Cloth Diapering 101

[mudder17]

Hey Sis! You may want to repost this as a new thread with a new subject line! :)


Eileen

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

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...n_gold_12m.gif , 13 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[maestramommy]

Hi Eileen!

Okay, how do I do that? Do I start a new topic or what? I don't know how to do that either :-).

[Saartje]

http://tinyurl.com/7quk7

[mudder17]

Prefolds to Prefitted by Shandelle


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ies/candle.gif for Leah

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...merald_18m.gif , 18 months & counting


http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catca..._4_Kaya+is.png

[chloe31673]

Please help!!! I am going to me a new mom in 5 weeks. I plan to use cloth diapers but my head is spinning with all the options. I have settled on an AIO but should I use Kushies? Motherease? fuzzi-bunz? re'uzm? to name only a few. Which is best?
Thanks,
Chloe

[tbriese]

hi chloe! you might want to check out the newborn link somewhere in this thread. anywhoo...i cd'ed my DD from the day we got home from the hospital. i used prefolds or kissaluvs 0's with a prorap cover. i started using fuzzibunz when she started at the sitter at 9 weeks. they worked well for us but it has been stated that sometimes the pockets and AIO don't contain BF poo very well. also, i've heard that absorbancy isn't as great with the AIO but are better with the pockets because you can customize your insert.

the down side to CD'ing is that some of it is trial & error. of course, this makes it kind of fun, too :-). for example, i thought i'd love the fuzzibunz but i've decided i like velcro better. also, i'd heard such great reviews about babyblanket pockets but they leaked on my DD so i can't use them. there's no single "best" out there and that can be frustrating when you first start out.

come back with any questions. this board has been so helpful for me!

[mudder17]

Yes, the newborn links is only a few lines up. It should help you get started. Honestly, I wouldn't suggest AIOs for a newborn (leaky poop isn't well contained), unless you're ready for some blowouts and if you're formula feeding (poop isn't quite as runny, usually).

Welcome! Please feel free to start yourself a new thread with all your questions. Hopefully we can get you started. :)

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ies/candle.gif for Leah

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...merald_18m.gif , 19 months, hoping for 2 years


http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catca..._4_Kaya+is.png

[american_mama]

I made an introductory brochure about how to use cloth diapers, which I thought would be helpful here. It is based a large part on info. in the CD 101 thread, and also includes a one-page sheet of tips and place to write notes on various brands of cloth diapers.

The brochure is saved as a pdf. Just a click on the attachment and follow the prompts. If you have a pop up blocker, read the little message at the top of the window and click to override. If your computer doesn't automatically decompress and open the two files, uou will need a decompression software like WinZip or PKWare.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin...d.php?t=257892

[stillplayswithbarbies]

There are so many new moms who are thinking of CDing, or who haven't even thought about diapering, I thought it might be good for us to start a thread about the basics. I didn't know this stuff when I started, and I think if I had known more about what was out there I might have made better choices to start out with.

I'd like to talk about the parts of a diaper, maybe someone else can add a post about wipes or creams or whatever.

A diaper has three basic parts. Working from the inside to the outside , they are:

1. a layer next to baby's skin to keep baby dry.
You don't want baby to be sitting there soaked in pee, you want baby to feel dry even after peeing. In disposables this layer is a stay-dry lining that lets moisture go through one way, but not back towards the skin. In cloth diapers, this layer is fleece or suedecloth. Only certain kinds of fleece will do this. Some people just cut rectangles of fleece and lay in inside the diaper. Some diapers are lined with fleece, sewn in place. Some diapers are pocket diapers with the fleece next to the skin. Some people skip this layer and just make sure to change the diaper as soon as the baby pees.

2. an absorbant layer to soak up the pee.
In disposable diapers, this layer is paper plus some gel beads that soak up moisture and hold it in place. In cloth diapers, this layer is usually cotton or hemp, sewn in layers. Some people add an extra absorbant layer called a "doubler" which is just layers of cloth sewn together. Having it separate makes it dry faster because many layers of cloth sewn together take a long time to dry. Some diapers use a microfiber towel as the absorbant layer. A prefold would be the absorbant layer by itself. A fitted diaper would be the absorbant layer, and can be made out of different types of fabric sewn in layers. A pocket diaper needs something put into the "pocket" to be the absorbant layer.

3. a waterproof cover to keep their clothes dry.
In disposable diapers, this is the plastic layer that you can feel on the outside of the diaper. This layer keeps the pee from soaking all the way through to their clothes. Cloth diaper covers can be plastic (PUL or nylon) or wool or fleece. Wool is naturally water repellent when it has natural lanolin in it. (otherwise sheep would bulk up like a sponge in a rainstorm!). The type of fleece that is used as diaper covers is water repellent. A plastic type of cover can be reused all day long unless it gets poop on it. Wool covers need to air dry between pees (but don't need washed every time). Fleece covers can usually be used only once before they have to be washed.

So, if you want to use cloth diapers, you need to decide what you want for each of the three layers. The differences have to do with cost, ease of use, and absorbancy. (and cuteness!)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[Page]

I would really like to get this brochure, but when I click on the link, it just opens the same thread in another window. There's no popup blocker for me to override, so I can't figure out the problem.

Is there another way to get the pdf brochure?