New to Cloth Diapers?
Below you will find links to pages and posts I have written. Each of these links are filled with valuable information to help you on your cloth diaper journey. I would be blessed to help you however I can, just ask 
Cloth Diaper Systems Explained
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi there, I am about to be a new mommy and I just started researching the cloth diaper route. To be completely honest, the ONLY reason I want to use cloth is for the safety of my baby by avoiding chemicals in disposables. (Saving the environment is just a plus) Here are my concerns with the cloth: I dont like the idea of having to carry around a bag to store the stinkies in, it doesnt seem very sanitary. Babies make a lot of dirty diapers and I cant imagine just running my washing machine all day for such small loads. Where do you store the stinkies in the mean time? Does it make your house smell? Right now, I am leaning more toward the chemical free disposable diapers, but I dont know if those are completely safe either. I am willing to make the commitment to cloth, but I guess I need a little reassurance. Why shouldnt I just go the chemical-free disposable route? Any advice would be great, thank you so much!!
I’m expecting my first and would love to go cloth all the way. I ran across some one size BumGenius 2.0 diapers online. How do the differ from the 3.0?
@Liz: I *think* the 2.0s have a microfleece inner…but that may be the 1.0s.
Hi, Alli
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You may have already found some answers on my site to your questions. I began cloth diapering purely for health reasons, the environment is a side-benefit (my paper plates and napkin use don’t help though
As far as poopie diapers go: When I’m out, I use a wet bag. Newborn poop isn’t really flushable as it is runny/grainy. It rinses out easily during a prerinse in the washer. When we are home I put all diapers (pee and poop) in either a wet bag or a diaper pail. Again, with a newborn I don’t do anything but toss the diaper in the pail. As the baby begins solids you may be able to rinse something off in the toilet. However, Sterling is 10 months and still his poop is not a substantial solid.
I do cloth diaper laundry every other day at this point. In the beginning I did laundry sometimes every day depending on the number of diapers I had available and if the ones I preferred to use were clean or not.
There is no (I take that back there is 1 lonely brand out of ?? I could dig up the name for you) “chemical-free disposable” diaper brand. All of them contain the super polymer gel: sodium polyacrylate. Depending on the source you’ll find differing views on whether or not this causes health problems…I prefer to err on the side of “if it’s a chemical it’s bound to cause something even if you’ve done a study that says otherwise”
Now for the lowest amount of SAP (super absorbing polymer) you may like the FLIP disposable inserts. I wouldn’t recommend them for longterm use but for the occassional need. The FLIP system is one of my favorites and I highly recommend.
Check out my posts in the newborn category for newborn cloth diaper recommendations. One that isn’t in there are the Lil’ Joeys by Rumparooz. They released this past summer. I will definitely use them with our future babies.
In the upper right corner of this page are my advertisers. Banana Peels carries Flip and Lil’ Joeys and Cute Caboose has a great cloth diaper trial package.
First: THANK YOU for this awesome website. I’m expecting my first and we really want to CD. I sew, so I’ll be doing a little of that, a little ready-to-wear, and a little inventing my own I’m sure …
I’m narrowing down on a place to start (what to stock before the May due date), but then found some comparisons that keep emphasizing how anything but a prefold or fitted will leak on a side-sleeper, especially a boy.
We’re having a boy, and I’ll be breastfeeding, which puts him on his side a lot, asleep or not. So I’m suddenly panicked … but then I see you and plenty of others use the “sure to leak” AIO, AI2, pocket, and lay-prefold-in-cover systems …
Trenna, many systems can work at night with a side sleeper. I’d look at the Rumparooz Lil’ Joeys for sure, the gussets are awesome at keeping in poop. The Rumparooz G2 pockets have an super absorbent 6r soaker that lasts through the night. Also, when you co-sleep and breastfeed it doesn’t mean he’ll always be on his side. Sterling is on his back mostly. We have had a couple of leaks but it’s always because of a diaper with loose legs. In the beginning you might want to look at mutts and sbish fitteds. Both good choices, although mutts aren’t great night diapers. For covers check out Thirsties and the So Simple I just reviewed. I also like Imse Vimse covers in the newborn stage.
The one feature that helps a lot is gussets. Whether on the diaper or the cover it’s a little insurance for you.
Hi autumn, im expecting my first child which is a boy next month, im wanting to go all the way with cloth diapers. I was wondering which ones will be best for him?
For newborn, I recommend Mutts (www.muttaqinbaby.com) and Lil’ Joeys (www.rumparooz.com)
I have been thinking of using cloth diapers for a long time. Now that my oldest is nearly potty trained and we only have one in diapers, my husband is finally willing to try them. Unfortunately I will overwhelmed. There are so many brands and types. The more I read the more confused I get. Any suggestions?
Kimberly, from what you have read do you have an idea of the cloth diaper system you’d like to try? pockets, aio, fitteds, prefolds. Pockets are a pretty neutral starting point. I love Katydid pockets. Click on my recommended category for some other suggestions. If you have the budget my favorite is the Bum Genius Organic AIO and a close second is Flip (great for the budget).
Hi!! I’ve noticed that you have done a lot of research and wanted to know what you thought about gro baby diapers?? I’ve been using them for a few months now and just wanted to know what you thought or heard about them???
My husband and I have researched so many cloth diapers- I feel overwhelmed! Today I saw the FLIP diapers.
I think I want to do prefolds (for the financial aspect) and one size covers. I see that FLIP has covers only now, although they aren’t as cute as kissaluvs one size or blueberry, they are a bit cheaper. I’m wondering, can I use prefolds under a FLIP cover, but actually wrap the diaper, instead of only using it as an insert?
We plan to breastfeed for a long time, and I do not want to have runny breastfed poop everywhere. I do like pockets, but feel they may be too pricey, we’ll see! Can you let me know about the FLIP?
Thanks!
In the newborn stage I highly recommend covers with gussets: Imse Vimse, Thirsties, Bummis and Blueberrys for example. XS covers are best because they provide a dip for the umbilical cord. I would check diaperswappers for used covers in these brands. I’ve bought some for $7 in excellent condition.
I love Flip but I don’t know how they will perform at holding in newborn poo.
Have you checked out Flips counterpart, Econobums?
Which prefolds were you looking at purchasing?
My apologies if this has been addressed elsewhere, but a major concern/sticking point we have regarding cloth diapers is of all things: TIME. It may seem like a silly thing to worry about, but with two working parents, the value of time does play a part in many things. I’ve searched around for budgets, and most people do a very excellent job of factoring in the monetary costs of cloth vs. disposable, but I’ve yet to find a solid justification/breakdown of how much time it takes to appropriately execute a cloth diaper system. At this point, I think we’re trying to convince ourselves to go cloth, because the convenience of disposable at the surface appears to be worth the added cost. Any suggestions would be welcomed! We’d rather go cloth, but right now disposable just seems to make more sense considering it’s change and toss, change and toss. Can anyone tell me, over the long run, the time it takes (changing, rinsing, storing, cleaning, folding, storing, changing…)? Thanks!
CJ, this is a perfectly valid question. I’d make you a video of my process but honestly it’d be as boring as any other part of routine life. With cloth diapers you are still changing and tossing. Just not in a trash can…well mine is a trash can
My diaper pail is a small trash can from Walmart and after I change Sterling I toss it in there. As far as storing, cleaning, folding…it’s no different than towels. Really. Washing involves a prerinse, wash and possibly a second rinse. Then they go in the dryer. I have read from other parents who both work that they buy enough of a stash that they do wash every Saturday. Then they get them all ready for the week. For a system like this I recommend Flip.