[JediRach]

So, as many questions as I have asked about cloth diapering,I am still very very lost. If you were building an ideal stash from newborn to about 6 months what would you buy? I am interested in the pockets with the inserts.

What are the best prefold options for newborns?
When is it realistic to start using the AI2's?

Links to your favorite diapers/brands is also appreciated!

[A*LOT*OF*HOPE]

Oooooh, Im excited to see what people say!!!

[Resi]

This is basicly what I started with and it worked well.

3 dozen prefolds
8 covers
3 or 4 pocket diapers
1 AIO
3 dozen cloth wipes
Diaper hose sprayer thing
1 big wet bag and diaper pail (just used new garbage can)
1 small wet bag for diaper bag
1 snappi for prefolds (never used it)
Punkin Booty Bits (makes natural wipe solutions) & spray bottle
Cloth Diaper Deteregent (I tried Charlies Soap first but I think there are better deteregents out there)
I also had some liners to put on the prefolds to keep him dry at night. I think I had about 6.

I THINK that is everything that I started with. It got me thru until about 5 months before he started outgrowing the covers and prefolds. I loved prefolds and covers when he was tiny. They are the cheapest too!

[szczepanski]

Newborn -

36 Infant Prefolds (these will be a little bulky but it's cheaper, we used Green Mountain Diaper prefolds size orange and we only used them for about 3 weeks so I feel like it was kind of a waste and we could have just gotten creative with folding)
5 Thirsties Size 1 Duo Covers
3 Bum Genius OS Pockets for nighttime - we got more sleep when we did a pocket at the start of the night because Nolan HATES being wet

from about 12 lbs +
Add in a dozen Bum Genius OS diapers, or another pocket diaper you think you will like. Dries fast, flexibility to stuff with whatever you need to for absorbency (even some of your infant prefolds)
3-4 size 2 Duo Covers
Continue using infant prefolds

That would get you at least washing every 3rd day. Prefolds + Covers are awesome for newborns because you are changing them all.the.time so they are cheap to build a stash with. I just suggested the Bum Genius because they are super easy to use and it seems like everyone loves them! My DH loves them especially...I like more variety.

ETA -

And 2 snappis, 1 medium wetbag for the diaper bag, 2 diaper pail liners (I use a 13 gal trash can and 2 mean 1 in the wash, 1 in the pail). Diaper sprayer you don't need until you introduce solids if you are BF (dunno about formula). And if you want to do wipes, 45 flannel wipes would be ideal. I also use the booty bits, but you can use a little baby wash and water instead.

ETA again..

I also cut up some fleece liners to use in prefolds at night to help keep him feeling dryer longer. And detergent! I use Rockin' Green!

[~*Bethy*~]

I have a stash of 10 infant (6-10lbs) covers that I made and about 30 infant prefolds. Katie made me a fitted diaper as well. Im thinking of getting a few pocket diapers but not sure what the lingo is with the inserts and stuff

[Mod-LadyCoconut]

Originally Posted by szczepanski

Newborn -

36 Infant Prefolds (these will be a little bulky but it's cheaper, we used Green Mountain Diaper prefolds size orange and we only used them for about 3 weeks so I feel like it was kind of a waste and we could have just gotten creative with folding)
5 Thirsties Size 1 Duo Covers
3 Bum Genius OS Pockets for nighttime - we got more sleep when we did a pocket at the start of the night because Nolan HATES being wet

from about 12 lbs +
Add in a dozen Bum Genius OS diapers, or another pocket diaper you think you will like. Dries fast, flexibility to stuff with whatever you need to for absorbency (even some of your infant prefolds)
3-4 size 2 Duo Covers
Continue using infant prefolds

That would get you at least washing every 3rd day. Prefolds + Covers are awesome for newborns because you are changing them all.the.time so they are cheap to build a stash with. I just suggested the Bum Genius because they are super easy to use and it seems like everyone loves them! My DH loves them especially...I like more variety.

ETA -

And 2 snappis, 1 medium wetbag for the diaper bag, 2 diaper pail liners (I use a 13 gal trash can and 2 mean 1 in the wash, 1 in the pail). Diaper sprayer you don't need until you introduce solids if you are BF (dunno about formula). And if you want to do wipes, 45 flannel wipes would be ideal. I also use the booty bits, but you can use a little baby wash and water instead.

ETA again..

I also cut up some fleece liners to use in prefolds at night to help keep him feeling dryer longer. And detergent! I use Rockin' Green!

I totally agree with every single ounce of this. The only thing I would add is that nubunz are very similar to BG and are about half the price so you might want to consider those.

Nubunz Diapers

I use this website a lot to order things and they have free shipping-
Cloth Diapers Store with FREE SHIPPING on all Cloth Diapers, Cloth Diaper Covers, bumGENIUS, FuzziBunz, ERGObaby and Beco Baby Carriers!

they carry the planetwise wetbags too which are my favorite. (look under diaper accessories)

and the GMD (green mountain diaper) prefolds Heather mentioned are what we have too... here's the link. They're heavy so shipping is alwaysa fortune which I hate, but they'll be that price for any PFs you order.

Green Mountain Diapers: Cloth diapers and diaper covers for baby


I don't have a diaper sprayer and I don't think I'll get one, but we'll see once we start solids.

Cloth Diapers & Parenting Community - DiaperSwappers.com is a great site to check out buying used diapers too.

I also use rockin' green detergent

I somehow accumulated like a billion WAHM wipes and LOVE them... they're also great for drool, etc. I suggest getting those off of diaperswappers (DS)

I know my response was kind of all over the place, but I basically just agree with every single thing heather said, haha.

[alicenwonderland]

I'm starting with
12 orange edge newborn GMD prefolds
12 yellow edge small GMD prefolds
12 fitteds (various, mostly wham and kissaluvs)
and a couple newborn AIO.
I still need to buy covers.

For when ehs' bigger
I have an asortment of pockets and onesize diapers. Only one of each brand (not sure what i'll like)
6 small sposoeasy AIO
4 small blueberry pockets.

Don't forget the wipes!

(I'm still working on my stash though)

Here are some of my fave websites.

Cloth Diapers Store with FREE SHIPPING on all Cloth Diapers, Cloth Diaper Covers, bumGENIUS, FuzziBunz, ERGObaby and Beco Baby Carriers!

Nicki's Diapers: Cloth diapers and diaper covers

Green Mountain Diapers: Cloth diapers and diaper covers for baby

[~*sierra*~]

i wanted to buy my stash used, so i got a big box of a variety of covers/prefolds/AIO's (i think) from diaperswappers (thanks to angela s!) and i got a used Bummis prefolds starter kit that comes with like 3 or 4 covers off of kijiji and it is in amazing condition. I think i spent like a total of $110 for everything. i still need cloth wipes though.....might just use face cloths though...

i'm just wondering (not to threadjack)....but why do you need wipe solution? wouldnt a wet cloth work as well?

[alicenwonderland]

Originally Posted by ~*sierra*~

i'm just wondering (not to threadjack)....but why do you need wipe solution? wouldnt a wet cloth work as well?

I have no experience diapering a baby, but I have plenty of experience diapering old people!

The majority of the time, I will just use a wet wash cloth for little poops and pees that i catch early. But... If someone slept through the night, and have a REALLY wet bottom, or if they had a nasty sticky or acidic poo, i like to use the "butt spray". It really gets the bad gunk off, freshens, and protects the skin.

I'm assuming it might work the same way in the baby world?

[JediRach]

Fitted v. prefolds? Are the fitted just way more expensive? They seem like they would be much easier.

[alicenwonderland]

I think fitteds are really a convenience/price thing. They have elastic around the legs, so there "should" be less leakage. (Though i know a few ladies who are very good at getting a good leg seal on a prefold) Still need a cover though. I think people like prefolds because they are cheap and babies grow out of the newborn size sooo quick. I couldn't help myelf though!

I havnen't used them yet, so i can't help you there!

[szczepanski]

Yes, with plain water the wipes don't glide as smoothly. We were using plain water and it started to look like Nolan was getting irritated from the wipe not gliding over smoothly and irritating his sensitive newborn skin. With the Booty Bits, it slides nicely and even with a small squirt of baby wash it helps it glide over his hiney much better!

I also can't recommend CJ's BUTTer enough. It's gross, but Nolan is a really bad wet farter - so he was constantly having a red hiney from the irritation of having poo basically there 24/7. After switching to BUTTer, his hiney looks SO much better. And it smells yummy, which is a huge plus.

[Oriyan]

Can we sticky this thread? I think it would be great info for us to look back on! (I know I want to for the next!)

[~*Bethy*~]

I 2nd the sticky motion!

Now heres my question. Fitteds vs pockets. Fitteds arnt waterproof, but are kinda an AIO right? just needs a cover? are pockets harder than fitteds? Do you still need to add "inserts" to fitteds? Im so very very lost....would LOVE to make them myself, but I understand that I need to, well, understand them first before I make them

[Mod-LadyCoconut]

Originally Posted by ~*Bethy*~

I 2nd the sticky motion!

Now heres my question. Fitteds vs pockets. Fitteds arnt waterproof, but are kinda an AIO right? just needs a cover? are pockets harder than fitteds? Do you still need to add "inserts" to fitteds? Im so very very lost....would LOVE to make them myself, but I understand that I need to, well, understand them first before I make them

think of fitteds as diapering your baby twice. (that's how DH thinks of it, haha) you put on a fitted, which is basically just like a sposie except its not waterproof. it either snaps or velcros on, has elastic around the legs and back. it does a pretty good job containing poosplosions, but won't contain the pee altogether. it soaks it but is then wet. so you have to put a cover over it. so you're basically doing the same diapering action twice.

pockets are just like an all-in-one (AIO) once they are already stuffed. I stuff all of mine when I do laundry. (the inserts (the stuff you stuff them with)) go in the dryer, and the pockets (shells - the main part of the diaper) go on the drying rack. so then I take about 30 seconds and stuff all the inserts back into the pocket (literally) of the diaper and then they go in the basket where daddy can just grab the thing and put it on exactly like a sposie (well, velcro is exactly like a sposie, or if its snaps - similar to a sposie, lol) so basically the insert of a pocket does the same action as a fitted, and the shell/diaper part of the pocket does the same job as adding a cover.

the nice thing about pockets is that 1. they dry faster b/c the inserts come out and thrash around in the dryer. 2. if you somehow 'mess up' your inserts - they're cheap and you can stuff the pockets with something different. 3. once stuffed, they're like all-in-ones to the user (dad, grandma, babysitter, etc.) 4. you can make them more absorbant by stuffing them with extra stuff for overnight, etc. or like with EC babies who don't really pee in their diaper much but you still want just-in-case protection - you can stuff with just a tiny little insert and they aren't as bulky.

and in case a visual sorta helps, here's a picture of my stuff hanging to dry when I was prepping--



the stuff I hang to dry are pockets and covers. they act as the same thing -- they're the waterproofing part. so covers go over prefolds and fitteds (the absorbant things) and pockets are *literally* a waterproof pocket that you stuff inserts (the absorbant thing) into. so when you go to diaper the baby, you either attach the absorbant thing to them (prefolds, fitteds) and then cover it... or you attach the whole pocket diaper to them.

here is a picture where you can see a pocket diaper (that appears to have a prefold stuffed into it)



another, with the insert sticking out the back:


anyway, I hope that made it a little bit less confusing.

[szczepanski]

Fitteds vs prefolds are a personal preference. IMO, I didn't like the fitteds because it seemed like a waste of money as Nolan completely saturated a fitted, just like he did a prefold so there wasn't any difference in keeping the wetness off of his skin. If I'm going to spend $15 (new) on a fitted, I'd like it to at least be stay dry and keep the moisture away from his skin, especially when I can buy a pocket that can do that for about the same price.

Fitteds are easier, but once you get the hang of snappi-ing a prefold you can do it with your eyes closed. And you might at 2 am, hahaha. Even my DH loves prefolds!

[soImarriedAnerd]

I like prefolds over fitted because there is less bulk and he seams to stay dryer in the prefolds, but the prefolds do bunch up a little in the crotch- fitted don't. so its personal preference.
My stash is stupid---meaning I have way more than I need and I have un-stashed a ton! LOL
For infants I would go with prefolds/covers...because you change them so much that you don't need a super soaker yet because its not on that long. (GMD and thirties duo wraps are my preference).
I am changing all my inserts on my pockets (current favorite, since about 4-5 months) to natural materials like hemp and bamboo....I feel they are more absorbent and less stink issues.
I'm not like my AIOs because they take to long to dry----well they are probably fine for people who don't use laudry service at the hotel LOL
Mainly when we are at home he wears prefolds/cover and while out we use pockets-mainly BG pockets (but I hate their velcro and I'm switching to Haute pockets because they have snaps).

[Resi]

Originally Posted by ~*sierra*~

i wanted to buy my stash used, so i got a big box of a variety of covers/prefolds/AIO's (i think) from diaperswappers (thanks to angela s!) and i got a used Bummis prefolds starter kit that comes with like 3 or 4 covers off of kijiji and it is in amazing condition. I think i spent like a total of $110 for everything. i still need cloth wipes though.....might just use face cloths though...

i'm just wondering (not to threadjack)....but why do you need wipe solution? wouldnt a wet cloth work as well?

You don't need a wipe solution. I almost always use a warm wet cloth wipe and it does the job. I bought the punkin booty bits before he was born and still have a ton left!

[Resi]

I wanted to add that I wet the whole cloth wipe under the warm water so it glides with no problems. I have never just used a cloth wipe with a spray bottle alone because it doesn't clean well that way.

[ANGWife]

I didn't CD Hank as a newborn so I can only offer advice after 6 months. I only use fitted dipes. For me it's a total convenience thing. I figure it's easier for DH to do it and for other people watching him. Plus I love the patterns/colors. And it's stupid easy to launder them. So if you can afford some fitted dipes, I would totally get some.

I also don't have a diaper sprayer. But we've been doing solid food for a long time and the poo is never a problem.

I really don't see the need for actual cloth wipes. I use cheapo Gerber washcloths. After each wash, I take an old sposie wipes plastic case and put them in there. Wet each one with a small amount of baby wash and water. Then they are sealed so they don't dry up and always ready.