How? When? And What Do I Need to Start Cloth Diapering?

Maisie's diaper stash before she was born. I now just use the colorful diapers (Katy-dids and Oh Katy's) on the right

We decided to cloth diaper Calan before he was born. I would love to say that we did it for the environment, but honestly it was for primarily financial reasons. (Though to be honest not sure how much money we really have saved.) Before being pregnant, I would have thought someone who cloth diapered was crazy, but knowing someone personally who cloth diapered made the idea less crazy and actually feasible back then.

There is a ton of information out there on how to cloth diaper and how to start, but reading it and actually doing it are two totally different things. I remember taking a how-to class and when it was done, Bob and I just stood there still overwhelmed by all the different options. While the class was priceless and beyond necessary, we still stood there clueless on what we actually needed and how to actually start. We knew we wanted to cloth diaper, but standing there overwhelmed made the idea seen crazier than we had already thought. 

So here is my tips on what you need to do to start cloth diapering:

• Signup for a how-to class at your local diaper store. If you are from Metro Detroit, check out Modern Natural Baby's classes. If you are from Ann Arbor area, Little Seedling is your go-to (Bob and I took their class).
• Before you buy any diapers visit a diaper store and actually touch different types of diapers. Cheaper diapers are cheaper for a reason, but the most expensive are not always best either. 
• After looking through diapers, Google search reviews on the diapers. There are hundreds of Mom-blogs that review cloth diapers. Find out the pros and cons, but remember no diaper is perfect and there is no perfect diaper for every baby.
• Decide if you are going to cloth diaper a newborn or wait till they are about 12 lbs. Newborn diapering requires a few extra purchases, but is absolutely feasible. Decide what you want to do for night-time diapering. As a newborn, a thick fitted works great, but it gets trickier as the baby gets older. We use disposables now, but we used fitteds at night for about 13 months before we went to disposables. 
• Now that you are filled with knowledge, REGISTER (if this is before your first baby). My friends and family really helped us get started.

What do you register for? (There are a ton of lists online, this is just what I would recommend to anyone)

1. Wetbags (2 medium)
2. Pail liners (2)
3. Diaper sprayer 
4. 24 prefolds (if cloth diapering a newborn)
5. Minimum of 3 small diaper covers  (if cloth diapering a newborn)
6. 3 cloth diaper snappies   (if cloth diapering a newborn)
7. Minimum of 20 one-size diapers (this is your main stash)
8. Variety of extra diapers (all-in-ones, pockets, etc.) 
9. 3 thick fitted diapers (for night-time diapers)
10. 3 hemp inserts (for night-time diapers)
11. 3 medium covers (for night-time diapers)
12. Minimum of 20 cloth wipes (easier than disposable wipes when you are cloth diapering, I think)
13. Cloth wipe solution
14. Cloth diaper safe detergent (I use Allen's Naturally)

You can register for a cloth-diaper safe diaper cream and a diaper pail too, but I would just buy a jar of coconut oil and a plastic tall trash can with a flip-lid. Just make sure that the trash can does not have step pedal. It ruins the pail liner.

Also, ask any questions. I don't know a single person who cloth diapers who doesn't like talking about it. Those that cloth diaper actually want to share their knowledge, so ask! Good Luck!

Dreaded Yeast Beast

I love that we cloth diaper. I love how cute my kids look in their diapers. I love never really running out of diapers. I love that cloth and not chemicals touch my babies. I love that I am not throwing away 12-16 diapers a day. I love the money that I think that we have saved. BUT what I don't love is YEAST!

I feel like I was a little blindsided by yeast. I had heard a little about it on diaper forums, but I had no idea how bad and annoying it can be and how much trouble shooting I had to do to figure it out and get rid of it. 

I am not exactly sure when our yeast issues started, but at about 14 months, Calan started to get rashes. I would get one healed and then the next would start. I would think we conquered it and another would appear. Luckily most of the time, they did not bother Calan, but a few times, the open wounds (yes open wounds) were pretty painful for him and it broke my heart. 

I used so many disposable diapers over the last 5 months that I hate to use, but I just could not figure out why my yeast kept coming back. 

Here is what I think I did wrong:

• I kept thinking just washing and using would get rid of the issue.
• I kept thinking that if I could get rid of the rash that it would disappear in the diapers. 
• I kept thinking that using enough cream would cure the issue.
• I kept thinking that my wash routine was fine.
• I kept thinking that toddler pee was the same as infant pee.

Needless to say, I had denial issues when it came to yeast. When I was researching cloth diapers, I read how few diaper rashes babies in cloth had. I have horribly sensitive skin. I figured that there was a good chance my kids would have skin issues, so fewer rashes sounded great to me. 

Not sure when Calan had his first rash, but I totally believe that rash-free diapering in cloth or disposables is a complete myth. I truly believe that rashes are unavoidable.

However, when it comes to yeast, there is hope. I never thought I would figure it out, but we have been rash free for 2 weeks and his butt looks great. 

Here is what I did:

• I finally took all of his pocket diaper micro-fiber inserts and boiled them for about 10 minutes. I could not believe all the pee that boiled off. It was my first hint that my wash routine was not as great as I thought it was. 
• I changed my wash routine. I was having yeast issues before we got a new washer and dryer for Christmas, but the HE washer was just another obstacle to resolve. I currently have a LG HE Top Loader. I start with a rinse and spin cycle with an extra rinse at high speed spin. Then I do a rinse cycle with no spin. I then do a hot cycle with detergent and  a 30-minute soak and an extra rinse. 
• Sniff test does matter. I do way more smelling. If the diapers seriously do not smell clean, then I do another rinse. I use to think that they smelled OK, but I now see that a little smell does matter. 
• I dry on high heat. I know that high heat is not great for PUL, but it is killing the bacteria that causes yeast. 
• After spending a ton of money on cloth-diaper safe cream and still battling rashes, I have fallen in love with pure coconut oil. At about $10 for a huge jar, you just can't beat it. 

For first-time cloth diapering mommas, it is nothing but trial-and-error. From leaks and fit to washing and rashes, I have struggled with it all. I still love cloth diapering, but it hasn't all been easy. The bright side to problems is that there really is a solution out there. Hang in there. When you have your second child, these issues disappear. Cloth diapering Maisie has been a breeze. 

We had to do it

This cloth diapering mom is sad to say that we have resorted to disposables at night for Calan. After battling yeast rashes and leaks, I had to give in. I had to make the decision that disposables at night was what was best for my little man right now.

I was putting him in a bamboo fitted with tons of extra inserts. His diaper butt was HUGE. While he did not leak for the most part, he just was soaked and getting rashes and waking up in the middle of the night. My 12-hour sleeper was just not doing well in cloth at night.

I know that there are options out there and I hope to figure something out soon, but I haven't had the time or "passion" to figure it out. I'll be honest, it has been easier changing him into a disposable for night. I got tired trying to strip our diapers and trying different levels absorbency and still battling rash after rash after rash. Plus, he started to get urine burns. I couldn't deal with it anymore. So, we bought a box of disposables and I haven't looked back.

Calan has always been a heavy wetter and it has always been an issue when it comes to cloth diapering. I know that there are a ton of options out there, but for this busy mom, disposables were our best option for the time being.

And yes, I am still trying to convince myself that it is OK that I am using a disposable. I have crazy cloth diapering guilt. I know that is crazy, but it is true. However, Calan's butt is clear and I have to go with what works for now. So, to me, we just had to do it.

Why do I cloth diaper ....

Two days worth of diapers. Maisie's used 14 and Calan used 12.

Because could you imagine this many diapers being thrown away every 2 days? Or that many disposables full of poop sitting in your trashcan? Or paying for that many? No thanks. That's not for me.

When we went to the Upper Peninsula the other week, I decided that we were going to use disposables while we were there because I didn't want to have to deal with laundry. I have to say now looking back, I would have rather done the laundry. We went through so many disposables and they were so stinky. Basically ever time my husband went to change a diaper, he would complain about the smell of the diaper. I joked with him that he has become a cloth diaper snob. But it is true that unused disposables definitely have a distinct smell that we are just not use to.

We also had two blowout diapers with Maisie. One on the way up and one when we were out for breakfast, of course always out in public. With cloth, I definitely deal with pee leaks, but never blowouts. I would rather deal with 10 pee leaks to any blowouts. It is just a mess to deal with trying to get her cleaned up from changing the diaper to trying to get her clothes off without getting poop everywhere. What a mess. Yuck! No thanks.

I've learned my lesson. Next time we go to my mom's, I'm packing our cloth diapers. (Plus, I missed their fluffy butts.)

2 babies means double the fluffy butt cuteness

Maisie came home from the hospital in a cloth diaper and we haven't looked back. Yes, I do laundry a little more often and I also seem to be running out of my cloth wipes, but overall, diapering 2 babies has been as easy as diapering 1.

I think having cloth diapered a newborn the first time (Calan wore his first cloth diaper at 7 days old) made the transition to two babies in diapers that much easier. I planned ahead and had everything ready to go. 

Something that I would suggest to someone cloth diapering 2 babies is to have his and her diapers (or his and his or hers and hers, you get the idea.) Maisie has her diapers and Calan has his. I do not have to change snap sizes or wonder will this diaper fit or not. I know that Maisie fits in hers and Calan fits in his. 

Maisie's bed and diaper changing area set up in our room.
I cleared out the top shelf of our built in to house the items
I need for her each night. Extra diapers, clothes, burp
clothes, etc. 

Maisie uses two diaper changing areas in our house. One is set in our bedroom where she sleeps at night and the other in the nursery. I obviously I do not want to disturb Calan if he is sleeping with a diaper change. Plus, our room is upstairs, so I also do not want to travel in the middle of the night to change her diaper. Having two areas set up for changes, makes life flow a lot smoother. I just make sure to bring the dirty diapers down each morning to be put in our diaper pail. 

Katydid diapers were renamed Oh Katy this year with a
few minor tweaks to the original design. The elastic is pretty
tight, so if you have chunky babies, they probably won't be
good for her. My kids both have/had chicken legs, so they
work for her great. 

When it comes to laundry, I have plenty of diapers to probably last 3 to 4 days with each child, but I do diapers every other day because of the size of load. You don't want to over stuff the washer because it won't be able to clean the diapers. After 2 days, I have a good size load. But honestly what I run out of all the time is my cloth wipes. I really need to get some more. Having them spread out between the two changing areas and our diaper bag, I am always looking for some. Note to self, must buy more wipes. 

When planning for Maisie's diaper stash, I figured that I would need to wait a while to use her one-size diapers, but I was really excited when the her Oh Katy (and Katydid) diapers fit her so soon. I barely had to use prefolds with her. Prefolds are easy to use, but her pocket diapers are just way easier and take less time to dry. Plus, they are bright cute colors that are just adorable on her butt.

The one negative, but I think this would be true even for disposable diapering 2 babies, is that my diaper bag is stuffed to the top each and every trip. I have a larger bag, but it is almost two big and my day to day just barely holds everything that I need. I am always clean out and reorganizing the bag to maximize its space. I even got a larger purse so that I can through things like pacifiers and sip cups in it, so I don't have to dig through the bag to get them. 

However, with that said and how easy it has been, I have decided to take disposables on our vacation next weekend. With Calan, I did travel with cloth to my mom's, which is where we are going. But this time, I just do not want to have to do laundry when I am on vacation. I can't take a vacation from being a mom, but I can from being the maid, so no laundry for me!

Diaper stash washed and ready to go

I will be cloth diapering a 1-year-old and newborn come July. Over the past few months, I have been watching deals and purchasing diapers. I had a pretty decent newborn stash with Calan, so I didn't need too many items for that, but I knew that I needed diapers once Maisie is about 10 pounds.

I love that my drawers are stuffed to the max. I mainly use Smartipants for Calan, but they were never on the half-off sites that I follow, so I ended up stocking up with Oh Katy (Katydid) diapers. They are pocket diapers just like Smartipants, but the insert needs to be pulled out before it is put in the wash. They are also much more colorful than the Smartipants that we have. I can't wait to put Maisie in a dress and showoff her cute fluffy butt. 

Calan's diaper drawer, which is full of Smartipants,
GroBaby (GroVia), Flips, and other miscelleneous diapers.

Maisie's diaper drawer stocked full of Oh Katy (Katydid),
Kissaluv, Lil' Joey's, and prefolds.

The overflow drawer, which has prefolds, fitteds, and some
diapers that will fit Maisie once she is bigger. I also keep a
small stash of disposables for baby-sitters. 

We will set up a diaper station in our room once we set up the pack and play. I obviously do not want to head downstairs to change her diaper in the middle of the night and wake Calan. I will probably use our Kissaluvs upstairs at night. I have 10 of them, so that should last me a couple nights before I would need to do diapers. Plus, they easily stack, so it will be easy to set up a small station upstairs in our room. 

Here is a video of my stash:

Leaks resolved

Calan with his extra fluffy Smartipants. 

I should probably give an update on my leaky diaper issue. I am happy to report that we are leak free. Calan has a fluffier butt, but his clothes are dry.

After going through my troubleshooting list a few times and asking for advice on a few forums, I discovered what I knew all along. Calan is super pee-er. My issue was mainly absorbency. He was just soaking the microfiber insert. 

To resolve the issue, I have added a second insert to the pocket. I don't have leaks, but now my Smartipants aren't a slim fit anymore. Calan has quite the butt when I put them on him now. He has a few pants that won't fit over the fluff. So, I do have to be careful when I dress him in the morning to make sure either his clothes fit with the Smartipants or that I have enough of his other diapers to make it through the day, which usually I do. 

Just like any child, it is frustrating when everything is going smoothly and then all of a sudden things change. Just like when I am dealing with a change in Calan's eating habits or sleep habits, his diapers need to be adjusted as he grows. Being new to cloth, it does take me a little while to figure out the issue. But I have decided that there is always a solution; it just takes some determination to find it. 

I am just glad that we are dry and happy once again. 

Plagued by Leaks

You know I am the first to say how great cloth diapering is and it is one decision that I am beyond happy that we made, but lately I have been having some issues to say the least. My favorite diapers have been leaking and it is getting pretty frustrating not being able to rely on them. I need my Smartipants to work.

Calan at about 4 months sporting a Smartipants cloth diaper.

Luckily, I listened to other people's advice and made sure that I had different options in my diapering stash. I will make it through this little snafu, but I need to get it worked out soon. I have tried a few things already that seem to have helped, but all the kinks do not seem to be worked out yet.

When you have leaks there are a few steps to take to figure out the issue. First, check to see how your diaper is fitting. Are there leg gaps? Calan's diaper does seem tight enough around his legs, but I have noticed that the leaks mainly happen around his legs. He is on the move more and his onesies are pulling some of the liquid out. So, while I don't think this is the main issue, it still could be and I will continue to play with it to make sure.

Next, it maybe that your diapers are repelling. This might be our issue. After Calan's surgery, he had some diaper rash issues that had me using more cream than normal. Even though I use cloth diaper safe cream, it can still build up. Until my leak issue is resolved, I am letting each diaper load soak for awhile in hot water and adding extra rinses to my routine hoping to break down any build up.

Another cause for leaks is absorbency. I think this is our issue. Calan has always been a super pee-er to say the least. While sometimes, the leaks happen quickly after a change, more times than not it is around the 2-hour mark and when I change him, he is soaked. I am currently double stuffing my Smartipants and I have had more success. Two days ago, I started double stuffing and we did not have a single leak. I was pretty pumped, but yesterday we were running a quick errand and Calan was in his double stuffed pocket and he leaked. I was pretty discouraged. However, I do think that he needs more absorbency during the day to avoid leaks, so I am going to continue to do that.

So that is where I am at. Kind of frustrated and pretty annoyed and ready to find a final solution. Till then, we are using our other diapers and testing his Smartipants here and there to try and see if they are working. I am hoping to have them back in the regular rotation soon.

This hasn't stopped me from using cloth diapers. It is just a problem that requires a little problem solving. I will get it worked out!

The lowdown on cloth diapering accessories

When you decide to cloth diaper, the basics are pretty simple; you need some type of cloth diaper. However, there are a lot of hidden extras that can add up. Some to me are necessary, but others just make life a whole lot easier.

Here is a list of accessories you might want to consider if deciding to cloth diaper:

My Planetwise small, medium, and hanging wetbags.

1. Wet bags: These handy bags are your way of transporting dirty diapers home when out in the real world. I have small, medium, and a large hanging wet bag. I would say my small wet bags are completely unnecessary. I never use them. The kind I have are pretty small and it is hard to stuff a diaper in them. However, if I ever decide to use cloth wipes on the go, small wet bags are perfect for this. You just need to wet a few wipes stuff them in the bag and you are good to go.

My medium bag is my everyday diaper bag companion. I would say that it would hold 5-6 of my pocket diapers easily with maybe being able to stuff a one or two more if needed. I would say that if you only get one wet bag get a medium size one. It will get you through most everything.

My large hanging wet bag is what we use when we travel. It will fit 2 or 3 days of diapers in it. I have heard of some people using a hanging wet bag as their daily dirty diaper pail, but I think that it is a little awkward to get the diaper in the bag. You have to unzip and zip the bag each time. Sometimes trying to do this one handed makes it quite the pain, but for traveling, it is great.

My best recommendation for wet bags is to buy ones that zip up. I have a cheap drawstring one I got for free that the drawstring actually came out in the wash. I use it though to transport diapers from the toilet back to the dirty diaper pail.

If wet bags are not in your budget a cheap alternative is to use Ziploc bags.

2. Laundry detergent: Cloth diapers are a little finicky about detergent types. You have to make sure what you are washing your diapers in is cloth diaper safe. There are a lot of options out there, but just make sure that yours works. Here is a video from Smartipants on some of the detergents that work:

I use a detergent she doesn't mention called Allen's Naturally. I use it on all of our clothes, including Calan's. And being from Michigan, it is a big perk to me that it is made in Novi. Rockin' Green detergent is probably the most talked about on blogs and forums that I follow. I have never tried it, but if you have hard water, I have heard the Hard Rock formula is great. (Hard water can make cloth diapers smell over time.)

3. Diaper Cream: When you cloth diaper, you can't just go the regular Destin or A&D diaper cream route. They can make your diapers repel, causing you leaks. There are a lot of cloth diaper safe options out there. We use Grandma El's Diaper Rash Remedy and Prevention. It can be pricey though. At my local cloth diaper shop it is $15 for 3.5 oz. container and that lasts me probably less then a month.

I was able to find online a recipe for your own cloth diapering safe cream. I might just have to try that soon!

4. Cloth Wipes and Wipe Solution: If you decide to cloth wipe, there are a lot of options out there. Basically you just need a wet cloth. Yes, some materials are better than others, but really they can be anything. I did buy these cheap flannel wipes and they work great, but I'll say it again, anything will work. Cut up an old t-shirt or receiving blanket (might have to stitch edges to reduce fraying) and you have plenty of free wipes.

With cloth wipes, you will need some way to wet them down. My mom used just water on me, so I am sure that will work, but if you are like me, you might want something that it is a little more soothing to your baby's behind. I use these honey chunks that I found at my local diaper store. I fill a 2-cup glass measuring cup, drop a cube in, toss it in the microwave for 3 minutes, let it cool, and poof instant solution that I pour into a plastic container that I have on Calan's changing table. The one $7 bag I bought before Calan was born is just now running out. I think I have 2 cubes left. There are a lot of homemade recipes online. Just do a quick google search and a ton come up.

5. Diaper Sprayer: I have mentioned this one before, but it really is a great accessory. Yes, you don't necessarily need it, but boy does it make life easier. I would not cloth diaper without my diaper sprayer.

6. Doublers, soakers, and liners: Doublers and soakers are just extra material to stuff in your diapers to make them more absorbent. If you use prefolds, these might be a necessity for you, but for me, I bought way too many before Calan was born. I have about six and I use 2 on a regular basis for night time. These are definitely just an accessory and I wouldn't buy any until you think you might need one.

Liners are usually flushable options to help with poop clean up. I have never used liners before, but I have heard that they can keep your cloth diapers safe if you have to use extra diaper cream that might cause some repelling issues later. There are also fleece liners out there. People might use these at night since the fleece wicks moisture away leaving the baby feeling dry overnight. I have never used liners and not sure if I ever will. I think this is another accessory to just buy on a need to use basis.

The Cloth Diapering Diaper Bag

Surprise, the bag is no different than a disposable diaper bag. I have diapers, I have wipes, I have toys, snacks and extra clothes. Pretty standard, really. 

When I was planning for Calan, I found this great book that really helped me organize everything from his changing table to his closet to his diaper bag. "The Organized Mom: Simplify Life for You and Baby, One Step at a Time" was truly a life saver for me. It really had so many great tips and checklists that it made organizing for Calan so easy. Here is what it suggests for diaper bags:

• Diapers (duh, I usually pack 2 extras.)
• Wipes (I use disposable wipes still, just because it is easier for me, but you can do cloth. Just wet a few cloth wipes and keep them in a Ziploc bag or small wet bag. I just found that I did not use them enough and didn't want them to get gross smelling before I used them. I know, for the most part, the disposables are ready to go.)
• Changing pad (If you pack your bag with prefolds, you can always use those to save space. But most bags, come with a pretty compact changing pad.)
• Bibs (Calan is an insane drooler. I usually have 2-4 bibs in my bag at anytime)
• Bottle and formula (This does depend on when and where we are going, but I usually do have enough food for one bottle in his bag.)
• Bottle water (I do not pack this. But if you are a mom who wants to make sure that you have water and enough to make you babies bottle with, you might want it. I usually just fill his bottle with water before we go.)
• Snacks (Calan doesn't eat a lot of snacks, but a small thing of Cheerios is in there in case I need to entertain him for a little while.)
• Pacifer (Calan never used one, so never had one in our bag.)
• Toys (Plenty of these. Always need something to keep him entertained.)
• Recieving blanket (Nope, don't have this in there, but did when he was a newborn. Never know when you might let him lay on the ground or something like that.)
• Camera (Not always in there. I usually throw this in my purse if I want to take it.)
• Antibacterial hand cleaner (I don't keep this either. If I need something, I usually use one of his wipes.)
• Cosmetic-type bag (This is to organize things like baby orajel, pacifers, and nail clippers. But I definitely do not have this in mine. Totally not needed.)
• Empty Ziploc bag (For unexpected diaper changes and you don't have anywhere to dispose of your disposable diaper. I obviously do not have this one because we cloth diaper. I have a wet bag instead to put my dirty diaper in when we are out and about.)

Stuffed diaper bag. If you are picking out a diaper bag,
make sure to find one with tons of inner pockets. They
really help to keep you organized.  

Everything that was in the bag. (Clockwise) Changing pad,
toys, wipe case stuffed with disposable wipes, extra cloth
wipes in case they are needed, container of Cheerios,
formula divided container, bottle filled with 6 oz. of water,
2 bibs, 2 burp cloths, extra outfit, 2 cloth diapers,
medium-size wet bag, diaper cream, and sunscreen.

I do have a few items that I would add to the Organzed Mom list. I keep sunscreen, diaper cream, an extra outfit for baby, and burp cloths in there, as well as when I was nursing, a cover-up.  

For cloth diapering, I would say my only extra thing is my wet bag. Everything else is normal. Yes, my cloth diapers take up a little extra room, but overall it is the same as any other mother's diaper bag. 

Our new, large diaper bag that will be great for all-day trips
and our daily diaper bag that we use now.

When I have 2 babies, I am pretty sure that my standard diaper bag will be plenty for the day-to-day trips to the store or whatever. My mother-in-law got me a great (and large) Vera Bradley tote bag for longer all-day trips. 

Some ideas I have to keep myself organized is to keep a checklist in my diaper bag. Not sure how my brain will be working once the baby is here, but right now pregnancy brain is killing me. I am a little nervous thinking about everything that I need to remember for 2 babies and myself. I think having a checklist handy to peak at will help me until I can remember everything on my own. 

I also try to keep things in the bag that never come out unless they need to be cleaned. For example, we all have a few outfits that aren't our favorites in our kids' wardrobes. Those are the outfits that I keep in the diaper bag in case I need it. (Though I have found that once I use it, I do forget to put a new one in. Hence, the need for the checklist.) Snacks, toys, sunscreen, travel diaper cream, and changing pad are always in there too. 

Calan in our new diaper bag about a month
or so ago to give you an idea of size.
It is BIG!

Just excited and had to share

I sewed my own cloth diaper today. It is so cute. It is pale pink and adorable. I'm washing it right now, and tomorrow, I am going to try it out on Calan to make sure that it doesn't leak. If all goes well, I'm going to make two dark purple ones that will be newborn size this week. Expect a blog later on how I did it. I am just excited right now because I did it. I am not crafty at all and have never really sewed anything. My mom helped instructed me on my first one and then I was able to do one without any help. If everything works and they turnout, I will have spent $30 on 4 all-in-one fitted diapers with fabric left over to make more. (4 Bum Genius all-in-ones run $12.95 for x-small and $15.95 for small, which would cost $57.80 for what I made.)

Ideas on how to save BIG on cloth diapers

It is no secret that disposable diapers cost money. On average each child will cost about $2,000 to diaper till potty training, but that cost is spread out over two or more years. Cloth diapering can seem intimidating to get started because there is definitely up front costs that you don't have to think about when it comes to disposables. However unlike disposables, they can be used for multiple children, saving you even more money.

I would say that my stash and accessories cost about $1,500, but my husband and I probably only spent about $400 (if that). There are some tricks to getting your stash and accessories without breaking the bank.

Prefold held together with a Snappi without a cover. 

1. If you can, register for them. This is how we saved probably the most money. Since we did not know what we were having the first time around, instead of people buying us outfits, they bought us cloth diapers. And let me just say, at my shower, guests were pretty interested in them. Some thought I was nuts of course, but others really wanted to know why we were cloth diapering. Now, I know some people do not decide to cloth diaper till later on, but if you know early enough, register for items. You never know what people might get you. If you do not have a local store you can register with, I suggest using an online site. Even though I have local options, I still chose to use an online registry because it gave me a few more options. 
2. Prefolds and covers are the cheapest way to go. If you are just getting started and you are not sure how much you want to invest in cloth diapering. Buy yourself some prefolds and covers. These are the types of diapers most people think of when they think of cloth diapers. But even these are improved versions of their ancestors. No pins needed. There are great things called snappis that are so easy to use and give the prefold a great fit on your baby. The covers are usually super cute too. There are so many adorable patterns out there to choose from. We used prefolds and covers when Calan was a newborn. It is hard to get the right fit from a one-size diaper on a newborn, but since they are only that little for a little while, we did not want to invest too much money in specific newborn diapers. I was actually surprised when my husband told me one day that out of our newborn options prefolds were his favorite. Who knew.
3. Follow Baby Half Off and Baby Steals. These websites offer great daily deals on all things kids and sometimes moms. But more specifically, they offer great deals on cloth diapers. Just this week alone I got great deals on night time diapers and pocket diapers for our new baby girl. The deals are at least half-off retail price. Sometimes it is because the manufacturer is introducing a new product or that they are discontinuing certain colors or styles. You name it, I have gotten it off of these sites. Sometimes I just a get one to try out; other times I stock up like I did this week. The only thing negative about these sites is having the self control to say no when so many cute things pop up on them. You can also follow these sites on Facebook. 
4. Make your own. Now I know this option is not for everyone, but if you are crafty enough, I hear that it is so easy to make your own. I am actually going to try and do this before our baby girl gets here, but not sure how it is going to go. I just want to make something for her and I figured this might be a good idea. There are several free patterns online. I have heard people like Rita's Rump Pocket and Ottobre patterns. I just bought diaper kits from diaperkit.com. They are having a sale on the kits and I thought what better way to try it out then to use that. PUL (waterproof fabric used in covers) is hard to find locally, but it is easy to find online. 
5. Buy used. Now, this is another option that will not appeal to everyone, but there is a market out there for used diapers. Sometimes they have only been used once or twice, but did not work for the baby or mom, so the mom sells them off. You can even find brand new ones for sale for various reasons. People sell cloth diapers on Craigslist and Diaperswappers. I did buy some Kissaluv size 0 fitted diapers on Craigslist before Calan was born. They are usually $13 a piece and I got 10 for $70 (plus 6 covers). While I bought them resale, the mother said that they were never used because her baby was too big for them. So there are deals out there.
   On a side note, remember when you are done with your diapers, there is a market out there for resale. You can always sell your diapers, too. Or if a diaper doesn't work for you, try selling it to get money for a diaper that will. 
6. Follow blogs and find giveaways. Cloth diapers are always being given away. There are weekly contests on many, many sites that usually require minimal things to enter. The first diaper I ever got, I won. I couldn't believe it. It was actually the first contest I had ever tried and I won. You never know what might happen, so it is always worth a try. A free diaper is a free diaper. The Cloth Diaper Whisper hosts a giveaway every week (a new one is posted each Friday).
7. Watch for package deals. It is always cheaper to buy cloth diapers in bulk. If you have decided on a diaper that you know that you will like, see if there are package deals out there for that diaper. You can save 15 to 20 percent that way. Also some sites like Kelly's Closet offer a lot of weekly deals. Some deals include if you spend a certain amount, you get a free one-size diaper. Since one-size diapers range between $15 and $20 dollars this is a great steal. 
8. Build as you go. While cloth diapers do require a large initial cost, nothing says that you have to stop there. Once you become an addict, it does make it hard to stop. Do not think that you need everything all at once. You need to have enough to diaper your baby and things to store dirty diapers, but you can always add the cuter more expensive diapers here and there.

Cloth diapering does take a little getting use to

When Bob and I decided to cloth diaper, I asked him if I should get a little disposable stash just in case it didn't work. He said no because he didn't want to have an easy out lying around. I am so glad that we didn't have an out, but there was a little trial and error in the beginning that made me question what we were doing.

We did not start cloth diapering the first day for two reasons: the first being that we weren't sure how overwhelmed I would feel or what my recovery would be like at first and the second reason was his circumcision, which requires a lot of Vaseline the first few days that can cause repelling on cloth diapers. For the first seven days, we used disposables, and in those seven days we had leaks and blowouts and issues to say the least. But I am so glad that happened because when I had a few leaks in the beginning of cloth diapering, I knew that it could also happen with disposables. That knowledge was priceless to me on the nights Calan woke up and his sheets were wet, which any parent knows is the last thing you want to deal with in the middle of the night. It made me just realize that I had to keep trying.

A lot of cloth diapering leaks are caused by user error and having the right fit. It took me a little while to get the hang of it, and of course, once I would get it figured out, he would grow and I would need to figure it out again.

This post might sound like he was leaking all the time. He wasn't, but it was just so frustrating whenever he did. Most of the time it was because of me, so I would get annoyed with myself. Here are some things that I learned along the way:

1. Newborn diapering is different than baby diapering. Calan had pretty skinny legs when we has born, which a lot of diapers that are all-in-ones or pockets just do not fit well. The best option for us was using prefolds or fitteds with covers. These did give him a rather large caboose, but he didn't leak. He started to fit into his one-size diapers (diapers that fit from baby to toddler) closer to three months. They fit better after the baby is securely more than 10 pounds.
2. Nighttime diapering is different than daytime. Our son is pee-er, to say the least. In order for him to have dry sheets in the morning, he needs a thick, super absorbent diaper. I have found that fitteds stuffed with extra absorbent pads and then covered works best for us. He has four nighttime diapers and when those are dirty, it is time for me to do laundry, which is why I do laundry every 3 to 4 days. These diapers are thick. They would not be good for the day when he is moving all about, but for night they are perfect. Calan sleeps for 12 hours and I can't even tell you the last time he leaked. 
3. Washing is all about the routine. It took me a little while to get my washing down to a routine that did not case repelling. For a little while, I was using too much detergent, which can lead to build up and repelling. But then I was using too little and I was getting bad stains. Then I had to make sure that there was not a left over dryer sheet in the dryer, which can basically ruin diapers (it took several hot soaks in order to fix). Most cloth diapering Web sites recommend to do a cold rinse and then a hot wash with detergent and then an extra rinse per load. However, I found that I like doing a cold wash with a little detergent and then a hot wash with a little detergent and then an extra rinse. It is what has worked for us.
4. The diaper is not on too tight. I use mainly snap diapers and have found that even if I am one snap off in the fit or if on my Velcro diapers, I do not attach tight enough, Calan leaks out the top of his diaper. It might be a boy issue, but I have to make sure that his waist fit is pretty snug. This is one reason I do like snap closures better because I have figured out what snaps work best and each time I can get the same fit. With Velcro, I am not as consistent. 
5. It is OK to go through a little trial and error. Some diapers work better for some than for others. I love Smartipants, but another mother might like Fuzzibunz way better or any other diaper brand. You really need to test out and figure out what works best for you. One of the most popular brands is Bum Genius, but the one diaper I had for Calan just never fit right and it always leaked. It went to the back of the drawer and just sits. Not every diaper is going to work for you. Try and diversify your stash until you figure out what works best. There are so many options out there. Do not feel like because your best friend loves this kind that you have to love that kind. It might not be right for you. Test things out. 
6. Don't be discouraged by leaks. Leaks can happen to anyone who uses cloth or disposable. Yes, I would say that maybe you might have less pee leaks with a disposable, but I have only had one blowout from Calan in 8 months and that wasn't even too bad. It only got a little on his back. Most cloth diapers have elastic along the back that really helps to keep the poop in. Just know that leaks happen. They are annoying and frustrating, but they happen and it is OK. 

I am hoping this time around, it is going to be less trial and error and more dry baby. Who knows. Every kid is different. However, I at least won't stress out as much as I did the first time. I know that I can get it figured out; it just takes time.

Yep, I Cloth Diaper

It is amazing to me all the decisions that face new parents. What kind of delivery do you want? Midwife or doctor? Hospital or home? Who will be your pediatrician? Breastfeeding or bottle? Will you make your own baby food? Will you vaccinate? Will you cloth diaper?

I am so happy that for this pregnancy basically all those decisions have already been made. I am open to using an epidural, I love my OB, I would never have a home birth, I love our pediatrician, I love that I get to breastfeed, I make my own baby food, we vaccinate, and yep, we cloth diaper.

When I dreamt about being a mother, I never dreamt I would cloth diaper. A few former colleagues of mine at The Detroit News told me they cloth diapered, and each time, I would make sure that they knew I would never, ever do that. Well, never say never. I would love to tell you that our reasons are environmental, but the truth is we are frugal. The idea that we would be able to use our diapers for years to come and for multiple children and we would not need to continuously buy diapers really appealed to us. I just had to convince Bob that poop was not an issue.

Let me be the first to tell you, poop is not an issue. Modern cloth diapering is awesome. Diapers are cute, washing is a snap, and I don't touch poop.

Here are some myths that kept me from cloth diapering:

Myth #1: I have to touch the poop to get it in the toilet

There is a great invention called the diaper sprayer that easily attaches to the toilet and does all the work for you. All I do is lay the soiled diaper inside the diaper bowl, touching un-soiled parts of the diaper and spray downward. Poop is gone, hands are clean, and the diaper is ready to go in my diaper pail.

Myth #2: I will be doing laundry all the time

It is true that a baby does increase your laundry loads, but my diapers do not make it any worse. Ever since Calan was about 3 months old, I wash diapers every 3 to 4 days. That is just one load twice a week. When he was a newborn, I did diapers probably three times a week and that is because he went more often like most newborns and I had fewer diapers for a newborn requiring me to wash more often. With two babies in cloth, I will probably have to do diapers every other day, but now that I am so use to it, I don't see it being an issue.

I should also mention that I thought I would have to touch the diapers to get them in my washer, but I do not touch a thing. I take my pail liner filled with dirty diapers and empty it into the washer throwing the liner into the wash too. Pretty easy, right!

Myth #3: I will have to deal with diaper pins

Modern cloth diapering is great and offers so many options. In fact the amount of options can be intimidating, but once you do a little research into the different types, you realize that cloth diapering can be as easy as putting on a disposable. We mostly use pocket diapers for Calan. A pocket diaper from the outside basically looks like a disposable diaper. It closes by either Velcro or snaps on the outside. On the inside, it is lined with usually a soft micro fleece that will wick moisture away and has a pocket that is stuffed with an absorbent insert. We personally like this type of diaper because it requires less drying time in the dryer and once stuffed is basically like an all-in-one, which is actually the closest to a disposable of all the cloth diapering options. I highly recommend looking for a local cloth diaper shop that hosts information classes. If you live in the Royal Oak area, No Pins Required in Ferndale offers a class. We took a class at Little Seeding in Ann Arbor because at the time it was the closest option that we knew about. The class totally convinced us that cloth diapering was for us and explained so much in just an hour.

Myth #4: My nursery will smell like poop

Since you flush the poop in the toilet, my nursery never smells. My diaper pail is nothing special. It is a regular plastic, flip-top trashcan with a Planetwise diaper pail liner and that's it.

Here is a link to a few more myths if you want to learn more.

We have been cloth diapering Calan since he was 7 days old. Since then, I have bought one package of newborn diapers and one package of size 3 diapers, and both packages probably a total of 10 diapers have been used. I keep a few disposables around for babysitters to make it a little easier for them. I actually cannot wait to buy girl "fluff" (cloth diaper lingo). There are so many cute girl diapers. I can't wait to add to my stash!

Diapers shown in video: Smartipants, GroBaby (now called GroVia), Flips, Bumboo Bamboo fitted, Thirsties Duo Wrap, and Wonder Wrap one-size covers (which have been discontinued, but any cover works, I just got these half-off). Not shown were my favorite diapers for night time, which are Sustainablebabyish Organic Fleece Fitted Diapers