How Much Do I Need??

So you have figured out what style of diaper you are going with and if you want to go the sized or the one-size route... Now how many do you actually need?????

 

Well that is a bit of a complex question that depends on a few variables. The age of your baby is probably the first consideration.  IF you are diapering a newborn you can expect to change 15 diapers or more in a 24 hour period!  So having 24 diapers on hand may work if you have a 1 year old but it is not practically for a newborn. I had about 30 diapers in my NB rotation and there were days when I had to wash daily. Generally speaking breastfed babies poop more than formula fed babies.  Breastfed poop is also water soluble so you do not need to rinse soiled diapers before they go in the wash. I rinsed anyways because I HATE stains!

 

The second thing to consider is how often you want to do diaper laundry.  It is recommended that you don’t go longer than 3 days between washing but you want to have enough diapers to get you through a 2-3 day period. You can wash daily if you need to but with a new baby you have enough on your hands.  I wish I had a few more diapers on hand for my son when he was a newborn because I had to wash every other day, in fact a few times I had to wash daily.

 

The third thing is your budget... If you are going to use all AIO’s it is going to be more pricey than if you are going with prefolds and covers.  If your budget is limited you may need to start with a smaller stash and build up so in the beginning you may be washing more often... and that’s OK.

 

So here are the number of diapers that I think are a good starting point for washing every other day. You certainly can have more and make do with less if you have to. I am also going to list a few other accessories that you may want to consider... We will talk about accessories later though.

 

For a Newborn (1-3 months):

 

30-36 diapers

8 covers ( if using prefolds, flats or fitteds)

36 wipes

1 large wet bag ( for storing dirty diapers until wash day)

 

For an older baby (3 months+)

 

 

20-24 diapers

6 covers ( if needed)

36 wipes

1 large wet bag

 

 

Sized vs One-Size

So you have finally selected the system you would like use, now comes the next issue: sized vs one size.
Sized diapers are much like disposables with sizes based on the weight of your baby whereas one-size (OS) is just that. 1 diaper with adjustment from 7-35 lbs on average. 
I think both have advantages and disadvantages and I like one or the other in different styles and brands.
For example I much prefer sized prefolds and covers because they fit the best on my son. I also prefer sized Fuzzibuns and Charlie Bananas also because of a better fit around the legs. I tried OS prefolds and they were enormous on my son for the longest time and then they seemed really weird anyway I folded them.  With Fuzzibuns an Charlie Bananas I just hated mucking with the elastics to adjust it just right.
On the other hand I LOVE my OS bumGeniuses and Giggle Lifes.  They did not fir quite right until my little guy was about 9 lbs and had some bulk in the thigh but after that they are great!
A definite advantage of sized diapers is they fit so well at whatever weight your baby is.  OS says they go from 7lbs but if you have a thin baby you may not be able to use them until 10lbs.
OS is definitely the more economical as you only need to buy the one set instead of several but the sizing is only a guideline!  You may also end up with more wear and tear on them then on a sized collection.
If you are just starting out on the journey of cloth I would strongly advise you NOT to invest all your funds in one or the other.  Just like I would advise you not to settle on one system without trying it.If you are just starting your stash get a mix of all styles and sized and OS and see what works on your little one.  Each baby is different and while I love prefolds and covers on a newborn you may prefer fitteds.  You don't know what you like until you try.  If you can get your hands on a diaper trial that lets you experiment.  If you do have to buy everything like I did just sell or trade what you don't like for what you do like.

I want to use cloth... Now what?

So after I decided to use cloth diapers with my son the next decision to make was what type of diapers do I go with?  I was not aware of all the variety out there when I started my venture.  So what are the options?

1.  FLATS -  Basically what it sounds like.  This is a flat square or rectangle cloth that you fold and fasten onto baby with pins or a snappi.  You need a waterproof cover for these as the cloth is not waterproof.  An example of a flat would be like the Hemp Babies Flats.  You could also use Flour Sack Towels ( available at Walmart in the kitchen towel section) or receiving blankets.  I use flats for travelling if there is limited laundry facilities as they are really easy to hand wash and dry really fast.

2.PREFOLD- This is like a flat that has been folded into layers for you.  You still need a cover but you do not need to pin or fasten this type of diaper. You can just fold it into 3 and place right in the cover.  An Example is Bummis 100% cotton prefolds.  These dry really fast, are the most economical option.  I love prefolds for the newborn weeks.  You change baby so much that any other system would be too pricey.  They are soo easy to wash and care for. 

3.FITTEDS-  These are like a prefold but they are actually diaper shaped.  You still need a cover as they are not water proof.  an example is Kissaluvs fitteds or Bummis Bamboo Fitteds.  I use fitteds at night as they are the most absorbent option for long time wear.  These are really easy to use and wash up really nice.  They do take a bit longer to dry than the previous options and they are a bit more pricey. 

4. POCKETS -  These are a 2 part diaper.  They are basically a diaper with a waterproof outer layer, a fleece inner layer and a pocket opening that allows you to stuff whatever absorbent material you like in the middle.  Most pocket diapers come with inserts but you can get a huge variety of inserts to use if you don't like the standard microfiber ones. These are really easy to care for because you un-stuff, wash, hang the shell and machine dry the insert.  These are also super customisable and you can stuff what ever you want into the pocket opening.  My favourite pockets are Charlie Bananas and bumGenius 4.0's.

5. ALL-IN-ONES-   These are exactly what they sound like.  All the pieces are there and they are all together. You put it on baby, baby messes the diaper, you remove diaper, throw in pail, wash and dry on wash day.  These are the closest you can get to a disposable diaper.  The only downside is that these are the most expensive diapers and they can take a really long time to dry because all the layers are together.  My personal favourite is the bumGenius Elemental.

If you are just starting out then I would strongly advise you to get a variety of types and brands.  You will not know what works for you until you are actually using it on your baby.  I never thought I would like anything other than all in ones (AIO) but I love my pockets and fitteds. You can always sell off or trade the ones that you don't like to get more of what you do like.  Want to know a secret?  That is the best part!  Other than waiting for fluff mail to arrive.... Read:  Cloth diapering may become and addiction.

Why on Earth would I use cloth diapers

Why on Earth would anyone use cloth diapers in our modern world of disposables?  Well let's see.... I don't have $2500 that I can send to the landfill,  I hate knowing that my garbage is going to outlive me by like 5 lifetimes at least and I really don't like my baby to have diaper rashes.

$2500!!! People that is what it costs to diaper a baby minimum from birth to potty training and that is not including wipes, lotions and accessories!  I don't know about you but I don't have that kind of money in my back pocket. Especially knowing it is going straight to the landfill.  Depending on the system/brand you go with you could diaper a baby from birth to potty training for $200.  Would you not like having $2300 to put in a college fund for you kids?  Plus when you are done with cloth for baby#1 you can reuse them for #2.  Or you could sell them for like 60 - 70% of what you paid for them... Have you tried selling  a used disposable?

Cloth diapers also don't end up at the landfill for 500+ years... waiting to decompose while festering in bacteria... gross!  Think about all the diapers that you are not sending to the dump by considering/using cloth? Yes there are resources used to make and wash cloth diapers but they do not compare to the resources that are being used to make disposable diapers.  Disposables are not made from recycled paper people!

Now on the last note the jury is still out but in my opinion you have way less diaper rash with cloth than with disposables.  My daughter was allergic to the jell inside of all disposable diapers and had horrid diaper rashes from the time she was born until she potty trained.  I did not know about all the great cloth options at that time and boy I wish I had.  My son has been in cloth for 4 months so far and not even a hint of redness on the bum. 

Cloth diapers today are not what they were 20, 30 years ago... They are not cumbersome square cloths that need to be pinned with rubber pants over top.  They are cute, convenient, easy to use, economical and really not rocket science.  This blog is about my adventures cloth diapering....