Info on Cloth Diapers

Hi again, S.!
I am trying to catch up on emails, and I discovered this one from you!
We used cloth diapers with the first three kids, and then not too much with the fourth one. I actually have good memories of using cloth diapers.
I had a 5 gallon bucket. I would fill it about 1/3 of the way with water, and add baking soda, like about 1/2 cup, and clothes detergent, like about 1/2 scoop. I kept this by the changing table. A wet diaper would just go into the bucket. I would shake a dirty diaper into the potty. If it was messy I would swish it around in the potty water, squeeze the water out, drop it into the bucket, and wash my hands.
When the bucket was full I washed the diapers.
I was given all kinds of diapers at showers, and I used them all. But my favorite were the diapers which were rectangle shaped, and thicker down the middle. After diapering a baby I put plastic pants on them.
I even used cloth diapers through a bout of diarrhea. But, if I were doing it over again, I wouldn't do that. Those "seven-flush diapers" can get to ya!
Folding diapers was kind of theraputic, kind of rhythmic. I remember that, when our first baby was 15 months old, I was folding diapers when I was having contractions and decided it was time to call my husband. It was 4 pm. We dropped off the baby at a friend's house and drove to the hospital. The second baby was born by 8 pm! That was definitely the easiest labor.
The first three babies were born naturally; with the last one I had an epidural. I liked natural birth better. Yes, it's painful, but way more memorable. With the epidural I was kind of in a haze.

I use MotherEase diapers. They are not all in ones (they have water proof pants you have to put on as a second piece), but they are one size fits most. I am using them because I had a friend that offered them to me after she used them for her 2 children. They didn't even look used when I got them and have held up pretty well for me. I have a 10 month old girl.
The diapers work with snaps and it depends how you fold them as to how they fit (newborn vs toddler). The 'plastic' pants are more like cloth with a rubberized inside. I have not had any trouble with leaks. You can get extra snap in inserts (for the extra urine) for naps & bedtime.
The way I take care of mine is next to the changing table, I have a cheapy diaper pail that I put water and a little bit of liquid laundry soap in. When there is just a wet diaper, it goes into the diaper pail. If there is a poopy diaper, I have a bucket that I put it into. After I'm done changing my daughter, I take the poopy diaper via the small bucket into the bathroom where I have a diaper sprayer (definitely get one of these!!!). I spray the poop off the diaper and into the toilet. Then, I put the diaper back into the small bucket and transport it into the diaper pail by the changing table.

MotherEase website: http://www.mother-ease.com/cloth-diapers/Home

Where I got my diaper sprayer: http://www.diapers.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=...=

Hope this helps,
R.

Juliet Rohleder is an Austin mom and the inventor of a unique diaper called Happy Endings Diapers. Her 2-year-old son is a reformed streaker. :) She went through every kind of diaper she could find to try to solve her problem and then one day, she got the brilliant idea to put the velcro in the back and her streaking-son problem was solved and Happy Endings were born. :) Now, she runs a full-time business from her home making and selling her very cool, very stylish diapers on the internet and in some retail outlets.

www.happyendingsdiapers.com, go to the contact area and give her a call.

I went to a cloth diapering 101 with Juliet and she strictly did an information session and you are not obligated to buy ANYTHING. Juliet is only interested in making sure you are an informed mama because an informed mama is a happy mama.

Go to Austin Baby (Mary at South First). They have a wide selection of cloth diapers. They offer free cloth diapering classes on Sat mornings to go over all the options and how to use them. We use Bum Genius One Size All in Ones and could not be happier. We never use disposables (not at night, not when going out) - that's how great these diapers are. They are easy to use, easy to clean, our baby has never had a diaper rash, and my conscience can rest. I bought a metal trash can and a wet bag liner (from Austin Baby). I don't dunk the diapers; I just throw them in the trash can when I take them off the baby. I wash diapers about every other day - do a prewash to soak them, then wash with 2 rinse cycles. For stains, you can use lemon juice or simply dry the diapers in the sun. Good luck and good job for choosing cloth!

Hi S.,
I use cloth all in ones with my 1 year old(bumgenius 3.0 and fuzzibuns). I have a sprayer attached to my toilet and just a garbage in the bathroom. I change the baby, bring the soiled diaper in the bathroom, shake/spray it clean into the tionlet( I also use liners that make it a lot easier to drop any poops into the tiolet with minimal stains and rinsing), flush, spray the diaper with biokleen, and drop in the bucket. It is super easy. I didn't think I would be able to stick with it bc it would be very easy but I love cloth and am glad I tried it out. I also use cloth wipes and make my own solution. My washer has a sanitary cycle so I just wash the diapers every 2-3 days. I would suggest going to Austin Baby on West Mary street in Austin. They offer a diapering class every Saturday which goes over all of the different styles and options. They are very helpful, give them a call.

Hello S.!

I am into cloth diapers too... I have a 5 month old and we have been using them since she was born.

The ones I use are Fuzzi Bunz (http://www.fuzzibunsstore.com/). They work really well and in general I am very happy with them. They are sooo easy to wash and care for, and are gentler on my baby's skin than disposables. I love them.

You can buy them online or at Austin Baby downtown here in Austin. If you buy them online they have good packages (I bought a package of 18 diapers and it works really well for me, I wash every other day). And right now they have a 15% discount sale until November 9, I think (I know this because I am looking to buy the next size, since the small ones are getting a bit snug).

I put the dirty diapers(no soaking needed or recommended) in a medium size plastic container(like a garbage can with a lid) with a liner (it is like a sack that you wash with the diapers). I have ZERO problems with odors.

Once we move into solids (I think within the next few weeks), we will start using some disposable liners I bought at Austin Baby so I can more easily get rid of the solids. I do not know what the odor situation will be like, but I am sure it will be ok.

I have only faced ONE problem. My baby is a heavy night wetter, and I would almost always have to change her clothes and crib sheets in the morning. What I am doing now is using 2 disposable diapers at night (I have to change her in the middle of the night or else she wets her clothes). I use Seven Generations diapers because they have no chlorine, etc. But I am happy with this compromise.

The other brand of diapers that I know people like a lot is Happy Heinys. And they have a one-size model that means you only buy one set of diapers instead of moving from small, to medium to large as your baby grows (which is the case with Fuzzi Bunz). I actually ordered 2 one-size Happy Heinys last night to give them a try. As much as I love Fuzzi Bunz, if Happy Heinys works, I will switch, so they are the last diapers I would have to buy for my daughter (plus, I too wanna have another baby). BTW, Amazon sells Happy Heinys.

I hope this information helps.

And thank you for trying to do something about our environment! Your efforts will have positive impacts on everybody...

S.,
You've gotton some great replies. You've got to checkout Austin Baby, if you aren't in town at least visit their website. I love our Fuzzibunz. We've used them since our baby was 5 months old and they still look new. In the beginning we used a great diaper service, Debbie Does Diapers. We also have a couple of Bum Genius diapers. I don't like them as much. They look worn and the velcro straps are easy for the kiddo to open and sometimes catch on my clothes. I love to dry them in the sun as another poster said, it really gets out the stains, smell and you don't have to use the dryer!

Hi S.! Yea for you to try out cloth diapering! It isn't as scary as people think it is...and knowing you are doing a good thing for your baby and the environment is totally worth the extra work. I have learned a lot about cloth diapering over the past 6 months, so this may be a long message.

Everyone has their own opinion on which cloth diaper is best. There are so many different types of cloth diapers it can be a very overwhelming. One of the best things is to try several different types and then decide what you like. It also depends on how much money you want to spend. If you want to spend the least amount possible, you want to go with Chinese prefolds and diaper covers. You can spend more money on a nice diaper cover or two, or you can even use the cheap vinyl covers from Gerber.

If you don't mind spending a little extra money upfront then I would recommend using all in ones. They make cloth diapering so easy, and in the long run, it is still less money than using disposable diapers. Especially if you are planning on having more children in the future. My recommendation for a cloth all in one are Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers. They have snaps, not Velcro (which can be annoying and wear out after a while). You can buy Fuzzi Bunz at Austin Baby Store, but if you are trying to save money you can buy them as seconds and on clearance at:

http://www.fuzzibunzonline.com/Seconds-and-Clearance_c_8....

Your 5 month old will wear a size medium. It is very unlikely you will ever need a size large for your baby, so these will last you until your baby is potty trained. You can also buy Fuzzi Bunz packages at:

http://www.fuzzibunzstore.com/Fuzzi-Bunz-Packages-p-1-c-7...

Washing: DO NOT USE "FREE AND CLEAR" detergent if you go with a fleece diaper like Fuzzi bunz. I learned that lesson the hard way. Also, if you choose to use Charlie's Soap, be careful to follow the directions very closely or your baby may end up with the worst rash you have ever seen. My choice of detergent is Country Save. Here is a website that gives you a run down on all the detergents:
http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html

I have 16 diapers and I do a load of wash every other day. Rinse first in cold then do a heavy duty cycle with hot water and a second rinse. I line dry my diapers outside. This saves energy, kills bacteria, and gets them super bright white. On cloudy days I dry them in the dryer on high for 60 minutes...except the Fuzzi Bunz covers say to dry on low...not sure why.

I use the Diaper Champ as my diaper pail. It is not perfect, but it works. I do not use a bag to line it as that can be very wasteful. Instead, every time I wash the diapers I clean the pail. You can also use a washable bag for your dirty diapers and then throw it in the wash with the diapers. The sell a very nice one at Austin Baby.

The down side to cloth diapers is dealing with poop. This can be a deal breaker for most people. You can buy liners that go in the diaper that make for an easy toss in the toilet, but I have used them and still have to rinse the diaper in the toilet because the poo isn't always solid. I will probably use these more when she is older and there is less of a messy poo.
It is not very fun, but since she poops only one or two out of 16 diapers, it isn't a big deal.

Wipes: I started using washable wipes! I figured since I was washing these diapers, why not just wash the wipes too! You can buy them, make them, or buy some inexpensive bath cloths from Target or Babies-r-us. (I got 6 for 2.99 at Target!) I just use water, but there are wipes solutions you can buy or make and keep at your changing table.

Out and about:
Many people choose to use disposables when you are not at home, but once you get the hang of it, it is not a big deal to use cloth diapers when you are outside of your home. Just remember to pack a bag to put the wet ones in! They sell biodegradable disposable bags at Austin Baby.

One other downside to using cloth diapers is Big Baby Butt. This makes it difficult to put some of those adorable outfits on. Buy a few hemp inserts for those days when you want your baby to wear those cute jeans. They make the diaper a lot less bulky!

My final piece of advice: Go to Austin Baby Store's Cloth Diapering 101 class. It is free and you will learn so much!

http://www.austinbabystore.com/AustinBaby2008/ClothDiaper...

Good luck and happy diapering! I hope this is helpful and if you have any questions, feel free to respond!

One more thing: If you choose to use cloth, do not use Desitin diaper rash cream (or any other regular diaper rash cream)...especially if you use a fleece diaper like Fuzzi Bunz or Bum Genius. This will eventually ruin your diapers and cause them to leak. (I also learned that one the hard way.) There are many other choices of diaper rash cream to use. I use Burt's Bees and LOVE it! Smells great and is parabin free! My daughter gets a little bit of rash after a poo and it goes away instantly with Burts Bees Diaper rash cream.

I used Fuzzi Bunz for 14 months on my daughter. I loved them, and my husband loved them, too. I bought them from Nurtured Family.com I also bought some used. Honestly, the used ones looked just like my new ones after a couple washes. There is alot of information about all cloth diapers with reviews and cleaning tips at diaperpin.com. You can also buy used diapers if you want to try before you commit. At 14 months, I quit using because I couldn't keep my daughter dry enough without adding bulk. I will definitely use again with #2 if I am so blessed. I've loaned them out to a family member and they still look great! Drying them in the sun is the best as it is a natural disinfectant and they dry very quickly. I bought the Mother of Eden diaper bag and put my dirty diapers in there until it was time to wash. (dry wash method). I washed every other day. If I had a really messy diaper that didn't come clean after dumping contents into the toilet, I'd give it a soak and rinse in the washer before washing it with the other diapers. I tried Bummis All in One and would not recommend. Also tried Kissaluvs and I liked the way they fit, but would recommend you use with a fleece liner (then it's sort of like Fuzzi Bunz. Kissaluvs require a cover, but you can usually get by using 2 or 3 covers a day because the diapers don't soak all the way through. Go to kissaluvs.com for more info. It's a cheaper alternative to Fuzzi Bunz, but again, FBs would be my first choice. I also have friends who use old fashioned cloth diapers that you pin and claim that once you learn how to pin them, it's no problem to use. Then you buy waterproof covers of your choice. Good luck.