Trying Cloth Diapers- Help!

[DiaperedPony]

Hello everyone, I'm interested in trying out cloth diapers, but after reading up on them a bit, its kind of... confusing?

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

use the Review link under my siggy

I do not use soakers, which are added layers between the legs, because they add thickness between the legs, which is some of the most delicated tissue and I want to get any caustic substances out of there as quickly as can be don and soakers take longer for that to happen. Now if you do not use soakers then you need many layers all around and that gets thick and showy. As for panties look at my reviews down the bottom of the page. There is also the matter of cleaning and care

[phl655]

I can recommend the 36"gauze squares at adultclothdiaper.com

[oleman72]

I use twill prefolds from Changing Times Diaper Co. It depends on when you wear them and how often you use them.

I wear my prefolds for overnight so I add a booster to it. My prefold is of 4-10-4 construction as well as the booster.

It makes them a little thick but for sleeping it works real well. If you want to use them during the day you might want

to try a contour diaper. They're the same basic construction but in a hourglass shape. That means less material

between the legs.

[BabyJune]

If you ask ten people, you'll get ten different pieces of advice--all of which is probably good advice but is based on their own personal experience. I hope you can sort it all out and find a system that you like. Personally, I buy diaper flannel from fabric.com. It comes 27" wide and you order as many yards as you need. I make cloth "flat" diapers that are 27" wide by about 34-36" long and then put a 1" hem on each cut

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

Turns tomato red and giggles

That is mostly true about rubber panties

The diapers I have were designed some 64 years ago, badk in the days when most of it was DIY, by a lady who worked in one of the thriving dress shops in Fall River MA (a premier textil city of th late 19th and early 20th centuries). You might say they were an early contour diaper but that was back when most of them were homemade. They were made for little girls rather than babies. She did use early prefolds in the making of them. They were the right size and she could sew very well

[DiaperPony]

I recently got some cloth diapers myself. Some observations from a fellow newbie:

Get high-backed plastic pants.. otherwise you'll have to fold the diaper down in the back so the pants kinda cover it, badly.

Diaper size charts are highly misleading. According to the Baby Pants charts, the diapers I got should go to something like a 44" waist, *after* washing. I am a 36" and the ones I bought are a tight fit. You'll pay more for shipping, but it might be worthwhile to buy a single diaper and try it before buying any more of that size.

Some extra expenses you might not have factored in: You don't really want to wash diapers with your normal clothes, due to using hot water for wash. You'll usually have to rinse twice to get all the detergent out. Diapers take upwards of 90 minutes to dry. If you use the clothesline to dry, they won't be as soft and they will collect unsightly lint. You'll also need to invest in some kind of sealed container or diaper pail with a lid, because wet cloth diapers become overpoweringly ammonia smelly after just a couple days sitting. You'll need a steady supply of baking soda or such if you wish to try to counteract the smells. Also be prepared with vinegar to put in the wash. I found myself using a lot more baby powder than I used to. Don't forget leakproof layers for your bed if you decide to wear at night.

I wish I'd gotten smaller diameter diaper pins than these Baby Pants ones. They are hard to push through.

I found that a single diaper did not last me the night before it leaked, so I got some gerber diapers for stuffers. I accidentally got the prefolds, but they have a useless polyester core, don't make my mistake. They still help, but not as much as they should.

[Bettypooh]

I'm a bit late chiming in here, but yeah- opinions and experiences are going to vary. I sew my own cloth diapers from 2 "birdseye" squares with a terrycloth center soaker panel, 4-6 layers, in between I've tried flannel and didn't like it; absorbency seemed slow and low and once wet it lost softness The fit and coverage of plastic panties is critical in avoiding leaks and tighter openings aren't always better, though wider elastics usually are. Girl-shaped bottoms usually need high-backed ones to completely cover the diaper with movement and sitting involved Rubber panties need more care versus plastic and can stick to clothing so avoid them until you get the hang of wearing I've not tried seperate 'soakers' but many people use them. "Liners" are to keep the solid poop seperated from the diaper and to make washing easier and more effective. You will have wetness against your skin, unlike disposables, so you may need a barrier cream. Plastics don't last when exposed to such creams so keep the two seperated. Experimentation with folds, pinning points and techniques and different accessories will be needed for best results and least chance of leakage. Cheap plastic panties either don't last or don't fit well. And if you're out and about when you need a change you'll need a method of getting the used diaper vback home to be washed

[Diapered Dave]

The size charts can be confusing. I have a 36" waist, but I usually buy the next bigger diaper. This is because I like the diaper to wrap around and pin (or tape) more towards the front side. This gives more material on the sides, which is important for me, being a bedwetter. I sometimes sleep on my side, so I need some diaper material there, or I wake up in a wet bed.