Cloth Diapers

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I am due in 4 weeks and we want to use cloth diapers for this baby. I am feeling overwhelmed with the choices and options in premade diapers and patterns for make your own. I sew but am trying to decide if this is economical enough to spend my time.

Any help or comments would be appreciated.

Thanks and God Bless,

Silvia

-- Silvia Stoddart (organic_farmer@hotmail.com), October 19, 2001

Answers

We used "prefolded" cloth diapers--extra padding in all of middle section. Don't remember the brand(it's been several years;) Seems like they would occassionally be on sale at Target. For sure get the diaper liners(or substitute pieces of old t-shirts or something you don't mind throwing away) for the first few weeks at least. First several days, baby's stinkies will likely be icky sticky and black (read:very hard to clean), this will go away, and if you are nursing, be replaced with yellow. Good luck, you are starting a very exciting chapter of your life:)

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), October 19, 2001.

Put the word out to friends and relatives, maybe some have older ones they will give you, or will purchase them for you as a gift instead of outfits and rattles!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), October 19, 2001.

I agree with both answers so far. Let it be known that you will be using cloth and don't be ashamed to ask for them if any one wants gift ideas. I used the gerber brand of prefolded, extra padding in the middle, diapers. They wear out mostly where they are pinned. A friend of mine solved that problem by sewing a batch of velcro diaper covers. Her boy wears a diaper fastened by the velcro cover and plastic pants over that.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), October 19, 2001.

Silvia, we used cloth for number 2, and found the plain, old flat sheet of flannel worked best. You can lay two of them together before folding, for older babies who pee more. You can change the size by the amount you fold. They dry quicker, etc. Tried the sewn ones. Work ok, but baby grows out of them fast, and they take much longer to dry. I used one package of liners, but found them a pain, and unnecessary. I had no problem with staining.

-- Rheba (rbeall@etown.net), October 19, 2001.

Silvia, Back when I was younger I used to think the only ones you could use were the kind you bought, I've since learned they used to make them themselves "gee what a no-brainer" LOL anyway, my friend has made some out of flannel, terrycloth, etc. I just bought some old all cotton feed sacks, that shorts used to come in, I'm going to sew an edge around some for cloth diapers for a friend whos due in Jan. also the flannel is good, you've got 4 weeks, when your nesting instinct kicks in, sew an edge around the edges of the flannel or zig zag, get you two buckets, for soaking, I would rinse in the washing machine first after soaking in the bucket of water, then wash them with hot water, no clothes dryer, no bleach, vinegar, soap, and borax do pretty good. Some swear by the diapers liners for the poop mess! Your the only one who can decide if it's worth your time or not. The washing didn't bother me, but the leaking did, so we pretty much used disposable when we went to town in a good outfit. Good luck with the baby, there's nothing more precious than a new life comeing into the world!

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), October 19, 2001.


The premade "shaped like a disposable" ones are kind of neat, but not nearly as good as the plain squares. I found they didn't fit very well around the legs and leaked a lot.

Both of my boys were mostly in cloth - the only time I used disposable was when we were travelling. Hotel rooms are no place for cleaning cloth diapers!

I found though, that the plain squares that you folded yourself were by far more economical, easier to clean, and kept more "in" -- if you know what I mean! On top of that, when you're done with them as diapers they make fantastic cleaning cloths for around the house -- my mom had some of MINE even up until early last year when I was home! Dad's probably still got them in the cupboard.

-- Tracy (trimmer31@hotmail.com), October 20, 2001.


I never used the plastic pants, I just used velcro diaper covers over the diapers with both my children. I put out the word that I was going to use cloth diapers and they showed up by the bucket. I guess a lot of people have good intentions until push comes to shove!

Now my children are 5 and 8 and there is no longer any need for diapers. This year we made cloth ghosts to decorate for Halloween. They are great rags too. Just make sure you bleach them good before they go on to their next life!!!

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), October 21, 2001.


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