The Diaper Down-Low

Double-stuffing is working!  Thanks, C!  So, we're sticking with this, at least for now.  I just have a very booty-licious baby most of the time.

I thought I'd put up my list of cloth diapering info for anyone who was interested!  Googling "cloth diapering" can get pretty overwhelming.  Seriously, don't over-think it, like me.  Cloth diapers come in a huge variety of options these days, but just keep in mind that ultimately, you are just looking for something to soak up waste. 

In other words, don't waste so much time, like me.  Just read this and then go to my links and be done with it!  :)

Here are the basic three kinds:

The most basic type of cloth diaper is a prefold with a cover.  This is the style of the olden days.  You know those burp clothes you have?  Prefolds look just like those, only bigger.  A prefold is just a piece of absorbant material that you fold, pin (these days folks use something called a Snappi because they don't poke like pins) and put a waterproof over over.  You actually don't even have to pin them if you don't want to, there are a million ways to layer and fold these bad boys before you put the cover on top.  You can get Chinese (soaks more, less soft) or Indian prefolds (soaks a little less, softer); each is just a slightly different type of fabric.  If you go to buy prefolds, you'll notice that they come in 4x8x4 or 4x6x4.  That middle number has to do with absorbancy; 8 soaks up more than 6.  A couple of nice things about prefolds is that they are cheap, and you can get away with only having 4ish covers because they covers can be wiped clean and reused.  If you get prefolds, pay attention to the prewashing instructions.  They have to be prepped by being washed a few times before use.

The next type is a pocket diaper.  Fuzzibunz are the most popular ones out there.  These guys look like a regular disposable in terms of shape.  They are a waterproof outer layer lined with a nice soft fleece.  They are open at the back, leaving a space (or pocket) between the two layers that you stuff with some kind of soaking material, usually a microfleece pad.  I liked the idea of these because that fleece layer up against the baby's skin wicks moisture away from the body to the inner pad, which then separates in the wash.  It seemed like it would get cleaner to me that way.  You wash the inner soakers and the outer diaper every time.  They come with snap or velcro closures.

All-in-ones (AIOs) are just that; an all-in-one diaper that snaps or velcros on the baby like a disposable.  You then take it off and toss the whole thing to get washed.  You can also add another soaker pad if need be.  Bum Genius is really popular in this category.  

After everything I read, I really liked the Fuzzibunz one size pocket diaper for the ease of use and cost effectiveness.  They are snap closure (lots of complaints out there about velcro wearing out), they adjust from birth to potty training, and the latest style features replaceable elastic (another common complaint- elastic wearing out).  I still felt unsure though about committing to the cost, so I went with the very similar Sunbaby (also known as "The Ebay Diaper") because they are super cheap.

There are a million different takes on each of these diaper types.  You can go on Etsy or Ebay, you can Google, you can search Amazon...yikes!  I read some great advice to try out one of a few different types to see what you like best.  I think that's a great idea, as long as you watch your pocket book.  A lot of stuff it totally interchangeable, so it's not like anything will go to waste.

Here are some links I liked:
Places to buy-
www.cottonbabies.com (free shipping, yo!)
Amazon
Ebay
Craigslist (don't be afraid of used, especially if you want to try something out)
Systems explained- (this is like all of the info you need, right here!)
http://www.diaperpin.com/clothdiapers/article_differentsystems.asp
General info-
http://diaperpages.com/ (this site is awesome and really helpful!)
Washing- (including how to strip diapers)
http://www.diaperjungle.com/washing-cloth-diapers.html (best for washing tips!)
Detergent chart-
http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html (there are lots of differing opinions, I got sick of trying to figure out what was "best" and just went with Arm and Hammer Free and Clear.)
How-Tos-
YouTube, man.  It's the place to be.  Just search "cloth diaper" and be amazed.  Yay for visual learners!


Hope this is helpful!  I could never have figured it out with my sweet friends answering all of my questions.

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