Cloth Diapering: The Newborn Stash--AIOs and Pockets

Mmkay.  Now that I've covered prefolds and covers, it's time to delve even deeper into the world of cloth diapers. 

When I mentioned to my family that we would be cloth diapering, prefolds are exactly what came to their minds.  Now, the prefolds may not have changed much since "back in the day" but the covers sure have.  There will not be any rubber pants on my baby's tush. 

There are other diapers though, "fancy" cloth diapers, if you will, that will blow your parent's minds.  They are absorbent, adjustable, work just like a disposable (just throw it in the wash instead of the trash when it's dirty) and come in great colors and adorable patterns.  I know when my parents first saw them, they were very impressed.  They are still apprehensive about actually *using* them though.  We'll have to see if we can change that... 

These are the newborn "fancy" diapers that I have in my stash. 

First, the All-in-ones.  These diapers are the most like disposables in that all you do is put them on, remove them when dirty, wash, and they're ready to go again.  The interiors have all the absorbancy you need without having to stuff any pockets.  That's the theory anyway.  They will be tested sometime this month...  :)

This is a Grovia brand newborn all-in-one (AIO). 



Isn't it cute?!  And here's the interior...



That flap of material is a sewn-in soaker for extra absorbancy.  It's attached on one end only so it's easier to clean, but doesn't get lost in the wash.  Hurrah!  I love these and hope they work well!

Next we have Kissaluvs newborn AIO dipe.



Notice the snap down on the front for the umbilical stump.  The interior on these is SO soft.

Now for a pocket diaper--the Happy Heinys Mini.



Yes, I did get the skulls print, thank you.  The snaps in the front are to adjust the rise of the diaper and these have the aplix (velcro) closure.  As I mentioned before, I'm okay with velcro at the little baby stage--I've been warned that older babies can and will start unfastening the aplix themselves at a certain age.  Which can lead to big messes.  Everywhere.  Anyway, this is NOT an AIO diaper, it is a pocket diaper, which means that it must be stuffed with inserts in order to bring up the absorbancy level and make it usable.  Here's an interior shot...



As you can see, it doesn't look very cushy.  That's because there aren't any inserts in it yet.  An insert is just a rectangle of material, typically multiple layers of material, that you stuff into that pocket on the diaper.  Most pocket brand diapers come with an insert made of microfiber, but you can buy all sorts of different ones.  There are cotton, bamboo and hemp inserts as well.  The plus to pockets is that they are completely customizable.  Need a little extra absorbancy up front?  You can do that. The downside is the inserts need to be removed when you wash the diapers and then you need to re-stuff them before using them again.

There are also some diapers that combine the best of both worlds.  AIOs with pockets!

The Tots Bots Easy Fit Tiny Fit falls into this category.



This is an AIO diaper in that it has an insert that is sewn INTO a pocket at one end.  That means that the insert agitates out by itself in the wash, but remains attached so you don't lose it, then you just stuff it back in to reuse it.  But it also means that you can add another insert into that pocket if you need more absorbancy.  Brilliant.

I also managed to snag a couple of the notoriously popular and hard to buy Ragababe brand Easy AIO newborn diapers. 





Pretty, huh?  Now these are an AIO, but they too have a pocket that can be stuffed with the included insert if you need even more absorbancy.  Maybe for overnights?  I love that concept.


So, there you have it.  That's my complete newborn stash.  I have no idea how well any of these will work yet.  I have no idea how long any of these will fit either.  But I do know that most of the one-size diapers I have purchased won't fit the typical newborn.  Of course, I don't know if my newborn will be "typical" either.  But, for now, the plan is to use these "fancy" diapers along with the prefolds and covers until our little man loses his umbilical stump and puts some weight on.   And then you'll get a whole 'nother post on the One-size diapers that I've chosen to use that should carry us through potty-training. 

I'm so excited to start using these!

Cloth Diapering: The Newborn Stash--Prefolds and Covers

Right, so, I've been meaning to write a post for awhile on the cloth diaper stash that I have built for the newborn phase.  Newborns are tricky.  You don't know what size they're going to be and all but the biggest are too small to fit into one-size cloth diapers.  There's also the fact that they apparently excrete constantly.  "They" say that you should plan to use 12-18 diapers a day for a newborn.  Whoa.  That's a lot of dipes.  Because of this, although I said that I wouldn't ever go there, I decided to build a stash that is at least half prefold diapers with covers to go over them.  Why?  Because they're cheaper!  And apparently work really well at containing the newborn runny poos.  Yay. 

What's a prefold, you ask?  They are squares of fabric, typically cotton and/or gauze that are sewn in such a way that the middle third contains multiple layers of the fabric while the outer two thirds are thinner.  When you fold them around your baby's bottom, the middle layers are there to add extra absorbancy, while the outer layers allow for easy manipulation around baby.  When you purchase prefolds they look completely unimpressive--kind of like a tea towel, thin, not very absorbent.  It's in the wash that they magic happens.  Yes, you must wash prefolds (like most other cloth diapers) before use.  Prefolds require 4-5 washes to quilt up properly and will become even more absorbent with subsequent washes.  With each wash, they get quiltier and fluffier.  Don't believe me?  Here's a great blog post that illustrates just how much prefolds fluff up.  These are actually the same brand that I purchased from Green Mountain Diapers.  I now have 1 dozen newborn and 1 dozen small prefolds prepped and ready to go.



There are a ton of ways to fold these things.  Youtube is actually a great resource for learning how to fold prefolds.  Most people use a closure system of either old-school pin or a snappi.  A snappi is a plastic device with 3 "arms" that have little teeth on them to grab the prefold material.   We went with snappis because pins scare me.  Here's the little beast now:



And a quick image to show you how it's used:



The thing about prefolds is that one their own they are not waterproof.  That's where the diaper covers come in!  They provide a waterproof layer so baby doesn't pee all over you, or worse.  There are a TON of different companies that make diaper covers.  I did some research to find the ones that would be most likely to fit newborns, with a little bit of room to grow since I'm really only planning on using them for a couple months. 

Covers...  I have seven of them right now.  This should be more than enough since they are reusable and do not require washing after every use because (hopefully) the dirty stuff only gets on the prefold!  

I have 1 Mommy's Touch Adjustable Newborn Cover, which I mostly purchased to round out my order from Green Mountain with the prefolds.  :)  It's the only snap cover that I have, the velcro is supposed to be better for the newborn phase because it's more adjustable (and the babes aren't strong enough to rip them off yet either).  It's supposed to fit from 4-10 pounds.  On the plus side it does snap-down to avoid irritating a newborn's healing umbilical stump (as seen in the picture on the yellow cover).  On the minus side, these covers don't have leg gussets, which you'll see soon and help contain the dirty stuff.



I have 3 Rumparooz Newborn Size Diaper Covers, in aplix (velcro!).  These are supposed to fit from 4-12 pounds.  They're cute, cheap and the newborn size have the dip for the umbilical cord as well.  They also have the highly-desired leg gussets!  *gasp*  See that extra bit of material peeking out of the leg opening in the picture?  That's another layer of fabric with elastic that is there to prevent leaks.  Leaks=bad.



I have 2 Thirsties Diaper Covers in size Extra Small.  Again, in aplix.  They're supposed to fit from 6-12 pounds.  These also have gussets and a cut out for the umbilical cord.



Finally, I have 1 of the much-loved among cloth-diapering mommies Bummis Super Brite Wraps in the newborn size.  I only bought one of these because the newborn size is supposed to fit from 4-9 pounds.  Heck, at that rate I'm not sure I'll be able to use it at all!  We shall see.  These have gussets and the waterproof material on the inside is exposed, which makes them really wipe-able in between uses. 



Once diaper changes become less frequent and baby gets big enough to fit into our one-size stash, I do plan to retire the diaper covers.  The prefolds however, can remain useful as they can be used to add absorbency to other kinds of diapers.  Just tri-fold the prefold and shove it in a pocket, or lay it right inside a diaper to add a bit more oomph without adding too much bulkiness.

This has gotten really long, so I will save the other types of newborn dipes that I've purchased for another post.  Technically, between the covers and the prefolds that I have, that should be enough to go a day and a half between washes already.  But I just could not resist purchasing some of the super-easy (and super-cute) all-in-one diapers.  I figured these would also be easier for the grandparents to use so hopefully I can convince them to give it a try. 

Confession.

Even before I got pregnant there is something that I was considering for our first child.  Something that is...  controversial and divisive.  Those that do it, seem to love it.  Those that don't, just don't get it and even seem to resent those that do... 

I'm talking about cloth diapering. 

I confess--we are going to try cloth diapering.  I did a lot of research on this topic and I don't even remember how I originally started considering it.  What I was shocked to discover is that this topic in particular is one that a lot of mommas out there feel very strongly about.  There is a LOT of talk on the 'net about judgmental mommas.  Mommas who believe their way is the only way.  How dare you go back to work?  Why *wouldn't* you want an epidural?  Let them 'cry it out'.  How could you not breastfeed?  People are quick to judge or get very defensive when they find a momma that isn't doing things the same way they are.  It's actually quite sad.  That's one of the reasons that I have been extremely hesitant to discuss this with anyone--family or friends.  The other thing is that the world of cloth diapering has changed a WHOLE lot.  When I finally mentioned to my mom that I was thinking about cloth diapering, her immediate reaction was "Oh no. Why would you want to do that?!" 

So, why would anyone want to cloth diaper?  I can't say, but I can say why WE are interested in giving it a go.

1.  The number one reason for me is cutting back on our contribution to the weekly garbage load.  Do you know that newborns can go through 12+ diapers a day???  Yes, that number greatly decreases as they get older.  BUT...estimates are that a single disposable diaper takes 250-500 years to decompose.  I know, I was appalled too.  And the plastic bits never really decompose.  That is a LOT of diapers hanging around for a really long time.  :(  Newer biodegradable versions supposedly decompose a lot faster, but they also cost more.  Which brings me to #2.

2.  Cost.  While cloth diapers do require a substantial initial investment, you can save a significant amount of money in the long run.  It depends on the brands of cloth diapers and number that you buy... but conservatively you could save half your money by cloth diapering.  Not to mention the fact that because they are reusable, you could save even more by using them for multiple children!  Another child not in the cards?  The most popular brands of cloth diapers are even in demand as used items.  You could recover at *least* 40% of your initial investment that way... some of the more popular ones will even re-sell at 60-70% of retail!

3.  Less potential chemical exposure to baby.  Modern disposables are filled with all sorts of crap to make them as super absorbent as they are.  Not to mention that they are coated in plastic and therefore aren't very breathable.  Cloth diapers are (mostly) made of natural fibers--no ultra absorbent gel in there!  Fibers like cotton, bamboo and hemp are popular.  Again, depending on the type you purchase, they likely have a waterproof layer built in to prevent leaking.  But the natural fibers wick away moisture and allow baby's bottom to breathe, which may help prevent diaper rash. 

4.  Modern cloth diapers are nothing like the cloth diapers of old.  When I mentioned cloth diapers to my mom, what immediately came to mind for her were the old-fashioned cloth diapers.  These diapers were essentially a flat length of material that was folded around baby and held in place by a pin.  The material was absorbent, but not waterproof, so a pair of rubber pants was placed on top of the diaper.  Lovely.  Nowadays...  that flat length of material (a flat of prefold diaper) is still a popular cloth diapering options, but pins have been replaced by newer closure systems and the covers have come a long way as well and are available in wool and fleece.  The most exciting thing though is that there are new cloth diapering systems that very closely resemble disposables as far as ease of use goes.  By that I mean that there is only one piece involved, you simply remove the dirty diaper and instead of throwing it away, you wash it.  This kind of system is called the all in one diaper and there are about a million options out there.  This type of diaper is going to be the main type in our diaper stash.  We have also decided to mostly go with one size diapers.  These diapers adjust in size through a series of snaps and will potentially fit from 8lbs. to 40lbs.  This means they may not fit the tiniest newborns right away, but they will fit toddlers all the way up through potty training.  Some diaper brands are sold in sizes S,M,L, which means you have to size up as the child grows.  Buying one size diapers only means we'll have to spend even less on diapering our child.  How awesome is that?

5.  They're cuter.  I'd be remiss if I didn't further confess that one of the reasons I am so excited to use cloth diapers is because the diapers are so darn cute!!!  Again, depending on the brand, they come in a variety of colors and patterns and even outer fabrics. 

The dirty bit...  Yes, these diapers are going to require regular laundering--at least every two days.  Yes, I will be washing them in my home washer and dryer.  Yes, that will be a bit stinky and require some serious dedication.  However, for all the reasons I have listed above, I'm willing to give it a try.  Stay tuned for some updates on just how much work it is after the baby actually arrives.  Ha!

I have already started my cloth diaper "stash."  I have purchased two different brands so far and there's a couple of others that I'm looking to try out.  I'll plan on starting to post more about the diapers that I've selected now that I have confessed.  :)

I wish that the mommy world would recognize that we're all just trying to do what is right for *us.*  As individuals.  I will not wear a badge that says "I cloth diaper."  I'm not doing it to be better than anyone else.  I'm not going to try to convince anyone that it's the right way for *them.*  I will answer questions when/if asked.  Other than that, I just consider it another parenting choice that each mom and dad is free to make on their own.  There are a lot of things that are going to come up that I will think to myself "well, I would never do it that way," but that doesn't make it wrong.  It just makes it not right for *me.*