Cloth Diapering Celebrities (and the rise of cloth diapering in modern America)

This year, many celebrity parents have chosen to "go green" and use cloth diapers with their new baby.

According to Celebrity Baby Blog:

• Singer Dave Matthews cloth diapers his son, Oliver.
• Actors Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard cloth diaper their daughter,
  Ramona.
• CSI: NY actress Anna Belknap cloth diapers her daughter.
• Singer and actress couple Brad and Kimberly Williams-Paisley cloth diaper
  their son William Huckleberry.
• Numb3rs actress Diane Farr cloth diapers her son Beckett Mancuso.
• Model and actress Josie Maran uses gDiapers with her daughter Rumi Joon.

Our goal at Cotton Babies is to see cloth diapers on more babies. When we started our business six years ago, being "green" was reserved for the rich. Today, our cultural focus has changed to be one of reachable social responsibility, economy and reducing waste. The change in focus has moved the spotlight from disposable diapers to the increase in economy and waste reduction generated by cloth diapers. Six years ago, it was a major business decision to bring cloth diapers into our company. Today, as an owner of bumGenius , a market leader in cloth diapering brands, I see our our culture (and our business) changing almost daily as more parents realize that cloth diapers are still an option. We've watched our business grow from a small bookshelf in our living room to an healthy, thriving network of interdependent businesses representing owners and employees on five continents.

The overall industry has seen a very steep growth curve in the last couple of years. We believe that the growth is due to several factors. The leading factor is the increasing interest in cloth diapering from families in the United States. Families are aware of how many diapers they throw away and as they try to reduce household waste, diapers are now an easy thing to address. Today’s cloth diapers actually look like diapers and are easy to use. Secondly, the increased media interest in cloth diapering has increased its overall exposure to the mainstream family. And last, there is a strong word-of-mouth network between new moms. We often field calls from women who just saw their friend change a modern cloth diaper at a play group. Just seeing that diaper changed (and how easy it was) resulted in another mom
introducing cloth diapers to her diapering routine.

That mom could be anybody, from virtually any walk of life. We sell to everyone from celebrities, wealthy families, ultra-environmentalists and the very poor. The vast majority of our parents just want to save a little money and decrease their overall waste output at the same time.

There has been another relatively recent spike in cloth diaper purchases. We attribute that increase in usage to the following factors.

• Oil prices - gas is more expensive.
• Food prices – milk has gone way up in price.
• Media – everywhere you turn, you’re hearing about something else “going green”.
• Increasing concern about ingredients – customers want to know what is in their food and their baby-care products - diapers included!
• Changes in technology - reusable diapering products (and even the elements used to create those diapers) on the market today are vastly different from those available even five years ago.
• Celebrities speaking out about the importance of cloth diapering.

It is wonderful to see so many celebrities publicly speaking out about their choice to use cloth diapers. It means so much to the cloth diapering industry when celebrities participate in the shared benefits of cloth diapering. Those benefits reach to the earth, their child, to their communities and through the media, and most importantly, they reach a fan base heavily influenced by celebrity choices.

To our celebrity families (public and private)... Thank you for using cloth diapers. Your story might be all it takes to encourage another mom to give it a try. Thank you for not allowing your baby to leave a legacy in the landfill. Finally, thank you for making us part of your parenting journey.

Kindest regards,

Jenn
Owner of Cotton Babies
Creator of bumGenius

Cloth Diapering Celebrities (and the rise of cloth diapering in modern America) is copyrighted 2007, Cotton Babies, Inc.

Cloth Diapers - Jazzing Up bumGenius Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers can be fun to decorate. I wanted something fun for the holidays this year, so I purchased some puff paint and put a set of three silvery blue snowflakes on the back of one of Oscar's white bumGenius diapers. Below you'll find directions for an easy way to decorate your Cloth Diapers with a snowflake. The process was fun - especially with my two little helpers (age 5 and 2) at my side!

Step 1: Secure the cloth diaper to your counter or table
I stretched out the diaper and taped it to my counter using clear box tape. I used a piece of tape over each of the tabs and another long piece across the front of the diaper.

Step 2: Decide on a pattern and trace it onto your diaper
I found a free clipart image of a snowflake here. Using black ink, I printed the image, trimmed it down so it would fit inside the diaper and then traced it using a ballpoint pen. It was tricky to get the picture to stay still inside the diaper. Next time I would tape it down before starting the tracing process.



Step 2: Paint the Diaper

I already knew my color theme, so on my way home from work I bought two tubes of super-cheap puff paint... one white and one blue. This was the closest thing to snowflake blue that I could find. Apparently everybody else in town had the same idea because all of the sparkly silvers and light blues were gone!

As you paint, squeeze the bottle with even pressure and be aware that the first little bit seems to come out fast. Be sure to position your hand in a way that allows you to paint as much of a line as possible without having to stop, reposition and start again.

Step 3: The finished product!

The big snowflake was quite a challenge (who knew it was so hard to control that silly bottle of paint?) so I was going to stop there. Oscar decided to help me out though - so we ended up with some extra snowflakes to finish out his contribution to the project. I used the sparkly white to cover my mistakes. The blurp in the middle was the final dash of finesse on my work of art. This was tons of fun (and I'm certainly not an artist)!!

"Cloth Diapers - Jazzing Up bumGenius Cloth Diapers" is copyright 2007, Cotton Babies, Inc.

Cloth Diapers for Low Income Families

If you are interested in using cloth diapers and are afraid you cannot afford the initial investment needed to get started, you should consider applying for assistance with some of the great organizations listed below.

• Miracle Diapers Miracle Diapers has assisted those in need all over the world. They accept donations and put cloth diapers and natural parenting items in the hands of needy mothers.
  

How do I lanolyze wool?

This is a very good question and the answer can be quite complicated. Living in Florida I personally don't use wool. Visit this Blog MiaBambina for a detailed tutorial on how to use and lanolyze wool diaper covers. Her step by step intructions and photographs make the process easier to understand.

Can I afford to cloth diaper?

Even if you have to carefully budget $3.50 each week towards purchasing cloth diapers for the 40 weeks that you are pregnant, yes, you can definitely afford to cloth diaper.

If you are diapering a newborn, start with 24 infant sized prefolds ($18), one Snappi ($2.99) and six pairs of Dappi Nylon Pants ($15). If you want to add in overnight diapers, get two bumGenius One-Size Cloth diapers for an additional $35.90. You will have spent less than $72 to get all the diapers you're going to need until your baby is approximately four months old. When your baby is four months old, you'll spend another $46 to get 18 premium-sized prefolds and four larger sized Dappi Nylon Pants. You can re-use the infant-sized prefolds as doublers for naptimes and overnights. The bumGenius grow with your baby and prefolds can be used as additional stuffing if needed. Eventually, you'll probably need to size up on the covers again, so figure another $10 two more packages of Dappi Nylon Pants.

It is amazing that for approximately $140, you have everything you need to diaper your baby from birth to age two. This is a very inexpensive "no frills" diapering system - but it is fully functional.

Here's the logic... You're going to change a minimum of five diapers per day for an older baby and a newborn goes through a diaper every two hours. A package of 216 Size 1 Pampers Swaddlers on Amazon.com was $35.00 on sale today. At 12 diapers per day (normal for a breastfed newborn baby), that package of diapers is going to last 18 days. Every diaper cost you $0.16 to use. After that $0.16 gets thrown in the trash, it is likely that it will sit in a landfill for 500 years. If you repeat that cycle over and over again during the next 2 1/2 years all of the sudden you've spent a fortune on diapers... as one customer put it to me recently, "There has to be a trip to Europe in there somewhere."

"Can I afford to cloth diaper?" is copyright 2008, Cotton Babies, Inc.

Canadian triplets - in cloth diapers

If you are expecting multiples and want to hear from someone who has "been there, done that" with cloth diapering multiples, this article from The Prince Albert Daily Herald might provide some insight. I'm sure the cost savings of cloth diapers over disposable diapers has added up quickly for this family!

With a year of experience under her belt, Charlyn has some advice for new parents of triplets, John and Sarah McDonald, of the Rural Municipality of Paddockwood, who gave birth to their triplets in Saskatoon on Nov. 5.

Charlyn admits triplets are expensive but there are ways to save money. Cloth diapers are a big cost saver.

"We go through 21 to 25 diapers a day."

There is a lot of washing and drying involved but it saves money. When they go out, she uses disposables.

Source: http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=81587&sc=4

Cloth diapers aren't an all or nothing deal...

I work in our retail store on the weekends occasionally. Often, the customers who come in on Saturday work a full-time job outside the home in addition to raising a baby. These are very busy families who are concerned about the environmental effects of diapering and want to raise their baby in an environmentally conscientious manner. Cloth diapers are high on their list of priorities... but they are actually embarrassed to tell me that they use disposable diapers too!

Allow me to dispel any myths and knock myself off this "queen of all things natural" pedestal. I am the QUEEN of convenience. Our life is so incredibly busy that sometimes it seems like we are lucky to even eat dinner. I love the idea of cooking ahead so we can microwave dinner in the evening. My crockpot is my friend. I know its gross, but my kids eat McDonalds and Dominos Pizza in moments of desperation.

We created the all-in-one because I was a lazy cloth diapering mom. I am not a huge fan of "stuffing" diapers. I love the fact that I can adjust the absorbency of the bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper. This is perfect for overnight cloth diapering. During the day though, I just don't have time to be looking for an insert. I always reach for my bumGenius All-In-Ones first. Always.

If the McDonald's confession didn't kick me from grace in the eyes of all good cloth diapering moms, this next confession will do it. If things are extraordinarily crazy in our life or we are traveling, our youngest son is in disposable diapers. I despise Huggies and prefer Pampers. Luvs are disgustingly over-scented. White Cloud diapers may as well not be there... and I have friends who swear by the Target brand that I've never tried. So there it is. Yes, I occasionally use disposable diapers - ultra absorbent gel and all.

I am a firm believer in practical family living. Sometimes the realities of life just won't support cloth diapering. Yes, cloth diapering is easy. Sometimes though, it isn't easy enough.

So there you have it... the creator of bumGenius and the owner of Cotton Babies occasionally uses disposable diapers. If this is you (and I bet it is) be guilt free. You are a good parent. The landfills won't thank you - but there are moments when your child might. :)

Britney Spears, Heidi Klum on diapers

I guess I was lucky growing up. I knew how to use a diaper before I left home and, for some reason, I thought it was that way in most homes. Little girls play with dolls and learn how to diaper a baby, right? If they don't learn by playing dolls, they babysit in high school and learn then. Well, it apparently doesn't go that way for every woman.

During an interview on the Ellen Degeneres Show, Heidi Klum was talking about a conversation that she had with Britney Spears. She said, “We were talking about babies and diapers and she explained to me a lot of things about diapers I that didn’t know..You know these sticky things on the side? I never knew that they were there. To close them in the front, I was always putting string around. I had no idea. It’s very clever. I learned a lot of things.” Said with a smile on her face of course (so you know that she was being funny)... but this leads me to believe that there is definitely something to be said for intuitive diaper design.

Sources: US Magazine , Celebrity Smack Blog

A happy mama gets more sleep

We've often heard from parents that their baby sleeps longer when using a cloth diaper that keeps the baby dry at night. This morning, we found a blog post from one of those moms!
She just switched to bumGenius yesterday and wrote this post this morning:

These diapers are just as easy to use as disposables and they are SUPER absorbent, so even when baby gets wet, he doesn't feel wet - thus, he is able to sleep comfortably through the night and theoretically, Mommy and Daddy can too. Hallelujah!

When you stop and think about it, this makes perfect sense. Would you be able to sleep all night with something wet against your skin? By keeping the baby drier, the baby is sleeping longer because he is more comfortable.

Read the entire post for yourself at Little Tater Tot.

Toilet paper defense

This is a little off topic, but hey... it's a blog. Why is the toilet paper roll a toddler magnet? I don't know how many times I've rewound the toilet paper roll after our little one unrolled it onto the floor at 5,000 rpm. It usually ends up looking like a bird nest stuck on the wall. So the other day I noticed the toilet paper was put on with the end going down the back and against the wall (as opposed to the easier-to-access over the top and in front position) . Andrew came in and started pawing at the roll and... it didn't unroll onto the floor! Cha-Ching! He was little perplexed and started picking at it, but he didn't get it unrolled everywhere. He got bored and took off to create some other small natural disaster in the house, buthe toilet paper was saved!

So if you have toilet paper that refuses to stay on the roll, try putting it on with the end going down the back. It might spare a roll or two.

Jimmy

Copyright 2005 Cotton Babies, Inc. - Toilet paper defense

Why Bamboo?

When I first thought of Bamboo I have to admit that an image of a Panda Bear came to mind. He was just sitting there in my minds eye, munching on a piece of Bamboo somewhere in Asia... So you can imagine my surprise when I heard of Bamboo Cloth Diapers and Mama Pads. Much to my delight, I found out that Bamboo is one of Mother Natures best kept secrets.

So let me tell you what I've found out about Bamboo and why it's so amazing!

• Bamboo fabric can out absorb cotton by 60% and is naturally moisture wicking
• Bamboo is naturally Anti-Bacterial, Anti Fungal, Anti-Static, and Odor Resistant
• Bamboo is 100% BioDegradable
• Bamboo is a sustainable resource
• Bamboo is actually a grass and can grow up to a yard per day
• Bamboo can be grown, harvested, and processed without the use of harsh pesticides and chemical processes

Cost of Cloth Diapers

How much will cloth diapers cost me?

Each family will need approximately 6 dozen cloth diapers for use over a 2 year period. It is possible to cloth diaper for as little as $300.00, and most diapers purchased can be re-used for subsequent children making the cost of diapering them FREE! The possibilities are endless when using cloth, in today's world you can even re-sell your gently used cloth diapers and re-coup between 50-70% of what you paid for them.

Average cost of a Cloth Diaper Cover $9.00
Average cost of a Pre-Fold $2.00
Average cost of a Fitted Diaper $9.00
Average cost of a Pocket Diaper w/ Insert $15.00
Average cost of an AIO $14-16.00

Cost of a Diaper Service

Using the estimate of 60 diapers per week, the average cost of using a diaper service would be approximatel $15.00/week. That equals $780.00 anually and about $65.00/month. Over the course of 2 years, a family would spend about $1500.00 per baby for a Diaper Service.

(Statistics provided by the Real Diaper Association)

Cost of Disposables

The average baby will use approximately 6,000 diapers in the first 2 yrs of life.

Based on the average cost of 25.5 cents/diaper, diapering with disposables will cost about $1600 ($66.00 per month) to diaper for 2 years, excluding the cost of disposable wipes. Imagine having more than one child in diapers at a time and the costs skyrocket.

(Statistics provided by the Real Diaper Association)

What's a Pocket Diaper?

Originally invented by the owner of Fuzzi Bunz, Pocket diapers are two piece diapering system typically with a piece of fleece or suede cloth that makes up the inner portion of fabric and a waterproof layer , typically PUL, that makes up the outermost portion. An absorbent soaker or insert is placed inside the pocket opening and it draws moisture through the inner liner and soaks it up. Inserts can be made of a variety of materials. Inserts are removed and both are to be washed after each use.

Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator

Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator 16oz.

with Live Enzyme Cultures:
It seems everyone has a Bac-Out story. Bac-Out’s live enzyme-producing cultures attack pet, food, and beverage stains, organic waste, and odor until they are gone, digesting them back to nature, safely and naturally. Bac-Out is safe to use around children and pets, even birds.

• Lime Peel Extract cleaning power
• Destroys the toughest odors so they are gone for good
• Excellent for mold and mildew
• Preferred by commercial carpet cleaners nationwide

BioKleen Laundry LIquid

Citrus Laundry Liquid 32oz.

Phosphate & Chlorine Free:
Our Laundry liquid removes the toughest dirt, grease, stains and odors, yet is gentle enough for cloth diapers, delicate fabrics and hand washables. Rinses clean without leaving residue on clothes that can irritate skin or ruin fabrics. Recommend 1 oz per load.

• 3x More Concentrated
• Grapefruit Seed & Orange Peel Extracts
• Naturally controls stains and odors
• Makes a great pre-treat for stains

What do I need to know about washing CD's in a Front Loader?

Detergent residue can be a problem, because front loaders use less water and need less detergent to clean. So if you'd like to use regular detergent (not HE detergent), you'll want to use 1/4-1/3 of a normal load amount. Front loaders usually require 1/2 the amount of regular detergent, so with CD she'll want to cut it down from that. If she's using HE detergent, then 1/2 of recommended amount.

A double rinse is recommended with front loaders, just to make sure of no detergent residue.

The sanitize setting makes the water really hot, so to maximize the life of PUL, only use that cycle during or after a child is sick with a stomach flu or infection, to make sure any lingering bacteria/virus/fungus is killed. Or use the sanitize cycle to sanitize used diapers purchased online, etc. Over use of the sanitize cycle will breakdown PUL faster, and decrease the lifespan of the diaper and it's effectiveness.

DayCare's & Cloth Diapers

I have had many customers interested in converting to cloth diapers ask me if their Daycare Center is going to accept them using cloth diapers. My initial response is that it is up to each individual daycare and I know of no law that prohibits them from accepting cloth diapered babies.

So a couple days ago I got the idea to call a few local daycares in my area and ask if they will or will not accept babies or toddlers who wear cloth diapers. Below are the results of my top-secret investigation...lol

1. B. Patch DayCare- Receptionist placed me on hold and returned with a simple NO. She vaguely described some type of health issue and tried to lead me to believe there is a law against cloth diapers.
2. Kids Pl.- Receptionist admitted that they have never had any children in cloth diapers before, but said she'd have to call the Sanitation Department to make sure it was ok. I didn't feel like arguing or I would have explained that the Sanitation Dept is responsible for garbage removal, not health codes.
3. W. Academy- NO.
4. B. Bears- Only after the child is 12 months of age?
5. S. Petite Academy- Absolutely, no problem! :)
6. K. Care- No one had ever cd'd before, would have to ask the director. Please check back.
7. Doorway to L.- Yes.
8. Country B.- Does not accept children under 2 yrs, but cloth diapers on a 2 yr old wouldn't be a problem.
9. C. Choice DayCare- An at home daycare, said "No."
10. E. Coast- "Sure why not?"
11. JB Junction- Yes.
12. L. Explorers- Receptionist seemed a little confused, said "sure" and then asked if cloth diapers were waterproof?
13. D. Road Disc. Center- "Sure, I guess so."
14. Sunshine & S.- "No problem."
15. ABC Acad.- Never have had anyone use cloth before, would have to check into it.

**So the verdict seems to be that people at day care centers are pretty receptive to the idea. Besides a couple of snippy comments made by uninformed employees, it sounded to me like people have no idea how far cloth diapers have come and how convenient they can be.

If you are considering approaching your child's daycare about whether or not they will change cloth diapers, I would suggest you bring in a couple to show them and ask them in person. Make them aware that they do not have to use pins, they do not have to dunk and wash the diapers, and show them your wet-bag and how they'd just simply toss the dirty diaper in for you to take home and launder. Just as easy as disposables if not easier, in my opinion!

Good Luck!

Why Wool?

Why is wool so popular as a diaper cover? and how does it work?

Wool is a naturally waterproof fiber and can hold up to 30% of it's weight in liquid before feeling damp to the touch. It is a tough, durable, stretchy, and naturally anti-microbial and anti-bacterial it is the natures perfect solution for a diaper cover.

Experiments with Overnight Solutions

Well since I have two babies in cloth, this means I can try two different nighttime diapering routines each night and see which works best. So here I will document my different nighttime experiments on 2 male babies age 10 months:

Experiment #1: Fleece Pocket stuffed with a tri-folded premium infant size pre-fold and a hemp/terry doubler. 9:00pm-9:30am. No wicking or leaking overnight, exterior felt dry to the touch after baby woke up. After carrying baby on my hip and after him sitting down, compression dampness occurred.

Experiement #2: Thirsties Cover with a tri-folded regular pre-fold, pre-fold folded down in front for extra coverage and added a hemp/terry doubler. 9:00pm-9:30am. Absolutely dry when baby woke up, even after sitting down cover remained dry. After about an extra hour the white FOE (fold-over-elastic) around legs and waist felt wet and cover began to wick around the aplix.

Experiment #3: DryBee's Green Retro Flower Print PUL Pocket with Wahmie's One-Size Microfiber Insert. 9:30pm-8:00am. Diaper began to wick around the front if waist and around aplix at about 7:00-8:00am. May not have had a problem if baby hadn't slept on his stomach. Some compression dampness did occur and sheets got a little wet.

Experiement #4: DryBee's Blue Polka Dot Print PUL Pocket with Wahmie's One-Size Microfiber Insert and an added hemp/terry doubler. Same time frame as #3 but much less wicking occurred, could be due to the use of the doubler or he possibly slept on his back more than his brother.

Experiment #5: Solid Color Mommy's Touch PUL Pocket with a tri-folded pre-fold as an insert. 9:15pm-4:00am. Had to wake up at 4:00am to change the diaper due to a lot of wicking, especially around the leg openings. A doubler may have helped or the problem may be that the diaper is an older style Mommy's Touch purchased off the FSOT and it's possible the PUL is wearing thin from too much wear.

Experiment #6: Raspberry PUL Wonderworks Pocket stuffed with a folded Gerber pre-fold and a homemade microfiber 2 layer insert (the kind of micro from Wal Mart). 9:30pm-1:30am. Woke up completely wet with a big wet spot on the sheets. The Gerber pre-fold had pretty much no holding power. Put baby in a Thirsties Cover with regular tri-folded pre-fold for the duration of the night with no leaking.

Show me your Diaper Diva fold!

Thanks to everyone who responded!

Stinky Diaper Remedy?

My diapers smell clean when they come out of the laundry but after being worn, and especially after overnight, they have this awfully strong odor? How can I keep this from happening?

Well I don't think there's a cloth diapering mom out there who hasn't had smelly diaper issues at some point. I personally wash my diapers almost every day and they had still been getting pretty smelly after having been peed in. So I decided to try using a wet pail for a change. I put my diaper pail in my utility room where there would be no risk of drowning, and filled it half way with water. Then I added a squirt of BioKleen Laundry Liquid which has Grapefruit Seed & Orange Peel extract in it. I submerge each diaper in the water to soak and when I have about 10 or so diapers in it I dump the diapers and the water into the washing machine. I turn on the washer with either hot or cold and add another ounce of BioKleen, I let them soak for an hour and then let the washer complete it's cycle.

This was my first couple days trying a wet pail. The first couple loads after having soaked in the wet pail with baking soda and/or a squirt of Blue Dawn DishSoap smelled clean but did still produce a strong odor after being peed in and after over night. After my first soak and wash with the BioKleen Laundry Liquid, this morning when the babies woke up the odor was almost 95% gone. It really is amazing. I need to experiment some more to find out if the BioKleen works as well on diapers that sat in a dry pail, or if it is the combination of them soaking in the wet pail with the BioKleen and washing them with the BioKleen that did the trick.

Soon I hope to retail the BioKleen products in my store, but for now you can find them in your local HealthFood store.

The Diaper Diva Fold

What is the Diaper Diva Fold?

Detailed photos show Shana, The Diaper Diva in action. From laying out her supplies, placing the baby face down on the Pre-fold, tucking the sides, using a snappi or a pin to fasten it, and finally tucking around the legs for extra coverage, this technique is not only easy to learn, it's cute and practical too! Great for use with or without a cover or soaker. Thanks for sharing Shana!

How do you make baby wipes?

How do you make your own baby wipes?

There are many ways to make your own disposable or re-usable baby wipes and baby wipe solution. One that I just came across on momadvice.com is:

Homemade Baby wipes

Ingredients

• Strong paper towels work the best (for example, Brawny).
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup of baby oil
• 1/2 cup baby magic baby bath

Directions

1. Cut one roll of paper towels in half.
2. Take out the core so wipes pull out of the center.
3. Place 1/2 roll of paper towels in container.
4. Pour solution over towels.
5. Store in container. Makes 2 1/2 rolls.

Another method is to take flannel receiving blankets and cut them into squares. Pre-wet them each day with enough to last that day or keep a spay bottle handy with your favorite wipe solution and spray them at each diaper change.

Hook & Eye? Aplix?

One diaper noted a hook and eye fastening, but then mentioned velcro, kinda confused?

Hook & Eye, Touch Tape, and Aplix are all kinds of velcro, some are known to be stronger than others.

Pre-Folds & Diaper Pins?

Are the pre-folds the only ones these days that still require pins?

Most covers fit well enough to hold the pre-fold in place without pins. Some people still use pins and there is also something called a Snappi which does the same thing as pins. Pre-folds, pre-fitteds, and flats can be used with pins.

A stash?

How many do most people buy to build their stash of diapers?

If you were going to do laundry every other day and wanted to only use pre-folds & covers, I'd recommend at least 2 dozen pre-folds and 6-8 covers. If you had a little of each then maybe
a dozen pre-folds, 4 covers, 6-8 pocket diapers or AIO's.

How many?

To try the different styles, how many would you recommend initially trying of each to get a feel for it?

If you were shopping from my site I'd recommend a DryBees or Just Ducky Baby AIO, a DryBees Pocket w one-size insert, or a Happy Heiny Pocket w insert and some Pre-folds with a Thirsties cover, and maybe one Fab Fitted.

So pocket diapers can be used as covers?

So pocket diapers can be used as covers?

Some people do this. Once you have a "stash" you'd be amazed at all the different ways to stuff, fold, double, etc. Some people use a pocket diaper without an insert as a swim diaper. I just did this the other day when I took my babies swimming. The main thing is that with an AIO or Pocket diaper, the moisture is to be held inside the diaper. If you just use a cover or a pocket as a cover, the pre-fold or doubler would be holding the moisture against the baby. Some people don't like the wetness against the baby. This is also why pre-folds need to be changed more often. I still like them though and don't mind changing out the pre-folds frequently.

Are inserts for the pocket diapers just prefolds?

Are inserts for the pocket diapers just pre-folds?

No, pre-folds are usually made of cotton, sometimes hemp or bamboo, and are layers sewn together. When a pre-fold is referred to as "premium" it just means it's extra thick, and usually costs a little more than regular but is well worth it. Inserts are usually made of fibers that are specially designed to suck in moisture. In a pocket diaper with microfiber insert the insert will virtually suck "wick" the moisture through the soft liner of the pocket diaper and hold it in the insert. You'd notice when you take the insert out it will weigh a ton, and the liner of the diaper would feel almost dry to the touch. Like I said before though, you can use a pre-fold as an insert or doubler but it just doesn't hold in the moisture or hold as much moisture.

Are the doublers inserts for the pocket diapers?

Are the doublers inserts for the pocket diapers?

Inserts and doublers are basically the same thing and can be made of a variety of fibers. Inserts are referred to as that when used in a pocket diaper because they can be "inserted," in an AIO they're just laid in so then they're called doublers. I sometimes fold a pre-fold and stuff that into a pocket diaper with an insert if I think I need some extra stuffing for a long car trip or
overnight, etc.

Why do you prefer...

You said you like pocket diapers while you're out and at night but pre-folds at home, is that to be more cost-effective? Same question for not using AIOs.

Well I have twin sons and pre-folds are affordable and you can imagine how many diapers I need. While I'm at home I just find it easier to put a dry pre-fold on, sometimes without a cover, and it just produces less laundry for me. I'd love to have a huge stash of Pockets and AIO's, and I'm building slowly, but I like the simplicity of the pre-folds too. It's fun to have a variety and I also like saving the cute/more expensive diapers for showing off when we go out...lol

Pockets with Pre-Folds?

With a pocket diaper then would you be able to just use one of the pre-folds in the pocket part or should you buy the microfiber inserts for overnight? Which pocket or AIO would you recommend I try? Wondering from experience which you prefer the most. I’m a stay at home mom too so I was thinking pre-folds with covers for sure when I’m home, but wasn’t sure what to try for going out or overnight or with a babysitter.


I have some DryBee's Pocket Diapers with the Wahmie's Microfiber insert that I love. They are easy for dads and babysitters and overnight. The one-size insert can be folded to customize where you need it the thickest for a boy or girl. Pre-folds can be stuffed in as an insert but I wouldn't recommend that for overnight because they just don't suck in as much moisture as microfiber does.

Equivilant to Disposable Pull-Ups?

My 3 year son is in underwear during the day. Wondering what your suggestion is for nighttime with him since he occasionally still has accidents. I’ve been using pull ups for him from the store, but am running low and am looking for a more environmentally safe alternative. He does sometimes wake in the night so I would need something he can pull off and on by himself so he can use the potty and go back to bed like he does now with his pull ups.

There are actually Pocket Trainer diapers which are the most like disposable pull-ups. Here's a link to them on my site http://www.earthangelsdiaperco.com/page/page/4782152.htm They do require the purchase of inserts to go inside them and they can come with or without snaps. Even if you do get snaps they can still be pulled up and down like training pants. The best thing would be that if your son goes all night without an accident then you can just use the pocket trainer again the next night because it would still be clean.

Thinking of Switching to Cloth?

I have a 17 month old who I want to switch to cloth diapers, but my husband is saying they are so pricey. What do you suggest? I’m afraid to buy them and then they leak because I’ll get an I told you so. Now we wasted money on cloth and still have to buy disposables, etc. I was looking at possibly getting the just the basics pre-folds and covers for him. Do those work pretty good? He is a heavy wetter at night time so that is the only concern I have.

As far as your 17month old goes, I would recommend buying one or two diapers or pre-folds and covers, and see what style or brand you prefer before making a large investment on any one kind. You can tell your husband that cloth diapers can be re-sold used when your done with them, and as long as they're in good condition you can re-coup around 80% of what you spent on them. It really is amazing.

Pre-folds are nice because they are the most affordable. The cover usually stays clean and you can just replace the wet pre-fold with a dry one. The pre-fold would need to be changed more frequently than a pocket diaper or all-in-one because they just don't hold as much liquid as microfiber. If you were to only use that method I'd say you'd need about 2 dozen pre-folds & 6-8 covers, laundry would need to be done every other day. I use pre-folds at home during the day and pocket or all-in-one's when we're out or for overnight.

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Fluffy

Welcome to Diaper Discussions. The reason I have created this Blog is because many new and existing moms who are giving cloth diapers a try or are interested in them feel overwhelmed by all the options, terminology, fabrics, and choices in general when it comes to learning about cloth. Having been new to cloth myself once, I realize that it's sometimes even hard to put into words how overwhelming cloth diapers are and form the questions you need to ask in order to help you make decisions about what to do.
So, I hope this Blog will serve as an archive of all my customers diapering dilemmas and the dialog between us. I will also post other useful information as I come across it and links to other helpful diapering sites. Questions and comments are always welcome.