I'm starting to feel quilty about not cloth diapering again. With 3 kids in diapers my landfill impact is huge. Henry was in cloth on and off for the first 3 years, Ramona for a little over a year. They would both still be, but I can't stand dealing with the diapers when I'm pregnant and my diapers are worn out. Henry quailfies for free diapers thru medicaid (horrible things) and Ramona will hopfuly potty-train in the next couple of months (maybe Henry too). I'd like to start Cora, but I have to buy new diapers, a fairly large initial purchase. Mark feels I'm being influenced by tree-huggers and that disposable diapers are biodegradable. I know some are, but not the ones he’s willing to pay for. It will just be a matter of time before I get him on board. So, for those of you out there who do cloth diaper, what are your suggestions? I used dappy pants and kissalus for the first two. I’ve been looking at the gDiapers. They are super cute, and do have a cloth option. Has anyone used them? One more question, does anyone know of a good website to purchase cloth diapers? I’ve been using a site called Cotton Babies but would like to explore some other options.

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Racheal
mom to Henry (01/06), Ramona (06/08), and Cora (2/10)


Don't underestimate my ability
Don't definate my character
Don't belittle my authority
It's time you recognize my quality

-Peter Tosh, I Am That I Am

Oh, I feel you. I have been guilting myself for the past year cause I've got all three in sposies, and I actually have a nice cloth stash just sitting in a drawer.
I can't keep up with the regular laundry, though... and I am afraid going back to cloth would slowly erode the little remaining sanity.
I am hoping Calder will train this summer, and then I'll put the babies back in cloth.

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Carrie
Mama to:
Bennett (9/96), Merrick (1/99), Giselle (11/04), Calder (4/07), Isaac (7/08 ) and Jotham (4/09)

http://mommypress.com/itllturnup/

When I was pregnant I had full intentions of using the cloth nappies. I bought the Bambino mio range. Sadly they are still in the pack never been used! Ben was just too small when born and the disposible ones were just too handy! I keep meaning to bring them out and use them.

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Karen- Mum to the world's cutest baby!! Ben

I'm right there with you. I used cloth for my second and third babies. Uggh! It was such a pain, but I did want to be kind to the earth. Then once I started using the disposables again I was hooked. There are literally a ton of articles about which is better for the environment - cloth or disposables. I do think it's cloth, but if you read some of the pro-disposable diaper articles you may feel a little better .

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Maureen - Mom to Daniel(21), Brandon(19), Jordan(13)PDD, Thomas(11), Carrie(7), Samuel(4) and Mark (2 - ds, av canal -repaired 6/10/08, pulmonary hypertension)
https://www.carepages.com/carepages/MarkEdwardC32708

I do my best to re-use, recycle and be kind to the environment. But, my sanity and well being are of equal importance to me. I'd be out of my mind in cloth diapers. How about a compromise? Find something else that you can re-cycle or re-use that you aren't currently doing...and get those disposable diapers and save your sanity.

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Lisa - Mommy to Elayna 10-1-02 and Daniel (Ds) 6-7-05
Always have hope....Without rain, there can be no rainbows.

I'm a cloth diapering mom & love it! I have been using cloth full time for the past 3 1/2 years. I like using different diapers for different stages.

Newborns: kissaluv and other fitted diapers, infant prefolds with a snappi, and Thirsties covers.

Babies over 5 months- potty train: prefolds trifolded in a Thirsties cover, fitted diapers with wool pants or covers, and pocket diapers.

I've never used Gdiapers, didn't really like the reviews of them. A similar new style diaper (that you can also buy disposible inserts for) is made by Cottonbabies, called the Flip diaper system. It's basically a onesize cover that you lay in a soaker or prefold. I have one and like it, but think it's not the best choice until your child is fully on table foods as it won't work well with runny poops.

I buy most of my diapers when I find places running sales, or in a diaper outlet store, or as a second/discontinued item. I read the diaper forum at www.clothdiapernation.com for tips on when places are having sales, plus I fan my favorite brands on Facebook and get heads up there.

With a family of 5, I find I am doing laundry all the time anyway so one extra load every other day isn't so bad. I honestly do not find them any more work than paper diapers and think the little effort is worth it.

Here's a few favorites for you to check out:
Prefolds:
http://www.little-lions.com/
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/

Covers ship free from here & they have a lot of brands, stock sale items:
http://www.nickisdiapers.com/

Pocket diapers, often on sale or in outlet sales:
http://www.swaddlebees.com/

Flip diaper system:
http://nickisdiapers.com/catalog.php?category=1359

Here's a cool way to try cloth for free!
http://www.diaperjunction.com/try-cloth-diapers.html

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one more thing, I use cloth diapers not just for the profound environmental factor and the cute-factor, but also because of the long-term money savings and because it is better for baby's skin. Disposables are not bio-degradable (with a few hard-to-find & expensive exceptions like Seventh Generations diapers) and they are chock full of chemicals. Have you read this recent story? http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/05/04/pampers-dry-max-rash-complaints-spark-federal-investigation/

I convinced my husband to give cloth a go when Sean was 2 and I realized he could be in diapers for 2-4 more years yet. He grows so slow that the diapers I bought when we started at age 2 still fit him until he began using the potty at age 4 1/2. Ella even wore them for almost a year before they finally gave out. So the diaper I spent $18 on was used several times a week for 3 1/2 years. I definitely got my money's worth on it.

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We were definitely running into that pampers dry-max rash. I switched the kids to the baby dry, but really want to get them back out of paper again altogether. Henry is actually getting the worst of the rashes from the medicaid provided diapers.
I saw the flip diapers at cotton babies and was thinking about trying them. Thanks for the heads up about the runny poop. Cora is only 3 months and we are not planning to start solids for another 3-4 months.
Thanks for the site suggestions, I'll check them out.

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Racheal
mom to Henry (01/06), Ramona (06/08), and Cora (2/10)


Don't underestimate my ability
Don't definate my character
Don't belittle my authority
It's time you recognize my quality

-Peter Tosh, I Am That I Am

I'd consider using the flip or Thirsties Duo covers with prefolds for your kids because you can use the same ones on all of them, just adjust the rise settings. I'd snappi a prefold on Cora and then just trifold and lay in the prefolds on the other two kids' diapers.

To do it full time, you'd probably need about 4 doz prefolds (2 doz infant size and 2 doz premium size for the toddlers) 4-6 covers for the girls and 3 covers for Henry. I use 2 a day- I alternate between changes so they can air out. Of course if one gets poopy then you need a back up. Cora probably will have that happen more often then the other two since she isn't eating table food yet.

So for $215 you could buy all the prefolds, covers and a couple snappis you'd need to diaper all 3 kids until they potty train. Not bad!

2 snappis $6
24 medium Imagine prefolds $48 (for Cora)
24 large Imagine prefolds $48 (for Ramona & Henry)
5 Flip covers (onesize, can be used by all 3) $69.75
3 Thirsties Duos covers (adjustable size, I'd buy the size 1 for Cora to use till she got bigger) $36.75

Nicki's Diapers does free shipping on orders over $75, so you wouldn't even have to factor that.

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Wow, you've done all the work for me! It never even crossed my mind to use regular pre-fold diapers in the flip covers. That's certainly more economical than spending $5 per insert just because they are specific to the system. I'm staying away from the snappis though. I pinched the heck out of my brother's leg when he was a baby. I'll stick to old fashion diaper pins.

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Racheal
mom to Henry (01/06), Ramona (06/08), and Cora (2/10)


Don't underestimate my ability
Don't definate my character
Don't belittle my authority
It's time you recognize my quality

-Peter Tosh, I Am That I Am

I've used gdiapers this past year when babysitting a friends infant. I found them to work great, and have heard positive things about their cloth insert as well. I know my friend uses a conventional paper diaper at night. But one diaper a day is better than many when you are feeling sensitive about your impact.

I think the simplest diaper system I've ever used, and thought it worked just fine, was plain old prefolds with Bummis covers. Pretty inexpensive, and you can find prefolds used (and really, with prefolds I think the more washing the softer they get).

I know how you feel. Charlie was in and out of cloth, due to low muscle tone, then his skin became sensitive to it. Now he is in pull ups that are paid for by our regional center. Calvin wears cloth mostly, but it's like once you have disposables in the house... Now we are pregnant, and our cloth diapers are starting to get worn out. I am thinking of asking for people to help us pay for a few months of a diaper service in lieu of traditional gifts. Then I think we are just going to do prefolds. Right now we have pockets, and I just don't like the way those things hold odors. Plus washing them seems to take up a lot of water as you are supposed to prewash and extra rinse every time. How is THAT eco friendly.

Anyway, a ramble, but I too have cloth on the mind.

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Kim. Wife to Ray, Mommy to Charlie (DS) 1/2006 & Calvin 3/2008
http://charlies47.blogspot.com/

There is more than one way to have a good life!

I haven't read all of the responses and it has been a while since I have bought cloth since Ava has been potty trained (all but night time) for about a year now. So, I don't know the new stuff. I would suggest getting prefolds and covers. Cheap and easy. It seems I have heard of a new phenomenon in cloth, but I don't have a newborn to diaper, so I haven't paid any mind to it. Maybe start out with the prefolds and move on to the other more fun stuff later.

I went to little lions to get my prefolds for about $60. That's about six small packs of disposables. It included covers, if I recall correctly.

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Shannon
Mommy to Ava (Nov. 2006)

I ordered some pre-folds and thirsties wraps for the baby, and one flip to checkout with the older kids. This will be the first time in about 18 years using a regular no frills diaper. I really liked my kissaluvs with Henry and Ramona but they are a little too spendy for me right now. My compromise is a few fancy covers and a bunch of no frills diapers.

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Racheal
mom to Henry (01/06), Ramona (06/08), and Cora (2/10)


Don't underestimate my ability
Don't definate my character
Don't belittle my authority
It's time you recognize my quality

-Peter Tosh, I Am That I Am

Sounds great! LMK how you like them.

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I'm really liking the thirsties covers and the flip will be great for the older 2. I'm not wild about the pre-folds on the baby. They are super easy to deal with and really absorbent, but are not the trimest fit. I think she looks a little like the floating Harkonen guy in the first Dune movie (I really just dated myself). I think we'll use the pre-folds at home and my few remaining old kissaluvs for out.

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Racheal
mom to Henry (01/06), Ramona (06/08), and Cora (2/10)


Don't underestimate my ability
Don't definate my character
Don't belittle my authority
It's time you recognize my quality

-Peter Tosh, I Am That I Am

Sorry to be late to the party but...
I have a good starter set of cloth (flip+prefolds&bummi covers) sitting in the drawer here while I keep spending $$$ on disposables.
The reason being that our Dr said to try have the smallest possible diaper between her legs to not further encourage her hip splay.

She's just about 10 lbs now and if Ds means a longer time in diapers, continuing with disposables is so sad enviro/economically!

I've been looking at wool covers and fitted diapers and wondering if that wouldn't be a trimmer option but I do like the no frill simplicity (and price) of prefolds+cover.

Has anyone else been told to avoid cloth due to muscle tone/development?

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I had really good luck with just plain flats with a twist in the middle and super bummis whisper wrap over that. My son wasn't a big drinker so we didn't need a whole lot of bulk. I also had good luck with pocket diapers being diapers being absorbent enough with just one microfiber insert except for over nights. I don't think they were much worse than disposable diapers for bulk.

Thanks Kara. I'm gonna give that a go--I can't see how it could be bunchy either..

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When Henry was a baby (well, up until he was 2 really) I used kissaluv contours and pull on pants. I hadn't yet discovered all the really cool options out there. They didn't seem much bulkier than paper diapers to me. A wrap cover with an insert is what we use now as well as a few pocket diapers for out and about, they aren't bulky at all. Prefolds and covers at home, very bulky even on Henry. Flip also has a disposable insert (fully compostable) that is really tiny and doesn't cost that much more than a regular paper diaper. I've used them a few times. Works better for the baby than Henry who is 4.

Henry's PT said I was impeding his developement because of the cloth (harder for him to turn over, etc.), but he wasn't too far off the late end of typically developing kids to reach his milestones. I suppose it's not outside the range of possibility that he could have reached those milestones sooner had he been wearing a paper diaper. It seems unlikely to me, but who knows.

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Racheal
mom to Henry (01/06), Ramona (06/08), and Cora (2/10)


Don't underestimate my ability
Don't definate my character
Don't belittle my authority
It's time you recognize my quality

-Peter Tosh, I Am That I Am