Cloth diapers today have come a long way from your grandma’s generation of pins and rubber pants. Modern day cloth diapers are not only cute and fashionable but are built to last; they feature convenient button snaps or Velcro, elastic waists and sewn in or removable inserts. The reasons I chose to switch to cloth diapers for my kids include my family’s cost savings benefits, my kid’s health benefits and the cute stylish designs options they offer. Cloth diapers fit perfectly with our natural parenting style and the benefits outweigh the negatives.
The biggest factor for me was the cost of cloth diapers. They range from about $5-$20 per diaper new, at first glance that could seem expensive, but that one diaper will be used multiple times and could be sold or passed on to siblings. A typical family will spend around $600 on cloth diapers and diaper accessories for one child compared to an average of $1500 on disposable diapers. Once I factored that amount, the savings for us was huge especially since I had 2 boys in diapers at the same time. The only other cost associated with cloth diapers is washing and drying them. Some may notice a slight increase in their water and electric usage but I have not noticed a great increase on my bill.
I’ve always heard how cloth diapers can be inconvenient, especially while being out and about with your baby. Yes this is true, you shouldn’t just roll up your dirty cloth diaper and throw it away but you can roll it up (wipes and all) and throw it in a wetbag to bring it home and deal with it later. Another great benefit of cloth is the fact that we haven’t had any poop-splosions. I know everyone dreads having to deal with them especially while being out. The tight elastic around the back and legs keeps all those messes contained. Since I’m talking about poop, yes you need to rinse solid poop out of diapers before you wash them. Yes this adds an extra step to diaper changes, but did you know it is recommended to dump poop out of a disposable diaper also?
The worst feeling I’ve had as a mom is being helpless when my daughter (who only used disposables) would have a diaper rash; I’m allergic to diaper cream so that was not an option in our house. Since using cloth diapers on my boys, they have never had a rash. If you have a baby with sensitive skin, (like my youngest) you may want to add a stay dry fleece liner, since not all cloth diapers have a moisture blocking layer and could irritate them.
This is probably the most impractical reason why I chose cloth diapers for my family but it was the most convincing one (other than cost) for me at first. A cloth diaper is so cute, not only do they come in many different prints and colors but that fluffy diapered butt is so cute on a baby. That fluffy butt is cute but it does make it harder to fit in slimmer fitting pants. I am so happy we decided to cloth diaper our boys and the pros for us really do outweigh the cons.
“Breast is best or Formula is best” seems to be one of the biggest parenting debates. While I agree fed is always best, breastfeeding no matter the amount of time should be considered an accomplishment and something to be celebrated. Since August 1St kicks off World Breastfeeding Week, I wanted to share my personal breastfeeding journey. I will admit I never imagined how much breastfeeding would impact my life.
Out of all my three pregnancies, I experienced the most difficult childbirth with the oldest of my children, Jalissa. I also encountered my most challenging breastfeeding journey with her. As soon as I delivered Jalissa I knew something was wrong, she was born not breathing for a few moments of her life and lacked oxygen; she quickly began to breathe in the delivery room but she was soon rushed to the NICU for a few hours before I could even hold her. My initial plan going into this first pregnancy was to exclusively pump breast milk for her and then bottle feed her. Since Jalissa was under NICU’s supervision for over nine hours after she was born, this unfortunately delayed my milk and it didn’t come in right away. This made it almost impossible to pump, so we supplemented with formula while I tried to breastfeed and that was fine with me. I quickly realized that pumping breast milk and then bottle feeding my baby was too much work for me at that time, so I gave up pumping in favor of just nursing her. When she was just 4 months old, her pediatrician brought to my attention that she was having mild failure to thrive. We started giving her baby cereal right away and continued feeding formula 1-2 times a day along with breast milk. She quickly gained the weight she needed and we never had another issue with her weight gain.
Not long after Jalissa turned two, I found out I was three months pregnant again. I was determined to not stop breastfeeding her even though the doctor advised against it because the increase in hormones during a pregnancy can decrease milk supply dramatically. I was fortunate and found a different doctor that was more supportive of my beliefs, and shortly afterwards Jayden came into our lives (six months after my pregnancy was first confirmed). I was very lucky my milk never dried up during my pregnancy, and it was exciting to learn that Jayden was born a master at breastfeeding. I was told in the recovery room to limit his milk intake to one breast per feeding since my supply was fully in. Even with Jayden receiving limited milk, he gained weight in the hospital instead of losing it like most babies do. Finally, my milk switched to colostrum at day three (I knew this was coming eventually so I had formula on hand just in case). We ended up using the formula for a couple of days until my milk came back fully. I was extremely surprised I had a slight oversupply, even while nursing both Jayden and Jalissa. By 6 months old, Jayden was almost 30lbs (the same weight as his older sister), but he stayed relatively the same weight for a while after that and just stretched into his chunkiness.
When Jayden was only 10 months old, I found out I was 3 months pregnant again with baby number 3. This time around, I was determined to continue breastfeeding both Jalissa and Jayden. I thankfully had the full support of my doctor and found a few Facebook groups geared towards nursing multiples babies at the same time (I even had a few local moms as extra support). All my family and friends thought I was insane for tandem nursing but that didn’t stop me. Jalissa weaned off the boob when I was 7 months pregnant, just a month before she turned 4. When Jason was finally born, he followed the same pattern as his brother; he was a champ at nursing and kept gaining weight rapidly. During this time, we never supplemented with formula and the oversupply I had with Jayden seemed to multiply even more with Jason. When Jason was an infant, he was diagnosed with both a tongue and lip tie but it was never an issue for him during him nursing.
Seven years ago, if you asked me if I would be spending 7 years of my life breastfeeding, my answer would have been no. I knew I wanted a close bond with my kids, but I never imagined nursing them past 1 year old or nursing more than one baby/toddler at a time. Here I am today, still nursing Jayden (4.5 years) and Jason (3 years). Even though I never stopped breastfeeding in between my babies, each experience was different. The most incredible thing was comparing my frozen milk from each baby; Jalissa’s had no fat layer on top, Jayden’s looked more like heavy cream, and Jason’s was an equal mix of both. The most important thing I learned is the right information, knowledge, and support, can make a huge difference in anyone’s breastfeeding experience. I consider myself an advocate for breastfeeding; I believe this shows in some of the prints and merchandise I carry. While I had a relatively easy experience with my three children, this is not the case for all new moms. I would like to empower those women who struggle with breastfeeding and social acceptance, to not give up and I encourage them to continue their own journey.
This is the exact step by step process of how I wash, prep, and strip my diapers. When I wash my diapers, I wash about every 5 days for my two kids in diapers. This is what works for me and my family and yes, I have had to wash using each of these methods at least a few times. These methods may work great for you or you may need to slightly tweak them to be the perfect match for your family.
1) Rinse poop if baby is on formula or solids (not necessary when baby is drinking breast milk only). I choose to use a reusable liner so it is easier to rinse the poop off. I just plop or swish it in the toilet. I also choose to rinse all overnight diapers.
2) Prewash is a short cycle to start the cleaning process of your diapers. You may use hot, warm or cold water. I choose warm water for this cycle. This cycle should have at least 6 minutes of agitation.
3) Main wash should be your machines longest cycle with the strongest agitation (heavy duty, super wash). You can use any type of water you would like as long as diapers look and feel clean after. I choose to use cold water for this cycle. This load should have a full amount of detergent. I have found that tide or gain powder works the best.
4) Extra rinse this is an optional cycle but I feel my diapers need this to get the last bits of detergent out. You can use the rinse and spin cycle for this.
5) Dry in dryer or on clothes line. It is your choice. I choose to dry all in ones and inserts in the dryer and others on the clothes line.
*I used a standard machine for 2 years while cloth diapering
Washing Your Diapers (HE machine)
1) Rinse poop if baby is on formula or solids (not necessary when baby is drinking breast milk only). I choose to use a reusable liner so it is easier to rinse the poop off. I just plop or swish it in the toilet. I also choose to rinse all overnight diapers.
2) Prewash is a short cycle to start the cleaning process. When filling the HE Machine it is important that it is at least 2/3 of the way full so the clothing agitates properly. You can add towels etc. to make sure the drum is full enough. Again you may choose the water temperature you like. On my machine I do the Quick wash cycle with Eco-warm water.
3) Main wash should be your machines longest cycle (heavy duty, super wash). You can use any type of water you would like as long as diapers look and feel clean after. I choose to use cold water for this cycle. This load should have a full amount of detergent. I have found that tide or gain powder works the best.
4) Extra rinse this is an optional cycle but I feel my diapers need this to get the last bits of detergent out. I choose another quick wash with Eco-warm water
5) Dry in dryer or on clothes line. It is your choice. I choose to dry all in ones and inserts in the dryer and others on the clothes line.
*this is my current washing method
Washing Your Diapers (hand washing)
1) Rinse poop if baby is on formula or solids (not necessary when baby is drinking breast milk only). I choose to use a reusable liner so it is easier to rinse the poop off. I just plop or swish it in the toilet. I also choose to rinse all overnight diapers. With this method I would only wash 2 days of diapers at a time.
2) Presoak dirty diapers in warm water with a little detergent for 30 minutes. Anything waterproof should only be put in for the last 10 minutes
3) Prewash your diapers by putting just enough water to cover diapers and ¼ the amount of detergent (you may use a bucket, sink, or bathtub). Then use your hand or plunger to agitate your diapers. You may want to rub fabric against itself or use a washboard. Then let soak 10 minutes. Then squeeze out excess water (do not ring as it can stretch fabric)
4) Check for staining if needed you may use a gentle scrub brush to remove staining.
5) Main wash your diapers by adding warm water and full amount of detergent to your bucket/sink/tub. Add your diapers and swish them around making sure there is enough room for diapers to freely move. Then agitate and kneed your diapers for several minutes than drain water
6) Repeat main wash steps (except adding soap) until all the bubbles are out of your diapers then squeeze excess water out of diapers and hang dry of put in dryer
*I have done this for 2 week it is a lot of work but in a pinch it does work great
Prepping Your Diapers
Synthetic material such as pockets, covers, and microfiber need no true prepping but it is recommended to wash once.
Natural materials such as hemp and bamboo need to be prepped to remove their natural oils that will affect absorbency. They should be washed at least twice with hot water if possible. There is no need to dry until both washes are done. My tip is I throw them in with our regular weekly laundry; I tend to wash them four times but not in hot water then dry at the end.
Stripping your diapers
Stripping your diapers should be done as needed only. I have been cloth diapering for almost 5 years and have stripped my diapers only 3-4 times; not counting the used diapers I have brought. Stripping diapers is only needed when detergent or ammonia builds up, which affects its absorption, or when diapers develop a smell; this happens when wash a routine isn’t perfect.
This is my step by step of how I strip my diapers
Start with clean diapers in a well-ventilated room (I use my bathroom and the bathtub).
Fill up a tub ½ of the way with very hot water (this is for stripping my whole stash of diapers; about 40 diapers; and would need adjusting if you had fewer diapers). In with water, I mix 2 packets of RLR laundry treatment, ½ a cup of detergent (tide or gain powder works best) and all my inserts. Then mix around until everything is wet.
Mix thoroughly with a strong broom handle every 20 minutes for the first hour. After 60 minutes and the water cool cools down (to the point you can put your hand in it) I add my diapers with PUL to the tub.
Continue to mix every 30 minutes for 4 hours. Then drain the tub and squeeze the water from the diapers.
Next step, you fill the tub with cold water and do a quick rinse of the diapers (if washer is close by, put in for a quick cold water only wash) it is important to get mot if not all of the RLR and detergent completely out in this step. It requires lots of stirring and squeezing of absorbent parts of the diapers.
Next step requires a bleach soak, this is important to get all the ammonia and bacteria out of your diapers and should not be skipped or you will most likely need to repeat stripping your diapers.** Again you fill ½ a tub with water and ½ a cup of bleach. Then you must stir up and let soak for 30 minutes.
The last step is to wash diapers in the washing machine with warm/hot water with regular amount of detergent. I follow this with 3 quick washes with cold water only to ensure all the detergent, bleach, and RLR is off.
*The bleach soak may cause some materials to fade
Here is another great source for cloth diaper washing, including the difference in hard/soft water, different methods to empty diapers and different ways to store your diapers till washing day
Please feel free to contact us if you need assisting with your wash routine and we will try our hardest to assist you.
Have you ever been woken up by a screaming baby to only to learn that their diaper was soaked and leaking? Now the baby and bed sheets need changing before you can go back to sleep. Do you constantly find yourself waking up every 2-3 hours at night to change your baby? This seems to be the most common time when families experience leaking diapers whether in cloth or disposable. For me, once I’m fully awake in the middle of the night, it’s almost impossible for me to get any additional sleep after that. This is why finding the best nighttime diaper solution was very important to me, but at the same time, it seemed very intimidating. Here are some of the best nighttime solutions I discovered and some things that worked or didn’t work for me.
Extra stuffing your diaper is typically the first option parents try when experiencing leaky nighttime diapers and it works great for most babies. This is the method I used with my son, Jayden; I would use a diaper cover or pocket diaper and wrap 2 inserts (1 bamboo and 1 hemp) in a FST or flat. This did work well on him and gave him slightly less than 12 hours of absorption with no issues even though he didn’t and still doesn’t sleep sound through the night. With my youngest, Jason, this method does not work the best since his legs are skinnier and it’s difficult to get the right leg fit on him since this method makes it very bulky. This method can also be used with any type of diaper, just make sure if using microfiber inserts, to not let them touch directly on your baby’s skin to avoid irritation.
Fitted diapers are another great option for nighttime use; they provide lots of absorption and can be waterproof when paired with a diaper cover. Fitted diapers have many layers that make them very absorbent and you can always add additional inserts to increase absorption. On the flip side, sometimes with all those added extra layers, fitted diapers can feel slightly bulkier and normally cost more than your average cloth diaper. I have personally bought and tried a few fitted diapers myself, and while I like the fact that they can offer close to 12 hours of absorption, they are not my favorite due to some of their disadvantages. Fitted diapers may appear pricey in comparison to other diapers but can provide needed nighttime absorption where other styles of diaper may lack. Fitteds also tend to be sized to your baby, so they don’t come in a “one size fits all” meaning you will need to buy multiples throughout your baby’s diapering years (it might just be me but if I’m spending $20+ on a diaper, I want it to last). Fitted diapers have the potential to be a great nighttime option; I suggest adding a stay dry layer since not all fitteds are stay dry and baby could become uncomfortable from dampness.
All In Three diapers are the best thing I have discovered in the overnight diaper department; their best attribute is their superior absorbency, combined with their fascinating slim fitting that prevents the need to size up your baby’s pajamas. These diapers feature all the extra stuffing absorption built right into the diaper. They have 12 layers of natural fiber absorbency (5 layer sewn in, 4 layer sewn on, and 3 layer snap on inserts) plus they feature a pocket to add more inserts if needed. These diapers do need prepping before the first initial use, but once these are fully prepped, AI3 diapers will provide 12 plus hours of optimum absorption. All in Three diapers are designed and created by a cloth diapering mom; being that she is an Army wife, she named her company Baby Basics, and her merchandise is only available on the market to a few retailers. If I knew about these diapers when I first started cloth diapering, I think they would take up the majority of my diaper stash.
Fortunately for my followers, I have learned a thing or two from many trial and error experiences, I can share tips and tricks with confidence that they will help you successfully cloth diaper your loved ones at nighttime, no matter what diaper style you choose. My first suggestion to a new cloth diapering mom is to size up pajamas; regular cloth diapers make babies butts bigger, and with the added stuffed layers, their butts will be even bigger. My second suggestion is to buy a washable waterproof crib and mattress protector; they are a life saver if and when nighttime leaks happen. I recommend putting a mattress protector on every bed and not just the crib; they have saved our beds many times from all sorts of messes. My last tip to cloth diapering moms is to rinse your nighttime diapers out in the morning because all that overnight pee can have a strong ammonia smell. Rinsing the diaper prevents ammonia build up and keeps your diapers from stinking up the house in the warm weather.
Just like everything discussed that is baby related, what works for me might not work for you. I hope my tips and experiences can steer you in the right direction towards finding your perfect nighttime cloth solution. If you are having trouble finding what works best for your baby, please don’t hesitate to contact us and I will try to trouble shoot your nighttime routine.
Nighttime Diaper Size Comparison All Have 12 Layers Of Absorption
Like all things online people don’t like typing out the whole word and each online community has their own abbreviations and terms. The cloth diaper community is no different. Here is a list of the most commonly used abbreviations and terms and what they stand for. Not all of these terms refer to cloth diapers but to the lifestyle that is or can be associated to families that cloth diaper.
FST– Flour sack towel is an inexpensive but very absorbent towel that is found in many home stores. These can be used in similar ways that you would use a flat or prefold.
CD-Cloth diaper
Fluff– is another term for cloth diapers. Other similar terms are fluffy mail or any other form of fluff or fluffy. This is used because cloth diapers give babies a “fluffy” bigger butt.
OS– one sized diaper fit baby’s from approximately 7-40lbs
PUL– polyurethane laminate, the waterproof layer of the diaper
TPU– thermoplastic polyurethane-the waterproof material used in some diapers
Stash– the collection of someone’s cloth diapers
BNIP– brand new in pack (never been used, washed, or opened)
LN-like new (perfect condition, used but no sigh of use)
EUC– excellent used condition (has been used but has almost no sigh of use)
VGUC– very good used condition (has some minimal signs of use but nothing that effects function)
GUC– good used condition (has some signs of use but nothing that effects function)
UC– used condition (may have signs of use or staining, should not have anything effecting function)
NR– needs repair (could have bad staining, stretchered elastic, bad PUL, holes ect.)
TERMS ABOUT CLOTH DIAPERS
Contoured– similar to a flat or prefold but are contoured to fit baby usually with elastic. They are normally not waterproof.
Snappi– is a brand of diaper fastener that is slightly stretchy plastic with little teeth used to turn a flat into a diaper (replaced the old fashioned pins)
Soaker– the absorbent layer of a diaper
Doubler– is a thin insert that increases absorbency of your diaper. It can be used in any type of diaper
Hook & Loop– means Velcro closure
Aplix– Velcro type of closure on a diaper
Lanolin/Lanolized– it is a waterproofing that is added to wool covers. Lanolin is also used while breastfeeding for dry nipples
Minky-soft outer layer that is on some diapers. It almost feels like a stuffed animal or blanket.
Sized/Perfect Fit– diapers that come in different sizes
Wicking-the act of moisture being moved from one place to another. When referring to cloth diapers it is good when moister is wicked away from babies skin fast, but bad when moisture finds a weak spot or exposed area and it leaks out.
Prepped– washed a few times to have maximum absorbency (only needed for natural fibers)
FAMILY RELATED TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AP– attachment parenting
BF– breastfeeding (BFing)
EBF– exclusively breastfeed
Crunchy– a term referring to a natural parenting lifestyle
BM– Bowel Movement
DD– daughter
DH– husband
DS– son
LO-little one (youngest or only baby)
MIL/FIL/SIL/BIL– mother/father/sister/brother in law
Why cloth diapers? I got asked this question a lot when I first started cloth diapering my son by friends and family. I also got told many times that it won’t last, I will get bored of it, and it will become too hard to manage especially when I became pregnant with my youngest. I will elaborate on these questions since I feel many other new moms can relate to the subject.
“Why cloth diapers?” It was simple for me to transition out of disposable diapers since I was sick of throwing away something that my child only wore for only 2-3 hours out of the day; many times for much less especially when my kids were newborns. I thought of it like this, it would be crazy to throw away a shirt or a pair of pants that I wore for only part of a day; then I wondered where all these dirty diapers being used end up. Unfortunately used diapers end up on landfills and I found it very surprising to find out 1 third of our landfills consist of dirty diapers. In my opinion, the price of cloth seemed to be the better option; I spent around a total of $500 for all my cloth diapers that have lasted me 4 years and 2 babies so far. Obviously this figure doesn’t include the expenses associated with washing and drying but it still a way more affordable option. You can also sell your used diapers and regain some of your startup money or donate them and help a struggling family after your baby is done with them.
“It won’t last and you will get bored.” My reply to this statement was simple, based on the answers I provided above combined with the cuteness of the diapers, and the fact that they are chemical free, helped me and my family stick with cloth. There is always going to be a new print you must have or a diaper style you desperately want to try. Sometimes on days that I truly struggled, I considered giving up but then I simply thought of the benefits of the diapers (no chemicals, better on baby’s sensitive skin, more affordable) and the excitement of getting a new diaper is always a huge plus.
“It will be hard and it’s more work.” I’m not going to lie and tell you it will be easier because sometimes it could be hard, but nothing is easy when it comes to parenting. Every decision we make as a parent on how we raise our children involves a lot of work. Yes it is slightly more work but, no more work than washing an extra load of laundry. Did you know even using disposable diapers, you’re supposed to flush the poop and not throw it away? To be honest I have considered switching to disposable on occasion but I have decided that the benefits outweigh the negatives when it comes to what’s best for my kids and my family.
Seven years ago while pregnant with my first baby, I was curious about using cloth diapers; I thought they were absolutely adorable and I would save so much money. At that time, I remember falling in love with this strawberry-themed diaper I saw online; it was red with white polka dots and it had green and white ruffles around the butt. I remember everyone I talked to, convinced me that cloth diapers were too much work and that they would be such a hassle to use, especially while getting used to a new baby. So, I used disposables throughout diapering my daughter which sometimes resulted in nasty diaper rashes. I remember thinking single use diapers were convenient, but definitely not as cute as cloth, and I wasn’t thrilled about how wasteful they were.
Fast forward 2.5 years later and I am now pregnant with my second baby. My daughter is now potty training and the new baby is due in a couple months. I decide this time I was going to take full control of parenting my children, and I was going to use cloth diapers. So I ordered my first few pocket diapers; before the baby was born, I remember putting them on my daughter while potty training, especially when we would go out of the house. At that point, I was in love them already and they were so adorable (My favorite diaper I purchased back then was black with rainbow paint splatters on it). When the baby was born, I started cloth diapering him full time and yes the same one-size diapers worked for both my daughter and my newborn son. I have to admit, I was brand new to the cloth diapering scene, and yes it was defiantly a learning curve for me, but within a few months after making some adjustments, I was already starting to get a grip of this new concept and being successful at it. For my 2nd baby, I stocked up my home with 30 diapers of different prints and colors and washed them twice a week.
Shortly after my son was born I ended up pregnant again with my third baby. This time, I buy twice as many cloth diapers to put me at around sixty in total. I now have a really nice collection of pockets, all in ones, all in twos, all in threes, fitteds and covers. Each diaper has its own benefit (I will discuss this in a different post). When my third baby arrived, I was so glad that I chose to use cloth diapers; I couldn’t imagine having to buy disposable diapers for 2 babies and being responsible for the waste associated with them. As for my family, cloth diapering has become just as easy as using disposables and to my surprise, neither of my boys have ever had a diaper rash.
Pictured: Jalissa(3 years old) and Jayden(10 months old)
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