you know, I just placed a LARGE order with her yesterday so it might take a little longer if she finishes mine first! :) But she said she would be done with my order by Friday...not bad with 3 kids!

About whether the system works for you or not... unless you're planning to not wash them so you can return them you might as well use them, even if you don't like them at the beginning, at least until you get different ones. And you never know...ones you don't especially like at the beginning may grow on you! I think when I first started I had enough to CD for half a day, then I did it again when the ones I had were washed, and it wasn't until almost a week had gone by that I was CDing most of the time. It's kind of hard to give up the disposables when you're anticipating a poop! But it's very nice to not have to go out and buy diapers regularly. And be throwing bags of dirty ones away all the time!

[Melanie]

Did you get the MM or Hemp fleece? I was surprised to see them more than AIOs...they must be good. When you buy from random WAHMs...is there a favorite cover that you use?


Mommy to Jonah

[sparkeze]

I got the MM fleece. I love fleece in diapers! It really helps keep DS's skin dry. I suppose one could just use fleece liners but they always get crumpled up in there and with DS trying to escape during the entire diaper change it's hard to keep the fleece liner positioned correctly. But, I've never seen any other babies who are as hard to change as DS! At playgroup all the other babies may kind of roll to the side, but that's the extent of it. My DS squirms and wiggles away and crawls away leaving me to see his cute bare butt! :)

But anyways, back to diapers... the Mom & Me fitteds are a little pricey but there's an added bonus! The diaper itself is abosrbant enough to use without the doubler during daytime (unless you have an extremely heavy wetter) so you could use the doubler in something else, maybe another fitted that's not so absorbant, or in a PF, or to add to your nighttime combo. The doubler is huge, it covers the entire surface of the diaper! I have one right now, and I've used it with the doubler, and without and it's worked great both ways. Both the diaper and doubler are covered with the MM fleece btw. I've tried putting the doubler in a snappied PF when I ran out of diapers (but actually the PFs are growing on me!) and I really liked how it turned out. Also, I use Fuzzi Bunz at night right now, and to be quite honest, I don't really like them. I've only had one leak but they don't really fit DS well. In the morning, he always has red marks on his back and thighs, but if I loosen the snaps, it leaks. I'm thinking about using these to replace the FBs too. So after my order comes I'll have 9 of these (yes, 9!). I wanted to replace my whole stash with them, but maybe if I sell a lot of diapers I'll buy more. Shouldn't they hire me as a promotor for these?

As far as covers go... I'm in the process of incorporating wool covers but as of yet, my favorite covers for everything are Motherease Airflows. I tried Bummis SWW & snap, prorap, and a couple fleece ones, but I just haven't found anything better than the ME. I can use one all day long, over and over, and it doesn't smell at all! And every single one of my diapers (some are quite bulky!) fits in them. So I would heartily recommend them!

[egoldber]

I agree. Airflows work over anything: fitteds, prefolds, even my bulkiest nighttime diaper concoction!

HTH,

[Melanie]

Oh good! If I EVER get my order from Motherease there's an airflow in it. For Heaven's sakes they are slow! I know, I'm just used to the instant gratification of the internet, and it's only been 10 days, but still. I ordered over $50 just so I'd get them sooner. =)

I'd prefer the less-bulky the better since Ds is just starting walking, so I think I'm going to steer clear of the wool covers for now. Thanks for the tips on the Fuzzi-Bunz, I've heard similiar from other people too, it makes me wonder why they are so popular.

I will try the Mom & Me's, but I think for cost sake, I'm going to have to focus on some prefolds now. I wish that vendor still had prewashed unbleached ones, but I've heard good things about baby textiles, too. I tried my snappi out on a stuffed animal, now if I could just get Ds to lay still. hehehe



Mommy to Jonah

[egoldber]

I like my FuzziBunz just fine. My problem is that Sarah is about to outgrow the medium and a large is waaaayyyy too big. I have ordered a Petite Toddler size (which is supposedly in between). I have that works because I have found the FB to be best and least bulky for me for nighttime.

I have heard a number of people complain about the length of time of getting orders from Motherease, although I don't remember it taking so long. Remember it comes from Canada, so shipping takes a tad longer.

HTH,

[sparkeze]

Beth - what do you stuff your FB with for nighttime? I've been using 3 large Joeys in a large FB and it's actually not as trim as I expected. When DS lays on his side his upper leg is hanging in the air because of the bulk in between his legs. I've gotten much more used to it, but it looks kind of funny.

Melanie - Mom & Me Creations also sells Samuel's Soakers which are a nighttime weight hemp prefold. They're more pricey than CPFs (well, all hemp PFs I've seen are) but it's definitely cheaper than a FB! I've heard a lot of good things about them but have not tried them myself. Until last week I had never used a PF but when I got my free snappi I tried it and it was fairly easy. It takes longer to put on since DS keeps crawling away, while I'm begging and pleading for him to stay still for just 30 seconds! But I think I will get faster with practice - after using it a handful of times I'm already faster than the first time.

[Melanie]

Thanks for the tip. I still haven't ordered from them...I'm sort of hoping my Motherease will get here sometime this MONTH so I can try out my covers first. I'm sooo impatient...

I tried my Snappi out on a stuffed animal who held perfectly still, and it seems easy enough. Now if Ds will just hold still... Luckily he still fits on his changing table so he can't crawl away, just contort until he's standing our tush-up. Occasionally, giving Ds something he's not usually allowed to play with keeps him temporarily occupied during a change. Stuff like lotion bottles, hairbrushes, etc., not scissors! LOL!

I got my Cricketts today. =( Way too small. For some reason I ordered medium which is up to 25 lbs. and Ds is 23 lbs. Sigh..another LONG wait in the mail before I get to try them.

Good news is that our first try at CDing with our Bumkins AIO was successful.

Mommy to Jonah