cloth diapering

[HeatherUC]

This is my first post. Our baby is due anytime now (Unassisted homebirth 4thbaby) and I want to use cloth diapers. We are on a major tight budget. Any Suggestions for what and where to purchase...I'll need diaper wraps too. What can I use for a daiper pail?

[mamalisa]

What about nice plain flat diapers, pins and rubber pants? They work just fine, used 'em for 3 kids and never had a problem.

Diaper pail----5 gal bucket with lid.

[mulliganbush]

Originally Posted by HeatherUC

This is my first post. Our baby is due anytime now (Unassisted homebirth 4thbaby) and I want to use cloth diapers. We are on a major tight budget. Any Suggestions for what and where to purchase...I'll need diaper wraps too. What can I use for a daiper pail?

A diaper pail is anything water tight with a tightly-closing lid. A five-gallon feed bucket with a tight lid has always worked fine for us. Actually, we use two, one for diapers that are only wet, the other for the more intensely used ones. You can use a toilet plunger in the bucket to give the dirty diapers a first cycle before beginning the actual washing in a machine.

I can't give you the name for a good supplier of diapers. Ours came from Mexico--a truck driver friend picked them up--and from hand-me-downs. They aren't the prefolded type, which is the type most of our friends prefer. I don't--but it's probably just what I'm accustomed to.

You might also check out the price for appropriate fabric. The flat diapers take a couple of minutes to sew, and there are patterns on line for the pre-folded. The economy of this depends upon the cost for the fabric and your time.

Ray

The diaper covers come from the Dollar Stores in all their permutations. I hope we're talking the same thing--rubber pants, diaper covers, diaper wraps--the pants that give the parent the illusion that the contents of the diaper will stay contained?

[frazzlehead]

Diapers are a bit of an investment. I used cloth almost exclusively for my son, and loved it. I'm guessing you are in the States - your money goes further here in Canada, so maybe this would help - this company is where I got my diapers from. The Nikki covers are absolutely worth the money, but they aren't cheap. You only need 2 or 3 of them, though, you don't have to wash them each time you change the diaper, only if they get soggy or smelly. The plastic pants that snap on over top of the diapers are much less expensive and they are nice too, as are the velcro-on coloured nylon covers. (Nikkys and nylon covers breathe a little better than plastic pants, and if they snap on or velcro on they are waaaaay easier to get on ... wiggling those elastic legs up over chubby thighs is hard work!)

You can start with maybe a dozen diapers and wash more often ... then tell all your friends this is what you want for a baby gift! A bit of Borax in the pail works wonders, as does Watkins Pine Disinfectant (takes the stink right out!).

If you are handy with sewing, you can also make your own - especially if you have a serger. Be sure to buy diaper flannel though - it makes a difference!!

Check out http://www.babyloveproducts.com/

The one size diapers really DO work for tiny to large babies, so they are a good investment. For right at the very start (first month?) they may be a little large and you might want to <gasp> use one package of disposables for that time if you end up with a tiny baby.

Oh, and if you can afford it, the waterproof bag for travelling is REALLY nice to have. My son still uses the one we bought 9 years ago - he uses it for his swimsuit when he goes to the pool. It won't rip and tear like a grocery bag or other plastic bag - pretty ikky to have it tear when there's soggy diapers (or worse!) in it and it's sitting next to your kid's snack in the diaper bag!

Good luck and congrats!

[Ruby]

When my son was born we were in major financial trouble. I had 6 diapers. I would save them for when we went to church, in the mean time I would use flannel cloth that I cut in squares, then folded for diapers then pinned them on the baby. You don't have to have the pre-sewed diapers, tho they are more convieniet.

As for as diaper pails, go to a Wal-Mart or any place where they bake cakes and ask for the empty pails that the icing comes in. They are almost free. I gave 50 cents for some. I think they were a doller if they washed them.

You can use diaper pins if you want to get fancy, (don't know if they still make these or not) it's been 33 years since my last one was born. When my first child was born they didn't even make throw away diapers.

[homebirtha]

And I know there are some other auction sites where you can get gently used ones for not much money. I've tried a bunch of different kinds, and have always come back to just the simple prefolds, with various covers. I don't like the "rubber" or plastic pants. I like wool or fleece, much more breathable and caused less rashes on my kids. And they're pretty easy to make too.

[Canucklehead]

We have two young girls and have needed to buy 5 packs of cloth diapers for $40/8 pack. Probably will need one more of a larger size. We have to do about a load of laundry every day and use disposables at night.

We don't use any leak wraps or anything like that. One pee and we change the diaper. It makes for a lot of laundry but my youngest is 14 months and she takes her own pee diapers off, puts them in the laundry space, and brings us a new one. It's cute.

Anyway... we worked it out a couple of times for the 2 kids and we've saved a boat load of cash. I like disposables for going out and night time. We buy on pack a month, cheapies .. no pampers etc.

We get our cloth diapers at Sears I think. Don't use bleach! Don't worry about stains... the bleach will eat them up in no time. Or if you want get the stains out with something else. Doesn't bother us as long as they are clean and disinfected.

[fullhouse]

Congratulations! We are expecting baby number 6, and are using the same cloth diapers we have used for the last 3 babies. They are the Gerber prefolded diapers from a discount store, I think they cost about $12.00 for a dozen. I have 3 dozen and I wash diapers about 3 times a week. I also use "plastic pants" diaper covers, they are about $6 for a package of 6, and I only have one package. We do have to replace these occasionally as they aren't extremely durable, but I find they usually come apart at the seams and can be super-glued back together. My pail is a bucket with a tight fitting lid, and I don't soak my diapers. I'm uncomfortable with a full pail of water sitting around since we have small children in the house. To wash, I use a hot water wash, cold rinse, and a second cold rinse with about 1/4 cup of vinegar in the rinse. I prefer to hang the diapers out to dry. This system works great for us and my babies rarely get diaper rash.

[mamakatinmd]

http://stores.hsprofessional.com/kat...StoreFront.bok

They have a pretty good selection and sell prefolds for 1.50 apiece.
There is a site diapersewing.com that has detailed instructions and photos to make several different styles of diapers and covers. Also for cloth menstrual pads. (on a side note for moms and saving money, if any have read about the diva cup and were wondering... they really do work and are very comfortable

Congratulations and hope your having a good pregnancy.
kat

[HeatherUC]

Wow. I love this list. Thank you for the great ideas. I know the Lord led me here. I'm realizing more and more that babycare is practically free! Except that I know they're priceless! I'd welcome anymore ideas.

[newengland]

We know many people who have liked proraps diapers

http://www.prodiaper.net/store/

their "chinese prefolds" [they are not made in China, the diapers just go by this name] are very nice quality. You can definately tell the difference from Kmart or Walmart diapers.

Their diaper wraps come in either velcro or snaps, and make it so that you do not need to use any diaper pins. You just fold the diaper, and put the wrap on over it.

If you call their phone number, ask for "seconds". These are new wraps that maybe have a tiny flaw that makes them comepletely usable, but they are not as perfect looking, and cannot sell them at hte same price as cosmetically perfect wraps.


BTW cotton fleece makes great diaper liners, and they are so easy to make, just cut them out- no need to hem fleece. The fleece wicks the moisture away from baby's skin.

OR, get some good diaper wraps, and buy cotton recieving blankets at the thrift stores (ones near us have $0.10 and $0.25 days), and fold and use the already hemmed off cotton blankets as diapers (especially good for newborns).

Best wishes on your new Blessing

[Dan in Ohio]

Heather --

The only thing we use that others haven't mentioned that are these rubber stretching bands that we use to keep the diaper on instead of pins. It has plastic claws on its ends that dig into the outside of the cloth diaper just like a clip on an ace medical bandage. You put one side on, stretch it across and put on the other side to hold the sides of the diaper on and then it has a third prong to grab the diaper at a right angle in the center.

Much easier than pins IMHO.

[Sabrina]

here's a site with some good info on making your own diapers.

www.diapersewing.com

I'm sewing challenged...so I haven't actually tried this myself.

Sabrina

[tethys]

I like flats the best . . . they dry SO much quicker than prefolds. The prefolds have to be on the line for quite a few hours . . . the flats are dry in about 10 minutes on a hot day it seems!!! If you are using a dryer (as I end up doing part of the year in our wet climate here in the pacific northwest) quicker drying can save you money!!!

I heard that proraps sells seconds for about $4. I think someone already posted a link.

You can cut up old t-shirts for cloth wipes and even for extra diapers!!! Super cheap!

Congratulations on your upcoming new arrival!

Julie

[Ann-NWIowa]

If you are really financially stressed, any soft absorbant fabric will actually work. I used birdseye diapers - flat squares that I folded to fit large or small bottoms as the case may be. If you are on an extremely tight budget, go to garage sales and buy flannel receiving blankets and cut down into diapers. They are usually only 15¢ each. Go to fabric store and buy cheap 100% cotton flannel fabric and make diapers (sew or serge double). My mom made diapers when she was expecting my sister out of used flannel sheets. They won't be as nice as the more expensive diapers, but they'll do. If anyone asks suggest diapers as a gift. By the way do not use plastic headed pins unless the plastic is covering a metal head. I had a plastic pin break and baby got stuck. When I think of all the money spent on disposable diapers and their impact on the environment it boggles my mind.

[reese]

Originally Posted by Dan in Ohio

Heather --

The only thing we use that others haven't mentioned that are these rubber stretching bands that we use to keep the diaper on instead of pins. It has plastic claws on its ends that dig into the outside of the cloth diaper just like a clip on an ace medical bandage. You put one side on, stretch it across and put on the other side to hold the sides of the diaper on and then it has a third prong to grab the diaper at a right angle in the center.

Much easier than pins IMHO.

Sounds like you are talking about a "SNAPPI" which I loved with my semi-fitted homemade with terry outters and with my Unbleached Indian Cotton Prefolds (which I LOVE).

I used mostly homemade fitted (like disposables w/o the waterproof outter)diapers or semi-fitted (no attatched closure, used a 'Snappi' to close). I did eventually get the courage up and used good quality prefolds bought online and a Snappi as well as Dritz pins. In the beginning I used "Prowrap" covers, but then discovered the great qualities of using Wool covers and never looked back.

The cheapest and and easier cleaning route IS the quality prefolds with either dritz pins or snappi and a cover..or sew your own fitteds and covers (or knit nice wool soakers) and maybe a few doublers (a lay in liner to add to the absorbancy)for those times you may not be able to get to change asap after a wetting, ie. nighttimes and outtings.

a good place to start is, http://www.diaperpins.com for information and support

I did a basic dry pail (plain ol' lidded trashcan), washed every 2 days with a cold pre-wash with 1/8 cup detergent (front loader..about 1/4 cup for top loader on average) then a hot (or if poop was rinsed off in later months when solids were introduced) wash with double cold rinse and then either line dried or dryer dried...line drying will get the stains out via the sun bleaching process.

i got my prefolds from Granitesmith on ebay.

reese

[reese]

Someone suggested garage sale finds of flannel recieving blankets...another great option to fold like a flat diaper!! For washing bottoms, just basic washclothes work as well and toss into diaper pail with soiled dipes. Washcloths also work well for "doublers" to help with added absorbancy. reese

[culpeper]

If you can get some second-hand towels, you can sew your own. Look in your haberdashery for some bar-towelling, too. Sew some velcro onto the corners (figure out how you're going to fold them to suit the size of your baby) and use strips of velcro to tie them - safer than pins. A convenient size is around 18" square. These can be folded in several different ways, according to the size of the baby, and its sex.

Use rewashable dishcloths as liners - here in Australia, the suitable brand would be Chux. You'll have to look it up and find the equivalent where you live.

If you really want to save money, dry them outside in the sun and wind. The wind helps to make them soft and fluffy, the sun helps to bleach stains.

Ok, so my baby is 30-ish, but I've never used a disposable nappy (diaper) in my life. They are such an incredible environmental catastrophe, IMO.

If you're going to use all-cloth nappies, you'll need at least 3 dozen. They need to be changed far more often than disposables. I was a fussy mother, and used around 40 per day. I used 2 nappies at once, overnight, when the bubs started sleeping through the night.

You'll probably also need mattress liners. I have no idea what they recommend these days, but we older mothers used a thin sort of rubber liner - check at your hospital to see what they use for 'leaky' patients! Probably disposable plastic-lined paper things, but some nursing homes probably still use mattress liners with their leaky patients.

[amyd]

Used flannel sheets and receiving blankets were what I used to make diapers. They were more durable than any flannel I purchased. If you pm me your address I have a bunch of flannel here, I'd love to send you some for the cost of postage. I used the pattern on the sewing diapers link. just cut my pattern from a paper grocery bag and kept adapting it until I found one I liked.