Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers are not what they used to be! They are now as convenient as disposable diapers and you don't have to mess with pins and such. There is a variety of kinds and systems out there and I am going to share my preferences with you. The good thing about cloth diapers is they do not put chemicals next to your baby's skin, take up landfill space, and kill your budget! As a side note, I just love the colors of the covers and the way they all look out on my clothes line!

Kinds I like to use:

• Chinese Cotton Twill Prefolds: from www.clothdiaper.com with diaper covers (I like Thirsties) Using this system is easier than it sounds. I first lay out the diaper cover, then put the prefold (folded in thirds) on top of the cover and then it is ready to be put on like a regular diaper! No pins needed because the cover holds the prefold in place to soak up the moisture. I like this system because if the diaper is just wet and not soiled, you can wipe off the cover and put a new prefold in it to make it last a little longer before washing everything.
• All-in-One Diapers (AIO): (I prefer the Thirsties Brand) These diapers are just like regular disposables, but you just wash them and reuse them again and again. They have a soft fleece inside, gussets on the legs to help prevent leaks, a plastic outside, and velcro closures.
• Biodegradable, Flush-able Liners: Wal-Mart has these great liners that I put on top inside the diaper (to be next to baby's skin) and it basically works like a filter to catch the poop and lets the pee go through into the absorbent part of the diaper. This is handy because it can reduce the mess when it comes to washing and you can either flush them or throw them away. If it has not gotten soiled, I will put it in the wash with the diapers to be reused one more time. These look like a roll of toilet paper but are a little thicker but more transparent and go the length of the diaper inside. They are wonderful!!!

In this picture I have the parts laid out for the prefold with cover system at the top and the all-in-one system at the bottom to help you be able to see how they go together.

Preparing the Diapers:
Once they come, they will need to be washed in hot water at least 3-5 times in the washing machine in order to get them ready to be used as diapers. Then do an extra rinse cycle to make sure all of the soap is out of them. You will need to use a regular amount of soap for this process, but after this, you will not need as much soap to wash the diapers because you do not want them to get soap build up. This actually makes them smell worse afterward. You can dry them outside on a line which is my favorite way because the sun actually bleaches the stains out and they are nice and white again after they have been soiled or you can put them through the dryer (it may take two times depending on the dampness.) I usually try to do an extra spin at the end of the wash to get a little more moisture out of the diapers.

Ok, time to change the diaper, what do I do?!
It is pretty easy and not as scary as you may think to change the cloth diaper. If it is soiled, then I will dispose of the liner in the trash or toilet, and then if there is still poop on the cloth diaper, I will put rubber gloves on and swish the diaper around in the toilet to loosen the rest off of the cloth. Then it can be put into the diaper pail until washing. If it is just wet, I simply change the diaper normally and put it into the diaper pail. If using the diaper covers and it is not soiled, I can wipe it off and reuse it one more time before it needs washed. Ta-da, we're done until washing day!

Washing the Diapers
Begin by doing a rinse with COLD water to get rid of any icky residue that may be still on the cloth. Then do a regular wash with HOT water to kill any bacteria. You can get by with using a little less soap than an ordinary load. Make sure you have natural soap without any scents or additives. I prefer Allen's Naturally powder detergent and it lasts a LONG time! Then when the wash is done do an extra rinse and an extra spin. Then the diapers are ready to dry!
*Please note, if you have all-in-one diapers with fleece inside to wash them separately from the prefolds so they do not "ball-up" or get pilly inside to cause irritation on baby's skin. Also, if you have velcro closure diapers-make sure to fold the velcro down before washing so they don't get all tangled together.

How many do I need?
I would say to start out you want at least enough diapers to get you through two days. Remember, you have to change the diaper as soon as it gets wet because it doesn't have the chemical that turns liquid into gel like disposables. I would say the safest bet for prefolds is to begin with 2-3 dozen and for covers have 3-4. This way you can have some diapers on hand while the other ones are being cleaned and dried. It may seem like an expensive investment when you are shopping around-and believe me, there are some very expensive diaper covers and all-in-ones out there. However, keep in mind that you can use these diapers over and over and on multiple children to keep up with a growing family. In the long run, if you stick with the cloth diapers, you will save money because you are not having to go buy more diapers every week or two.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I am not an expert, but I may be able to answer your question :)