Adventures in Cloth Diapering

So I have jumped into a new adventure after the birth of our son.

Cloth diapering.

I never used cloth diapers on any of my girls; it honestly never crossed my mind to use them. When I did see something about cloth diapers, I figured 1) they were too expensive {and they are somewhat of an investment… initially} and 2) dumping diapers in the toilet was not an activity I wanted to participate in.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Yes, diapers can be an investment in the beginning, especially if you are starting from scratch in both products and knowledge. I recommend doing as much research as you can before buying. Think about your family dynamic, and what would be easiest on you both physically and financially. For example, an AIO (all-in-one) is physically easier than a prefold with a cover; but a package of prefolds could yield you twelve diapers for the price of two AIOs. I have been fortunate: I received several diapers as gifts, and then used gift cards to purchase more diapers and covers. My personal costs in cloth diapering has been minimal.

I have only been using cloth for a little over six weeks, and I’m not using it full time yet. I am waiting for my new Kawaii Baby Diapers to come in before we try nighttime diapering. I *think* I would be okay using the bumGenius with two inserts for overnight, but I keep forgetting to try it.

The diapers and covers I currently own and use are:

• Thirsties Duo Wrap These are truly fantastic covers… they keep the wet where it belongs: inside the diaper. I have only one Aplix closure; the rest are snap, and while I like both, I do prefer the snaps.
• Green Mountain Prefolds
• Green Mountain Workhorse Fitteds These diapers are so easy to use. You just snap them on, add a cover, and voilà! It only takes a little bit longer than putting on a disposable.
• Kissaluvs Organic Fitted
• bumGenuis One-Size 4.0

So far, my favorite diapers are the fitteds, but I really like the bumGenius for going out, as it is even quicker and easier to change than the fitteds.

I am certainly no expert, and I am learning as I go. I thought it would be fun to chronicle my adventures in cloth diapering.

The following links are fantastic resources on cloth diapering, and were instrumental in my decision to choose cloth:

• Cloth Diaper Reviews: What’s the Best Cloth Diaper For You? – This post is amazing. Katie experimented with 25 different diapers and includes a very honest, detailed review of each one. Of all the cloth diaper posts I have read, this one is the most helpful in making a decision on what brand of diaper to purchase. Be sure to read all of the comments in Katie’s cloth diaper posts, as many of those are helpful, as well.

• A Cloth Diapering Rookie’s First Steps: the Routine, the Laundry, the Vocabulary – Another very detailed post from Katie at Kitchen Stewardship. Katie defines the types of cloth diapers, and what to expect when using them.

• Simple Effective Ways To Disinfect Cloth Diapers – This post defines the different methods to cleaning cloth diapers.

• 7 Cloth Diapering Questions Answered Mom to Mom – This is a must-read before you make a decision on whether or not to use cloth diapers.

• 7 Tips For the Cloth Diapering Newbie – Another must-read.

• Cloth Diaper Terms and Definitions – A great resource for making sense of all the cloth diapering terms.

• All About Cloth Diapers – This is an entire site dedicated to cloth diapering. Autumn is a wealth of knowledge.