I have always loved the idea of cloth diapers. I spent maybe $100 in the beginning to buy the diaper shells. I use Econobums and Flips. I purchase them from Cottonbabies.com which usually has free shipping. They are a one size diaper and fit newborn to potty trained.
These particular diapers are a two part system. You have the shell (pictured above) and an insert. They give you inserts with the diapers but I'm not a fan of the ones that are included. I buy Gerber 6-ply premium prefolds from Babies r Us. I have tried to buy them online from a different store and even though the name was right they were not the premium ones. This is one of the only things I stay loyal to Babies r Us on.
How They Work:
You put fold the insert into the shell hot dog style. Snap the diaper up and TA-DA! You are ready to go! When there is a #1 you can toss the insert into a pail and put another insert into the shell. You've got a #2? No problemo- just shake the yuckies into the toilet and toss the insert into your pail. If the yuckies got on the shell toss it into the pail too.
The Pail and Laundry Day:
Some websites sell fancy pails for up to $40. Do not be fooled into buying one. My pail is a big blue bucket from the Auto section of Walmart ($2) It is wonderful. I keep it in the laundry room. I fill it with water and sometimes I throw a caps worth of vinegar in it. I store my used inserts in there until it is full. When it gets full it is laundry day! This happens once every 4-5 days. On laundry day I wash my shells and inserts with Borax and a little bleach. You can use a drop or two of detergent if you'd like. Be careful not to use too much because it will cause build up on your inserts which will lead to less absorbency and can cause diaper rash.
Diaper Rush?
Ruh-Roh! It happens less with cloth diapers but it can still happen. Use a cloth diaper friendly cream like CJ's BUTTer (www.Cjsewingroom.com) They have wonderful scents (our current scent is Lovespell in stick form- Wonderful smelling and I don't have to touch it!) If your diaper cream is not cloth friendly it can stain your inserts and cause buildup.
How Much to Buy?
I would recommend buying 12 shells in the beginning. Buy one of each different kind (there are so many different brands and systems!) and see which one you like better. Sometimes you can return used shells if you don't like them- check your stores policy. As your baby gets older you will need less shells. TMI ALERT-The number #2's tend to stay in place and not yucky up the shell when solid foods are introduced. I would buy 25-30 prefold inserts. They will need to be replaced from time to time.
My Top Reasons for Going Cloth:
1. $$$$$ I have spent maybe $30 on cloth supplies in the last 3 months.
2. Leaks and blowouts are unheard of with cloth. We have experimented with disposables and they have ruined outfits.
3. Friendly to the Earth
4. They are way cuter than disposables. (I secretly HATE pooh bear- why is he on every disposable diaper?!)
5. No pin required! Cloth diapering has changed so much in the past few years.
I hope this post gives insight to cloth diapering. I have been cloth diapering since my daughter was a month old. 8 months later the only thing I would change is I would have started cloth diapering from day one. If you have any questions feel free to shoot me an email.
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