Cloth, Cloth and more Cloth.

[Calaer]

Okay, so I need info on cloth diapers! I've been watching tons of YouTube videos and checking out different sites, but now I need some personal experience info! If you've used cloth diapers, please please please let me know!!! I've never used cloth diapers before, but we are wanting to if we have another baby, so I want to get all the info I can. I have so many questions, and so little time it seems! Help!!

[Lizzie]

Ask away! I've used them.

[.Brittany.]

Definitely ask! I have a friend who's used them on her one year old, and plans to use them when she has her next baby in August.

[Calaer]

Gosh, I don't even know where to start! I've been looking in to them, because *spoiler alert* I'm about to undergo a few medical treatments that will *hopefully* help us get pregnant in the next few months or so. (At least, I hope, because this will be our last time trying.) My OB is VERY optimistic, so I've been cramming as much info in as I can, because I want to use cloth diapers!

Anyway, I've been on YT all morning watching video after video. I don't want to buy littles (Newborn) size because I feel like if this baby is anything like Ava, we won't be in littles for long, so I thought about just using prefolds and some snappis? Is that a good idea? I've seen a few people say it was a good idea, because their children grew out of the littles stage pretty fast, and I don't want to have to worry about buying them, just to turn around and buy a one size.

Which brings me to another question, what about one size diapers? I'm totally drawn towards it because it seems so much more efficient. I don't want to be buying more an more diapers as the baby grows. (Now I know that at one point we may need to go to a bigger size, but according to the site I'm getting them from, and the size charts they give, I'm in hope we can get by with just the one size. Ava wasn't at 37 pounds until she was two (She's kinda small still) so if this baby takes after her, we will be out of diapers by then anyway. What are your thoughts on one size?

And then another question (Sorry for listing them off all at the same time.) I want to do a half and half with pocket diapers and then all in one (or maybe all in two). I love the appeal of being able to stuff more or less depending on if it's night time or if you're on a trip driving, ect, however, my mother in law and of course my husband have no want or desire to use cloth diapers, so I thought maybe an all in one or an all in two would be the perfect compromise. That way they wouldn't have to worry about pulling out inserts or putting them in and I could still have the pockets for my own personal use/specific times. So what are your thoughts on those?

And thank you so much for allowing me to ask all these questions.

[.Brittany.]

Hi Lawson,

First of all, good luck with the treatments! I have a friend currently going through treatments, and I can't imagine how stressful it can be.

I do know that cloth diapers can save a lot of money, but also they can take a lot of work when it comes to cleaning them. My friend managed to get a bunch of them for a really good price online on second hand stores. She usually washes them every couple days.

I know diapers can be very expensive. What I would recommend, from what I've witnessed at work, is to get a few newborn sized ones, just to get you through that stage, which as you mentioned, doesn't last very long. For the majority I would get the one size as I feel like that would be cheaper. By the time the baby is 2 years, you could consider starting to potty train them. The sooner they're potty trained the faster they get out of diapers. My co-worker had her daughter potty trained by the time she was 2 and a half years old.

I can see where your mother in law and husband are coming from. Most people are scared off from using cloth diapers as they feel like they might be 'gross'. I personally believe that with cloth diapers you're saving money and helping the environment, which ultimately will weigh out the 'grossness'.

I'll ask my friend who's using cloth diapers for her one year old about them and see if she has any other answers that might help. I hope my answers have helped even a bit.

Good luck!
Brittany

[Calaer]

Thanks. I think we are going to stick with the prefold diapers for littles instead, because that fits more with our budget. Also, I'm not worried about the cleaning. I've been using reusable menstrual pads for years, and while that isn't exactly the same thing, I'm no stranger when it comes to the washing. I'm confident this is for us, and I'm just super excited, also, thank you. We are pretty stressed about it, as this will be our last two tries on medication before we have to stop all medications. I'm a disaster at the thought that it isn't going to work. But we must stay positive and I need to be educated in case it happens.

[.Brittany.]

Definitely stay positive! I believe that it will work, especially if your OB is thinking it will. Since my friend started using cloth diapers, I've actually been very interested in them, so I think when/if I can have children I will use them as well!

[.:Bibliophile:.]

Hey,

My parents had to use cloth diapers with me. My mom said she did not mind using them. However, the biggest issue she faced was finding a daycare. There were people/places that didn't want to take me because of the cloth diapers. My mom ended up finding someone who didn't mind and I stayed with her for two years.

Idk how big of an issue that is for you though. Also, that was years ago so things might be different?

But, all in all, I'm quite sure my mom actually preferred the cloth diapers.

[Calaer]

I don't think we will have that problem, as I'm a stay at home mom and there is no need to put our children in day care. For us, it would kind of be a waste of money, however, I've heard that as well! To be totally honest, I think that's insane. You wouldn't turn away a child because they use a different brand of diaper, and so long as the parents of the child provide the appropriate items necessary to 'dispose' of the diaper, I don't see why it would be an issue.

[Lizzie]

I did the pocket and all in one combo and I liked it. The pockets I could double stuff for sleeping and the all in ones were good for during the day.

Although don't assume baby will be the same size as their sibling. My son was in the 95th percentile and this little one is in the 29th. I was told siblings can be completely different. I had to go out and buy more NB size clothes thinking should would be big like her brother. So perhaps just get one or two NB sizes. You can always trade and/or sell them with other people in your area. I know my local area has a huge cloth diaper population that sells and swaps all the time.

[Calaer]

Honestly I've tried to find a FB group/people in my area that cloth diaper and I can't find ANYONE. I know a few friends that used to cloth diaper, but their kids are well grown now, but that is a good point. I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a couple littles just in case.

[.Brittany.]

In my city, we have online garage sale/auction sites on Facebook. Maybe you could check to see if they have something like that in your area?