New School Cloth Diapering

Wow, has cloth diapering changed! (Not that I know anything of it other than my own made up images of babies in the 70s.) The options are overwhelming, but in a good way. After I spent a couple days (yes, just ask my husband, it's been literal days) researching enough to understand the terminology, I finally learned the differences between All-in-Ones (AIOs), One Size (OS), Pockets, fitteds, prefolds and covers. I more importantly learned enough to determine that my priorities and "style" (whatever that means) lean toward the prefolds and covers route.

{Thirsties Duo Wrap, size 1}

I was really interested in the OS (One Size) covers because that's just economical. But when I saw photos of some of these poor babies drowning in jumbo "one size" covers, I realized how much value I place on a cute and trimly diapered baby butt that fits nicely in properly sized onesies. And, yet, budget seems to have more pull over the decisions, and so I've searched for the middle ground.

Here's my current "need to get before baby arrives" wish list, which I'm sure will change several times over before January. But at least it's a start, and links are compiled so I can share a "power point-style" presentation with Daniel as requested :)




Covers


  1. 3-6 Prorap or Bummis Newborn Covers. Part of the trimness issue means we need a few newborn-sized covers. They'll be used for such a short time that low price is a big factor here. 6 covers is usually recommended, especially for newborns. The covers are meant to be wiped clean and reused, but isn't always the case with runny (I know, gross) newborn diapers.
  2. Small Bummis Super Snap Cover. These covers are cute, fitted and work great with prefolds and other inserts. I thought about stocking up based on great reviews (and adorable photos), then read some not so great reviews and decided it'd probably be better to try one out before going crazy. Still not sure if reviews are more confusing or helpful...?
  3. 2 Size 1 Thirsties Duo Wrap Covers. I am SO sold on these covers. And Daniel is too from the little he's seen. They're a sort of One Size-type cover, that comes in only 2 sizes. The snaps make the size customizable. These technically fit starting at newborn, but I still worried at the bulk on such a tiny (I hope!) baby. Once the baby's out of newborn covers, these should work great. And I really have read only awesome reviews about them. Wipes clean, works with any prefolds or inserts and customizable size means use for a long time. Perfect! But of course will start with 2 just in case they're not perfect for us. (The adorable Pic above is a baby in a Thirsties Duo Wrap.)
Prefolds/Inserts

  1. 24 Newborn Chinese or Cloth-ees Prefolds. These are a budget-friendly staple in cloth diapering. They're the core of the diaper and changed often (recommended to stock 12/day). They seem to most often be used with safety pins (is that really all that safe?) or the new (I don't know, maybe it's not new) Snappi contraption. I'm really liking the trifold, insert and go method. Maybe I'll regret that if we end up with one too many leaks. Perhaps a couple Snappi's will end up on the list, just in case. Oh, and the newborn size fit perfectly in the newborn covers, plus (supposedly) work great as extra filler later on for overnight. Plus, who doesn't like a good prefold as a burp cloth? Just can't go wrong with stocking up on these cheapies.
  2. 12 Small Chinese or Cloth-eez Prefolds. Ditto for everything above. They'll fit better in the next size up covers and could be folded down if I happen to need an extra newborn-sized prefold. I'm still not sure what type of insert I'll like once past newborn stage, so I'm hoping to get a small sampling of a couple and order more later.
  3. 3 FLIP Stay Dry Inserts (can be purchased w/out the cover). These are pricier, but boast absorbency, simplicity, and ability to keep baby's butt dry without an extra fleece or other liner. They'll fit better in the larger covers without fancy folding and could be used with small prefolds for extra protection. I had the FLIP OS covers on my list for a day or two, then realized they're not necessary if I'm happy with Bummis or Thirsties or both. OS and fold down to fit in cover
  4. 1 pack of 6 gDiaper gCloth inserts. I think gDiapers are so stinkin' cute! I have a variety of reasons I don't plan on getting them, but still like the idea of the gCloth. Very similar to the FLIP Stay Dry Inserts; this is where it'll be nice to try a couple and compare before stocking up on any one kind. Comes in Sm and Md/Lrg, but not ideal for newborn.
  5. FLIP Disposable Inserts. I don't think I'll be hard core enough (yet, anyway), to cloth diaper when traveling or out and about for a full day (something about carrying poopy diapers around doesn't appeal to me). So, we can purchase Luvs or get the bio-friendlier version that will work with our stock of covers. There are other brands out there, but I wanted to try these first because they're a bit cheaper. We shouldn't be using them too often, so the higher price over Luvs shouldn't be an issue.
Accessories

  1. Diaper Sprayer. I haven't researched these, but I do know I want one. Attach it to the toilet and poop can be sprayed off the diaper before washing. It's not necessary. Many people just throw their diapers in the washer, run through a pre-rinse cycle, wash, then rinse again. Fine for them, but not a process I'm excited about... especially if that means the poopy diaper is sitting in my house until washing time. So, we'll attach the sprayer, do a quick rinse (also prevents stains from setting), then wash diapers roughly every two days. With this rinse already being done, they could also easily be thrown in with our other clothes. (I think this appeals to me because it's what I do already when Brylee has an accident in her training panties; a toilet sprayer would make the process so much easier!) An alternative to this or even to help with days out would be a flushable liner, but I have yet to read of someone sticking with those after trying them.
  2. 24-36 Cloth Wipes. We'll probably have disposable wipes on hand just because they're useful for so many things and Daniel will most likely prefer them. But something like simple infant wet wash cloths would work fine. Something I've read also pointed out that the top, clean part of the diaper can easily be used to wipe most of the mess away, so there's less need for wipes.
  3. Mesh bag to collect rinsed diapers until washing.
  4. Smaller washable/wet-protected bag to hold the occasional dirty diaper on quick trips out. I haven't looked for the cheaper versions.
I also had Fishnoodles covers on the list after reading lots of recommendations for them, then after evaluating the pictures decided they were cute but just not too comfy looking. (Also a couple bucks pricier than the others I'm choosing, and every penny counts if I want to stock up before baby arrives!) I've made a tentative list of what to get for the next sizes up, but I'll wait for baby to dictate what will actually work on his little butt. Though I'm hoping the Thirsties work as well as I'm hearing, because stocking up on a few of 2 sizes sounds simply economical! I'm also choosing snap closures as much as possible. The hook and loop closure is often easier and quicker, but snaps last much longer and generally don't take any special care. Daniel can help decide those preferences, or maybe we'll try one of each.

Grand total (including estimate for larger size covers and additional prefolds/inserts): $302.78. To get us from newborn to potty training! I'll stock up on the newborn essentials and other items to "sample," leaving about a hundred dollars worth of covers and prefolds/inserts that I can wait and buy after baby's born. Covers also hold their value, so can be used with a subsequent child (my own or someone else in the family), or get 50% or more of our money back by selling them. Not too shabby.