Another Cloth Diaper Update

First of all, my apologies for my lack of posts lately. Typing one-handed is so painfully slow, I've been avoiding typing any more than one or two lines at a time! Once Sam can hold up her own head, hopefully I'll be able to type with that other hand again. :)

Cloth diapering has been going well so far so I thought I'd update and share my likes and dislikes with what we've been using.

Prefolds:
These work well for me, but I don't like to use them in the middle of the night when the light is dim. Mike hasn't wanted to attempt using them at all. The snappi is really easy to use - much better than diaper pins! I keep a few prefolds, a cover, and a snappi in the diaper bags since they are thin and easy to pack.

Fitteds:
I LOVE my Thirsties Fab Fitteds. They are shaped just like a disposable, but are soft and fluffy and look super comfortable. I use these in the middle of the night since they are so easy. I also keep one of these in the diaper bag for inconvenient diaper changing locations. I use a Thirsties cover with these. These are easy enough for Mike to use, though they do require two separate pieces (diaper and cover). I want to buy more of these and try some other brands of fitteds as well.

All-In-Ones:
I don't love my Thirsties All In One diapers. I just can't get them to stop leaking around the legs. Some people love them, but they just don't work for me. It's a pity because they are SUPER easy, and Mike liked them too. I've decided to sell my X-Small AIOs for $10 each. They are hardly used, so it's a great deal. I'm hoping that someone who likes them will be able to use them! I have them for sale on Craigslist, (click for link) if you or anyone you know would like them.

Pockets:
We have now been using a lot of pocket diapers. I have a lot of One-Size pocket diapers. Right now they are kind of huge on Sam, since they are all folded up into the newborn size, but I really love how easy they are. I also love that I'll be able to continue using the same diapers on her for a long time!

GroBaby: I really like the GroBaby diapers. They have snap-in inserts, as well as a booster liner. I haven't needed to use a booster yet. The GroBabys come in super cute patterns, which I love. The velcro is nice and wide and soft and looks comfortable. The inserts snap out and can be replaced with clean inserts, as long as the outer shell is still clean. We have had a few leaking episodes with these, so we have to really pay attention when we put them on to make sure that there are no gaps around the legs or waist. I really like that even when folded into the newborn size, these diapers aren't too bulky. So far I am really liking these.

FuzziBuns: I just purchased a few of the Fuzzi Buns One Size diapers. Generally they seem great, and I love how adjustable they are. However, I'm having a hard time fitting them to Sam correctly. I set the leg elastic on 6, and they were way too tight around her thighs. Then I set them to 5, and they were too loose! (Also, I'm confused...the recommended settings for a newborn are 4 in the waist and 6 in the legs. But there are two settings for the legs - top and bottom. Should they both be on 6? Or each set on 3 to total 6?) Then, I thought I had it right, but when I snapped the diaper on tight, some of the inner fleece showed around the legs, and we got major leakage. I know you kind of have to see them on Sam in person to help me get a perfect fit, but any advice would be appreciated!

BumGenius: So far these are my favorites. My only complaint is that when they are folded up into the newborn size, they are huge and give Sam a huge bum. Otherwise, they are super absorbent, very easy to put on, and we haven't had one single leak. These are going to be awesome once she gets a little bigger and we can unfold them into a slightly larger size. I would love to buy more of these!



I really want to try the Apple Cheeks diapers. I'm also interested in Happy Heinys and Kissaluvs. Does anyone have any other recommendations for me? What diapers do you like/dislike?

Cloth Diaper Update

Well, we did it - we finally made the complete switch to cloth diapers. Last night we used up the last of the disposable stash, so this is it - cloth only from here on out! I was getting discouraged at first because she kept leaking out of the Thirsties All In Ones. I think her legs are just too skinny for that type of diaper still. But, we have had success with the Thirsties fitteds and covers. I was still having a hard time with cloth diapering because we kept running out of diapers, and it was getting difficult to keep up with them - even doing laundry every day.

Now that I've gotten over my fear of using prefolds, we are doing great! I have been using the jelly roll fold, and along with my Snappi, they are working great! I'm getting faster and faster at putting them on. I plan to use the prefolds with Thirsties covers during the day and the fitteds and covers at night, when it will be more difficult to put on the Snappi in the dark. We will save the All In Ones for Daddy to use. (I've found that if I use a fleece liner they don't seem to leak quite as often.) Sam's little legs are getting pudgier every day too, so hopefully it won't be long before the AIO's stop leaking! We are also using cloth wipes, and it's been great. I do have to keep up with them regularly (washing and putting them back in the warmer with more solution) but it's not too complicated.

I'm feeling much more confident about cloth diapering now, and we are loving it!

So excited...waiting for the mailman!

I love getting mail - like I said a few days ago...it's like Christmas whenever a package arrives!

Yesterday I made my first cloth diaper purchase. A week or so ago I heard that bumGenius DELUXE Bamboo FittedCloth Diapers were on sale at Cotton Babies. I had my eye on them, but I wasn't sure yet what I was going to do about diapering, and if I really needed to buy any for myself since I'd be borrowing some from friends. Yesterday I looked at the Cotton Babies site again, and the price had dropped from $7 something a dipe to only $6 something! I took this as a sign, and decided to use the Visa gift card my sister had given us for Christmas (for the baby!) I ended up getting 2 fitted diapers and a Thirsties Duo Cover along with a bath toy for under $25!!! I can't wait!

I've also ordered a few other things: for myself I ordered some black FLAT boots (no heels for this girl anymore!), and my Alice in Wonderland fabric is on it's way (I got some of it already...just waiting for the final piece!), and I just ordered some closet dividers, and a Moby Wrap from Baby Steals! I can hardly wait. :)

And I did convince Mike to start the baby registry with me the other night - WOW, is there a lot of stuff! I'm super excited about all the stuff we registered for. Now we just need to buy a crib!

23 Weeks and More on Cloth Diapers

We've made it to 23 weeks! Sorry for the late post - this week has been a really rough one. I came down with a miserable cold that has kept me practically bed-ridden for the past 4 days. I had to call in sick two days last week and thankfully I have a 3-day weekend for MLK day to continue to recover. Today I still have a sore throat, stuffy chapped nose, and a cough, but I'm feeling well enough to do a little grocery shopping, and I'm actually coherent enough to sit and read and type. I haven't been sick in so long - this has NOT been fun! Since I'm pregnant, there are very few medications I can take, and the ones that are allowed are not very effective. But, it has been nice to have some time to just relax at home even though I didn't accomplish much of anything!

*I did accomplish one thing - I purchased the Alice in Wonderland fabric to sew the nursery bedding! Once it comes in the mail, I'll head to the fabric store to buy the rest of the fabric and notions. I can hardly wait! I am hoping to start our Babies R Us registry this evening as well, but with this rain, I'm not sure if I'll be able to convince Mike to go out with me. We shall see!*

Baby still seems to be doing okay - I feel her move several times a day, but she is definitely not as active as she was before I got sick. I worry that since I am not feeling well, she isn't feeling so great either. I usually feel some movement from her every few hours. Still no big kicks yet - Mike is still waiting to really be able to interact with her.

Baby is now close to 12" long, and weighs just over a pound. Her sense of movement is developed now, so she can tell when I am moving. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that her ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb. Her eyes can now open and close, and she has her very own tiny set of fingerprints!

According to my weekly emails, now is about the time when pregnant swelling begins (especially in the lower extremities). I haven't noticed any swelling yet, and since we are in the middle of winter, hopefully I won't get any additional swelling from the heat. Other than this miserable cold, I've been feeling pretty good pregnancy-wise. I am full-time in maternity pants now, although I do still need to wear my belly band over them to keep them from falling down. My belly isn't quite big enough yet to hold them up on their own yet! My maternity shirts are definitely filling out. All my baby doll tops hang over me like a bell - not cute! I've started wearing more regular (and maternity) t-shirts so that you can tell I just have a bump and not a giant bell-shaped torso. I refuse to wear heels anymore now since they hurt my feet, and I don't have that great of balance to begin with! I bought a couple pairs of flat boots, and I am loving them!

I have been continuing to have cramps, which is starting to concern me. They feel like menstrual cramps, and they last from 15 minutes to an hour. Sometimes they are bad enough that I need to use a heat pack, and I can't move. I haven't had any spotting, so I think everything is okay, but I am definitely going to bring this up to my doctor later this week.

23 Weeks

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Cloth Diapers

One thing that I did manage to do this week is go to a Cloth Diapering 101 class at the local baby boutique. Mike came along with me so that we could both be on the same page about diapers. It was a very educational class. We were shown all the different types of cloth diapers, and the advantages/disadvantages of each. I'm much more comfortable now, and I'm no longer overwhelmed by all the different pieces! Mike is on board with the cloth diapering idea, and we came to the agreement that we are going to use disposables for the first week or so, just until we (mainly Mike!) are comfortable with changing diapers and settling into a routine (allowing us some time to start diaper laundry!).

We both really liked the pocket diapers and the fitted diapers. I wouldn't mind having some prefolds on hand, but I'll mostly use them for stuffing the pockets rather than using them as actual diapers. We aren't huge fans of the idea of all the folding and pinning (even with snappies) - the simpler, the better - which is why we like the fitted diapers. We were also shown these great wet bags. Not only do they come in a small size for your diaper bag, but they come in a large size big enough for hanging in the nursery! I want to use cloth wipes as well. I am really excited to get started!

Cloth Diapering

First, before I get into all that, I have a quick newsflash:

Mike felt the Baby kick for the first time last night!!!!
She's been a lot more active in the past several days. I feel her moving several times a day now - sometimes just little flutters, and other times it's more noticeable thumps. When I feel the thumping, I can often see my belly move with the pressure. She was moving enough last night after I got in bed that I had Mike put his hand on my belly, and sure enough, she kept kicking! He was so excited to feel something, but all he said was "wow, that's weird!" LOL

Okay, back to topic:
From the start, I have intended to cloth diaper. Mainly in order to save money on diapers, but also for the environmental reasons. I want to make an effort to be as "green" as I can! I did a bit of research, and it looks like cloth diapering and doing all the diaper laundry at home is the cheapest route. Disposables would be second, and the most expensive route would be cloth diapering using a diaper service for the laundry. I intend to do the laundry at home. Since I'm planning to be home with Baby, I don't see why I wouldn't be able to do my own laundry. I know there will be a high volume, but I think it will be manageable.

In the last few weeks though, I've been a bit undecided.
1) For one, Mike mentioned the other day that he did not like the idea of having to change a cloth diaper. (He's pretty freaked at the idea of changing a diaper, period, so cloth really scares him!) I also wonder how practical they are to use when we are out in public, or when she has a baby sitter.
2) Also, cloth diapers are EXPENSIVE. There are SO many different options, I'm kind of overwhelmed. I understand prefolds and snapeez. They are pretty much the same thing that my mom used for my little brothers (but she used pins instead of snapeez.) I've also seen some other diapers that look more fitted with snaps on them instead of snapeez. And then there are the pocket diapers, and the covers. The covers look to me like they are just as thick as the diaper itself! Do I actually put a big fat fitted diaper with snaps on, and then a big fat cover on top of that? I'm confused. Then there are those who use liners, and those who use sprayers. My good friend Dani has a sprayer built in by her toilet for quick cleanup. I don't imagine we will do that though, so how would we spray out the diapers?

For those of you who cloth diaper, what type do you recommend? There are so many brands out there - which are best?
Are prefolds the best, or just the cheapest?
Does cleanup get messy? I assume we'd use liners rather than a sprayer.
I've seen little packaged diaper sprayers - how do they work?
What is the laundry like - how often do you have to do a load of diapers? Does it get to be overwhelming when you have to do adult laundry, baby laundry, AND diaper laundry?
Does the diaper pail get smelly? What kind of a pail do you use? I told hubby that a Diaper Genie would not work for cloth diapers, but he thought that it might?
What other benefits are there to cloth diapers besides saving money and not filling the landfill with diapers?

Any other tips or advice? If I do choose to go the cloth diaper route, I want to get started on building my stash soon, but I hate to buy any if I decide not to use them.

Advice, please!!! :)