Cloth Diapering, 2+ Months

I'll admit right now I'm new at all this mothering stuff. V is my first, and only, child. When my husband and I really started planning on having a baby some things just weren't even worth discussing for us. We both knew we would use cloth diapers. But I'm the one who had to do the research.

If you do any reading on cloth diapers you are bound to find people fanatically on both sides of the fence. There are those who say it is unconscionable to use disposables due to their almost eternal presence in landfills, the questions about the safety of the absorbent gels and anecdotal issues with diaper rash, to name a few issues. Others will question the environmental impact of washing and drying cloth diapers, claim they also cause diaper rash and wonder if they are truly sanitary.

Here's my stance.

No matter what your views are, disposables are sitting in landfills just adding to our trash pile. Plastic doesn't breath and I don't like the idea of strange chemicals near my daughter's sensitive skin. And since babies are messy, I would have to do more laundry anyway.

When I started doing research on cloth diapering I learned that there are way more options I ever thought possible. Here's a quick outline:

• Flat Diaper: A large rectangle of fabric, folded into absorbent layers and wrapped around the baby, covered with a waterproof diaper cover or soaker. Quick drying and handy for traveling light. Affordable, but not always easy to find.

• Pre-fold Diaper: That large rectangle of fabric, pre-folded and sewn in shape, wrapped around baby or laid into the waterproof diaper cover or soaker. Most are from China or India. Very affordable ($1.00 - $3.00 per diaper), require pre-washing to make absorbent before first wash. Chinese pre-folds are often bleached whereas Indian pre-folds can be unbleached. Organic options exist but are very expensive in comparison.

• Diaper Cover: A generally thin pant style waterproof wrapper that goes over a flat or pre-fold diaper. May close with hook and loop closure or snaps, or be pull on style. Often some sort of soft breathable material with a thin laminate on inside of diaper. Prices range widely from $5.00 for pull on style nylon pants to $20.00+ for fancier styles.

• Soaker: Most are made out of wool, some are polyester fleece. A soaker is a diaper cover that actually absorbs any fluid that goes through the diaper, keeping it from reaching the outside layer by being super absorbent. Wool soakers need to be treated with lanolin on occasion to maintain there absorbency.

• All-In-One (AIO): A washable version of a disposable diaper. Absorbent fabric close to baby's skin, with a waterproof outer layer. Prices range widely but seem to be between $15.00 and $25.00 per diaper.

• Pocket Diaper: A stuff-able diaper with a "wicking" layer next to babies skin, waterproof outer layer and a pocket for inserting absorbent materials such as inserts specifically for that diaper or folded pre-folds. Tend to range around $17.00-$25.00 per diaper for most common brands.

• One-Size: Generally a pocket diaper that has a system of snaps allowing the diaper to "grow" with the baby. Often the size range is from approximately 7lbs to 35lbs. Pricing is the same as pocket diapers.

• Hybrid Diapers: A cross between a washable diaper and a disposable. These are generally a washable pant that is either waterproof or has a waterproof liner, and a disposable insert.

I'm sure there are options I haven't listed and more are probably being invented as I type. But these are the options I've come across in my limited time researching, and using, cloth diapers.

So what have I tried?

• Unbleached Indian Cotton Pre-Folds with Pro-Wrap Classics Diaper Cover: This is my main diapering method. I have used three sizes of the pre-folds in V's almost three months. For the first few weeks I did manage to fit my long and lean baby into the "premie" size, surprisingly enough. She wore those with the newborn size diaper cover with umbilical scoop and that worked very well. My one complaint is that if the cover isn't really "stuffed" with diaper, there can definitely be a poopy blow-out, particularly with my exclusively breast-fed daughter's more voluminous bowel movements. Most of the time though, even if poop gets into the wrapper itself, it rarely gets on her clothing. It is necessary to have extra covers on hand.
• Little and Bigger Weeds Hemp/Cotton Blend Diapers: Not really flat or pre-fold I wanted to try these because they are organic. Unfortunately they don't really work like a pre-fold, but I might be able to use them just folded and placed into the diaper cover. They work wonderfully as burp cloths!
• All-In-One: I believe the brand I have is Kissaluv. They are hand-me-downs though and have lost some elasticity in the legs and because of that, they leaked, so I can't give them a proper review.
• BumGenius 3.0 One Size Pocket Diapers: These are very absorbent and easy to use, but on the smaller settings they are very bulky. And I'm still not sure about the use of so much polyester materials. But I'll admit that I often reach for these at night to keep her dryer longer for sleeping. Most nights she uses two, each stuffed with it's regular insert and a doubler for extra absorbency.
• gDiapers: Hybrid diapers designed by crafty Australians. The insert can be flushed, tossed in the garbage or composted (wet only). These aren't a whole lot cheaper than disposables, and poop almost always gets on the plastic waterproof liner the inserts get into making changing diapers and cleaning that a pain. Flushing required deconstructing the insert and "swishing" it in the toilet which is also a lot of work. I used one package of them and probably won't get more. Plus they also have some sort of absorbent gel that makes me wonder.

V will be three months old next week. I have experimented numerous times with the diapers I have, trying to find the perfect diapering options. Right now I find that either doubling up her "infant" size Indian Pre-Folds, or even using the "premium" size works well in her slightly too large "small" sized diaper cover. I have used her "premie" sized pre-folds in the gDiapers as a washable insert. They work alright but she is a heavy wetter and would need something more absorbent to be really useful. And I have used her little and bigger weeds like pre-folds, which doesn't work quite as well as I would like them too, but I'm not done figuring them out.

Now, since I use cloth diapers, how do I keep them clean?

Washing cloth diapers is not hard. I have a diaper pail in my bathroom with a washable waterproof diaper bag (and a spare bag on hand). When the pail is full I take the bag and all diapers (and washable wipes) to my washing machine. I run a short prewash with cold water and a very small amount of Ecos Free & Clear detergent. When that is done I wash them again with hot water and a very small amount of detergent. My washer washes hot and rinses cold on that setting. Then I do a final cold rinse. If it is a sunny day I put the diapers outside in the sun to dry and to bleach any stains. If it is raining I dry them in my clothes dryer. That's it. So far so good. I am hoping to get a lot more of the premium sized pre-folds so I don't have to do laundry quite as often and I can do a full load at a time, which would safe energy and resources. Some day I hope to be able to afford an HE washer/dryer.

Cloth diapering really isn't hard at all and I feel good about not putting chemicals near my daughter's very sensitive baby skin and her developing body. Plus, those pre-fold diapers will have a million and one uses when she's no longer using them. Washcloths, dust rags, pet carrier liners, a quilt, you name it, they can do it.