Thinking about cloth....

[Cricket]

Since we have a new little bundle on the way, I've been thinking about switching to cloth nappies.
However, I would really like to have as much information as I can before making a decision. My 3 year old still wears a nappy to bed at night, and my 1 year old will not be toilet trained before this baby comes, so is it possible to get some sort of system that would work for all of them? And, I am gathering that there are MANY different kinds of cloth nappies out there - can you tell me some of the pro's and con's of the different kinds? And, if there are people out there who have used both disposable and cloth, what was your experience like? Was cloth much more or less work than you were expecting? Were there any unexpected good or bad things?
Please just pass along whatever information, tips or suggestions you might have - I'm pretty much clueless about the whole situation! Thanks!

[Cassius2]

hi there cricket!

we use the bum genius and the main selling point (apart from the fact that i love big cloth bottoms! LOL!) was that it was a one size system. it has snap locks on the front to adjust the size and the inserts also have them. they can be used from newborn right up to toilet training.

DD was a bit tiny so we had to use sposies (the safties nature nappies are awesome) for awhile.

In all honesty i find no real time difference (except that with sposies you are having to go out and buy them all the time...). these new types of cloth dont require soaking so can be rinsed off in the toilet (for the ginormous poos LOL! etc) and thrown straight into the wash. they dry really fast too!

HTH...

[Arimeh]

Yayy for even thinking about cloth - woot!!!

Ok, I've got a bub in cloth and a toddler. Concievably - they could wear the same nappies because I do have OSFA - but I don't do it very often as most of the OSFA are very wide in the crotch - which is a bit too much for Miss M.

However - the ones that I do use for both of them are:-
Cute Tooshies (I think they are?? might be wrong on spelling)
Baby Beehinds Bamboo & Hemp fitted. I use these of a night time for Miss M - and during the day for Master A. I have woollen covers for nights to go over the top for her, and I have PUL covers for his nap times. So they can both wear the same nappies - but need different sizing covers.

There are some OSFA covers out there, but I can't comment cos I don't own any.

I think my main ones that I use for DS are still too big for Miss M - for her from the beginning I used mainly prefolds, and just WAHM's fitted nappies - different assortments - because you want the containment factor of a fitted plus a cover - AIO's are great - but really difficult to contain the explosive newborn poo.

HOWEVER - I use both the medium sized itti bittis on both kids at the moment (he also fits into larges, and she also fits into smalls) and I think these are great - but only because they suit my kids. What suits mine may not suit yours ya know?

I think first you have to work out what kind of system you want - fitted & covers, pockets, aio's - and then go from there.

I have all of different types - and all in different sizings - but I started out with a lot more and then culled the ones that didn't suit my kids. So its all a matter of what suits your bub and your lifestyle.

What was the other question - oh disposable and cloth - cloth is more work, no doubt. BUT its not a bad thing. I like hanging them out. I like putting them together. I don't particularly like washing the poo off into the toilet for a newborn, but I have a little squirt so its easier. I LOVE walking past the disposables and not having to buy them.

I have two in cloth full time - don't even have any disposables in the house - and don't even think about going back to them. I also work part time - so I don't have a lot of spare time - but I still manage it.

Did I miss anything? Still doped up on pain meds here AND at work, so bit brainless today..lol

[Cricket]

Thanks for the info ladies! Sounds like I have some research to do. I would really love to be able to get away from buying nappies all the time. Once a month I make a trip to the big bulk store (Costco - do they have those in Aus?) and stock up and it generally costs about $100 just to cover their butts! With one more, it'll be even worse. Wouldn't take long for cloth to pay for itself at that rate. Think of all the things I can buy with an extra $100.....
I just want to make sure that if I make the investment into cloth, I won't regret it and start using the disposables again and wasting my money.

[Arimeh]

I haven't regretted it yet.

You know what, since most of what we would use here are australian ones (ie ittis and stuff)

Why don't you try an Ecobumz. They come in two sizes - and they have pockets and AIO's and they have just released another bamboo one. They are in canada too, so you won't have to worry about the exchange rate or huge postage.

Just a thought.

I have two of them - and they are better than what I thought they would be. I think the second size would fit your 3 year old and 1 year old... not sure about how small the other size is though - I only got the second size for DS and haven't tried it on Miss M though. They are pretty slim fitting though...

Anyway, I just thought of those cos I saw where you are from

[Cricket]

Well, I googled cloth nappies, and have been thoroughly overwhelmed with options! Like drinking water from a fire hose.
Anyways, I found a Canadian site that offers many different lines of cloth - prefolds, all-in-ones, fitted, and I don't know what all else. They have information on each type, it's good points and bad points, what you need to go with it (inserts, what type of insert, cover, closer things.... etc.), and how many you will probably need in each size. Hurray!
I have to say I am a little shocked at the price though. They quote a total for the system from newborn to toilet training, so that's quite a bit, I guess, and you don't have to spend it all at once. But still it looks like a lot! (I just have to remember what I spend every month, and multiply that out over three years!) And, we do hope to have more babies (one or two anyways) and so we can use them again. And, if we don't have any more, I understand some cloth nappies have a decent re-sale value.
If anyone has anything else they would like to share, please let me know! I would really like to hear from mums who are actually using them, not just a website that wants to sell them to me. Thanks!

[Arimeh]

What else would you like to know ? I know its just my opinion, but I can tell you what works for us, why it works for us and answer questions about any that you may have that you have read about?

Start hittin us!

[Cricket]

Well, it sounds like the pre-fold idea might be too much fuss and work, so I think that's out. (anyone out there use them and want to let me know differently?)
I think I'd be mostly interested in the all-in-ones, with or with out pockets, or the fitted ones with covers. My concerns are:
- bulk - I've seen kids in cloth who look like they can't even move. I want something that fits well and works under clothing.
- cleanliness - I've changed cloth diapers that were stinking and dripping wet and disgusting to touch. Don't want my babies like that!
- leaking - don't want to have to change the sheets every morning 'cause the diaper leaked
- washing/drying time
- cost

Covers come in a variety of types too - snaps, velcro, pull-on, wool, fleece, etc. I'm a little leery of fleece in the summer, and for bulk, and I personally can't stand to have wool on my skin, although they assure me that it's not itchy, so I don't know about that one either. But if you use 'em tell me about 'em.

Do the "one-size-fits-all" nappies really fit? Or is that a waste of money? There are others that come in two sizes, and others again that come in five sizes. What do you use?

Is it better to go with pockets and liners or have the convenience of an all-in-one? If I get liners, what kind should I get? Bamboo, organic cotton, microfibre....?

Well, that's all my poor brain can think of right now. No doubt I'll be back with more! Thanks so much!

[Arimeh]

Hmmm ok. Prefolds. I loved using my prefolds on DD - they did her for about six weeks I think? But she has a really skinny waist and no hips - so she still fits into smalls now quite easily. Prefolds aren't that much hassle really, once you decide which fold works for you. I did it so I had a pad in the middle, but it flared out at the back so I wrapped that around her waist and fixed it with a snappi - then put on a cover. it worked really well - no leaks.

All in ones - are good - but do take time to dry. Pockets are excellent in the fact that they take hardly any time to dry - the shells anyway - the inserts take some time to dry. But - to make it more cost effective you can buy more inserts than shells, and then you'll always have inserts to go into the shells if you know what I mean? Where as you would need double the amount of AIO's to get you through because they take a long time to dry.

For example - I use mostly pockets with DS - especially for day care because they use them just like a disposable and they don't need to do anything because I have already stuffed them.
I use AIO's for DD at day care because she is still a bit too small for the pockets that I have (all my pockets are one size).

At home for DD I use fitted & covers - or AI2's like itti bittis.
At home for DS I use pockets, AIO's, AI2's and fitteds.

If he has a touch of gastro - I use flats

ETA - I just wanted to add that if I had my time over I would have gotten more Green Kids pockets. They fit really well on DS - and I can use them at night time if I boost them enough. Thats a great thing about pockets too - you can adjust the absorbency. And you won't get the wet yucky feeling because the material on the inside draws the moisture away from the kids butt, and with the PUL on the outside - you don't feel the wetness when you take it off. You'll just feel the wetness when you take the inserts out to wash them.

[Cricket]

If it helps at all for you to know what I am actually looking at, the site is called parentingbynature.
Thanks again.

[Arimeh]

bulk - I've seen kids in cloth who look like they can't even move. I want something that fits well and works under clothing.
- cleanliness - I've changed cloth diapers that were stinking and dripping wet and disgusting to touch. Don't want my babies like that!
- leaking - don't want to have to change the sheets every morning 'cause the diaper leaked
- washing/drying time
- cost

Some nappies are bulkier than others. If you don't want a bulky one - usually its not as absorbent. However, most pockets aren't too bad, or AIO's just means you have to change them quicker than other bulkier ones.

I rarely get a leak unless he is in one for too long or it doesn't fit properly, or it needs a strip wash etc. These are fixable problems, and you learn from them quickly.

Covers come in a variety of types too - snaps, velcro, pull-on, wool, fleece, etc. I'm a little leery of fleece in the summer, and for bulk, and I personally can't stand to have wool on my skin, although they assure me that it's not itchy, so I don't know about that one either. But if you use 'em tell me about 'em.

I don't like snaps that much. My kids are a bit funny shaped and seem to always be between snaps. I like velcro better. But some people don't like velcro because kids can undo it. My kid can undo snaps so it doesn't matter to me. I use wool at night. Fleece during the day, and PUL during the day too. Except with Miss M - I got compression leaks because she didn't move much with wool and fleece - so did PUL for a while there at nights.

Do the "one-size-fits-all" nappies really fit? Or is that a waste of money? There are others that come in two sizes, and others again that come in five sizes. What do you use?

Depends on the shape of your bub. They are too bulky on Miss M.

Is it better to go with pockets and liners or have the convenience of an all-in-one? If I get liners, what kind should I get? Bamboo, organic cotton, microfibre....?

Ok - I use bamboo, hemp and microfibre. Depends how much absorbency you want and for how long. Bamboo (I have found) is more absorbent than hemp, hemp and bamboo wayyy more absorbent than microfibre.

HTH!

[Cricket]

My mom used cloth for 6 of us when we were little, so I grew up knowing how to fold, pin, change, rinse, etc. (I'm the oldest of 8) She used a big flat piece of flannel that we laid out like a diamond, folded the two sides in (with a couple of folds so it was layered), then folded the bottom point up to the middle, and then the top point down to the middle. So the end result is kind of T shaped, with about six layers in the middle. She also had extra inserts for overnight. And, over top went the nasty, crunchy "plastic pants". So glad to see that cloth nappies have come a long way since then! Although, I just folded up a wash-cloth to remember how we did it, and it sure brought back memories.

I wonder if I should see what DH thinks? After all he WILL be changing some bums. And, he might care to know where all the money went. What are the chances I can get him to sit down and read through the site, when it was making me cross-eyed.

[PinkPalace]

lol my DH would say it is my project!! it took me a while to talk him around. and it was mostly through using and seeing rather than reading... then go and buy some lol

i got AIO Itti bittis for DH to use (they are his fav)... and a few others,

[Arimeh]

Cricket - thats exactly what I did to him. then he got all confused, so we sat down and discussed the pros and cons of all that I had learnt.

I let him tell me which ones he likes (velcro - he hates snaps cos he has long fingers and ends up pinching the kids) and we discuss it if I need to buy more (which lucky for him - I don't need any more!!)

[LuluHB]

I used Greenkids OSFA pockets for DD#1 - started her on them when she was about 7 months old and they were absolutely fantastic. She's a tiny flea of a thing and I found they were a great fit on her and weren't too bulk. They still fit her brilliantly (she is 19 months but only weighs 10kgs).

I have used them on DD#2 from when she was about 8 weeks old and they have fit her well too - obviously much bulkier on a teeny tiny bottom but they really have been good. Would definitely recommend bamboo inserts over hemp or cotton - they take much longer to dry but they are so much more absorbent.

I don't have any problems at all with smelly nappies. I rinse them quickly when changing then throw them in a big rubbish bin that is really my nappy bin (lots of nappies for 2!) and then just throw them in the washing machine. I pretty much always throw the inserts in the dryer but will usually hang the covers either over a clothes airer or on the line - they dry really quickly.