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“Cloth Diapering 101” Information on how to use, care for, troubleshoot, and the difference between the variety of cloth diapers that are available. *Note: Links are embedded onto many product names - click to be taken to product pages that contain pictures and further descriptions and instructions! Basic Diapering Systems: ·
FAQ: How many diapers will I need? It depends on the age of your child, the “diapering system” that you would like to use, your budget, and washing routine. For washing every other day, I recommend: Newborns: 24-36 diaper changes Older baby: 18-24 diaper changes Toddler: 12-18 diaper changes If you want to wash every day, you can have less on hand. Diapers do need to be washed every other day or on the third day at the latest (so don't plan on buying enough for a week and then only washing that often - too much time for that bacteria to sit and multiply). Diapers should be changed every 2 hours and every time the baby poops (newborn babies poop very frequently, hence requiring many more diapers). Your total amount of diaper changes can come from a combination of types of diapers. Some people use only pocket diapers, some use only prefolds, but many people use a combination of different types of diapers at different stages. I have found that it is very popular to purchase 12-18 One-Size Pocket Diapers and 1-2 Dozen prefolds for a newborn. Then, as baby grows out of the prefolds they also stop pooping as frequently and using prefolds can be "phased out." Toddlers go through fewer diapers, but absorbency becomes the main issue and you might need to add extra inserts or some doublers to your current diapering system. I recommend 2-3 covers/wraps per dozen prefold diapers. A tip to wash covers less: I have a "2 cover system" where I use one cover while the other cover air dries. Folding prefolds with the traditional method and letting the cover air between uses keeps the cover from needing laundering for days (unless it gets poop on it, of course!) Pocket Diapers and All-In-2 Diapers are the easiest for going out and about and sitters. Most people find having at least 3-6 of these diaper systems on hand is helpful. What is a good starter order? -Diapers (determined by baby's age - see above). Can be a combination of: prefolds, fitteds, pocket or All-In-2's -2 Snappis (if using prefolds) -2 Pail Liners -1 Medium Wet Bag or Wet/Dry Bag to carry used diapers in your diaper bag -Flushable liners or a Sigma Sprayer -2 packs of cloth wipes -Wipes solution or solution concentrate -Cloth Diaper "safe" detergent -Cloth Diaper "safe" rash cream/balm Optional for extra absorbency: -Pack of Fab Doublers -Pack of Hemp Inserts This list would provide you with absolutely everything you need to diaper your baby! The possiblities are endless and are all based on your preferences. The beauty is that you can start with some basics and then add to your stash of "fluff" with time! If you are completing a Gift Registry, be sure to add Gift Certificates! Also, a Large Wet Bag for weekend travel or daycare, an ERGObaby Carrier and/or a SleepyWrap, breast pads, Undercover Mama Nursing Tanks, Leg Huggers, Labor Massage Oil, LuSa Organics Chest Rub, and any of our other great products for babies and mamas! What about the poop? Babies that are exclusively breastfed have poop is completely water-soluble! So, the poopy diapers just get put into the pail as-is – no rinsing or scraping necessary. The poop will dry somewhat while sitting in the pail, but washes out completely with no stains. Beautiful, huh?! When your baby starts eating some solids and you notice a change in the stool’s texture, you’ll need to remove any solids from the diaper that you can. Flushable liners work great, as do diaper sprayers and a good old rubber scraper by the toilet! When the child is mostly on solids, the poop is easily “ploppable.” Is cloth diapering "on the go" hard? We have a very busy lifestyle. People will tell me that they are too busy to use cloth diapers yet there is a very minimal amount of time invested in using cloth diapers. The only extra time you'll need to find is enough to do about two extra loads of laundry per week. Cloth diapering on the go is easy thanks to washable (and adorable might I add) Wet Bags that are completely waterproof and keep all smells in. Pocket Diapers and AIO's can even be changed on toddlers while they stand up! The biggest difference in cloth diapering while you're out and about is that you take your diapers home with you. Large wet bags are great for weekends away and daycare and wet/dry bags can act as your only "diaper bag" holding both clean diapers and snacks and dirty duds. Won't I be doing laundry all the time? I already can't keep up with laundry! Many people are worried about trying to keep up with extra laundry. But, cloth diaper laundry is different than clothes laundry. Cloth diapers do not have to be sorted, stain/spot treated, folded, or even put away for that matter! Ninety percent of the time I use my clean diapers right out of the laundry basket sitting next to the changing table! :-) The only laundry time is carrying them to the machine, setting the machine, switching to the dryer, and carrying them back to the room you use them in. Sorting takes 1-2 minutes and pocket diapers can easily be stuffed and ready to go in 3 minutes flat. Or, if you're like me, you just stuff them as you need them! Why shouldn't I soak my diapers in a wet pail? What do I do with dirty diapers? All of the manufacturers recommend a "dry pail" method. Soaking your diapers for extended periods of time is more or less soaking them in poop and pee water which just encourages the stink to get deep into the fibers of the diapers. I put everything dirty (diapers, doublers, wipes, prefolds, pocket diaper shells, pocket diaper inserts, etc) in a Planet Wise Pail Liner that I put into a slimline plastic kitchen garbage can with a foot pedal that I got from Target. I keep this "diaper pail" right next to the changing table. No special diaper pail is necessary - any kitchen garbage can will do (usually 15 qt size is standard). Don't put too tight of a lid on the can though - it is better if the diapers can breathe a bit. Come wash day, I pull out the pail liner full of diapers and shake everything out of the pail liner into the washer and throw the pail liner right in with the load. I then put a clean pail liner into the can and am ready for more dirty diapers! There is really no smell associated with the diaper pail. On wash day there is a bit of an ammonia smell when you open the pail. If you have a lot of ammonia smell (it is usually worse in the summer months or more humid climates) then consider washing daily or every day and a half. You can also use Lulu's Sprakles to freshen up your pail. What about nighttime cloth diapering? Newborns need to be changed through the night, as they tend to poop all night long. When babies stop pooping at night, you just need to experiment with what your baby’s absorbency needs are. A combination of a prefold with a hemp insert or pocket diaper with two inserts seems to be a great solution for even the heaviest wetter. My cloth diapers have never leaked at night (something I cannot say about the disposables I used in the past!) Many mamas like pocket diapers or AIO’s at night because they have the built-in fleece liner that makes the baby feel drier. If using a prefold, you can also create a stay-dry barrier by placing a microfleece shield/liner against baby’s skin (same liners are used when using diaper rash creams). We also carry bumGenius Stay Dry Liners if you don't want to make your own. Wool covers and Fleece covers are also good for a failsafe nighttime diapering solution. How do I wash cloth diapers? Right in your own washing machine! Every manufacturer has their own washing guidelines. Please refer to the instructions for the manufacturer of your products. Diapers should smell clean after being washed and dried - not like poop or pee, but not like detergent either. All diapers and diapering supplies (including doublers, wipes, wet bags, and pail liners) get washed together. To look up your favorite detergent and see how it rates for cloth, click HERE. After much reading and consideration, this is my wash routine: 1) I wash every other day. First, I start with a presoak because I have an older washing machine, I have to do this as a seperate cycle. So, I put the dial on small or medium (depending on the amount of diapers to be washed), cold/cold, and I turn off the extra rinse. I do NOT add detergent or anything to this load. If you have the option of a presoak, I would use that instead. 2) After that load is completed, I change the settings on the dial to X-Large (regardless of how many diapers you are washing, this helps with making sure that the detergent that you use gets the appropriate amount of water), hot/cold (if my washer had a hot/hot feature, I would go with that but it doesn't), and I do add the extra rinse to this cycle. I, also, do add detergent to this load. I use Charlie's Soap, which is available at most natural food stores or if you would like, you can buy it from me. I use only one scoop as Charlie's Soap is cloth diaper friendly (if you use a more traditional detergent, you may want to use about a fourth of what you would normally use for a load to prevent build up on your diapers). 3) After the wash is complete, I throw it all in the dryer and dry on medium (again, my units are older - I wouldn't use high as this can upset the pul in pocket diapers or AIOs or AI2s. But, my low is just air and it would take forever to get dry using that). Most places recommend that you air dry the covers or outsides of the diapers. I often will take everything outside and dry it on the line if it is sunny. NEVER USE FABRIC SOFTENER ON YOUR DIAPERS - this will cause build up and cause the diapers to repel moisture. This system works for me in my top-loader machine and I feel like my diapers are super clean doing it. Washing is really a personal preference and comes down to what is working for you, your machine, your water, your baby’s skin, etc. Try a few washing routines out and see what works best for you! Lastly, avoid traditonal diaper creams – they can build up on diapers. If you need to use a cream, place a microfleece/non-pill fleece liner next to baby and wash liners separately. The microflece liners will not absorb anything - they act as a stay-dry liner and cream barrier. Microfleece liners can be made for pennies. Just cut in strips the size of doublers. No sewing required - the edges will not fray. We also carry bumGenius Stay Dry Liners if you don't want to make your own. If you want to use something to soothe the diaper area try Booty Balm by LuSa Organics. We are so proud to carry this product so that parents have something cloth diaper friendly to deal with rashes/irritations in the diaper area. Booty Balm absorbs into the skin versus being a barrier cream like traditional diaper creams. Notes about HE washing machines: I know that many mamas with HE machines tend to do a cold or warm pre-rinse or wash without detergent to get things flushed out of the diapers. HE machines never allow the diapers to agitate in a lot of water, so doing this extra step helps ensure clean diapers. NO sanitary cycles - the hot wash is hot enough. Tia's HE washing routine (I have a regular top-loader, so I appreciate the help from my dear friend here with her perfected routine.Thanks,Tia! :-): Wash routine for Whirlpool Cabrio HE top loader:
1. Delicate cycle with warm/cold and 1/2 scoop of Country Save.
(On this cycle I will also randomly add a little more than a tablespoon of sometimes Borax and sometimes Biokleen Oxygen Bleach Plus.)
2. Sheets/Towel cycle, hot/cold, soil level high, spin speed high with an extra rinse.
(This cycle uses a normal level of water.)
I add the Country Save directly to the diapers in the washer and only use the detergent dispenser for the Borax and Biokleen Oxygen Bleach.
Important HE tip: I spray a mixture of half water, half Biokleen Bac-Out (available at Festival Foods and many other natural or whole foods type stores) to all diapers that may possibly stain before I put them in the diaper pail. This also acts to disinfect.
"Stripping" Your Diapers: Often not necessary. f you feel you must, check with the manufacturer as to their recommendations - different diapers can require different stripping methods.
Don’t let washing worries deter you from using cloth! Your nose knows if something is clean!
Should I bother with cloth wipes? When I first started cloth diapering I was going to stick with disposable wipes. I quickly realized how easy it would be to switch to cloth wipes since I was already washing diapers, why not wash wipes, too? Soft flannel wipes are very gentle on baby’s skin and are flexible enough to reach all of baby’s delicate diaper area creases. Thirsties Fab Wipes are so soft, you'll want to buy extras so you can wash your face with them! I have a spray bottle of water and Punkin-Butt organic wipe concentrate or a bottle of Booty Luster at the changing table and at each change I stick the washcloth under the bum and then spray a few squirts of solution on her. I use the washcloth to wipe it off and voila, a clean bottom! You could also keep a thermos of water to wet the whole washcloth or use the Punkin-Butt solution in a wipe warmer full of wipes – once again, whatever works for you! How do I prepare brand new diapers? All of your cloth diapers, covers and inserts should be washed before use. -Wash and dry prefolds and hemp doublers 4 times in HOT before using to break them in - this is essential to strip them of their natural cotton or hemp oils. If they are not washed enough they will not only be less absorbent (prefolds and hemp doublers reach their maximum absorbency after 4-8 washings), but they can also cause what is called "new to cloth redness" on baby's bottom. Extra rinse after 4th wash. -Wash and extra rinse and dry pocket diapers, AI2's, doublers, and inserts once or twice. HELP! My diapers stink! If diapers are stinky right out of the washer/dryer: You are not using enough detergent. Re-wash them and try using more detergent from now on.
We carry a diaper balm, Booty Balm by LuSa Organics, that is safe for cloth diapers!!!! Booty Balm is made of pure essential organic oils that are absorbed into the skin. It clears up redness and rash sometimes in just one diaper change and can be used on other parts of the body to soothe skin. A must have!!! HELP! My diaper has a defect! As with all products, occassionally cloth diapers have manufacturer defects. All of the diaper manufacturers have product warranties and handle returns and defects directly.
If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me at Priscilla@allaboutbabyboutique.com. I am happy to help! |