First time cloth-diapered unsuccessful

[Mindylou]

Yesterday I tried alone to put on my new cloth diaper, using pins..I was really needing a good AB night. I thought I had it on snugly but when I got up it's like it almost fell off and was so bulky and uncomfortable/not natural feeling. I only wore it for a little while before I gave up and changed to another diaper. Do y'all have more success in having someone diaper you in cloth or is there a trick to it I need to know? Thanks ?

[Stroller]

19 minutes ago, Mindylou said:

Yesterday I tried alone to put on my new cloth diaper, using pins..I was really needing a good AB night. I thought I had it on snugly but when I got up it's like it almost fell off and was so bulky and uncomfortable/not natural feeling. I only wore it for a little while before I gave up and changed to another diaper. Do y'all have more success in having someone diaper you in cloth or is there a trick to it I need to know? Thanks ?

Assuming it's a square, then it needs to be big enough for you, and you need to use one of the tried and tested folds.  I'd suggest you start by searching online for "kite fold".  Thats the most commonly used fold, I think.  It works OK for me.

[Mindylou]

It's a rectangle, and yes it's big enough.. maybe more than big enough in length but I had to get that for the width to fit. I will check out that other type fold. I had just used it the regular way with it fanned out on both ends and folded in in the middle. 

[Stroller]

6 minutes ago, Mindylou said:

It's a rectangle, and yes it's big enough.. maybe more than big enough in length but I had to get that for the width to fit. I will check out that other type fold. I had just used it the regular way with it fanned out on both ends and folded in in the middle. 

I used to pin on a bath towel in the way you did - it worked, but needed at least 4 pins and was pretty baggy.  That was when I first experimented with cloth.  You really need a close fit with cloth, and the kite fold works a lot better.  There are other folds, but I've never tried them.  Good luck!

[Cruiser 03]

With no diaper experience a pre fold was a bad idea IMHO .
You would be better served by a pin or Velcro on contour , cloth is bulkier and in order to work effectively and fit right they need to be washed and dried 8-10 X's.

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[ppdude]

I've found that it takes a lot of time initially to figure out how to make it fit and to deal with the bulk. It also takes a lot of adjustment and readjustment. Using more than two pins is a great help to get the "hour-glass" fit. You need to make sure that your plastics are big enough to handle the bulk and to make it more comfortable. Most of my cloth diapers are contour or hour-glass shaped that really makes them fit good. Good prior advice to try the contour shaped diaper.

[Mindylou]

26 minutes ago, ppdude said:

I've found that it takes a lot of time initially to figure out how to make it fit and to deal with the bulk. It also takes a lot of adjustment and readjustment. Using more than two pins is a great help to get the "hour-glass" fit. You need to make sure that your plastics are big enough to handle the bulk and to make it more comfortable. Most of my cloth diapers are contour or hour-glass shaped that really makes them fit good. Good prior advice to try the contour shaped diaper.

I do have two contour shape flannel back diapers. They are 12 ply and work well overnight. They have Velcro on them. This prefold flat was purchased for nostalgic reason I guess more than anything.. I was in cloth diapers at night till age 6 or 7.. I just remember how they made me feel and my mom putting them on me every night. I wont give up.. I'll continue to work with them. 

[DailyDi]

I find I have to repin cloth after a minute or so as the fabric relaxes. I find it easiest to push the diaper down to my knees, move the pins half an inch in each, and pull the cloth back up. It should be snug, but not uncomfortably so. And well-fitting plastic pants will help hold it in place.

[Cruiser 03]

Because of my progressive degenerative neuromuscular disease ,I am a straight Velcro dude ,I could not even sticking the pins in soap when not in use penetrate the fabric of the diaper .
I had a doctors appointment the other day ,the doctor wanted me to squeeze there fingers ,asked if I was joking because I have zero grip strength in one hand .but I was kinda expecting that .

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[le Hollandais]

I wear mostly cloth diapers. And I'm a little puzzled by your experience, Mindylou.  I use but two safety pins, and use the letter style fold, with the top fanned out, bringing the folded edge up between my legs, and then pinning in place. But instead of rectangles, I start out with square diapers. Maybe that's the difference.

[rusty pins]

21 hours ago, Mindylou said:

Yesterday I tried alone to put on my new cloth diaper, using pins..I was really needing a good AB night. I thought I had it on snugly but when I got up it's like it almost fell off and was so bulky and uncomfortable/not natural feeling. I only wore it for a little while before I gave up and changed to another diaper. Do y'all have more success in having someone diaper you in cloth or is there a trick to it I need to know? Thanks ?

 

17 hours ago, DailyDi said:

I find I have to repin cloth after a minute or so as the fabric relaxes. I find it easiest to push the diaper down to my knees, move the pins half an inch in each, and pull the cloth back up. It should be snug, but not uncomfortably so. And well-fitting plastic pants will help hold it in place.

This!  The fabric does relax a bit but I have never been able to get a cloth diaper pinned on tight the first time.  If you think of it, a parent putting a cloth diaper on a baby will pin one side first, then they can use both hands to pull the other side tight, hold it and pin it on.  When you are trying to diaper yourself, you don't have the proper angles with your own arms and hands to pull a diaper tight, hold it in position while you try and pin it in place.  I do what DailyDi said and once I pin the cloth diaper in place, I slide it down like underpants and then repin the diaper moving the pins in closer and then pull the diaper back up.  That insures that it is snug fitting.  That said, it may be easier for a guy to slid a diaper down over his hips to re-pin it than a woman who has larger hips and thinner waist.

[Stroller]

8 minutes ago, rusty pins said:

The fabric does relax a bit but I have never been able to get a cloth diaper pinned on tight the first time.

That's why I find Snappis better than pins - they've got some stretch to take up the slack.

[DL-Boy]

Wow!  I just made a discovery unrelated to *CLOTH* diapers but totally related to *SNAPPIs*.  I just discovered they work GREAT when the tapes start to release on the cloth-backed Abena diapers!!  I haven't tested how badly if at all they leak but by golly, a cloth-backed disposable with bad tapes is not a lost cause as long as I have a toddler sized Snappi closure handy!

Sorry for the hijack but the thread also mentioned Snappi so I figured what the heck.

[ppdude]

Thanks for that idea! I don't like the cloth-like diapers, but I sure like the plastic backed ones. I just had one with a bad tape and could not wear it. Made me mad as it was another few bucks down the hole. Couldn't throw it away; this idea may allow me to use it and skip the duct tape (which doesn't work that well in the first place). Packing tape? Got some I could try...

[Cruiser 03]

I use clear packing tape on my bad tapes 100% success!

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[jimmyic]

I have found  that looking at how to pin a cloth diaper on a baby on you tube gave me some good information on how to make my diapers tighter on me.   Here is one of those video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYCizHFCwwU

[waynecook52]

On 9/26/2019 at 7:22 AM, rusty pins said:

 

This!  The fabric does relax a bit but I have never been able to get a cloth diaper pinned on tight the first time.  If you think of it, a parent putting a cloth diaper on a baby will pin one side first, then they can use both hands to pull the other side tight, hold it and pin it on.  When you are trying to diaper yourself, you don't have the proper angles with your own arms and hands to pull a diaper tight, hold it in position while you try and pin it in place.  I do what DailyDi said and once I pin the cloth diaper in place, I slide it down like underpants and then repin the diaper moving the pins in closer and then pull the diaper back up.  That insures that it is snug fitting.  That said, it may be easier for a guy to slid a diaper down over his hips to re-pin it than a woman who has larger hips and thinner waist.

In all my years of wearing cloth diapers I have NEVER had a problem getting them tight.

[Cruiser 03]

I find plastic "stretch" more annoying than anything related to my cloth diapers , maybe it's because cloth is my primary ( Angelfluff Ultimate 3 velcro) VS Northshore supreme or ATN.

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[rusty pins]

19 hours ago, ppdude said:

Thanks for that idea! I don't like the cloth-like diapers, but I sure like the plastic backed ones. I just had one with a bad tape and could not wear it. Made me mad as it was another few bucks down the hole. Couldn't throw it away; this idea may allow me to use it and skip the duct tape (which doesn't work that well in the first place). Packing tape? Got some I could try...

I've had tapes pop off on my disposables as well, both cloth backed and plastic backed.  When that happens I've never had any problems pinning the disposable diaper in with regular diaper pins.  If the tape pops off the front because it won't stick, I just run my diaper pin through the tape into the diaper.  Pinning it through the tape adds some extra strength.  Same if the tape sticks in the front but tears loose from the back of the diaper.  I pin though the tape.  If the tape tears off compleatly, what I do is fold over the diaper in front and back where the tape would go and pin through both folded layers.  I'm putting on the diaper just as if it had working tapes, but where the tape was attached to the back and where you would tape it on in front, I just fold those small areas double and then pin though them, just like pinning on a cloth diaper.  It's always worked for me and it's much easier to carry a couple diaper pins in your pocket instead of a big roll of duct or packing tape.  No need to throw out a diaper just because it's a disposable and a tape pops off when diaper pins have been used a whole lot longer throughout history!

[ppdude]

46 minutes ago, rusty pins said:

I've had tapes pop off on my disposables as well, both cloth backed and plastic backed.  When that happens I've never had any problems pinning the disposable diaper in with regular diaper pins.  If the tape pops off the front because it won't stick, I just run my diaper pin through the tape into the diaper.  Pinning it through the tape adds some extra strength.  Same if the tape sticks in the front but tears loose from the back of the diaper.  I pin though the tape.  If the tape tears off compleatly, what I do is fold over the diaper in front and back where the tape would go and pin through both folded layers.  I'm putting on the diaper just as if it had working tapes, but where the tape was attached to the back and where you would tape it on in front, I just fold those small areas double and then pin though them, just like pinning on a cloth diaper.  It's always worked for me and it's much easier to carry a couple diaper pins in your pocket instead of a big roll of duct or packing tape.  No need to throw out a diaper just because it's a disposable and a tape pops off when diaper pins have been used a whole lot longer throughout history!

Wow. Not in a million years would I think of using regular diaper pins in a disposable. You guys are always resourceful and have good ideas.

[DL-Boy]

On 10/2/2019 at 9:18 AM, ppdude said:

Wow. Not in a million years would I think of using regular diaper pins in a disposable. You guys are always resourceful and have good ideas.

If I'm not mistaken, the original very first disposable diapers on the market still required diaper pins as they hadn't come up with tapes or any other closures yet at that time.  Most mothers already had diaper pins since they were converting from cloth to disposable so it was natural to use pins to attach them.

[ppdude]

1 hour ago, DL-Boy said:

If I'm not mistaken, the original very first disposable diapers on the market still required diaper pins as they hadn't come up with tapes or any other closures yet at that time.  Most mothers already had diaper pins since they were converting from cloth to disposable so it was natural to use pins to attach them.

You are totally correct. However, noting that, I figured (since I don't know any better) that the early disposables were made of somewhat more substantial material that had to support pins without tearing. I didn't think today's disposable diapers could support pins without tearing (absent the stronger tape tabs). I was pleasantly surprised that the tape mounts (tabs) worked with pins.

[rusty pins]

15 hours ago, DL-Boy said:

If I'm not mistaken, the original very first disposable diapers on the market still required diaper pins as they hadn't come up with tapes or any other closures yet at that time.  Most mothers already had diaper pins since they were converting from cloth to disposable so it was natural to use pins to attach them.

 

13 hours ago, ppdude said:

You are totally correct. However, noting that, I figured (since I don't know any better) that the early disposables were made of somewhat more substantial material that had to support pins without tearing. I didn't think today's disposable diapers could support pins without tearing (absent the stronger tape tabs). I was pleasantly surprised that the tape mounts (tabs) worked with pins.

You are both correct.  Very early on disposable diapers, including the first popular adult disposables, had padding in the sides, or wings.  I also think the backing was probably sturdier.  As disposable diapers evolved, the plastic backing got softer, the side padding was mostly eliminated and eventually you had cloth backed diapers, some of which have very weak and thin side panels.  I think these changes were two-fold.  One to make the diapers quieter, less bulky and more discreet so everyday people who needed them wouldn't feel so bad or embarrassed about wearing them (hence the eventual evolution of pull on disposable underwear for light bladder leaks).  Second, I think the manufacturers cut back to save money, charge more and make bigger profits.

I have never had any problem using baby diaper pins to pin on a disposable diaper when a tape has failed, cloth backed or plastic backed.  It may take a few times to learn the best way to pin them on, but you eventually get to know some tricks and tips.  As I say, if a tape has not totally tore off the diaper, use it to stick the diaper pin through for added strength, or as I said, if you fold over double the small area where you plan to pin it, you are now pinning through two layers on each side of the diaper instead of just one.  After all, when you tape on your diapers, how much of the side panels overlap each other?  There is plenty of room to fold some of it over for extra strength.  It works even with thin and not so strong side panels! 

[Zdog]

If the cloth diaper was new it should be washed at least twice, preferably three or four times, one of them with a cup or two of vinegar. This removes the sizing compound that’s sprayed onto most cloth apparel and every diaper that I’ve ever bought. Sizing is what makes the cloth feel stiff and it also tends to repel moisture making your new diaper very ineffective. The diaper will shrink up to 15% causing it to “quilt up” after multiple washings and get more absorbent as well as softer. This also makes it somewhat stretchy which will aid you in your diaper retention efforts. After few months you’ll be able to pin your diaper on without hardly thinking about it and when your diaper gets super soft and you feel it next to your tush it will all be worth the effort. Diaper on!

[Cruiser 03]

I would say my cloth diapers took about 6 months to really break in ,once they do they will hug your shape more and be incredibly super soft , my current cloth have been in service for 12 years and i swear they get more comfortable every time they get washed .

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