Liam's 1st time in a cloth diaper. It was way too big!
My first look into cloth diapers had me so overwhelmed that I almost said forget it! I liked the idea of less waste filling up our landfills and the fact that cloth diapers don't contain chemicals like disposables. I also liked that in the long run we would save a lot of money, but when you first enter the cloth diaper world you feel like a foreigner. When I first stared researching cloth diapers, I felt like I needed a dictionary! AOI. Fitted. Pocket. Stuffing. Isn't that what we have at Thanksgiving? What happened to just a diaper?! I went to an expert to find out.
I was lucky enough to have a friend who clothed diapered her daughter and she graciously showed me the ropes of cloth diapering. She also had a stash of cloth diapers that she was trying to sell, so I took those off her hands for her. ;) She had enough that all I had to buy was a few extra covers and prefolds! I really got lucky on that one. I tried to cloth diaper Liam for the cheapest price possible. Buying second hand and using prefolds and covers was the best way to do that. I have a very ecclectic collection of cloth diapers since I bought them second hand, but they work for us! I'll try and take you through what I have starting with prefolds and covers!
The easiest and cheapest option for cloth diapering are prefolds or flats and covers. I use Cloth-eez cotton prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers. Liam is currently in the Yellow-small size and I also have the Red-Medium size. I have 12 in each size. The rule of thumb is 1 cover to 3 prefolds, because the covers can be wiped out and reused after you change out the prefold.
I cover these with 4 Diaperaps small covers that I bought on a daily deal site called Eco Baby Buys. ( I love that site! Daily deals on Eco-friendly kid stuff!) I also bought four Econobum one size covers that came with 3 unbleached prefolds each. Besides the cloth diaper "accessories" that's all I had to buy new!
Now, how do we put all this together to make a diaper? With a fold of the prefold and the greatest invention ever! The Snappi Diaper Fastener! There are quite a few folds out there, but my go to is the Angel Wing fold. It's quick and easy. What's even quicker is just trifolding the prefold and laying it in the cover. The latter is not good for Breastfed poops or messy poops, because the prefold can wiggle around and get the cover messy. This in turn means you have to use a new cover, but it is fast!
I was lucky enough to have a friend who clothed diapered her daughter and she graciously showed me the ropes of cloth diapering. She also had a stash of cloth diapers that she was trying to sell, so I took those off her hands for her. ;) She had enough that all I had to buy was a few extra covers and prefolds! I really got lucky on that one. I tried to cloth diaper Liam for the cheapest price possible. Buying second hand and using prefolds and covers was the best way to do that. I have a very ecclectic collection of cloth diapers since I bought them second hand, but they work for us! I'll try and take you through what I have starting with prefolds and covers!
The easiest and cheapest option for cloth diapering are prefolds or flats and covers. I use Cloth-eez cotton prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers. Liam is currently in the Yellow-small size and I also have the Red-Medium size. I have 12 in each size. The rule of thumb is 1 cover to 3 prefolds, because the covers can be wiped out and reused after you change out the prefold.
I cover these with 4 Diaperaps small covers that I bought on a daily deal site called Eco Baby Buys. ( I love that site! Daily deals on Eco-friendly kid stuff!) I also bought four Econobum one size covers that came with 3 unbleached prefolds each. Besides the cloth diaper "accessories" that's all I had to buy new!
Left: Econobum One Size, Right: Diaperaps Small
Econobum cover with Unbleached prefold.
Now, how do we put all this together to make a diaper? With a fold of the prefold and the greatest invention ever! The Snappi Diaper Fastener! There are quite a few folds out there, but my go to is the Angel Wing fold. It's quick and easy. What's even quicker is just trifolding the prefold and laying it in the cover. The latter is not good for Breastfed poops or messy poops, because the prefold can wiggle around and get the cover messy. This in turn means you have to use a new cover, but it is fast!
Snappis!
The Angel Fold
Add baby or Curious George.
Pull over one side and hook with Snappi, then pull the other and hook.
Pull the Snappi taught in the middle and add a cover!
Or you can trifold the prefold and lay it in the cover.
That's how easy it is to use a cover and prefold! I mentioned that I have an eclectic collection. I also have one random Grovia cover and a BumGenius Medium fitted diaper that I use together. A fitted diaper is basically a prefold that is sized and can be fastened with velcro or snaps. It doesn't need to be folded. They are nice to have, but they are a lot more expensive than prefolds.
Fitted BumGenius and my only Grovia cover.
Whew! I feel like that was a lot! I haven't even got started on All In Ones and Pocket diapers or the different diaper materials. Oh and the fun chore of washing all those little diapers! Those will have to wait for another day. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them here! Again, I am no expert, but I am glad to share what I do know!
The curious george pictures made me SMILE!!! I think this is such a great idea, teach me for the next baby??
ReplyDeleteHe was the perfect size to demonstrate and a lot less wiggly than liam! I will definitely show you! :)
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