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Does anyone use cloth diapers? If so, what are your favorites. I'm just starting out and am overwhelmed by all of the options. Any personal experiences with Imse Vimse, Kissaluvs, or BumGenius? These are the ones I'm considering using.

i don't know much about cloth diapers but have you found where you can get the plastic covers that go over the diapers. if i can find those i may try some cloth diapers. my friend gave me a bunch. with my daughter i used them for birp clothes.

Yes, I use cloth and love it!

Rubber pants are extremely hard to find! Without lots of them, sturdy ones, you're going nowhere with cloth diapers. Been there, done that back in the day! Wouldn't go there ever again! Disposable it a gift from God!

quote:

Originally posted by AndrewsMommy(Aka*Amanda):
Does anyone use cloth diapers? If so, what are your favorites. I'm just starting out and am overwhelmed by all of the options. Any personal experiences with Imse Vimse, Kissaluvs, or BumGenius? These are the ones I'm considering using.

For anyone who's interested, cloth diapers are bought online and it's SO much fun shopping for them. They're so adorable. There are tons of sites, many offering discounts and free shipping. Nickisdiapers.com; softclothbunz.com; babycottonbottoms.com. Plastic covers are the cheapest way to go but there are lots of really soft, comfy looking covers online. I have yet to use one but I've been researching like crazy for a week. I'm waiting for some to come in the mail to test. I'll let everyone know how it goes. The upfront investment of about $200-$300 is pretty pricy but when you think about how much you'll save in the long run, it's softer on babies skin and how good it is for the environment, it's worth it. I'm SO excited to get mine in the mail. I've never even considered using cloth until a week ago. But after researching, I can't imagine continuing to throw money away on disposables. (Except maybe on long outings.) If anyone has any questions, my brain is bursting with CD info!

quote:

Originally posted by ja2003wow:
Rubber pants are extremely hard to find! Without lots of them, sturdy ones, you're going nowhere with cloth diapers. Been there, done that back in the day! Wouldn't go there ever again! Disposable it a gift from God!

Hi, I'm Terra! I haven't been on much lately as I just had a new baby on June 30th. I know have 2 under 2! Eeks!! LOL..
Anyway, we do cloth diaper both of them!

I'll come back later to post more but wanted to say a couple of things really quick!
You can find plastic pants now [they're actually called vinyl pants] and you can get them at WalMart generally located by the cloth diapers there [the gerber kind] Which by the way I do NOT recommend the using the store bought cloth diapers like gerber because they are only filled with poly fill and are NOT absorbent as polly fill does not absorb liquid.

Check out the site www.diaperswappers.com for GREAT info about cloth diapering. It may seem overwhelming there at first but they have a wonderful forum for everything from selling diapers to parenting!

For the cheapest route in cloth diapering I suggest using Indian or Chinese prefolds [you can find these on Ebay actually for pretty cheap] and the vinyl covers from walmart [6 for about $6!]

Disposables are nice but the issue with disposables now is that they are clogging our landfills and take over 500 years to biodegrade.
It is estimated that one child in their diapering lifetime makes approx. 2 tons of diaper waste. You CAN buy biodegradable diapers BUT they MUST be exposed to air to biodegrade otherwise they take just as long [they CAN be composted though!]

Okay, I gotta run, the baby needs to nurse, but I'll be back to talk more!!
I LOVE cloth diapering!!

Doesn't anyone find it odd that $200 upfront might not be a bit much for most families? Again, cloth diapers were the norm for most of us at one time. They were the only choice. They never quite did keep the baby dry, did not change the possibility of diaper rash, had to be changed far more often, and then, had to be laundered in special detergents etc. It was not as altruistic as it all sounds to those who see them as special now. Disposables may wind up costly, if you've absolutely got to have name brand. Walmart brand is every bit as good as any other. Yup, they are a landfill issue, but like many other things, most of us are thrilled to have the option. Wish you young women could have experienced many of the past options, or lack there of! They didn't call it "being on the rag" for nothing. And those also had to be washed & dried! However, it's always nice when you young women romantize the past. We who lived it, however, are thrilled for the changes.

It's not wrong though to try something NEW! I'd bet that if you've got more than one child in diapers, it won't be quite so wonderful.

quote:

Originally posted by AndrewsMommy(Aka*Amanda):
For anyone who's interested, cloth diapers are bought online and it's SO much fun shopping for them. They're so adorable. There are tons of sites, many offering discounts and free shipping. Nickisdiapers.com; softclothbunz.com; babycottonbottoms.com. Plastic covers are the cheapest way to go but there are lots of really soft, comfy looking covers online. I have yet to use one but I've been researching like crazy for a week. I'm waiting for some to come in the mail to test. I'll let everyone know how it goes. The upfront investment of about $200-$300 is pretty pricy but when you think about how much you'll save in the long run, it's softer on babies skin and how good it is for the environment, it's worth it. I'm SO excited to get mine in the mail. I've never even considered using cloth until a week ago. But after researching, I can't imagine continuing to throw money away on disposables. (Except maybe on long outings.) If anyone has any questions, my brain is bursting with CD info!

I do understand what you are saying because we are one of those families that can't afford a lot up front.

But you can buy cloth diapers in small quantities and have it not cost much.

You can get 12 prefolds off of Ebay [or other sites for about $15-20 bucks. And the vinyl pants of course like I mentioned are $6.

You generally need about 30-35 diapers for a 3-4 day period. I spent upfront a total of $70 because I did go the cheaper route [prefolds and covers]. So that wasn't bad at all

I know for me I'm not romanticizing the past. Cloth diapering really did have more to do for our family with saving money in the long run. Almost 2 years later I'm still using the same prefolds! So for $70 I've saved quite a bit over that time.

I do also do it for the environment. I do agree it is good to have options [I have used disposables and am right now for my newborn because he is so small that even his smallest cltoh diapers are huge!! And I will admit it IS a blessing to have them for sure!!!]

Anyway, I got off track of what I was saying! lol..
I'm sure some women to romanticize the past but for many of us "hippie" moms who cloth diaper and such there are many other reasons. [lol...yup I actually had someone call me a crazy hippie one time!! I just laughed and said thanks!! he he]
One being which the lack of chemicals in cloth diapers is much better for baby.

The chemicals used to make the absorbent gel in the disposables are linked to neurological damage and toxic shock syndrome.
Also there are quite a few women who do use "rags" or what we call "mama cloth" or other chemically free/environmentally friendly feminine alternatives because we feel it is better for our bodies and the environment.

Of course everyone has their own choice to make you have to do what you feel is good and right by your family

We've just chosen this route because we know it is good and right for our family

I was, and probably still am for the most part, a true hippie! I lived it, child of the 60's & 70's! It wasn't a bad thing, though, now there are things I'd have done differently---having learned all things the hard way!! Those years are part of the me that I am today, right, wrong & in between!
I've got to laugh at all the NEW styles today though! Oh, for the day when I could wear big flowered bell bottoms on my once slender butt!!
Now, I'm a granny raising a baby again!

Diapers is an individual choice though, and I do realize that, but I'd never do cloth again! And I'll never have to be a teen girl doing her "personal" laundry, mostly by hand or with a wringer washer, and hanging them out to dry! Can you even envision anything quite so embarassing for a teen girl! At least, I lived in the country!

I think that it's great that you young moms have the options that you do. I'm one of those women who has made it all possible!! Our life was the experiment that made it okay for you to make your own choices! I remember as a first time mom having to accept my husband as boss & master!! And, I fought it every step of the way! LOL gals.

LOL...My mom and dad drove the car with big flowers on it!! Hence my "hippe" name...my name is Terra [like the earth]...
Oh yeah, it is funny that the styles now are "new" but yet a throw back!
I was born in 71 and when I look back at pictures of myself in the early/mid seventies I just chuckle!

It is nice to have options now!
Of course that's probably one reason that I like the "older" ways in some things because I do have options and did not have to do one or other!

Oh gosh you know when I went on a missions trip to Honduras [like 10 years ago!] they had a ringer washer where we stayed and that's how we washed out clothes! strong arm muscles!! lol..sounds like we can learn a lot from each generation!

I do like to line dry my clothes still! Well my husband not so much...."it fades my clothes he says"...but I do try to do the whites and diapers outside

And God bless you and your grandson! What a wonderful grandmother he has :O)

I started with unbleached Indian prefolds and Bummi's whisper wrap covers. I got a Happy Heiney's Stacinator pocket diaper, a bamboo diaper and a Bumgenius 3.0 for night. I also got some bamboo inserts. I got Country Save detergent, vinegar and baking soda for the cleaning/deoderizing. I bought a Whammies pail liner and some lavender drops for the pail. I got some flushable liners and Bumgenius Bum Spray. I use Gerber washcloths for wipes. I bought Northern Essence Better Butter cream. That was my original stash. Then I bought two Bumgenius all in ones. I also bought some Knickernappies pockets, Soft Bums training pants, and a Thirsties cover. I actually found an old fashioned all in one diaper in a local children's consignment store. I also want to try to use my sons old Gerber cotton training pants with inserts and diaper covers. My new obsession is wool. Can't wait to get wool soakers both shorties and long. They will look so cute with leg warmers in the winter! So far, I love my Bumgenius diapers, my Happy Heiney Stacinator, and Soft Bums training pants the best. Could have used a diaper sprayer and some snappis, but am managing without. Private email me if you want to talk CDing. By the way, my tiny daughter started going on the potty as soon as we switched to cloth. She had just learned to walk the same month! I will post here if it is still allowed when I am ready to sell my stash.

Sounds like a great stash!!
Enjoy the wool!! I had a friend give me a couple of shorties to use when the new baby grows some more! I've never used them before but have heard wonderful things!

I use Lavender oil drops too. I even use it in the final rinse for my diapers! They smell so good that way!

I'd love to be able to afford some AIOs and such. I do get one here and there to help build my stash though

I feel like a hippy too, Terra! What better word to describe a breastfeeding, cloth-diapering, co-sleeping, organic feeding, baby wearing mommy!

quote:

Originally posted by AndrewsMommy(Aka*Amanda):
I feel like a hippy too, Terra! What better word to describe a breastfeeding, cloth-diapering, co-sleeping, organic feeding, baby wearing mommy!

lol...oh man I aso wish we could afford to do ALL organic!! That would be so nice!! What kind of carriers do you have? I have a Mei Tai, Ergo and a New Native Pouch. I LOVE them!! I carried my 32 lb son up until I got pregnant with Aaron! He ws 28 lbs at the time!! The Ergo was great though for distributing his weight and he didn't feel that heavy at all!