Cloth Diaper Moms - help **Added more questions**

So i started using cloth diapers on DS yesterday and have a few issues...

I have been using the indian prefolds and everytime i change him they are soaked ... is this normal? I expect some of it to be wet but the whole diaper is saturated I pre-washed them 6 times like the instructions said - do i need to pre-wash them more? (i change DS every 3 hours before he eats)

Also his clothes were a little bit wet but i realized the diaper wasnt completely tucked into the cover so im guessing thats why?

What is the best way to use the prefolds with the covers? Ive been wrapping them diaper style with a snappi but ive seen sites that say you can just fold the diaper in thirds and lay inside the cover.....is either way better for absorption?

They seem pretty bulky -- i guess i will get used to that?

What do you do with poopy diapers when you are out somewhere - like public restroom or someones house? do you put them in a wet bag dirty and clean them when you get home? does the poop come out? Or can i try to get it off with a wipe?

Thanks!

***ETA***

How do you dry the Planet Wise pail liner? Can you put in the dryer or do you line dry?

How do you handle the poop diapers at home? I dont know where to put the dirty diaper so i can finish changing DS and bring to the bathroom to use the sprayer (DS is formula fed)---- i dont want to leave the diaper on the changing table since its usually wet too....and then once i use the sprayer the diaper is soaked -- do you wring it out by hand? And how do you get it back to the nursery without it dripping everywhere? Do you keep a wet bag in the bathroom just for poopy diapers? I have the pail in the nursery since its easy to drop the wet ones right in.

Im prewashing some of the AIO (Bum Genious) and inserts (hemp and flips) (DS should fit into them in a week or two) and it seems to take forever to dry them - is there a trick or do i have to run them in the dryer for a long time?

Message edited 5/4/2011 1:30:38 PM.

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help

1. they are bulkier. I have a girl, so not sure if it works the same, but i use the bikini fold. i lay out prefold, put her rear on it, take front half, give it 1/2 a twist and secure with snappi.
2. i did change her often, because they do get soaked. however, this fueled my fire. how can a kid piss so much and a diaper still feel dry? what chemicals are we exposing our babies to that would allow all this piss to be held in for so long? at night, i used a hemp cloth, it would wick away the wetness from her.
3. poop. first 6 mos, was ebf. i would bring a plastic grocery bag out with me and throw it in there. once got home, tossed in laundry.
now, i have a ziplock and a plastic spoon. if i change her and we are out, i scrape the diaper with spoon and put it in ziplock.
but for some reason...she never really poops when we aren't home.
4. make sure diaper is in cover. this will stop any leaks.

good luck!

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help

they were very wet at times -it is totally normal - but the only leaks i had were when i did not tuck the prefold inproperly

i found the covers stayed cleaner from poop diapers if i used sanppi- i have a boy so sometime i would just fold the front in a third and fold the extra in front and just put it in cover- but if he pooped the cover was a mess - but if i used a snappi i could reuse the cover sometime


i have a small wet/dry reusable bag that i keep in my diaper bag - i would just throw a poopy diaper in the wet side and wash when it was time- i would dump it in the main pail when i got home - idid not other wiping into the toilet - i mostly bf so they always came out clean

when i started solids- i use liners - so now i just dump it in the toilet but the liners don't help till the poop is more solid and that only happens when you are on solid food

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help

I use Indian prefolds with Thirsties covers. I change dd every 2-3 hours. I use the angel fold and a snappi. I tried just using the trifold and place method but it was a mess when she pooped. To prep my dipes I boiled them for 10 minute then washed with Dawn for a cycle and then rinced 3 cycles. They have been perfect ever since. I also use borax/washig soda/oxyclean each wash and 3 drops of tea tree oil to keep away the stinking and yeasties.

If the cloth is not tucked in all the way it will get the clothes wet from wicking. So just check around and make sure it's all tucked in in the front back and legs. :)

They are a little bulky but we just deal with it. I love dd's fluff but and it is worth the extra bulk. She had major ammonia burns from disposable diapers. Now she only gets a little rash if dh doesn't change her in the morn but that's my darling husband not the diaper.

I also picked up some cheap fleece blankets from the dollop section of Target. I cut it into strips and place it in the diaper. This helps keep dd from feeling the wetness and when she poops it is contained in the fleece. I just plop it in the potty and flush. If the fleece is nasty I throw it out but if the poop is ploppable I put the fleece in the wetbag with the diaper and wash and reuse.

Also just a warning you shouldn't use petroleum or zinc based diaper creams. It can cause your diapers to repell. I like Earth Mama baby bottom butter (i think thats what it's called) It always clears up anything in one diaper change.

Good luck with the cloth you are going to love it :)

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help

I use a different type of cloth diaper and they can get saturated. Like Janice, it makes me wonder about the chemicals inside disposables for them to hold so much pee.

If his clothes are getting wet, make sure the liner is completely inside the cover. This is true for the diapers I use too. Every blue moon we'll have a leak for seemingly no reason but that's the way it goes for disposables too.

When DS was EBF, I just kinda scraped out the messy poops into the toilet and threw in the diaper pail. Now that he is on solids, the poop either just flicks off into the toilet or gets super messy and needs more help. Either way, I started using diaper liners. It's a super thin layer of cotton meant to let the pee through but contain the poop. They work great. I just peel that layer off the cloth and throw in the toilet or in a plastic bag for the garbage.

Diaper Liner

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help

1. Totally normal that they are soak. With cloth you do need to change more often than disposable. Maybe try ever 2 hours instead of 3 hours.
2. Always check the cover to make sure no parts are sticking out. If a little stick out you will get a leak.
3. How you wrap is something you need to experiment yourself as different wrap styles work for different people. My son is 2 so I do the tri fold because he's too big to use a snappi (diaper is not big enough), so i try fold and use "flip" wrap. I love this wrap, has a really nice fit. From cottonbabies.
4. Going out I bring a small wet bag. DS uses liners so I toss the liners in the toilet and put diaper in wrap bag. When ds was ebf, I just threw the entire diaper in a wrap bag and washed when I got home. It was always easier for me to deal with poop diapers once I got home.

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help

Thanks Ladies - you CD moms offer so much good advice

Are the AIO or hybrids any better as far as holding pee or do you have to change just as often? I hate to have to change him sooner since he sleeps between feedings and i hate to wake him which is why i usually change him right before he eats. But i also dont want to leave him in a soaked diaper

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help

Posted by BabyFever10

Thanks Ladies - you CD moms offer so much good advice

Are the AIO or hybrids any better as far as holding pee or do you have to change just as often? I hate to have to change him sooner since he sleeps between feedings and i hate to wake him which is why i usually change him right before he eats. But i also dont want to leave him in a soaked diaper

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help

I change DS every1-2 hours. I used prefold in the beginning but have mostly fitted or aios. You can try out a trial at jillians drawer they send you different types to see what you like. Fm me with any questions . It is normal for them to get soaked, you just need to change soaner. The aios don't soak like the pre fold. I also use tri fold for DS when I use pf. as far as diaper cream, I dont use any but I have some organic cocunut oil around if I do need it. It is cloth diaper same. I also recommend cloth wipes, if you don't use them. I make a home made mixers and cut up receiving blankets and they work great.

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help **Added more questions**

bump for more questions

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help **Added more questions**

How do you dry the Planet Wise pail liner? Can you put in the dryer or do you line dry?

I don't have the Planet Wise pail liner but i simply wash and dry mind in the dryer on medium.

How do you handle the poop diapers at home? I dont know where to put the dirty diaper so i can finish changing DS and bring to the bathroom to use the sprayer (DS is formula fed)---- i dont want to leave the diaper on the changing table since its usually wet too....and then once i use the sprayer the diaper is soaked -- do you wring it out by hand? And how do you get it back to the nursery without it dripping everywhere? Do you keep a wet bag in the bathroom just for poopy diapers? I have the pail in the nursery since its easy to drop the wet ones right in.

For the prefolds I fold them in half and leave it on the changing table or floor, if the wrap needs to be changed I fold the wrap around the prefold, if not, I take an old prefold and lay the wet one on top. I don't have a sprayer but I do rinse and I just wring it out by hand, toss in pail then wash my hands (sounds gross, but I'm use to it and the diapers are pretty well rinsed. ).

Im prewashing some of the AIO (Bum Genious) and inserts (hemp and flips) (DS should fit into them in a week or two) and it seems to take forever to dry them - is there a trick or do i have to run them in the dryer for a long time?I run all of my bum genious in the dryer on medium twice.

Message edited 5/4/2011 1:44:41 PM.

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help **Added more questions**

i dant pre wash even when my son used formula- it all came out fine in the waser - i do a cold soak and then a hot wash

i dry my planet wise bags on high witht he diapers - have been doing this for over a year and they are still perfect - oh i dry on high too

bum genuis - defiently take a while to dry - if you open them up they dry faster but sometimes i need to give them more time then my prefolds

as far as diapers go - i have a pail right next i either dump and if i can't put it away properly i put it on top of my wipe warmer - this way if it leaks, i just use a clorex wipe to wipe it off - and clean the entire chananging table while i am doing it

another friend just uses formula too and she does not prewash - she does a cold soak, hot wash and a second hot rinse cycle (wash with out soap)

alot matters on your washing machine and how they are lookign and how much water it uses - HE use less water - i don't have an HE

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help **Added more questions**

I have wahmies pail liners, but I am sure they are similar--I have a rack next to my dryer and I just let them air dry. I have 2 so one is always clean. As far as poopy diapers, I have a toilet in my laundry room, so I keep my pail right there, dunk/rinse the diaper and plop it right in the pail (no wringing out) I guess if I were you I would keep something in the bathroom or just carry your pail in with you when there is a poopy one. The AIOs definitely do take longer to dry--I don't have many but the ones I have I let dry one cycle and then hang them to dry the rest of the way to save energy. I do the same with the Flip organics, the stay dry ones dry pretty fast though. HTH!

Re: Cloth Diaper Moms - help **Added more questions**

1. How do you dry the Planet Wise pail liner? Can you put in the dryer or do you line dry?

---I have a KissaLuvs antibacterial liner. It recommends line drying to preserve the fabric. I have two of them so one goes in the pail as the other goes in the wash and line dries.

2. How do you handle the poop diapers at home?

---I've always just set it aside with the cover (I use an AI2 by Grovia), finished changing DS, then cleaned up the diaper by wiping out the excess poop with toilet paper into the toilet, or with a wipe that goes in the garbage. That's it. My diapers were never completely clean of poop but they come out of the wash completely clean. (Now they are pretty poop free since I use the Grovia liners.) I've never used a sprayer but in your case, I'd probably keep a pail or hang a wet bag in the bathroom to throw them in.

3. Im prewashing some of the AIO (Bum Genious) and inserts (hemp and flips) (DS should fit into them in a week or two) and it seems to take forever to dry them - is there a trick or do i have to run them in the dryer for a long time

--- The inserts I use are cotton and they recommend drying on high. I found that I have to use timed dry, 70 minutes on HIGH to get them completely dry. Or they can line dry in the sun for a couple hours, which I do to brighten them up again because they will stain.

I line dry the covers (manufacturers recommendation). They don't take long at all. 1/2 hour maybe?