MY RECOMMENDATIONS + Reviews
Updated July 2011. I have added links to reviews of most of the recommended items as many have requested. Lists have been updated based on what I have found to be the best products. All of these have and do work for me but they may not work for you!
Some products are listed in multiple categories. If you don’t see a review link in one category it may be in another.
I’ve added an * next to my favorites. Click here for my full Reviews category.
BUDGET:
Ones & Twos (best priced one size AIO combined with good fit)
TRIMNESS:
*Bum Genius Organic AIO: review
Orange Diaper Co bamboo terry squares
NIGHTTIME:
*Sustainablebabyish bamboo fitted: review or Snapless Multi: review
Sustainablebabyish knit wool: review
Sugar Peas Windpro Fleece cover
NEWBORN:
compilation review and updated review
Kissaluvs
*Sustainablebabyish bamboo fitteds: review
: COVERS:
Little Beetles Little-to-Big Wool cover
: POCKETS:
Bum Genius 4.0: review of Artist Series
ALL IN ONES/ALL IN TWOS:
BumGenius Freetime *review coming*
Thirsties DUO AIO *review coming*
Ones & Twos *review coming*
Ragababe AIO (If you can get your hands on these BUY THEM!)
FLATS AND PREFOLDS:
Orange Diaper Co bamboo terry squares
Megaroos Extended Tab prefolds
CLOTH WIPES:
*Ragababe (thin, easy to use)
Charlie Banana (there are 2 types, i prefer the thinner ones)
VERSATILITY:
Softbums: review and OMNI launch
WETBAGS:
*Monkey Foot Designs (far superior in performance, longevity and quality than any other brand)
DETERGENT:
review of detergents I’ve used
Tide
PAIL LINERS:
Kissaluvs Anti-bacterial Pail Liner: review
DIAPER RASH CREAMS:
MotherLove Diaper Rash and Thrush Ointment: review
Bee All Natural Diaper Rash Salve
CLOTH DIAPERS FOR DADS:
Check out this post Cloth Diapers Dads Will Love for some recommendations.
{ 354 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
What is your recommendation for a diaper for 35+ lb kid. I perfer a pocket but am open to anything it will only be used at nap and night.
Hi there,
I’m sorry if you’ve answered this question a lot…I searched through lots of comments and didn’t see it.
I have a 14 month old and we cloth diaper (BG 4.0 pockets with microfiber inserts and added hemp inserts for overnight). He never had a single rash until he was 12 months old. It was BAD. First just a general redness all over, then individual blisters that would bleed. Nothing worked to get rid of the rash! Finally we switched to disposables while treating it as a yeast rash with an anti-fungal cream and it cleared up within a week. Stayed in the disposables for about 3 weeks total just to make sure it cleared up. Meanwhile, I tried stripping my diapers for the first time ever. I tried using the super hot sanitary cycles, vinegar, tea tree oil, about 10 extra rinses, you name it. Put the diapers back on him and within about 2-3 days, the rash started (slowly) coming back. Then questioned whether the rash was due to yeast or due to the fact that cloth diapers don’t pull the urine/ammonia away from the skin as well as disposables, so maybe it wasn’t build up in my diapers but simply the fact that it would touch his skin longer in the cloth diapers (even though we change them frequently).
I can’t seem to find anywhere that describes the difference between a yeast rash and an ammonia burn/rash. Are they the same thing? His diapers to smell VERY strongly of ammonia often, especially when he is getting a rash like this, but after washing the diapers normally they never smell. Would I still smell the ammonia in the diapers after washing them if the problem was ammonia? I’m considering trying Bac-out, but it sounds like that’s for if there is ammonia build-up or stink in the diapers and mine don’t stink when clean, only right after they come off of my son.
Any suggestions? I am desperate to keep cloth diapering and to also not ruin my cloth diapers by trying to strip them over and over when I don’t even know the exact problem.
Thank you so much!
I would treat the diapers for the ammonia buildup. Do you have soft water? Hard water? What detergent are you using?
Hi Tara,
My DD had a similar issue. We are using BumGenius 4.0′s and I want to keep using CD’s but she had a stubborn rash that would not go away. Doc gave us yeast rash cream to help heal her diaper rash but that didn’t really help. We used disposables for a while to heal it but after a few good poopy diapers the rash came back anyway. I discovered (by reading a TON of info on diaper rash and looking at pics online) that she had REALLY dry skin along with a reg. diaper rash and a little bit of yeasty diaper rash in her leg folds! UGH! So I did a few things: got Bummi’s liners to cover the cloth diaper that touches her skin so I could get rid of the disposables. I put the prescription cream in her skin folds to help the yeast, then a layer of Lansinoh lanolin (yes, the kind for your nipples when breast feeding)…this helps heal the dry skin and then a layer of Triple Paste over top every time I change my DD which is every 2 hours (the Rx yeast cream only 2x a day though). I also use enough detergent when I wash her diapers. I was using too little before and thus not getting her diapers clean. I also don’t use diaper wipes anymore, just plain water on reusables cloth wipes I keep warm in a wipe warmer. Finally after a few days of this her rash went away!!!
I hope some of my issues help you with yours…good luck!!
-Joy
ok. so my ? is about rashes. I have an 18 month old that I have tried and tried to cd. unfortuneately I put them on for 1 day and by the end of the day she is beat red and then it takes about 4 days of paper and a&d ointmen to clear her up. I use Bumgenius 3.0 aio.. I love them. I talked with cottonbabies and they discussed how I should wash them that maybe something was causing it from inside the dipes.. well I followed their advice and it happened again. so I washed them per their advice again and so on. So now we are exclusively using paper on her. So then I had a baby in nov. who I am exclusively cd and then 2 days ago she turns beet red. so I put paper and a&d ointment on her. I am using the same dipes on her as the other daughter and she has been fine. So my ?s are
1.) does this happen to other ppl and should I try different cd.
I dont want to spend a bunch of money and it still happens. cuz when it started I did buy, bonnibuns, bumcheeks, and a couple of other brands to try one being bamboo thinking maybe it was the microfiber cloth.
2.) do you think maybe its the detergent
I used purex free and clear, then tried a couple of different brands all being free and clear and it continued. I now use melaleuca and it is still happening.
3.) or is there a possibility that she is allergic.
she doesnt have a problem in her regular clothes with allergies, but it has crossed my mind. whereas I would think if she had an allergy cd would be better for her. we have decided that she seems to have very sensitive skin.
any ideas you would have would be great. plus i dont want to have to switch to paper with my 3mo. i love cd and feel really good about it and feel bad every time I put either of them in a paper. thanks again for any feedback. michelle
well that really really frustrates me that cottonbabies didn’t suggest the OBVIOUS! grrr. did you try using them with a microfleece or flannel layer between her and the diaper? it sounds like she is allergic to the suede cloth …which is pretty common. my 3rd child couldn’t wear suede cloth diapers or she’d be beet red. an allergy can cause the skin to react and take days to heal, which is why it doesn’t clear up right away.
Hi Autumn, I have so many questions. I have read most of your website, but still feel maybe you could help answer my specific questions to my situation. I recently started cloth diapering my 2 year old (just turned 3) realizing he’s not fully potty trained yet and didn’t wanna keep buying disposables. I’ve always wanted to cloth diaper, just always been a little nervous. I am also trying them out on him getting ready to fully CD my #2 little one coming in a few months. I started out with One size pocket Kawaii’s, because they were the cheapest, they are ok, a little cheap I feel. I just ordered some Softbums hoping they will be better quality and I think I will like the AI2′s better. Anyway I have questions about detergent, wipes, build up, wet/dry bucket, etc.- mind you I HAVE almost read everything and all the recommendations and reviews on your site, so I’m just a little overwhelmed and know I’m doing it all wrong. First of all-I have build up, even after washing (with my crappy-not-good-for-CDing-detergent, I its called Xtra) my diapers/inserts still smell like pee. I feel like all the recommended detergents are expensive and inaccessible. Where can I buy them? Do I have to buy them online? If so, is there any way I can avoid shipping fees? Am I even saving money CDing with such expensive detergent and all other add-on expenses?? Should I just use a ‘laundry ball’ instead? What do I do initially to get my current build up off? I’ve tried bleach, but even that doesn’t seem to do it. fyi, I have hard water I think. Since my son is almost potty trained I only use CDs at nap time and at night, so maybe once or twice a day, washing 6 diapers maybe every 4 days. (6 is all I bought to start with) I have not invested yet in a wet or dry pail, i just stick them in a little open bucket with no lid (stinky! ammonia smell!) on top of my dryer and shut the doors. Do i have to rinse out the pee diapers too before washing? What’s best to use for a dry bucket? If I do a wet bucket, do I fill it with water and soak diapers till I’m ready to wash? Should I add bleach or something other than just water?? I’m sorry I have so many questions, I wish I could come to your house and see how you do it, or call you, so I hope you don’t mind this long message with tons of questions:)
Currently I’m using regular baby wipes, and flushing them. If they don’t say “flushable” are they not flushable? I don’t really want to switch to cloth wipes, I’m still trying to convince myself CDing isn’t so bad, what should I do? I know this will all get easier when I get the right equipment. Meanwhile I’m still trying to convince my husband to jump on the bandwagon, but he could care less about saving the planet and saving a few bucks. He’d rather pay a little extra and save all the hassle. He sort of refuses to change cloth diapers, what can I do to convince him? I really wanna invest in a sprayer to make clean up easier, but haven’t yet.
Ok I think that covers all my questions. I’m not even ready to ask about traveling or camping yet, so I won’t- I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. I know there isn’t one right detergent or diaper, or even ‘bucket’ to use, but I need more guidance! I still feel like CDing is so elusive. I just wanna watch like 10 people do it, and their process they use. But I can’t, so hopefully you won’t mind answering all my questions, I really should pay you for your time. Thanks again!!!
Megan
Provo, UT
1) You can use Tide. Have you checked the detergents on Pinstripes and Polkadots? You may have something available locally and don’t realize it. If you smell pee then your diapers are not getting cleaned. Don’t use the laundry ball! That’s a post on here
One wash with Tide and you will get rid of the smell.
2) Softbums are a much better quality than Kawaii
3) Don’t flush the wipes. Toss them in a pail and wash with the diapers or dump them in the trash.
4) If you aren’t washing every day or two then rinse the pee diapers.
5) I wouldn’t do a wet pail. A wet bag or a simple pail with a liner works great.
I encourage you to take a deep breath. You are over thinking it! Your husband will sense your anxiety and run the other way! Get some Tide (or borrow a baggie full from a neighbor), rinse the diapers a couple times after the wash, and enjoy cloth diapering. If you have extra money I suggest an XL Monkey Foot Designs wet bag.
Do you have Bac out? Can you get it locally?
Thanks Autumn,
Thanks for your response! Yes I have looked at the pinstripes and polkadots about detergents, and they say to stay away from Tide! If you disagree, which kind is good? They do have Back Out at the Smith’s grocerie store where I shop, but it’s expensive as well as the Planet detergent which is the only recommended one they carry. When or why do you use back out again?? For odor control? you put it in your bucket or dry bag and rinse cycle? I just got my Softbums and am prepping them, on their instructions they recommend Purex Free and clear detergent, should I just use that? The wet bag you recommended is that for travel or out of the house times? Bummer about the wipes, I’m still not sure what I’ll do about that- tossing in the trash is too stinky, and I’m not ready to switch to cloth wipes yet, maybe that’s what I’ll have to do though.
As autumn said, you can just wash the disposable wipes with your diapers if you don’t want to throw them away dirty. I use a splash of bacout with every cold wash (the first one) to kill bacteria in ny diapers, I don’t think our water is hot enough to do the job on its own. Some cd sites have free shipping all the time, like WWW. Cottonbabies.com, where I buy my detergent. If you find one you like amazon does free supersaver shipping if you spend enough, and if you found one you love you could buy in bulk. I have done this with charlies soap, which I like, I have also made and used home made detergent without a problem. I think cloth wipes are easier to deal with because you don’t have to separate everything. Store them right with your dipes, and a waterbottle or peribottle full of wipes solution or water, pretty easy!
Thanks Heather! I’ll try that website and try to get motivated to use cloth wipes:) um what do you mean about back out in ‘the first cold wash’? like when the diapers are new- or you wash yours twice?
Most people that I know who cd do a short cold wash first, basically to wash all the debris off of the diapers. What I put in this one is a splash of bac-out and a half scoop of charlies soap or other cd friendly detergent. (usually you use half the amount of detergent, unless the one you get is specifically for cds) this gets an extra rinse too. Then, I wash one loong hot wash with an extra rinse with just detergent. This has worked for years, and I’ve Never had to strip my diapers or had any problems.
Great website! I’m looking into doing cloth dipes for my 1 year old girl .. she is very tall and thin, any suggestions on a one size that will last until potty training? I’d like to be able to use them for our next baby too!
BumGenius diapers are great.
Hi my son is 2mo old and is 12lb 8oz 22in.(chunky monkey like yours
Im totally new to CD and I really want to do it but very overwhelmed. Between the endless options and discouragment from some I’m at my ends wit. I’m leaning towards FuzziBunz OS. I like the grow with baby option. For inserts I was thinking about the microfliber but have been reading they don’t absorb as well and might leave baby wet. FuzziBunz has Minky inserts wondering if they’re better? I just want to know if my choices are good and if there is anything else I would need. By the way what is your take on gDiapers? I haven’t seen many reviews. I appreciate your time and advice.
I wouldn’t recommend new FBOS. I dislike the narrow pocket. Drives me crazy
Not a fan of gDiapers. If you want a hybrid try Flip or GroVia.
Hello,
is there anything that you would recommend that is similar to flips for a chunky monkey??? P.S. Congrats on your win!! You deserve it! We love your site, would not have chose to cd without it!
I just started cding my 13 month old son. I purchased a variety of different brands ands styles, mostly OS, as I am 36 weeks pregnant and would like to use for both babies, Anyways, my go to diaper is FLIPS, I love how easy and absorbant and not so messy they are for him, although I think his legs are too chubby, he gets red marks
Thanks
Thank you! Have you tried Softbums or Best Bottoms? I use Best Bottoms on Camden at night and he doesn’t get red marks (chunky legs too
)
Autumn,
Thank you sooo much for your suggestion of Best Bottoms. I received my fluff mail yesterday, washed, and threw on the Best Bottom. We used it last night and my chunkers woke up 10 hours later with NO leaks and NO red marks!!! You are a life saver!!! Now to replace my stash…
Thanks again!
Alisha
Hi Autumn —
We are expecting our first in a couple of months, and had been debating on the best way to CD while she is in that “too small for OS pockets” stage. After lots of shopping around, we opted for a rental set of preloved newborn KLo’s. I do have a question about the…er…”wetness factor”…with these. Since there is no stay dry lining in the fitted diapers, will baby’s bottom always be wet? Can this cause a problem and, if so, is there anything we can do to keep the wet fabric away from her skin?
Autumn,
We use your site as a resource all of the time and constantly refering people who are curious about cloth diapers. Would it bother you if I posted a little review about your site and link on our blog?
Lauriel
Hi! Im expecting my first baby and would like to use cloth diapers. I dont live in usa so i have to go there to get them. Im just having a hard time trying to decide between the bum genious and the rumparooz. Which one do you recommend better? Why? Is there anything else i need tobuy appart to the diaper or is everything i need included? Your help will be appreciated!
Hi! I’ve been reading your diaper blogs for quite a while now and I’ve never seen you review Knicker Nappies. Especially the one’s with the Loopy Do inserts. I have 3 babies in diapers and those are the ones that we use any time we leave the house. Those and Blueberries are definately my favorite pocket diapers. They have these new Ooga Booga prints that are really cute. Just wondering what you thought of those.
emailed you
Hi,
I was wondering what’s the best quality for inserts, I’ve heard that microfiber is not so good because it doesn’t soak quite well and can stink after a while, which would you recommend for starters? bamboo or hemp?
http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/cloth-diaper-qa-what-are-the-best-inserts/
New to cloth. Been using pockets on my 2 year old for naps/bed she is potty trained. Want cloth for my new LO due in Feb. Bought some nb fitted, prefolds and covers. However, I need some inserts for the pockets I have. There are so many choices! What do you recommend hemp, fleece, bamboo something different??? I am just ok with the microfiber they are a little stinky, bulky and I really need something more absorbent for nights. Do you have favorite brands? Does it matter if they have fleece or jersey on one side?
LOVE your website! Thanks for all your information
I’m completely new to cloth diapering and am trying to figure out the best options for my family. I have a newborn that is 3 weeks old and weighs 8.8 lbs right now. I’m currently looking at Flip, Grasshoppers, and Softbums. I am looking for a system that is good for newborn through potty training. I like the idea of AI2 or hybrid system. I like the idea of being able to use disposable insert when needed. I want a trim fit, not too bulky particularly on a newborn. I would prefer CD that can be used at night. I am scared of costs though too. I liked the idea of the one that rolled up when dirty when on the go. Of course, good absorbency, very little leaks is a must. So with all that being said, which would you recommend. Also, I’m confused on the dry pail v. wet pail. I would prefer dry pail. Do you have to use special detergent? I currently use Tide and read one comment where they did use Tide. Line dry is completely NOT an option for me, they must be able to go into the dryer. I also don’t want something that is going to smell on baby.
I forgot to add one question: which diaper creams are safe with CD? Is butt paste ok with CD?
no butt paste is not okay to you. check out http://pinstripesandpolkadots.com/diaperrashcreams.htm and http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/cloth-diaper-safe-diaper-rash-creams/
Hi, Kristen. I would encourage you to look around the site a bit especially the washing section. I think Softbums would be a great option for you.
I just wanted to say thank you for pointing to Soft Bums. I love them. I did try a couple of others but have now sold them and exclusively use Soft Bums and BG 4.0 (for night-time). I’m actually awaiting a new order right now. Thank you your website has helped so much. Oh, I just got the new Planet Wise wet/dry bag. It’s an absolute “need”. It’s great for transportation of dipes to daycare too.
My baby is 2 months old today and I finally think I know what kind of diapers will work the best/fit for us, but I would like your help/advice on what will work best for the future. In my stash right now I have GMD prefolds, Megaroos prefolds, Prowraps NB covers, Thirsties XS covers, Fuzzibunz OS, Itti Bitti Tuttos, Ragababe 2-step diapers, kissaluvs fitteds size 0 and Rumparooz. My partner can’t figure out the Itti Bitti Tuttos and he can’t figure out how to stuff diapers and I’m not the biggest fan of stuffing/unstuffing them either, so I am not including the pockets or the Itti Bittis in our rotation anymore.
My partner actually likes the prefolds and I do too, but my little guy is a big wetter and I am not sure if prefolds will work out for us down the road. What do you think? Would a doubler possibly fix this problem? Also it is inconvinient to change him outside the house when he is in prefolds so I’m not sure if we will buy more once he grows out of these. If I do decide to keep including prefolds in my rotation then I will definately buy some of the SweetPea covers.
I really liked using the Kissaluvs fitteds at night, but I haven’t tried to keep him in one all night because I am sure he will have leaking issues. I was thinking about buying Pooters, Sustainablebabyish Snapless or maybe more Kissaluvs fitteds in size 1 to try out overnight. I liked the idea of a OS diaper like Pooters or the Snapless but I haven’t been able to find any in stock. Do you have any suggestions on places to find them or another diaper that would work just as well?
Lastly, I really like the Ragababes 2-steps and they seem to fit my long, skinny baby well. I haven’t seen any reviews on your website about the 2-steps or about the AIO’s and I was just curious about what your opinion is about them. They fit him well now, but I don’t want to buy an entire stash of them (if I’m lucky enough to catch the stockings in time) unless I am sure that they will work for us in the long run.
I know this is so long and I really appreciate any advice you can give me. This website has become my instruction manual/bible when it comes to cloth diapering and I really appreciate your wisdom!
Have you looked into the Bum Genius Elementals? They are an easy, absorbent, trim diaper. Not really a nighttime diaper but you could add a few Pooter hemp fitteds for night. I wouldn’t recommend Ragababe at this time because of their very low production. I pray that one day everyone will be able to buy them if they desire…heck, I’d love to have some AIOs!
We are going to be using Kawaii microfleece AIO diapers once the baby is born and were curious about the diaper pail water. I figured we’d just put fresh cold water in the pail every morning to hold the diapers before their evening wash. We wanted to know if there is something (baking soda, vinigar, etc…) that should be put in with the water to help the diapers keep, in a sanitary way, while they wait for the wash OR if cold water (which will become room temp before the day is through) is enough. We’re concerned about the possibility of the diaper material reacting to whatever we use and slowly breaking down (ie: less absorbant, etc…). Is there a safe option for something to mix with the cold diaper pail water or is this even necessary?
I just found your diaper pail blog! Would you recommend skipping the cold water route altogether and just going with the Kissaluvs Antibacterial Pail Liner? I assume you don’t fill this with water, just toss the diapers into the lined pail (our’s is a medium size, clasp shut, garbage pail), and close the lid? Thanks!!!
no water necessary, just toss in and close!
if you will be washing every evening i wouldn’t bother with a wet pail. just toss them in a bag then at the end of the day dump in the washer.
If we wash every day, possibly every other day, would the kissaluvs pail liner even be necessary? My local boutique, Sweet Bottoms Baby, carries this liner, but if it’s $14.00 I don’t have to spend, I’d rather not. I just want to be as sanitary, and with as little funk smell going on as possible between washes. Thanks!
I have been using Clover Organic NB fitted diapers from a rental program at Sweetbottoms. My DD is 9lbs 2oz at 2.5 wks and these diapers already feel a bit small since they are only slotted for NB 5-10lbs! Looks like my 3 month rental won’t be 3 months if she keeps growing like this…… Do you have any suggestions for a one size fitted I can move her up to??
Sbish snapless multi and Pooters are great options.
Have you (or anyone else reading) used sprout change. I’m looking to increase my stash and these intrigued me. Any thoughts or opinions out there?
I have and I really like them. The inserts are getting less soft, but I think the fit is working great on my kids. I will be posting a review of it shortly.
Thanks Tara, I think I will be buying a few of them. Will def be looking for your review
I’m a soon to be first time mom and doing my research on cloth diapering. I am glad I found this site! Someone recently recommended the Bummis all in one diapers. I’m looking for other reviews but can’t find mention of them on your site. Am I crazy or is my search function crazy? Any insights or a link to reviews would be oh so helpful. Thanks!
I haven’t tried them in years so my assessment is outdated I’m sure. When I used them they weren’t that absorbent and they had a really long rise. I have a friend that used them and she liked them.
I have a 22 month old that I’ve been CDing since she was big enough to fit in her Fuzzibunz and BumGenius. I’m currently expecting our second baby and have started to refurbish her diapers (changing elastics/replacing velcro tabs) to begin preparation for cloth diapering two kiddos. I’ve noticed that many of my Fuzzibunz have the PUL lining pulling away from the cloth, which is leading to leaks. Do you have any suggestions for rehabilitating these diapers, or do you think they just need to be replaced? Thanks so much! I love your site and have been coming to it for advice since I was expecting with my first : )
Unfortunately, there is no way to repair it. That is unfortunate though
What would be the most bang for my buck or budget friendly cloth for a newborn. She is 7lbs at 8 days and is allergy to disposables, so I need to build a stash quickly. I’m not opposed to use any type just would like to try to stick with one type to make it easier for Daddy.
Thanks so much for this information. As a believer in natural, chemical free products for babies, cloth diapers were always going to be my choice. You’ve just saved me tons of time coz now i don’t have to spend so much of my time looking for the best brands. Thanks again!
Dearest Autumn,
I’m desperately seeking your wisdom. I bought a bunch of one-sized diapers when DS was “smaller”. Unfortunately, he’s just turning 16 m.o. and 29 lbs and 36 in. We don’t feel he’s ready for toliet training. While he’s not a chubby kid, he’s built more like a mac truck (my genetics. Ha!), the onies are fitting smaller and smaller. We were wondering which brands you would recommend for those bigger babies. I was also wondering if applecheeks would be a good starting point b/c they have side extenders? Please help us. You are our go-to guru!
New to cloth diapering..think I will go with pooters and bumgenious. I have always wanted to CD but no one else will go along. DH wants a third, and can’t afford disposables anymore. Plus my DD is 20 months, and is getting open sores no matter how frequent her changes, etc. Her doc said to use LOTS of desitin and neosporin and triple paste. After reading some blogs, I see you should not use this stuff with cloth diapers? I but gdiapers, but have not found many favorable reviews, and they are very bulky. What can I use with cloth that is comparable? Also, I would like to use cloth wipes, but I saw somewhere on a post about a spray to use with it? Can you use them dry or just wet with water? Also, where is the best place to keep dirty diapers until you wash them? I hate the thought of a poopy diaper sitting until I am ready to wash it. Thanks so much!! So glad I found this site!!!
So I have a bit of a dilemma…I have decided to not use a service and to cloth diaper starting from day 1. I have a Rumparooz OS, Bumgenius 4.0 OS, Fuzzibums OS, Charlie Banana OS, 3 Kissaluvs size 0 fitteds and a Softbums OMNI so far. I have four Lil’ Joeys, a few sustainablebabyish fitteds, two thirsties xs covers, two prowraps newborn covers and a wool cover on my registry. I was also planning on buying twelve GMD newborn prefolds (orange?) and some Megaroos prefolds in the smallest size. I just had an ultrasound today and I found out that my baby is “above average” and is already 7lbs 11oz and I am due in three weeks. So I am wondering if I should buy the GMD prefolds in the yellow size? What size I should get for the Megaroos to get the most use out of them? What other/how many diapers should I add to my collection to last for the first few months? I am planning on using mostly pocket OS diapers after he is a few months old, so I wanted to try out a few first to see what will fit my little man the best. I also wanted to know if I should get liners for the prefolds to draw the moisture away from my baby’s skin, and which ones would you recommend? Also, should I wait to buy any soakers to see if my baby is a heavy wetter, or should I have a small stash just in case? Sorry this is such a long post, but I really need to figure out what to put on my registry ASAP. I appreciate any comments/suggestions.
I would skip the orange GMDs. Medium Megaroos aren’t all that big…of course on a newborn they will be roomy but baby will grow into them fast (at least mine did). You’ll be able to move into the OS pretty fast. 10lbs sometimes. If baby is skinny you might have to wait until 12lbs. Many babies aren’t bothered by not having a staydry fabric next to their skin. You’ll know if your baby is bothered. Do you mean wool soakers? or doublers? I’d have Hemp Babies doublers on hand.
Autumn!!! Thank you so much for the reply. I only have a few friends that have babies and I am the only one that is cloth diapering, so I don’t really have anyone to ask questions or get advice from. I will definitely get the yellow GMDs and the medium Megaroos. I will pick up some of the Hemp Babies doublers for sure and I was wondering if the stay dry liners also help with poop removal? Thank you!
Hi Autumn, We are CDing our newborn. We have an assortment of fitteds, started off with kissa 0′s, and right now we’re mostly using BG 4.0. I’ve come to realize she is very sensitive to being wet…she hates it. The BG don’t seem to bother her, but that’s about it. I’ve used rumparooz pockets, and those seem to be too wet feeling. I’d like to be able to use everything I have(kissa’s, sbish, flats, etc) will simply laying a piece of fleece in the diaper help? Any other suggestions? BG 4.0 say they are stay dry, and seem to be, do you recommend any others?
BGs have suede cloth inside so I recommend making suede cloth liners. You can buy it at JoAnns. They may bunch as baby becomes mobile.
CutiePoops have a suede cloth inner
Hello Autumn,
I am hoping that you will be able to help me get back to cloth. I’ve all but given up. Here’s our story.
My daughter is 18 months. She wore cloth from about 1 month to 13 months. We used bum genius 3.0 exclusively during the day, with a happy heiny’s hempy pocket over night. Things were great, I loved cloth. Sure, I had the occasional smelly diapers that needed stripping, but that was no big deal.
Around 13 months, my baby developed these sores in the diaper area. It started off with just general redness all over, then these sores popped up. Just 3, but one of them eventually started bleeding. So we took baby girl to the doctor, and they prescribed creams and such. That necessitated using disposables, but we had to be super careful with those, too, or she’d get the usual kind of diaper rash.
Basically, I think the sores were caused by a strange case of sensitive skin in my girl, and the wetness of the cloth. We changed every 2 hours, she never sat in a dirty diaper … We did everything I could to make cloth work. Once the sores healed, I gave the diapers a SUPER cleaning, getting them smelling better out of the dryer than ever before. In less than 2 days in cloth, a sore returned.
I resigned myself to being stuck with disposables, but I guess I haven’t fully abandoned cloth. I keep trying to make it work; we tried the night time diapers again because she always looked better in the morning after cloth than when we put them on the night before. But one morning, she was super red, so those were out.
Now … nothing has really changed, but I guess I feel like I need to exhaust all my options before I can feel okay about my decision. I was wondering if you’ve heard of anything like the sores or know of anything that could help. Also, I am willing to try cloth again (happy to!), but I don’t want to go back to my old diapers. I’d like something new, something similar to the happy hempy pocket we used overnight. I’d love any advice or help you can give!
Thank you!
What type of detergent are you using? I had similar diaper rash problems with Charlie’s Soap. I am still tweaking my wash routine but have moved on to a different detergent. I could use some help, too. I am getting frustrated with the rashes, too.!
Hi Shiree,
I had been using Charlie’s Soap when this all started, the liquid for an HE machine. I definitely changed detergents after the first time. I stripped them like crazy too, have used bleach and bac-out. The last time I tried cloth, I’d been using Tide free and clear for HE.
Laura
I had a similar rash/sore pop up on my 18 month old when she was about 8 months old. I was using Tide, have super hard water and had a front loader…I stopped cloth for a while because of it, too. We’ve since moved, bought a top loader (our front loader started leaking….perfect excuse). I now use Rockin’ Green AND Calgon water softener. While we still get “stinkies” every now and then, my daughter hasn’t had ANY rashes at all. We now also have a 4 month old and she’s doing great in the CDs, as well. Hope you can find something that works!! By the way, where the sore was, she has a little scar…it’s faded some, but I know exactly what it’s from
We’ve been using cloth since leaving the hospital and now we’re at 9 months. We started with Charlie’s Soap powder in our front-loading HE machine. Based on some reviews I read, we switched to Rock’n Green but immediately developed a rash. That went into the trash and we went back to Charlie’s. Turns out our son had a yeast infection (don’t know if the soap was involved at all). We added a few drops of tea oil to the wash and everything cleared up in a week or so.
One thing to keep in mind with HE machines is that they use very little water and so detergent can build up. We trick our machine into using more water. We start with the “express cycle” on cold with NO SPIN and NO soap. That rinses the poo/pee out and makes the diapers heavy. It’s a 9 minute cycle. Then we run a full cycle with Charlie’s soap. The diapers are so heavy from the first cycle without any spin that it fills with more water and does a better job. Once a month or so we strip them. This has really helped to keep the rash away.
Best of luck!
I noticed that although you listed cloth wipes (sadly not Blissful Booty brand) you didn’t list any wipe solution. Will you be adding that category to your recommendations?
Thanks!
I am still not sure about using cloth diapers. I am going to potty train my 22 month old and would like to use cloth training pants instead of pull ups when we go out. I will be using regular underwear at home. My 4 month old is not having any sort of problem with disposable diapers, but I think it might save us money. We have had “blow outs” (using disposables) with my oldest and do not want the same thing with my 4 month old. My 4 month old is a pretty heavy wetter and sometimes he leaks out the top in the front of his disposable. I looked at the flip diapers and seem pretty interested in those, but I’m not sure if I’m ready for the cloth diaper world. I am kind of scared of making the leap and then finding out I don’t like it. Have you had any problems with “blow outs”? I also wanted to get the flip day pack, but would doubling the insert at night be enough? I also read on their website that you should line dry the cover, do you line dry the cover or put it in the dryer? If I make the switch it needs to be before we buy our next box of diapers so I am not wasting money, but putting the money we would use on the disposables towards the cloth ones. Thanks for the website (:
I hope you saw this! http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/scared-to-make-the-leap-into-cloth-diapers/
I noticed you do not mention Best Bottom Diapers in your list or in a review. I have been using these dipes for 7 months now and have not had a blow out or a leak and at $4 an insert and $16 a cover it is really economical and easy to use. Even my sitter uses them. I have 5 covers and 14 inserts and do laundry every other day. If you haven’t tried I would really recommend you take these dipes for a test drive!
Best Bottoms are a great cloth diaper to add to the budget category. We have one and it works great for overnight. Thanks for the reminder!
I checked into the Pooters because I am in a constant search for the perfect night fitted for my super soaker and would love a one size diaper. The problem is that the shipping to Ohio would be $9! Are pooters diapers carried at other retailers that I just didn’t see in my search?
I hate to even tell this because I’d love to buy them all myself but http://www.cottonbabies.com has seconds in the clearance section for the bumgenius aios that are discontinued for only $6 each!!! even the xs newborn ones! I’m so pumped to buy the newborn ones at such a low price!
they are seconds but from what i’ve heard most of the time you can’t see the “seconds” part.
Hi!
I have a two boys, the eldest is 30 months old and about to leave diapers but the youngest is only six months old and I wanted to try CDs for the first time. Not sure what to buy, there are so many brands, I’m going nuts!!! I got really excited with the charlie banana brand and saw you liked them. Do you think it will be a good buy? I’m a home working mom but I move a lot with my boys. I also liked the price for the kawaii brand, the heavy duty seems a good choice too. I was thinking in buying a one size CD. Thanks a lot for taking the time to help! I’m getting so excited I’d like to become a CD retailer in Brasil and Argentina!!!
Both Kawaii and Charlie Banana are good pocket diapers. I like Rumparooz for a pocket diaper.
I’m actually kind of scared to start washing. I have a FL washer and I’ve heard they are harder for cloth diapers, and I have hard water which I’ve heard isn’t the greatest either. So hopefully I will be able to figure something out that works. I know if I have trouble I’m going to get a lot of grief from a lot of people, no one really supports the CD thing where I’m at. Thanks for all of your help.
Hi Autumn,
I am trying to decide on a detergent to start using for my CD. I noticed you recommend Clean B, but I thought I read somewhere else on here that after continued use you didn’t really like the results anymore. Did you try it again and liked it or am I mistaken on which detergent it was?
I’m in detergent transition right now. With our water I’m having a hard time finding the perfect fit. I’d try Clean B if I were you and see how it works with your water and machine
Hi Autumn – I need some help/advice. My daughter (almost 3)
Any advise you or your followers have would be greatly
has been leaking in her BG 4.0s for awhile now, and it’s very
frustrating. I’ve stripped regularly, and that’s not the problem
(no soap bubbles show up at all in the water, and I’ve only ever
used RNG). I have no funky smells. I’m thinking the microfiber
inserts just aren’t holding/absorbing like they used to, but I’ve
only had them for 5 months! Is there a lifespan on those inserts?
Is there a way to get a “second life” out of them? The diapers/PUL
themselves look fine, and the elastic is not pulled/damaged at all
(a fellow CDing mom with more experience then I checked them as
well and agrees), so the inserts are the only thing I can think of
that would be the problem. I just don’t know what to do about
them!!
appreciated. Thanks!
Are you using both inserts? Are they completely soaked when you take them out? Being almost 3 she can hold a lot of pee. You might try adding a hemp insert under the microfiber.
We use Grasshopper Diapers and have been very happy with them. But lately, on occasion our son’s testicles (the “sack,” actually) sometimes gets pinched in the folds of cloth between his legs. Usually only happens with a wet diaper. He starts screaming his head off!!
Any thoughts? Should we try a different brand or a different style? He’s 14.5 pounds, wears size medium.
Thanks!!!
I see you recommended the Flip system for travel because of the disposable inserts. Have you tried out G Diapers? They are the same exact concept but a little cheaper and trimmer. I was just wondering if you didn’t recommend them because you hadn’t used them or are not crazy about them?
I’m not a gDiapers fan. The fit wasn’t the best on my children plus I prefer the waterproof liner and fabric combined as opposed to separate pieces.
My poor little girl (7 months) is having all sorts of issues. She had a stubborn yeast infection, and our doctor tried all sorts of things, nothing worked (my dr is awesome, btw she also uses cloth diapers, and was suggesting all kinds of cloth diaper friendly stuff, and homeopathic creams, etc) so she sent us to a dermatologist.
Turns out my poor baby has a yeast infection, eczema on her privates and impetigo. We were given creams for all three issues. But we were also told to use lots of Vaseline on her bum when there isn’t a cream on it. This means we can’t really use our cloth diapers. I was hoping you had a recommendation to use in place of the Vaseline, something else that would create a good barrier between my baby’s bum, but still be cloth diaper friendly?
We have flush able liners, but in my experience they move a lot and the stuff gets on the diaper anyway.
instead of vaseline get some grandma el’s.
Hi! Quick question…I have a 6 month old son who has been in Rumperooz since the day he was born and we just love them! Soooo glad we went the CD route dispite all the criticism we got from our families. Anyways, now that summer is approaching it’s time to get a CD swim diaper for our little man. There seem to be sooo many kinds out there and I want to make sure I get a great one so we won’t have to deal with any “messy” accidents in our pool. Which ones would you recommend?
I’d recommend a pocket diaper unstuffed. I prefer the ability to unsnap if they poop. Most swim diapers are pull ups, making it hard to change poopies.
Thanks Autumn!
And just to clarify…I see you have Rumperooz under the pocket diaper heading…so I can put him in the Rumperooz snap diapers we already have just without the inserts? That’s all?
And I totally agree about the pull up poopy issue…
yep.
Hi!
I have you heard of heavenly fitted angel bottoms or heavenly fitted cheribums? The first you use with plastic pants, the second are AIO.
I found them on ebay and are pretty cheap, but wanted to see if you had heard of them! Thanks (:
I’m trying to get started with CD for my 19 month old son. I ordered a Flip cover with the organic insert, and we tried it for the first time tonight…he’s walking like he just got done with a long horseback ride!! Is that normal, or is there something else that we should try?!
He may have to get used to wearing cloth. Flip are wider than other brands but not wide enough to cause long term discomfort. A few days of wearing cloth will probably see a difference.
I started cloth diapering with my oldest when she was 21 months, and she did the same thing for a few days
I am expecting my first and of course am new to this. I looked at your recommendations, but am still confused. Should I just focus on a newborn diaper for now? My question is would you recommend a certain type of CD for newborns and then a different type as they get older? I would love a specific recommendation as to what brand and how many needed, since I am very overwhelmed with all the choices
I am willing to for trial and error but just don’t know exactly where to start! Thanks so much!
I’d recommend a trial package from Jillians Drawers or a newborn cloth diaper rental program from Pooters or Sweetbottoms baby. That way you can get an idea of what you like. I prefer newborn sized diapers until they hit 12lbs then start using bigger diapers.
I am having big ammonia problems. My 3 year old still wears a diaper at night and I cannot get this figured out! I am using Bum Genius or Kawaii’s to bed with microfiber inserts. My question is, would I have better results just switching out my inserts to hemp? Would the ammonia rinse out of them better? OR would a Bumgenius Elemental help out? Or should I just buy the Funk Rock? I have been trying so many things with my wash routine that I would almost just rather retire the Bum Genius from bedtime use and keep them for the day and buy new nighttime diapers. Any advice?
the easiest solution is to buy new inserts. other solutions: boil inserts, vinegar soak or funk rock.
Buy hemp inserts? Or bamboo or something? Do they retain ammonia less? (thanks so much, by the way!)
bamboo is the least ammonia prone.
Hi Autumn,
I’ve love your website! We are expecting our first in June and we’re planning to cd. I can’t find anything about homemade laundry detergent on the site…can it be used with cloth diapers? If so, any kind?…or is there a formula you know of? The one I make contains borax, washing powder and Fels-Neptha soap…
I would contact Melissa of Clean B detergent. She has a Facebook page. Melissa, is a great resource for laundry detergent questions.
I used homemade laundry detergent on my CD’s – in fact it had the same ingredients. I got build up and some serious ammonia problems. I got so frustrated trying to get rid of the ammonia, that I almost quit CDing completely.
I am new to the CD world. I have 2 boys (an almost 3 year old and a 16 month old) and I am currently pregnant with my 3rd. Needless to say we spend a lot of money on diapers and I’m tired of it. So I have a couple questions for you. First, my almost 3 year old is potty trained, but at night I out a pull up on him so that in case he has an accident I don’t have to change his sheets. So I was thinking of getting the Flips for him. Do you think that would work? Second, the 16 month old is a heavy wetter at night. Almost every morning his diaper is soaked and his cloths are wet. So I need something that is really absorbent for night. What do you think would be my best bet?
I’d recommend getting Flip and lay 1 insert in for the 3yo at night and 2 for the 16m at night. Then if that isn’t absorbent enough for the 16m old lmk and I’ll give you another recommendation. Get the stay-dry inserts if you want them to feel dry
Thanks for the help. I was thinking of maybe getting pooters and sustainablebabyish for the 16m old and then using them also when the new little one arrives. I made a list of some other I want to try, I think I’ll get a couple of each to see which ones I like best. Thanks for this site, if it wasn’t for you I would be comepletely lost.
I have a couple more questions….at night when you use sustainablebabyish do you also use a wool cover or just a regular one? Have you tried the bumgenius wipes, if so did you like them? Most diapers have a different way they recommend washing, do I have to wash them all separately?
I cover it either with wool or a PUL cover. Usually, I grab a Prorap (only at newborn stage) or Thirsties. I wash all diapers together.
I use Bum Genius wipes and I LOVE them! Very thick, wipes soft and gets a very messy newborn green icky mess up in one wipe. The one bad thing is you have to wash separately for two reasons…one if you have any velcro diapers they will attach to them and they will fray. Also, if you ever have to wash your diapers in sanitation mode (SUPER hot) the ends will fray also.
So, if you don’t have velcro (hook and look) you are okay, just don’t use super hot water on them.
I’ve read alot of your reviews and I know you have a skinnier baby. My question is what would you recommend for a larger one. My little guy is only 16 mon. and he’s 33 in tall and 32 lbs. he wears a 3t. We have flips and BG aio and pockets right now but I’m worried they aren’t going to fit much longer. Potty training is not in the near future as he has gross motor delays. So any suggestions?
Kawaii Baby has some diapers that go to 40lbs. Softbums Echo goes to 40lbs.
Blissful Booty XL is 35lbs+ as well and still fits easily on my 40 lb 5 year old with room to spare.
Thanks so much for your help! I’m due with my first baby in August and am definitely going cloth. I’m so glad that you have recommended all of these items, categorized by budget, trimness, etc., but what would you recommend OVERALL, taking all of these categories into account. I’ve done the research but still can’t picture how all of them actually work, and which would be the best fit for me. Thank you so much again!
Overall, Bum Genius diapers are a great choice (both Elementals and 4.0s). 4.0s would be just ahead because of the nighttime use ability.
Diaper junction offers a 30 day free trial so new moms and moms new to cloth diapering can take unfamiliar brands for a test drive. The unloved diapers are sold at a ridiculous discount. They’ve also started their own brand called Diaper Rite which is no frill but super economical. Just one more way cloth wins!
What do you do when you travel? We’ve got a cruise coming up, and we are going to be gone for 1-2 weeks. I cloth diaper for health reasons (baby gets a terrible rash from disposables) so what would be a good option?
Flips would probably be easiest. I take cloth diapers when I travel. I do have Flip disposable inserts for when needed.
Have you tried Tushies Disposables? (http://www.amazon.com/Tushies-Diapers-Medium-12-24lbs-Case/dp/B000E8UCMO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1295634805&sr=8-3)
They apparently don’t have any of the absorbent gel in them! I don’t know about Dioxin though, I’d love to hear your take on them.
I haven’t tried them, I used to see them at the health food store when I lived in the city.
Autumn,
I have been researching A LOT recently on cloth diapers. Currently, I am using disposables and hope to make the switch very soon to cloth. I have tried out several brands, and have been happy with them. The one brand that I tried was Softbums, and I have seen you have recommended them many times in different parts of your blog. I used them, and loved the fit, but had trouble with the diaper smelling of ammonia. I bought the diaper with the snap in insert. It came with the diaper and 3 inserts for about $34. Which I thought was expensive, but I thought if I got 3 uses out of it, it would be worth the money. Unfortunately, after one use, the diaper would start to smell like ammonia, and I didn’t want to put the shell on with a clean insert if it smelled like that. So, as of late, I have only been getting one use each time out of the diaper, which is pretty expensive. I do agree, the fit is awesome, and I love the elastic toggle in it to adjust to leg size, but I haven’t found a way to get more than one use out of it at a time. Any suggestions? I have been really diligent about changing my daughter every couple of hours, so the insert isn’t sitting in the diaper wet for too long. Any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks.
I had the same experience which is why I am hesitant to shout praises. I recommend Softbums because of the great fit but I just don’t know how to get around the pee smell on the microfleece.
I hate to contribute my two cents here, but what inserts where you using? When I did my survey for my site, I found that people had this problem with ammonia. i don’t know if it was right off the bat, but some people said it held stink (oddly enough, others said it didn’t!). Nevertheless, Funk Rock was said to work. You can see the comments here: http://paddedtushstats.blogspot.com/2011/01/softbums-echo-review.html
Nice survey results! I was using microfiber.
Yes, nice survey results. I also was using the microfiber inserts. I did strip the cover the other night, and did get the stink out. I am still working on trying to get more than one use out of the cover between washings. I’ll keep working at it. Maybe I’ll purchase some bamboo inserts and see how that goes. Thanks for the tips!
did you try using vinegar in the wash? The only time I smell ammonia on my diapers is if they have been in the pail for a while. I think vinegar gets the ammonia salts off. I just fill the fabric softener area (1/2 cup or so) with plain white vinegar in the first wash- the cold rinse one.
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